A METHOD FOR TEXTILE PROCESSING

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a textile processing method. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for processing of textile products in a drum.

Background of the Invention

In the textile industry, some textile products are subjected to (mechanical) abrasion in several stages of the production process. The abrasion is usually performed for partial decolorization of the textile product. Such abrasion can be applied in a rotating drum, using various abrasion means which can be exemplified such as textile-based flat bodies, pumice stones, synthetic abrasive stones mimicking pumice stones, polymeric bodies, bodies formed from compressed powders. The abrasion is partial since the textile product is expected to substantially maintain its weight at the end of the respective process. For the case where textile-based flat items are used as abrasion means; such item can be defined as having two sides forming substantially parallel surfaces with a distance therebetween. Said sides have a width and length along said surfaces, and a perpendicular height between said surfaces. Such item can be hereby defined flat if the ratio of the width or length to the height is 30 or higher. This is especially the case if said item has an aspect ratio between 1 and 10, calculated by dividing the length to the width.

At the process of partial abrasion of a textile product, such textile-based flat item is expected to temporarily stick onto the textile product and to partially cover the textile product without providing a transient friction thereof to achieve abrasion on a respective zone of the textile product. Other zones of the textile product which are not covered with the textile-based flat item at such period, are exposed to a higher extent of transient friction unlike the covered parts.

This phenomenon decreases the predictability of the extent of abrasion throughout the textile product, creating uneven spots with different colors thereon.

Pumice stones as abrasion means provides an increased predictability of the extent of abrasion throughout a textile product. Yet, pumice stones are quickly eroded and therefore lose size throughout the partial abrasion process. Thus the predictability of the extent of abrasion declines with further use of a pumice stone without replacement. Accordingly, pumice stones are to be replaced frequently to maintain said predictability, which results in increased process costs.

As a further technical problem, pumice stones erode inner surfaces of the drums, thus the drums are likewise to be replaced frequently, which relates to increased hardware maintenance costs. As an even further problem, pumice stones subjected to collisions with each other and with the inner surfaces of the drum turn into dust rather quickly, which leaves the drum usually in the form of an aqueous suspension. Thus, separation costs incur at treatment of process water, upon its use in the partial abrasion process. The problems related to the use of pumice stones are also mainly applicable to the use of bodies formed from compressed powders.

The polymeric bodies inherently cannot reach to details of a textile product, such as recesses around stitches.

Considering the above mentioned technical problems related to alternative abrasion means used in textile processing, an alternative approach is to be sought for overcoming the present disadvantages.

Objects of the Invention

Primary object of the present invention is to overcome the abovementioned shortcomings of the prior art. Another object of the present invention is to provide a textile processing method with decreased costs.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a textile processing method with increased predictability. Summary of the Invention

The present invention proposes a method for textile processing, wherein the above mentioned problems are solved. Said method includes partial abrasion of a textile in a rotatable drum. In the method according to the present invention, said partial abrasion is performed using an abrasion means having a body substantially formed from one or more elongate members selected from a list consisting of yarns, plies, fibers or strands. Thus, the method according to the present invention decreases the costs related to wearing of drum, by using an abrasion means for partial abrasion, which is majorly less harmless to the inner surfaces to the drum when compared to pumice stone or the like.

Furthermore, the method according to the present invention enables an enhanced predictability to the partial abrasion of the textile products. Since the abrasion means used in said method is less prone to erosion due to its subunits being yarns, plies, fibers or strands, the method according to the present invention also enables minimization of the costs related to loss and replacement of the abrasion means.

Brief Description of the Figures

The figures, whose brief explanation is herewith provided, are solely intended for providing a better understanding of the present invention and are as such not intended to define the scope of protection or the context in which said scope is to be interpreted in the absence of the description.

Fig. l represents (a) a first, (b) a second and_(c) a third exemplary type of abrasion means suitable to be used in the method according to the present invention.

Fig.2 represents (a) a fourth, (b) a fifth, (c) a sixth and (d) a seventh exemplary type of abrasion means to be used in the method according to the present invention.

Fig.3 (a-e) depicts several possible cross-sections (e.g. A-A taken from the Fig.1(b)) of abrasion means to be used in the method according to the present invention, yet said possible cross-sections being not limited to those in these drawings; said cross- sections being considered to be substantially in the form of a circle, such circle is hereby represented with dashed rings.

Fig. represents an extensively frayed state of an end of an abrasion means to be used in the method according to the present invention, for better understanding an exemplary organization of a group of yarns, plies, fibers or strands which are twisted together to form said abrasion means.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring now the figures outlined before, the present invention proposes a method for textile processing, including partial abrasion of a textile in a rotatable drum, wherein said partial abrasion is performed using an abrasion means (1).

In the context of the present invention, said abrasion means (1) has a body (13) which is substantially formed from one or more elongate members (10) selected from the list consisting of yarns, plies, fibers or strands.

In an aspect according to the present invention, the partial abrasion is preceded by formation of the body (13) by twisting or braiding of a group of elongate members (10). Thus in this aspect, the body (13) is formed from a group of said elongate members (10), which are twisted or braided together. In such case, the abrasion means (1) used in the method may be considered in the form of a rope. An exemplary drawing to represent a first type of abrasion means (1) in the form of a rope is shown in Fig.1(a), Fig.1(b) and Fig.1(c). An extensively frayed state of an end of an abrasion means (1) is depicted in the Fig.4, for better understanding an exemplary organization of a group of said elongate members (10).

This variation of the method according to the present invention enables recycling of ropes discarded at the end of their service life in another technical field, and gives the opportunity to propose a new field of use thereto with low purchasing cost. Therefore, proposition of using ropes as abrasion means (1) adds further value to the textile processing with the method according to the present invention.

One or more ends (11) of such rope may be left open to allow fraying thereof, as exemplified in the Fig.1(a). Alternatively, one or more ends (11) of said rope can be locked to prevent fraying. Such locking may be performed by whipping. Fig. 1(b) shows an exemplary drawing to represent such (second type) of abrasion means (1) to be used in the method according to the present invention, wherein the abrasion means (1) is depicted with its both ends (11) whipped. As an alternative to such second type of abrasion means (1), the locking may be performed by covering such ends (11), e.g. with a polymer- based material such as a rubber compound. Fig. 1(c) shows an exemplary drawing to represent such (third type) of abrasion means (1) to be used in the method according to the present invention, wherein the abrasion means (1) is depicted with its both ends (11) locked.

Further alternatively, the partial abrasion can be preceded by formation of the body (13) by knitting of one or more of said elongate members (10). Even further alternatively, the partial abrasion can be preceded by formation or obtainment of the body (13) in the form of a clew. In these aspects, the abrasion means (1) can have a body (13) which can be formed by knitting, or in the form of a clew. The body (13) can substantially have a form of sphere, an ellipsoid, a cylinder, a torus, a prism (not shown), etc. Fig.2(a), Fig.2(b), Fig.2(c) and Fig.2(d) respectively show exemplary drawings to represent the forms of sphere (fourth type), ellipsoid (fifth type), cylinder (sixth type) and torus (seventh type) of abrasion means (1) to be used in the method according to the present invention. Thus, the locking of the ends (11) can be performed by keeping said ends (11) at an inner portion of the abrasion means (1). Said inner portion is inherently not available any friction by the textile to be processed, or by another abrasion means (1) placed into the same drum. Here, said respective ends (11) are locked by leaving the same at a rather central portion of the abrasion means (1).

In a version of the method where the abrasion means (1) used has one or more locked ends (11) as in the second to seventh versions, details of the textile (e.g. details of a textile product to be partially abraded) such as recesses around stitches are protected from abrasion, and abrasion is applied mainly on textile regions distant to the stitches. Thus, the use of abrasion means (1) having locked ends (11), enables an extensive visual contrast around the indentations of the partially abraded textile, which enables the production of a partially abraded textile product with increased visual contrast around its recesses (e.g. stitches). Furthermore, with this version of the method, fraying of the locked ends (11) is prevented and thereby the abrasion means (1) remains functional for an extended service life.

In all of the alternative variations of the method according to the present invention, an abrasion means (1) is employed which can be considered as being different from textile based abrasion means (1) having a substantially flat form (e.g. towel-type abrasion means (1)). Thus in the method of the present invention, an abrasion means (1) with an extent of flexibility is used, said extent being lower than that available in substantially flat abrasion means (1) used in the prior art. Thus the abrasion means (1) used in the method according to the present invention has a relatively low extent of flexibility and therefore high extent of compressive strength when compared to substantially flat abrasion means (1) such as towels; thereby the partial abrasion of textiles can be effectively achieved in a short processing time.

Within the technical sense of the present invention, prior to the performance of the partial abrasion, said body (13) is formed such that the body (13) has a width (W) defined as a maximum distance across a cross section thereof, and a length (L) substantially perpendicular to said cross section, such that the ratio of the length (L) to the width (W) is within the range between 1 and 100. This ratio renders the abrasion means (1) functional in terms of abrading textiles, by limiting the flexibility of the abrasion means (1). The abrasion means (1) used in the partial abrasion can be selected to have a width (W) defined as a maximum distance across a cross section thereof, and a length (L) substantially perpendicular to said cross section; such that the ratio (L/W) of the length to the width is within the range between 1 and 15. In this variation of the method, the flexibility of the abrasion means (1) is further limited by the abrasion means (1) being podgy, which results in effectively achieving of the partial abrasion of textiles in a further shortened processing time.

Provided that said ratio (L/W) of the length (L) to the width (W) is within the range between 1 and 100, the abrasion means (1) used in the partial abrasion can be selected to have said cross section substantially in the form of circle, such that said width (W) is a diameter of said circle. To this end, a selection of the abrasion means (1) to be used in the partial abrasion, such that said cross section is substantially in the form of circle, such that said width (W) is a diameter of said circle, can precede the partial abrasion. In the context of the present invention, the cross section of e.g. a rope (as in first to third types) or a clew (as in the fourth to seventh types) can also be considered to be substantially in the form of a circle. Fig.3(a) to Fig.3(e) depicts exemplary cross- sections which fit to the definition as substantially having the form of a circle, wherein substantially circular circumferences of exemplary cross-sections are shown with dashed circles.

Since the abrasion means (1) selected to perform the method according to the present invention is formed from elongate members (10) which are twisted or braided together, it is evident that geometric forms of the cross-sections or the bodies mentioned in the description are inherently imperfect by having indentations around neighboring twists or braids on an outer face of the abrasion means (1). Furthermore, the twisting or braiding provides that the elongate members (10) on the outer face, are backed by other elongate members (10) located in rather central portions of the abrasion means (1). This fact is visualized in the Fig.2(a) to Fig.2(e) over random examples of the abrasion means (1) which are useful in the method according to the present invention. Thus, the indentations on the outer face of the abrasion means (1) are resistant to compression, thereby providing an extended effectiveness at abrasion of textiles by friction. Thus, the indentations provide an extended friction performance, substantially along said outer face onto the textile to be subjected to partial abrasion.

Considering said ratio (L/W) of the length to the width within the range between 1 and 15, the abrasion means (1) used in the partial abrasion can be selected to have a width (W) within the range between 5 millimeters and 150 millimeters. During the partial abrasion process, a width (W) lower than 5 millimeters result in increased difficulties in separating the abrasion means (1) from the textiles after the completion of the partial abrasion process; and a width (W) above 80 millimeters take up too much space in commonly used drum sizes. Therefore this range of the width renders the partial abrasion process more profitable in terms of both process and investment costs.

The abrasion means (1) to be used in the method according to the present invention, can be selected to further have a length (L) within the range between 1 cm and 225 cm. Provided that ratio (L/W) of the length to the width (i.e. the aspect ratio) is kept between 1 and 15, and the width (W) being optionally kept between 5 millimeters (0.5 centimeters) and 150 millimeters (15 centimeters); said range of length (L) provides highly favorable sizes of abrasion means (1), especially in terms of increased compressive strength when subjected to forces from any aspect angle, and increased momentum at collisions between the abrasion means (1) and the textile to be partially abraded. The length of the abrasion means (1) being 1 cm or higher, facilitates obtainment thereof through cutting of a rope.

Thus this version of the method according to the present invention provides an enhanced performance in partial abrasion of textiles. In a further favorable subset of this version of the method, the abrasion means (1) used in the partial abrasion can be selected to have a length (L) within the range between 10 cm and 30 cm. This provides a further favorable pudginess for furthering the effect for further shortening the processing time, along with for facilitating the separation of the abrasion means

(I) from the textile at the end of the partial abrasion process.

In the case where the selected abrasion means (1) in the form of a rope, the locking of the one or more ends (11) can be performed by whipping said ends (11) as in the exemplary Fig.1(b); or alternatively, by covering said one or more ends (11) with a cap (12) as in the exemplary Fig.1(c). Said cap (12) may include a polymeric material. In the latter alternative, one or more ends (11) of the abrasion means (1) can be selected to have coated with a rubber compound, or can be polyboot ends

(II), substantially made of a polymeric material, e.g. rubber; or the cap (12) may be of a heat shrink type which provides facilitated securing of the cap (12) onto respective ends (11).

As an alternative option, the abrasion means (1) used in the method according to the present invention can be selected such that said one or more ends (11) are free (not locked), thereby allowing mechanical friction between said ends (11) and the textile subjected to the partial abrasion. In such case, at the expense of shortening the service life of the abrasion means (1) by fraying of the free (non-locked) ends (11), the elongate members (10) at said ends (11) serve as finely abrading protrusions which are able to reach into narrow indentations of the textile to be partially abraded, e.g. around the stitches of a textile product. Thus, this version of the method according to the present invention enables the obtainment of a partially abraded textile product with decreased visual contrast around its recesses (e.g. stitches).

The elongate members (10) mainly forming the abrasion means (1) used in the method according to the present invention can be natural materials (e.g. cellulose fibers such as cotton, bamboo, hemp, jute, wool, linen, etc.) or synthetic based (e.g. polyester, polyamide, etc.) materials, or their mixtures. Although natural materials are slightly more prone to erosion when compared to synthetic based materials e.g. nylon, their environmental impact is lower than that of the synthetic based materials. This even reduces the water treatment costs upon the partial abrasion process according to the present invention. In another aspect, synthetic based materials usually have a longer service life when compared to that of natural materials, which result in decreased costs related to the replacement of the abrasion means (1) for further use.

A step of fixing of one or more of said abrasion means (1) into an inner surface of a drum may precede said partial abrasion. In such case, the inner surface of the drum, which gets in contact with textiles to be partially abraded, is provided with such abrasion means (11). In case where the inner surface of the drum is provided with (fixed) abrasion means (1), introduction of further abrasion means (1) as described earlier into the drum minimizes the duration of partial abrasion step by providing an increase in abrasive surfaces in the drum in addition. Furthermore, one or more of the abrasion means (1) fixed onto the inner surface of the drum is inherently reinforced by relatively rigid (e.g. metallic) structure of said inner surface, thereby the flexibility of said abrasion means (1) is further minimized and thus the abrasion means (1) shows a further increased abrasion performance. Thus, a predetermined extent of abrasion can be achieved in a shorter duration of partial abrasion step.

In the method, the textile to be processed can be contacted with or one or more colorants, and/or with one or more chemical bleaching agents such as ozone during the process of partial abrasion.

Thus the following objects are achieved by the present invention: overcoming the abovementioned shortcomings of the prior art, - provision of a textile processing method with decreased costs, and increased predictability.