Fabric (woven – knitted – or nonwoven textile or cloth – etc.) – Coated or impregnated woven – knit – or nonwoven fabric which... – Coated or impregnated synthetic organic fiber fabric
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-09-25
Cole, Elizabeth M. (Department: 1771)
Fabric (woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.)
Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which...
Coated or impregnated synthetic organic fiber fabric
C442S085000, C442S086000, C428S293700, C428S399000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06294486
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to adhesion promotion compositions which provide excellent adhesive characteristics between rubber latices and flexible textile substrates. Such compositions comprise specific mixtures of capped isocyanates which react strongly and thoroughly with rubber latices to promote the adhesion of such latices to textile substrates. Such rubber latices provide the ability to increase the stretch characteristics of the target textile substrate while simultaneously permitting retention of a certain degree of rigidity. Such rubber/textile composites are useful within waistbands as they retain their stretch and rigidity very well even after repeated dry cleanings. The inventive adhesion promoter does not require the utilization of formaldehyde, reduces the amount of promoter needed to effectuate the proper adhesive characteristics, and substantially eliminates potential discolorations and swelling of the target textile substrate associated with standard formaldehyde-containing adhesion promoter compositions. The methods utilizing these particular adhesion promotion compositions as well as the target textile substrates themselves are also contemplated within this invention.
Discussion of the Prior Art
Waistband fabric has typically comprised a rubber latex/monofilament fabric composite which exhibits both flexibility (to permit stretching when worn) and the ability to retain its shape (to prevent any undesirable rolling and/or misshapening of the fabric). Such waistband fabric is incorporated within pants, slacks, and the like, and is covered by other fabrics (such as wool, polyester, cotton, and the like) which generally coordinate with the remaining fabric of the slacks, etc., and protect the waistband fabric. Such fabric has been utilized for many years in order to provide the wearer with comfortable apparel.
In the past, waistband articles were made from all-rubber compositions in order to provide stretch. However, roll-over of the waistband was common as there was little or no rigidity to keep the waistband from folding on itself. Such rubber articles did, however, include curing agents which provided durability during multiple drycleanings and washings. More recently, such waistband articles included carboxylated nitrile rubber latices including melamine formaldehyde curing agents.
Recently, it has been realized that adhering rubber latices to textiles, particularly those composed of filaments having high tenacity to a rubber latex, enhances the modulus of the textile, increases the tensile strength of the rubber component, and provides long-lasting durability for the entire composite. Thus, providing effective and proper adhesion between the textile and the rubber has been of utmost importance in such applications. Without any primer treatment, the textile will not effectively adhere to the rubber. A weak bond between the two components results in separation of the two layers. Thus, it has been and is necessary to provide a textile treatment to enhance the adhesion of these two layers of distinct components.
This combination of a monofilament (for rigidity and shape retention) and rubber latex (to provide stretch and flexibility) has required the utilization of certain adhesive compositions which effectuate the proper contact and bonding between these two necessary components. Further advancements in producing suitable waistband articles have included adhering carboxylated nitrile rubbers to textile backings through the utilization of melamine formaldehyde agents for adhesion promotion. Due to low cost and effective adhesion characteristics, such formaldehyde-containing adhesion promoters are and have been the standard compositions utilized for this purpose for years. Recently, however, there has been a move away from such potentially environmentally damaging, and alleged carcinogenic formaldehyde-containing compositions to more acceptable adhesion promoters. Furthermore, high curing temperatures are required to effectuate the production of the target rubber latex/monofilament textile composite; formaldehyde, however, is prone to discolor substrates to which it is applied under high temperatures. Again, this problem has driven the industry to find suitable substitutions for formaldehyde-containing adhesion promotion compositions.
Such a move has proven difficult, however, since compositions, such as melamine formaldehyde, provide not only beneficial adhesive characteristics between rubber latices and monofilament textiles, but such compounds also permit repeated and continuous drycleaning procedures without deleteriously affecting the waistband fabric composite [i.e., the melamine groups appear to prevent “swelling” (delaminating) of the latex from the fabric in the presence of standard drycleaning solvents]. Thus, the search for a replacement adhesion promoter has entailed more than finding a compound with similar adhesive properties as formaldehyde-containing compositions; the substitute must also prevent “swelling” of the latex and fabric during drycleaning procedures, must not cause discolorations of the fabric under high curing temperatures, and must also be a cost-effective alternative to such readily available, inexpensive formaldehyde-containing compositions. To date, the prior art has not accorded a specific, simple composition which provides all of these necessary benefits and/or characteristics.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a formaldehyde-free adhesion promoter composition for the production of a rubber latex/textile composite. A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive method of adhering a rubber latex and textile together without the utilization of a formaldehyde-containing adhesion promoter composition. Another object of the invention is to provide an adhesion promoter which does not exhibit discoloring of the target composite or components thereof during exposure to high curing temperatures. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a rubber latex/textile composite which does not deleterious react with standard dry cleaning solvents and which is also produced with a formaldehyde-free adhesion promoter composition.
Accordingly, this invention concerns a textile/rubber latex composite comprising a rubber latex and a textile fabric, wherein said rubber latex and said textile fabric are adhered together through the utilization of a formaldehyde-free adhesion promoter composition comprising at least one capped isocyanate compound. Furthermore, this composition also encompasses a method of producing a textile/rubber composite comprising the steps of (a) providing a rubber latex composition; (b) introducing an adhesion promoter composition into said rubber latex composition of step “a” wherein said adhesion promoter composition is free from formaldehyde and comprises at least one isocyanate compound; (c) applying the resultant composition of step “b” to a textile fabric substrate; and (d) curing the resultant textile/rubber latex/adhesion promoter composite at temperature of between about 280 and 400° F. Nowhere within the prior art has such a specific rubber latex/textile composite or method of making same been disclosed or practiced. Although capped isocyanates have proven useful in the past within and as adhesives, there is no teaching or fair suggestion that such compounds can suitably function as adhesion promoters for rubber latices and textiles, while simultaneously preventing textile, rubber, or composite discolorations due to high curing temperatures, providing the same “non-swelling” benefits in the presence of standard dry cleaning solvents as with melamine formaldehyde, for example, and reducing the amount of promoter composition necessary to effectuate a sufficient bonding between the target rubber latex and textile to ultimately produce a high modulus strength, high stretch, high shape retaining composite, thereby being extremely cost-effective to the user.
The term “capped isocyanates” is intended to encompass compound
Cole Elizabeth M.
Milliken & Company
Moyer Terry T.
Parks William S.
Singh Arti
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