Process for pigmenting a pile surfaced product

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A PILE SURFACED PRODUCT PIGMENTED WITH A GIVEN PIGMENT COMPRISING PASSING A SYNTHETIIC THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING AT LEAST ONE SURFACE WHICH IS FREE OF THE GIVEN PIGMENT AND A BACKING MATERIAL TO A HEATED PRESSING SURFACE WITH SAID ONE SURFACE OF THE SNYTHETIC MATERIAL AGAINST SAID PRESSING SURFACE UNDER CONDITIONS SUCH THAT IF THE SYNTHETIC THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL IS NOT PREBONDED TO THE BACKING MATERIAL BONDING OCCURS BETWEEN THE TWO AND THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PRESSING SURFACE BEING SUCH THAT THE SYNTHETIC THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL TEMPORARILY ADHERES TO SAID HEATED PRESSING SURFACE, APPLYING THE GIVEN PIGMENT TO AT LEAST ONE OF THE SYNTHETIC MATERIAL OR THE BACKING MATERIAL PRIOR TO SEPARATING THE SYNTHETIC THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL FROM SAID SURFACE THEN SEPARATING THE SYNTHETIC THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL FROM SAID HEATED PRESSING SURFACE SO THAT FIBRILS ARE DRAWN OUT FROM THE SYNTHETIC THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL, THE FIBRILS BECOMING PIGMENTED WITH THE GIVEN PIGMENT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE ACTION OF SAID HEATED PRESSING SURFACE ON THE SYNTHETIC THERMOSPLASTIC MATERIAL.

Claim 3

A process for the production of a pile surfaced product pigmented with a given pigment comprising passing a synthetic thermoplastic material having at least one surface which is free of the given pigment and a backing material to a heated pressing surface with said one surface of the synthetic material against said pressing surface under conditions such that if the synthetic thermoplastic material is not prebonded to the backing material bonding occurs between the two and the temperature of the pressing surface being such that the synthetic thermoplastic material temporarily adheres to said heated pressing surface, applying the given pigment to at least one of the synthetic material or the backing material prior to separating the synthetic thermoplastic material from said surface, and then separating the synthetic thermoplastic material from said heated pressing surface so that fibrils are drawn out from the synthetic thermoplastic material, the fibrils becoming pigmented with the given pigment under the influence of the action of said heated pressing surface on the synthetic thermosplastic material.

Claim 4

A process for the production of a pile surfaced product pigmented with a given pigment comprising passing a synthetic thermoplastic material having at least one surface which is free of the given pigment and a backing material to a heated pressing surface with said one surface of the synthetic material against said pressing surface under conditions such that if the synthetic thermoplastic material is not prebonded to the backing material bonding occurs between the two and the temperature of the pressing surface being such that the synthetic thermoplastic material temporarily adheres to said heated pressing surface, applying the given pigment to at least one of the synthetic material or the backing material prior to separating the synthetic thermoplastic material from said surface, and then separating the synthetic thermoplastic material from said heated pressing surface so that fibrils are drawn out from the synthetic thermoplastic material, the fibrils becoming pigmented with the given pigment under the influence of the action of said heated pressing surface on the synthetic thermosplastic material.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1 in which the pigment is applied to the backing material or the synthetic thermoplastic material in such a way that the pigment is carried into the pile during pile formation.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 1 in which the pigment is applied so that its distribution is discontinuous.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1 in which application of the pigment occurs immediately prior to pile formation.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1 in which the pigment is soluble in the synthetic thermoplastic material forming the pile.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1 in which the pigment is finely particulate material insoluble but dispersible in the synthetic thermoplastic material forming the pile.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 6 in which the pigment is applied to a web component and bound loosely thereto by means of a temporary bonding agent which in the pile forming process releases the pigment which thereupon is carried into the pile.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 1 in which the pigment is transferred from a carrier to either the backing material or the synthetic thermoplastic material.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 8 in which the pigment is printed on to the synthetic thermoplastic material by said heated pressing surface.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 8 in which the pigment employed is a volatilisable dispersion dye.

Claim 14

A tack-spinning process for making a pile surfaced product pigmented with a given pigment comprising passing a laminate of a synthetic thermoplastic material component having at least one surface which is free of the given pigment and a backing material component through a heated nip formed between the surfaces of two moving elements one of which is heated to a temperature at which it temporarily adheres to said one surface of the synthetic thermoplastic material, feeding the given pigment into the nip simultaneously with the laminate so that the action of the nip causes migration of the pigment within the laminate, and separating the laminate from the surfaces of the moving elements under conditions such that the synthetic thermoplastic material is drawn into fibrils thereby forming a pile surfaced product and such that simultaneously the pigment is carried into the fibrils as they are formed.

Claim 15

A tack-spinning process for making a pile surfaced product pigmented with a given pigment comprising passing a laminate of a synthetic thermoplastic material component having at least one surface which is free of the given pigment and a backing material component through a heated nip formed between the surfaces of two moving elements one of which is heated to a temperature at which it temporarily adheres to said one surface of the synthetic thermoplastic material, feeding the given pigment into the nip simultaneously with the laminate so that the action of the nip causes migration of the pigment within the laminate, and separating the laminate from the surfaces of the moving elements under conditions such that the synthetic thermoplastic material is drawn into fibrils thereby forming a pile surfaced product and such that simultaneously the pigment is carried into the fibrils as they are formed.

Claim 16

A process as in claim 11 wherein the given pigment is present in or on the surface of said synthetic thermoplastic material component which is opposite said one surface thereof, before said laminate enters the nip.

Claim 17

A process as in claim 11 wherein said given pigment is present in or on said one surface of one of the moving elements.

Claim 18

A process as in claim 13 wherein said pigmented surface of said one moving element engages said one surface of said synthetic thermoplastic material component in said nip.

Claim 19

A process as in claim 13 wherein said pigmented surface of said one moving element engages said backing material component in said nip.