TUFTED FABRIC WITH PILE HEIGHT DIFFERENTIAL

摘要

A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material with various graphic pattern effects being formed therewith. The system generally will include a pair of needle bars each having at least one row of needles mounted along a tufting zone and reciprocated through the backing to a desired penetration depth, and will present a desired set or group of yarns to a series of gauge parts mounted at differing elevations. A first or upstream one of the needle bars will be shifted to an off-gauge position to move the needles thereof into positions so as to not be engaged by their associated gauge parts. The yarns fed to these needles further can be controlled to substantially pull back or otherwise prevent tufts of such yarns from being formed in the backing.

主权项

1. A method of forming patterned tufted articles, comprising:
moving a backing through a tufting zone; reciprocating a first and a second series of needles into the backing so as to present a series of yarns carried thereby at different penetration depths; as the needles penetrate the backing and present the series of yarns carried thereby to each stitch area, engaging the first series of needles with a first series of gauge parts and engaging the second series of needles with a second series of gauge parts so as to form tufts of yarn in the backing of different pile heights; shifting the first series of needles to an off-gauge position; and controlling feeding of the yarns to the needles of the first series of needles to selectively pull back at least a portion of the yarns carried thereby.