Abstract: A floor covering includes a primary backing having yarns tufted through the primary backing forming wear surface portions comprised of the back stitches of the tufted yarns in conjunction with non-tufted areas of the primary backing, also forming exposed wear surfaces. Both exposed wear surfaces portions form an aesthetic design pattern whereby a low, dense broadloom or modular carpet is provided at reduced materials and costs. Preferably, the primary backing is comprised of a woven polypropylene and a secondary backing is provided with the cut or loop yarns on the back side of the primary backing being fixed in place by a resin. A secondary backing formed of a composition of EVA, calcium carbonate and resin, overlaid by a woven scrim, is provided. The secondary backing may be formed of a needle-bonded synthetic fiber. Additionally, the primary backing may be formed of a non-woven material such as nylon and polyester.

Abstract: A non-woven fiber pad having a convoluted surface formed by cutting a non-woven fiber batt having a plurality of low melt synthetic fibers. The non-woven batt is compressed generally toward a cutting device by a pair of counter-rotating drums having convoluted surfaces.

Abstract: A synthetic turf surface for golf courses, tennis courts and other grass-surfaced game playing fields is formed of a synthetic grass carpet having a flexible base sheet with closely spaced-apart upright, blade-like strands of plastic material forming a dense grass-like surface. The carpet is supported upon a cushioning underpad which is formed of a thick, molded sheet of open cell, expanded bead polypropylene. The resiliently compressible polypropylene underpad combined with the synthetic grass carpet closely simulates the feel of a natural grass covered playing field surface.

Abstract: Dual fiber carpet and matting fabrics are made of tufted ends of yarn with one end being made from standard carpet denier yarns ranging from about 10 to 30 denier per filament and total denier ranging from about 600 to 5000 denier and the second end being made from heavy monofilament fibers with a denier per filament ranging from about 100 to 500 denier and a total denier ranging from about 300 to 5000 denier per yarn bundle. Both fibers can be made from a variety of synthetic and/or natural materials. Also, a combination of at least three floor or ground covering articles, A, B, and C, for placement in and around the entryway of a building is disclosed which provides more effective cleaning ability for pedestrians' footwear, thus better ensuring the inside of the building itself remains clean.

Abstract: A loop component for use in a hook and loop fastening system, and methods of making same are provided, wherein a spunlaced fabric having a plurality of loop structures is formed by entangling a plurality of non-interbonded fibers in a fibrous web of material. The loop structures are configured to engage hooks from a hook component having a hook density between about 30 and 400 hooks per square centimeter, and have a peel strength of between about 50 grams and 2000 grams. The spunlaced fabric may include a backing layer. Between about two percent and about twenty-five percent (2%-25%) of the spunlaced fabric may be bonded to reduce fiber fuzzing and pull out that may occur when hooks are engaged and disengaged from the loop material. The spunlaced fabric may be stretched in a cross web (widthwise) direction between about 5% and about 125% of the original width to produce a fabric with greater void area for better hook engagement.

Abstract: A fiber velvet comprising nano-size fibers or nanofibrils attached to micro-size fibers is disclosed. Methods of manufacturing the velvet as well as various uses of the velvet are also described. For example, the fiber velvet can be used as a thermal interface or as an adhesive material. The nanofibrils may be attached to a flat base or membrane, or may be attached to the tip portions of the micro-size or larger diameter fibers. Various attributes of the micro-size fibers and of the nano-size fibers, for example, geometry (e.g. size, length, packing density) material type (e.g. carbon, metal, polymer, or ceramic) and properties (e.g. conductivity, modulus, surface energy, dielectric constant, surface roughness) can be selected depending on the desired attributes of the fiber velvet. The nanofibrils have a diameter of less than about 1 micron, and may advantageously be formed from single walled and/or multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: A stitched yarn surface structure includes a backing having decorative upper surface and a thickness dimension T of at least two (2) millimeters. The backing exhibits a predetermined compressive resistance Rb. Plural rows of face yarn segments cover at least a portion of the decorative upper surface of the backing, with adjacent face yarn segments being spaced apart by a predetermined minimum spacing dimension S. The yarns forming the face yarn segments have a predetermined compressive resistance Ry. The compressive resistance Rb, the compressive resistance Ry, and the spacing S are selected such that a load of up to one hundred (100) pounds per square inch (psi) imposed on the stitched yarn surface structure by a loading member is able to be borne by the stitched yarn surface structure without allowing contact between the member and the decorative upper surface of the backing.

Abstract: The invention described here concerns a process to permit the manufacture of a cellulose fibre from hydrate cellulose with an extremely large surface area which may be used for the preparation of a fabric characterized by a high absorptive power, good liquid-retention properties, high grease-solvent properties as well as particle-absorbing properties, which is suitable for making products that are themselves easy to clean, which can be used for cleaning and decontamination as well as to reduce the surface tension of water and which can be disposed of without damage to the environment.

Abstract: A pile article having a support strand for attachment to multifilament yarn to form a velour-like pile having loosely entangled filaments in spaced apart monolithic pile rows, a helically wound package of oriented pile articles for shipping and storage, and a pile surface structure comprising pile articles arranged in spaced apart rows on a substrate to form a pile surface that may be flat or moldable, and a method for making a pile surface structure by embedding the pile articles into the backing substrate. The pile surface structures may be usefully employed in automobile mats, carpets and panels.

Abstract: A vehicle carpet module comprising a segment of tufted carpet including contiguous portions formed with at least two different sizes of yarn. A mass backing layer is attached to the rear surface of the carpet segment. The carpet module is shaped and sized to cover the floor of a specific motor vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention provides nonwoven fiber materials, and methods for making the same, useful for loop materials in hook and loop mechanical attachment systems, the nonwoven materials having crimped monocomponent fibers having substantially circular cross sections, and the webs may further contain uncrimped fibers. The invention also provides disposable articles comprising nonwoven loop materials including disposable personal care absorbent articles such as diapers, feminine care sanitary napkins, and adult incontinence articles, and disposable protective articles such as surgical drapes and gowns and other protective apparel.

Abstract: Loop forming material, wherein said material comprises crimped tows of continuous filaments, said material having a thickness comprised between 0,1 mm and 3 mm and a weight comprised between 15 g/m2 and 100 g/m2.

Abstract: A terry cloth bed set comprising a mattress cover, a bed sheet and pillow cases made from terry cloth to provide warmth and softness during the whole year. The basic terry cloth material can be cotton or cotton and polyester. The components of the bed set can have their edges trimmed with either cotton cloth, rayon cloth, polyester cloth, and patterned cloth.

Abstract: A dust control mat having a pile surface and a backing layer disposed beneath the pile surface. The pile surface includes segmented portions of pile-forming material salvaged from previously used mat structures and adhered to the backing layer in a predefined arrangement to define a contact surface of recycled material for use in removing dirt from the shoes of a user.

Abstract: A flooring system for use in a residential environment. The flooring system includes a subfloor adapted to support the mass of a user and modular surface covering elements for disposition in edge to edge covering arrangement across at least a portion of the subfloor. The modular surface covering elements include a pile fabric face with an arrangement of yarns projecting outwardly defining a pile layer for contact by a user. At least one layer of cushioning material is disposed in contacting relation at a position below the pile fabric face.

Abstract: An improved cushioned carpet fabric is provided. The cushioned carpet comprises a primary carpet having a primary base and a plurality of pile-forming yarns projecting outwardly from one side. A layer of reinforcement material is bonded to the primary base on the side opposite the pile forming yarns. The reinforcement layer is adjacent to and embedded in, a cushion layer of a polymer such as a polyurethane. There is preferably no additional adhesive between the cushion layer and the layer of reinforcement material. An apparatus and process for forming the cushioned carpet fabric are also provided.

Abstract: A composite sheet material for use as a portion of a tear away fastening system. The sheet material includes a substrate layer and yarns extending through the substrate layer such that the define an arrangement of looped elements projecting away from one side of the substrate layer. The looped elements are interconnected by portions of the yarns disposed across the other side of the substrate layer. A backing layer is disposed in overlying relation to the substrate layer to hold the yarns in place.

Abstract: A multi-layer sheet material for use as a portion of a tear away fastening system. The sheet material includes a substrate layer and loop forming yarns extending through the substrate layer such that the loop forming yarns define an arrangement of loop elements projecting away from one side of the substrate layer. The loop elements are interconnected by portions of the yarns disposed across the other side of the substrate layer. A backing layer is disposed in overlying relation to the substrate layer to hold the loop forming yarns in place.

Abstract: A unitary polymer substrate having a plurality of microfibers projecting from a surface is provided. The presence of the microfibers greatly increases the surface area and can impart a cloth-like feel to the surface. The projecting microfibers may have a variety of forms, including frayed-end microfibers, tapered microfibers, microfibers having an expanded cross-sectional shape, and microfibers having a very high aspect ratio. A number of methods of producing unitary polymer structures with a plurality of projecting microfibers are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a foil of synthetic material composed of a first synthetic compound and a second synthetic compound, in which the first synthetic compound consists of a polymer and the second synthetic compound consists of a plastomer.

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: A loop component for use in a hook and loop fastening system, and methods of making same are provided, wherein a spunlaced fabric having a plurality of loop structures is formed by entangling a plurality of non-interbonded fibers in a fibrous web of material. The loop structures are configured to engage hooks from a hook component having a hook density between about 30 and 400 hooks per square centimeter, and have a peel strength of between about 50 grams and 2000 grams. The spunlaced fabric may include a backing layer.

Abstract: A hollow thermoplastic synthetic polymer filament carpet yarn includes a core portion having N number (typically, three or four) lobes joined thereto. Stiffening ribs are formed in the core portion. The stiffening ribs cooperate to define at least N hollow regions in the core portion. The hollow regions may communicate or be isolated from each other. Each lobe has at least one transverse-stiffening web therein that prevents the lobe lateral edges from being deformed towards the exterior of the filament. The major portion of each lateral edge of each lobe may be substantially linear or convexly curved over substantially its entire length. A spinneret plate for producing the filament is also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved process for making stitchbonded fabric in which a feed material that has a visible pattern on it is surface is multi-needle stitched with a contractible yarn and then the stitched material is contracted to form an attractive, novel surface pattern that is quite different from the original pattern on the feed material

Abstract: A hook and loop fastener for flat structures, particularly for textile products, having a hook part and an interlocking part, the interlocking part being made of a nonwoven composite having worked-in, textured, polymeric threads, the nonwoven composite being used as support for the textured threads, and the textured threads forming the loops for the hooks.

Abstract: A cured composite material formed in accordance with the method of the present invention. The method initially providing for providing a peel-ply sheet which defines opposed planar faces. A multitude of elongate bond fibers are embedded into the peel-ply sheet in a manner wherein a majority of the bond fibers do not extend in co-planar relation to the planar faces of the peel-ply sheet. A resin composite material is provided. The peel-ply sheet is applied to the resin composite material such that the bond fibers are partially embedded therein. The resin composite material is cured. The peel-ply sheet is removed from the cured resin composite material such that the bond fibers remain implanted therein.

Abstract: A loop material of a hook-and-loop fastener, comprised of a nonwoven base and a number of loops which are formed at least on one plane side of the nonwoven base. The nonwoven base is formed by accumulating a number of filaments or fibers. An antislipping agent is deposited at least on the surface of the loops, thereby the surface of the loops become uneven. Or, by deformation on the surface of the loops due to thermal plasticity, the surface of the loops become uneven. Due to this unevenness, projections of the hook material are difficult to get out of the loops and a hook-and-loop fastener having high joining strength is obtained.

Abstract: A flooring system for use in a residential environment. The flooring system includes a subfloor adapted to support the mass of a user and modular surface covering elements for disposition in edge to edge covering arrangement across at least a portion of the subfloor. The modular surface covering elements include a pile fabric face with an arrangement of yarns projecting outwardly defining a pile layer for contact by a user. At least one layer of cushioning material is disposed in contacting relation at a position below the pile fabric face.

Abstract: The inventive method provides highly desirable hand to various different types of fabrics through the initial immobilization of individual fibers within target fabrics and subsequent treatment through abrasion, sanding, or napping of at least a portion of the target fabric. Such a procedure includes “nicking” the immobilized fibers thereby permitting the fibers to produce a substantially balanced strength of the target fabric in the fill and warp directions while also providing the same degree of hand improvements as obtained with previous methods. Furthermore, this process also provides the unexpected improvement of non-pilling to synthetic fibers as the “nicking” of the immobilized fibers results in the lack of unraveling of fibers and thus the near impossibility of such fibers balling together to form unwanted pills on the fabric surface. Fabrics treated by this process are also contemplated within this invention.

Abstract: A loop fastener member having loop fastening elements rising from a base fabric exhibits good durability when the loop fastening elements contain polyamide fibers in which from 60 to 100 mol % of the dicarboxylic acid units of the polyamide are aromatic dicarboxylic acid units and from 60 to 100 mol % of the diamine units are C6-12 aliphatic diamine units. The loop fastening elements sink down little or deform even after washing and wet heat pressure treatment at high temperatures.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved fastening tape for use on a disposable absorbent garment. The fastening tape comprises a first substrate and an interlocking material attached to said first substrate. The interlocking material extends the entire width of the fastening tape, and the interlocking material is longitudinally spaced from both transverse edges of the fastening tape. Also disclosed is a process for manufacturing the fastening tape. The process involves providing a continuous length of an interlocking material having a width and traveling in a first direction. The interlocking material is attached to a first substrate to form a composite. The composite is then cut along a second direction to form fastening tapes suitable for attachment on a disposable absorbent garment. The second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) BCF carpet modified cross-section yarn having an modification ratio and a arm angle within a specific range and a Y-shaped cross-section, and a method for preparing it. The BCF modified cross-section yarn has excellent bulk property and spinning efficiency, and a carpet made from the BCF modified cross-section yarn has good appearance, sense of touch, and tufting efficiency.

Abstract: A carpet fiber yarn having carpet fiber and binder material, the yarn being subjected to singeing to remove protruding fiber ends, and subjected to heat sufficient to melt the binder fiber, wherein initial appearance and trafficked appearance of a first test carpet having a pile comprised of the yarn is improved over a corresponding second test carpet having a pile comprised of an unsinged yarn with the carpet fiber and the binder fiber, the unsinged yarn also being subjected to heat sufficient to melt the binder fiber.

Abstract: Base cloth for tufted carpet and tufted carpet using the same. The base cloth is constituted by nonwoven fabric made of filament formed of poly lactic acid based polymer. The filament has round cross-section and birefringence of 12×10−3 to 30×10−3 and crystallization degree of 15 to 25 percent by weight. The nonwoven fabric made of filament has heat shrinkage of 1 percent or less at 120° C. in 3 minutes both in a machine direction (MD) and a cross direction thereto (CD). If the cross-section of the filament is not round, the filament has crystallization degree of 15 to 25 percent by weight and heat shrinkage of 1 percent or less at 120° C. in 3 minutes both in MD and CD.

Abstract: A unitary polymer substrate having a plurality of microfibers projecting from a surface is provided. The presence of the microfibers greatly increases the surface area and can impart a cloth-like feel to the surface. The projecting microfibers may have a variety of forms, including frayed-end microfibers, tapered microfibers, microfibers having an expanded cross-sectional shape, and microfibers having a very high aspect ratio. A number of methods of producing unitary polymer structures with a plurality of projecting microfibers are also provided.

Abstract: A carpet which is suitable for use in a vehicular passageway, includes a backing fabric that is woven by using the multi-filament yams for the warps and wefts. A binding resin is applied to the filaments which compose the weft. The filaments which make up the weft are partially fixed to one another through the binding resin. The warp and the weft are partially fixed through the binding resin sticking on the filament of the weft before the tufting process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a skin cleaning device that consists of textile structure and that is at least partially provided with lipophilic fibers. Due to the provision of lipophilic fibers the inventive skin cleaning device is especially useful for cleaning oily and mixed skin since the fibers impart to the device a higher fat absorption capacity as compared to conventional skin cleaning textiles. The inventive skin cleaning device is further very environmentally friendly as it allows to widely or completely avoid the use of fat-dissolving cleaning agents.

Abstract: A mat has a fabric layer (2) including a substrate (8) a tufted pile (6), and a rubber backing (4). The fabric layer (2) includes tufts of a blended yarn (12) that includes a moisture absorbing fibre and a fibre having anti-microbial properties, and optionally a low melting point fibre that is at least partially fused to the other fibres in the blended yarn. The tufted pile (6) may also optionally include tufts of twisted synthetic yarn (10).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a non-woven fabric which is bulky caused by fiber-raised construction on the surface of a non-woven fabric includes adhering a non-woven web with its surface layer portion containing an easy-to-heat-melt component showing a property to be adhesive as heated to a smooth surface heated at the temperature for the easy-to-heat-melt component to show a property to be adhesive with the surface layer portion in contact with the smooth surface, and then raising the fibers of the non-woven web by peeling the non-woven fabric like web off the smooth surface so that a fiber-raised bulky state is generated, whereby a fiber-raised bulky structure is formed on the surface of the non-woven fabric.

Abstract: A synthetic polymer filament is characterized by a four-sided void that extends centrally and axially through the filament. Each apex of the void extends toward the approximate midpoint of one side of the exterior configuration of the filament. The four-sided void has a modification ratio in the range from about 1.2 to about 2.0 and occupies from about five percent 5% to about thirty percent 30% of the cross sectional area of the filament. A spinneret plate for producing the thermoplastic synthetic polymer filament has a cluster of four orifices centered about a central point. Each orifice includes a generally isosceles triangle-shaped major portion from which extends a pair of legs, each leg of one orifice being spaced from the leg of an adjacent orifice to define a gap therebetween.

Abstract: An apparatus or method for forming a pile assembly without the use of additional materials as an adhesive or preformed core, and the products/articles made therefrom. The method and apparatus uses the beam or base member of the elongated pile sub-assemblies (e.g. tuftstrings or rooted tuftstrings) to form a continuous tubular core. This method and/or apparatus can be used to form articles such as brush rollers, interior panels for various modes of transportation, or a flooring article. The melt flow of the beam adjacent to one another along a mandrel surface form a continuous base material. In the case of a roller brush this base material forms a core from which the pile for roller brushes radially extend. Making a roller brush or other article in this manner eliminates the cores adhesives and fabric support material normally required for the pile yarn. Also a mandrel can be used to form a variety of geometric shapes for the cores of the present invention.

Abstract: An elongated pile sub-assembly having a support beam for attachment to a plurality of yarn bundles. Each of the yarn bundles attached to the beam have a pile end and a root end for anchoring the elongated pile sub-assembly. The root ends can also entangle its loose fibers for added anchoring support of the elongated pile sub-assembly. A guide assembly is used to form a rooted tuftstring article such as a brush or flooring article therefrom. The elongated pile sub-assembly may be used alone to make a brush or a pile or bristle surface structure such as a floor covering, a wall covering or an automotive component, or may be arranged with other elongated pile articles and attached to a backing substrate, as when used to make up a pile or bristle surface structure. A brush or pile surface structure may be fabricated from an elongated pile sub-assembly alone, or from the pile sub-assembly together with a brush body member or a backing substrate.

Abstract: An ozone fade resistant dyed carpet made of dyed sheath/core face fibers has a sheath substantially or completely covering the core. The sheath is composed of a fiber-forming polymer which is inherently chemically compatible and is selected from polymers that are resistant to dye migration and yet inherently chemically compatible with the core polymer. The face fibers are dyed with at least one acid dye, basic dye or disperse dye and resist ozone fading as indicated by a CIEL*a*b* total color difference from the original unexposed sample after at least 3 cycles of ozone fading that is less than one-half of the CIEL*a*b* total color difference seen for a fiber composed substantially completely of said core polyamide component that is dyed with the same dyes. The fibers may be cabled and heatset in which case even more substantial improvement in the ozone fastness is observed.

Abstract: A synthetic grass assembly for installation on a supporting soil substrate includes a pile fabric with a flexible sheet backing and rows of upstanding synthetic ribbons representing grass blades, extending upwardly from an upper surface of the backing. An infill layer of two distinct graded courses of particulate material is disposed interstitially between the upstanding ribbons upon the upper surface of the backing and of a depth less than the length of the ribbons. A bottom course of intermixed hard sand and resilient rubber granules with substantially identical particle size distribution characteristics is installed upon the backing and a top course exclusively of resilient rubber granules is placed upon the bottom course.

Abstract: A light-shielding cloth that is to be bonded to a slit-form opening of a container for a photosensitive material is formed from a base fabric and a crimped pile thread incorporated into the base fabric so that the pile density is in the range from 45,000 filaments/cm2 to 85,000 filaments/cm2, a hot-melt adhesive region being provided on the reverse side of the base fabric without a filling agent being applied thereto for the purpose of preventing the hot-melt adhesive from penetrating the base fabric. A container for a photosensitive material is formed by bonding the light-shielding cloth to a slit-form opening using a 100% solids adhesive, preferably an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin based adhesive, without a treatment with a filling agent. A narrow-width light-shielding ribbon is formed by slitting the light-shielding cloth by means of an ultrasonic slitter.

Abstract: Provided is a pile fabric in which non-twist interlaced yarns composed of non-torque or low-torque polyester multi-filaments having a torque of 0 or 100 turns/meter or less are laid out in a flattened state as both warp and weft yarns constituting a ground portion of the pile fabric, which has no thick feel of the ground, excellent in formability and sewing property, and also makes it possible to form a short pile length (less than 1.5 mm). Further, diverse pile fabrics such as velvet-like, amundsen-like, astrakhan-like and suede-like fabrics, are also realized by specifying the fineness of the constituent filaments and the yarn form of the pile yarn.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric sheet comprising a multiplicity of generally parallel elongate strands of inelastic thermoplastic material extending in a first direction in spaced relationship, each of said strands having opposite elongate side surface portions that are spaced from and are adjacent elongate side surface portions of adjacent strands, and each of said strands also having corresponding opposite first and second elongate surface portions extending between said opposite elongate side surface portions, and a first sheet of flexible nonwoven material having spaced anchor portions bonded at first bond sites of the strands along said first elongate surface portions wherein the elongate strands thermoplastic material is oriented at least between adjacent bond sites along the length of the strands.

Abstract: A pleated nonwoven product and method of constructing such a product which is particularly suitable for various automotive applications. The product is formed from a fibrous mat with the fibers within each pleat extending substantially vertically when the mat is in a horizontal orientation. Various products may be formed from the pleated nonwoven mat including automotive carpets and underpads, trim parts, trunk liners, upholstery, engine compartment liners, and sound insulators. Additional embodiments of the invention utilize a split pleated product presenting a unique automotive textile, carpet or other upholstery product and a unitary carpet and underpad product utilizing the pleated product of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing yarn having reduced heatset shrinkage. Preferably, the fibers used in making the yarn are bicomponent fibers. The present invention also provides a process for producing yarn having reduced heatset shrinkage at reduced heat temperatures.

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.