A pile fabric such as may be used in automotive and furniture upholstery and other applications which fabric incorporates a pile surface formed from variable height fibers. The pile is made up of a first group of fibers having a first height and at least a second group of fibers having a second heig
A pile fabric such as may be used in automotive and furniture upholstery and other applications which fabric incorporates a pile surface formed from variable height fibers. The pile is made up of a first group of fibers having a first height and at least a second group of fibers having a second height which is on average less than the height of the first group. A method of formation is also provided.
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What is claimed is: 1. A pile fabric comprising a base portion and a pile portion, wherein the pile portion comprises a plurality of tufts comprising a plurality of non-textured pile forming fibers extending away from the base portion and wherein a portion of said pile forming fibers comprises fibe
What is claimed is: 1. A pile fabric comprising a base portion and a pile portion, wherein the pile portion comprises a plurality of tufts comprising a plurality of non-textured pile forming fibers extending away from the base portion and wherein a portion of said pile forming fibers comprises fibers having a multi-lobal wave cross sectional geometry and wherein said pile forming fibers provide a level of surface coverage across said base portion such that when said base and said tufts are viewed from an edge perspective the average open void area between tufts is less than about 0.030 mm2. 2. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said pile fabric is about a 44 gauge construction fabric. 3. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said pile forming fibers provide a level of surface coverage across said base portion such that when said base and said tufts are viewed from an edge perspective the average open void area between tufts is less than about 0. 025 mm2. 4. The invention as recited in claim 3, wherein said pile fabric is about a 44 gauge construction fabric. 5. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein said pile forming fibers provide a level of surface coverage across said base portion such that when said base and said tufts are viewed from an edge perspective the average open void area between tufts is less than about 0. 020 mm2. 6. The invention as recited in claim 5, wherein said pile fabric is about a 44 gauge construction fabric. 7. A pile fabric comprising a base portion and a pile portion, wherein the pile portion comprises a plurality of tufts comprising a plurality of non-textured pile forming fibers extending away from the base portion and wherein a portion of said pile forming fibers comprises fibers having a round cross sectional geometry and wherein said pile forming fibers provide a level of surface coverage across said base portion such that when said base and said tufts are viewed from an edge perspective the average open void area between tufts is less than about 0. 15 mm2. 8. The invention as recited in claim 7, wherein said pile fabric is about a 44 gauge construction fabric. 9. The invention as recited in claim 7, wherein said pile forming fibers provide a level of surface coverage across said base portion such that when said base and said tufts are viewed from an edge perspective the average open void area between tufts is less than about 0. 10 mm2. 10. The invention as recited in claim 9, wherein said pile fabric is about a 44 gauge construction fabric. 11. The invention as recited in claim 7, wherein said pile forming fibers provide a level of surface coverage across said base portion such that when said base and said tufts are viewed from an edge perspective the average open void area between tufts is less than about 0. 075 mm2. 12. The invention as recited in claim 11, wherein said pile fabric is about a 44 gauge construction fabric. 13. A pile fabric comprising a base portion and a pile portion projecting away from the base portion, wherein the pile portion comprises a plurality of individual tufts comprising a first group of non-textured pile forming fibers having an average height relative to the base portion and at least a second group of non-textured pile forming fibers having an average height relative to the base portion which is greater than the average height of the first group, and wherein said tufts comprise a tuft base disposed adjacent to the base portion of the fabric and a plurality of tuft tips defining an upper surface of the fabric and wherein at least a portion of said tufts are characterized by a variable population density of pile forming fibers along the length of said tufts such that said tufts have a first number of pile forming fibers at the tuft base and such that said tufts are characterized by a reduction in the number of pile forming fibers per tuft along the length of said tufts such that the number of pile forming fibers is reduced to not more than about 90 percent of said first number of pile forming fibers at locations along the tufts about 75 percent and greater along the length of said tufts as measured from the tuft base to the tuft tips. 14. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said tufts are characterized by a reduction in the number of pile forming fibers per tuft along the length of said tufts such that the number of pile forming fibers is reduced to not more than about 85 percent of said first number of pile forming fibers at locations along the tufts about 75 percent and greater along the length of said tufts as measured from the tuft base to the tuft tips. 15. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said tufts are characterized by a reduction in the number of pile forming fibers per tuft along the length of said tufts such that the number of pile forming fibers is reduced to not more than about 80 percent of said first number of pile forming fibers at locations along the tufts about 75 percent and greater along the length of said tufts as measured from the tuft base to the tuft tips. 16. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein both the first group of pile forming fibers and the second group of pile forming fibers are characterized by substantially uniform cross-sectional geometry along their length. 17. The invention as recited in claim 16, wherein said cross-sectional geometry is round. 18. The invention as recited in claim 16, wherein said cross-sectional geometry is in the form of a multi-lobal wave. 19. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein the first group of pile forming fibers and the second group of pile forming fibers are of the same material. 20. The invention as recited in claim 19, wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon and polypropylene. 21. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said pile fabric is a knit fabric. 22. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein said pile fabric is a woven velour fabric. 23. The invention as recited in claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the first group of pile forming fibers have a different cross-sectional geometry than at least a portion of the second group of pile forming fibers. 24. A method of forming a pile fabric, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first multi-filament pile yarn and at least a second multi-filament pile yarn into a plurality of tufts extending across a base portion such that the tufts and base portion define a fabric structure and wherein the first pile yarn has a retained residual shrinkage potential at least 3 percentage points higher than the second pile yarn; and heating the fabric structure to a level above the glass transition temperature of at least the first pile yarn such that the first pile yarn preferentially shrinks towards the base portion relative to the second pile yarn. 25. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one of the first pile yarn and the second pile yarn is a partially oriented drawn flat yarn. 26. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein both the first pile yarn and the second pile yarn are partially oriented drawn flat yarns. 27. The invention as recited in claim 26, wherein both the first pile yarn and the second pile yarn are partially oriented cold drawn flat yarns. 28. The invention as recited in claim 26, wherein the first pile yarn is a partially oriented hot drawn flat yarn and the second pile yarn is a partially oriented cold drawn flat yarn. 29. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein both the first pile yarn and the second pile yarn have a round cross-sectional geometry. 30. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein both the first pile yarn and the second pile yarn have a multi-lobal wave cross-sectional geometry. 31. The invention as recited in claim 1, wherein the first pile yarn and the second pile yarn are of the same material. 32. The invention as recited in claim 31, wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon and polypropylene. 33. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein said pile fabric is a knit fabric. 34. The invention as recited in claim 33, wherein said pile fabric is a double needle bar knit fabric. 35. The invention as recited in claim 33, wherein said pile fabric is a clip knit fabric. 36. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein said pile fabric is a woven velour fabric. 37. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein after heating the fabric structure to a level above the glass transition temperature of at least the first pile yarn, the first pile yarn is on average characterized by a height at least 25 percent less than the height of the second pile yarn. 38. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein after heating the fabric structure to a level above the glass transition temperature of at least the first pile yarn, the first pile yarn is on average characterized by a height at least 30 percent less than the height of the second pile yarn. 39. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein after heating the fabric structure to a level above the glass transition temperature of at least the first pile yarn, the first pile yarn is on average characterized by a height at least 35 percent less than the height of the second pile yarn. 40. The invention as recited in claim 24, wherein the first pile yarn has a different cross-sectional geometry than the second pile yarn. 41. A method of forming a pile fabric comprising a base portion and a pile portion projecting away from the base portion, wherein the pile portion comprises a plurality of tufts extending away from the base portion, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first non-textured multi-filament pile forming yarn and at least a second non-textured multi-filament pile forming yarn; drawing both the first pile forming yarn and the second pile forming yarn to a reduced denier; treating one of the pile forming yarns with heat under relaxed conditions subsequent to drawing to form a preshrunk pile forming yarn characterized by a level of residual shrinkage potential of not greater than about 3 percent; holding the level of residual shrinkage potential in the other of the pile forming yarns at a level of at least 6 percent; subsequent to the previous steps, forming both the preshrunk pile forming yarn and the other of the pile forming yarns into a plurality of tufts extending away from a fabric base such that the base and the tufts define a fabric structure; and heating the fabric structure such that the other of the pile forming yarns shrinks towards the base preferentially relative to the preshrunk yarn such that at least a portion of said tufts comprise a first group of pile forming fibers having an average height relative to the base portion and at least a second group of pile forming fibers having an average height relative to the base portion which is greater than the average height of the first group. 42. The invention as recited in claim 41, wherein at least a portion of the first group of pile forming fibers is characterized by a height at least 30 percent less than the average height of the second group.
Ceriani Leonardo (Busto Arsizio ITX) Bona Gioachino (Torino ITX), Process for the manufacture of textile structures suitable for use in textile prostheses.
Calhoun, Clyde D.; Koskenmaki, David C.; Berg, James G.; Aamodt, Jennifer M., Unitary polymer substrate having napped surface of frayed end microfibers.
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