Abstract: An article of manufacture and a method of fabricating an article of manufacture having a first region having an image and a second region having at least some information related to the image on the first region. The article of manufacture may be a textile or non-textile article and the information on the second region may be textual, numerical, symbolic, or graphic in nature. The article of manufacture may be a floor covering, a wall hanging, a wall covering, bedding, or apparel, among other things. A floor covering and a method for manufacturing a floor covering having a first region having an image and a second region having at least some information related to the image on the first region is also disclosed. The floor covering may be, for example, a broadloom carpet, area rug, or floor mat. The information on the second region related to the image on the first region may be textual, numerical, symbolic, or graphic in nature, for example, the information may be provided as embroidered text.

Abstract: A base substrate having a first side and a second side, first and second receiving loops extending from the first and second side of the base substrate, respectively, and first and second stiff loops extending from the first and second side of the base substrate, respectively. The base substrate is a flexible cloth or cloth-like material. The receiving loops are an absorbent material such as the material used in the base substrate. The stiff loops are formed of a yarn having at least one filament with a cross-section having an aspect ratio of greater than about 1.2, a corner edge, and/or at least a concave portion.

Abstract: Lightweight, non-woven loop products for hook-and-loop fastening are disclosed, as are methods for making them and end products employing them. The products are non-woven webs of entangled fibers of substantial tenacity, the fibers forming both a sheet-form web body and hook-engageable, free-standing loops extending from the web body. The product is stretched and stabilized to produce spaced-apart loop clusters extending from a very thin web of taut fibers. In some embodiments, the fibers include low denier fibers and/or bicomponent fibers.

Abstract: An integrally tufted tumble twist loop—cut loop reversible rug comprising: a first layer of cotton material, a second layer of cotton material overlaying the first layer of cotton material thereby forming a two layer cotton backing material, said first and second layers of cotton material having different shrink coefficients, a first pile yarn tufted through the two layer backing material in a tumble twist loop on one side and a cut loop on the other side of the backing material, a second pile yarn tufted through the two layer backing material in the same direction as the first pile yarn in a cut loop, said first and second tufted yarns being skewed between the first and second cotton layer materials.

Abstract: A light-shielding container for a light-sensitive material has a light-shielding cloth attached to an opening in the container through which the light-sensitive material is passed. The light-shielding cloth shields the opening from light and is formed from a base fabric and a pile section. The pile section includes black dope-dyed threads formed by incorporating black dope-dyed threads containing carbon black into the base fabric and black-dyed threads formed by incorporating black-dyed threads. The proportion of the black dope-dyed threads in the total pile is 5 wt % to 60 wt %. The single filament fineness of the black dope-dyed threads is thicker than that of the black-dyed threads. The overall pile density of the black dope-dyed threads and the black-dyed threads is 30,000 to 55,000 filaments/cm2. The black dope-dyed threads and the black-dyed threads are arranged in stripes substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the light-sensitive material is passed.

Abstract: An improved paper band includes an upper and lower elongate planar covering member and an elongate core member sandwiched in between the covering members. The core member is narrower in width than the coverings and has generally vertically disposed sidewalls extending lengthwise. The outer edge portions of the coverings extend outwardly beyond the sidewalls of the core member. The core is glued to at least one covering member. The outer edges of the covering members are also glued together. Preferably, all members are formed of repulpable fibers or biodegradable materials and are attached with water soluble, biodegradable adhesive. Alternatively core members can be formed of various synthetic materials or metal for greater strength if necessary.

Abstract: An embossed pile fabric having a foreground and background with the foreground having a depth in the order of 1.5/2.0 to 100 times that of the background. The foreground can be formed by an engraving roll having portions that are either mill engraved or acid etched, and the background is formed by the engraving roll having portions formed with a router engraved technique.

Abstract: The present invention provides a single end scroll-type yarn feed attachment for tufting machines characterized by independent servo-motor control of yarn feed rolls while eliminating tube banks typical of tufting machine feed attachments and produces new tufted carpet designs.

Abstract: A printed multicolor synthetic pile fabric having a substrate and pile formed of fibers of substantially uniform length and diameter with the fibers arranged in random groups extending uniformly across the entire width and along the entire length of the fabric. Each group comprises a random number of fibers extending at an angle and in a direction that randomly varies from the angles and directions of the fibers in adjacent groups. The fibers within each group are preferably set in the greige goods.

Abstract: Lightweight, non-woven loop products for hook-and-loop fastening are disclosed, as are methods for making them and end products employing them. The products are non-woven webs of entangled fibers of substantial tenacity, the fibers forming both a sheet-form, bonded web body and hook-engageable, free-standing loops extending from the web body. The product is, in important cases, stretched before bonding to produce spaced-apart loop clusters extending from a very thin web of taut fibers. In important cases a binder is added to stabilize the product in its stretched condition. An example of the loop product is produced by needle-punching a batt of staple fibers in multiple needle-punching operations, applying a foamed acrylic binder, and then stretching the needled batt and curing the binder with the batt stretched. Other forming techniques are disclosed and several novel articles employing such loop products are described.

Abstract: A floor covering article comprises a decorative fabric layer, pile yarns forming a decorative pile surface projecting from and partially covering the upper surface of the decorative fabric layer, and means for securing the pile yarns to the decorative fabric layer. The decorative pile surface covers between about 5% to about 95% of the upper surface of the decorative fabric layer so that the decorative fabric is clearly visible when the floor covering article is in planar orientation. The overall effect of the floor covering article, including the decorative fabric and the decorative pile surface, is decorative.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cushioned floor covering article wherein the mat includes a tufted carpet placed on the top side of a foam rubber sheet and at least one foam rubber protrusion integrated within at least a portion of the bottom side of the foam rubber sheet. Such an article provides effective removal of moisture, dirt, and debris from the footwear of pedestrians through the utilization of a carpet pile component. Furthermore, the utilization of a foam rubber backing also allows for either periodic heavy duty industrial-scale laundering in such standard washing machines or periodic washing and drying in standard in-home machines, both without appreciably damaging the inventive floor covering article, such as a floor mat. Additionally, the presence of integrated foam rubber protrusions within the mat structure provides an effective cushioning effect for pedestrian comfort as well as a means to prevent slippage of the article from its contacted surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an article of manufacture, such as a floor covering, formed by an improved process for recycling waste polymeric material comprising a mixture of waste polymeric material wherein the waste polymeric material includes from about 0 to 40 percent aliphatic polyamide material; granulating and densifying the chopped mixture into fragments smaller than the original size of the waste polymeric material; and extruding the ground mixture at a temperature that does not exceed the temperature at which the largest portion of polymer based material decomposes.

Abstract: An evacuation route indicator includes a carpeted strip extending in an elongation direction and having direction-indicating indicia formed thereon at spaced intervals along the elongation direction. The indicia include a photoluminescent material and are formed so as to define a surface which is either recessed below or raised above the remaining surface of the carpeted strip, or a surface texture which is different from the surface texture of the remainder of the carpeted strip. Thus, the indicia are discernible both visually and tactilely in the absence of light. The indicator may also include a photoluminescent marker extending substantially continuously in the elongation direction on the carpeted strip.

Abstract: A warp knit, weft inserted lap side loop pile fabric for use as a female connector in a hook and loop fastener in which adjacent loops in each wale alternate from one direction to the other. If desired the back of the fabric can be coated to provide strength and rigidity to the fabric.

Abstract: A cut pile fabric with substantially vertically standing tufts made of a synthetic multifilament yarn which is an intermingled yarn comprised of (a) a crimped multifilament yarn and (b) a non-crimped highly heat-shrinkable multifilament yarn having a heat shrinkage larger than that of the crimped multifilament yarn (a), and having thick portions and thin portions, alternately occurring along the length of each constituting filament of the yarn (b), said thick portions having a heat shrinkage larger than that of said thin portions. When heat-treated, the cut pile fabric provides a high-and-low cut pile fabric having a unique appearance. Especially when tip portions of cut piles of the crimped multifilament yarn (a) are entangled with each other, a cut pile fabric having a rugged surface with lumps of snarled piles is obtained.

Abstract: A sculpted launderable dust control mat is provided. The dust control mat includes a pile fiber upper surface and a rubber backing disposed beneath the pile fiber upper surface. The pile fiber upper surface is formed of solution dyed nylon yarns which have under gone selective sculpting through controlled exposure to a fiber degrading composition.

Abstract: A method for continuous tone imaging on a mat product having a web material with a three dimensional open structure provides a mat product with a sufficiently clear image. Moreover, it is a specific aspect of the present method to provide a clear image on such a three dimensional structure without negatively affecting the characteristics of the web material having the three dimensional structure. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a method for imaging a flexible high loft matting material which can be used in providing a floor covering mat product. The present invention is also directed to the imaged mat product produced in accordance with this method.

Abstract: A motor vehicle accessory floor mat having an open top basin-like casing for receiving and retaining a removable water and dirt pervious grill therein, is provided with an additional exchangeable textile faced insert. The insert has the same engagement pattern on its underside as the grill so that it readily mates with holding means in the casing. The textile material may cover substantially all of the top surface of the insert or may be provided with a border to accommodate registration and locking engagement of the insert within the casing.

Abstract: One embodiment of the fabric (10) of the present invention includes an upper portion (12), middle portion (20) and lower portion (14), with the upper portion (12) having raised surface construction hydrophobic first yarns (16), the lower portion having hydrophilic (18) second yarns and the middle portion (20) being a region in which ground yarns (22), hydrophobic first yarns (16) and hydrophilic second yarns (18) are integrated. The upper portion (12) further includes at least one channel (24), which is a region free of raised surface construction hydrophobic first yarns (16).

Abstract: A rental mat in which a pile yarn is tufted onto a base cloth and the total or a part of pile shape is a cut pile. The pile yarn is composed of one BCF nylon twist yarn and one or more nylon monofilament single yarns. The BCF nylon twist yarn and the nylon monofilament single yarns are tufted as one pile yarn under a state of being twisted each other, and are separated and isolated respectively from the twisted state at a part of the cut pile on a mat surface.

Abstract: A rug or mat having a pattern in relief is formed by printing a pattern on a rug having face yarns of a thermoplastic fiber, and subsequently heating the printed rug. The ink is applied by silk-screen, stencil or the like to apply enough ink to raise the melting point of the thermoplastic yarns, so the printed portions do not shrink as much as the untreated, or unprinted, portion of the rug. A plastisol ink has been found to protect the printed yarns. Because an ink is used to protect the yarns, the pattern can be defined by yarn height and color.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cleaning cloth for cleaning dirty surfaces comprising a base fabric having two sides with loops of yarn on each side. One side has longer loops of yarn having a normal fibre fineness and shorter loops of microfilament yarn for improved absorbency. The invention also relates to a mop having the cleaning cloth arranged thereon.

Abstract: A hook and loop closure element in which the loop fabric is backcoated and a plurality of the loops on the loop surface are adhered to the backcoating but the remaining free loops provide an efficient loop connector for engagement by a hook fabric. The loop fabric is backcoated using an embossing roller which has selected embodiments thereon to only emboss selected portions of the loop surface to the backcoating thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: The invention provides a female member for a face fastener. The female member has loops formed on a first surface of a web. The web has a heat-melt-adhering composite fiber body and is densely heat-melt-adhered together on a second surface. A female member is also provided having ridge-like webs. A method of producing the female member is also provided. A web of a heat-melt-adhering composite fiber body is entangled to form loops on the first surface of the web. After advanced heat-treatment, the second surface is heat-melt-adhered. A method of producing the female member by needling or water stream treating the web is also provided. An inexpensive female member for a fastener is produced suitable for disposable goods such as diapers, hospital clothings, underwears and the like.

Abstract: A floor covering for automotive vehicles includes a first surface area layer formed of tuft carpeting or other high quality, esthetically pleasing floor covering material and a second surface area layer formed of needlepunch floor covering or other durable and less costly material. The first and second surface layer portions are provided on a support mounted over a waterproof bottom surface sheet of polyethylene, or the like. One or both of the tuft carpet and needlepunch areas may be adhered to the support via a hot melt film layer. The densities of the materials selected for the layers are determined for durability and strength and may additionally absorb vehicle vibration and provide reduced noise in the vehicle cabin. To this effect, an additional base layer may be provided between the bottom surface layer and the hot melt layer which is formed of high density material for increasing passenger comfort and overall durability of the floor covering material.

Abstract: A reusable cleaning cloth for damp and dry cleaning of surfaces. The cloth is made of a textile base layer of non-woven fibers and, on the surface that provides the cleaning action, a plurality of filament loops which project out of this surface. The filament loops are concentrated in spaced apart surface regions separate from one another, like islands, by non-linear border lines delineating channels that are essentially free of filament loops. In its finished form, the island-like areas with the filament loops project 0.5 to 5 mm out of the base surface. The islands are aligned to be equidirectionally staggered relative to one another, each having a length of 4 to 50 mm with a corresponding width of 2 to 10 mm. The channels which separate the islands are as broad as one to two of these islands in the region between the adjacent long sides of the islands and narrow in the region of the adjacent ends of the islands.

Abstract: Claimed are a method of making a direction indicating carpet, useful in temporarily unlighted building hallways and rooms. Symbols are tufted into the carpet using zinc sulfide copper activated pigments in concentration of 2% in the fiber.

Abstract: A fusion-bonded carpet system and method of manufacture which method includes providing as all or a portion of the wear face surface cut yarn material in rope form prepared in rope bundles and implanting one or both ends of the rope bundle in an adhesive layer on a backing sheet to provide one or two I-bond, fusion-bonded carpet material having a selected pattern on the wear face surface. The fusion-bonded carpet has a wear face surface composed of all or part of a yarn material in rope bundle form, for example, of a multicolored random or selected pattern. The carpet material may have a backing layer and form carpet tile.

Abstract: Polyester carpets of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) are disclosed which have excellent stain-resistance, texture retention and resistance to crushing. The bulked continuous filament yarn used to make the carpets and the process for making the yarns are also disclosed.

Abstract: A floor covering comprises a plurality of tread strips of substantially resilient material, each tread strip having a wear layer of a material which provides a fibrous tread surface, and a plurality of spacer strips of substantially rigid material arranged interposed between the tread strips whereby each successive pair of tread strips is spaced apart by an assembly of at least two, typically three of said spacer strips arranged to lie side-by-side with connecting means passing through aligned apertures in the strips.

Abstract: A composite elastic layer, which has improved resistance to shear force and functions both as a cushioning material and as a sound proof material, is comprised of a loop pile tufted fabric, which is made from a backing fabric and a plurality of loop piles. An elastomer composition is applied to the pile stratum of the loop pile tufted fabric. The elastomer composition infiltrates into voids between fibers of the loop pile, and forms a solid skin on the fibers of the loop pile. The composite elastic layer reinforces the elastic property of the loop pile, and on the other hand, the fiber of the loop pile also reinforces the tensile strength, especially the resistance to tearing, of the solid skin.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a fur-like pile fabric of two-layer construction formed of guard hair fibers and under-fur fibers and used as artificial fur and a method for the production thereof.This invention produces a pile fabric 1 possessing guard hair fibers 2 having sharpened leading terminals and under-fur fibers having a satisfactorily uniform length by a method that comprises preparing a pile knitted or woven fabric with a pile yarn obtained by mixing limited-length polyester type fibers for guard hair fibers of sharpened terminals with limited-length polyester type fibers more susceptible to the action of an alkali treating agent and used for under-fur fibers, imparting an alkali treating agent 6 of a specific viscosity to the hair-raised surface of the pile knitted or woven fabric, and thereafter heat-treating the alkali-treated fabric thereby shortening the under-fur fibers and sharpening the leading terminals of the under-fur fibers.

Abstract: Claimed are a method of making a direction indicating carpet, useful in temporarily unlighted building hallways and rooms. Symbols are tufted into the carpet using zinc sulfide copper activated pigments in concentration of 2% in the fiber.

Abstract: An absorbant cloth having an agitating feature. The cloth is formed from a base material which exhibits a high degree of absorbancy. In order to achieve this high degree of absorbancy, the base material preferably exhibits a very large surface area, such as a synthetic lamb's wool. The cloth additionally has one or more areas of a rough, bristled material which is efficient at transmitting mechanical forces from movement of the user's hand to the stain. The bristled material is preferably a synthetic fabric, such as that commonly used for indoor/outdoor carpeting. In a preferred embodiment, the absorbant material and the bristled material are formed in alternating bands.

Abstract: A tufted carpet comprising a base and a plurality of tufts. Each of the tufts have a looped portion on an underside of the base. The looped portions are fused to the underside of the base and to adjacent looped portions using heat and pressure, thereby forming a homogeneous layer of the looped portions on the underside of the base.

Abstract: In a method for the manufacture of a plush-type cleaning cloth from pile fabric in which a layer of thermoplastic pile fibers is anchored by fusing to a base structure of thermoplastic fibers at temperatures from 423 to 433 K (150.degree.-160.degree. C.), pile fibers of different melting and shrinking temperature properties are used in a distribution over the entire surface, so that a first portion of the pile fibers shrinks at the fusing temperature and a second portion of the pile fibers does not shrink or shrinks less than the first portion. The first portion of the pile fibers comprises approximately 60% of the total amount of the pile fibers and provides increased scrubing properties due to their crimped, harder structure.

Abstract: The floor mat of the present invention is a pliable multilayer structure having an upper face layer and a base layer. The base layer has a main body section bordered by an edge section. Preferably, the main body section is relatively thin and the edge section is relatively thick. A surface of the base layer is adapted to confront flooring overlaid by the mat. The edge section has a channel extending longitudinally thereof, and preferably opening from the bottom surface of the edge section. A portion of the main body section can have a channel molded therein such that a portion of the main body section is disposed above the remainder of the main body section to provide a decorative and aesthetically pleasing design in the main body section.

Abstract: A towel for wrapping and drying hair on a human head includes a configuration for facilitating wrapping of the towel about the head and also provides for an area of enhanced water absorption for contacting the hair and for facilitating rapid drying thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates broadly to a method of image analysis for analyzing the texture of a surface, and to a saxony-type carpet having a tightly tailored surface texture characterized by this method. The method employs a model based on a second order co-occurrence matrix model which calculates a set of textural parameters for image classification. This co-occurrence matrix model examines the statistics of the spatial relationship between gray levels in a homogeneously textured image with calculated textural features which represent measures such as homogeneity and contrast. The method of the present invention uses this model to construct a set of normalized textural parameters from the textural parameters and calculates a value for the normalized textural parameters from this set, where the normalized textural parameters are related to the physical properties of the surface, such as pile lay of a carpet.

Abstract: Tile segments in desired shapes are out with great precision utilizing a computer-controlled laser and assembled on a previously prepared secondary backing with a sheet of hot melt adhesive material interposed between the assembly of segments and the secondary backing. The hot melt adhesive is then heated to fuse the assembly together while its components are securely held in their desired positions.

Abstract: A novel friction pad is disclosed for use with a motor vehicle window stabilizer of the type having at least one face which frictionally engages a window pane as it moves between its raised and its lowered position. The friction pad is constructed from an elastomeric substrate having a planar base and a plurality of spaced apart projections extending outwardly from one side of the base. The projections and the base are of a one piece construction. A coating of synthetic material, such as nylon or polyester, is then flocked onto the side of the base thus covering both that side of the base as well as the projections. The resulting friction pad is then secured to the confronting face of the window stabilizer.

Abstract: A fabric web for the erosion protection of earth layers, particularly on embankments, which comprises hard vegetable fibers or mixed fibers with threads crossing one another at right angles, characterized in that individual threads project from the fabric plane at regular or irregular intervals in the form of loops or are tufted and in each case cover at least one crossing thread.

Abstract: A combination flock and other material transfer. The flock has an open interior section. The other material, such as twill, is die cut greater than the opening of the interior section of the flock but less than the outside dimensions of the flock design. The unit is applied to a garment with a hot melt adhesive which seals the flock to the twill and the edges of the flock and the twill to the garment.

Abstract: A whole egg analogue is disclosed wherein a yolk analogue is treated to form a membrane on its outer surface. The yolk analogue with its attendant membrane is combined with natural egg white, treated egg white or an egg white analogue to form the whole egg analogue.

Abstract: The automobile floor mat of the present invention is a pliable multilayer structure having an upper face layer and a base layer. The base layer has a main body section bordered by an edge section. Preferably, the main body section is relatively thin and the edge section is relatively thick. A surface of the base layer is adapted to confront automobile flooring overlaid by the mat. The edge section has a channel extending longitudinally thereof, and preferably opening from the bottom surface of the edge section.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a medium density overlay plywood panel used as an exterior trim product for a residential building having a relatively high number of plies to total board thickness, and exposed edges with void free sanded surfaces having a predetermined pattern coarseness, and in which said overlay and edge surfaces are covered with an acrylic paint, whereby the trim product is characterized with the appearance of a solid wood product and the painted surfaces as highly weather resistant.

Abstract: A flocked polyurethane foam fabric and method for manufacturing the same for which flock fibers imbedded in an adhesive on the foam are permanently flattened and entangled. Dry ink is transferred onto the flock fibers at the same time that flattening of the fibers is taking place. The flock fibers are thermally set into their flattened state along an outer surface of a polyurethane foam base of the fabric. Flattening the flock fibers causes the entanglement of the flock, thereby improving the hand, appearance, drapeability, abrasion resistance, water repellency and heat insulation qualities for apparel items over that of unflattened flock fibers.

Abstract: A tufted carpet having a backing which has thereon a plurality of first areas of tufts of fine denier fibers and a plurality of second areas of tufts of at least one looped, uncrimped, coarse denier fiber. Preferred patterns for the areas of tufts are alternating stripes or a checkerboard.

Abstract: The floor mat of the present process is a pliable multilayer structure having an upper face layer and a base layer. The base layer has a main body section bordered by an edge section. Preferably, the main body section is relatively thin and the edge section is relatively thick. A surface of the base layer is adapted to confront flooring overlaid by the mat. The edge section has a channel extending longitudinally thereof, and preferably opening from the bottom surface of the edge section. A portion of the main body section can have a channel molded therein such that a portion of the main body section is disposed above the remainder of the main body section to provide a decorative and aesthetically pleasing design in the main body section.