Abstract:
A patterned scarf having a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer which are interwoven along the edges. The scarf has colors and/or patterns which are formed by weft threads their inserted spaced-out between warped threads of the same color. The warped threads are a textured yarn composed of chemical fibers.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
   This is a U.S. national stage of application No. PCT/CH01/00176, filed on Mar. 21, 2001. Priority is claimed on that application and on the following application: Country: Switzerland, Application No.: 1453/00, Filed: Jul. 24, 2000. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The invention relates to a patterned scarf. Such a scarf is suitable, in particular, as a fan&#39;s scarf for associations, clubs, companies and the like. 
   PRIOR ART 
   Scarves, in particular fan scarves, are known in large numbers. 
   One way of producing such scarves is by knitting a scarf web which is then folded over itself and stitched together along a longitudinal side. Such a scarf then has to be overturned so that the good side is outward. The scarf has soft edges and can be produced from various materials. However, such a scarf has only a very low thread or stitch density, with the result that only rough patterns can be produced. It is not possible to individualize from one scarf to the next. Any fringes have to be produced separately and stitched on at the ends of the scarf. 
   Another known way of producing such scarves is by weaving with the warp-and-weft effect. The scarf is produced from two fabric layers which are woven with multicolored warp threads and multicolored weft threads. These layers are interwoven at the edges. The scarves are cut mechanically along the longitudinal edges and stitched over with an overlock seam, in order to prevent fraying. Such scarves produced with the warp-and-weft effect have only low warp density and weft density and therefore make it possible to have only rough patterns with insufficient definition. It is not possible for the scarves to be individualized during the production method. Fringes are formed by means of projecting warp threads in the course of the production of the scarf, but the fringes are ugly since they are multicolored. 
   A scarf of the type initially mentioned is known from IT-1 292 000 A and is illustrated in the present  FIGS. 1 to 4 . This scarf has single-colored warp threads and the patterning is formed by means of multicolored weft threads by spaced-out insertions between the single-colored warp threads. Such a scarf makes it possible to have patterns with good definition and a good purity of the colors and patterns. 
   PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the invention is to improve further a patterned scarf of the type initially mentioned. 
   Pursuant to this object, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one aspect of the present invention resides in a patterned scarf having a first fabric layer and a second layer which are interwoven along the edges. The scarf has colors and/or patterns which are formed by weft threads by spaced-out insertions between warp threads of the same color. The warp threads consist of a textured yarn composed of chemical fibers.
         the patterned scarf according to claim  1 ;   the method for producing the patterned scarf according to claim  16 ; and   a weaving machine for carrying out the method according to claim  24 .       

   The textured warp threads give the scarf attractive full fringes which come close to those of a knitted scarf. Moreover, the scarf itself acquires a fuller handle. 
   Such a scarf may, in principle, be produced from a single web, but it is more advantageous to have at least two-web production on a weaving machine and the separation of the interconnected scarves by means of a separating device. An efficient production of the scarf can thereby be implemented. 
   A weaving machine for producing the scarf has a jacquard or heddle frame device for shedding, a weft insertion device with a thread selection device, a cloth holding-down device or a temple, a separation device in the longitudinal direction, a cloth take-up and a computer controller. 
   Various textured yarns are suitable for the warp threads, such as, for example, tortionally textured yarns, shoved and crimped yarns, curled monofilaments textured via a knife edge, airjet-textured loop yarns and the like. It is particularly preferred, however, to have a yarn which has essentially nontwisted fibers lying open in parallel and which is swirled at defined intervals. Such yarns, despite having high stability in the longitudinal direction which is advantageous for fabric stability, nevertheless have a textured bulky appearance which is suitable for the fringes. The swirling of the fibers of the textured yarn may fluctuate within wide ranges, but a range of between 0.8 and 1.2 cm is particularly preferred. A wide range is also possible for the fineness of the yarn of the warp threads, namely 55 to 550 dtex, with preferred results being obtained with the fineness of 160 to 180 dtex. 
   Particularly in the ease of a yarn of the abovementioned type, optimum patterning possibilities with warp densities of 40 to 60, preferably 48, threads/cm or weft densities in each fabric layer of 20 to 36 threads/cm are obtained. Yarns composed of chemical fibers of the most diverse possible types may be used for the scarf, the warp threads preferably consisting of polyester or polyamide. Particularly suitable weft threads consist of acrylic, preferably acrylic staple fibers. 
   Although the patterning of the scarf is formed basically by the weft threads and their spaced-out insertion between the warp threads, it may be expedient, if appropriate, to provide the scarf with an additional weave-related patterning by means of the warp threads. 
   It is possible, admittedly, to produce each fabric layer so as to be individually patterned. A refinement according to the invention that provides that during the color change and/or pattern change of a pattern part the weft threads run from one fabric layer to the other fabric layer so as to connect them, is particularly advantageous, however, since the same weft threads can then be used for both fabric layers for patterning purposes. This affords the further advantage that, by the weft threads being changed from one fabric layer to the other, the individual fabric layers are interconnected in regions, with the result that the scarf acquires some stability which improves the serviceability and handle of the scarf. 
   According to a further embodiment of the invention, the scarf may have both a word region and a picture region, the weft threads of the two regions being different in terms of fineness and material, the weft threads preferably having greater fineness in the picture region. 
   According to another embodiment, it is advantageous if the scarf has an individually configurable pattern region, so that such a scarf can be provided during the weaving operation, for example, with the signature of the future user or of a particular idol. 
   The unraveling of the scarf or a reworking of the scarf, for example by the edges being stitched together, can be avoided if the scarf is constructed so that at least the first and the last weft thread along the transverse edges is an adhesive thread which connects the crossing warp threads, and which preferably consists of thermoplastic material. 
   The fringes along the transverse edges are formed by the warp threads. In specific instances, it may be advantageous if the scarf also has fringes along the longitudinal edges formed by projecting weft threads. The scarf can also be roughened so that it acquires a full velvet-like appearance and a corresponding pleasant handle and good wearing properties. 
   The separation of a plurality of scarves produced, multicolored, may be carried out by means of various separating devices. Thus, according to one embodiment, a mechanical separating device is possible. A thermal separating device is particularly effective, but usually leaves behind along the cut edges brows which may be sharp-edged and sawtooth-like and, as a rule, have to be eliminated, so that they are not detrimental to the wearability of the scarf for the user. It is particularly advantageous, therefore, in order to separate the webs to use an ultrasonic separating device which makes it possible to treat the cut edges even during cutting. 
   To produce the fringes along the longitudinal edges, it is advantageous not to arrange any warp threads in the region provided for forming the fringes and by means of a separating device to cut the continuous weft threads to the length of the fringes to be formed. In principle, all the separating methods may be carried out in separate operations after the weaving machine, but it is more advantageous if the separating operations are carried out directly on the weaving machine. According to a further embodiment of the inventive method, it is also advantageous to subject the scarves to thermosetting after weaving and separation on the weaving machine, in order to eliminate stresses in the fabric and set the fabric. Advantageously, the scarves can be cut off to the desired length from the running scarf web on the weaving machine. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The nearest prior art is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 4  and exemplary embodiments are described below in  FIGS. 5 to 9  with the aid of the drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a diagrammatical illustration of a known scarf with fringes; 
       FIG. 2  shows the scarf of  FIG. 1  in a reversed illustration and without fringes; 
       FIG. 3  shows a detail of the central region of the known scarf in cross section and on a larger scale; 
       FIG. 4  shows a detail of the edge region of the known scarf in cross section and on a larger scale; 
       FIG. 5  shows a plan view of the scarf according to the invention; 
       FIG. 6  shows a detail of the scarf according to the invention in cross section and on a larger scale; 
       FIG. 7  shows a warp thread on a larger scale; 
       FIG. 8  shows the two-web production of a scarf with fringes along the longitudinal edges in a diagrammatic illustration; and 
       FIG. 9  shows a weaving machine for producing the scarf according to the invention in a diagrammatic illustration and in vertical section. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 to 4  show the prior art which is also relevant for the present invention and on which the present invention is based. The scarf illustrated in the figures contains a first fabric layer  2  and a second fabric layer  4  which are interwoven along the longitudinal edges  6  and along the transverse edges  8  and thus form a tube closed all-round. Each of the two fabric layers  2 ,  4  is formed by single-colored warp threads  10 , which are independent of the colours to be produced on the scarf, and by multicolored weft threads  12 . As can be gathered particularly from  FIG. 3 , the weft threads  12  are inserted, spaced out, between the warp threads  10 , that is to say the weft thread, only in the case of specific warp threads  10   a , is crossed with these and, in the case of the warp threads lob located between them, lies over these, that is to say covers the warp threads  10   b  and lies into the region above the warp threads which are to form the pattern. The weave of the weft threads at the warp threads travels on laterally from pick to pick by the amount of at least one warp thread. The warp threads  10  thus appear on the surface at solely spatial and pre-programmed intervals and are at the same time dominated by the weft threads, so that the latter indicate the color and pattern of the fabric and force the warp threads into the background. 
     FIG. 4  shows a detail of a longitudinal edge  6  of the scarf along which the fabric layers  2 , 4  are interwoven. In this case, the weft thread portions  12   b  of the first fabric layer  2  are connected to warp threads  10   b  of the second fabric layer  4  and weft thread portions  12   b  of the second fabric layer  4  are connected to warp threads  10   a  of the first fabric layer  2 . 
   The weft threads determine the color and pattern on the good sides of the fabric layer  2 ,  4 . Along the transverse edges  8 , the warp threads  10  are free of weft threads and thus form fringes  14 . 
   Preceding from the prior art outlined above, improvements of the present invention, as compared with this prior art, are described in  FIGS. 5 to 9 . The reference symbols used in  FIGS. 1 to 4  are also used below. 
     FIG. 5  describes a scarf according to the invention, in which the fabric layers  2 ,  4  are interwoven along the longitudinal edges  6  and along the transverse edges  8 . Along the longitudinal edges, in each case, at least the outer warp threads are designed as adhesive warp threads  10   c  which connect the crossing weft threads  12  to the warp threads  10 . In a similar way, at least the first and the last weft thread along the transverse edges  8  are designed as adhesive weft threads  12   c . For illustrative reasons,  FIG. 5  illustrates the adhesive warp threads  10   c  and the adhesive weft threads  12   c  at some distance from the verge, but, in actual fact, they form the outer verge of the longitudinal edges  6  and of the transverse edges  8 , as may be gathered from  FIG. 6 . 
   The warp threads  10  form the fringes  14  along the transverse edges. In the present example, fringes  16  are likewise present along the longitudinal edges  6 , said fringes being formed by weft threads  12  which project above the longitudinal edges  6  to the desired length and are free of warp threads. The scarf illustrated in  FIG. 5  has three different pattern regions. A first pattern region  18  is a lettering region which is reserved, for example, for the name of an association, club, company or the like, such as, for example, here, the football club BENFICA. A second pattern region  20  is a picture region which may contain, for example, the coat of arms or other design. The third pattern region  22  is an individual region which may, for example, be changed from scarf to scarf, with the first and second pattern regions  18 ,  20  otherwise being the same, and may contain, for example, the name of the wearer or the name of a sportsperson or the like. While a rougher screen definition may be envisaged for the first pattern region  18 , the second pattern region  20  and the third pattern region  22  require a finer screen definition which can be achieved, for example, by means of thinner warp threads and a higher weft density. 
   It is possible, in principle, for the patterning of the individual fabric layers  2 ,  4  to be carried out individually for each fabric layer, as shown, for example, by reference to  FIG. 3 . It is more advantageous, however, if the patterns of the first fabric layer  2  and of the second fabric layer  4  are combined with one another, so that the pattern-forming weft threads  12   d  and  12   e  run, at the end of a pattern part, from one fabric layer to the other fabric layer. As a result, the negative image of the first fabric layer is formed on the second fabric layer, and, at the same time, the fabric layers are connected to one another during the change of the pattern parts, as may be gathered from  FIG. 6 . 
   The warp threads are expediently formed from a textured yarn according to  FIG. 7  which has fibers  24  lying essentially open in parallel and connected to one another at specific intervals by swirling  26 . These swirlings may have intervals of 0.5 to 5 cm, but an interval of 0.8 to 1.2 cm is preferred. The warp threads may have a fineness of 55 to 550 dtex, but particularly good results have been achieved with finenesses of 160 to 180 dtex. The warp density is 40 to 60, preferably 48 threads per cm. The weft density advantageously amounts, in each fabric layer, to 20 to 36 threads per cm. Yarns composed of polyester or polyamide are preferably used as warp threads. Yarns composed of acrylic, preferably of acrylic staple fibers, have proved appropriate for the weft threads. 
   The production of a scarf of the present type may take place from a single web on weaving machines. A two-web and multiweb production of the scarves, as indicated in  FIG. 8 , is preferred.  FIG. 8  shows the two-web production of scarves which have fringes  16  along the longitudinal edges  6 . The scarves  28   a  and  28   b  are produced in one piece, the weft threads  12  running continuously over both scarves  28   a  and  28   b . In the region where the fringes  16  are to be formed, the warp threads  10  are cut out. Separating devices  30  separate the continuous weft threads  12  between the scarves  28   a ,  28   b , in order to obtain the fringes  16  of the desired length. When scarves without fringes  16  along the longitudinal edges  6  are to be produced, the scarves are interwoven and the fabric is severed between the scarves by means of corresponding separating devices  30 . The separating operation may be carried out by means of separating devices of the most diverse possible types, such as, for example, by means of mechanical or thermal separating devices or ultrasonic separating devices. The latter are preferred, since they make it possible to have a reliable separating operation and at the same time deliver smooth cut edges, in contrast to a thermal cutting device which directly delivers sharp brows. 
     FIG. 9  shows a diagrammatical illustration of a weaving machine for producing the scarves  28   a ,  28   b  of  FIG. 8 . Warp threads  10  are fed via a warp beam  32  to a shedding device  34 . The shedding device  34  contains a jacquard device  36  which can be controlled according to the pattern by a computer control  38 . The jacquard device  36  contains heddles  40  which control the individual warp threads  10  via eyes  42 . Weft threads  12  are inserted via a weft insertion device, not illustrated in anymore detail, into the weaving shed  44  opened by the shedding device  34 . The weft insertion device is assigned a thread selection device  46  which is connected to the computer control  38  and which feeds threads  48   a ,  48   b ,  48   c  in the desired color to the weft insertion device. By means of a weaving reed  50 , the weft threads  12  are beaten up at the cloth verge  52 . The weaving reed  50  contains reed dents  54  which are arranged in parallel and ensure a parallel guidance of the warp threads  10  in the desired warp thread density. The scarves thus produced run through a temple  56 , in order to maintain them at the desired width. The temple  56  is followed by a separating device  30  in order to separate the scarves  28   a ,  28   b  from one another, as indicated by reference to  FIG. 8 . A cloth take-up  58  ensures the necessary longitudinal tension of the scarves at the weaving machine and takes them up. A thermosetting device  60  makes the scarves  28   a ,  28   b  stress-free before they leave the cloth take-up. A following cross-separation device  62  severs the finished scarves to the desired length.