SPONGE FABRIC FOR ABSORBING WATER OR OTHER LIQUID IN GENERAL AND PROCEDURE FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

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OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a flat sponge fabric for absorbing water or other liquid in general.

The object of the present invention furthermore relates to a procedure for manufacturing f a flat sponge fabric for absorbing water or other liquid in general.

STATE OF THE ART

As is well-known, flat sponge fabrics are required for absorbing great quantity of water or other liquid in general.

Flat sponge fabrics are used for the production and manufacture of bath linen such as, for example, bathrobes, facecloths, flannels and/or towels, and children's and sports clothing, or cloths for cleaning. The above-mentioned flat sponge fabrics are usually made up of a first and a second warp which extend substantially parallel to each other, and a weft which intersects said warps perpendicularly. The first warp, together with the weft, constitutes the skeleton of the flat sponge fabric, while the second warp constitutes a layer with curls intended for retaining water.

In detail, the second warp is woven into the weft in such a way as to form a plurality of loops and curls which project outwards.

The yarns used for forming flat sponge fabrics are normally made of cotton. These yarns are produced by spinning: a treatment process which joins the individual fibres of cotton by means of twisting them to keep them united.

The layer with curls can be of single or double configuration. A layer with curls in simple configuration has a plurality of curls arranged on one side only of the fabric, while a layer with curls in double configuration has a plurality of curls arranged on both sides.

The capacity for absorbing water depends on the quantity of cotton present and is greater in relation to the number and density of the curls in the flat sponge fabric, and for this reason the layer with double configuration has a water absorption capacity greater than that of the layer with single configuration .

Although known flat sponge fabrics made of cotton allow optimal water absorption, it has been discovered that these flat sponge fabrics have a number of disadvantages and are improvable in various respects. Principal improvements concern the weight of the flat sponge fabric per unit length, the bulk of said fabric, the durability of the flat sponge fabric over time and the resistance of the flat sponge fabric to mechanical stresses, as well as its wearability.

In particular, it has been possible to discover that flat sponge fabrics made using cotton yarns have general characteristics that depend on the intrinsic characteristics of the yarn used. In other words, the flat sponge fabric has, overall, a weight per unit length that depends directly on the significant weight of the cotton yarn, which is used both for the warps and for the weft.

It should also be emphasized that the cotton yarn used for the second warp, i.e. for the warp that constitutes the layer with curls, has a considerable thickness which consequently determines the overall dimensions of the second warp as well as of the flat sponge fabric itself .

In addition, it has been discovered that cotton yarn limits the durability of the curled layer because the second warp is not capable of effectively resisting the mechanical stresses to which the flat sponge fabric is normally subjected during use.

There also exist flat sponge fabrics made with the weft and/or the first and/or the second warp made of other fibres than pure cotton. This is the case, for example, with so-called artificial fibres: viscose, modal, silk or bamboo fibre or even mixed cotton-artificial fibres. Such flat sponge fabrics, however, if put away while still damp after use, tend to develop moulds and/or bacteria which give rise to unwelcome odours and can also ruin the fabric.

There are also flat sponge fabrics made using yarns in synthetic fibre yarns such as, for example, polyester. The use of such synthetic fibre yarns is, however, limited to the first warp and/or the weft and serves to increase the strength of the structure of the fabric. Synthetic fibre yarns, being smooth and slippery, do not lend themselves to being used for the second warp and, in addition, any fabric thus obtained would have the further disadvantage of breaking easily, compromising the overall aesthetic appearance of a product made with said fabrics.

In document EP 1.826.303 is also described a sponge fabric made of cotton yarn and polyester yarn. The fabric described in said document is composed by two yarns of polyester warp and a warp made of polyester or cotton. The fabric described in said document does not overcome the disadvantages of polyester sponge fabrics which the present invention advantageously solves.

The fabric described in said document does not provide for any cotton warp thread, which advantageously confers on the fabric which is the subject of the present invention characteristics which overcome the disadvantages of known flat sponge fabrics.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for a light and absorbent flat sponge fabric.

The flat sponge fabric, according to the present invention, has contained dimensions.

Advantageously the flat sponge fabric subject of the present invention is durable over time.

The flat sponge fabric according to the present invention has also high resistance to mechanical stresses .

The flat sponge fabric according to the present invention endows bath linen and children's and sports clothing with excellent wearability.

The second warp of the flat sponge fabric according to the present invention, the one used to form the curls, is made with a cotton-cut synthetic yarn, i.e. a yarn in which the individual fibres are held together by twisting .

Advantageously, the cotton-cut synthetic yarn is made of polyester.

Advantageously, the cotton-cut synthetic yarn, preferably of polyester, of which the second warp is composed, is sized, in particular with a sizing concentration comprised between 1% and 9%, preferably comprised between 1% and 6%, more preferably comprised between 1% and 3%.

The first warp of the flat sponge fabric, i.e. the warp which together with the weft constitutes the support structure of the fabric, is made with double-twisted cotton yarn, i.e. with a yarn consisting of two or more threads of cotton rolled together.

The present invention also provides for a procedure for the manufacture of a flat sponge fabric for absorbing water or other liquid in general, whose phases are as follows: forming by weaving a first warp using a cotton yarn; forming by weaving a second warp substantially parallel to said first yarn; forming by weaving at least one cotton weft. The formation of said weft causes the interweaving of the latter with said second warp to form a plurality of curls for absorbing water. Advantageously, the step of formation of said second warp is executed using a cotton-cut type synthetic yarn, preferably made of polyester.

Before said second warp is used in the weaving and subsequently to its formation by twisting, such a synthetic fibre yarn, preferably polyester, is sized, in particular with a sizing concentration comprised between 1% and 9%, preferably between 1% and 6%, more preferably between 1% and 3%.

Another advantageous aspect of the present invention is that of subjecting the flat sponge fabric to a stage of bleaching which has the object of eliminating the impurities and the sizing agent.

A further advantageous aspect of the present invention is that of subjecting the flat sponge fabric to a dyeing stage.

This dyeing can be double with a single bath, or with a double bath.

In the case of the double dyeing with a single bath, it will be possible to endow the flat sponge fabric with a uniform colour, while in the case of the dyeing with double bath, wherein one bath serves to dye the cotton and the other serves to dye the synthetic yarn, it will be possible to obtain a flat sponge fabric with two different colours or with two different graduations of the same colour.

The above mentioned objects and others more are obtained by means of the flat sponge fabric for absorbing water and/or other liquids in general and by the procedure of manufacturing the same flat sponge fabric, subject of the present invention according to the appended claims.

Herein is, by way of example, the description of a flat sponge fabric for absorbing water and/or other liquid in general and a procedure for manufacturing the same by a preferred embodiment, but not limited to, represented in the annexed drawings described as follows .

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a sectional view of the fabric which is the subject of the present invention;

Figura 2 shows a sectional view of a further embodiment of the fabric which is the subject of the present invention .

With reference to figure 1, letter "A" indicates a fabric which is the subject of the present invention, comprising a first warp (1) made with a plurality of cotton yarns, a second warp (2) made with a plurality of synthetic yarns and a weft (3) made with a plurality of cotton yarns.

The first warp (1) and the weft (3) constitute the loadbearing structure of fabric (A) , which provides a second warp (2) substantially parallel to the first warp (1), adapted to form an outer layer of the sponge fabric (A) .

Said second warp (2) consists of a plurality of cotton- cut synthetic yarns, made particularly rough by the twisting of the textile fibres which constitute them. Each synthetic yarn which composes the second warp (2) is advantageously sized in a suitable manner such as to reduce its slipperiness .

In particular, each synthetic yarn (2), preferably made of polyester, is sized with a sizing concentration comprised between 1% and 9%, preferably comprised between 1% and 6%, more preferably comprised between 1% and 3%.

Still with reference to figure 1, the sponge fabric (A) comprises furthermore a weft (3) made of cotton and interwoven with the second warp (2) to form a plurality of curls or loops intended for the absorption of water and similar liquids.

In the embodiment illustrated in figure 1, the weft (3) and the second warp (2) form an outer layer with curls in simple configuration, wherein the curls project outwards from the load-bearing structure of the fabric on a single face.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the fabric subject of the present invention. The weft (3) and the second warp (2) define an outer layer with curls in double configuration wherein the curls project outwards from the load-bearing structure of the fabric (A) at the location of both faces of said fabric.

The above-mentioned flat sponge fabric (A) is advantageously manufactured by means of a procedure which comprises a stage of forming said first warp (1) by weaving, using at least one cotton yarn.

The procedure comprises furthermore a stage of forming by weaving the second warp (2), positioned substantially parallel to the first warp (1) . The second warp (2) is made using a cotton-cut type synthetic fibre yarn preferably made of polyester.

The procedure also comprises a stage of the weaving of at least one weft (3) in cotton.

The formation of the load-bearing structure of the fabric is executed by interweaving the weft (3) with the first warp (1). The formation of the layer with curls intended for absorbing water or liquids in general is achieved by interweaving the weft (3) with the second warp (2) .

In order to allow the curls to be created, warp (2) must not be slippery. For this reason the synthetic yarn used for such a warp (2) must be of the cotton-cut type.

In order to better prepare the polyester synthetic yarn used for warp (2), said yarn is advantageously subjected to at least one stage of sizing, known to a person skilled in the art.

According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the stage of sizing the yarns constituting warp (2) in polyester is performed using a sizing concentration comprised between 1% and 9%, preferably a sizing concentration comprised between 1% and 6%, more preferably comprised between 1% and 3%.

Once the flat sponge fabric (A) has been produced, said fabric preferably undergoes a stage of bleaching which has the object of eliminating the impurities and the sizing agent previously applied at least to the synthetic yarns of warp (2) .

In order to ensure firm interweaving between the weft (3) and at least the second warp (2), the weaving of these is performed with a significantly firm beat-up. In this way the interweave between weft (3) and the second warp (2) is made particularly tight, with a solid connection between them.

It is preferable that in fabric (A) there should be at least 18 beat-ups per centimetre in the direction of the weft and/or at least 23 weft threads per centimetre .

According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the thread count of the yarns used for the curls of fabric (A) is between 30NeC and 50NeC, preferably 40 NeC, i.e. between 50 NM and 84 NM, preferably 68 NM (if this is to be expressed in denier, the thread count of the yarns used for the curls of fabric (A) is between 120 and 182), preferably 135 denier) .

According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the yarns used for the first warp are double-twisted and have an NeC count comprised between 20/2 and 40/2, preferably 30/2. Or, if expressed in NM, between 16 and 23,5, preferably 25 NM. if it is expressed in denier, between 270 and 540, preferably 360 denier.

During the weaving stages, 14 threads per centimetre are used in the warp for making the curls and another 14 threads for the structure of the sponge fabric (A) . According to a further advantageous aspect of the present invention the sponge fabric (A) is subjected to a dyeing stage.

This dyeing can be double with a single bath, or with a double bath.

In the case of the double dyeing with a single bath, it will be possible to endow the flat sponge fabric with a uniform colour, also if the yarns used constituting the warps (1), (2) and the weft (3) are constituted by different materials.

In the case of the dyeing with double bath, it will be possible to obtain a flat sponge fabric with two different colours: wherein one bath serves to dye the cotton and the other serves to dye the synthetic yarn, or with two different graduations of the same colour.

The flat sponge fabric (A) is advantageously overfed in the dye-works. For this reason once this operation is completed, the flat sponge fabric (A) shows 15.5 threads per centimetre for the curls and 15.5 threads for the structure of the fabric itself.

The flat sponge fabric and the procedure for manufacturing the same overcome the disadvantages known to the art and obtain important advantages.

In particular the flat sponge fabric according to the present invention is particularly light and has contained dimensions. The synthetic polyester yarn of the second warp also endows this warp with a high resistance to mechanical stresses and for this reason the flat sponge fabric has a fairly long average life, meaning the preservation of its structural integrity and/or capacity for not breaking over time.

Lastly, but not for this reason less important than the other advantages, the flat sponge fabric in accordance with to the above structure endows bath linen and children's and sports clothing with excellent wearability .

The present invention has particularly useful applications in the textile sector, and in particular is addressed to the formation of flat sponge fabrics prepared for absorbing water or liquids in general.