AND METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING SUCH FABRIC

FIELD

[001] Some embodiments are related to the field of fabrics and clothing articles.

BACKGROUND

[002] Manufacturing of various types of fabrics and garment has been in existence for many centuries, in order to allow people to wear clothes. Clothes, for example, may provide heat in cold weather, may absorb sweat in hot weather, and may hide private body parts from being visible.

[003] Many people change their clothes often, for example, daily. Used clothes are typically washed, either by hand or by using an electric washing machine. Washed clothes may be dried, for example, by using an electric dryer machine.

[004] Unfortunately, multiple cycles of washing and/or drying of clothes may gradually degrade the quality of the clothes.

SUMMARY

[005] The present invention may include, for example, laundry-resistant fabric and clothing articles, as well as methods and systems for producing such fabric and/or clothing articles.

[006] A method for enhancing fabrics may include, for example: scorching short threads on a surface of a fabric; and treating the fabric in a mixture which comprises an anti-crease material.

[007] The scorching may be performed prior to coloring the fabric.

[008] The treating may be performed prior to coloring the fabric.

[009] The scorching may include: placing the fabric in proximity to a source of hot flames of fire.

[0010] The method may include: modifying a distance between the fabric and the source of hot flames of fire.

[001 1] The method may include: subsequent to the scorching and prior to the treating, removing from the fabric scorched short threads. [0012] The removing may include: blowing air towards the surface of the fabric.

[0013] The scorching may include: moving the fabric relative to the source of flames of hot fire, at a constant velocity or at a variable velocity.

[0014] The treating may further include: treating the fabric with a hydrophilic material, or with a silicone -based hydrophilic material; which may be mixed together with the anti-crease material.

[0015] The present invention may include an enhanced fabric manufactured by the method, or a clothing article made of the fabric enhanced by the method.

[0016] The present invention may include, for example, a system for enhancing fabrics, which may include: a scorching unit to scorch short threads on a surface of a fabric; and a treating unit to treat the fabric in a mixture which comprises an anti-crease material.

[0017] The scorching may be performed prior to coloring the fabric.

[0018] The treating may be performed prior to coloring the fabric.

[0019] The scorching unit may to place the fabric in proximity to a source of hot flames of fire.

[0020] The system may include a distance controller to modify a distance between the fabric and the source of hot flames of fire.

[0021] The system may include a removal unit to remove scorched short threads from the fabric, subsequent to the scorching and prior to the treating.

[0022] The removal unit may to blow air towards the surface of the fabric.

[0023] The system may include a displacement unit to move the fabric relative to the source of flames of hot fire, at a constant speed or at a variable speed.

[0024] The treating unit may further treat the fabric with a hydrophilic material, or with a silicone -based hydrophilic material; which, optionally, may be mixed together with said anti- crease material. Such treating may be performed prior to coloring the fabric.

[0025] The present invention may include an enhanced fabric which includes threads that (a) are scorched at a surface of the enhanced fabric, and (b) comprise an anti-crease material absorbed into the threads.

[0026] The enhanced fabric may be uncolored.

[0027] The threads may further include an absorbed hydrophilic material, or an absorbed silicone -based hydrophilic material.

[0028] The present invention may provide other and/or additional benefits and/or advantages. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity of presentation. Furthermore, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. The figures are listed below.

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of a system of manufacturing a fabric, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments. However, it will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art that some embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, units and/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the discussion.

[0032] The present invention may include, for example, a fabric and various clothing articles, as well as methods and systems for producing the fabric and/or such clothing articles. In accordance with the present invention, the manufactured fabric may be laundry-resistant and/or tumble dryer resistant.

[0033] Applicant has realized that a conventional fabric may lose its brightness, shininess, color and/or smoothness (or other quality characteristics) upon one or more laundry cycles and/or tumble dry cycles. Applicant has further realized that a conventional fabric may undergo "pilling" due to one or more laundry cycles (e.g., the fabric emits small fabric-balls or fabric- spheres); and/or may become rough or coarse or covered with small fabric balls due to laundry cycles and/or drying cycles.

[0034] In contrast, in accordance with the present invention, a manufactured fabric may substantially maintain its brightness, shininess, color and/or smoothness upon one or more laundry cycles and/or tumble dry cycles; may substantially not degrade its brightness, shininess, color and/or smoothness upon one or more laundry cycles; and/or does may not become rough or coarse or covered with small cotton balls due to laundry cycles and/or tumble-dry cycles. Furthermore, the manufactured fabric may have substantially no "pilling" due to laundry and/or dryer cycles; or may have reduced "pilling" due to laundry and/or dryer cycles; or may have reduced or no excretion or emission of short strings, short threads, or the like, due to laundry and/or dryer cycles.

[0035] In accordance with the present invention, a fabric which undergoes multiple or numerous cycles of laundry (e.g., thirty laundry cycles) and/or tumble drying, may remain substantially similar in its quality, texture, smoothness, brightness, color, skinniness, thickness, composition, and/or other characteristics to a never-yet-washed or a slightly-washed conventional fabric, or to a conventional fabric that was manufactured and did not yet undergo any laundry and/or drying cycles. In accordance with the present invention, a manufactured fabric which undergoes multiple or numerous cycles of laundry and/or drying, may maintain its original color, shade of color, brightness level, dye, quality, or color nuance, and/or other fabric characteristics or features.

[0036] The term "Modal" as used herein may include, for example, textile or fabric known as Modal, which is a cellulose fiber made by spinning reconstituted cellulose (e.g., from beech trees); fabrics or textiles which have one or more properties similar to Modal (e.g., viscose, rayon, viscose rayon, art silk, Modal mixed with other fiber(s), Spandex, Lycra); and/or other types of fabrics which may or may not include Modal and which may undergo processes such as described herein.

[0037] In accordance with the present invention, the manufactured fabric may be, or may include, cotton fabric, non-cotton fabric, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, knitted fabric, non- knitted fabric, synthetic fabric, non-synthetic fabric, Modal fabric, fabrics which may be similar to Modal, fabrics having similar properties to Modal, Modal-like fabric(s), or the like. Other suitable fabrics may be used, manufactured, and/or enhanced in accordance with the present invention.

[0038] For demonstrative purposes, some portions of the discussion herein may relate to a fabric; however, the present invention may be used in conjunction with manufacturing of a garment, a clothing article, clothes, or other items which may be made of fabric or which may include fabric.

[0039] In accordance with the present invention, the process of manufacture may include, for example, a multi-step process which may include, for example: a mechanical (or physical) step, followed by a chemical step. [0040] Reference is made to Fig. 1 , which is a schematic block-diagram illustration of a manufacturing system 100 in accordance with the present invention. System 100 may include, for example, a flame emitter 101,

[0041] Flames emitter 101 or other suitable flame generator or scorching unit may generate and/or emit hot flames of fire across a line or a surface. A fabric (e.g., Modal fabric) may be positioned in proximity to the flames of fire, such that the flames do not touch the fabric itself, and do not set the fabric on fire; yet the flames may burn, or may slightly burn, or may singe or scorch, the short threads on the surface of the fabric facing the hot flames. Flames emitter 101 may be, for example, a flames-emitting machine, a singeing machine, a scorching machine, a flames generator, a torch device, a device which utilizes gas and/or fuel and/or coal and/or electricity, or the like.

[0042] The singeing or scorching of the short threads of the fabric may be performed, for example, prior to coloring of the fabric by a coloring unit 102; for example, to allow the singed or scorched threads to be removed or blown-away from the fabric, for example, by a scorched threads remover 103 which may perform such removal by blowing air and/or brushing. Additionally or alternatively, the singeing or the scorching may be performed prior to the coloring of the fabric, to an uncolored fabric, in order to avoid gluing of short threads to the surface of the fabric.

[0043] In some embodiments, the fabric may be moved relative to a stationary flames generator or heat source. In other embodiments, the flames generator or heat source may move relative to the stationary fabric. In some embodiments, both the flames generator and the fabric may be mobile and/or may move relative to each other. For example, fabric/flames relative motion unit 104 may be used, and may include a conveyor belt and/or a robotic arm may be used, or other suitable devices to allow motion or relative motion or repetitive motion. The motion may be one way, two way, back-and-forth, a motion along a particular pattern (e.g., circular, polygon, spiral, rotational), or the like.

[0044] The velocity or speed of the motion of the fabric and/or the flames generator, may be controlled and/or preset and/or modified, in order to accommodate a particular type of fabric having particular properties (e.g., thickness, weight, type of thread, thread count, or the like). The control may be manual and/or automatic, for example, utilizing a computerized control station and/or a pre-programmed (and optionally, modifiable) control logic. The velocity of the relative motion may be controlled and/or modified by a motion velocity controller 105, which may be part of a computerized control station 120.

[0045] The distance between the fabric and the flames generator, may be controlled and/or preset and/or modified, in order to accommodate a particular type of fabric having particular properties (e.g., thickness, weight, type of thread, thread count, or the like). The distance may be controlled and/or modified by a distance controller 106, which may be part of computerized control station 120.

[0046] The period of time in which a portion of a fabric is exposed to the heat from the flames generator, may be controlled and/or preset and/or modified, in order to accommodate a particular type of fabric having particular properties (e.g., thickness, weight, type of thread, thread count, or the like). The time period may be controlled and/or modified by a timer 107, which may be part of computerized control station 120.

[0047] The above-mentioned operations of putting the fabric in proximity to the flames generator, may be performed, for example: prior to coloring of the fabric; and/or subsequent to coloring of the fabric. The coloring may be, for example, reactive coloring or other suitable methods of coloring fabrics.

[0048] In accordance with the present invention, the fabric may then be processed to absorb an anti-crease chemical agent and/or other anti-wrinkle chemical agent, e.g., a chemical substance which may be used in woven fabrics for the purpose of eliminating and/or reducing wrinkles from woven garments.

[0049] For example, a container 140 which may optionally include a mixer 141, may operate as a treating unit and may be used to mix together a solution which may be formed of: water (or other suitable liquid); and/or a softener material or liquid; and/or a hydrophilic material (e.g., a silicone -based material or other material which makes the fabric hydrophilic or more hydrophilic, or which increases the ability of the fabric to absorb liquids); and/or the anti-crease or anti-wrinkle chemical agent.

[0050] Container 140 may have an open top area, such that the fabric may be passed through container 140 (e.g., through or by utilizing two or more rotating cylinders), or may be temporarily sunk or dipped into container 140, to absorb or "pick-up" the mixture of liquids or solution from container 140, or to otherwise be treated with such mixture of liquids or solution. [0051] The treating or dipping or sinking of the fabric in container 140, and/or the removal of the fabric from container 140, and/or the passing of the fabric through container 140 in other suitable ways (e.g., using two or more rotating cylinders), may be performed by a robotic arm and/or by other suitable fabric/container displacement unit 142, which may be controlled by computerized control station 120.

[0052] Once the fabric picks-up or absorbs the solution or mixture of liquids (e.g., within a few seconds, or a few minutes), the fabric may be transferred to a heating unit 143 or a suitable heater, which may apply heat to the fabric in order to achieve fixation of the absorbed liquid mixture into the fabric. The heating may be performed, for example, at approximately 140 or 150 degrees Celsius, or at other suitable temperature, for a suitable period of time to allow fixation yet to avoid burning of the fabric.

[0053] The fabric may optionally be subject to a "finishing" process performed by a finishing unit 145, such as, to improve one or more properties of the fabric, to allow drying of the fabric, to provide to the fabric a particular look and/or dimensions, to allow ironing of the fabric, or the like.

[0054] Although portions of the discussion herein relate, for demonstrative purposed, to manufacturing of a fabric or a clothing article, some embodiments may include manufacturing of other items, for example, item of clothing, piece of clothing, or other articles of clothing; or other fabric-based articles or items that are not necessarily worn (e.g., a towel, a sheet, a pillowcase, or the like).

[0055] System 100 may be configured or adapted to perform a method or process of manufacturing a fabric, or enhancing a previously-manufactured (e.g., uncolored) fabric. Such methods may include, for example, scorching ends of threads of a fabric; removing scorched ends-of-threads; treating the fabric in a mixture that includes an anti-crease material and/or a hydrophilic material (e.g., silicone based); and/or other suitable operations as discussed with reference to Fig. 1.

[0056] Functions, operations, components and/or features described herein with reference to one or more embodiments, may be combined with, or may be utilized in combination with, one or more other functions, operations, components and/or features described herein with reference to one or more other embodiments, or vice versa. [0057] While certain features of some embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the following claims are intended to cover all such modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents.