LAMINATE
The present disclosure is generally directed to a fabric laminate for architectural coverings. The laminate generally includes a nonwoven layer laminated to oriented filaments. The nonwoven layer can be a wet laid nonwoven layer. The filaments can comprise continuous spunbond filaments. Optionally, the laminate can include a third layer of oriented yarns. In one aspect, the yarns can be oriented in the length direction while the polymer filaments can be oriented in the width direction.
1 . A laminate for an architectural covering comprising:
a base layer comprising a wet laid nonwoven web, the base layer having a first surface and a second and opposite surface, the nonwoven web containing at least a first fiber type, the first fiber type comprising polymer fibers, the base layer having a basis weight of less than about 30 gsm; and
a second layer laminated to the first surface of the base layer, the second layer comprising a layer of filaments oriented along a first direction.
2 . A laminate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the first fiber type comprise polymer fibers having an average length of less than about 30 mm.
3 . A laminate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the laminate has been point bonded.
4 . A laminate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the majority of the fibers of the first fiber type in the base layer are oriented in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular or skew to the first direction.
5 . A laminate as defined in claim 2 , wherein the fibers of the first fiber type comprise polyester fibers.
6 . A laminate as defined in claim 2 , wherein the nonwoven web contains a second fiber type, the second fiber type comprising binder fibers.
7 . A laminate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the base layer has a basis weight of from about 5 gsm to about 20 gsm, such as from about 5 gsm to about 18 gsm.
8 . A laminate as defined in claim 3 , wherein the laminate has been point bonded by forming a pattern of point bonds over a surface of the base layer, the surface of the base layer having a surface area and wherein the point bonds cover from about 10% of the surface area to about 90% of the surface area of the base layer.
9 . A laminate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the laminate has a thickness of less than about 0.7 mm, such as less than about 0.5 mm.
10 . A laminate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the laminate further comprises a third layer, the third layer comprising a layer of yarns oriented along a second direction of the base layer, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.
11 . A laminate as defined in claim 10 , wherein the yarns comprise spun yarns containing polyester fibers.
12 . A laminate as defined in claim 10 , wherein the laminate has a length direction and a width direction and wherein the layer of yarns are oriented in the length direction and the layer of filaments are oriented in the width direction.
13 . A laminate as defined in claim 6 , wherein the binder fibers are present in the nonwoven web in an amount from about 25% to about 60% by weight.
14 . A laminate as defined in claim 2 , wherein the fibers of the first fiber type have a denier of from about 0.01 to about 10 and have an average length of less than about 15 mm, such as less than about 10 mm.
15 . A laminate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the filaments of the second layer comprise continuous filaments having a denier of less than about 2.
16 . A laminate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the filaments comprise mono-component, spunbond filaments.
17 . An architectural covering comprising;
a facing layer spaced from a backing layer, wherein at least one of the facing layer or the backing layer comprises the laminate as defined in claim 1 .
18 . An architectural covering as defined in claim 17 , wherein the facing layer and the hacking layer form a plurality of cells that extend from a top of the architectural covering to a bottom of the architectural covering.
19 . An architectural covering as defined in claim 18 , wherein the plurality of cells comprise closed cells.
20 . An architectural covering comprising:
a facing layer spaced from a backing layer, wherein the backing layer is configured to face an architectural structure and wherein the facing layer is made from the laminate as defined in claim 1 .