Liner for upholstered furniture

Abstract

A liner, comprising a layered material in which a carded nonwoven wadding is thermally bonded to a thin carded nonwoven top layer, for upholstered furniture. In the liner, a high proportion of the staple fibers in the top layer are thin bi-component binder fibers. Further, at least 20 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding is thick staple fibers. Furthermore, also the wadding comprises bi-component binder fibers.

1 . A liner for upholstered furniture, said liner comprising a layered material with at least two layers, in which layered material a carded nonwoven wadding, constituting a first layer, is thermally bonded to a carded nonwoven top layer, constituting a second layer, wherein
 said wadding has a thickness of 4 to 140 mm, and a weight of 50 to 2800 g/m 2 ; at least 20 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding have a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex; and 5 to 40 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding are bi-component binder fibers; and   said top layer has a thickness of 0.05-to 4 mm, and a weight of 20 to 120 g/m 2 ; at least 90 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer have a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less; and 50 wt % to 100 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer are bi-component binder fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The liner according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the wadding is at least 2 times the thickness of the top layer. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The liner according to  claim 1 , wherein 70 wt % to 100 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer are bi-component binder fibers; wherein 10 wt % to 25 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding are bi-component binder fibers; and/or wherein at least 90 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer have a linear mass density of 4 dtex or less. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The liner according to  claim 1 , wherein said top layer has a thickness of 0.1 to 2 mm; and/or a weight of 40 to 120 g/m 2 ; and/or
 wherein said wadding has a density of 5 to 20 kg/m 3  and said top layer has a density of 40 to 400 kg/m 3 .   
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The liner according to  claim 1 , wherein the staple fibers in the wadding comprise fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex, and core-sheath polyester binder fibers, the fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and the core of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of more than 200° C., and the sheath of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of less than 200° C.; and
 wherein the staple fibers in the top layer comprise core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less and optionally fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less the optional fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and the core of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of more than 200° C., and the sheath of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of less than 200° C. 
 
     
     
         9 . The liner according to  claim 8 , wherein the staple fibers in the wadding essentially consist of fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and bi-component polyester binder fibers; and
 wherein the staple fibers in the top layer essentially consist of bi-component polyester binder fibers and optionally fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The liner according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 20 wt % the staple fibers in the wadding are conjugated fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex; and 85 wt % to 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer are core-sheath polyester binder fibers. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The liner according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 50 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding have a linear mass density of at least 8 dtex; and/or at least 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer have a linear mass density of 3 dtex or less. 
     
     
         13 . The liner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said wadding has a thickness of 4 to 50 mm and a weight of 50 to 200 g/m 2 ;   said top layer has a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm and a weight of 50 to 120 g/m 2 ;   85 wt % to 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the top layer are core-sheath polyester binder fibers; and   at least 75 wt % of the staple fibers in the wadding have a linear mass density of at least 8 dtex.   
     
     
         14 . The liner according to  claim 1 , wherein the top layer is perforated; and/or wherein the top layer is thermally bonded and mechanically bonded by needle punching; and/or wherein the wadding is thermally bonded and mechanically bonded by needle punching. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . An upholstered piece of furniture having a liner according to  claim 1 , arranged at least partly over a comfort material of the piece of furniture. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A process for providing a liner according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 carding staple fibers, wherein at least 20 wt % of the staple fibers have a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex, and 5 to 40 wt % of the staple fibers are bi-component binder fibers, to provide a first carded continuous web;   carding staple fibers, wherein 50 wt % to 100 wt % of the staple fibers have a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less, and wherein 50 to 100 wt % of the staple fibers are bi-component binder fibers, to provide a second carded continuous web;   arranging the first and second carded continuous webs into a first and second layer to provide a layered structure;   heating the layered structure to form a liner having a nonwoven wadding thermally bonded to a nonwoven top layer, wherein said wadding has a thickness of 4 to 140 mm, and a weight of 50 to 2800 g/m 2 ; and said top layer has a thickness of 0.05 to 4 mm, and a weight of 20 to 120 g/m 2 .   
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the thickness of the wadding is at least 2 times the thickness of the top layer. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein 70 wt % to 100 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web are bi-component binder fibers; and/or wherein 10 wt % to 25 wt % of the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web are bi-component binder fibers; wherein at least 90 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web have a linear mass density of 4 dtex or less; and/or wherein said top layer has a thickness of 0.1 to 2 mm, and a weight of 40 to 120 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein pressure is applied to the layered structure during the heating step to control the thickness of the liner. 
     
     
         26 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web comprise fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex, and core-sheath polyester binder fibers, the fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and the core of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of more than 200° C., and the sheath of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of less than 200° C.; and
 wherein the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web comprise core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less and optionally fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of 5 dtex or less the optional fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and the core of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of more than 200° C., and the sheath of the core-sheath polyester binder fibers having a melting point of less than 200° C. 
 
     
     
         27 . The process according to  claim 26 , wherein the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web essentially consist of fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, and bi-component polyester binder fibers; and wherein the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web essentially consist of bi-component polyester binder fibers and optionally fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein at least 20 wt % the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web are conjugated fibers of polyester, or copolymers thereof, having a linear mass density of at least 6 dtex; and 85 wt % to 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web are core-sheath polyester binder fibers; and/or wherein at least 50 wt % of the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web have a linear mass density of at least 8 dtex, and at least 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web have a linear mass density of 3 dtex or less. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the wadding in the provided liner has a thickness of 4 to 50 mm;   the top layer in the provided liner has a thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 mm;   85 wt % to 95 wt % of the staple fibers in the second carded continuous web are core-sheath polyester binder fibers; and   at least 75 wt % of the staple fibers in the first carded continuous web has a linear mass density of at least 8 dtex.   
     
     
         32 . The process according to  claim 19 , further comprising the step of:
 calendaring the heated layered structure with a heated calendar to provide said liner; and/or   perforating at least the top layer of the liner, once formed.   
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled)