Fabric-simulating laminated sheet structure and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

Abstract A FABRIC-SIMULATING, LAMINATED SHEET STRUCTURE AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME. THE SHEET STRUCTURE INCLUDES AT LEAST TWO LAYERS OF THERMOPLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL WHICH ARE COEXTENSIVELY BONDED TOGETHER TO FORM AN INTERFACE THEREBETWEEN, WITH ONE OF THESE LAYERS HAVING AN ELASTICITY WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THAT OF THE OTHER OF THE LAYERS SO THAT THIS ONE LAYER FORMS A CARRIER LAYER FOR THE OTHER LAYER. THE OTHER LAYER IS A FOAM PLASTIC WHICH FORMS A COVERING LAYER FOR THE CARRIER LAYER, AND THE BONDED LAYERS ARE EMBOSSED WITH A MULTIPLICITY OF REGISTERING DEPRESSIONS AND PROJECTIONS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE LAYERS TO PROVIDE THE FOAM PLASTIC COVER LAYER AT ITS EXTERIOR SURFACE WHICH IS DIRECTED AWAY FROM THE ONE CARRIER LAYER WITH A TEXTURIZED VELVETY APPEARANCE AND FEEL. THESE THERMOPLASTIC LAYERS ARE INITIALLY AT LEAST TEMPORARILY BONDED TO EACH OTHER AT THEIR INTERFACE UNDER HEAT AND PRESSURE, AND THEN AFTER PREHEATING THE BONDED LAYERS ARE EMBOSSED WITH AN ENGRAVED EMBOSSING ROLL WHICH PROVIDES THE MULTIPLICITY OF DEPRESSIONS AND PROJECTIONS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE LAYERS, THIS EMBOSSING TAKING PLACE WHEN THE THERMOPLASTIC LAYERS HAVE A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO RETAIN THE REGISTERING EMBOSSED PROJECTIONS AND DEPRESSIONS IN THE LAYERS.

Inventors

• 👤 Eugene A Magid

Bibliographic Details