JP7558372B2 - Flexible laminate, its manufacturing method, and waterproof product using same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flexible laminate comprising a fiber fabric as a base fabric and one or more resin layers formed on at least one surface of the fiber fabric, a method for producing the same, and a waterproof product using the same.

Truck seats are provided on the beds of various trucks, from small to large, to prevent cargo from getting wet from rain or snow while driving, or from being blown away by the wind. Flexible laminates that have a resin layer on a fiber fabric base to enhance waterproofing are widely used for truck seats. Conventionally, such flexible laminates use various spun yarns and multifilament yarns, such as multifilament yarns and spun yarns made of synthetic resins such as polyester, nylon, and vinylon, and multifilament yarns and spun yarns made of cellulose-based fibers.

For example, Examples 1 to 5 of Patent Document 1 disclose a canvas having a basis weight of 600 to 780 g/m ² , in which a resin layer mainly containing polyvinyl chloride resin is provided on both sides of a plain weave fabric (polyester staple fiber fabric) using polyester spun yarn as the warp and weft. Patent Document 2 also proposes a flexible laminate as a waterproof membrane material used for truck bed cover sheets, etc., which is composed of a base fabric including a fiber fabric composed of warp yarns made of staple spun yarns and weft yarns including multifilament yarns, and a waterproof coating layer formed on at least one side of the base fabric and including one or more waterproof resin layers containing a soft polyvinyl chloride resin composition.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-146907 JP 2006-183165 A

However, the conventional flexible laminates used in truck seats are often those with a basis weight of about 450 to 800 g/m2, as in Patent Document ^1. Even small truck seats have a mass of about 5 kg, and large truck seats have a mass of more than 20 kg. When loading and unloading luggage, the truck seat is repeatedly placed over the luggage on the loading platform and then removed from the luggage on the loading platform. Therefore, when a truck seat made of such a flexible laminate with a large basis weight and a heavy product weight is used, the loading and unloading work causes fatigue for the truck driver. In recent years, as truck drivers are aging, the loading and unloading work causes more serious physical fatigue for truck drivers, and therefore there is a demand for further weight reduction of truck seats.

Possible methods for reducing the weight of flexible laminates used in truck seats include reducing the weight of the fiber fabric that serves as the base fabric of the flexible laminate, and reducing the thickness of the resin layer impregnated into the fiber fabric. However, if the fiber fabric has a low basis weight, the strength of the base fabric of the flexible laminate will decrease, and the strength of the resulting flexible laminate and waterproof products using it will decrease, and the waterproof products may tear or rip during use. On the other hand, if the fiber fabric is woven using multifilament yarns for both the warp and weft, the fiber fabric can have a lower basis weight for the same strength compared to a woven fabric made only of spun yarn, and the flexible laminate can be made lighter. However, multifilament yarns have a flat, fuzz-free surface, and compared to spun yarns, they have a dense structure with fewer voids inside. Therefore, when forming a resin layer on the surface of a fiber fabric made only of multifilament yarns, not only is it difficult for the resin to impregnate the fiber fabric, but the adhesive strength between the surface of the yarns and the resin layer is also low, meaning that the adhesion between the fiber fabric and the resin layer is weaker than in fiber fabrics made only of spun yarns. When the flexible laminate is used repeatedly, the resin is likely to peel off at bent parts, and durability may be poor.

On the other hand, if the mass of the resin layer per unit area (the basis weight of the resin layer) is reduced, that is, if the thickness of the resin layer in the flexible laminate is reduced or the amount of resin impregnated into the fiber fabric is reduced, the proportion of the resin layer in the flexible laminate decreases, and the basis weight of the flexible laminate decreases, making it possible to reduce the weight of the resulting waterproof product. However, if the resin layer becomes thinner or the amount of resin impregnated into the fiber fabric decreases, the adhesion between the fiber fabric and the resin layer decreases, making the resin layer more likely to peel off, and a thin resin layer may reduce the waterproofness of the flexible laminate.

Waterproof products are generally used outdoors and therefore often require durability, and truck sheets are an application that requires high durability in particular. Not only do truck sheets have to be repeatedly placed over the bed and then turned over each time cargo is loaded and unloaded, but when the truck is traveling, the edges of the sheet that are not firmly fixed may flutter due to wind pressure while traveling, causing "fluttering." When fluttering occurs, the sheet is repeatedly struck against the bed while the truck is traveling. If the durability of the resin layer itself or the adhesion between the resin layer and the fiber fabric is insufficient, fluttering can cause cracks to form on the surface of the resin layer or the resin layer to peel off from the fiber fabric. It is possible to increase the durability of the resin layer, i.e., to prevent cracks from occurring in the resin layer and to prevent peeling between the resin layer and the fiber fabric, by making the resin layer thicker, or to increase the adhesive strength between the resin layer and the fiber fabric, by making the resin layer contain a larger amount of binder component. However, by making the resin layer thicker, not only will the flexible laminate, i.e., the waterproof product, become heavier, but the flexibility of the flexible laminate will decrease, which may reduce workability when performing tasks such as hanging the truck sheet on the loading platform and lifting it off the loading platform.

To solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional art, the present invention provides a flexible laminate that is excellent in strength, water resistance, flexibility, and durability, and also has improved lightness, a manufacturing method thereof, and a waterproof product using the same.

The present invention relates to a flexible laminate comprising a fiber fabric serving as a base fabric and one or more resin layers formed on at least one surface of the fiber fabric, the fiber fabric being a woven fabric including warp yarns and weft yarns, the warp yarns and weft yarns including one or more selected from the group consisting of spun yarns and multifilament yarns, the content of the spun yarns being 55% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, the content of the multifilament yarns being 20% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, and the basis weight of the flexible laminate being 300 g/ ^m2 or more and less than 450 g/ ^m2 , when the mass of the fiber fabric is taken as 100% by mass.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a flexible laminate including a fiber fabric serving as a base fabric and one or more resin layers formed on at least one surface of the fiber fabric, the fiber fabric being a woven fabric including warp yarns and weft yarns, the warp yarns and weft yarns including one or more selected from the group consisting of spun yarns and multifilament yarns, and the fiber fabric having a spun yarn content of 55% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less and a multifilament yarn content of 20% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, when the mass of the fiber fabric is taken as 100% by mass, the method for producing a flexible laminate including forming one or more resin layers on at least one surface of the fiber fabric to obtain a flexible laminate having a basis weight of 300 g/m2 ^or more and less than 450 g/ ^m2 .

The present invention also relates to a waterproof product using the flexible laminate.

The present invention can provide a flexible laminate that is excellent in strength, water resistance, flexibility, and durability, as well as improved lightness, and a waterproof product using the same. Furthermore, the manufacturing method of the present invention can provide a flexible laminate that is excellent in strength, water resistance, flexibility, and durability, as well as improved lightness.

The inventors of the present invention conducted extensive research in order to obtain a flexible laminate that is lighter than conventional flexible laminates while still having excellent strength, water resistance, flexibility and durability similar to conventional flexible laminates. As a result, they found that when the fiber fabric that forms the base fabric of the flexible laminate is a woven fabric consisting of only spun yarns for both the warp and weft, there is fuzz on the surface of the spun yarns, there are many voids inside the yarns, and the resin that constitutes the resin layer easily penetrates into the yarns, resulting in extremely high adhesion between the fiber fabric and the resin layer, but the amount of resin that is impregnated into the fiber fabric is likely to be large, and the mass (basis weight) of the resulting flexible laminate is likely to be large. Also, when the fiber fabric that forms the flexible laminate is a woven fabric consisting of only multifilament yarns for both the warp and weft, it is difficult for the resin to penetrate into the fiber fabric, so the mass of the resin layer is reduced and a relatively lightweight flexible laminate is obtained, but the adhesion between the fiber fabric and the resin layer is reduced, and the resin layer is likely to peel off from the fiber fabric when the flexible laminate is used repeatedly.

The inventors then discovered that by using a woven fabric containing spun yarn and multifilament yarn as the fiber fabric that serves as the base fabric of the flexible laminate, and by setting the ratio of spun yarn and multifilament yarn that constitute the fiber fabric to a specified ratio, it is possible to achieve a balance between the adhesion between the fiber fabric surface and the resin layer and the impregnation of the fiber fabric with the resin, and thus it is possible to reduce the mass of the resin layer while maintaining sufficient adhesion between the fiber fabric surface and the resin layer, and to obtain a flexible laminate with a basis weight of less than 450 g/ ^m2 , which was not possible with conventional flexible laminates.

(Textile fabric)
The fiber fabric serving as the base fabric of the flexible laminate of the present invention is a woven fabric containing warp and weft threads. In the flexible laminate of the present invention, the fiber fabric is not particularly limited in weave structure as long as it is a woven fabric, and in addition to basic weave structures such as plain weave, twill weave, and satin weave, it is also possible to use modified plain weave fabrics, honeycomb weaves, pear weaves, day and night satin weaves, twill weaves (shawl weaves, silk weaves), basket weaves, and double weaves obtained by the expansion method, exchange method, arrangement method, placement method, thread plating method, and thread scraping method. The fiber fabric serving as the base fabric of the flexible laminate is preferably a plain weave because it is required to be not only stable and low-cost to produce, but also to have excellent strength. In addition, the fiber fabric may be subjected to known fiber treatments, such as scouring, bleaching, dyeing, softening, water repellency, water absorption and waterproofing, mildew prevention, flame retardancy, and binder resin treatment, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

<Spun yarn>
In the flexible laminate of the present invention, the fibers constituting the spun yarn are not particularly limited, and for example, natural fibers, regenerated fibers, synthetic fibers, etc. can be appropriately used. Examples of natural fibers include cellulose-based fibers such as cotton, hemp, kenaf, and bamboo. Examples of regenerated fibers include cellulose-based fibers such as viscose rayon fibers and refined cellulose fibers. Examples of synthetic fibers include polyester fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, vinylon fibers, and acrylic fibers. The spun yarn may be a spun yarn composed of one type of fiber selected from the above-mentioned fibers, or may be a spun yarn composed of a blend of two or more types of fibers selected from the above-mentioned fibers.

The polyester fiber is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, an aromatic polyester fiber such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) obtained by polycondensation of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) obtained by polycondensation of terephthalic acid and 1,3-propanediol, or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) obtained by polycondensation of terephthalic acid and butylene glycol, or an aliphatic polyester fiber such as polylactic acid fiber. Among them, polyethylene terephthalate fiber is preferred from the viewpoints of versatility, fiber strength, and heat creep resistance. In particular, polyethylene terephthalate fiber is preferred because its strength is less likely to decrease even when used outdoors for a long period of time.

The polyolefin fibers are not particularly limited, but examples include polypropylene fibers, polyethylene fibers (fibers made of polyethylene such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)), polymethylpentene fibers, and cyclic olefin fibers. Among these, polypropylene fibers are preferred because of their versatility, fiber strength, resistance to strength loss even when used outdoors for long periods of time, and the ease with which fine staple fibers can be obtained.

The polyamide fiber is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include general nylon fibers, such as nylon fibers obtained by melt spinning 6,6 nylon or 6-nylon, and fully aromatic polyamide fibers called aramid fibers. Among these, 6,6-nylon fiber and 6-nylon fiber are preferred as polyamide fibers in terms of the balance between cost and strength.

The spun yarn is preferably 5 to 40 in the English cotton count (1 pound (about 454 g)/840 yards (about 768 m) is count 1. Hereinafter, simply referred to as count). By using a spun yarn with a fineness of 5 or more, the surface of the fiber fabric is not excessively rough, and a fabric with a sufficiently high thread density in the warp or weft direction can be obtained. The spun yarn is more preferably 5 to 30, even more preferably 7 to 25, and particularly preferably 8 to 20. In addition, when the spun yarn is a yarn made by twisting two or more yarns, including a two-ply yarn (other than a two-ply yarn, a yarn made by twisting three single yarns (triplet yarn), a yarn made by twisting four or more single yarns, or a two-ply yarn or two-ply yarn), the yarn count in the twisted state should be within the above range.

The spun yarn is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint that the surface of the fiber fabric is not excessively rough and a woven fabric having a sufficiently high yarn density in the warp or weft direction is easily obtained, the total fineness is preferably 148 dtex or more and 1181 dtex or less, more preferably 200 dtex or more and 1181 dtex or less, particularly preferably 236 dtex or more and 844 dtex or less, and most preferably 295 dtex or more and 738 dtex or less.

In the flexible laminate of the present invention, the spun yarn contained in the fiber fabric is not particularly limited, and it is preferable to use a spun yarn of the above-mentioned material, for example, a synthetic fiber such as cotton or polyester, that satisfies the above-mentioned range of count and fineness, but it is more preferable that the spun yarn is a two-ply yarn. Spun yarn, especially single yarn, has unevenness in the thickness (fiber diameter) of the yarn, and if there are locally thick parts, there is a risk of unevenness in the obtained fiber fabric, and if there are locally thin parts, those parts will be weak, and the mechanical strength (for example, tensile strength and tear strength) of the obtained fiber fabric will be reduced. By using a two-ply yarn as the spun yarn contained in the fiber fabric, not only is the unevenness in the thickness (variation in fiber diameter) of the spun yarn suppressed, and the strength is improved compared to when a single yarn of the same count (fineness) is used, but the surface of the obtained fiber fabric is smooth, and the flexible laminate obtained by disposing a resin layer also has a smooth surface. When a two-ply yarn is used as the spun yarn contained in the fiber fabric, one that satisfies the above-mentioned range of counts can be preferably used, but a two-ply yarn made by twisting together single yarns of counts 10 to 30 (i.e., count after twisting is 5 to 15) is more preferable, a two-ply yarn made by twisting together single yarns of counts 16 to 24 (count after twisting is 8 to 12) is particularly preferable, and a two-ply yarn made by twisting together single yarns of counts 18 to 22 (count after twisting is 9 to 11) is most preferable.

<Multifilament yarn>
In the present invention, the fibers constituting the multifilament yarn are not particularly limited, and regenerated fibers and synthetic fibers can be used as appropriate. Examples of regenerated fibers include cellulose-based fibers such as regenerated cellulose fibers of viscose rayon fibers and refined cellulose fibers. Examples of synthetic fibers include synthetic fibers such as polyester fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, vinylon fibers, and acrylic fibers. The multifilament yarn may be a multifilament yarn composed of one type of fiber selected from the above-mentioned fibers, a mixed fiber yarn obtained by mixing two or more types of fibers selected from the above-mentioned fibers, or a composite multifilament yarn in which one of the selected fibers is arranged at the center of the yarn and the other fiber is arranged so as to be wound around the outside of the one fiber. As composite multifilament yarns, core yarns (also called core yarns or core spun yarns) can be used in which various multifilament yarns are placed in the center of a yarn to form a "core yarn," and other fibers are wrapped around the multifilament (core yarn) in a sheath-like shape during the spinning process, or covered yarns can be used in which various multifilament yarns are placed in the center of a yarn to form a "core yarn," and spun yarn is wrapped around the multifilament (core yarn) in a coil shape.

In the multifilament yarn, the polyester fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, etc. are not particularly limited, and those listed in the description of the spun yarn can be used as appropriate.

The fineness of the single fibers constituting the multifilament yarn is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of making the surface of the fiber fabric relatively smooth and ensuring adhesion to the resin layer described below, it is preferably 1.0 dtex or more and 10 dtex or less, more preferably 1.5 dtex or more and 8 dtex or less, even more preferably 1.8 dtex or more and 7 dtex or less, and particularly preferably 2 dtex or more and 6 dtex or less. The total fineness of the multifilament yarn is preferably 100 dtex to 2000 dtex in terms of the roughness of the fiber fabric surface, adhesion to the resin layer, and in relation to the yarn density, more preferably 120 dtex to 1000 dtex, even more preferably 150 dtex to 800 dtex, particularly preferably 180 dtex to 600 dtex, and most preferably 200 dtex to 560 dtex. The number of single fibers (filament number) constituting the multifilament yarn is not particularly limited, but the number of fibers constituting one multifilament yarn is preferably 20 to 250, more preferably 24 to 200, even more preferably 30 to 150, and particularly preferably 36 to 120.

In the fiber fabric, the thread density of the warp threads is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 30 to 120 threads per 25.4 mm (1 inch). When the thread density of the warp threads satisfies the above range, the structure of the fiber fabric becomes moderately dense, and a flexible laminate with a good balance between strength and flexibility is obtained. The thread density of the warp threads is more preferably 40 to 100 threads per 25.4 mm (1 inch), even more preferably 45 to 80 threads per 25.4 mm (1 inch), and particularly preferably 50 to 60 threads. On the other hand, the thread density of the weft threads is preferably 25 to 100 threads per 25.4 mm (1 inch). When the thread density of the weft threads satisfies the above range, the structure of the fiber fabric becomes moderately dense, and a flexible laminate with a good balance between strength and flexibility is obtained. The warp thread density is more preferably 30 to 90 threads per 25.4 mm (1 inch), even more preferably 35 to 70 threads per 25.4 mm (1 inch), and particularly preferably 40 to 55 threads per 25.4 mm (1 inch). In the present invention, the warp thread density and the weft thread density of the fiber fabric preferably satisfy the above-mentioned ranges, and more preferably satisfy the above-mentioned warp thread density and weft thread density, and the warp thread density is greater than the weft thread density. In the fiber fabric, the ratio of the warp thread density to the weft thread density (warp thread density/weft thread density) is preferably greater than 1 and less than 1.5, more preferably greater than 1 and less than 1.4, particularly preferably greater than 1.02 and less than 1.35, and most preferably greater than 1.05 and less than 1.3. By making the fiber fabric satisfy the preferred ranges for warp and weft thickness (count, fineness, etc.) and thread density as well as the thread density ratio (warp thread density/weft thread density), the fiber fabric not only has excellent strength including tensile strength, but also has a moderately dense weave. Therefore, when a resin layer is provided on the fiber fabric, the amount of resin impregnated into the fiber fabric is moderate, which is thought to make it easier to reduce the mass of the resin layer while maintaining adhesion between the surface of the fiber fabric and the resin layer.

In the present invention, the basis weight (mass per unit area) of the fiber fabric is not particularly limited, but is preferably 140 g/m ² or more and 250 g/m ² or less. When the basis weight of the fiber fabric that becomes the base fabric satisfies the above-mentioned range, a flexible laminate that is lightweight and highly flexible without reducing strength is obtained. The basis weight of the fiber fabric is more preferably 160 g/m ² or more and 250 g/m ² or less, further preferably 170 g/m ² or more and 240 g/m ² or less, and particularly preferably 180 g/m ² or more and 230 g/m ² or less. In addition, the tensile elongation at break of the fiber fabric is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0% or more and 80% or less, and particularly preferably 0% or more and 50% or less. In addition, the dry heat shrinkage rate of the fiber fabric at 150 ° C. is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0% or more and 50% or less, and particularly preferably 0% or more and 30% or less.

In the present invention, the fiber fabric contains 55% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less of spun yarn and 20% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less of multifilament yarn when the mass of the fiber fabric is 100% by mass. By containing the spun yarn and the multifilament yarn in the above ratios in the fiber fabric, the obtained fiber fabric not only has high adhesion to the resin layer due to the spun yarn, but also the resin impregnation of the fiber fabric is moderately suppressed by the multifilament yarn, resulting in a lightweight flexible laminate. The fiber fabric preferably contains 60% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less of spun yarn, more preferably 60% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, particularly preferably 65% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, and most preferably 65% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less. On the other hand, the fiber fabric preferably contains 20% to 40% by mass of multifilament yarn, more preferably 25% to 40% by mass, particularly preferably 25% to 35% by mass, and most preferably 30% to 35% by mass. In addition, when composite yarns consisting of multifilament and staple fibers are used in the yarns contained in the fiber fabric (for example, composite yarns called core spun yarns, core yarn yarns, and covered yarns, which are yarns in which the periphery of multifilament yarns is covered with staple fibers, are given as examples), the mass of the staple fibers constituting the composite yarn is added to the proportion of the spun yarns constituting the fiber fabric.

In the fiber fabric, any yarn may be used for the warp and weft as long as the ratio of spun yarn and multifilament yarn satisfies the above-mentioned range. For example, one or more yarns selected from spun yarn, multifilament yarn, composite multifilament yarn including core spun yarn, etc. may be used for the warp, but it is preferable that the warp yarn constituting the fiber fabric is 80% or more by mass of spun yarn when the mass of all warp yarns is 100% by mass. By having the ratio of spun yarn be 80% or more by mass in the warp yarn constituting the fiber fabric, not only is the adhesion between the fiber fabric and the resin layer improved, but the flexible laminate is also excellent in flexibility. It is more preferable that the ratio of spun yarn in the warp is 90% or more by mass, and it is particularly preferable that all warp yarns are spun yarn.

In the fiber fabric, one or more types of yarn selected from spun yarn, multifilament yarn, and composite multifilament yarn including core spun yarn may be used as the weft yarn, but it is preferable that the weft yarn constituting the fiber fabric has a multifilament yarn ratio of 80% by mass or more when the mass of all weft yarns is 100% by mass. When the multifilament yarn ratio is 80% by mass or more in the weft yarn constituting the fiber fabric, excessive resin impregnation of the fiber fabric is unlikely to occur when a resin layer is formed on the fiber fabric, and the resulting flexible laminate is lightweight. In addition, when the thread density in the weft direction is smaller than the thread density in the warp direction, arranging the multifilament yarn in the weft yarn increases the strength in the weft direction, and the difference in strength with the warp direction, which is mainly composed of spun yarn, tends to be small. It is more preferable that the multifilament yarn ratio in the weft yarn is 90% by mass or more, and it is particularly preferable that all the weft yarns are multifilament yarns.

In the fiber fabric, from the viewpoint of achieving both adhesion between the fiber fabric and the resin layer and the lightweight property of the flexible laminate, the warp fineness _F1 is preferably larger than the weft fineness _F2 , and the warp fineness/weft fineness ( _F1 / _F2 ) is more preferably 1.1 to 2.5, and particularly preferably 1.2 to 2.2. The warp is made of 100% by mass of spun yarn, the weft is made of 100% by mass of multifilament yarn, the warp fineness _F1 is larger than the total fineness _F2 of the multifilament yarn that becomes the weft, and the warp fineness/weft fineness ( _F1 / _F2 ) is preferably 1.1 to 2.5, and more preferably 1.2 to 2.2. In addition, when multiple yarns of different fineness are used for the warp or weft, the average fineness is calculated from the ratio of the number of yarns of that fineness to the yarns constituting each direction (warp direction or weft direction), and this is taken as the average fineness of the yarns in that direction. For example, if a woven fabric has a yarn density of A (threads) per 25.4 mm (1 inch), contains a (threads) of yarns with a fineness of _D1 (dtex) per 25.4 mm (1 inch), and contains b (threads) of yarns with a fineness of _D2 (dtex) per 25.4 mm (1 inch), the average fineness ( _Dx ) in the direction composed of these yarns can be calculated using the following formula (1).
D _x (dtex) = D ₁ × (a/A) + D ₂ (b/A) (1)

(Resin Layer)
In the present invention, at least one resin layer is disposed on one or both surfaces of the fiber fabric serving as the base fabric, covering the fiber fabric. The resin layer may be a waterproof resin layer that covers at least one surface of the fiber fabric, and the type of resin and the thickness of the resin layer are not particularly limited. The resin layer may be a laminate of different types of resin layers, specifically, the resin layer in contact with the fiber fabric may be a resin layer that has high adhesion to the fiber fabric, and the outermost resin layer may be a resin layer with improved weather resistance or a resin layer with high flame retardancy. In the flexible laminate of the present invention, the mass per unit area of the resin layer is preferably 0.5 to 1.5 times the mass of the fiber fabric (when resin layers are disposed on both surfaces of the fiber fabric to cover the fiber fabric, the ratio of the total mass of the resin layers on both surfaces to the fiber fabric). The mass per unit area of the resin layer can be calculated by subtracting the mass per unit area of the fiber fabric from the mass per unit area of the flexible laminate. When the mass per unit area of the resin layer is 0.5 times or more the mass per unit area of the fiber fabric, a strong resin layer is formed on the surface of the fiber fabric, and not only is the resin layer and the fiber fabric strongly bonded, but the resulting flexible laminate has high waterproofing. When the mass per unit area of the resin layer is 1.5 times or less the mass per unit area of the fiber fabric, the resulting flexible laminate has excellent lightness and excellent workability when used as a truck seat or a hood for various tents. In the flexible laminate of the present invention, the mass per unit area of the resin layer is more preferably 0.6 to 1.3 times the mass per unit area (basis weight) of the fiber fabric, even more preferably 0.7 to 1.2 times, and particularly preferably 0.8 to 1 times.

In the flexible laminate of the present invention, the resin layer is not particularly limited as long as it is a layer containing a thermoplastic resin that adheres closely to the fiber fabric and forms a resin layer that exhibits strong waterproofing. Examples of the thermoplastic resin that can be used include vinyl chloride resins, polyurethane resins, polyester elastomers, styrene copolymers, and olefin copolymers.

The case where vinyl chloride resin is used for the resin layer will be described. When vinyl chloride resin is used for the resin layer, a resin layer that is not only highly waterproof but also has a certain degree of flame retardancy can be formed inexpensively. Polyvinyl chloride (vinyl chloride homopolymer) can be used as a composition containing polyvinyl chloride and a general-purpose plasticizer, and if necessary, vinyl chloride copolymers such as vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinyl ether copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinylidene chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride-maleic acid ester copolymer, vinyl chloride-(meth)acrylic acid copolymer, vinyl chloride-(meth)acrylic acid ester copolymer, and/or vinyl chloride-urethane copolymer can be used in combination, or a composition of these vinyl chloride copolymers and a general-purpose plasticizer can be used.

When vinyl chloride resin is used as the thermoplastic resin constituting the resin layer, a known soft compounding can be used for the compounding. A plasticizer is used to make the resin layer composed of vinyl chloride resin into a soft resin layer with excellent flexibility. The plasticizer to be used is not particularly limited, and known plasticizers used in vinyl chloride resins, such as phthalate ester plasticizers, isophthalate ester plasticizers, terephthalate ester plasticizers, cyclohexane dicarboxylate ester plasticizers, polyester plasticizers, epoxy plasticizers, chlorinated paraffin plasticizers, and phosphate ester plasticizers, can be used. Examples of phthalate ester plasticizers include bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP, also commonly referred to as dioctyl phthalate (DOP)), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP, also referred to as dibutyl phthalate), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), and diundecyl phthalate (DUP). Examples of polyester plasticizers include those synthesized from dicarboxylic acids such as adipic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, and phthalic acid, and diols such as ethylene glycol, 1,2-butanediol, and 1,6-hexanediol. Examples of epoxy plasticizers include epoxidized soybean oil, epoxidized linseed oil, epoxidized fatty acid, and epoxidized fatty acid alkyl ester. Examples of chlorinated paraffin-based plasticizers include plasticizers made from paraffin wax and normal paraffin. Commercially available plasticizers include "Empara (registered trademark)" sold by Ajinomoto Fintechno Co., Ltd. and "Toyoparax (registered trademark)" sold by Tosoh Corporation. These plasticizers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

A preferred example of the use of the plasticizer with respect to the vinyl chloride resin is a formulation in which the plasticizer is mixed in a total amount of 40 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the vinyl chloride resin (preferably paste vinyl chloride resin). By performing a dipping or coating process using this resin composition mainly containing vinyl chloride paste, a resin layer containing vinyl chloride resin can be laminated onto the fiber fabric. The resin composition mainly containing vinyl chloride paste can be diluted with an organic solvent as necessary to adjust the liquid viscosity.

Another preferred example of the use of the plasticizer with vinyl chloride resin is a formulation in which the plasticizer is mixed in a total amount of 50 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of vinyl chloride resin (either paste vinyl chloride resin or straight vinyl chloride resin can be used). A resin composition containing such vinyl chloride resin is used to mold a vinyl chloride resin film by a known molding method such as calendar molding or T-die extrusion molding, and the obtained vinyl chloride resin film is laminated and integrated with a fiber fabric, thereby laminating a resin layer containing vinyl chloride resin onto the fiber fabric.

Another example is a formulation in which a total amount of 40 to 140 parts by mass of plasticizer is blended with 100 parts by mass of straight vinyl chloride resin or paste vinyl chloride resin. A vinyl chloride resin film can be molded by a known molding method such as calendar molding or T-die extrusion molding using a resin composition containing such a vinyl chloride resin, and the obtained vinyl chloride resin film can be laminated and integrated with a fiber fabric to laminate a resin layer containing a vinyl chloride resin onto the fiber fabric.

The vinyl chloride resin composition may contain known additives such as stabilizers, colorants, flame retardants, antistatic agents, surfactants, lubricants, crosslinking agents, curing agents, fillers, UV absorbers, antioxidants, antifungal agents, and antibacterial agents, as necessary.

As the polyurethane resin, a thermoplastic polyurethane resin obtained by an addition polymerization reaction between a diisocyanate compound, one or more selected from polyol compounds having two or more hydroxyl groups in the molecular structure, and a compound containing a functional group that reacts with an isocyanate group can be used. As the diisocyanate, an aromatic, aliphatic, or alicyclic (including hydrogenated) diisocyanate compound is used, but in the present invention, it is preferable to use an aliphatic or alicyclic (including hydrogenated) diisocyanate compound from the viewpoint of weather resistance. Examples of the diisocyanate compound include hexamethylene diisocyanate, cyclohexane diisocyanate, dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, and isophorone diisocyanate. Examples of the polyol compound having two or more hydroxyl groups in the molecular structure include those containing an amount of hydroxyl groups that reacts with the diisocyanate compound, such as polytetramethylene ether glycol, dihydroxypolyethylene adipate, polyethylene glycol, and polypropylene glycol. Specific examples of the polyurethane resin include polyester-based polyurethane resin, polyether-based polyurethane resin, polycarbonate-based polyurethane resin, and polycaprolactone-based polyurethane resin, depending on the type of polyol used.

In the flexible laminate of the present invention, when a polyester-based elastomer is used in the resin layer, examples of the polyester-based elastomer that can be used include block copolymers consisting of a high-melting crystalline polyester segment (hereinafter also referred to as segment A) and a low-melting polymer segment (hereinafter also referred to as segment B) consisting of an aliphatic polyether unit and/or an aliphatic polyester unit. The segment A (crystalline polyester segment) is a polyester structure obtained by polymerization of a dicarboxylic acid and a diol, and examples of the dicarboxylic acid component include aromatic dicarboxylic acids such as terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, phthalic acid, naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, and diphenyl ether dicarboxylic acid, alicyclic dicarboxylic acids such as cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid and cyclopentane dicarboxylic acid, and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as adipic acid, sebacic acid, and azelaic acid. Examples of the diol component include aliphatic diols and alicyclic diols having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, specifically ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, and 1,6-hexanediol. Examples of the aliphatic polyether units constituting the segment B (low melting point polymer segment) include polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, poly(tetramethylene oxide) glycol, and glycols of copolymers thereof, and examples of the aliphatic polyester units constituting the segment B include poly-ε-caprolactone, polyenantholactone, polycaprylolactone, polybutylene adipate, and polyethylene adipate.

In the flexible laminate of the present invention, when a styrene copolymer is used in the resin layer, examples of the styrene copolymer that can be used include A-B-A type styrene block copolymer (wherein A represents a styrene polymer block, and B represents a butadiene polymer block, an isoprene polymer block, or a vinylisoprene polymer block), A-B type styrene block copolymer (wherein A and B have the same meanings as above), styrene random copolymers, and hydrogenated resins of these styrene copolymers (wherein the double bonds are replaced with hydrogen). Commercially available products of these copolymers include, for example, the styrene block copolymer "Kraton G" (registered trademark) sold by Kraton Polymer Japan Co., Ltd., the styrene block copolymer "Tuftec" (registered trademark) sold by Asahi Kasei Corporation, the styrene block copolymers "Hybler" (registered trademark) and "Septon" (registered trademark) sold by Kuraray Co., Ltd., and the styrene random copolymer "Dynaron" (registered trademark) sold by JSR Corporation.

In the flexible laminate of the present invention, when an olefin copolymer is used in the resin layer, examples of the olefin copolymer that can be used include ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid (ester) copolymer, propylene copolymer, and other copolymers. Specific examples of the ethylene-α-olefin copolymer include ethylene-α-olefin copolymers obtained by copolymerizing ethylene and an α-olefin having 3 to 18 carbon atoms in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst or a metallocene catalyst. Examples of the α-olefin include propylene, butene-1, 4-methylpentene-1, hexene-1, heptene-1, octene-1, nonene-1, and decene-1. As the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene copolymer produced by radical copolymerization of an ethylene monomer and a vinyl acetate monomer, in which the amount of the vinyl acetate component is preferably 6% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, is used. Examples of ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid (ester) copolymers include ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid copolymers produced by radical copolymerization of ethylene monomers and (meth)acrylic acid monomers, and containing preferably 6% by mass to 35% by mass, more preferably 15% by mass to 30% by mass, ethylene-(meth)acrylic acid ester copolymers produced by radical copolymerization of ethylene monomers and (meth)acrylic acid ester monomers, and containing preferably 6% by mass to 35% by mass, more preferably 15% by mass to 30% by mass, of the (meth)acrylic acid ester component, and ethylene-based copolymers consisting of a mixture of two or more of these copolymers. (Meth)acrylic acid ester means acrylic acid ester and/or methacrylic acid ester, and more specifically includes methyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl (meth)acrylate, butyl (meth)acrylate, glycidyl (meth)acrylate, and the like. Examples of propylene-based copolymers include ethylene-propylene copolymers, propylene-α-olefin copolymers, propylene-ethylene-propylene-based copolymer elastomers (reactor alloys), and propylene-ethylene-propylene-non-conjugated diene-based copolymer elastomers (reactor alloys), which may be either random copolymers or block copolymers. These propylene-based copolymers can be blended with any amount of styrene-based copolymers to soften the propylene-based copolymers.

In the flexible laminate of the present invention, the method of forming a resin layer on the surface of the fiber fabric is not limited as long as it is a method capable of forming a resin layer that is firmly adhered to the fiber fabric and has high waterproofing and water resistance. For example, a thermoplastic resin composition containing one or more thermoplastic resins selected from the group consisting of vinyl chloride resins, polyurethane resins, polyester elastomers, styrene copolymers, and olefin copolymers, and a flame retardant, can be subjected to a known film/sheet molding method such as a calendar molding method or a T-die extrusion molding method, and the like, and the thermoplastic resin composition can be manufactured. In addition, known additives such as colorants, lubricants, foaming agents, antistatic agents, surfactants, crosslinking agents, curing agents, fillers, ultraviolet absorbers, antioxidants, antifungal agents, and antibacterial agents can be added to the thermoplastic resin composition as necessary.

In the present invention, from the viewpoint of enhancing adhesion to the fiber fabric and waterproofing, a resin layer is preferably formed by applying a resin dispersion (emulsion, dispersion) in which one or more thermoplastic resins selected from the group consisting of vinyl chloride resins, polyurethane resins, polyester elastomers, styrene copolymers, and olefin copolymers are dispersed in a solvent such as an aqueous solvent or an organic solvent to one or both surfaces of the fiber fabric and drying the resin dispersion, or by applying the thermoplastic resin in the form of a paint to one or both surfaces of the fiber fabric and drying the resin dispersion. The method of applying the resin dispersion to one or both surfaces of the fiber fabric is not particularly limited, and known methods such as dipping, gravure coating, microgravure coating, comma coating, roll coating, reverse roll coating, bar coating, knife coating, kiss coating, and flow coating may be used. Among these, the dipping method is preferred for forming the resin layer, since it allows the resin layer to be formed on both surfaces of the fiber fabric at once, the thickness of the resin layer can be easily adjusted by adjusting the pressure when squeezing out the excess resin composition after impregnating the fiber fabric with a dispersion liquid in which the resin composition is dispersed in a solvent, and it is easy to form a uniform resin layer.

In the present invention, the resin composition obtained by adding a plasticizer and various functional agents to the above-mentioned thermoplastic resin may be dispersed in various solvents, and the dispersion may be applied to a fiber fabric to form one or more resin layers covering one or both surfaces of the fiber fabric. The resin composition may be formed into a film and laminated and integrated with the fiber fabric to form one or more resin layers covering one or both surfaces of the fiber fabric. However, it is preferable to use a vinyl chloride resin as the thermoplastic resin, impregnate the fiber fabric with a resin composition containing at least a fumaric acid plasticizer as a plasticizer by a dipping method, and form resin layers on both surfaces of the fiber fabric. By using a vinyl chloride resin composition containing a fumaric acid plasticizer as the resin composition for forming the resin layer, a resin layer with high flame retardancy and durability can be easily and inexpensively provided on the fiber fabric.

In the present invention, when the resin layer covering the fiber fabric is composed of a vinyl chloride resin composition containing a fumaric acid plasticizer, it is preferable that the vinyl chloride resin composition further contains a stabilizer in order to improve the light resistance and ultraviolet resistance durability of the vinyl chloride resin. By using a resin composition containing a stabilizer, the resin layer containing the obtained vinyl chloride resin has improved durability against ultraviolet light and can withstand long-term outdoor use. The stabilizer can be any known stabilizer used as a stabilizer for vinyl chloride resin, and specifically, calcium-zinc stabilizers, calcium-zinc organic complex stabilizers, barium-zinc stabilizers, cadmium-barium stabilizers, etc. can be used. It is preferable to use these stabilizers alone or in a mixture of two or more types in a ratio of usually 0.1 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the vinyl chloride resin.

In the present invention, when the resin layer covering the fiber fabric is composed of a vinyl chloride resin composition containing a fumaric acid plasticizer, it is preferable that the vinyl chloride resin composition further contains an ultraviolet absorber in order to improve the light resistance and ultraviolet resistance durability of the vinyl chloride resin. If the polyvinyl chloride resin composition contains a stabilizer and an ultraviolet absorber, it becomes easier to use for a long period of time even in an environment where it is directly exposed to sunlight, and the flexible laminate is particularly suitable for applications such as truck sheets, various tent hoods, and sheet materials for tent warehouses. The ultraviolet absorber can be any known ultraviolet absorber used as an ultraviolet absorber for vinyl chloride resins without any particular limitation, and specific examples include benzophenone-based ultraviolet absorbers, benzotriazole-based ultraviolet absorbers, cyanoacrylate-based ultraviolet absorbers, and salicylate-based ultraviolet absorbers. Examples of benzophenone-based ultraviolet absorbers include 2-hydroxy-4-n-octoxybenzophenone and 2,2',4,4'tetrahydroxybenzophenone. Benzotriazole-based UV absorbers include, for example, (2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzotriazole. Cyanoacrylate-based UV absorbers include, for example, ethyl 2-cyano 3,3' diphenyl acrylate. Salicylate-based UV absorbers include, for example, phenyl salicylate. These UV absorbers can be used alone or in combination in an amount of 0.5 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of vinyl chloride resin.

The flexible laminate of the present invention has a basis weight of less than 450 g/ ^m2 , but from the viewpoint of improving the lightness and obtaining a waterproof product with a lighter product weight, the basis weight is preferably 440 g/m2 or ^less , more preferably 430 g/m2 or ^less , even more preferably 420 g/m2 or ^less , particularly preferably 410 g/ ^m2 or less, and most preferably less than 400 g/ ^m2 . In addition, in the present invention, if the plastic laminate has a basis weight of 300 g/m2 ^or more, the strength and durability are good. The plastic laminate has a basis weight of preferably 310 g/ ^m2 or more, more preferably 320 g/m2 or ^more , even more preferably 330 g/m2 or ^more , and most preferably 350 g/ ^m2 or more.

In the flexible laminate of the present invention, the adhesion amount of the resin layer (i.e., the mass of only the resin layer per unit area, and the total when the resin layer is disposed on both surfaces of the fiber fabric) is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the adhesion amount of the resin composition to the fiber fabric is 120 g/ ^m2 or more and 250 g/ ^m2 or less. When the adhesion amount of the resin composition to the fiber fabric is 120 g/ ^m2 or more, not only the resin layer is firmly adhered to the fiber fabric, but also the prevention property and durability of the resin layer are sufficient. When the adhesion amount of the resin composition to the fiber fabric is 250 g/ ^m2 or less, the obtained flexible laminate is lightweight and has excellent flexibility, softness, and product handleability. The amount of the resin composition adhered to the fiber fabric is more preferably 140 g/m2 or ^more and 220 g/m2 ^{or less} , particularly preferably 150 g/m2 or ^more and 200 g/m2 or ^less , and most preferably 160 g/ ^m2 or more and 190 g/ ^m2 or less.

In the flexible laminate of the present invention, various functional agents can be added to the thermoplastic resin constituting the resin layer to impart desired functions to the flexible laminate. The functional agent is not particularly limited, and for example, a desired functional agent, specifically, a flame retardant, a colorant (including pigments, etc.), an antistatic agent, a surfactant, a water repellent, a crosslinking agent, a curing agent, a filler, an ultraviolet absorber, an antioxidant, an antifungal agent, an antibacterial agent, an insect repellent, etc., can be added depending on the application. The flame retardant is not particularly limited, and known flame retardants, specifically, phosphorus-containing compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds, inorganic compounds, bromine compounds, etc. can be used. The amount of flame retardant added is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to add the flame retardant in a ratio of 5 parts by mass to 200 parts by mass, more preferably 10 parts by mass to 100 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the thermoplastic resin constituting the resin layer. More specific examples of the flame retardant include phosphorus-containing compound flame retardants, such as red phosphorus, phosphate ester compounds, aromatic phosphate ester compounds, oligomeric condensates of aromatic phosphate ester compounds, (metal) phosphates, (metal) organic phosphates, ammonium polyphosphate, thermosetting resin surface-coated ammonium polyphosphate, melamine-modified ammonium polyphosphate, and melamine polyphosphate. Nitrogen-containing compound flame retardants include (iso)cyanurate derivatives, (iso)cyanuric acid derivatives, guanidine derivatives, and urea derivatives. Inorganic compound flame retardants include metal oxides (antimony trioxide, antimony pentoxide, and molybdenum oxide), metal hydroxides (aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide), metal composite oxides (zirconium-antimony composite oxides), and metal composite hydroxides (zinc hydroxystannate). Bromine-based compound flame retardants include bistribromophenoxyethane, ethylenebistetrabromophthalimide, and ethylenebispentabromophthalimide.

It is preferable from the viewpoint of aesthetics and scenery that the resin layer constituting the flexible laminate of the present invention is colored with various pigments. For example, if the outermost layer of the resin layers covering the fiber fabric is colored white or pastel colors, the flexibility of printing letters and patterns on the obtained flexible laminate in secondary processing is high, and the color is also excellent. In addition, if a resin layer is formed using a resin colored in a dark color such as dark green, dark blue, dark gray, or black, a flexible laminate with excellent light blocking properties is obtained, and the flexible laminate is suitable for truck sheets and open-air storage sheets. The coloring of the resin layer can be enriched by selecting and combining any of known inorganic and organic pigments and dispersing them uniformly in the thermoplastic resin. Examples of the inorganic pigments include metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal sulfates, metal carbonates, metal hydroxides, metal chromates, carbon black, spinel structure oxides, rutile structure oxides, aluminum powder pigments, bronze powder, nickel powder, stainless steel powder, and pearl pigments. Examples of organic pigments include azo pigments (insoluble monoazo pigments, insoluble disazo pigments, azo lake pigments, condensed azo pigments, metal complex azo pigments), phthalocyanine pigments (phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green), dye lake pigments (acid dye lake pigments, basic dye lake pigments), condensed polycyclic pigments (anthraquinone pigments, thioindigo pigments, perinone pigments, perylene pigments, quinacridone pigments, dioxazine pigments, isoindolinone pigments, quinophthalone pigments, isoindoline pigments), nitroso pigments, alizarin lake pigments, metal complex azomethine pigments, aniline pigments, etc.

(Waterproof products)
The flexible laminate of the present invention is excellent in light weight, waterproofness, and durability, and therefore can be suitably used as a waterproof product. Examples of waterproof products include various waterproof sheets for vehicles such as canvas tops for automobiles, truck hoods, and truck sheets, sheets for various tents from small to large, sheets for open-air storage, sheets for tent warehouses, agricultural sheets, and sheets or membrane materials used for various industrial materials. In particular, the sheets for trucks can be made lighter while maintaining durability, thereby reducing the fatigue of workers who load and unload luggage, and contributing to improved work efficiency.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of these examples.

The test methods used in the examples and comparative examples are as follows:

(Metsuke)
Measurement was performed based on JIS L 1096 (2010) 8.3.2 A method (JIS method).

(Thickness)
Measurement was performed based on JIS L 1096 (2010) 8.4 A method (JIS method).

(density)
The density of the flexible laminate was calculated from the basis weight and thickness determined by the above-mentioned methods.

(Weave density (thread density))
For the fiber fabric serving as the base fabric of the flexible laminate, the weft and warp thread placement density (yarn density) of the woven fabric was measured in accordance with JIS L 1096 (2010) 8.6.1 (Method A, JIS method).

(Tensile strength and elongation)
The tensile strength and elongation of the flexible laminate were measured in the machine direction (also referred to as MD direction) and the cross direction (also referred to as CD direction) according to JIS L 1096 (2010) 8.14.1 JIS method (Method A Strip Method).

(Tear strength)
The tear strength of the flexible laminate was measured in the machine direction (MD) and the cross direction (CD) in accordance with JIS L 1096 (2010) 8.17.1 Method A (single tongue method).

(Kneading test)
A kneading test was conducted to evaluate the durability of the flexible laminate during use. The kneading test was conducted using a Scott-type kneading tester in accordance with JIS K 6404-4 (2015) 6. Kneading test. The pressing force of the Scott-type tester was set to 29.4 N, and the sample surface after 200 kneadings was observed with the naked eye to check whether the resin layer had peeled off from the fiber fabric or whether cracks had occurred in the resin layer. If no peeling or cracks were observed in the resin layer, the durability was judged to be good, and if peeling and/or cracks in the resin layer were observed with the naked eye, the durability was judged to be poor.

The following yarns were used in the examples and comparative examples.
Spun yarn 1: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) staple spun yarn. This is a two-ply yarn made by twisting together two polyester staple spun yarns having a British cotton count of 20, the two-ply yarn having a count of 10, and a total fineness of about 590.5 dtex.
Multifilament yarn 1: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) multifilament yarn. Single yarn fineness about 3.1 denier (3.5 dtex), filament number 96, total fineness 300 denier (333.3 dtex), fiber diameter 175 μm.
Multifilament yarn 2: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) multifilament yarn. Single yarn fineness about 4.9 denier (5.4 dtex), number of filaments 96, total fineness 470 denier (522.2 dtex), fiber diameter 220 μm.
Multifilament yarn 3: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) multifilament yarn. Single yarn fineness about 5.2 denier (5.8 dtex), number of filaments 48, total fineness 250 denier (277.8 dtex), fiber diameter 160 μm.

Example 1
A long plain weave fabric was produced using spun yarn 1 as the warp yarn and multifilament yarn 1 as the weft yarn. The warp yarn density was 54 yarns/25.4 mm, and the weft yarn density was 48 yarns/25.4 mm. The obtained polyester plain weave fabric was a plain weave fabric consisting of only spun yarn 1 as the warp yarn and only multifilament yarn 1 as the weft yarn, had a basis weight of 205 g/ ^m2 , and when the mass of the plain weave fabric was taken as 100 mass%, the spun yarn content was 66.6 mass% and the multifilament yarn content was 33.4 mass%.

Next, the plain weave fabric was immersed in a resin dispersion tank in which the vinyl chloride resin composition prepared to have the composition shown in Table 1 below was dispersed in a solvent (toluene), and a resin layer was formed on both surfaces of the plain weave fabric by a dipping method. Specifically, after the plain weave fabric was immersed in the resin dispersion tank, it was squeezed with a mangle roll to remove excess vinyl chloride resin composition, and then semi-gelled at 150°C for 1 minute, followed by heat treatment at 185°C for 1 minute to melt and solidify the vinyl chloride resin and bond it to the plain weave fabric, thereby obtaining a flexible laminate. In the obtained flexible laminate, the vinyl chloride resin composition was attached to the polyester plain weave fabric as the base fabric at a rate of 185 g/ ^m2 , and the basis weight of the entire flexible laminate (fiber fabric + resin layer) was 390 g/ ^m2 .

Example 2
A long plain weave fabric was produced using spun yarn 1 and multifilament yarn 2. A long plain weave fabric was produced using spun yarn 1 as the warp yarn and multifilament yarn 2 as the weft yarn. The yarn density of the warp yarn was 56.5/25.4 mm, and the yarn density of the weft yarn was 42.8/25.4 mm. The obtained polyester plain weave fabric was a plain weave fabric consisting of only spun yarn 1 as the warp yarn and only multifilament yarn 2 as the weft yarn, with a basis weight of 217 g/m ² , and when the mass of this plain weave fabric was taken as 100% by mass, the spun yarn content was 59.9% by mass, and the multifilament yarn content was 40.1% by mass.

A flexible laminate was obtained by immersing the obtained polyester plain weave fabric in a resin dispersion tank in which the same vinyl chloride resin composition as that used in producing the flexible laminate of Example 1 was dispersed in a solvent (toluene) and treating under the same conditions. The obtained flexible laminate had the vinyl chloride resin composition adhered to the polyester plain weave fabric as the base fabric at a rate of 183 g/ ^m2 , and the basis weight of the entire flexible laminate (fiber fabric + resin layer) was 400 g/ ^m2 .

Example 3
A long plain weave fabric was produced using spun yarn 1 as the warp yarn and filament yarn 1 as the weft yarn. The warp yarn density was 54/25.4 mm, and the weft yarn density was 48/25.4 mm. The obtained polyester plain weave fabric was a plain weave fabric consisting of only spun yarn 1 as the warp yarn and only multifilament yarn 1 as the weft yarn, had a basis weight of 205 g/ ^m2 , and when the mass of this plain weave fabric was taken as 100 mass%, the proportion of the spun yarn was 66.6 mass% and the proportion of the multifilament yarn was 33.4 mass%.

The obtained polyester plain weave fabric was immersed in a resin dispersion tank in which the same vinyl chloride resin composition as the polyvinyl chloride resin composition used in producing the flexible laminate of Example 1 was dispersed in a solvent (toluene). After immersion, the plain weave fabric was treated under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that when squeezing with a mangle roll after immersion, the pressure of the mangle roll was increased compared to the conditions in Example 1 so that the thickness of the resin layer formed on the fiber fabric surface was adjusted to be thin, to obtain a flexible laminate. The obtained flexible laminate had the vinyl chloride resin composition attached to the polyester plain weave fabric as the base fabric at a rate of 148 g/ ^m2 , and the basis weight of the entire flexible laminate (fiber fabric + resin layer) was 353 g/ ^m2 .

Example 4
A long plain weave fabric was produced using the spun yarn 1 and the multifilament yarn 3 as the fiber fabric to be the base fabric of the flexible laminate. The spun yarn 1 was used as the warp yarn, and the multifilament yarn 3 was used as the weft yarn. The yarn density of the warp yarn was 56/25.4 mm, and the yarn density of the weft yarn was 50/25.4 mm. The obtained polyester plain weave fabric was a plain weave fabric consisting of only the spun yarn 1 as the warp yarn and only the multifilament yarn 3 as the weft yarn, had a basis weight of 195 g/ ^m2 , and when the mass of this plain weave fabric was taken as 100% by mass, the proportion of the spun yarn was 70.4% by mass, and the proportion of the multifilament yarn was 29.6% by mass.

The obtained polyester plain weave fabric was immersed in a resin dispersion tank in which the same vinyl chloride resin composition as that used in producing the flexible laminate of Example 1 was dispersed in a solvent (toluene). After immersion, the plain weave fabric was treated under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the pressure of the mangle roll was increased compared to that in Example 1 when squeezing with the mangle roll so that the thickness of the resin layer formed on the fiber fabric surface was adjusted to be thin, to obtain a flexible laminate. The obtained flexible laminate had the vinyl chloride resin composition attached to the polyester plain weave fabric as the base fabric at a rate of 143 g/ ^m2 , and the basis weight of the entire flexible laminate (fiber fabric + resin layer) was 338 g/ ^m2 .

(Comparative Example 1)
A commercially available flexible laminate was used as Comparative Example 1. Specifically, a canvas (heavy fabric) in which a resin layer containing a vinyl chloride resin composition was formed on both sides of a plain woven base fabric using spun yarn 1 for both the warp and weft was used as Comparative Example 1. The canvas of Comparative Example 1 had a basis weight of 450 g/ ^m2 .

(Comparative Example 2)
A commercially available flexible laminate was used as Comparative Example 2. Specifically, a tarpaulin in which a resin layer containing a vinyl chloride resin composition was formed on both sides of a plain woven base fabric using multifilament 3 for both the warp and weft was used as Comparative Example 2. The tarpaulin of Comparative Example 2 had a basis weight of 374 g/ ^m2 .

The obtained flexible laminates of Examples 1 to 4 and the commercially available flexible laminates of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were subjected to tensile strength, elongation, tear strength, and kneading tests using a Scott-type testing machine by the methods described above. The results are shown in Table 2 below.

The flexible laminates of Examples 1 to 4 all have a basis weight of less than 450 g/ ^m2 , and are found to be 10% to 25% lighter per unit area than Comparative Example 1, which uses a conventional flexible laminate using spun yarns for both the warp and weft as the base fabric. In addition, when comparing the flexible laminate of Comparative Example 1 with the flexible laminates of Examples 1 to 4, the tensile strength, tear strength, and elongation of the flexible laminates of Examples 1 to 4 are all equivalent to those of the flexible laminate of Comparative Example 1. The flexible laminate of the present invention uses a woven fabric containing spun yarns and multifilament yarns in appropriate proportions in the fiber fabric that serves as the base fabric, and the resin layer is appropriately impregnated into the fiber fabric, which not only makes the flexible laminate lightweight but also maintains the strength and flexibility of the resulting flexible laminate.

The flexible laminate of Comparative Example 2, which uses a plain weave fabric with multifilament yarns for both the warp and weft, is significantly lighter than the flexible laminate of Comparative Example 1, which uses a plain weave fabric with spun yarns for both the warp and weft. However, since the multifilament yarns constituting the base fabric do not have fine fuzz, the adhesion to the resin layer containing the vinyl chloride resin composition is weak, and cracks and fissures and peeling of the resin layer occurred in the kneading test. On the other hand, the flexible laminates of Examples 1 to 4 did not have cracks and fissures in the resin layer and peeling of the resin layer in the kneading test. This is thought to be because the flexible laminates of Examples 1 to 4 contain 55% by mass or more of spun yarn in the fiber fabric constituting them, and therefore not only does the resin composition impregnate the fiber fabric due to the fine fuzz of the spun yarn, but also the fuzz creates a locking effect between the fiber fabric and the resin layer, increasing the adhesion between the fiber fabric and the resin layer.

Using the flexible laminate of Example 1, a truck sheet (width about 2 m, length about 3.5 m, about 7 ^m2 ) was produced to fit the size of the bed of a 2-ton truck. A commercially available general-purpose truck sheet (width about 2 m, length about 3.5 m, about 7 ^m2 ) uses a flexible laminate with a basis weight of about 550 g/ ^m2 , so the product weight was about 4 kg, but the truck sheet using the flexible laminate of Example 1 had a product weight of about 2.9 kg, which was 20% or more lighter than the general-purpose truck sheet. In addition, the truck sheet using the flexible laminate of Example 1 was light and had excellent flexibility, so it was easy to cover the luggage and had good workability.

The present invention is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, the following embodiments.
[1] A flexible laminate comprising a fiber fabric serving as a base fabric and one or more resin layers formed on at least one surface of the fiber fabric,
The fiber fabric is a woven fabric including warp yarns and weft yarns,
The warp yarns and weft yarns include one or more selected from the group consisting of spun yarns and multifilament yarns;
When the mass of the fiber fabric is 100 mass%, the content of the spun yarn is 55 mass% or more and 80 mass% or less, and the content of the multifilament yarn is 20 mass% or more and 45 mass% or less,
A flexible laminate having a basis weight of 300 g/m2 ^or more and less than 450 g/ ^m2 .
[2] The flexible laminate according to [1], wherein in the fiber fabric, the warp yarns contain 80% by mass or more of spun yarns and the weft yarns contain 80% by mass or more of multifilament yarns.
[3] The flexible laminate according to [1] or [2], wherein the fiber fabric has a mass per unit area of 140 g/ ^m2 or more and 250 g/ ^m2 or less.
[4] The flexible laminate according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the mass per unit area of the resin layer is 0.5 to 1.5 times the mass per unit area of the fiber fabric. [5] The flexible laminate according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the spun yarn and the multifilament yarn contain one or more fibers selected from the group consisting of cellulose-based fibers, polyolefin-based fibers, polyester-based fibers, polyamide-based fibers, acrylic fibers, and vinylon fibers.
[6] The spun yarn has a British cotton count of 5 or more and 40 or less,
The multifilament yarn has a single yarn fineness of 1.0 dtex or more and 10 dtex or less, a filament number of 20 to 250, and a total fineness of 100 dtex or more and 2000 dtex or less. The flexible laminate according to any one of [1] to [5].
[7] The flexible laminate according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the fiber fabric has a warp thread density of 30 to 120 threads per 25.4 mm and a weft thread density of 25 to 100 threads per 25.4 mm.
[8] The flexible laminate according to [7], wherein the fiber fabric has a warp thread placement density greater than the weft thread placement density, and the ratio of the warp thread placement density to the weft thread placement density (warp thread placement density/weft thread placement density) is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 1.5.
[9] The flexible laminate according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the resin layer contains one or more resin compositions selected from the group consisting of a vinyl chloride resin composition, a polyurethane resin composition, a polyester elastomer composition, a polystyrene copolymer composition, and an olefin copolymer composition.
[10] A waterproof product comprising the flexible laminate according to any one of [1] to [9], the waterproof product comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a truck sheet, an open-air storage sheet, a tent membrane material, and an agricultural sheet.
[11] A method for producing a flexible laminate comprising a fiber fabric serving as a base fabric and one or more resin layers formed on at least one surface of the fiber fabric, comprising:
The fiber fabric is a woven fabric including warp yarns and weft yarns,
The warp yarns and weft yarns include one or more selected from the group consisting of spun yarns and multifilament yarns;
When the mass of the fiber fabric is 100 mass%, the content of the spun yarn is 55 mass% or more and 80 mass% or less, and the content of the multifilament yarn is 20 mass% or more and 45 mass% or less,
A method for producing a flexible laminate, comprising forming one or more resin layers on at least one surface of the fiber fabric to obtain a flexible laminate having a basis weight of 300 g/ ^m2 or more and less than 450 g/ ^m2 .

The flexible laminate of the present invention can be suitably used for waterproof products such as various waterproof sheets for vehicles, such as canvas tops for automobiles, truck hoods, and truck sheets, sheets for various tents from small to large, sheets for open-air storage, sheets for tent warehouses, agricultural sheets, and sheets or membranes used for various industrial material applications.

Claims (5)

A flexible laminate comprising a fiber fabric serving as a base fabric and one or more resin layers formed on at least one surface of the fiber fabric,
The fiber fabric is a woven fabric including warp yarns and weft yarns,
The warp yarns and weft yarns include one or more selected from the group consisting of spun yarns and multifilament yarns;
When the mass of the fiber fabric is 100 mass%, the content of the spun yarn is 55 mass% or more and 80 mass% or less, and the content of the multifilament yarn is 20 mass% or more and 45 mass% or less,
The amount of the resin composition constituting the resin layer adhered to the fiber fabric is 120 g/m ² or more and 250 g/m ² or less,
A flexible laminate having a basis weight of 300 g/m2 ^or more and less than 450 g/ ^m2 . 2. The flexible laminate according to claim 1, wherein in the fiber fabric , the warp fineness F1 is greater than the weft fineness F2 _, and the warp fineness/weft fineness (F1 _{/ F2} ) _is 1.1 or more and 2.5 or less . 3. The flexible laminate according to claim 1 , wherein the spun yarn contained in the fiber fabric is a two-ply yarn . A waterproof product comprising the flexible laminate according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The waterproof product includes one or more selected from the group consisting of truck sheets, open-air storage sheets, tent membrane materials, and agricultural sheets. A method for producing a flexible laminate comprising a fiber fabric serving as a base fabric and one or more resin layers formed on at least one surface of the fiber fabric, comprising:
The fiber fabric is a woven fabric including warp yarns and weft yarns,
The warp yarns and weft yarns include one or more selected from the group consisting of spun yarns and multifilament yarns;
When the mass of the fiber fabric is 100 mass%, the content of the spun yarn is 55 mass% or more and 80 mass% or less, and the content of the multifilament yarn is 20 mass% or more and 45 mass% or less,
A method for producing a flexible laminate, comprising the steps of: adhering a resin composition to the fiber fabric in an amount of 120 g/m2 ^or more and 250 g/m2 ^or less, thereby forming one or more resin layers on at least one surface of the fiber fabric, and obtaining a flexible laminate having a basis weight of 300 g/m2 or more and less than 450 g/m2.