Abstract: A layered textile composite product is disclosed which may include a nonwoven needled layer. The nonwoven needled layer is comprised of mechanically interlocked staple fibers which are needled together on a needle punch machine and then bonded with an adhesive layer to a polymeric or polyolefin film layer. The overall layered textile product may be used in several different applications, including for example in automobiles for seating, load floor, trunk linings, floor carpeting, door panel trim, and other interior trim applications.

Abstract: A circular knitted fabric and a method for making such a fabric is disclosed. The fabric employs a multifilament elastomeric yarn as a ground yarn and a polyester yarn as a pile yarn. The fabric is comprised of a plurality of knitted regions arranged in a pre-defined ornamental pattern on the fabric. The fabric has at least a first non-pile region and a second region having a pile of a first height. Also, a third region provides a pile of a second height. The fabric is visibly translucent through at least the first region of the fabric, so that an object positioned on a first side of the fabric is visible from the second side of the fabric when the object is viewed through the non-pile first region of the fabric.

Abstract: A profile tuner panel that adjusts an air bag profile for top mounted or ¾ mounted cushions and causes the air bags to have enough rotation around an instrumental panel. The profile tuner panel is a section of fabric that is used to form at least part of the mouth section of the airbag cushion in the desired position with respect to the cushion, the module, and the frame of the car, and is also used to rotate and orient the cushion properly upon deployment.

Abstract: A textile is disclosed having regions of color contrast and corresponding regions of sculptured three-dimensional surface geometry. Furthermore, one or more methods of making such a textile also are disclosed. The textile includes a first side having first regions and second regions in a predetermined pattern. The first and second regions differ in color shade values due to the etching of the textile, which has the effect of degrading or dissolving fiber material from the second regions, thereby providing a three dimensional sculpted geometry and a color contrast between etched and non-etched areas. Screen printing is applied using an extremely strong acidic or alkali composition paste upon the textile, followed by heating. Then, a washing step and a drying step results in a product having a color shade difference between etched areas and non-etched areas having differing ?L* color shade values using L*a*b* color space measurement techniques.

Abstract: An airbag cushion having a novel seam structure including either a tri-stitch fold-over seam structure or a double-stitch fold-over seam structure. The novel seam structure allows airbag cushions to be manufactured by using low tenacity yarns, preferably in the range of between about 40 cN/tex and about 65 cN/tex.

Abstract: All-woven inflatable fabrics having areas of two layers and attachment points or “seams” where single layers of fabric are formed. Such single fabric layers may be constructed solely through the utilization of basket weave patterns. These specific single fabric layers provide a relatively effective manner of reducing air permeability within the entire fabric article by decreasing the possibility of yarn shifting upon inflation of the inflatable fabric. Alternatively, the presence of at least a second single fabric layer area adjacent to the first and separated by and narrow double fabric layer area can further reduce the possibility of yarn shifting in the first single fabric layer area. Such a fabric may be utilized in numerous and various applications wherein fabric inflation is desired or necessary. In particular, the inventive fabric may be incorporated within an airbag cushion.

Abstract: A coating composition for air bag fabrics is disclosed, the composition being comprised of liquid silicone rubbers and liquid organic polymers that are chemically reacted to form cross-linked polymer networks with silicone and non-silicone components. By adding liquid organic polymers to liquid silicone rubber compounds as described herein, coatings for air bags that show increased retention of the inflating air have been discovered. Beneficially, the production of these coatings is achieved without the use of organic solvents. An air bag coated with the present formulation is also disclosed.

Abstract: Novel magenta and cyan colorants for utilization within water-based inks are provided which exhibit improved chromatic properties. In particular, such colorants provide magenta or cyan colorations that exhibit increased color space characteristics, high water solubility, excellent compatability with impurities, and correspondingly cost-effectiveness for flexographic printing procedures. The methods of utilizing such colorants within flexographic printing processes are also encompassed within the invention.

Abstract: Combinations of at least two individual colorant compounds that provide effective toning (or bluing) to combat yellowing within polyester articles (such as bottles, containers, and the like) are provided. Such a novel toner combination permits effective neutralization of yellowness while also providing highly desirable low haze and increased brightness due to a sharp absorption peak within the needed range of wavelengths (e.g., from about 565 to 590 nm) and a narrow half-height band width. Furthermore, such a combination of compounds is preferably liquid in nature and may thus be incorporated within an added ultraviolet absorber solution or shelf-stable dispersion to facilitate addition within target polyesters at various stages of production. The inventive combination bluing agent accords effective neutralization of UV absorber yellowing as well. Methods of production and liquid UV absorber/individual bluing agent formulations are also encompassed within this invention.

Abstract: A process for imparting durable water and oil repellency and durable soil release characteristics comprises the application of an aqueous mixture having a water repellent component such as a fluorocarbon polymer and a separate hydrophilic soil release polymer to a textile substrate, followed by a drying step. Optionally, a curing or thermosetting step may also be employed, if desired. This process is carried out in a preferred embodiment in a generally mild pH, which allows the process to be performed on a wide variety of textile substrates that may not be capable of withstanding more extreme pH values. Polyamides, aramids, polyesters, and poly/cotton substrates, when treated according to the present process, have all yielded improved performance with respect to durable water and oil repellency and durable soil release characteristics. A novel mixture or bath and novel treated substrates are also disclosed.

Abstract: Novel addition products of isocyanates with oxyalkylene-substituted aminophenol compounds as intermediates for the production of urethane-substituted xanthene colorants, particularly triphenylmethane derivatives such as rhodamines, are provided. The xanthene colorants exhibit improved wax and/or oil solubility and high purity. The urethane-substituted xanthene colorant features very good wax and/or oil solubility, and is believed to be relatively nontoxic. A method for producing this novel colorant is also provided.

Abstract: Polyurethane article black colorants which comprise a novel blue polymeric anthraquinone colorant, rather than the previous standard polymeric triphenylmethane blue-type colorants are provided. Such a novel blend of colorants to produce black colorations within the target polyurethane foams exhibits very low color degradation within polyurthane foams, primarily due to the stability and resiliency of the novel anthraquinone-based polymeric colorant in the presence of high isocyanate levels, as well as large amounts of reactive tertiary amines (from catalyst residue, for example). A black colorant comprising such a novel blue polymeric colorant, as well as polyurethane foams comprising such a novel black coloring agent and methods of producing such foams are all contemplated within this invention.

Abstract: Improvements in preventing heat- and moisture-shrink problems in specific polypropylene tape fibers are provided. Such tape fibers are basically manufactured through the initial production of polypropylene films or tubes which are then slit into very thin, though flat (and having very high cross sectional aspect ratios) tape fibers thereafter. These inventive tape fibers (and thus the initial films and/or tubes) require the presence of relatively high amounts of certain compounds that quickly and effectively provide rigidity to the target polypropylene tape fiber. Generally, these compounds include any structure that nucleates polymer crystals within the target polypropylene after exposure to sufficient heat to melt the initial pelletized polymer and allowing such an oriented polymer to cool. The compounds must nucleate polymer crystals at a higher temperature than the target polypropylene without the nucleating agent during cooling.

Abstract: Compounds and compositions comprising specific metal salts of hexahydrophthalic acid (HHPA) in order to provide highly desirable properties within thermoplastic articles are provided. The inventive HHPA derivatives are useful as nucleating and/or clarifying agents for such thermoplastics, are practical and easy to handle. Such compounds provide excellent crystallization temperatures, stiffness, and acid scavenger compatibility within target polyolefins. Also, such compounds exhibit very low hygroscopicity and therefore excellent shelf stability as powdered or granular formulations. Thermoplastic additive compositions and methods of producing polymers with such compounds are also contemplated within this invention.

Abstract: A novel colorant compound is provided which is the addition product of an organic chromophore having at least one reactive hydroxyl or amine substituent, a mono or polyisocyanate, and/or an alcohol. Such a compound provides solubility in oil-based ink compositions, complete water resistance and excellent oil based ink compositions. Furthermore, such colorants provide an easy and efficient way to tone shades of oil based inks. In addition, such colorants provide a way to tone carbon black based lithographic inks that gives the images a appearance of jet black on various types of printing substrates. A method for producing such a colorant is also provided, as well as offset ink compositions comprising such a colorant (including other colorants that provide the same toner performance within black pigment formulations).

Abstract: The present invention relates to air bag tethers and to a pattern-wise arrangement of such tethers in relation to air bag panels on a fabric blank, thus resulting in increased fabric utilization per tether and an overall cost savings per finished air bag. The air bag tether system of the present invention is comprised of two congruent tether panels that are joined to one another and to a respective air bag panel. In a preferred embodiment, the tether panel that is attached to the face panel of the air bag is cut in alignment with the warp and the fill of the fabric blank, while the rear tether panel that is attached to the rear panel of the air bag is cut on the bias with respect to the warp and the fill of the fabric blank. The two tether panels are then connected to one another to form a functional tether system.

Abstract: Novel, quick, and reliable detection methods for determining the presence and/or authenticity of optical and/or audio disc articles (such as compact discs, digital video discs, CD-ROM discs, and the like) when present within a holding container are provided. Specific methods of utilizing particular transparent cases are encompassed within this invention. Specific methods of utilizing particular transparent cases are thus also encompassed within this invention as are navel storage unit configurations to maximize the benefits of the transparent properties thereof.

Abstract: Unique thermoplastic monofilament fibers and yarns that exhibit heretofore unattained physical properties are provided. Such fibers are basically manufactured through the extrusion of thermoplastic resins that include a certain class of nucleating agent therein, and are able to be drawn at high ratios with such nucleating agents present that the tenacity and modulus strength are much higher than any other previously produced thermoplastic fibers, particularly those that also simultaneously exhibit extremely low shrinkage rates. Thus, such fibers require the presence of certain compounds that quickly and effectively provide rigidity to the target thermoplastic (for example, polypropylene), particularly after heat-setting. Generally, these compounds include any structure that nucleates polymer crystals within the target thermoplastic after exposure to sufficient heat to melt the initial pelletized polymer and allowing such an oriented polymer to cool.

Abstract: Plastic additives which are useful as nucleating agents and which are especially useful for improving the optical properties of polymeric materials are provided. More particularly, this invention relates to certain alkyl (or alkoxy) substituted fluoro-benzylidene sorbitol acetals and polymer compositions thereof which may be utilized within, as merely examples, food or cosmetic containers and packaging. These inventive fluorinated and alkylated benzylidene sorbitol acetals are also useful as gelling agents for water and organic solvents, particularly those used in the preparation of antiperspirant gel sticks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circular knitting machine for multicolored plush. A plush sinker (113) is provided with at least two planes (90, 91) for kinking loop threads of different loop length. The knocking-over sinker (112) has a bill comprising at least two webs (96, 97) for restretching pile loops of different loop length. Plush knitted goods having plush loops of different heights and different colors can be produced by means of said circular knitting machine. Knitted goods being combined of epinglé and velour can thus be produced by shearing the longer plush loops.