Printed textile substrate and process for making

Abstract

This invention relates to a printed textile substrate, such as a floorcovering article, and a process for making a printed textile substrate. This invention provides the process and steps to print color patterns in-register with physical patterns, such as varying yarn pile heights, yarn luster, yarn color, and the like. This process provides many unique aesthetics on a textile substrate that cannot be created another way.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a pattern on a textile substrate, said method comprising the following steps:
 (a) providing a textile substrate comprised of tufted yarns, said tufted yarns forming at least two areas A 1  and A 2  within the textile substrate, said areas A 1  and A 2  each containing a tufted design, said area A 1  containing a first tufted design TD 1  and said area A 2  containing a second tufted design TD 2 , said TD 1  being different from TD 2 ;   (b) providing a digital printing apparatus; and   (c) printing the textile substrate with the digital printing apparatus in a pre-determined location to form a pattern on the textile substrate by applying a print composition to a surface of the textile substrate, said print composition being applied to only one of the following pre-determined locations on the textile substrate:
 (i) on at least a portion of area A 1 , 
 (ii) on at least a portion of area A 2 , or 
 (iii) on a least a portion of both area A 1  and area A 2 , 
   
       said printing being characterized as being in-register with the pre-determined location selected from (i) to (iii) on the textile substrate. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first tufted design TD 1  and the second tufted design TD 2  are independently selected from and formed by variations in print composition, tufting density, yarn construction, yarn composition, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein variations in yarn construction include differences in yarn height, yarn color, yarn luster, yarn twist, yarn cut, yarn loop, yarn denier, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein variations in yarn construction include yarns having both loop pile and cut pile. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein variations in yarn height include yarns having a first tuft height and a second tuft height, said first tuft height being greater than said second tuft height. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the print composition is present on at least a portion of the tufted yarns having a first height, and wherein the tufted yarns having a second height are substantially free from the print composition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the print composition is present on at least a portion of the tufted yarns having a second height, and wherein the tufted yarns having a first height are substantially free from the print composition. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the print composition is present on all of the tufted yarns having a first height and a second height. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first tuft height is at least 10% greater than the second tuft height. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first tuft height is from about 10% to about 100% greater than the second tuft height. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first tuft height is from about 10% to about 75% greater than the second tuft height. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first tuft height is from about 10% to about 50% greater than the second tuft height. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein variations in yarn composition include differences in material comprising the yarn and any finishes applied thereto. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein area A 1  contains a first print composition PC 1  and area A 2  contains a second print composition PC 2 , wherein PC 1  differs in composition from PC 2 . 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein PC 1  forms a print pattern PP 1  and PC 2  forms a print pattern PP 2 , wherein PP 1  differs from PP 2 . 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein PC 1  differs in quantity applied to A 1  from PC 2  applied to A 2 . 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein PC 1  differs in composition applied to A 1  from PC 2  applied to A 2 . 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein PC 1  differs in quantity and composition applied to A 1  from PC 2  applied to A 2 . 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein area A 1  contains a first print composition PC 1  and area A 2  contains a second print composition PC 2 , wherein PC 1  is the same composition as PC 2 . 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the textile substrate further comprises a third tufted design TD 3  that differs from TD 1  and TD 2 . 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein TD 3  is distinguished from TD 1  and TD 2  by at least one of print composition, tufting density, yarn construction, and yarn composition. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the textile substrate further comprises at least one additional tufted design TD 4  that differs from TD 1 , TD 2 , and TD 3 . 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein TD 4  is distinguished from TD 1 , TD 2 , and TD 3  by at least one of print composition, tufting density, yarn construction, and yarn composition. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the print composition is present in-register with the tufted yarns in A 1 , A 2 , or both A 1  and A 2  of the textile substrate. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the print composition contains at least one chromophore-containing print ink. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the print composition contains at least one wetting agent and is free from chromophore-containing print ink. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the print composition contains at least one chromophore-containing print ink and at least one wetting agent.