Bi-elastic textile fabric

Abstract

A stabilized bi-elastic fabric bonded on its underside to an elastomeric, gas-tight film adapted for use in covering upholstered furniture. The fabric is formed from a ply yarn of elastomeric filaments, coarse yarn, and fine yarn. After being woven, the fabric is stabilized by a process involving steam shrinking, washing, drying and fixing. The stabilized fabric is then heat bonded to the film which makes the composite fabric well suited for filling with foam or for vacuum deep drawing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a process for making a stabilized bi-elastic fabric construction, said construction being one of the type comprising: A. a woven bi-elastic fabric whose warp and weft members are each formed of a ply yarn,   B. said ply yarn comprising in combination: 1. an elastomeric thread from about .Badd..[.140 to 280 denier.]..Baddend. .Iadd.154 dtex to 313 dtex.Iaddend.,   2. a coarse, staple, non-stretchable yarn of about .Badd..[.10 to 15 denier.]..Baddend. .Iadd.3300 to 12500 dtex.Iaddend.,   3. a fine staple, non-stretchable yarn of from about .Badd..[.4 to 6 denier.]..Baddend. .Iadd.100 to 3300 dtex.Iaddend.,   4. said coarse yarn and said fine yarn being so twisted with said elastomeric thread that said elastomeric thread is substantially hidden in said ply yarn when observed in side elevation, the improvement which comprises stabilizing such fabric construction by the steps of:       A. steam shrinking said fabric in a relaxed state until the individual fibers are brought together into approximate adjoining relationship,   B. decondensing said relaxed, steam shrunk fabric,   C. washing said so decondensed, relaxed fabric in a neutral or slightly alkaline bath while maintaining bath temperature in the range of about 40° C. to 50° C.,   D. drying said so washed fabric at about 100° C. while simultaneously stretching as necessary in each of warp and weft directions to permit said fabric when dry, to be about equally elastic in each of warp and weft directions, and   E. fixing said so dried and stretched fabric at about 175° to 185° C. for about 30 to 40 seconds.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein between said washing and said drying, said fabric is padded. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 2 wherein said fabric during said padding is tensioned in each of warp and weft directions less than about 3%. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein said so-stabilized bi-elastic fabric is further processed by the steps of: A. coating on the back face of said bi-elastic fabric a solution of a polyurethane and drying said coating so as to form on said back face a film ranging from about 15 to 25 microns in thickness,   B. coating a release paper with a solution of a polyurethane and drying said coating so as to form on said release paper a film ranging from about 15 to 25 microns in thickness,   C. bringing the open face of the film produced in step (A) into face-to-face contact with the film produced in step (B) and heating to a temperature of from about 80° to 90° C., and   D. compressing such resulting so-heated two films together, thereby to laminate such together into a composite.   
     
     
       5. A process for forming a fabric construction comprising the steps of: A. weaving a bi-elastic fabric warp and weft members each formed of a ply yarn comprising in combination   
     
     
       1. an elastomeric thread of from about .Badd..[.140 to 280 denier.]..Baddend. .Iadd.154 dtex to 313 dtex.Iaddend., 2.a coarse, staple, non-stretchable yarn of about .Badd.10 to 15 denier.]..Baddend. .Iadd.3300 to 12500 dtex.Iaddend., and   3. a fine staple, non-stretchable yarn of from about .Badd..[.4 to 6 denier.]..Baddend. .Iadd.100 to 3300 dtex.Iaddend.,   4. said coarse yarn and said fine yarn being so twisted with said elastomeric thread that said elastomeric thread is substantially hidden in said ply yarn when observed in side elevation,   B. stabilizing said fabric by the steps of: 1. steam shrinking said fabric in a relaxed state until the individual fibers are brought together into approximate adjoining relationship,   2. decondensing said relaxed, steam shrunk fabric,   3. washing said so decondensed, relaxed fabric in a neutral or slightly alkaline bath while maintaining bath temperature in the range of about 40° C. to 50° C.,   4. drying said so washed fabric at about 100° C. while simultaneously stretching as necessary in each of warp and weft directions to permit said fabric, when dry, to be about equally elastic in each of warp and weft directions, and   5. fixing said so dried and stretched fabric at about 175° to 185° C. for about 30 to 40 seconds, and     C. covering the back face of said so stabilized fabric with an elastomeric, two ply laminate by the steps of: 1. coating on said back face of said bi-elastic fabric a solution of a polyurethane and drying said coating so as to form on said back face a film ranging from about 15 to 25 microns in thickness,   2. coating a release paper with a solution of a polyurethane and drying said coating so as to form on said release paper a film ranging from about 15 to 25 microns in thickness,   3. bringing the open face of the film produced in (1) into face-to-face contact with the film produced in (2) and heating to a temperature of from about 80° to 90° C., and   4. compressing such resulting two films together, thereby to laminate such together.