DESCRIPTION

Technical field

The present invention relates to fabrics in general, and particular to furnishing fabrics. Namely, it relates to a process of making a novel composite fabric, designed with permanent 3D surface effects.

Prior art

There is a known need to provide furnishing fabrics that serve both decorative and functional purposes. Namely, there is a known need to provide fabrics with 3D surface effects.

Fabrics with 3D surface effects are currently manufactured using heat-shrink yarns, as well as particular jacquard weaves.

In these fabrics, heat-shrink yarns are generally only weft yarns, with unidirectional 3D effects being only obtained. Furthermore, this technique does not impart 3D effects to fabrics having additional thread components in addition to warp and weft, such as velvets and embroidered and printed fabrics.

A further limit of the prior art is that the initial 3D effects tend to change and lose their texture with time.

In most applications of furnishing fabrics - for instance as upholstery for armchairs and sofas - the tensions artificially induced in the fabric by heat treatment of the heat- sensitive yarns are supplemented (depending on the actual conditions of use of the fabric) by external tensions that will change the resulting tensional state.

With time this will lead to attenuation and even loss of the 3D surface effects that qualified the aesthetic and functional properties of the new or freshly provided fabric.

Disclosure of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a process of making a composite furnishing fabric characterized by 3D surface effects obtained using a fabric having heat-shrink yarns in the weft and/or warp, in a cost-effective manner and even for small batches of fabric product.

A second object of the invention is to make the 3D design imparted to the fabric stable and durable, even under diverse external stresses associated with the particular conditions of the various applications of the fabric.

Yet another object is to provide a process of making a 3D multilayer fabric, whose outer layer may consist of any type of fabric.

According to the invention, these objects are fulfilled by a process of making a composite fabric that can be designed with 3D surface effect and a composite surface obtained by said process, as defined in the annexed claims.

The advantages achieved by the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description, referred to the accompanying drawings, which show one embodiment by way of exemplification and without limitation.

Brief description of the drawings

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 schematically shows the layers that compose the fabric;

- Figures 2 and 3 show the face and back of the fabric of Figure 1.

Referring to the figures of the annexed drawings, numeral 10 generally designates a composite multilayer fabric designed with 3D surface effects, serving equally aesthetic and/or functional purposes.

The composite fabric 10 substantially consists of a multilayered construction comprising four layer components.

A first layer component consists of a cloth whose weft or warp or preferably both consist of high shrinkable (HS) polyester yarns which are subjected to heat-shrinking. The aforementioned first layer 1 forms the back of the fabric 10 and acts as a base element.

A second fabric layer 2, that forms the face of the fabric 10, acts as an outer cover element, which - as better explained below - has and exhibits the three-dimensional, aesthetic and/or functional characteristics of the fabric 10.

A third layer 3, which is interposed between the first 1 and second 2 layers and contacts the cloth 1, consists of a padding material selected from the groups of soft fibrous materials, such as batting of adequate density and thickness, related with the desired 3D effect and the particular use of the fabric 10.

A fourth layer 4, which is also interposed between the first 1 and second 2 layers and contacts the latter with one side and the third layer 3 with the other side, consists of a padding and support material selected from the groups of high-density spongy and/or elastic materials of synthetic or natural origin.

Advantageously, such fourth layer is made of polyurethane foam and is glued or heat- sealed to the back of the second layer 2.

A quilt stitching 5 extending along a predetermined geometric pattern, permanently connects the first 1 and second 2 fabric layers to each other.

Concerning the geometry of the quilt stitching 5, the figures show a diamond pattern, that shall be intended merely by way of example and without limitation. The quilt stitching may form a virtually endless variety of patterns, even considering the presence and orientation of the heat shrink yarns in the first layer 1.

The composite fabric 10 is obtained and designed in its characteristic 3D effects by means of a manufacturing process that essentially comprises the steps of:

- forming a first textile layer 1 consisting of a cloth whose weft or warp or preferably both consist of HS polyester yarns;

- forming a second textile layer 2;

- forming a third layer 3 consisting of a padding material selected from the groups of soft fibrous materials;

- forming a fourth layer 4 consisting of a material selected from the groups of high- . density spongy and/or elastic materials of synthetic or natural origin;

- placing the second 2, third 3 and fourth 4 layers on top of the first textile layer 1 to form a multilayer construction, with the third layer 3 and the fourth layer 4 interposed between the first and second layers and with the third layer 3 contacting the first layer i ;

- connecting said first 1 and second 2 textile layers by means of a quilt stitching 4 extending along a predetermined geometric pattern; and finally

- heat-treating the multilayer assembly so obtained at a suitable temperature to obtain permanent shrinkage of the HS polyester yarn of the cloth 1 and hence the formation of the desired 3D surface effects in the multilayer construction.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the fourth layer 4 is made of polyurethane foam and is glued or heat-sealed beforehand to the back of the second layer 2.

The permanent shrinkage of the HS acrylic yarns of the cloth 1 causes some necking in the inner layers 3, 4 along their lying plane which, in combination with a pressure in the orthogonal direction, leads to the protrusion of the composing materials toward the second layer 2, such that the latter will shape the composite fabric 10 and impart a variously convex shape to its face, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

Concerning the heat required for shrinkage, this may be provided either by a dry heat generator or a steam generator.

The invention completely fulfills the intended objects and can provide a composite fabric designed with 3D surface effects in a cost-effective manner and substantially without limitation in terms of the surface shape thereof, their stability and durability, as well as the fabric that can be used for the second layer that forms the outer cover element.