Soiling detector for fabrics
View Patent ↗A fabric is formed of yarns having soiling-hiding and soiling-prone characteristics which are visually distinct one from the other in the surface of the fabric once the fabric has been soiled. The soiling-prone yarns comprise yarns formed of multi-lobal fibers or filaments where the soiling particles collect in the cavities of the lobed surfaces. Preferably, the soiling-hiding yarns are formed of hollowfil synthetic fibers or filaments. By embedding one or more yarns of the soiling-prone type in the fabric, e.g., carpet, the yarns become differentially visually distinctive relative to one another upon soiling of the fabric.
1. A method of monitoring soiling in a fabric, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing the fabric with soiling-hiding yarns and at least one soiling-prone yarn that is not visually distinguishable from the soil-hiding yarns before the fabric has been soiled, including spacing the soiling-prone yarn or groups thereof from one another in at least selected areas of the fabric; and
(b) visually distinguishing the one soiling-prone yarn and soiling-hiding yarns in the fabric, after the fabric has been soiled, as an indicator of the extent of soiling of the fabric.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the soiling-hiding yarns include yarns formed of hollowfil fibers.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the soiling-prone yarns include yarns formed of multi-lobal fibers.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the soiling-prone yarns include yarns formed of tri-lobal fibers.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the soiling-hiding yarns include yarns formed of hollowfil fibers and the soiling-prone yarns include yarns formed of multi-lobal fibers.
6. A method according to claim 1 including forming the fabric using a plurality of soiling-prone yarns.
7. A method according to claim 1 including forming the fabric with predominately soiling-hiding yarns.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said soiling-prone yarn comprises a synthetic fiber.
9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said soiling-prone yarn comprises one of a polylactic acid base, polyester, polypropylene, polyolefin, nylon, polyamide, or extruded metal fibers or fibers based upon naturally occurring non-synthetic material.
10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said soil-hiding yarns comprise a synthetic fiber.
11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said soiling-prone yarn comprises one of a polylactic acid base, polyester, polypropylene, polyolefin, nylon, polyamide or extruded metal fibers or fibers based upon naturally occurring non-synthetic materials.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the fabric comprises a carpet and including causing the soiling-prone yarn to visually stand out from the soil-hiding yarns in the technical face of the carpet in response to a soiling of the carpet, thereby visually indicating a need to clean the carpet.
13. A method according to claim 1 wherein: (1) a soiling-hiding yarn has a chemical composition and a cross-section, and (2) at least one soiling-prone yarn has the same chemical composition as the soiling-hiding yarn and a different cross-section.
14. A method of monitoring soiling in a carpet, comprising the steps of:
(a) forming the carpet with yarns formed of hollowfil fibers and yarns formed of multi-lobal fibers to provide a carpet with visually non-distinguishable aesthetic characteristics on the technical face thereof when the carpet is clean, including spacing the yarns formed of multi-lobal fibers from one another in at least selected areas of the fabric; and
(b) visually distinguishing the yarns from one another in response to a soiling of the carpet.
15. A fabric having a soiling indicator therein comprising predominantly soiling-hiding yarns and at least one soiling-prone yarn enabling visual distinction between the soiling-hiding and soiling-prone yarns as an indicator of the extent of soiling of the fabric and wherein said fabric has a face with said soiling-hiding yarns and said one soiling-prone yarn visually exposed in said face and visually indistinguishable from one another absent soiling of the fabric and wherein the at least one soiling-prone yarn is in at least selected areas of the fabric and is spaced from other soiling-prone yarns or groups thereof.
16. A fabric according to claim 15 wherein said one yarn is formed of synthetic multi-lobal fibers.
17. A fabric according to claim 16 wherein said one yarn is formed of tri-lobal fibers.
18. A fabric according to claim 16 wherein said predominantly soiling-hiding yarns are formed of synthetic hollowfil fibers.
19. A fabric according to claim 15 comprising a carpet, said soiling-hiding yarns and said one soiling-prone yarn visually appearing in the technical face of the carpet.
20. A fabric according to claim 19 wherein said soiling-hiding yarns and said one soiling-prone yarn are tufted into a substrate forming part of the carpet.
21. A fabric according to claim 15 wherein: (1) a soiling-hiding yarn has a chemical composition and a cross-section, and (2) at least one soiling-prone yarn has the same chemical composition as the soiling-hiding yarn and a different cross-section.