Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A drapery fabric having desirable textile properties and produced by applying a wet, cross-linking foam backing to the moving web of fabric; at least partially drying, without significantly curing, the wet foam backing; embossing the foam backing; applying an aqueous solution consisting essentially of water, a release agent, a curing catalyst, and a wetting agent to the foam backing at about 50-80% pickup on dry foam solids weight; and curing the wet foamed backing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A drapery fabric having desirable textile properties and produced by applying a wet, cross-linking foam backing to the moving web of fabric; at least partially drying, without significantly curing, the wet foam backing; embossing the foam backing; applying an aqueous solution consisting essentially of water, a release agent, a curing catalyst, and a wetting agent to the foam backing at about 50-80% pickup on dry foam solids weight; and curing the wet foamed backing.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of making a foam-backed drapery fabric from a moving web of fabric, comprising the steps of sequentially (a) applying a wet, cross-linking foam backing to the moving web of fabric; (b) at least partially drying, without significantly curing, the wet foam backing; (c) embossing the foam backing; (d) applying an aqueous solution free from resin to the foam backing at about 50-80% pickup on dry foam solids weight; and (e) curing the web foam backing to produce a final drapery fabric having desirable textile properties.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of making a foam-backed drapery fabric from a moving web of fabric, comprising the steps of sequentially (a) applying a wet, cross-linking foam backing to the moving web of fabric; (b) at least partially drying, without significantly curing, the wet foam backing; (c) embossing the foam backing; (d) applying an aqueous solution free from resin to the foam backing at about 50-80% pickup on dry foam solids weight; and (e) curing the web foam backing to produce a final drapery fabric having desirable textile properties.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein step (e) is accomplished in a curing oven having rollers over which the foam-backed web travels, and comprising the further step of (d1) drying the foam backing prior to passing it into the curing oven so that the embossing thereon will not be ironed out in the curing oven.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 2 comprising the further step of (a1) applying a flock to the wet foam backing.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of making a foam-backed drapery fabric from a moving web of fabric, consisting essentially of the steps of sequentially (a) applying a wet foam backing to the moving web of fabric; (a1) applying a flock to the wet foam backing; (b) at least partially drying, without significantly curing, the foam backing; (c) embossing the foam backing; (d) applying an aqueous solution free of resin at about 50-80% pickup on dry foam solids weight to the foam backing, without substantial penetration of the fabric; (d1) drying the foam backing so that the embossing will not be ironed out; and (e) curing the foam backing to produce a final drapery fabric or the like having good textile properties.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of making a foam-backed drapery fabric from a moving web of fabric, consisting essentially of the steps of sequentially (a) applying a wet foam backing to the moving web of fabric; (a1) applying a flock to the wet foam backing; (b) at least partially drying, without significantly curing, the foam backing; (c) embossing the foam backing; (d) applying an aqueous solution free of resin at about 50-80% pickup on dry foam solids weight to the foam backing, without substantial penetration of the fabric; (d1) drying the foam backing so that the embossing will not be ironed out; and (e) curing the foam backing to produce a final drapery fabric or the like having good textile properties.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
50 words
A method as recited in claims 2 or 5 wherein step (a) is accomplished by defining a fluid-foam pillow, passing the fabric web past the foam pillow, and allowing only a portion of the foam in the foam pillow to pass with the web as it moves past the pillow.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
50 words
A method as recited in claims 2 or 5 wherein step (c) is accomplished by passing the foam backing into contact with an embossing roller while embossing pressure is provided to the fabric web by a rubber roller having an axis of rotation parallel to that of the embossing roller.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
37 words
A method as recited in claims 2 or 5 wherein step (d) is accomplished by applying to the foam backing an aqueous solution consisting essentially of water, a wetting agent, a release agent, and a curing catalyst.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as recited in claim 8 wherein step (b) is accomplished by passing the web through a drying oven so that the foam surface temperature of the exiting web is about 200-240° F.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as recited in claim 8 wherein all the steps are practiced so that the foam backing of the final drapery fabric produced recovers in 5 seconds to 1 minute after 3000 psi has been applied for 5 minutes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as recited in claim 8 wherein step (d) is further accomplished by kiss-coating the foam backing.