US3873406A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Synthetic leather and method of preparing the same
Assignee: Toray Industries Inc
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Filing: 1973-12-06
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1993-12-06
Abstract
Abstract Synthetic leather consists, as a sectional structure, of a porous coating layer and a fibrous sheet layer which consists of a boundary layer containing the same polymer that is in the porous coating layer and a fibrous substrate containing a polymeric binder. The leather is produced by contacting a layer of a polymer composition obtained by applying a polymer composition to the surface of a release support on a fibrous sheet material treated with a mixed solution which consists of about 35-10 percent by weight of a non-solvent and about 65-90 percent by weight of a solvent for the polymer composition and for the polymer in the following polymeric binder, adhering with pressure the resultant contacted layer and material at a uniting clearance shown by the expression: (wherein X is the thickness of the layer of polymer composition and Y is the thickness of the fibrous sheet material), coagulating the polymer composition in the contacted layer and material, and thereafter introducing the polymeric binder into the fibrous sheet material.
Inventors
- 👤 Kaoru Okazaki
- 👤 Akira Higuchi
- 👤 Naoki Imaeda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:58
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06N; D06N3/00; D06N3/0002; B; B32; B32B; B32B27/00; B32B27/12; B32B25/00; B32B25/10; B32B25/14; B32B27/32; B32B27/36; B32B5/00; B32B5/02; B32B5/022; D06N3/0056; D06N3/0063; D06N3/12; D06N3/14; B32B2260/00; B32B2260/02; B32B2260/021; B32B2260/04; B32B2260/046; B32B2262/00; B32B2262/02; B32B2262/0261; B32B2262/0276; B32B2309/00; B32B2309/08; B32B2309/10; B32B2309/105; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/904; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24355; Y10T428/24364; Y10T428/24438; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249955; Y10T428/249958; Y10T428/249981; Y10T428/26; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/20; Y10T442/2041; Y10T442/2098
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
1 words
5(X+Y)$CLEARANCE<1.0(X+Y)
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
186 words
SYNTHETIC LEATHER COMPRISING A FIBROUS SHEET LAYER AND A COATING LAYER, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT A. SAID COATING LAYER CONSISTS OF A COLORED NON-POROUS COATING LAYER AND A POROUS COATING LAYER, SAID COLORED NONPOROUS COATING LAYER HAVING THICKNESS OF FROM ABOUT 0.005 MM TO ABOUT 0.05 MM AND SAID POROUS COATING LAYER HAVING A THICKNESS OF FROM ABOUT 0.05 MM TO ABOUT 1.5 MM; B. SAID FIBROUS SHEET LAYER CONSISTING OF A. A BOUNDARY LAYER CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS SHEET AND A POLYMER HAVING A POROUS STRUCTURE UNITED CONTINUOUSLY WITH SAID COATING LAYER, SAID BOUNDARY LAYER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF A POLYMERIC BINDER AND HAVING A THICKNESS OF ABOUT 0.01 MM TO ABOUT 0.2 MM, AND B. A FIBROUS SUBSTRATE LAYER CONSISTING OF A FIBROUS SHEET AND SAID POLYMERIC BINDER, BEING SUSUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF SAID BOUNDARY LAYER IN THE DIRECTION OF THE THICKNESS OF ABOUT 0.5 MM TO ABOUT 1.8 MM, AND C. SAID SYNTHETIC LEATHER HAVING A FLEXIBILITY RESISTANCE WHICH IS AT LEAST ABOUT 10X10**-4 TIMES, A WATER VAPOR PERMEABILITY OF AT LEAST ABOUT 5 MG/CM2.HR AND A SCUFF RESISTANCE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 500 GRAMS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein the polymer contained in said polymeric binder is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyurethane urea, homopolymers and copolymers composed of vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid, alkyl-acrylate, methacrylic acid, alkyl-methacrylate, and natural and synthetic rubber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein the polyurethane or polyurethane urea contained in said polymeric binder is the reaction product of a polymer diol, organic di-isocyanate and low molecular diol or diamine, wherein the polymer diol is selected from the group consisting of polytetramethylene ether glycol, polycaprolactone diol and the hydroxy-terminated reaction product of polytetramethylene ether glycol, dibasic acid or acid anhydride and glycol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein the polymer contained in the porous structure of said coating layer and boundary layer is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and polyurethane urea.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein the polyurethane or polyurethane urea contained in said coating layer and boundary layer is the reaction product of a polymer diol, organic di-isocyaNate and low molecular diol or diamine, wherein the polymer diol is selected from the group consisting of polytetramethylene ether glycol, polycaprolactone diol and the hydroxy-terminated reaction product composed of polytetramethylene ether glycol, dibasic acid or acid anhydride and glycol.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein a non-porous coating layer consisting of polyurethane having a thickness of from about 0.5 micron to about 30 microns is further applied on said coating layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 6, wherein a transparent non-porous coating layer consisting of polyurethane having thickness of from about 0.5 microns to about 3 microns is further applied on said non-porous coating layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein said fibrous sheet layer is ligated three dimentionally with ultra fine fiber bundles, each fiber having a denier of about 0.01 denier to about 0.8 denier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 8, wherein said ultra fine fiber bundles contain about 3-25 fibers per bundle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of said coating layer ranges from about 0.15 mm to about 1.0 mm, the thickness of said boundary layer ranges from about 0.03 mm to about 0.18 and the thickness of said fibrous substrate layer ranges from about 0.8 mm to about 1.5 mm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
Synthetic leather according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is a non-woven fabric composed of fiber selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyester and polyacrylonitril.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
125 words
IN A METHOD OF PREPARING SYNTHETIC LEATHER HAVING A FLEXIBILITY RESISTANCE OF AT LEAST 10X10**-4 TIMES, A WATER VAPOR PERMEABILITY OF AT LEAST 5 MG/CM2.HR AND A SCUFF RESISTANCE OF AT LEAST 500 GRAMS, CONSISTING OF A POLYMER AND A FIRBOUS NON-WOVEN FABRIC, THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE A. PRE-TREATING A FIBROUS SHEET MATERIAL WITH A MIXTURE CON: SISTING OF A SOLVENT AND A NON-SOLVENT FOR THE POLYMER COATING COMPOSITION AT A WEIGHT RATIO RANGING FROM ABOUT 90/10 TO ABOUT 65/35, B. APPLYING THE POLYMER COATING SOLUTION OR DISPERSION TO A SUPPORT, LAPPING THE RESULTING COATING OVER THE PRE-TREATED FIBROUS SHEET MATERIAL OBTAINED IN STEP (A), UNITING THE OVERLAPPED PAIR BY PASSING THEM BETWEEN AT LEAST TWO ROLLS HAVING A CLEARANCE CONFORMING TO THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSION:
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the polymer contained in said binding polymer solution or dispersion is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyurethane urea; homopolymers or copolymer composed of vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid, alkyl-acrylate, methacrylic acid, alkyl-methacrylate; natural or synthetic rubber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the polymer contained in said coating polymer solution or dispersion is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and polyurethane urea.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the polyurethane or polyuRethane urea contained in said binding polymer solution or dispersion is the reaction product of a polymer diol, organic di-isocyanate and low molecular diol or diamine, wherein the polymer diol is selected from the group consisting of polytetramethylene ether glycol, polycaprolactone diol and the hydroxy-terminated reaction product composed of polytetramethylene ether glycol, dibasic acid or acid anhydride and glycol.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
71 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the polyurethane or polyurethane urea contained in said coating polymer solution or dispersion is the reaction product of a polymer diol, organic di-isocyanate and low molecular diol or diamine, wherein the polymer diol is selected from the group consisting of polytetramethylene ether glycol, polycaprolactone diol and hydroxy-terminated reaction product composed of polytetramethylene ether glycol, dibasic acid or acid anhydride and glycol.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the solvent contained in said binding polymer solution is N,N-dimethyl formamide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the solvent contained in said coating polymer solution is N,N-dimethyl formamide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the concentration of said polymer coating solution ranges from about 10 to about 50 percent, and the viscosity of said solution ranges from about 200 poises to about 8,000 poises at 20* C.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the concentration of the solution of said polymeric binder ranges from about 3 to about 5 percent and the viscosity of said solution ranges from about 0.5 poises to about 300 poises.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
70 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the polymer contained in said polymer dispersion is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyurethane urea, homopolymers or copolymer composed of acrylic acid, alkyl-acrylate, and natural or synthetic rubber, wherein said polymer is dispersed about 5 wt. percent from 60 wt. percent in a liquid which does not dissolve said polymer contained in the polymer coating composition and fabric.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein the solvent for said polymer coating composition in step (a) is N,N-dimethyl formamide, and the non-solvent for said polymer coating composition in step (a) is water.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein said coagulation is carried out in a liquid which does not dissolve said fiber and said polymer, but is miscible with said polymer solvent.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein said coagulation is carried out at about 5*-50* C.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein said fibrous sheet material is ligated three dimensionally with ultra fine fiber bundles composed of each fiber having the denier of about from 0.01 to 0.8 and the number of about 3 to 25.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
64 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein after said step (e), step (f) is practiced which comprises coating the solution or dispersion of polyurethane on top of said coating layer and heating at about 50* to 180* C. the porous coated solution or dispersion to form a non-porous coating layer having a thickness of from about 5 microns to 30 microns.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
47 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 25, wherein after said step (f), step (g) is practiced which comprises forming a transparent non-porous coating layer consisting of polyurethane having a thickness of about 1 micron to about 10 microns on top of said non-porous coating layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein said support is a member selected from the group consisting of polyester film, polyethylene film, silicone sheet and NBR (rubber) sheet.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein said step (c) is carried out after said step (d) or (e).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
152 words
A method for preparing synthetic leather according to claim 12, wherein said fabric is prepared by the following steps: A. impregnating a primary sheet substance composed of polymers A and B with polymer C wherein said sheet substance comprises numerous adherent fibrous materials each consisting of a plurality of fibrous polymer A extending in a longitudinal direction and contained within a bonding polymer B having a dissolving property in a solvent different from that of said polymer A and wherein said polymer C has a dissolving property in a solvent different from that of said polymers A and B, and B. removing said bonding polymer B from the product of step (1) by dissolving off said bonding polymer B with a solvent capable of dissolving only said bonding polymer B but not said polymers A and C to effectively convert said numerous adhered fibrous materials into numerous bundles of said polymer A.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 29, wherein said fibrous polymers A are selected from the group consisting of polyamides and polyethylene terephthalate.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 29, wherein said bonding polymer B consists of polystyrene, styrene acrylonitrile copolymer or styrene acrylic acid copolymer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 29, wherein said polymer C is a water-soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxyethyl cellulose, casein, polyvinyl methylether, starch, polyethylene oxide and sodium polyacrylate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
Method of preparing synthetic leather according to claim 29, wherein said polymer C is dissolved off after the solution or dispersion of said polymeric binder is impregnated and coagulated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3650880A
Cited
US3632417A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |