Woven product having a sublimation printing surface for imaging and a method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A woven product formed by providing natural fiber warp yarns of various colors, providing natural fiber weft yarns of various colors, and providing synthetic weft yarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes. The yarns are woven together by selectively exposing the natural fiber warp yarns, the natural fiber weft yarns, and the synthetic weft yarns during weaving. Selected areas containing exposed synthetic weft are dyed by sublimation printing for personalizing the woven product. During weaving, the yarns are controlled to float the synthetic weft yarns in the selected areas where exposure of the synthetic weft yarns is concentrated to provide a print receiving face for sublimation printing which holds sublimation printing dye.

1 . A method of constructing a woven product having a sublimation printing surface for imaging to personalize said woven product, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing natural fiber warp yarns of various colors;    providing natural fiber weft yarns of various colors;    providing synthetic weft yarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes;    weaving said natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weft yarns together to form said woven product;    selectively exposing said natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weft yarns during weaving to form woven images; and,    dying by sublimation printing selected areas containing exposed synthetic weft yarns for personalizing said woven product.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  including controlling said natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weft yarns to float said synthetic weft yarns in said selected areas and concentrating exposure of said synthetic weft yarns in said selected areas to provide a print receiving face for said sublimation printing which holds sublimation printing dye.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said synthetic weft yarns are selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, and acrylic yarns.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said natural fiber warp yarns and said natural fiber weft yarns are selected from cotton yarns.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  including weaving said natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weft yarns to produce a positive image displayed on a front side of said woven product, and a negative image displayed on a reverse side of said woven product.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  including exposing said synthetic weft yarns on a front side of said woven product across the entire surface of said front side so that said woven image is a blank image forming a print receiving face over the entire front side.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein approximately 60% to 80% of all warp and weft yarns in said woven product are natural fiber yarns and approximately 20% to 40% of all warp and weft yarns are synthetic yarns.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  including the step of providing synthetic warp yarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes and selectively exposing said synthetic warp yarns together with said synthetic weft yarns in said selected areas to provide saturated coverage of said selected areas with synthetic yarns for increased printing resolution.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said synthetic weft yarns are selected from the group consisting of white and uncolored synthetic yarns.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said synthetic weft yarns are provided with a fluffy nap that overlap with said warp yarns to provide an increased print receiving face.  
     
     
         11 . A woven product having a sublimation printing surface for imaging to personalize said woven product, said woven product comprising: 
 natural fiber warp yarns of various colors;    natural fiber weft yarns of various colors;    synthetic weft yarns adapted for receiving sublimation printing ink dyes;    said natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weft yarns woven together and selectively exposed; and,    said synthetic weft yarns being exposed in concentration in selected areas providing a print receiving face for being dyed by sublimation printing to personalize said woven product.    
     
     
         12 . The woven product of  claim 11  wherein said synthetic weft yarns are selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, and acrylic yarns.  
     
     
         13 . The woven product of  claim 11  wherein said natural fiber warp yarns and said natural fiber weft yarns are selected from cotton yarns.  
     
     
         14 . The woven product of  claim 11  wherein said natural fiber warp yarns, said natural fiber weft yarns, and said synthetic weft yarns are woven together to produce a positive image displayed on a front side of said woven product, and a negative image displayed on a reverse side of said woven product.  
     
     
         15 . The woven product of  claim 11  wherein said synthetic weft yarns are exposed on a front side of said woven product across the entire surface of said front side to provide a blank woven image forming a print receiving face over the entire front side.  
     
     
         16 . The woven product of  claim 11  wherein approximately 60% to 80% of all warp and weft yarns in said woven product are natural fiber yarns and approximately 20% to 40% of all warp and weft yarns are synthetic yarns.  
     
     
         17 . The woven product of  claim 11  including synthetic warp yarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes being selectively exposed together with said synthetic weft yarns in said selected areas to provide saturated coverage of said selected areas with synthetic yarns for increased printing resolution.  
     
     
         18 . The woven product of  claim 11  wherein said synthetic weft yarns are selected from the group consisting of white and uncolored synthetic yarns.  
     
     
         19 . The woven product of  claim 11  wherein said synthetic weft yarns include a fluffy nap that overlap with said warp yarns to increased said print receiving face.  
     
     
         20 . A method of constructing a woven product having a sublimation printing surface for imaging to personalize said woven product, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing first warp yarns consisting of natural fiber yarns of various colors;    providing second warp yarns consisting of synthetic yarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes;    providing weft yarns consisting of natural fiber yarns of various colors;    weaving said first warp yarns, said second warp yarns, and said weft yarns together to form said woven product;    selectively exposing said first and second warp yarns, and said weft yarns during weaving; and,    dying by sublimation printing selected areas containing exposed synthetic warp yarns for personalizing said woven product.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  including controlling said first and second warp yarns and said weft yarns to float said synthetic second warp yarns in said selected areas and concentrating exposure of said synthetic warp yarns in said selected areas to provide a print receiving face for said sublimation printing which holds sublimation printing dye.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  including exposing said synthetic warp yarns on a front side of said woven product across the entire surface of said front side to provide a blank woven image forming a print receiving face over the entire front side.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein approximately 60% to 80% of all warp and weft yarns in said woven product are natural fiber yarns and approximately 20% to 40% of all warp and weft yarns are synthetic yarns.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  including the step of providing second warp yarns consisting of synthetic yarns capable of receiving sublimation printing ink dyes, and selectively exposing said synthetic weft yarns together with said synthetic warp yarns in said selected areas to provide saturated coverage of said selected areas with synthetic yarns for increased printing resolution.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said synthetic warp yarns are provided with a fluffy nap that overlap with said weft yarns to provide an increased print receiving face.