Sewing – Special machines – Embroidering
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-02
2001-08-07
Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 3765)
Sewing
Special machines
Embroidering
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269759
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a stitched-bonded pile surface structure.
2. Description of Prior Art
Carpets or velour pile structures formed by tufting machines are well-known. Tufted structures contain tufts in the form of uncut or cut loops inserted into a “primary” backing. A portion of the pile yarn remains on the back face of the backing. The pre-formed tufted backing is then stabilized by applying a relatively heavy layer of adhesive binder material (usually a latex-based material) and, in most cases, a “secondary” backing to the back of the structure. In some cases a layer of thermoplastic material is introduced between the primary and secondary backings to replace the adhesive binder material.
One limitation of these products is that they require relatively heavy primary backings that can hold the tufts securely until the adhesive binder material and secondary backing are applied. A second limitation is that the adhesive binder material and secondary backing add substantial weight. A third limitation is the considerable portion of the tufting yarn is placed under the primary backing, between the primary and secondary backings. This construction leaves the face of the primary backing exposed between tuft-penetration points, requiring a relatively dense pattern of loops or cut-tufts. Furthermore, “tuft-bind,” or the force required to pull cut tufts or to unravel uncut loop tufts, is limited, unless a large weight of binder material is used to penetrate the backings and the pile yarn located between the two backings.
—o—0—o—
Flat stitch-bonded structures are also known in the prior art.
FIG. 1A
is a stylized perspective view of a typical apparatus generally indicated by the reference character
10
for forming a flat, stitch-bonded structure
12
having “laid-in” yarn inlay elements
54
overstitched with a stitching thread.
FIGS. 1B and 1C
illustrate stylized front and side elevational views of the stitch-bonded structure
12
so produced. It should be noted that in
FIGS. 1A through 1C
, for purposes of illustration, the yarn
48
Y used to form the yarn inlays
54
is shown as being a relatively heavy and bulky yarn of the type typically used to form carpet pile, while the thread
48
T (shown in dashed lines in
FIG. 1A
) used to form the chain stitches
56
is of significantly finer denier.
Each yarn inlay
54
in each of the plural rows of inlays is attached at spaced points to a first, top, surface
14
S of a planar backing
14
by the underlap portions
56
U of the chain stitches
56
. The stitches
56
are linearly interlocked with themselves by overlap portions
56
L (
FIG. 1B
) formed over the second, bottom, surface
14
B of the backing
14
. A representative stitching apparatus similar in structure and operation to that described herein is manufactured and sold under the Trademark “Malimo” by Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH, Obertshausen, Germany.
The stitching apparatus
10
may include a slotted platen
20
that supports the backing
14
along a generally planar path of travel extending longitudinally through the apparatus
10
. The slots in the platen
20
are not visible in FIG.
1
A. The longitudinal direction of travel of the backing
14
, also termed the “machine direction”, is indicated by the reference arrow
24
. As used throughout this application the longitudinal direction of travel aligns with the longitudinal (or “warp”) direction of a pile surface structure being produced, while the direction transverse to the warp direction is termed the “cross”, “transverse” or “weft” direction of the pile surface structure being produced.
It is noted that the path of travel of the backing
14
through the apparatus
10
is arbitrarily shown in
FIG. 1A
as a horizontal path. The backing
14
is supplied to the platen
20
from a suitable supply roll (not shown in FIG.
1
A). In the stitch-bonded structure
12
produced by the apparatus of
FIG. 1A
the backing
14
typically takes the form of a lightly needled staple “fleece”, a lightly bonded card web, or a spunlaced sheet. None of these typical backing materials is dimensionally stable. Accordingly, the main purpose of a stitch-bonding operation is to impart stability to the backing
14
in both its longitudinal and cross directions.
The backing
14
is conveyed incrementally in the machine direction
24
by a suitable propelling arrangement, such as a pull roll (not shown in FIG.
1
A). Optionally, a hold-down plate downstream of the needle plane may support the backing against the platen in that region. The hold-down plate is omitted from
FIG. 1A
for clarity of illustration.
At the inlet edge of the platen is a sinker bar
28
. The sinker bar
28
extends transversely across the apparatus
10
. A plurality of sinker fingers
30
extends forwardly from the sinker bar
28
in the machine direction
24
. Each sinker finger
30
is spaced from a laterally adjacent finger
30
by a predetermined lateral spacing
32
. The top surface of each sinker finger
30
is indicated by the character
30
T, while the undersurface of each sinker finger
30
is indicated by the character
30
S. The upper surface
20
S of the platen
20
and the undersurface
30
S of each sinker finger
30
cooperate to define a throat
34
into which the backing
14
is introduced into the apparatus
10
.
A needle bar
40
having a plurality of penetrating needles
42
thereon is mounted beneath the platen
20
. Each needle
42
may include a closure (not illustrated). The needle bar
40
is spaced a predetermined distance forwardly of the ends
30
E of the sinker fingers
30
. The needles
42
extend upwardly through the slots in the platen
20
. The needle bar
40
is movable by a suitable actuator (not shown) such that the needles
42
are displaceable in vertically reciprocating fashion in a needle plane
44
located forwardly of the ends
30
E of the sinker fingers
30
and normal to the path of travel. Each of the reciprocating needles
42
intersects and penetrates the backing
14
at a respective needle penetration point
46
. Each needle penetration point
46
is located in the transverse spacing
32
defined between laterally adjacent sinker fingers
30
. The transversely extending line of needle penetration points
46
lies in the needle plane
44
.
A plurality of guide bars
50
is mounted above the sinker fingers
30
and above the planar path of travel of the backing
14
through the apparatus
10
. Although a typical stitching apparatus may include up to four such guide bars, for clarity of illustration only the guide bars
50
T,
50
Y are illustrated in FIG.
1
A. Each guide bar
50
T,
50
Y has a plurality of downwardly depending guide elements. The guide elements may be implemented as circular eyelets, as illustrated, or may take the form of tubular members or wide spoon guides, if desired.
The guide elements on the guide bar
50
Y serve to carry the yarns
48
Y that are laid into the top surface
14
S of the backing
14
. Each yarn
48
Y is dispensed from a beam or from an individual bobbin mounted on a creel rack (not shown in
FIG. 1A
) and passes through a guide element on the yarn guide bar
50
Y. The guide elements on the other guide bar
50
T carry the stitching threads
48
T that hold the yarns
48
Y to the backing
14
. Each stitching thread
48
T is dispensed from a separate beam or from a bobbin mounted on a creel (not shown in FIG.
1
A).
Each guide bar
550
Y,
50
T is independently movable in various degrees of freedom by a suitable actuating arrangement (not shown). Typically, each guide bar
50
Y,
50
T may be swung transversely, forwardly, and/or backwardly with respect to any other guide bar. Thus, the yarns
48
Y and/or the threads
48
T carried on the guide bars
50
Y,
50
T may be displaced with respect to the backing
14
, and/or looped or interlocked with each other in a variety of fashions.
In operation, the backing
14
is introduced from the supply roll into the throat
34
defined between the platen
2
Roe Raymond Alan
Zafiroglu Dimitri Peter
E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
Izaguirre Ismael
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