JP7702998B2 - Method for producing quick-drying towels with extra-long pile height - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to the textile industry. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to methods of weaving, treating, and finishing fabrics having extra-long pile loops and quick-drying properties.

Terry fabrics are quite commonly used in several products, such as towels, robes, etc. Terry fabrics usually contain pile loops within the fabric that provide texture, absorbency, softness, and other desirable properties to the fabric. The pile loops are interwoven with "ground" yarns that act as the base for the entire fabric. The loops may be incorporated on one or both sides of the fabric. The loops may also be of different heights to provide a desired look or texture, and different colors, or yarn types or sizes may also be utilized to affect the look and properties of the fabric.

Terry towels generally use a variation in yarn twist in the towel construction. The ground and weft yarns are generally composed of high twist yarns with values of about 3.8-4.2 TM, providing strength to the towel and acting as a slow wicking network. Pile yarns, on the other hand, are often given a low twist, allowing them to provide greater exposure and therefore a higher rate of moisture exchange.

Terry fabrics are typically woven by utilizing two different types of warp yarns that interweave with the weft yarns (also known as "picks"). The "ground" warp yarns are woven with the weft yarns at a relatively high tension and form the base or substrate of the fabric. The "pile" warp yarns are woven with a much lower tension and are advanced or "taken off" the loom beam at a higher speed than the ground warp yarns, allowing them to "float" over two or more adjacent picks. When all of the yarns are "beaten" (i.e., pushed together with the bar, etc.) at the end of the weaving repeat, the pile yarns form loops that extend away from the substrate. Common terry patterns include weaving with 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 picks. Often, higher pick patterns are avoided for cost reasons, and therefore most terry fabrics are woven with a 3 pick repeat pattern.

Although this type of terry cloth pattern has been used for many years, it can have several drawbacks. For example, the finished towel can exhibit twisting in the loop structure, which results in reduced softness and thickness. Furthermore, the twisting may not be uniform throughout the pile area, which in turn results in an uneven pile height, ultimately compromising the aesthetics of the towel. At the same time, the reduced pile height results in reduced thickness.

The main problem with most of the thick terry towels is their drying time. The increasing consumer demand for terry towels that not only absorb a lot of water but also dry quickly has put considerable pressure on textile companies to explore new ideas regarding quick drying. Recently, several attempts have been made to create towels that have a fast drying time while retaining all the other desirable characteristics of terry towels, including high absorbency, thickness, and aesthetics. However, all of these criteria are generally mutually exclusive, which means that an increase in one parameter will have a negative effect on the other parameters.

U.S. Patent No. 10,287,714 describes the Hygro Towel concept, which allows towels to dry faster by using water-soluble yarns in the weaving process while retaining the thickness and aesthetics of the towel. In the process, water-soluble yarns such as PVA are inserted into a cotton sheath core during drafting. As a result, during processing, the PVA dissolves, leaving behind a cotton yarn with a hollow core that allows for greater absorbency and faster drying.

US20160097151 describes coating the towel surface with loaded surfactants that lower the surface tension of water upon contact with the towel surface, allowing the water to spread evenly. The surfactants include molecules such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and (2-methoxymethylethoxy)propanol. According to the patent claims, the molecules have no effect on the towel at room temperature, and after washing with hot water, the molecules behave hydrophobically, aiding in the fast dissipation of moisture, resulting in the towel absorbing moisture with fast drying properties. However, the biocompatibility or stability of these molecules to home laundering is not described.

Therefore, there is a need for a terry towel that dries faster than commercially available towels while retaining high absorbency and a uniform, beautiful appearance.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,028,714 US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0097151

ASTM D 1777:1996 (R2015) ASTM D 4772:2014 ISO 20158:2018

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for processing extra-long pile fabric is provided.

The method for processing pile fabric includes utilizing yarns with the same or alternating count as the weft yarns, which vary from 6Ne to 40Ne. The method further includes setting the reed in a slack position for a selected number of consecutive picks, up to the (n-1)th pick, called the loose pick, setting the reed in a fast position for the nth pick, called the fast pick (n can be a number varying from 4 to 7), inserting the first pick of the low consecutive picks into the warp yarns according to a predefined design by a loose drive technique, creating a predefined gap close to a point where the fabric is released from the edge of the fabric, and continuously inserting a selected number of slow consecutive picks following the insertion of the first pick, using a loose drive technique for each of the picks, until the (n-1)th pick enters the warp yarns. The method further includes inserting the nth pick into the warp yarns by a strong drive technique so that all n picks are aligned at the edge of the fabric, and utilizing a plain weave for the ground warp yarns to facilitate the formation of voids in the loops of the fabric.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the use of yarns with alternating coarse and fine properties allows for the formation of pile loops with extra-tall lengths of 7-11 mm.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the method utilizes a high quality weaving system to facilitate the formation of intra-loop and inter-loop gaps, thereby improving towel drying efficiency.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, increased absorbency and drying speed of the towel results from elongated low twist (2.3-2.5 TM) terry loops or untwisted terry loops formed by a high quality weaving system.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the uniform appearance and aesthetic appeal of the towel is achieved by the uniform placement of pile orientation within the woven structure.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, air pockets are created by the presence of extra-long pile.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, serve to explain some of the principles associated with the disclosed embodiments.

1 illustrates a method for processing a pile fabric according to an aspect of the present disclosure. 1 illustrates a cross section of a conventional terry in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a terry with increasing pick according to an aspect of the present disclosure. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the distance between and within the loops is shown, as well as the air pockets. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the distance between and within the loops is shown, as well as the air pockets. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the distance between and within the loops is shown, as well as the air pockets. 1 shows a three-pick towel with a high density and no air pockets of a traditional terry product according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below. While specific embodiments are described, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As a result, the following description and drawings are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting. Some specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, in certain instances, well-known details are not described in order not to obscure the description.

A reference to an embodiment or to an embodiment of the present disclosure may refer to the same embodiment or to any embodiment. Such a reference means at least one of the embodiments.

References to "one embodiment," "one embodiment," "one aspect," "some aspects," or "one aspect" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Furthermore, various features are described that may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by other embodiments.

The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meaning in the art within the context of this disclosure, with specific use of each term in certain contexts. Alternative language and synonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms described herein, and no special significance should be attached to whether a term is elaborated or explained herein. In some cases, synonyms of particular terms are provided.

The recitation of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification, including examples of any term described herein, is illustrative only and is not intended to further limit the scope and meaning of the disclosure or any exemplary term. Similarly, this disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments given herein. Without intending to limit the scope of this disclosure, examples of instruments, devices, methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure, and related results thereof are provided below. Please note that titles or subtitles may be used in the examples for the convenience of the reader and in no way limit the scope of the disclosure. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. In case of conflict, the document of the present invention, including definitions, will take precedence.

Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the principles disclosed herein. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and the appended claims, or may be learned by practice of the principles described herein.

According to the prior art, thick towels provide a large surface area, allowing them to absorb large amounts of water compared to flat weaves. When water droplets fall onto the terry loops, they are absorbed by the fibers present in the terry loops, and the water is then transferred to the ground and weft yarns. Since there is no tension in the loops, they have an exposed surface and can absorb large amounts of water. However, due to their construction, terry towels take longer to dry compared to flat weaves.

Generally, the majority of terry towels are made according to the three-pick format with higher peak weave, which is rarely used due to its high production cost. Although standardized, the three-pick format produces a high loop density compared to the higher peak weave, which prevents water evaporation from the ground and weft yarns, which causes the towel to remain damp for a long period of time. A damp towel can become a breeding ground for unwanted microorganisms and cause odors. The first technical problem that is desired to be addressed in this patent is to be able to weave a towel using a high-quality weaving system and create intra-loop and inter-loop gaps so that the towel can dry quickly.

For some fabrics, the loop geometry or loop profile of the finished towel remains unchanged after finishing, while for some fabrics, the loops are twisted and lose their original shape after finishing. The shape loss is non-uniform in nature and creates variable shaped loops on the surface, reducing the aesthetic value of the towel.

To summarize, there is a need for a method/process that produces towels with the fast drying, high absorbency, and visually pleasing uniform appearance properties of terry loops. The present disclosure provides a way to address these issues by providing a higher quality weave with either fine or thick yarns in the 6's to 40's range, resulting in a product with extra-tall loops and air pockets between the two loops that provide an elegant appearance, higher absorbency, as well as fast drying.

Figure 1 shows a method for processing a pile fabric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method includes the following (102) to (114).

The reed is set in a slack position for a series of (n-1) consecutive picks (102), whereby the reed is positioned in a slack configuration to begin the weaving process. The reed is an essential component of the weaving machine and serves to separate the warp threads, maintaining the desired spacing between them. During the initial phase, the reed is slack and purposefully positioned to process the series of consecutive picks.

Furthermore, the lead is set to the fast position for the nth pick (104), such that following the slack position of the lead for the earlier picks (n-1, n-2, etc.), the lead position advantageously transitions to the fast position. This transition to the fast lead position indicates the start of a new pick designated as a fast pick.

Further, a first pick of the determined number of consecutive picks is inserted into the warp yarns according to a predefined design by a loose packing technique (106). The method thereby includes inserting a first pick from a series of consecutive picks into the warp yarns. This insertion is performed in strict accordance with a predefined design that defines the yarn placement and row. During this insertion, a specific technique known as the "loose packing technique" is utilized. The loose packing technique involves gradually packing the inserted picks without applying excessive force, resulting in a textured appearance.

Furthermore, a predetermined gap is created (108) proximate the point where the fabric is released from the edge of the fabric, thereby providing a predetermined gap proximate the point where the fabric is released from the edge of the fabric to allow for subsequent adjustment and manipulation of the fabric structure. This gap acts as a critical space that contributes to improving the characteristics of the fabric during subsequent processing steps.

Furthermore, following the insertion of the first pick, slow successive picks are successively inserted (110) until the (n-1)th pick enters the warp yarns, utilizing a loose-thrust technique for each of the picks, so that after the insertion of the first pick, the method involves the successive introduction of the next series of loose picks into the warp yarns. As with the initial pick, each of these picks undergoes a loose-thrust technique. The application of this technique ensures uniformity in the overall texture of the fabric, resulting in a uniform appearance.

Furthermore, the nth pick is inserted into the warp yarns (112) with all picks aligned at the edge of the fabric by the strong driving technique, whereby the nth pick is introduced into the warp yarns using an individual approach known as the "strong driving technique". In contrast to the loose driving technique described above, the strong driving technique involves tightly packing the inserted picks. This strong driving action ensures that all picks are aligned at the edge of the fabric, contributing to a well-integrated fabric structure.

A plain weave is utilized for the ground warp yarns to facilitate the formation of voids within the loops of the fabric (114), thereby utilizing a plain weave pattern for the ground warp yarns. This plain weave construction plays a vital role in creating voids within the loops of the fabric. These voids improve the fabric's breathability, comfort, and ability to wick away moisture efficiently.

Figure 2A shows a conventional terry cross-section loop structure, while Figure 2B shows a terry cross-section loop structure with increased pick in accordance with the present disclosure.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the method for producing terry towels overcomes the drawbacks mentioned at the beginning in the following manner:

Creation of inter-loop air pockets: Figures 3A, 3B, and 3C show the unwound long loop structure of the towels claimed herein. Note that the average pile height is about 11.5±0.25 mm, with an inter-loop distance of 1.25±0.25 mm, while the intra-loop gap (ground level) is 1.6±0.12 mm. Additionally, it is noted that the inter-loop and intra-loop distances are significantly larger than the control towels. This large distance creates air pockets that allow the loops to be efficiently exposed, allowing for effective moisture exchange at a significantly faster rate. The large pile height loops create two different types of air pockets. Intra-loop air pockets ("A" type) occur within the long loop structure, while inter-loop air pockets ("U" type) occur between two adjacent loops.

Untwisted Loops: By not twisting the loops a large amount (approximately 2.8 TM), there is much less chance of the pile height decreasing. This ensures that the loops are straightened to their full length, thereby maintaining the thickness of the towel. At the same time, the exposure of the loops to both water and air is significantly increased. As a result, the towel absorbs more water and releases water at an increased rate when compared to 3-pick terry towels.

Extra-long pile height: The dense weave used during weaving allows a large percentage of the yarn to be trapped as a uniform homogenous layer of extra-long loops. The resulting towel exhibits a high moisture exchange ratio while looking elegant and aesthetically appealing.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the loop structure thus created results in a significantly faster drying rate when compared to towels of similar size and weight in GSM. This is due in large part to air pockets created by the large pick size and extra-long nature of the terry loops. The drying of the towel is determined by the rate of transport of absorbed water from the ground warp and weft yarns to the terry loops.

In FIG. 3, it is noted that the distance between and within the loops is much greater than the control towels. This greater distance creates air pockets that allow the loops to be efficiently exposed, allowing for much faster and more effective moisture exchange. In comparison, as seen in FIG. 3d, the 3-Pick towel has a higher loop density and no air pockets. This results in a slower drying rate and increased towel drying time compared to the patent pending towel. As a result, the patent pending towels of the present disclosure dry faster, as evidenced by the drying data shown in Table 1. This means that the towels do not remain damp for extended periods of time which retards the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms, and as a result, are odorless.

Claims (1)

A method (100) for processing extra long pile fabrics, comprising:
Setting a lead in a slack position for a series of (n-1) consecutive picks (102),
setting (102), where "n" varies in the range of 4 to 7;
Setting the lead in a high speed position for an nth pick (104);
Inserting a selected number of first picks of slow successive picks into the warp yarns according to a predefined design by a loose insertion technique (106);
Creating (108) a predetermined gap proximate a point where the fabric is released from an edge of the fabric;
inserting (110) successively said slow successive picks following the insertion of said first pick using a slow-hitting technique for each of said picks until said (n-1)th pick enters said warp yarn;
inserting (112) n-th picks into the warp yarns by a strong driving technique, where every n-th pick is aligned with an edge of the fabric;
Utilizing a plain weave for ground warp yarns to facilitate the formation of voids within the loops of the fabric (114);
A method (100) comprising:
The method utilizes a high quality weaving system to facilitate the formation of intra-loop and inter-loop gaps, thereby improving towel drying efficiency;
the increased absorbency and drying speed of the towel results from elongated unwound terry loops of 2.3 to 2.5 twist multiples (TM) formed by said high quality weaving system, with an inter-loop gap of 1.25±0.25 mm and an intra-loop gap of 1.6±0.12 mm;
The uniform appearance and beautiful appearance of the towel is achieved by the careful placement of the pile elements within the woven structure;
Air pockets occur when using large pick sizes.