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(11) | EP 2 290 156 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Padding material, process for making the same and articles comprising such material |
(57) A padding material based on feathers is described together with the process for its
manufacture.
Field of the invention
State of the art
[0003] Of the various materials used for paddings, feathers (particularly goose down) are particularly valued because of their exceptional cold insulation properties which make them the material of choice for the production, for example, of bed quilts or winter clothing articles.
[0004] The feathers are normally inserted directly into the interior of the article to be padded or into suitable "pockets" located inside it, or by means of feather bags consisting of dense weave material and hence able to retain even the smallest feathers without allowing them to escape through the external fabric.
[0005] The feather bags are then inserted into pockets provided in the article for containing the padding.
[0006] Both the pockets and feather bags are filled manually with the feathers by inserting them in small handfuls while seeking to maintain a homogeneous feather distribution and to comply with the required quantities in terms of feather weight/m2, this quantity being variable according to the different parts of the article to be padded (collar, sleeves, shirtfront, etc.).
[0007] The use of manual operatives to carry out the filling is evidently costly and moreover, notwithstanding operative ability, it is very difficult to guarantee a homogeneous feather distribution and required weight/m2 compliance in the finished article.
[0008] There is hence evident interest in developing a process which eliminates or at least minimizes the manual operative requirement in filling the paddings with feathers.
Detailed description of the invention
[0009] It has been surprisingly found that the aforesaid problems can be overcome by a padding material consisting of a mixture of feathers and water-soluble adhesive materials.
[0010] According to the invention, feathers mean those commonly used for padding, and in particular goose down.
[0011] Water-soluble adhesive materials are for example: water-soluble fibres, knitted or woven fabrics (preferably woven) of water-soluble fibres, non-woven fabrics of water-soluble fibres, water-soluble powders and other similar products having adhesive properties but completely water-soluble, in which the water-soluble fibres or powders are products having adhesive but water-soluble capacity, such as: polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and its derivatives (for example amides) or sugars such as cyclodextrins.
[0012] Normally the feather/water-soluble adhesive material ratio is between 40/60 and 50/50, preferably 50/50.
[0013] Preferably the padding product of the invention consists of a veil, similar in construction to non-woven fabrics, in which the feathers and the water-soluble adhesive materials as aforedefined are densely interlaced to form a veil of desired thickness (and hence weight) which can then be cut and/or shaped as preferred. The padding material production process according to the invention also follows the method used to produce non-woven fabrics, excluding evidently the carding steps which in this case are superfluous.
[0014] In the padding material production process according to the invention, a required weighed quantity of a mixture of feathers and water-soluble adhesive material is loaded onto a conveyor belt which travels until it reaches the level of two parallel needle boards, one above and the other below said belt, which with their reciprocating movement interlace and needle-punch the assembly to render the feather and fibre mixture into a compact and continuous whole, in the form of a veil or wadding, which is then collected and rolled up as a normal non-woven fabric.
[0015] According to a particular embodiment of the process a required weighed quantity of feathers alone is placed on a knitted or woven length of fabric (preferably woven) of water-soluble fibres or a non-woven fabric of water-soluble fibres positioned on the conveyor belt which travels until it reaches the needle boards, which interlace and needle-punch the whole assembly as aforedescribed to again form a continuous compact product which is then collected and rolled up as a normal fabric or non-woven fabric.
[0016] It should be noted that in the process, the size of the needles, their density and the working velocity are not essential factors in obtaining the final product; the procedure can therefore be implemented in the manner considered most suitable according to the desired product quantity and the machinery available.
[0017] Preferably, if necessary the air can be moistened at the moment of loading the material onto the belt in order to prevent excessive movement of feathers; evidently, this moistening must not be excessive so as not to dissolve the water-soluble fibres.
[0018] A curtain of drawn-off air should preferably be applied below the belt for its entire height in order to retain the material on the belt.
[0019] The product obtained in this manner is hence suitable for working as a normal padding material different from feathers.
[0020] The material can then be cut to the required dimensions and rapidly positioned in the pockets provided for this purpose in the articles to be padded or in the relative feather bags.
[0021] Alternatively, the padding can be directly inserted into the article, without any manual intervention.
[0022] In this case the padding material has merely to be spread continuously over the fabric arranged on the pattern positioning and cutting table and then covered with the fabric which is to act as the inner lining of the article.
[0023] During the preparation of the finished articles of clothing the padding will automatically be located inside the article without the need for further intervention. Once the required article of clothing has been made up, a simple quick wash with cold water dissolves and eliminates those water-soluble adhesive materials which acted as a "compactant" during the previous steps, so enabling the feathers to resume their volume and hence perform the function for which they are intended, in a manner similar to manual padding.
1. Padding material consisting of a mixture of feathers and water-soluble adhesive materials.
2. Material according to claim 1, wherein said feathers are goose down and said water-soluble
adhesive materials are chosen from: water-soluble fibres, knitted or woven fabrics
of water-soluble fibres, non-woven fabrics of water-soluble fibres, water-soluble
powders.
3. Material according to claims 1-2, wherein the feathers to water-soluble adhesive materials
weight ratio is between 40/60 and 50/50.
4. Material according to claims 1-3 in the form of non-woven fabric or wadding, wherein
the feathers and the water-soluble adhesive materials are densely interlaced to form
a veil or wadding of desired thickness and weight.
5. Process for producing a material according to claims 1-4, wherein:
- a required weighed quantity of a mixture of feathers and water-soluble adhesive materials is loaded onto a conveyor belt which travels until it reaches two needle boards positioned parallel one above and the other below said belt;
- a compact and continuous assembly is formed, in the form of a veil or wadding, by the reciprocating movement of the needle boards which interlace and needle-punch the feathers and fibres;
- the veil or wadding obtained in this manner is collected and rolled up.
6. Process according to claim 5, wherein in the first step a required weighed quantity
of feathers alone is placed on a knitted or woven length of fabric positioned on the
conveyor belt which travels until it reaches the level of the two needle boards, after
which the process proceeds as stated in claim 5.
7. Process according to claim 5, wherein the air is moistened at the moment of loading
the material onto the belt, in order to prevent excessive movement of feathers, but
without fully dissolving the water-soluble adhesive materials.
8. Padding process wherein a material according to claims 1-4 is cut to the required
dimensions and then placed in the pockets provided for that purpose in the articles
to be padded or in the relative feather bags, said articles then being washed in cold
water to eliminate the water-soluble adhesive materials.
9. Padding process wherein:
- the padding material according to claims 1-4 is spread continuously over the fabric acting as the article exterior arranged on the pattern positioning and cutting table, and is then covered, in the manner of a sandwich, with the fabric intended to act as the article lining;
- the sandwich composed of external fabric/padding/internal fabric is cut along the outline of the pattern by common cutting techniques (manual or CAD);
- the article is made up;
- the article is washed in cold water to eliminate the water-soluble adhesive materials.
10. An article of clothing or a furnishing item padded with a material according to claims
1-4.