Method of producing a flocked composite body

A method for producing a flocked web by applying a layer of a thermosetting plastic foam onto a carrier sheet which foam penetrates into the surface of the carrier, flocking the uncrosslinked layer and then thermally hardening the layer and wherein prior to complete crosslinking of the flocked layer, the partially crosslinked flocked layer is submitted to heat pressing. In a preferred embodiment, the heat pressing can include an embossing step. The process of the present invention is not only easy to carry out, it avoids the presence of air bubbles as well as other inconsistancies in the product. The product obtained with the present invention is also disclosed.

The invention relates to a method of producing a composite body, wherein a 
layer of cross-linkable plastics material is applied on a sheet carrier 
and is subsequently dried and hardened. 
In accordance with the invention, it is proposed that the surface of the 
layer of plastics material is deformed prior to hardening or after an at 
least partial hardening. 
It has been found that with the method according to the invention it is 
possible to obtain permanent and exact changes of the surface with, if 
desired, a fine structure, particularly with respect to decorative 
effects. 
A first type of treatment resides in subjecting the surface of the layer of 
plastics material to the influence of a rotating roller which is equipped 
with tabs or strips prior to hardening. 
Another type of treatment in accordance with the invention resides in 
subjecting the layer of plastics material to an embossing treatment prior 
to hardening or after an at least partial hardening. 
The embossing treatment preferably is carried out after a first drying and 
hardening treatment, wherein the degree of hardening is adjusted in the 
first heat treatment in dependence on the type of further treatment 
carried out after embossing, so that the fine structure obtained by the 
embossing treatment is influenced only insignificantly or not at all. In 
the individual case, the required conditions for drying and cross-linking 
in the first heat treatment can be determined by simple preliminary tests, 
so that a sufficient capability of embossing still exists after the first 
heat treatment, but that, on the other hand, the embossing is not 
destroyed during the subsequent further treatment. 
The embossing treatment can take place concurrently with a heat treatment, 
wherein, if desired, a supplemental hardening can be carried out. 
The embossing treatment can be effected between rotating and, possibly, 
heated rollers; however, the treatment can also be performed between 
stationary and, possibly, heated press plates. 
Particularly interesting effects result from flocking, drying and at least 
partially hardening the layer of plastics material prior to the surface 
deformation of the layer. Subsequently, the treatment with rotating 
rollers equipped with tabs or the embossing treatment can be performed. 
Embossing makes it possible to modify to a significant extent the 
velours-like character of the flock layer. For example, by embossing the 
flock layer, a surface structure of the type of a woven or knitted textile 
web or a leather-like surface can be obtained. 
The sheet carriers to be used are particularly carriers which are permeable 
to air and which can be deformed to surfaces of a higher order without a 
significant formation of folds. Surfaces of a higher order are 
particularly understood to be spatial surfaces which are neither 
cylindrical nor prismatic, for example, shell-shaped or cup-shaped 
surfaces. 
Fiber-containing sheet carriers have been found particularly suitable; 
particularly to be mentioned among these are, for example, 
polyester-spunbonded webs or polypropylene bonded fiber webs, whose fiber 
bond can be adjusted in such a way that a deformation to surfaces of a 
higher order is possible. Moreover, bonded webs are suitable because a 
portion of the fibers of the webs can be adjusted in such a way that they 
extend perpendicularly to the plane of the web; this may favorably 
influence the bond to the layer of plastics material, but also to the 
layers on the other side through mechanical anchoring. This advantage 
exists particularly in the so-called needle bonded webs which have been 
treated with needles which perpendicularly penetrate the bonded web and, 
possibly are barbed, so that at least a portion of the fibers extends 
perpendicularly of the plane of the web. 
The plastics material is preferably applied in the form of an aqueous 
dispersion which is dried and hardened through a heat treatment. However, 
it is also conceivable to use plastic pastes which contain solvents. 
Finally, it is also conceivable to apply a plastics material on the basis 
of a liquid mixture of interreacting components, wherein the hardening 
takes place as a result of the reaction. 
Specially interesting products can be obtained if the plastics material is 
applied in the form of foam. This foam can be formed preferably by a 
mechanical treatment and may contain a foam stabilizer. 
However, it is also possible to apply the plastics material as a dense 
coating which is essentially free of air. 
In view of the further processing of the product, it may be of great 
interest to adjust the plastics material to be applied with respect to its 
consistency during the application, i.e. with respect to its viscosity (if 
a dense coating is to be applied) and with respect to its stiffness (if a 
foam is to be applied), in relation to the porosity of the carrier web in 
such a way that the plastics material superficially penetrates the carrier 
web, but does not completely penetrate through the web. It has been found 
that, with this measure, the coated material retains its capability of 
deformation even after drying and the preliminary or final hardening, so 
that an adjustment to complicated surface shapes of objects to be coated 
remains possible. If, however, the plastic foam completely penetrates 
through the carrier during the application, it is possible that a very 
stiff material is obtained already after drying and particularly after the 
complete hardening, so that an adjustment to surfaces of a higher order is 
no longer possible or only to a very limited extent. 
Following the drying and, possibly the partial hardening, the sheet carrier 
can be connected to an additional backing on its side remote from the 
plastics material application. For example, it can be connected to a 
backing which increases the stiffness in the form of a backing panel or a 
blank of a backing web. In doing so, an adhesion mediator or an adhesive 
may be used. 
Of special interest is the connection of the sheet carrier which is coated 
with the plastic material to a backing web or a backing panel, wherein, at 
the time the connection is made, a three-dimensional deformation in the 
sense of a formation of surfaces of a higher order is imparted to both 
components. This can be done between reciprocating top and bottom parts of 
a press. In this connection, it is conceivable that the plastics material 
surface is embossed already during the connection and deformation or is 
otherwise deformed in order to obtain functional or decorative effects. 
However, it is also conceivable that an embossment is applied only at the 
time of connection, in which case the part of the press which faces the 
plastics material coating is provided with an appropriate embossment 
pattern. By applying the embossment only at the time of deformation, it is 
possible to effect an exact adjustment of the embossment pattern to the 
surface to be created, for example, seams or edges. 
The problem of the formation of air inclusions and the formation of bubbles 
occurs when a sheet carrier coated with plastics material is combined and 
simultaneously compression molded with a backing. This problem can be 
managed particularly easily in the method according to the invention if 
the sheet carrier and the plastics material layer are permeable to air. 
This is particularly the case if the sheet carrier is formed of a fibrous 
web, for example, a bonded web and if the plastics material is applied in 
the form of an at least partially open-cell foam. However, the problem of 
the formation of bubbles can also be managed by using a material as the 
sheet carrier which is suitable for discharging or compensating for air 
inclusions. Particularly suitable for this purpose are the above-mentioned 
bonded webs, particularly needle bonded webs and the latter, in turn, are 
particularly suitable if the weight per unit area of the needle bonded web 
is at least 50 g/m.sup.2, preferably at least 70 g/m.sup.2 and the fiber 
length is at least 40 to 60 mm. 
Suitable backing panels are particularly those produced with the use of a 
thermoplastic material as the binder and with the use of a filler, for 
example, so-called polyolefin/wood dust panels which preferably have a 50% 
by weight content of wood dust. Due to their content of thermoplastic 
binder, these panels can be especially easily connected to the sheet 
carrier, particularly if the carrier, because of its fiber structure, has 
the tendency to be mechanically anchored in the thermoplastic binder. This 
is particularly true for the sheet carriers which are formed by bonded 
webs, for example, needle bonded webs. If the thermoplastic material 
arranged as the binder between the filler particles is not sufficient for 
forming a strong bond between the backing panel and the sheet carrier, it 
is also conceivable to provide the backing panel on its side facing toward 
the sheet carrier with an additional thermoplastic layer, particularly a 
thermoplastic layer of the same thermoplastic material which is also 
present as the binder within the backing panel and, therefore, is easily 
connected to the binder of the backing panel. A preferred way of obtaining 
the connection betwen such backing panels and the sheet carrier resides in 
introducing in a press and jointly compression molding a backing panel 
containing a thermoplastic binder together with the sheet carrier in the 
hot state, wherein the connection to the sheet carrier is obtained through 
the thermoplasticized binder of the backing panel or a thermoplasticized 
coating of the backing panel. Of course, a deformation can again take 
place simultaneously. Since, in this procedure, the heat required for the 
connection and possibly the residual hardening of the plastics material 
layer is supplied by the heated blank of the backing panel, it is possible 
to keep cool the parts of the press themselves, possibly by an additional 
water cooling. This is advantageous also for obtaining a distinct 
embossment of a fine structure. 
In this procedure, it is particularly advantageous that, in the final 
processing plant in which the sheet carrier coated with the plastics 
material is combined with the backing panel, it is only necessary to heat 
the backing panel and to perform the compression molding and that it is 
not required to apply, dry and harden the plastics material and the 
adhesion mediator. This is especially important because this final 
processing is frequently performed in processing plants, for example, 
automobile factories, in which lining parts are produced. Accordingly, 
these are plants which are not prepared for the processing of pasty or 
foamy plastics material and adhesives. 
Other methods can be employed for applying a backing on the sheet carrier. 
For example, the plastics material can be sprayed or foamed onto the back 
of the sheet carrier. It is also conceivable to apply on the side of the 
sheet carrier opposite the plastics material application a positionally 
stable layer of adhesion mediator, so that the sheet carrier can be 
mounted and fastened on a body at any later time. 
The positionally stable layer of adhesion mediator can be applied in the 
form of a foil or it can be spread on. If it is an adhesion mediator layer 
which is to be fastened on a body merely by pressure, and, therefore, is 
sticky even in the case of unintentional contact, this adhesion mediator 
layer can be covered until it is used with a cover foil or a cover paper. 
Finally, a backing of soft foam material can also be used as the backing 
for the sheet carrier. 
A special advantage of the material produced in accordance with the 
invention and consisting of the sheet carrier and the applied layer of 
plastics material is also seen in the fact that this material does not 
have the tendency to separate from the backing to which it is connected. 
This danger of separation does not even exist when a deformation, 
particularly a three-dimensional deformation, of the sheet carrier takes 
place during the connection to the backing. For this reason, the material 
produced in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for the 
manufacture of automobile lining parts which, due to the high temperatures 
to be expected during the use from the radiation of the sun, have the 
tendency to separate, particularly at the concave regions. In addition, 
the high dimensional stability of the material produced in accordance with 
the invention is very important not only for retaining a desired shape, 
but also for maintaining a desired surface structure. 
If the plastics material is applied in the form of foam, the foam structure 
is maintained to a great extent even during the embossing. This results in 
products with a soft feel which can be further improved with the presence 
of flock, particularly an electrostatically applied flock. If flock is 
applied, it is of course essential for a satisfactory adhesion of the 
flock that it is applied on plastics material which is still quite soft, 
or particularly on plastics material which is wet, and that hardening is 
substantially effected subsequently. In this manner, the flock can be made 
very resistant to scraping, even in foamed plastics material. 
Suitable fillers for the plastics material, no matter whether applied as a 
dense coating or as foam, are particularly kaolin, talcum and calcium 
carbonate. 
The surface deformation of the layer of plastics material can also be 
carried out by means of smooth rollers or smooth parts of the press. 
When easily deformable carriers are used, it has been found that the 
treatment according to the invention provides an excellent thermofixation. 
This is particularly true when textile webs or bonded webs are used as 
sheet carriers. Thermofixation means that the material can be further 
processed at high temperatures. In this connection, it is especially 
referred to printing by means of the transfer process, wherein printing 
ink is applied on an intermediate carrier and this intermediate carrier, 
with the ink side facing the plastics material coating, is then passed 
together with the sheet carrier between pressure rollers at a high 
temperature, wherein a migration of the printing inks can take place from 
the intermediate carrier to the plastics material coating. This transfer 
process can also be used when the hardened plastics material layer is 
flocked. 
If the plastics material is applied on the sheet carrier in the form of an 
essentially air-free dense coating, the breathing activity of the obtained 
product is low. However, the breathing activity can be recovered during 
embossing. Even in very thin plastics material layers it is possible to 
obtain a certain breathing activity, particularly when the fibers of a 
fibrous sheet carrier enter the plastics material layer and possibly 
penetrate through this layer.

In FIG. 1, a sheet carrier is denoted by 10. Above this sheet carrier there 
is arranged a foaming device 12 from which the foam 14 reaches the sheet 
carrier 10. A coating knife 16 spreads the foam on the carrier sheet 10 to 
a layer of uniform thickness. The foam is subjected to a first heat 
treatment in a heating tunnel 18 where the foam is dried and partially 
cross-linked. In an embossing station 20 with a bottom roller 22 and an 
embossing roller 24, a finely structured embossment pattern is embossed 
into the upper side of the dried and partially cross-linked foam. The 
decorative layer is cut into individual blanks 28 in a cutting station 26. 
FIG. 2 shows a press having a bottom part 30 and a top part 32. A blank 34 
of a polyolefin/wood dust panel consisting of 50% polypropylene and 50% 
wood dust is placed in the bottom part 30. On this blank 34 lies a blank 
28 of a material which had been produced according to FIG. 1. The backing 
panel 34 is adjusted to a temperature of 180.degree. C. The parts 10 and 
32 are cold. 
FIG. 3 shows a section of a plane portion of the deformed laminated panel 
which had been obtained in the press according to FIG. 2. 
The following method examples shall serve for a further explanation of the 
invention. The first examples concern the composition of the foamed 
plastics material, followed by several examples concerning the processing. 
Examples for the composition of the foamed plastics material: 
EXAMPLE 1 
100 parts by weight of a 45% aqueous dispersion of a thermally 
cross-linking polyacrylate to be obtained under the name "Dicrylan AM" 
from the Chemische Fabrik Pfersee GmbH, Augsburg, Germany, were put into a 
mixing vessel with agitator. 
Subsequently, to this vessel there was added successively in the following 
sequence: 
1.2 parts by weight laurylsulphate which is commercially available under 
the name Dicrylan-Verschaumer 7028 (Dicrylan foaming agent 7028) from the 
firm Chemische Fabrik Pfersee GmbH, Augsburg, Germany. 
2 parts by weight ammonia, wherein the total solution has been adjusted to 
a pH-valve of 8. 
6 parts by weight of a stearate acting as foam stabilizer, commercially 
available under the tradename Dicrylan-Stabilisator F from the firm 
Chemische Fabrik Pfersee GmbH, Augsburg, Germany. 
2 parts by weight of a 30% aqueous polymethacrylate dispersion, 
commercially available under the name Dicrylan-Verdicker R 
[Dicrylan-thickener R] from the firm Chemische Fabrik Pfersee Gmbh 
Augsburg, Germany. 
3 parts by weight of an ethylene urea/triazine resin commercially available 
under the name "Knitex CR" from the firm Chemische Fabrik Pfersee GmbH, 
Augsburg, Germany. 
This mixture was agitated without foaming until a homogenous dispersion was 
obtained. 
EXAMPLE 2 
To obtain a black product, 7 parts by weight Unisperse-Black C-E of the 
firm Ciba Geigy, Switzerland, were stirred into the dispersion obtained 
according to Example 1. 
EXAMPLE 3 
To obtain a beige product, a pigment preparation was prepared which 
contained the following: 
5 parts by weight titanium dioxide 
4 parts by weight water 
0.4 parts by weight Irgasol DAM (dispersion agent for titanium dioxide and 
other pigments for dispersing in water) 
4 parts by weight Unisperse-yellow-Oxide M-E* 
0.08 parts by weight Unisperse-Black C-E* 
0.08 parts by weight Unisperse-Red RN-E* (Toluidine) 
FNT *Products of the firm Ciba Geigy, Switzerland. 
This pigment preparation was added to the mixture according to Example 1. 
EXAMPLE 4 
To a dispersion according to Example 1, 5 parts by weight antimony trioxide 
and 5 parts per weight Pyrowates 4034 (bromium donor) of the firm Ciba 
Geigy were added to make it less flammable. 
EXAMPLE 5 
To a dispersion according to Example 1, 100 parts by weight titanium 
dioxide were added as filler which, before being added, was rubbed off in 
a roller frame and was made to a paste in water. Examples for the further 
processing: 
EXAMPLE 6 
The dispersions according to Examples 1 through 5 were beaten faomy with 
the addition of air in a foaming apparatus of the firm Hansa Werke, 
Bremen, Lurmann Schutte GmbH & Co., 2800 Bremen, Germany. The foam now 
essentially has a shaving foam-like consistency. The specific weight is 
about 200 g/l. 
The foams obtained in this manner and discharged from the foaming apparatus 
12 were directly supplied to a coating knife device 16 in which they were 
spread onto a polyester spunbonded web 10 according to FIG. 1 (60 
g/m.sup.2), in the amount of about 400 g foam per m.sup.2 bonded web. 
During coating, the foam only superficially penetrated into the bonded 
web. 
The web with the foam applied thereon was then dried in a heating duct 18 
at an initial temperature of 140.degree. C.; during a dwell time of 3 
minutes, the temperature is raised in the following heating zones to an 
end temperature of 160.degree. C. After drying, the foam was no longer 
sticky, but still very sensitive to pressure; finger impressions did not 
disappear. 
The material dried in this manner was then embossed in an embossing 
calender 20 with hot rollers of a temperature of about 140.degree. C. It 
was found that the embossed material could be stored over any length of 
time. Blanks of the embossed material were compression molded in a press 
according to FIG. 2 with cold mold parts with a polyolefin/wood dust panel 
34 (wood dust portion about 50%, polypropylene portion about 50%) adjusted 
to about 180.degree. C. In this procedure, the polyolefin/wood dust panel 
was three-dimensionally deformed in the shape of a shell so that the shell 
carrier 10, including the embossed plastic foam layer 36, extended over 
concavely curved surface portions of the polyolefin/wood dust panel. The 
dwell time in the press was 30 to 45 seconds. After pressing, it was found 
that the foam had become insensitive to pressure and that the grain 
structure from the preceding embossment had been maintained and could no 
longer be destroyed by finger pressure. The appearance of the surface was 
uniformly dull or unpolished. During pressing, no bubbles were formed 
between the polyolefin/wood dust panel and the sheet carrier 10. This is 
partially due to the fact that the foam is impermeable to air during 
pressing. 
In a 16 hour heat storage in 90.degree. C. circulating air, no phenomena of 
separation of the decorative layer from the polyolefin/wood dust panel 
were found, even in the concavely formed surface regions. 
EXAMPLE 7 
In accordance with an alternative method, the material according to Example 
6 emerging from the heating duct was initially not embossed and was also 
capable of storage for any length of time. Blanks 28 of the non-embossed 
material were compression molded in a press with a polyolefin/wood dust 
panel 34 (wood dust portion about 50%, polypropylene portion about 50%) 
adjusted to about 180.degree. C. by means of an embossing tool 32 adjusted 
to 140.degree. C. In this procedure, the polyolefin/wood dust panel was 
three-dimensionally deformed to a significant extent, so that the sheet 
carrier extended also over the concavely curved surface regions of the 
polyolefin/wood dust panel. The dwell time in the press was about 60 to 90 
seconds. After pressing, it was found that the foam has become insensitive 
to pressure and a grain structure has been obtained as the impression of 
the embossing tool. Also, in this case, no bubbles occurred between the 
polyolefin/wood dust panel and the sheet carrier during pressing. The 
finest profiles of the embossing tool appeared in the grain structure. The 
press was also especially advantageous because the embossment pattern 
could be adjusted to the three-dimensional shape; for example, quilted 
seams and pleats could be placed at the correct location of the 
three-dimensional shape. 
FIG. 4 shows an arrangement which differs from the arrangement according to 
FIG. 1 only in that an additional electrostatic flocking apparatus is 
provided. This electrostatic flocking apparatus 17 comprises a vibrating 
container 21 with a screen bottom 19 through which flock fiber is thrown 
onto the foam. A high voltage is applied in the conventional manner for 
accelerating and aligning the flock fibers. 
EXAMPLE 8 
The dispersions according to Examples 1 through 5 were beaten foamy with 
the addition of air in a foaming apparatus of the firm Hansa Werke, 
Bremen, Lurmann Schutte GmbH & Co., 2800 Bremen, Germany. The foam now 
essentially has a shaving foam-like consistency. The specific weight is 
about 200 g/l. 
The foams obtained in this manner and discharged from the foaming apparatus 
were directly supplied to a coating knife device in which they were spread 
onto a polyester spunbonded web (60 g/m.sup.2), in the amount of about 250 
g foam per m.sup.2 bonded web. During coating, the foam only superficially 
penetrated the upper strata of the bonded web. 
The foam which was still wet was then electrostatically flocked with a 
sliced polyamide flock in a flock application device according to FIG. 4. 
The length of the flock was 0.75 mm. The yarn denier was 1.7 dtex. The 
weight of application per m.sup.2 was about 80 g. The flocked sheet 
carrier 10 was then hardened in the heating tunnel 18 for a dwell time of 
about 7 minutes at temperatures which increased from 140.degree. to 
170.degree. C. The flock adhesion was excellent after heating. A 
resistance to scraping was achieved which was comparable to the resistance 
to scraping of materials made of textile with similar surface structures. 
The web obtained in this manner was then subjected in a calender 20 to a 
pressure treatment with a line pressure of about 600 to 1500 N/cm and a 
roller temperature of 200.degree. C. 
In a first case, both calender rollers were smooth. This resulted in a 
suede-like, felted surface with partially deflected fibers. 
In a second case, an embossing roller 24 with textile character was used on 
the flocked side. This resulted in a textile-like surface of the flocked 
layer as illustrated in FIG. 4a. Depending on the type of roller, various 
textile types could be imitated. 
In a third case, an embossing roller with a lever-like surface was used on 
the flocked side. Depending on the type of roller, various types of 
leather ranging from grained leather to suede could be imitated. 
In all the cases of secondary treatment with pressure and heat, it was 
found that the flock adhesion, and particularly the resistance to 
scraping, were further improved; among other things, this could be caused 
by the fact that the secondary treatment resulted in an additional 
hardening and compacting of the foam. 
EXAMPLE 9 
In deviating from Example 8, the flocked surface was subjected to the 
influence of a rotating roller immediately after flocking. This roller was 
equipped with a plurality of leather tabs of such a length that the 
flocked surface of the passing web was hit by the strip under deflection 
of strip. This resulted in a shade effect on the flock layer. The foam was 
subsequently hardened in the manner described in Example 8. 
EXAMPLE 10 
In deviating from Example 8, immediately after the application of the flock 
while the foam was still wet, embossing was performed between cold rollers 
and drying was performed subsequently as in Example 8. The rollers were 
spaced in such a way that pressure was applied on the web only in the 
regions of the raised surface portions of the roller. Also in this manner, 
various patterns could be obtained, for example, textile and leather 
patterns, but not with the same fine structure that could be obtained by 
embossing after hardening. 
EXAMPLE 11 
Examples 1 through 5 were repeated, however, the foaming apparatus and the 
foam stabilizer of Example 1 were omitted. The dispersions of the Examples 
1 through 5 modified in this manner were then supplied to a coating knife 
device 12 as shown in FIG. 4 in which they were spread onto a polyester 
spunbonded web 10 (60 g/m.sup.2), in an amount of about 250 g foam per 
m.sup.2 bonded web. During coating, the plastics material dispersion only 
superficially penetrated into the bonded web. 
The coating of plastics material which was still wet was then 
electrostatically flocked with a sliced polyamide flock by means of the 
apparatus 17 shown in FIG. 4. The length of the flock was 0.75 mm. The 
yarn denier was 1.7 dtex. The weight of application per square meter was 
about 80 g. The flocked carrier 10 was then hardened in the heating duct 
18 for a dwell time of about 7 minutes at temperatures rising from 
140.degree. to 170.degree. C. The flock adhesion was excellent after 
heating. The resistance to scraping obtained was comparable to the 
resistance to scraping of materials made of textile with similar surface 
structures. 
The web obtained in this manner was then subjected in a calender 20 to a 
pressure treatment with a line pressure of about 600 to 1500 N/cm and a 
roller temperature of 200.degree. C. 
In a first case, both calender rollers were smooth. This resulted in a 
suede-like, felted surface with partially deflected fibers. 
In a second case, an embossing roller 24 with textile character was used on 
the flock side. This resulted in a textile-like surface of the flock 
layer, as illustrated in FIG. 4a. 
Depending on the type of roller, various types of textiles could be 
imitated. 
In a third case, an embossing roller with a leather-like surface was used 
on the flock side. Depending on the type of roller, various types of 
leather ranging from grained leather to suede could be imitated. 
In all the cases of secondary treatment with pressure and heat, it was 
found that the flock adhesion, and particularly the resistance to 
scraping, were further improved; among other things, this could be caused 
by the fact that this secondary treatment resulted in an additional 
hardening and compacting of the plastics material coating. 
EXAMPLE 12 
In deviating from Example 11, the flocked surface was subjected to the 
influence of a rotating roller immediately after flocking. This roller was 
equipped with a plurality of leather tabs of such a length that the 
flocked surface of the passing web was hit by the strips under the 
deflection of the strips. This resulted in a shade effect on the flocked 
layer. The foam was subsequently hardened in the manner described in 
Example 11. 
EXAMPLE 13 
In deviating from Example 11, embossing was performed between cold rollers 
immediately after the application of the flock while the plastics material 
coating was still wet and hardening was performed subsequently as in 
Example 11. The spacing of the rollers was such that pressure was applied 
onto the web only in the regions of the raised surface portions of the 
roller 24. Also in this manner, various patterns, for example, textile and 
leather patterns, could be obtained, however, not with the same fine 
structure which resulted from embossing after hardening. 
In FIG. 5, the sheet carrier is denoted by 10, the cross-linked plastics 
material layer by 36 and the electrostatically applied flock by 38. The 
plastics material layer may be a cross-linked plastic foam layer or a 
dense plastics material layer. FIGS. 5 further shows a backing 34. This 
backing 34 may be a solid plastics material panel, for example, of 
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene or polypropylene. The wall thickness of 
this solid plastics material layer can be 0.5 to 5 mm. This backing may 
remain plane; however, the backing can also be deformed by pressing or 
deep-drawing so that a three-dimensional article is obtained. The sheet 
carrier 10 can be connected to the backing 34 with the aid of an adhesion 
mediator 42. This adhesion mediator can be applied on the sheet carrier 10 
and/or on the backing 34. In some cases, it may not be necessary to use an 
adhesion mediator, for example, if the sheet carrier 10 consists of a 
synthetic fiber bonded web which adheres well to the backing 34 through 
the application of heat and pressure. This is the case, for example, if 
the sheet carrier 10 is a polypropylene bonded fiber web and the backing 
34 is a polypropylene panel. The connection between the sheet carrier 10 
and the backing 34 can especially be produced by extruding a solid 
plastics material layer 34 and by feeding to the still thermoplastic 
extruded material the sheet carrier 10 which is already combined with the 
layers 36 and 38, wherein an adhesion mediator layer 40 which is possibly 
used could be co-extruded with the plastics layer 34. 
The three-dimensional deformation can take place simultaneously with the 
combination of the sheet carrier 10 with the backing 34, for example, in a 
press. 
The backing 34 can also be replaced by a composite panel 134 as illustrated 
in FIG. 6. This composite panel 134 consists of cover layers 144 and 146 
with a corrugated material 148 arranged therebetween; the corrugation of 
the material 148 may be rectangular. The cover layers 144,146 as well as 
the corrugated material may consist of plastics material, for example, 
polycarbonate, wherein the layers 144,146,148 can be produced by 
co-extrusion in the perpendicular direction to the drawing plane of FIG. 
6. 
The backing 34 can especially also be a plastics material layer to which a 
filler is added, for example, in so-called polyolefin/wood dust panel 
consisting approximately of 50% polyolefine and 50% wood dust. In this 
case, the panel 34 can be connected to the sheet carrier 10 by placing the 
sheet carrier 10 which has already been provided with the layers 36 and 38 
onto the previously heated panel 34 and by compression molding, possibly 
with three-dimensional deformation, wherein, in the case of sufficient 
affinity between the sheet carrier 10 and the panel 34, the adhesion 
mediator 42 can be omitted. However, an adhesion mediator 42 can be 
provided in the form of a thermoplastic layer which is applied on the 
surface of the panel 34 and may consist of the same plastics material 
which is contained in panel 34. 
As illustrated in FIG. 7, the backing can also be formed of a rigid foam 
layer 234 which is combined with the sheet carrier with the aid of an 
adhesion mediator. For example, a polyurethane foam layer can be used as 
the rigid foam layer. 
Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the backing may be a sandwich panel 
334 consisting of a middle layer 350 of rigid plastic foam, for example, 
polyurethane foam, and outer layers 352,354 which can consist of solid 
plastic material, for example, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, of 
aluminum foil, of fabric web, of paper web or of bonded web. Also in this 
case, one of the outer layers 352,354 is connected, possibly with the aid 
of the adhesion mediator, to the sheet carrier which had already 
previously been provided with the layers 36 and 38. 
Another possibility for the backing is illustrated in FIG. 9 in which a 
panel 434 is shown; this panel 434 is formed of a heap of fibers with a 
binder, e.g. phenol resin, embedded therein. The heap of fibers which 
originally had a larger volume has been brought into the shape illustrated 
in FIG. 9 under the influence of heat and pressure, whereby the phenol 
resin was hardened. 
The sheet carrier 10 can be fastened to this panel 434 with the aid of an 
adhesive 42 after the panel 434 has assumed the shape illustrated in FIG. 
9; however, it is also conceivable to perform the connection during 
compression molding of the heap of fibers and to use, for this purpose, 
either a layer of adhesive additionally applied on the sheet carrier 10 or 
to depend on the adhesive action of the synthetic resin embedded in the 
heap of fibers. Particularly suitable fibers for the heap are cotton 
fibers. 
The body illustrated in FIG. 5 can also comprise a plate of sheet metal as 
the backing, for example, sheet metal to be used for the body or the 
lining of the automobile, which is to be finished with the sheet carrier 
10 carrying the flock 38. Also in the case of the combination with sheet 
metal, a adhesion mediator 42 can be used which is previously applied onto 
the sheet metal and/or the side of the sheet carrier 10 which faces toward 
the sheet metal. 
FIG. 10 illustrates another possibility for combining a backing 534 with 
the sheet carrier 510 which had already been provided with the plastics 
material layer 536 and the flock 538. Analogous parts are provided with 
the same reference numerals as in FIG. 5, but each increased by the number 
500. In a two-part mold consisting of the top mold half 556 and the bottom 
mold half 558, a blank of the sheet carrier already provided with the foam 
layer 536 and the flock 538 is placed, wherein the flock side 538 bears 
against the concave inner surface of the top mold half 556, possibly after 
a previous preliminary deformation. A plastics material body 534 is 
injection molded on the back side of the sheet carrier 510. The plastics 
material body 534 can also be a plastic foam body. For connecting the 
plastics material body 534 to the sheet carrier 510, an adhesion mediator 
542 can be previously applied on the sheet carrier 510. 
FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which a positionally stable adhesion 
mediator layer 634 has been applied as the backing. This adhesion mediator 
layer 634 can be applied in the form of a coating or in the form of a 
foil; in any case, after the application, the consistency of the adhesion 
mediator layer 634 is such that the layer construction illustrated in FIG. 
11 is capable of storage and transport, so that, with the aid of the 
adhesion mediator layer 634, it can be laminated onto another backing, 
wherein, for the purpose of lamination, the adhesion mediator layer 634 
can be reactivated, for example, through heat. However, it is also 
conceivable that the adhesion mediator layer 634 is an adhesive layer 
which leads to adhesion as a result of pressure application alone. In this 
latter case, the adhesion mediator layer 634 can be covered by a dehesive 
foil or a foil treated with a release agent or a dehesive paper which is 
pulled off prior to processing. 
In FIG. 12, finally, a soft foam layer 734 is illustrated as the backing 
which can be connected to the sheet carrier 10 again with the aid of an 
adhesion mediator 42 or through the conventional method of flame 
laminating, wherein, in flame laminating, the side of the soft foam layer 
734 intended for connection is softened and made sticky by a flame 
travelling along this side. 
For example, a sufficient adhesion can be achieved when the plastics 
material 36 penetrates into the sheet carrier 10 up to a depth of 5 to 30, 
preferable 10 to 20%, of the thickness of the sheet carrier.