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US5515700A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Knitted fabric construction for an industrially launderable knitted garment

Assignee: Burlington Industries LLC
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Filing: 1995-05-24
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Granted: 1996-05-14
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Expires: 2015-05-24
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Abstract

Abstract Fabric suitable for the manufacture of rental shirts that are capable of being industrially laundered are made by air jet spinning an intimate blend of about 50--50 polyester/cotton (having wrapper fibers holding the yarn bundle together), vat dyeing the cotton component of the yarn (and disperse dyeing the polyester component), and then knitting the dyed yarn to produce a fabric with tightly formed stitches. The yarn is also preferably scoured and finished prior to knitting. The knit fabric is preferably made into a rental shirt or like garment, the fabric having a maximum shrinkage of about 8% both in length and width unrestored after five wash and tumble dry sequences per AATCC Test Method 135, a colorfast rating of 4.0 or higher when subjected to AATCC Test Method 61-IIA, has a rating of 4.0 or higher when tested for pilling, and a life expectancy of at least 50 industrial laundering wash-dry-wear cycles.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jon Weingarten
  • 👤 Rod Kosann
  • 👤 Jerry E. Wallace
  • 👤 Olin E. Wilson
  • 👤 Maura T. Buckley

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 01:43
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04B; D04B1/00; D04B1/14; A; A41; A41B; A41B1/00; D02; D02G; D02G3/00; D02G3/02; D02G3/04; D04B1/10; D04B1/12; D10; D10B; D10B2201/00; D10B2201/01; D10B2201/02; D10B2331/00; D10B2331/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 88 words
A method of producing a fabric for use as a garment being industrially laundered, comprising the steps of substantially sequentially: (a) air jet spinning an air jet spun intimate polyester/cotton blend yarn, having wrapper fibers holding the yarn bundle together; (b) vat dyeing the cotton component of the air jet spun yarn with vat dye, and dyeing the polyester component; and (c) knitting the dyed yarn into a fabric for use in the production of a rental shirt being industrially launderable for at least 50 wash-and-wear laundry cycles.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 88 words
A method of producing a fabric for use as a garment being industrially laundered, comprising the steps of substantially sequentially: (a) air jet spinning an air jet spun intimate polyester/cotton blend yarn, having wrapper fibers holding the yarn bundle together; (b) vat dyeing the cotton component of the air jet spun yarn with vat dye, and dyeing the polyester component; and (c) knitting the dyed yarn into a fabric for use in the production of a rental shirt being industrially launderable for at least 50 wash-and-wear laundry cycles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further steps, after step (c), of: (d) scouring the knit fabric, and (e) finishing the fabric.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein step (e) is practiced to impart soil release, wrinkle reduction, and shrinkage resistance properties to the fabric.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 51 words
A method as recited in claim 3 wherein step (e) is practiced using a first pass using substantially only hot water, and a second pass using a finish formula containing a glyoxal-based resin, a polyethylene slightly cationic softener, a non-ionic alcohol ethoxyolate wetting agent, and a non-ionic fluorochemical stain release agent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method as recited in claim 3 wherein step (d) is practiced to remove any residues left on the yarn after the practice of steps (b) and (c).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method as recited in claim 5 wherein step (c) is practiced to knit the fabric with tightly formed stitches.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method as recited in claim 6 wherein step (c) is further practiced to produce a pique or a jersey fabric construction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (a) is practiced to produce a substantially 50--50 intimate polyester/cotton blend air jet spun yarn.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method as recited in claim 8 wherein steps (a) through (c) are practiced to produce a fabric having a finished fabric weight of 9 to 11 ounces per linear yard.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step (a'), between steps (a) and (b), of winding the undyed yarn onto dye packages.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 47 words
A method as recited in claim 10 wherein step (b) is practiced using vat black 16, vat brown 1, vat green 1, vat green 3, vat red 13, vat yellow 2, or vat blue 55 dye, for the cotton component, and disperse dye for the polyester component.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (b) is further practiced using disperse dye for the polyester component at the same time as vat dyeing takes place.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step of making the knit fabric into shirts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein steps (a) through (c) are practiced to produce a fabric having a finished fabric weight of 9 to 11 ounces per linear yard.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 82 words
A garment being industrially launderable, produced by the steps of substantially sequentially: (a) air jet spinning an air jet spun intimate polyester cotton blend yarn, having wrapper fibers holding the yarn bundle together; (b) vat dyeing the cotton component of the air jet spun yarn with vat dye, and also dyeing the polyester component; (c) knitting the dyed yarn into a fabric; and (d) making the fabric into a garment having a life expectancy of at least 50 industrial laundering wash-dry-wear cycles.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 82 words
A garment being industrially launderable, produced by the steps of substantially sequentially: (a) air jet spinning an air jet spun intimate polyester cotton blend yarn, having wrapper fibers holding the yarn bundle together; (b) vat dyeing the cotton component of the air jet spun yarn with vat dye, and also dyeing the polyester component; (c) knitting the dyed yarn into a fabric; and (d) making the fabric into a garment having a life expectancy of at least 50 industrial laundering wash-dry-wear cycles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 32 words
A garment as recited in claim 15 wherein the garment is made by the further steps, between steps (c) and (d), of: (e) scouring the knit fabric, and (f) finishing the fabric.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 64 words
A garment as recited in claim 15 wherein the garment is further made by practicing step (f) to impart soil release, wrinkle reduction, and shrinkage resistance properties to the fabric, and by practicing step (e) to remove any residues left in the yarn after the practice of steps (b) and (c); and by practicing step (c) to knit the fabric with tightly formed stitches.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US3811834A Cited
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US3891389A Cited
US3978648A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-05-14 1999-11-13 2000-05-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-05-14 2003-11-13 2004-05-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-05-14 2007-11-13 2008-05-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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