Patterned textile product

• US 7,243,513 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Kohlman, Randolph S., McBride, Daniel T., Kang, Peter K., Stewart, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson; Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/755,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20050106355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 682/05.R, 815/1
• US Class Current: 68/205.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 11/0059 by spraying
• CPC Class Codes: D06Q 1/06 by local treatment of pile fabrics with chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23979 Particular backing structure or composition

Abstract

A textile substrate is patterned by the selective application of various dyes to the substrate surface in a way that provides desirable, visually apparent enhancements in the area of pattern detail, definition, and color range, through the use of a novel patterning system, including the application of various chemical agents, that makes such enhancements possible. In one embodiment, the patterning system described herein is capable of producing pile-faced textile substrates, useful as floor coverings, that exhibit a unique combination of desirable pattern attributes that have been identified and measured using novel techniques specifically developed for these substrates and pattern attributes.

Claims

1. A valve card for use in a substrate treatment apparatus adapted to controllably discharge a treatment fluid onto a substrate, the valve card comprising in combination:

a plurality of selectively operable valves operable between open and closed positions, wherein at least a portion of the valves are in fluid communication with corresponding dedicated fluid discharge jets, wherein said fluid discharge jets controllably discharge said treatment fluid onto said substrate when said valves are in the open position, said treatment fluid being selected from the group consisting of colorant compositions and chemical compositions;

a power input port adapted to receive a power cable for supply of electrical power to the valve card;

an instruction data input port adapted to receive a valve control cable for transmission of valve operating instructions from a control unit to the valve card; and

an integral circuit board adapted to translate instruction data from the data input port into powered valve operating commands such that the valves may be selectively opened and closed, whereby said treatment fluids are discharged onto said substrate when said valves are open, and wherein the valve card is a modular unit which is suitable for independent operation within the substrate treatment apparatus and which is removable as a one piece structure from the substrate treatment apparatus.

2. The valve card of claim 1, wherein the valve card further comprises an identification board adapted to retain and transmit an electronic identification code.

3. The valve card of claim 2, wherein the identification board is adapted to transmit the identification code through the power input port.

4. A substrate treatment apparatus adapted to controllably discharge at least one of a colorant or chemical composition to a substrate, the substrate treatment apparatus comprising:

a plurality of independently operable modular valve cards adapted to discharge treatment fluids onto said substrate, said treatment fluids being selected from the group consisting of said colorant compositions and said chemical compositions, wherein at least a portion of said modular valve cards comprise;

a plurality of selectively operable valves operable between open and closed positions, wherein at least a portion of the valves are in fluid communication with corresponding dedicated fluid discharge jets, whereby said treatment fluids are controllably discharged onto said substrate when said valves are in the open position;

a power input port adapted to receive a power cable for supply of electrical power to the valve card;

an instruction data input port adapted to receive a valve control cable for transmission of valve operating instructions from a control unit to the valve card; and

an integral circuit board adapted to translate instruction data from the data input port into powered valve operating commands such that the valves may be selectively opened and closed, whereby said treatment fluids are discharged onto said substrate when said valves are open, and wherein said at least a portion of said modular valve cards are suitable for independent operation within the substrate treatment apparatus and are independently removable as a unitary structures from the substrate treatment apparatus.

5. The substrate treatment apparatus of claim 4, wherein said at least a portion of said modular valve cards further comprise an identification board adapted to retain and transmit an electronic identification code.

6. The substrate treatment apparatus of claim 5, wherein the identification board is adapted to transmit the identification code through the power input port.

7. The substrate treatment apparatus of claim 4, wherein the substrate treatment apparatus further comprises an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the distance between the fluid discharge jets and the substrate.

8. A processing range for application of at least one of a colorant or chemical composition to a textile substrate, said processing range comprising:

a substrate treatment apparatus adapted to controllably discharge said at least one colorant or chemical composition onto the substrate;

a pretreatment station adapted to heat the substrate prior to entering the substrate treatment apparatus; and

at least one treatment station disposed downstream of the pretreatment station, wherein the substrate treatment apparatus comprises;

a plurality of independently operable modular valve cards adapted to discharge treatment fluids onto said substrate, said treatment fluids being selected from the group consisting of said colorant compositions and said chemical compositions, wherein at least a portion of said modular valve cards comprise;

a plurality of selectively operable valves operable between open and closed positions, wherein at least a portion of the valves are in fluid communication with corresponding dedicated fluid discharge jets, whereby said treatment fluids are controllably discharged onto said substrate when said valves are in the open position;

a power input port adapted to receive a power cable for supply of electrical power to the valve card;

an instruction data input port adapted to receive a valve control cable for transmission of valve operating instructions from a control unit to the valve card; and

an integral circuit board adapted to translate instruction data from the data input port into powered valve operating commands such that the valves may be selectively opened and closed, whereby said treatment fluids are discharged onto said substrate when said valves are open, and wherein said at least a portion of said modular valve cards are suitable for independent operation within the substrate treatment apparatus and are independently removable as unitary structures from the substrate treatment apparatus.