Surface pretreatment of fabrics for laser writer applications

Abstract

Pretreatment of a fabric using a material that binds to the fabric and changes some characteristic of the fabric. In an embodiment, the characteristic that is changed can be at least one of stain and flash for wrinkle resistance. The material can be Permafresh material. The material can bind to the fabric, and intends to be maintained within the fabric for the life of the fabric. After pretreatment, the pretreated material is processed by a laser which intends to change the look of the material without undesirably damaging the material. The treatment may make the treatment by lasers more consistent and allow the lazed graphic to maintain its quality after repeated washings and wearing.

1 . A method, comprising:
 treating a fabric material with a treatment that remains bound to the fabric and is intended to change some characteristic of the fabric to make the fabric more resistant; and   using a laser to form a perceivable change to a color of the fabric without undesirably damaging the fabric.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said treatment is a liquid treatment that prevents at least one of stain and/or wrinkle resistance. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said treatment is Permafresh pretreatment spray. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 2 , further comprising heat curing the liquid treatment on the fabric. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said using the laser comprises producing a laser output that produces an energy density per unit time that changes a look of the fabric without undesirably damaging the fabric. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said fabric is one of a black colored fabric or a pink colored fabric. 
     
     
         7 . A method, comprising:
 spraying a pretreatment on a fabric, said pretreatment being of a type which is intended to withstand repeated washings, and which pretreatment is intended to change a characteristic of the fabric to make the fabric more resistant;   after said pretreating, heating said fabric, and using a laser to apply energy to a surface of said fabric, in only a plurality of discrete locations, which plurality of discrete locations define a desired graphic to be seen on said fabric.   
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 7 , wherein said pretreatment is a pretreatment that is intended to provide wrinkle resistance for the life of the fabric. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 7 , wherein said pretreatment is a material that is intended to provide stain resistance for a life of the fabric. 
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 7 , wherein the fabric is one of pink or black in color. 
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 7 , further comprising post treating the material, after said using a laser. 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 7 , further comprising washing the material, after said using the laser. 
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 7 , wherein said pretreatment uses Permafresh spray material. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 7 , wherein said spraying, said heating and said using a laser, are all carried out along a conveyor. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 a first part which applies a liquid based fabric pretreatment material to a fabric, said fabric pretreatment material being a material that binds to the fabric to withstand washing, and which alters a characteristic of the fabric to make the fabric more resistant; and   a laser part, which provides an output laser to selected locations based on a desired graphic, said laser output being of a power that produces a change to the material without undesirably damaging the material, and of a power that changes a look of the material.   
     
     
         16 . A system as in  claim 15 , further comprising a conveyor, having a surface intended to carry the fabric material, and wherein said first part and said laser part are located along the conveyor, with the laser part being downstream of the first part. 
     
     
         17 . A system as in  claim 16 , further comprising a post treatment part, also along said conveyor, which treats the material after processing by the laser. 
     
     
         18 . A system as in  claim 16 , further comprising a washing machine part, which carries out the function of a washing machine along the conveyor, downstream of said laser. 
     
     
         19 . A system as in  claim 15 , wherein said pretreatment material is PermaFresh, which forms a stain and wrinkle resistance to the material. 
     
     
         20 . A system as in  claim 15 , further comprising a second part which applies heat to the pretreated part. 
     
     
         21 - 22 . (canceled)