SYSTEM AND METHOD OF GENERATING A PATTERN OR IMAGE ON FABRIC WITH LINEAR LASER IRRADIATION, FABRIC MADE BY SAID METHOD, AND PRODUCTS MADE WITH SAID FABRIC

• US 20160060807A1
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RevoLaze LLC (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: RevoLaze LLC (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: COSTIN, Darryl J. Jr., THARPE, Ralph Bernarr
• Granted Patent: US 10,450,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/38 Fabrics, fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/352 for surface treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/361 for deburring or mechanical trimming B23K26/351 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/362 Laser etching
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/70 Auxiliary operations or equipment
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 11/0096 to get a faded look
• CPC Class Codes: D06C 23/02 by singeing, teasing, shearing, etching or brushing
• CPC Class Codes: D06H 1/00 Marking textile materials; Marking in combination with metering or inspecting
• CPC Class Codes: D06H 7/00 Apparatus or processes for cutting, or otherwise severing, specially adapted for the cutting, or otherwise severing, of textile materials web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting devices B65H35/0006
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/005 Laser beam treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/13 Fugitive dyeing or stripping dyes
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/15 Locally discharging the dyes
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/2005 Treatments with alpha, beta, gamma or other rays, e.g. stimulated rays
• CPC Class Codes: D06Q 1/02 Producing patterns by locally destroying or modifying the fibres of a web by chemical actions, e.g. making translucent

Abstract

A method of scribing abrasion aesthetics, patterns, images, serial numbers, ply markings and/or other information, such as sizing or care information, on fabric such as denim, before or during the fabric cutting process is provided. The method comprises loading the panel abrasion software, pattern marker software, and fabric scribing software; placing the fabric on a flat surface under at least one laser; laser scribing ply numbers, serial labels, fabric markers, and panel abrasions on the fabric; cutting the fabric into fabric lengths; spreading the pre-abraded and pre-marked fabric lengths on top of each other to create multiple plies in precise alignment; cutting shaped panels along the lines of the pattern marker with a conventional knife, laser, or other appropriate cutting tool; and stacking the abraded, labeled and shaped panels robotically or manually for sewing.

Claims

1. A method of generating a pattern on a surface of a fabric with laser irradiation, comprising the steps of:

a. defining at least one pattern on the fabric, wherein the pattern includes size and style information;

b. laying the fabric on a surface under at least one laser;

c. laser abrading the fabric within the pattern, wherein the abrading includes a design; and

d. cutting the fabric along the pattern to create panel shapes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting the fabric along the pattern to create panel shapes comprises the steps of first spreading the scribed and abraded fabric lengths on top of each other to create multiple plies, aligning the multiple plies and cutting the multiple plies.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cutting the panel shapes comprises cutting the panel shapes with a conventional knife or a laser.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of stacking the scribed, abraded and shaped panels robotically or manually and sewing the panels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of laying the fabric on a surface comprises spreading a roll of fabric onto a flat conveying surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises denim or twill.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the abrading design pattern comprises a recurring pattern.

8. The method of claim 1, including the step of scribing information about the fabric panel, the information comprising at least one of a serial number, code, ply marker, product information or assembly instructions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the product information comprises at least one of size, style or care instructions.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of laser scribing on the fabric panel including scribing information indicative of the fabric panel

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of laser abrading the fabric comprises lasing in either a continuous linear fashion or by indexing.

12. A method of making a laser etched fabric panel, comprising the steps of:

a. defining at least one pattern on the fabric, wherein the pattern includes size and style information;

b. laying the fabric on a surface under at least one laser;

c. cutting the fabric along the pattern to create panel shapes; and

d. laser abrading the fabric panel, wherein the abrading includes a design

13. A method of laser abrading fabric, comprising the steps of:

a. selecting a length and width for a fabric substrate;

b. selecting a style and size of a garment or product to be formed from the fabric substrate and causing a marker pattern to be formed for each panel of the garment or product and applying the marker pattern to the fabric substrate;

c. selecting an imaging pattern to be laser etched for use in the garment or product;

d. applying the imaging pattern to each of the panels;

e. providing a length of fabric;

f. lazing the fabric and thus forming the panels having the imaging pattern; and

g. cutting the panels from the fabric.

14. The method of claim 13, including the step of:

a. providing the fabric in preselected lengths, and lazing each length.

15. The method of claim 13, including the step of:

a. providing the fabric in a moving format; and

b. lazing the moving fabric.

16. The method of claim 13, including the step of:

a. selectively lazing only some portions of selected panels.

17. The method of claim 13, including the step of:

a. lazing the fabric with a plurality of lasers, each laser lazing a predefined portion of the fabric.

18. The method of claim 17, including the step of:

a. each laser lazing only a complete panel.

19. The method of claim 13, including the step of:

a. lazing the imaging pattern as a plurality of laser lines, the individual laser lines having variable length with the laser lines meeting an immediately adjacent laser line at a variably located intersection.

20. The method of claim 19, including the step of:

a. arranging the cut panels into a plurality of aligned stacks, each stack formed from panels having a uniform shape, size and laser applied image

21. The method of claim 13, including the steps of:

a. selecting the garment as being a pair of jeans, and causing the marking pattern to create the panels necessary for forming a pair of jeans; and

b. selecting the imaging pattern to be one of stone wash, distressed, whisker and abraded images and applying the selected image to the garment panels.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of lazing the fabric comprises lasing in a continuous linear fashion or by indexing.

23. A method of laser abrading fabric, comprising the steps of:

a. selecting a length and width for a fabric substrate;

b. selecting a type, style and size of a garment or product to be formed from the fabric substrate and causing a marker pattern to be formed for each panel of the garment or product and applying the marker pattern to the fabric substrate;

c. selecting an imaging pattern to be laser etched for use in the garment or product;

d. providing a length of fabric;

e. cutting the panels from the fabric;

f. applying the imaging pattern to each of the panels;

g. lazing the fabric and thus forming the panels having the imaging pattern; and

h. conveying the cut panels for assembly into a garment or product.