AU2008302790B2

AU2008302790B2 - Needle-punched nonwoven velour, and use thereof

Info

Publication number: AU2008302790B2
Application number: AU2008302790A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Martin Buchsel; Ararad Emirze; Ulrike Maass; Jeff Stine; Jan-Peter Zilg
Original assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Current assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
Priority date: 2007-09-20
Filing date: 2008-08-01
Publication date: 2011-05-12
Anticipated expiration: 2028-08-01
Also published as: KR101194432B1; AU2008302790A1; MX2010002808A; KR20100050569A; CA2700204A1

Description

WO 2009/039914 - 1 - PCT/EP2008/006370 Applicant: Carl Freudenberg KG, 69469 Weinheim Needle-punched nonwoven velour and use thereof 5 Description Technical field The invention relates to a velour needled nonwoven web 10 produced by laying an optionally preconsolidated web down on a brushlike base and needling the web on this base. The invention further relates to preferred uses of the velour needled nonwoven web. 15 Prior art DE 34 44 763 Al discloses an apparatus and a process for producing a velour needled nonwoven web wherein a preneedled staple fibre web is laid down onto a 20 circulating brushlike stitching base and is then needled to form a pile on the side facing the stitching base. Since, in this process, the fibres captured by the needles are needled into the brush of the stitching base, the nonwoven web needled in this way acquires a 25 velourlike appearance. To enhance the distortion resistance of such a velour needled nonwoven web, DE 44 09 771 Al proposes laying the staple fibre web down onto the brushlike stitching 30 base with interposition of a layer having a higher distortion resistance than the staple fibre web, particularly with interposition of a spunbonded web, and then conducting the process such that, in the needling step, the pile fibres are pulled through the 35 layer having the higher distortion resistance. Here, according to the reference, care must be taken in particular to ensure that the basis weight of the interlayer of spunbonded web is as low as possible, so C:\NRPoNrlDCC\CAB\371293-I.DOC.-/3W2Ol 1 -2 that pile formation through the interlayer is not impaired and, on the other hand, the interlayer does not make an appearance in the visual appearance of the velour needled nonwoven web of staple fibres. 5 Velour needled nonwoven webs of the type described are increasingly used for lining motor vehicle interiors. One disadvantage in this connection is that, to achieve the abrasion resistance required for this use, 200 to 10 300 g/m 2 of deep-drawable latex binder has to be added to the velour needled nonwoven web. Latex binder is not only very costly, it also contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which escape into the motor vehicle interior (fogging). With regard to universally rising 15 awareness of environmental, health and quality concerns, such emissions in interiors for example in motor vehicles, building products, or else residential interiors are no longer acceptable. 20 Summary of the invention In accordance with the invention, there is provided a velour needled nonwoven web produced by laying an optionally preconsolidated web down on a brushlike 25 stitching base and needling the web on this base, wherein the web comprises a spun-bonded web comprising filaments comprising multicomponent filaments having at least one high-melting component and at least one thermally activatable low-melting component. 30 C:\NRPonbl\DCCCAB357L293_l DOC.-5/2OI I -2A In another aspect, there is provided a textile covering, in particular for lining interiors in the commercial and residential sector, comprising at least one ply composed of a velour needled nonwoven web and forming a velour 5 surface, the velour needled nonwoven web being formed in accordance with the above. In another aspect, there is provided use of a textile covering, as described above, for lining motor vehicle 10 interiors, such as the passenger compartment or the trunk. In another aspect, there is provided use of a textile covering, as described above, for carpet flooring. 15 Detailed Description In what follows, filaments for the purposes of the invention are continuous fibres. Fibres or staple WO 2009/039914 - 3 - PCT/EP2008/006370 fibres shall in contrast be understood as meaning hereinbelow fibres of finite length. The invention provides in relation to a velour needled 5 nonwoven web produced by laying an optionally preconsolidated web down on a brushlike stitching base and needling the web on this base that the web comprises a spunbonded web comprising filaments comprising multicomponent filaments having at least one 10 high-melting component and at least one thermally activatable low-melting component. Surprisingly, a velour needled nonwoven web of the type described above was ascertained to provide very high 15 abrasion resistances even without use of an additional chemical binder. The latex coat typically applied to the back of a velour needled nonwoven web to be used in motor vehicle interiors to increase its abrasion resistance need not be used at all. A velour needled 20 nonwoven web according to the invention is therefore free of active foggants. The harmful emission of volatile hydrocarbons which is associated with the known latex coat is completely avoided with a velour needled nonwoven web according to the invention. The 25 velour needled nonwoven web according to the invention therefore meets the highest expectations with regard to health and environmental compatibility and quality. The elimination of latex binder, what is more, additionally leads to a distinct cost benefit. 30 According to the invention, the velour needled nonwoven web comprises a spunbonded web comprising filaments. The use of a spunbonded web has more than just the advantage of endowing the textile fabric with a certain 35 strength in a conventional manner. Spunbonded webs are also very economical to produce. However, spunbonded webs - unlike staple fibre webs - typically have a very smooth, low-bulk appearance. The filaments lie almost WO 2009/039914 - 4 - PCT/EP2008/006370 exclusively in a horizontal plane. The materials are clearly devoid of loft and velourlike characteristics. They therefore appear at a first glance unsuitable for forming a velourlike needled web. Accordingly, it is 5 expressly mentioned in the DE 44 09 771 Al reference described at the beginning that the basis weight of the spunbonded web inserted as a reinforcing ply needs to be kept so low that it does not make a visual appearance. 10 However, it has now emerged, surprisingly, that even spunbonded webs, even at high basis weights, when needled on a brushlike stitching base as described in DE 43 44 763 Al for example, provide a lofty textile 15 fabric which has a velourlike appearance. Even the property of loft recovery from load, important for velour needled nonwoven webs, is achieved. All the while, the needled spunbonded web does retain its well known good properties, such as high distortion 20 resistance, very good formability, high dimensional stability and abrasion resistance. The properties of a velour needled nonwoven web according to the invention with regard to recovery, 25 distortion resistance and dimensional stability can be additionally enhanced when the velour needled nonwoven web according to the invention is additionally subjected to thermal consolidation after needling. 30 A velour needled nonwoven web according to the invention is obtainable by means of a process as described for example in the abovementioned DE 34 44 763 Al reference. Particular process variants, leading to structuring of the surface of a velour 35 needled nonwoven web for example, are additionally known from EP 0 411 647 Al. Forked and/or crowned needles are used for example depending on the desired structuring. Accordingly, single- or multi-stage WO 2009/039914 - 5 - PCT/EP2008/006370 processes are described. These processes can also be applied to a velour needled nonwoven web according to the invention without restriction of generality. 5 According to the invention, the filaments comprise multicomponent filaments having at least one high melting component and at least. one thermally activatable low-melting component, preferably bicomponent filaments. Bicomponent filaments are well 10 known. They include a low-melting component comprising a low-melting polymer and a high-melting component comprising a high-melting polymer. The abovementioned thermally activatable low-melting 15 component assumes according to the invention the function of a binder or latex binder without, however, having the disadvantages associated with the use of this binder or any other chemical binder, such as fogging, low recyclability, etc. The melting point of 20 the low-melting component should preferably be about 100C to 200C below the melting point of the higher melting component in order that the latter is not destroyed in the course of thermal activation. 25 The proportion of bicomponent filaments in the spunbonded web should not be less than 5% (based on the total basis weight of the velour needled nonwoven web) since otherwise the abrasion resistance would deteriorate too much. The proportion is preferably 30 above 15%. The spunbonded web may have a single- or multi-ply construction. It may consist of one or more species of filament. The admixture of staple fibres is also 35 possible. However, in this case, the proportion of staple fibres should not exceed a value of 75% based on the total basis weight of the velour needled nonwoven web, since tensile strength and shape stability as well WO 2009/039914 - 6 - PCT/EP2008/006370 as the abrasion resistance decrease substantially at higher values. The staple fibres can likewise be formed of 5 multicomponent, preferably bicomponent, fibres, in which case the above observations apply with regard to the polymers preferably used. One way to admix staple fibres is to inject staple 10 fibres into the spunbonded web filament stream. However, it is also possible to lay the staple fibres down on a spunbonded web ply or between two spunbonded web plies and to introduce the fibres into the spunbonded web plies via the needling operation. It is 15 further possible for the two plies to be produced separately and only be joined together in a downstream step, for example by means of the needling step. By admixing crimped staple fibres it is possible to 20 further improve the loft and loft recovery. This effect can also be achieved through the use of crimped continuous filaments. However, the addition of staple fibres may also 25 advantageously be used to achieve a reproducible and homogeneous colouration of the velour needlefelt. In such colouration, the staple fibres are the sole carriers of colour. The colour is controlled via the amount added. Such reproducible colouration can also be 30 achieved via pigmentation of the continuous filaments in the continuous spinning operation. However, the staple fibre operation is generally significantly more flexible and therefore quicker for implementing colour changes. 35 According to the invention, a plurality of different fibres or filaments can be used. Differences can reside for example in the composition or else in the fibre or WO 2009/039914 - 7 - PCT/EP2008/006370 filament thickness. The plies of different fibres and/or filaments can have a stagewise or else gradientwise construction. For instance, the formation of discrete transitions between plies having different 5 fibres and/or filaments or alternatively a continuous enrichment in one filament or fibre species in the direction of one of the surfaces is conceivable. When such a fibre or filament comprises a low-melting heat activatable binder polymer, an adhesion-promoter layer 10 can be formed in this simple way. In a gradientwise construction, such a binder polymer additionally leads to consolidation and stabilization in the interior of the ply. 15 A textile covering comprising a velour needled nonwoven web according to the invention has particular mechanical stability as well as environmental and health compatibility and quality and therefore is very useful for applications in the commercial sector. That 20 includes all target groups including those not assignable to the private sector, for example offices, schools, banks, insurance companies, hotels, the social and care sector, sports facilities, particularly also the interior trim in the automotive sector, in 25 shipping, railways, etc. The commercial sector has very high requirements with regard to technical quality. These requirements are met by a textile covering according to the invention. 30 Preference is here given to applications in the sector of motor vehicle interior lining not only in the passenger compartment but also in the trunk or boot, and also carpet flooring, not only as continuous sheet material but also in the form of tiles. But other 35 applications for such a textile covering are also possible, for example as wall covering, dividing walls, etc. It is clear from the above remarks that a textile covering according to the invention can of course also WO 2009/039914 - 8 - PCT/EP2008/006370 be used in the private sector, for example in the residential sector. A textile covering according to the invention can also 5 be finished for the abovementioned applications to be flame retardant, antistatic or antimicrobial for example. The possible uses of a velour needled nonwoven web 10 according to the invention or of a textile covering according to the invention are certainly not limited to the concrete fields of application mentioned above. Particularly for applications in the lining of motor 15 vehicle interiors or in carpet flooring can it be advantageous for the textile covering according to the invention to be provided with a so-called heavy layer. Use of heavy layers in the sector of motor vehicle interior lining is known per se. They provide 20 decoupling according to the mass-spring principle. The heavy layer is extruded either by means of a layer of PE with supply of heat or directly onto the carpet and then does not require any further adhesion promoter. The heavy layer typically consists of CaCO 3 and EVA. On 25 top, a decoupler such as cotton shoddy or a foam is applied. The heavy layer in a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, can also be applied in the form of a nonwoven web, particularly in the form of a spunbonded web. This not only simplifies process 30 management, but may also result in advantages from the aspect of recyclability, as will be further described hereinbelow. Furthermore, in a further preferred embodiment, a 35 covering according to the invention can be equipped with a sound-absorbing ply either in combination with the heavy layer or alone. The sound-absorbing ply can be formed in a conventional manner by cotton shoddy WO 2009/039914 - 9 - PCT/EP2008/006370 with interply, which limits the air permeability, or else by a microfibre web in combination with cotton shoddy or a needled web or by a needled web itself. 5 The above-described plies and/or layers are preferably connected together by means of tie layers. Traditional binders can be used for the tie layers. From the aspect of environmental and health compatibility as well as from economic aspects (simplified process management, 10 fewer operations) these tie layers in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention likewise utilize plies of multicomponent filaments and/or fibres, preferably bicomponent filaments and/or fibres. The tie layer may additionally or solely also utilize 15 monofilaments or -fibres which consist of a low-melting polymer, for example a copolymer. Chemical binders, which can lead to the familiar fogging problem, can then be completely eliminated with these last-mentioned embodiments. 20 Bicomponent filaments and/or fibres for the uses described in the present application utilize in one preferred embodiment of the invention core-sheath, Side-By-Side, Island-In-The-Sea and/or PIE (including 25 Hollow PIE) filaments or fibres. Bicomponent filaments or fibres of trilobal geometry or fibres or filaments from spinneret dies having a dumbbell-shaped capillary geometry (= concentrated arrangement of binder and matrix polymer) lead to better anchoring of the fibres 30 or filaments in the nonwoven web and hence to a still further increased tensile strength and abrasion resistance for the material. The proportion of multicomponent or bicomponent 35 filaments and/or fibres is a simple way to set/adjust the stiffness of the textile covering. The higher this proportion is, the stiffer the material becomes.

WO 2009/039914 - 10 - PCT/EP2008/006370 The low-melting component of the bicomponent filaments or fibres preferably comprises, without loss of generality, CoPET (copolyester), CoPA (copolyamide), PA (polyamide), PP (polypropylene), copolypropylene 5 (CoPP), atactic PP and/or PE (polyethylene), while the high-melting component preferably comprises PET (polyester), PA (polyamide), PLA (polylactide), PBT (polybutylene) and/or PP (polypropylene). The same holds as well for the at least one low-melting 10 component and, respectively, the at least one high melting component of multicomponent filaments and fibres used according to the invention. In a further particularly preferred embodiment of the 15 invention, the filaments and/or fibres of all plies and/or layers consist of one and the same polymer and/or its derivatives. This has the advantage of simpler recyclability. Preferably, the textile covering consists of polypropylene and/or its derivatives or of 20 polyester and/or its derivatives or of polyamide and/or its derivatives. Particularly in the case of textile linings it is frequently the case that shaped articles are die cut out of the continuous sheet material. The die-cutting scraps can be reused for filament and/or 25 staple fibre production when the above materials are used.

C:\NRPont\DCCCAB\3571293_ DOC-5/041201I - 10A Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion 5 of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. The reference in this specification to any prior 10 publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the 15 common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Claims

1. Velour needled nonwoven web produced by laying an optionally preconsolidated web down on a brushlike stitching base and needling the web on this base, wherein the web comprises a spun-bonded web comprising filaments comprising multicomponent filaments having at least one high-melting component and at least one thermally activatable low-melting component.

2. Velour needled nonwoven web according to Claim 1, wherein the multicomponent filaments comprise bicomponent filaments.

3. Velour needled nonwoven web according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the proportion of bicomponent filaments is greater than 5% and preferably greater than 15% based on the total weight of the velour needled nonwoven web.

4. Velour needled nonwoven web according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the bicomponent filaments are configured as core-sheath, Side-By-Side, Island-In-The-Sea and/or PIE (including Hollow PIE) filaments.

5. Velour needled nonwoven web according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the low-melting component of the bicomponent filaments comprises CoPET, CoPA, PA, PP, CoPP, atactic PP and/or PE. C:WPortbIDCCCAB\3571293_ .DOC-5/04201 I - 12

6. Velour needled nonwoven web according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the high-melting component comprises PET, PLA, PBT, PA and/or PP.

7. Velour needled nonwoven web according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the spun-bonded web contains up to 75% of the total basis weight of staple fibres.

8. Velour needled nonwoven web according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the fibres and/or filaments comprise crimped fibres and/or filaments.

9. Textile covering, in particular for lining interiors in the commercial and residential sector, comprising at least one ply composed of a velour needled nonwoven web and forming a velour surface, the velour needled nonwoven web being formed in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 8.

10. Textile covering according to Claim 9, wherein the textile covering has a heavy layer on its rear surface, i.e. the surface which is remote from the velour surface.

11. Textile covering according to Claim 9 or 10, wherein the textile covering has a sound-absorbing ply on its rear surface, i.e. the surface which is remote from the velour surface. C:\RPthl\DCCCAB571293_I.DOC.5/4/20I I - 13

12. Textile covering according to any one of Claims 9 to 11, wherein there are tie layers provided between some or all plies and/or layers.

13. Textile covering, according to Claim 12, wherein the tie layers comprise fibres and/or filaments composed of a low-melting polymer.

14. Textile covering according to Claim 12, wherein the tie layers comprise multicomponent, preferably bicomponent, fibres and/or filaments having at least one high-melting component and at least one low-melting component.

15. Textile covering according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the low-melting polymer or component of the multicomponent or bicomponent fibres and/or filaments comprises CoPET, CoPA, PA, PP, atactic PP and/or PE.

16. Textile covering according to Claim 15, wherein the high-melting component comprises PET, PA, PLA, PBT and/or PP.

17. Textile covering according to any one of Claims 12 to 16, wherein the bicomponent fibres and/or filaments are configured as core-sheath, Side-By Side, Island-In-The-Sea and/or PIE (including Hollow PIE) filaments. C:\NRPnbl\DCCAB\35712931I.DOC.5/2OI 1 -14

18. Textile covering according to any one of Claims 10 to 17, wherein the filaments and/or fibres of all plies and/or layers consist of one and the same polymer and/or its derivatives.

19. The use of a textile covering according to any one of Claims 9 to 18 for lining motor vehicle interiors, such as the passenger compartment or the trunk.

20. The use of a textile covering according to any one of Claims 9 to 18 for carpet flooring.