Fiber sheet for forming

Claim 2

A yarn interlaced fabric sheet, adapted for lamination to a plastic sheet to provide a laminate having a fabric surface having excellent appearance and hand, which fabric sheet comprises (A) a first side, adapted for lamination to a plastic sheet, comprised mainly of a stretchable, low softening point fiber having a softening point between 80° and 220° C. and an elongation at break of at least 50% and (B) a second appearance contributing side comprised mainly of a fiber having a softening point at least 20° C. higher than the softening point of the low softening point fiber.

Claim 3

The fabric sheet for forming according to claim 1, wherein the fabric sheet for forming is selected from the group consisting of a pile knitted fabric and a raised knitted fabric.

Claim 4

The fabric sheet for forming according to claim 2, wherein the fabric sheet for forming is selected from the group consisting of a circular knitted single velour and a tricott pile knitted fabric.

Claim 5

The fabric sheet for forming according to claim 2, wherein the pile portion is a pile warp knitted fabric formed by knitting under the yarn arrangement for every other needle and under exertion of the shogging motion between the odd number needles.

Claim 6

The fabric sheet for forming according to claim 2, wherein the pile portion is a warp knitted fabric formed by knitting so as to form loop piles under exertion of the shogging motions between more than one needle and plural needles and yet without forming stitches every other course.

Claim 7

The fabric sheet for forming according to claim 1, wherein the fiber which has a low softening point and a high stretchability is a high orientation degree unstretched fiber (partially oriented yarn) obtainable by high sped spinning of a crystalline thermoplastic polymer.

Claim 8

The fabric sheet for forming according to claim 6, which is a high orientation degree polyester unstretched fiber having the birefringence (Δn) of 0.02 to 0.08.

Claim 9

The fabric sheet for forming according to claim 6, which is a high orientation degree polyamide unstretched fiber having the birefringence (Δn) of 0.02 to 0.045.

Claim 10

The fabric sheet according to claim 6, wherein the high orientation degree unstretched fiber has an elongation at break of 100 to 500%.

Claim 11

A formable laminate which comprises: (A) A yarn interlaced fabric sheet comprising: (i) a first side comprised mainly of a stretchable, low softening point fiber having a softening point between 80° and 220° C. and an elongation at break of at least 50%, and (ii) a second appearance contributing side comprised mainly of a fiber having a softening point at least 20° C. higher than the softening point of the low softening point fiber; and (B) a formable plastic sheet said fiber sheet (A) being bonded at said first side to said formable plastic sheet (B).

Claim 12

A formable laminate which comprises: (A) A yarn interlaced fabric sheet comprising: (i) a first side comprised mainly of a stretchable, low softening point fiber having a softening point between 80° and 220° C. and an elongation at break of at least 50%, and (ii) a second appearance contributing side comprised mainly of a fiber having a softening point at least 20° C. higher than the softening point of the low softening point fiber; and (B) a formable plastic sheet said fiber sheet (A) being bonded at said first side to said formable plastic sheet (B).

Claim 13

A process which comprises heat forming an article from a laminate comprising: (A) A yarn interlaced fabric sheet comprising: (i) a first side comprised mainly of a stretchable, low softening point fiber having a softening point between 80° and 220° C. and an elongation at break if at least 50%, and (ii) a second appearance contributing side comprised mainly of a fiber having a softening point at least 20° C. higher than the softening point of the low softening point fiber; and (B) a formable plastic sheet, said fiber sheet (A) being bonded at said first side to said formable plastic sheet (B), said heat forming being conducted so that the stretchable, low softening point fiber stretches at the surface of the fabric sheet bonded to said plastic sheet along curved surfaces formed in the bonded surface of the plastic sheet during the heat forming process, while the fiber having an at least 20° C. higher melting point remains thermally stable at the appearance contributing side of the bonded fabric layer.

Claim 14

A process which comprises heat forming an article from a laminate comprising: (A) A yarn interlaced fabric sheet comprising: (i) a first side comprised mainly of a stretchable, low softening point fiber having a softening point between 80° and 220° C. and an elongation at break if at least 50%, and (ii) a second appearance contributing side comprised mainly of a fiber having a softening point at least 20° C. higher than the softening point of the low softening point fiber; and (B) a formable plastic sheet, said fiber sheet (A) being bonded at said first side to said formable plastic sheet (B), said heat forming being conducted so that the stretchable, low softening point fiber stretches at the surface of the fabric sheet bonded to said plastic sheet along curved surfaces formed in the bonded surface of the plastic sheet during the heat forming process, while the fiber having an at least 20° C. higher melting point remains thermally stable at the appearance contributing side of the bonded fabric layer.