Abstract Composite textile fabrics which are dimensionally stabilized to laundering and dry cleaning and a method for producing same are provided. In the process of the present invention, an uncompacted laminate is formed from at least one ply of a textile fabric, and one or more plies of either a textile fabric or a non-textile material such as a foam. The plies are bonded together with a hot melt adhesive which has a softening point above 160*F and which is flowable and adhesive in a temperature range above 160*F and below the softening or decomposition temperature of the materials comprising the plies. The laminate is then heated to the above temperature range and compacted an amount sufficient to compensate for at least a substantial portion of the inherent shrinkage of the uncompacted laminate. The compacted laminate is then cooled while in the compacted form. The hot melt adhesive solidifies and holds the composite textile fabric in the compacted dimensionally stabilized form.
THE COMPOSITE TEXTILE FABRIC DIMENSIONALLY STABILIZED AGAINST SHRINKAGE COMPRISES OF A PLURALITY OF PLIES AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS A TEXTILE FABRIC, AND WHEREIN SAID PLIES ARE IN THE FORM OF RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE AND COMPACTABLE CONTINUOUS SHEETS SAID PLIES BEING COMPACTED INTO A MATING CURVED FAN FOLDED CONFIGURATION WITH ADJACENT PLIES BEING BONDED TOGETHER AT THEIR INTERFACE WITH A HOT MELT ADHESIVE, SAID ADHESIVE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID PILES AND BECOMING FLOWABLE ABOVE 160*F. AND BELOW THE SOFTENING TEMPERATURE OF SAID PLIES, SAID HOT MELT ADHESIVE IN ITS FLOWABLE STATE FORMING A VISCOUS BOND BETWEEN SAID PLIES OF SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO PREVENT DELAMINATION OF THE PLIES DURING COMPACTION AND WHEREIN THE HOT MELT ADHESIVE IN ITS FLOWABLE STATE CONFIGURES TO THE MATING CURVED FAN FOLDED CONFIGURATION OF SAID PLIES.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
THE COMPOSITE TEXTILE FABRIC DIMENSIONALLY STABILIZED AGAINST SHRINKAGE COMPRISES OF A PLURALITY OF PLIES AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH IS A TEXTILE FABRIC, AND WHEREIN SAID PLIES ARE IN THE FORM OF RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE AND COMPACTABLE CONTINUOUS SHEETS SAID PLIES BEING COMPACTED INTO A MATING CURVED FAN FOLDED CONFIGURATION WITH ADJACENT PLIES BEING BONDED TOGETHER AT THEIR INTERFACE WITH A HOT MELT ADHESIVE, SAID ADHESIVE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID PILES AND BECOMING FLOWABLE ABOVE 160*F. AND BELOW THE SOFTENING TEMPERATURE OF SAID PLIES, SAID HOT MELT ADHESIVE IN ITS FLOWABLE STATE FORMING A VISCOUS BOND BETWEEN SAID PLIES OF SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO PREVENT DELAMINATION OF THE PLIES DURING COMPACTION AND WHEREIN THE HOT MELT ADHESIVE IN ITS FLOWABLE STATE CONFIGURES TO THE MATING CURVED FAN FOLDED CONFIGURATION OF SAID PLIES.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein said composite textile fabric includes plies having fan folded curvature sufficient to at least compensate for the inherent dimensional instability of the textile fabric when in an uncompacted form.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The textile fabric according to claim 2 wherein all the said plies are textile fabrics.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The textile fabric according to claim 3 wherein at least one of the said plies is a knitted cellulose acetate.