Patent Application

App. No. 10/491,015

Abstract

Claims (28)

1 . A process for liquid treatment of denim scrap comprising the steps of

a) placing sufficient denim scrap pieces on a support surface to form a thickness of flat, layered denim scrap comprising individual denim pieces with opposed surfaces having approximately parallel orientations, the thickness having a top surface;

b) applying a compression plate to said top surface to form the thickness of denim scrap into a compact cake; and

c) passing liquid through the interior of the compact cake in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the scrap, the liquid passing between opposed surfaces of the denim pieces.

2 . A process according to claim 1 wherein the denim scrap pieces have a widest width of less than 4 inches.

3 . A process according to claim 1 wherein the denim scrap pieces have a widest width of less than 2 inches and an average widest width of greater than 1 inch.

4 . A process according to claim 1 wherein the liquid is solvent for the oxidized form of indigo dye, whereby indigo dye is removed from the denim scrap by said liquid.

5 . A process according to claim 1 wherein liquid is an aqueous solution containing desizing agent, whereby size is removed from the denim scrap pieces.

6 . A process according to claim 5 wherein the liquid is an aqueous solution containing reducing agent for indigo dye, whereby dye in the denim pieces is reduced to a soluble, reduced (leuco) form, dissolves in the solution, and both size and dye are removed from the denim scrap pieces simultaneously.

7 . A process according to claim 1 wherein the liquid is an aqueous solution containing reducing agent for indigo dye, whereby dye in the denim pieces is reduced to a soluble, reduced form, dissolves in the solution, and is removed from the denim scrap pieces.

8 . A process according to claim 1 wherein the liquid is an aqueous solution containing catalyzed hydrogen peroxide solution, the catalyst being a catalyzing amount of a transition metal cation or quaternary alkylamine salt which catalyzes oxidation reactions of hydrogen peroxide, whereby indigo dye in the denim scrap pieces is bleached or destroyed to remove color therefrom.

9 . A process of claim 1 wherein the liquid is an aqueous solution containing an alkali metal hypochlorite.

10 . A process for liquid treatment of denim scrap to remove dye from the scrap and decolorize the scrap comprising the steps of:

a) placing sufficient denim scrap pieces on a support surface to form a thickness

of flat, layered denim scrap comprising individual denim pieces with opposed surfaces, the thickness having a top surface;

b) applying a compression plate to said top surface to form the thickness of denim scrap into a compact cake;

c) passing a first aqueous solution through the interior of the compact cake in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the scrap, the first aqueous solution passing between opposed surfaces of the denim pieces, the first aqueous solution containing reducing agent for indigo dye, whereby dye in the denim pieces is reduced to a soluble, reduced form, dissolves in the solution, and is removed from the denim scrap pieces; and

d) passing a second aqueous solution through the interior of the compact cake in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the scrap, the second aqueous solution passing between opposed surfaces of the denim pieces, the second aqueous solution containing catalyzed hydrogen peroxide solution, the catalyst being an catalyzing amount of a transition metal cation or quaternaryalkylamine salt which catalyzes oxidation reactions of hydrogen peroxide, whereby indigo dye, other vat dyes, and sulfur dyes in the denim scrap pieces are bleached or destroyed to remove color therefrom.

11 . A process according to claim 10 wherein the first aqueous solution contains desizing agent, whereby both size and dye are removed from the denim scrap pieces.

12 . A process according to claim 10 wherein the denim scrap pieces have a widest width of less than 4 inches.

13 . A process according to claim 12 wherein the denim scrap pieces have a widest width of less than 2 inches and an average widest width of greater than one inch.

14 . The process of claim 10 in which a third aqueous solution is passed through the interior of the compact cake and consists of a combination of one or more dyes, chemicals or reagents used to assist in the optimization of the treated fabrics to be employed in subsequent processing or end use applications.

15 . The process of claim 10 in which the third aqueous solution contains one or more of a surfactant, humectant, antibacterial agent, fiber lubricant, dyes or tints, optical brighteners, hand modifiers, or antistatic agents.

16 . A process for liquid treatment of denim scrap to remove dye from the scrap and decolorize the scrap comprising the steps of:

a) placing sufficient denim scrap pieces on a support surface to form a thickness of flat, layered denim scrap comprising individual denim pieces with opposed surfaces, the thickness having a top surface;

b) applying a compression plate to said top surface to form the thickness of denim scrap into a compact cake;

c) passing a first aqueous solution through the interior of the compact cake in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the scrap, the first aqueous solution passing between opposed surfaces of the denim pieces, the first aqueous solution containing reducing agent for indigo dye, whereby dye in the denim pieces is reduced to a soluble, reduced form, dissolves in the solution, and is removed from the denim scrap pieces; and

d) passing a second aqueous solution through the interior of the compact cake in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the scrap, the second aqueous solution passing between opposed surfaces of the denim pieces, the second aqueous solution containing an alkali metal hypochlorite whereby the indigo vat dye, other vat dyes, or sulfur dyes are bleached or destroyed.

Assignments (8)