Patent Application
20050053759
The invention relates to composite fabric articles, and more particularly to composite fabric articles having improved surface durability, in particular without substantial adverse affect on desirable qualities of the fabric, e.g. such as drapability, moisture vapor transport (MVT), hand tactile, etc.
Fabric articles, Such as jackets and other outer wear, with qualities desired for use during exercise or exertion, especially warmth and breathability, may be formed, e.g., by circular knit plaited construction or circular knit reverse plaited construction, may be formed with a relatively smooth outer surface (the “technical face”) and an inner surface (the “technical back”) that can be raised, e.g. by processes such as napping, brushing, sanding, etc., to form an insulating layer of fleece. Unfortunately, in both knit constructions, the durability of the smooth technical face is inferior to many woven constructions, limiting their use in articles intended for harsher outdoor sports. In particular, the fuzziness of the smooth technical face will often have an inferior aesthetic look, as well as poor technical features. The smooth face also tends to fuzz out as the surface picks up snow, which it will not shed easily, to fuzz out during rock climbing, and to fuzz out in specific areas of a garment, e.g. at the elbows or at the shoulders, under the straps of a backpack.
Composite fabric articles are achieved by joining at least one material to a fabric body to attain desirable properties that cannot be attained by the fabric body alone. Laminar composites, for example, having multiple layers joined by an adhesive are sometimes employed to increase the thermal resistance of a fabric body. However, the feel (e.g., drapability, hand tactile, etc.) is often substantially decreased by laminating one or more additional layers of material to the fabric body.
According to one aspect of the invention, a fabric article with knitted or woven construction of multi-filament, interlaced yarns has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface has at least one region of pile or raised fibers or fleece formed thereupon and the outer surface has a non-continuous coating of binder material adhered to yarns and to yarn fibers at least at interlacing intersections, for enhanced durability of the outer surface against pilling or fraying during use.
Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following additional features. The fabric article has a plaited circular knit construction, reverse plaited circular knit construction, woven construction or warp knit construction. The fabric article is an article of wearing apparel. The multi-filament yarns are textured or flat. The multi-filament yarns comprise fibers formed of materials selected from the group consisting of: polyester, nylon and polypropylene. The multi-filament yarns of the outer surface comprise spandex. Fibers of the multi-filament yarns are highly intermingled at over about 60 tucks per meter (TPM) and preferably at over about 100 TPM or more, or there may be little or no intermingling. The binder material adheres only to yarn fibers in a manner to substantially avoid restriction of air permeability through the fabric article. Alternatively, the binder material comprises a film extending into interstitial air passageways through the fabric article in a manner to reduce air permeability. The non-continuous coating of binder material is without substantial adverse effect on drapability and hand of the fabric article. The fabric article has one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability due to relatively greater density of binder or binder dots per unit area applied by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web. Preferably the one or more first regions comprise shoulder regions. The fabric article has one or more second regions of relatively lesser surface durability due to relatively lesser density of binder or binder dots per unit area applied by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web. Preferably, the one or more second regions comprise body regions.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of forming a fabric article comprises the steps of: interlacing yarns comprising multi-filament fibers to form a fabric body of knit or woven construction, forming a raised or fleece region upon an inner surface of the fabric body; and, thereafter, applying a binder material to at least the outer surface to form a discontinuous coating of binder material upon at least yarn fibers at interlacing intersections on at least the outer surface of the fabric article, to resist pilling and fraying of yarn fibers at the outer surface.
Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following additional features. The step of applying a binder material comprises applying by standard printing technology, e.g. by rotary screen roll or by gravure roll. The step of applying a binder material comprises applying the binder material with a pad. The method further comprises removing binder material in liquid state from interstitial spaces of the fabric body in a manner to control reduction of air permeability. The step of removing binder material comprises blowing air through the interstitial spaces or drawing air by suction through the interstitial spaces. The step of applying binder material comprises applying a binder material comprising a binder selected from the group consisting of acrylic, polyurethane, silicon and blends thereof, preferably in a form selected from the group consisting of resin, latex, polymer emulsion and polymer dispersion. The step of applying binder material comprises applying a binder material in a liquid carrier and allowing the liquid carrier to evaporate leaving the binder material or applying a binder material in a foam liquid carrier and allowing the foam carrier to collapse leaving the binder material. The step of applying the binder material comprises applying a binder material by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web. Preferably, the binder material is applied by engineered pattern printing techniques to form one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability by applying a first pattern with relatively greater density of binder or binder dots per unit area, e.g. to shoulder regions, and to form one or more second other regions of lesser surface durability by applying a second pattern with relatively lesser density of binder or binder dots per unit area, e.g. to body regions.
The invention thus provides a composite fabric article that overcomes the recognized deficiencies of fabrics of knit construction, discussed above, in particular when used in garments and other articles for harsher outdoor sports, without detracting significantly from qualities of the original form of the fabric found highly desirable for use during exercise or exertion, e.g., warmth, breathability, drapability, MVT, hand tactile, etc. Furthermore, improved fabric articles have a predetermined, controlled, i.e., limited, degree of air permeability may be formed according to the method of the invention.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
Referring to
Referring to
In a first example of a fabric article to be provided with an outer surface of enhanced durability according to the invention, the fabric has a plaited circular knit construction, e.g., as described in Knitting Technology, by David J. Spencer (Woodhead Publishing Limited, 2nd edition, 1996), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, with a smooth outer surface (technical face) and a raised inner surface (technical back). The stitch yarn forming the technical face is preferably a filament yarn of textured filaments formed of synthetic material, e.g. polyester, nylon or polypropylene, the yarn fibers or filaments having a high level of intermingling, e.g. at least over about 60 tucks per meter, and preferably over about 100 tucks per meter, to reduce the tendency of individual fibers to fray or catch and later on to pill. In preferred embodiments, the yarn has a fineness of 0.2 to 3.0 denier per filament (dpf); fraying is a particular concern in multi-fiber yarns, especially with yarns of fine dpf, e.g. 0.2 to 1.5.
In a second example of a fabric article to be provided with the outer surface of enhanced durability, the fabric has a reverse plaited circular knit construction, where the raised surface can be formed on the loop yarn, either on the loop side (technical back), which is preferred, or on the smooth side (technical face). The technical back can be any of a variety of constructions, e.g., knit and/or knit-tuck and/or knit-welt and/or knit-tuck-welt in a variety of combinations.
To avoid restricting or reducing the capability of maximizing the bulk of the raised or fleece surface at the technical back, the fabric articles of knit construction are preferably finished before application of the binder material to the outer surface.
In yet another example, the fabric has a woven construction of synthetic, multi-filament, textured yarn. Spandex is incorporated into the yarn, e.g. in air tuck, cover or core spun position, to provide the fabric with two-way or one-way stretch.
In still another example, the fabric upon which a surface of enhanced durability is to be formed has a warp knit construction, e.g. as described in my earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,196,032, issued Mar. 6, 2001, and 6,199,410, issued Mar. 13, 2001, the complete disclosures of which are incorporated wherein by reference.
A fabric article, e.g. from the examples described above, is next treated to provide an outer surface of enhanced durability by applying binder material to reduce fiber fraying and minimize pilling.
In a preferred embodiment, a chemical binder material for forming a surface region of enhanced durability surface is applied to the smooth outer surface of the fabric article using standard printing technology, e.g. rotary or gravure roll. The binder is preferably applied in a non-continuous coating, e.g. a pattern of separate dots. Any suitable chemical binder material may be employed. Examples of such binders include resin (such melamine), latex (such as acrylate), polymer emulsions or dispersions (such as silicon), or polyurethane. The binder is preferably selected to have a dry hand upon curing or drying, i.e. not tacky to the touch good stretch/recovery, and good bond to textile fibers.
In another preferred embodiment, referring to
Referring again to
In another embodiment, the binder for forming a surface region of enhanced durability surface is applied to the outer surface of the fabric article with a pad. In this embodiment, in order to reduce the tendency toward fraying while maintaining a high level of moisture vapor transmission, good drapability, hand and soft touch, deposit of the binder material is preferably limited primarily to the fibers and/or to the intersections of fibers in the yarn segments, and formation of binder film in the interstitial spaces between yarns is minimized. The formation of film may particularly be avoided by removal of excess liquid binder from interstitial spaces between yarns shortly following application, e.g. while the binder material is still wet or moist, by air suction or air blowing through the fabric article.
Preferably, the binder material is applied in a low viscosity system, or in a system with a relatively low level of binder solids or particulates in a liquid carrier, so that as the system dries, the liquid carrier evaporates (or in a foam system, collapses), leaving the solid binder deposited primarily or only on the yarns or yarn fibers. In this manner, the air permeability level and other characteristics of the base fabric are maintained.
In other embodiments, a binder material of relatively higher viscosity may be employed, to encourage formation of a fine film in the interstitial areas between yarns that will partially or fully maintain its integrity during the drying process. In this manner, the fabric article may be provided with increased water repellency and wind resistance, which would be advantageous in cold windy ambient environments. However, a full or continuous film is typically to be avoided, in order to maintain at least a minimum desired degree of moisture vapor transmission necessary for comfort during high energy activities, such as running, skiing, etc.
Referring again to
The improved surface durability of fabric articles of the invention is demonstrated in a severe pilling and abrasion test, such as the modified Martindale abrasion test method of ASTM D 4966. According to this test method, a fabric article of the invention to be tested is subjected to repeated rubbing by a strip of the hook element (General Application type, ¾-inch by ½-inch) of a hook-and-loop type fastener element. After 250 rubs, the appearance of the fabric article of the invention has been seen to be markedly better, e.g., as compared to untreated fabric articles.
A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, other aesthetic effects may be applied face side to back side, including, e.g., color differentiation and/or patterning on one or both surfaces, including three dimensional effects. As mentioned above, the fabric article may have one-way or two-way stretch, and/or the fabric may be constructed to provide a degree of stretch from any of a broad range, including from very low stretch (very stable) or high stretch or compression power stretch. The binder material may be applied in other fashions as appropriate, e.g. by kiss coating or froth foam application, preferably to the technical face after raising the technical back. In other applications, the binder material may also be deposited, e.g., by pad application, upon both surfaces of the fabric article, including, e.g., upon a raised or fleece surface. The multi-strand or multi-filament yarn may, e.g., have the form of staple fibers in spun yarn or filaments in continuous yarn, or the fabric may be constructed with a combination of spun yarn, staple fibers and continuous filament yarn. In addition to suction and blowing of air through the fabric article during drying, the degree of film formation may also be controlled, e.g., by crushing the coated fabric between nip rollers.
Also, referring again to
Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
This application claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/493,275, filed Aug. 7, 2003.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60493275 | Aug 2003 | US |
