Field of Invention

Over the years, jute sacks have been used for bulk goods packaging, especially food-grains. Due to significant fluctuation in supply of jute raw material, there is need to develop jute-like yam comprising jute and bulk yam, and subsequently manufacture bag from the fabrics made from jute-like yarn. Present invention relates to sacks made from flat or tubular fabric made from jute-like yam and its method of manufacturing.

Background of Invention

Jute is a natural fibre extracted from stem of the jute plant and has a golden silky texture. Jute is an environment-friendly fibre and is renowned for its bio- degradability and recyclability. In India, approximately 84% of total jute produced is used for sacks, storage and packaging purposes. Jute bags are ideal for storing food grains as they allow air circulation, which ultimately preserves the freshness of food grains. As observed over the years, there are always significant fluctuations in the area under jute cultivation in India. As the area of raw jute production reduces, the production of raw jute crop fluctuates. The main factors responsible for fluctuation in production of jute are changes in rainfall pattern during sowing season; average jute prices realized during previous jute season and the returns realized from the competing crops during the previous seasons. Due to these reasons, Indian jute mills are facing shortage of raw material, which has resulted in closure of many jute mills in the country. Also, many mills have started importing jute material.

There is urgent need to address the issue of raw material shortage for the sack production, by producing jute-like yarn and a device and method for production of sacks using the jute-like yarn.

Objects Of Invention

The main objective of the invention is to develop yarn which has texture like jute and compatible for fabric making. Another objective of this invention is to set-up process for production of fabric from jute and developed composite yarn.

Another objective of the invention is to improve the productivity of fabric production method.

Other objective of invention is to maintain the industry norm during fabric/sack production. Summary Of Invention:

The invention discloses a woven fabric of flat or tubular type. It has warp and weft threads in an arrangement such that some or all of either weft or warp, or both, of fabric are made threads selected from a group comprising jute threads, synthetic bulk textured yarn, and stiff yarn, or a composite yam made from union of synthetic bulk textured yam and stiff yam, where the synthetic bulk textured yarn and the stiff yarn are united or joined together by the process of twisting or mingling or mixing them. The invention also discloses storage bags or furnishing fabrics made from the aforementioned woven fabric. The invention also discloses a method of making aforementioned bags. The fabric of the invention and consequently the bags made from it have the advantage that they are lighter in weight when compared to conventional fabrics that use some of the materials used herein, particularly jute. A further advantage of the fabric of the invention is that it provides the required strength for the purpose it’s suited for (storage bags and furnishing materials) at a lower cost than the conventional fabrics made using some of the materials used herein, particularly jute.

List of parts

1. Bag

1 A. Woven fabric

IB - Warp threads

1C - Weft threads

2. Jute or j ute yam/thread 3. Synthetic Bulk textured yarn (SBTY) thread

3 A. Composite yarn thread

4. Stiff yarn

Brief Description Of Figures

Figure 1 shows a typical bag made from woven fabric

Figure 2 shows warp and weft arrangement in a section of the fabric of the invention Figure 3 shows an alternative warp and weft arrangement of the fabric of the invention

Figures 4 A to 4L show further alternative arrangements of warp and weft of the woven fabric of the invention

Description Of Invention:

Sacking jute is rougher and heavier cloth variety of jute used mainly for storing food grains such as wheat, rice, com, pulses and coffee beans. Hessian jute is made from finer grade jute and is lighter in weight than sacking jute. This type of jute is generally used for string fruits, vegetable and product packaging.

The jute yam has rough texture giving anti-slippage properties and inherent moisture absorption capability. The term“synthetic” used in the context of the synthetic bulk textured yarn (SBTY - 3) of this invention includes any man-made fibre or filament yam including bio-degradable yams. Generally, the synthetic yarn like polypropylene used for packaging application has smooth texture and sliding properties. For making the yam compatible with jute, the synthetic yarn has to be processed for lending it the texture and bulking properties similar to natural jute. For the threads used in warp or weft direction, the term strips is also used synonymously with threads.

Synthetic yam is subjected to the known suitable bulking and texturing methods like friction spinning, air-texturing, stuffer box crimping, draw texturing or similar methods to produce the required physical properties of roughness and texture in the synthetic yam which now also has similar look as that of jute.

The woven fabric (1A) of the present invention is of flat or tubular type and comprises threads used as warp (I B) and weft (1C) made from jute yarn (2), synthetic bulk textured yarn (3), stiff yam (4). The weaving pattern may be distributed uniformly over the surface of bag (as shown in Figure 2). The fabric weave can be plain or twill or anti-slip or any other possibilities. The fabric (1 A) can be flat fabric or tubular fabric, preferably made on circular weaving loom.

Alternatively, an alternating jute yarn (2) and synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) pattern may be present only in few portion of the bag (1), these portions possibly being, longitudinal and/or transverse strips, or strips spaced apart on the surface of bag.

One of the aims of the invention is to attain a certain percentage of jute by weight per area of the fabric, while enhancing the strength and durability of the bag when compared with bags made from 100% jute.

In the alternative embodiment shown in Figure 3, the jute yam (2) and the synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) alternate with each other in both directions (warp and weft IB, 1C) of weave of the fabric (1 A).

Figures 4A to 4F show further alternatives in which the jute yam (2), the synthetic bulk textured yam (3), the composite yam (3 A), or the stiff yam (4) may be arranged according to the invention. These are explained as follows.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the jute yam (2), the synthetic bulk textured yam (3), the composite yam (3 A), and the stiff yam (4) may alternate in both directions but in an irregular manner. A number of such configurations are possible and fall under the scope of this description but not necessarily illustrated in Figures.

In one embodiment, the bag fabric has a composite warp or composite weft yarn (3 A) made of synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) and stiff yarn (4) such as slit film tape yam, folded tape, fibrillated tape, or any type of monofilament yam or similar, and the weft yarn would be jute yarn. Here, stiff yarn (4) is united or joined with the synthetic bulk textured yam (3) to form the composite yam (3 A) using unifying or joining processes such as twisting or mingling or mixing or laying together.

Stiff yarn (4) is made from polymeric material or bio-degradable material. Both or either one of SBTY(3) and stiff yam(4) may have inorganic content and/or colour content and/or functional additive content.

It is also in the scope of the invention to have simply a stiff yam (4) in the weaving pattern in addition to the synthetic bulk textured yarn (3). For example, in warp or weft direction (IB, 1C), the yam configuration may be jute-SBTY-stiff yarn (2-3-4 Figure 4E), followed by a similar or other configuration. Or it may be jute-stiff yam-SBTY (2-4-3 also Figure 4E) followed by a similar or other configuration.

It is therefore evident from the foregoing disclosure that the woven fabric (1 A) of the invention having warp and weft threads (IB, 1C) may be such that some or all of either weft or warp threads (IB, 1C), or both, of fabric (1 A) are made threads selected from a group comprising jute threads (2), synthetic bulk textured yarn (3), and stiff yarn (4), or a composite yarn (3 A) made from a union or joining of synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) and stiff yam (4). In one embodiment, the bag (1) according to invention has walls with jute threads (2) as weft threads (1C) and synthetic bulk textured yam (3) as warp threads (IB). In another embodiment, the bag (1) has strip-like region, in which synthetic bulk textured yam (3) are interlaid between the jute yarns (2) in either of the longitudinal or transverse direction. The number of such regions and their width can vary as required. Also, the bag fabric may have strips or regions of synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) which are either warp threads or weft threads (IB, 1C), or both wrap and weft strips bands.

In an embodiment, the composite yam (3 A) can be treated with or have in-built additives like anti-fungal or anti-rodent agents.

In one embodiment (Figure 3), warp threads (IB) (or weft threads (1C)) are arranged in a pattern that comprises alternatingly positioned threads of jute (2) and synthetic bulk textured yam (3). In this embodiment, the weft threads (1C) (or warp threads (IB)) may be arranged in any configuration of jute threads (2), and/or synthetic bulk textured yarn (3), and/or composite yarn (3 A), and/or stiff yarn (4). In another embodiment (Figure 4A), the warp threads (IB) (or weft threads (1C)) are arranged in a pattern that comprises altematingly positioned threads of jute (2) and composite yarn (3 A). In this embodiment, the weft threads (1C) (or warp threads (IB)) may be arranged in any configuration of jute threads (2), and/or synthetic bulk textured yarn (3), and/or composite yam (3 A), and/or stiff yam (4).

In a further embodiment (Figure 4B), warp threads (IB) (or weft threads (1C)) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of jute (2) being positioned immediately next to each other. In this embodiment, the weft threads (1C) (or warp threads (IB)) may be arranged in any configuration of jute threads

(2), and/or synthetic bulk textured yam (3), and/or composite yarn (3 A), and/or stiff yarn (4).

In a still further embodiment (Figure 4C), the warp threads (IB) (or weft threads (1C)) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of synthetic bulk textured yam (3) being positioned immediately next to each other. In this embodiment, the weft threads (1C) (or warp threads (IB)) may be arranged in any configuration of jute threads (2), and/or synthetic bulk textured yarn (3), and/or composite yarn (3 A), and/or stiff yam (4).

In yet further embodiment (Figure 4D), the warp threads (IB) (or weft threads (1C)) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of composite yarn (3 A) being positioned immediately next to each other. In this embodiment, the weft threads (1C) (or warp threads (IB)) may be arranged in any configuration of jute threads (2), and/or synthetic bulk textured yam (3), and/or composite yarn (3 A), and/or stiff yarn (4). In further embodiment (Figure 4L), the warp threads (IB) (or weft threads (1C)) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of stiff yarn (4) being positioned immediately next to each other. In this embodiment, the weft threads (1C) (or warp threads (IB)) may be arranged in any configuration of jute threads (2), and/or synthetic bulk textured yam (3), and/or composite yarn (3 A), and/or and stiff yam (4).

In another embodiment (Figure 4F), the warp threads (IB) (or weft threads (1C)) are arranged in the following thread pattern: a stiff yam (4), followed by a jute yarn, followed by a composite yarn (3 A). In this embodiment, the weft threads (1C) (or warp threads (IB)) also may follow the same thread patters: a stiff yam

(4), followed by a jute yarn (2), followed by a composite yarn (3 A).

In another embodiment, the following threat pattern is disclosed: all warp threads are synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) (Figure 4G) or composite yam (3 A) (Figure 4H) and all weft threads are made of jute (2).

In another embodiment, the warp threads (IB) (or weft threads (1C)) are arranged in the following thread pattern: a stiff yarn (4), followed by a jute yarn (2) (Figure 41), or a composite yarn (3 A) followed by a jute yam (2) (Figure 4J), or a synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) followed by jute yarn (Figure 4K). In this embodiment, the weft threads (1C) (or warp threads (IB)) may also follow the same respective thread patterns (Figures 41, 4J, and 4K).

In on more embodiment, any pattern in which the warp and weft threads (IB, 1C) of the fabric (1 A) are arranged extends over a part of or entire width or length of fabric (1A). It should be noted that the fabric of the invention is such that any of the warp or weft threads (IB, 1C) are treated with or have in-built additives such as anti fungal or anti -rodent agents.

The fabric (1A) of the invention may have any of the aforementioned patterns to extend over a part of or the entire width or length of fabric (1 A).

The invention also discloses a bag (1) made from the aforementioned woven fabric (1 A) having warp and weft threads (IB, 1C) such that some or all of either weft or warp threads (IB, 1C), or both, of fabric (1 A) are made threads selected from a group comprising jute threads (2), synthetic bulk textured yarn (3), and stiff yarn(4), or a composite yam (3 A) made from synthetic bulk textured yam (3) and stiff yam (4). Further, bag can be made from flat fabric by side way folding and stitching at two sides in L shape or U shape stitching of overlaid fabric piece. According to the scope of the invention the bag (1) is made from fabric (1 A) in which warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises alternatingly positioned threads of jute (2) and synthetic bulk textured yarn (3).

According to the scope of the invention the bag (1) is made from fabric (1 A) in which warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises alternatingly positioned threads of jute (2) and composite yarn (3 A).

Further, it is also in the scope of the invention the bag (1) is made from fabric (1 A) in which warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of jute (2) being positioned immediately next to each other.

Still further, it is also in the scope of the invention the bag (1) is made from fabric (1 A) in which warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) being positioned immediately next to each other.

Furthermore, it is also in the scope of the invention the bag (1) is made from fabric (1 A) in which warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of composite yarn (3 A) being positioned immediately next to each other.

It is also in the scope of the invention the bag (1) is made from fabric (1 A) in which warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of stiff yam (3 A) being positioned immediately next to each other.

Finally, it is in the scope of the bag of the invention the bag (1) is made from fabric (1 A) in which any of the warp threads (IB) and/or weft threads (1C) are treated with or have in-built additives such as anti-fungal or anti-rodent agents. Also, in the fabric used for the bag, both or either one of SBTY(3) and stiff yarn(4) may have inorganic content and/or colour content and/or functional additive content.

In another aspect of the invention a method of making woven fabric (1A) having warp and weft threads (IB, 1C) is disclosed. A key feature of the method of invention is that it comprises the step of selecting for warp and weft threads (IB, 1C) from a group comprising jute threads (2), synthetic bulk textured yarn (3), and stiff yam (4), or a composite yam (3 A) made from synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) and stiff yarn (4). The method for making of bag according to invention can be carried such that the jute yarn bobbins, the bulk textured yarn bobbins, the bobbins of the stiff yam, and the bobbins of the composite yam are arranged in the warp creel and the according to required fabric pattern, the weft yarns carrying bobbins to produce the required fabric pattern as disclosed herein are placed in the shuttles, weaving being performed on loom, preferably circular loom. In a further aspect of the method of invention, following the step of selecting warp and weft threads (IB, 1C), a further step is provided of arranging warp or weft threads (IB, 1C) in a pattern that comprises alternatingly positioned threads of jute (2) and synthetic bulk textured yam (3). In a still further step of the method of invention, following the step of selecting warp and weft threads (IB, 1C), a further step is provided of arranging warp or weft threads (IB, 1C) in a pattern that comprises alternatingly positioned threads ofjute (2) and composite yam (3 A). In one aspect of the method of the invention, in the step of arranging warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C), respective threads (IB, 1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of jute (2) being positioned immediately next to each other. In another aspect of the method of invention, in the step of arranging warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C), respective threads (IB, 1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of synthetic bulk structured yam (3) being positioned immediately next to each other. In yet another aspect of the method of invention, in the step of arranging warp threads (IB) or weft threads (1C), respective threads (IB, 1C) are arranged in a pattern that comprises at least two threads of composite yarn (3 A) being positioned immediately next to each other.

In one more aspect of the method of invention to make a bag, for the fabric that is used to make the bag, any of the warp or weft threads (IB, 1C) are treated with or have in-built additives such as anti-fungal or anti-rodent agents.

In one more aspect of the method of the invention, in the fabric used for making the bag, both or either one of SBTY(3) and stiff yarn(4) may have inorganic content and/or colour content and/or functional additive content. The woven fabric (1 A) according to the invention has jute yam (2) of up to 80% by weight measured in grams per square meter (gsm), synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) in the weight proportion of up to 20 to 40% of the weight (gsm) of fabric (1 A), and the stiff yarn (4) when used in the composite yam (3 A) in the weight proportion of up to 20% of the weight (gsm) of the fabric (1 A).

As a particular case, as shown in the illustrated figures 4G and 4H, the weft (1C) is entirely jute yarn (2) and warp yarn (IB) is either synthetic bulk textured yarn (3) or composite yarn (3 A). It has been found that the bag (1) made from the woven fabric (1A) disclosed here is advantageously about 38 to 52% lower in weight than the conventional jute bag. Further it has also been found that composite fabric disclosed here has a tensile strength about 15 to 35% higher than the conventional jute fabric.

The fabric rolls of about 1000 to 1500 meters are made on circular weaving loom. These fabric roll can be then taken through manual route of fabric cutting and bag making on stitching machine. Alternatively, the fabric rolls are placed on unwinding section of specially design bag conversion machine wherein the fabric of desired bag length are cut by thermo-cutter and fabric cut length is passed through the folding and stitching station. Using modern circular looms, it is found that the rate of production of the composite fabric of the invention is quite high while producing better fabric quality compared to conventional flat jute loom.

The produced bag can have desired width range from 250 to 1000 mm, bag length is as per the user demand.

The fabric of the invention may be used to make storage bags or it may serve as furnishing fabric depending on fabric construction.

While the above description contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limitation in the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the preferred embodiments thereof. It must be realized that modifications and variations are possible based on the disclosure given above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.