Patent Application
20140206249
Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to fabric that includes fiber and an elastomeric material, to products including such fabric, and to methods of making and using such fabric and products.
Fabric includes textiles and cloth fabricated from fiber, such as a strand of thread or yarn. Fabrics may be formed by weaving, knitting, or pressing fibers together. The fibers of fabric may be natural or man-made (synthetic).
It is known to reinforce sheets of polymer material with fabric. To form such an article, a fabric is provided and the fabric is laminated to a continuous layer of polymer material, or sandwiched between two continuous layers of polymer material. It is also known to form such articles by molding or casting the polymer material over and around the fabric. Such articles, however, exhibit the basic modalities of a continuous sheet of the layer of polymer material, as opposed to fabric, and do not feel or behave as fabric.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes an elastomer-enhanced fabric having one or more fiber strands, and an elastomeric material carried by the one or more fiber strands. The elastomeric material may comprise an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer. The elastomeric material does not entirely fill all spaces between the one or more fiber strands, such that the fabric has a textured surface.
In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an article of manufacture including such an elastomer-enhanced fabric.
In yet further embodiments, the present disclosure includes methods of forming such an elastomer-enhanced fabric. For example, a method of forming an elastomer-enhanced fabric may comprise providing an elastomeric material on one or more fiber strands of a fabric, and causing the elastomeric material to not entirely fill all spaces between the one or more fiber strands, such that the fabric has a textured surface. The elastomeric material may comprise an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the present disclosure, various features and advantages may be more readily ascertained from the following description of example embodiments of the disclosure provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The illustrations presented herein are not actual views of any particular material, fabric, or article of manufacture, but are merely idealized representations employed to describe embodiments of the present disclosure. Elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.
Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to fabric enhanced by the addition of an elastomeric material to the fiber strands or threads of the fabric. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure include an elastomer-enhanced fabric that includes one or more fiber strands, and an elastomeric material carried by the one or more fiber strands. The elastomeric material may not entirely fill all spaces between the one or more fiber strands, such that the fabric has a textured surface. The basic modalities of the fabric may be maintained upon the addition of the elastomeric material to the fiber strands of the fabric. In other words, the elastomer-enhanced fabric may exhibit the texture and general behavior of the fabric, although one or more features, such as one or more physical properties, of the fabric may be enhanced by addition of the elastomeric material to the one or more fiber strands of the fabric. As discussed in further detail below, the elastomeric material may include an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer.
As used herein, the term “elastomeric polymer” means and includes a polymer capable of recovering its original size and shape after deformation. In other words, an elastomeric polymer is a polymer having elastic properties. Elastomeric polymers may also be referred to as “elastomers” in the art. Elastomeric polymers include, without limitation, homopolymers (polymers having a single chemical unit repeated) and copolymers (polymers having two or more chemical units).
As used herein, the term “plasticizer” means and includes a substance added to another material (e.g., an elastomeric polymer) to increase a workability of the material. For example, a plasticizer may increase the flexibility, softness, or extensibility of the material. Plasticizers include hydrocarbon fluids, such as mineral oils. Hydrocarbon plasticizers may be aromatic or aliphatic.
As used herein, the term “elastomeric material” means and includes elastomeric polymers and mixtures of elastomeric polymers with plasticizers and/or other materials. Elastomeric materials are elastic (i.e., capable of recovering size and shape after deformation). Elastomeric materials include materials referred to in the art as “elastomer gels,” “gelatinous elastomers,” or simply “gels.”
In some embodiments, the elastomeric polymer of the elastomeric material may comprise an elastomeric block copolymer. As used herein, the term “elastomeric block copolymer” means and includes an elastomeric polymer having groups or blocks of homopolymers linked together, such as A-B diblock copolymers and A-B-A triblock copolymers. A-B diblock copolymers have two distinct blocks of homopolymers. A-B-A triblock copolymers have two blocks of a single homopolymer (A) each linked to a single block of a different homopolymer (B).
As non-limiting examples, the average layer thickness T of the layer of elastomeric material 106 on the exterior surfaces of the fiber 104 may be about 80% or less of the diameter D of the fiber 104, about 40% or less of the diameter D of the fiber 104, or even about 10% or less of the diameter D of the fiber 104.
In embodiments like that of
The thickness of a layer of elastomer-enhanced fabric 100 as described herein may be about two (2) times the thickness of the fabric in the absence of the elastomeric material 106, or less. In this configuration, the elastomer-enhanced fabric 100 may maintain the basic fabric modalities of rollability, flexibility, stretchability (or lack thereof), sewability, quiltability, ability to be cut with scissors or shears, tear strength of the fabric, and/or tensile strength of the fabric.
Referring again to
In some embodiments, the elastomeric material may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of a gelatinous elastomer, a thermoplastic elastomer, rubber, a synthetic elastomer, and combinations thereof. As a non-limiting example, the elastomeric material 106 may comprise an elastomeric and thermoplastic gel that includes an elastomeric and thermoplastic polymer that is plasticized with a plasticizer. Such elastomeric and thermoplastic gels are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,749,111, 5,994,450, 6,026,527 and 6,797,765, each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. Such elastomeric and thermoplastic gels may comprise an A-B-A tri-block copolymer elastomer. The “A” blocks may be styrene and the “B” block may be a rubber. As non-limiting examples, the B blocks may be a butadiene or isoprene rubber, or may be a hydrogenated rubber, such as ethylene/propylene or ethylene/butylene or ethylene/ethylene/propylene. The A-B-A tri-block copolymer elastomer may be plasticized with mineral oil or other hydrocarbon fluids.
In some embodiments, a ratio of the weight of the elastomeric polymer to a weight of the plasticizer in the elastomeric material 106 may be about 8:1 (weight of polymer:weight of plasticizer) or less, about 1:1 or less, about 0.3:1 or less, or even about 0.1:1 or less.
The elastomeric material 106, as described above, may be a gelatinous elastomer material that when deformed in compression and then released returns to its original shape, that under tension may be stretched to many times its original size but still returns to its original size and shape when released, and that may be rubbery in feel but may deform to the shape of an object applying a deforming pressure better than typical rubber materials. Such a gelatinous elastomer material may have a durometer much lower than typical rubber materials. For example, the gelatinous elastomer material may have a durometer less than Shore A 50, or even less than Shore A 1, whereas typical rubber materials may be have durometers higher than Shore A 55, or even higher than Shore A 100. Such gelatinous elastomer materials, which are thermoplastic in nature rather than thermoset or chemical-set in nature, are generally much stronger, for example five to ten times stronger in tensile strength, than typical thermoset or chemical-set cushioning gels such as polyurethane and silicone gels. Additionally, such gelatinous elastomer materials and are much less sticky than most thermoset or chemical-set gels and, may not be sticky at all, but rather mildly tacky (though tackiness may be increased if desired by addition of ingredients such as tackifying resins).
The elastomeric material 106 may or may not contain fillers, such as microspheres. Such microspheres may be employed as a light-weight filler to reduce an overall weight of the fabric 100. Such microspheres also may be employed as a temperature-regulating filler material for absorbing relatively high or low amounts of thermal energy, as desired.
The fiber 104 of the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100 may comprise, as non-limiting examples, polyester fiber, polypropylene fiber, cotton fiber, polyamide fiber (such as NYLON), RAYON fiber, acrylic fiber, silk fiber, glass fiber (i.e., fiberglass), aramid fiber, polypropylene-sheathed elastomer fiber, rubber fiber (natural or synthetic), carbon fiber, and other elastomeric, synthetic, or natural fiber.
The fabric 100 may or may not be inherently stretchable (i.e., when the fabric 100 does not include elastomeric material 106 carried on the fibers 104 of the fiber strands 102) in one or more directions.
Articles of manufacture may be fabricated that include such fabric 100. As non-limiting examples, such articles of manufacture may comprise articles of clothing, and covers for or components within pillows, mattresses, and cushions.
Additional embodiments of the present disclosure include methods of forming elastomer-enhanced fabric 100, as described herein. In accordance with such methods, an elastomeric material 106 may be provided on at least one fiber 104 of one or more fiber strands 102 of a fabric 100, and the elastomeric material 106 may be caused to not entirely fill all spaces between the one or more fiber strands 102, such that the fabric 100 has a textured surface.
In some embodiments, the elastomeric material 106 may be provided on at least one fiber 104 of one or more fiber strands 102, and the one or more fiber strands 102 subsequently may be formed into a fabric to provide the elastomer-enhanced fabric 100. In other embodiments, however, one or more fiber strands 102 free of elastomeric material 106 may be formed into a fabric, and the elastomeric material 106 then may be provided on the one or more fiber strands 102 of the fabric to form the elastomer-enhanced fabric 100.
In some embodiments, a liquid comprising an elastomeric material may be provided on the one or more fiber strands 102, and a portion of the liquid comprising the elastomeric material may be removed from the one or more fiber strands 102.
As used herein, the term “liquid comprising an elastomeric material”, or the term “liquid” if in the context of a coating that will form an elastomeric material, means a liquid material that comprises polymers that can be transformed into a solid elastomeric material. One example is a molten liquid mixture of thermoplastic elastomer (e.g., KRATON® G1651) and plasticizer (e.g., mineral oil) that upon cooling is transformed into a solid gelatinous elastomer. Another example is a solvated liquid mixture of thermoplastic elastomer (e.g., KRATON® G1651), plasticizer (e.g., mineral oil) and solvent (e.g., toluene), which upon evaporation of the solvent is transformed into a solid gelatinous elastomer. Another example is a not-yet-fully-reacted liquid mixture of the precursor components of a thermoset gel (e.g., a polyurethane gel, a silicone gel, or a PVC plastisol) which upon the passage of time, upon application of heat, and/or upon application of UV radiation is transformed into a solid gelatinous elastomer.
As a non-limiting example, a fabric may be formed comprising fiber strands that are at least substantially free of elastomeric material 106. The fabric then may be saturated with molten plasticized thermoplastic elastomer. The saturated fabric then may be wrung out by placing the saturated fabric on an absorbent material (such as a foam material), and passing the absorbent material and the saturated fabric through a squeeze-roller apparatus to allow the absorbent material to absorb a portion of the molten plasticized thermoplastic elastomer from the fabric. The absorption of the portion of the molten plasticized thermoplastic elastomer by the absorbent material may open the pores in fabric, thereby forming the voids 108, to allow permeation of the fabric 100 by liquids, vapors, or gases. After exiting the squeeze-roller apparatus, the fabric may be separated from the absorbent material, and the molten plasticized thermoplastic elastomer may be allowed to cool and solidify, thereby forming the elastomer-enhanced fabric 100.
The efficiency of the manufacturing process may be improved by employing a process that imparts the elastomeric material 106 to the fiber 104 of the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100 in roll form in a continuous fashion. As previously mentioned, a liquid comprising an elastomeric material may be applied to the fiber 104 of the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100. The liquid comprising an elastomeric material may be pooled on the fabric, and thus infiltrate the fibers 104 by gravity. In other embodiments, a liquid comprising an elastomeric material may be forced into the fiber 104 of the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100 with the assistance of pressure. The liquid comprising an elastomeric material may be passed through rollers of the squeeze-roller apparatus to control the amount of the liquid comprising an elastomeric material that is applied to the fabric. The rollers may be spaced at a calculated distance to control the pressure of the squeeze applied to the fabric to achieve a desired final amount of elastomeric material 106 on the fibers 102 of the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100. The rollers may comprise a hard, relatively rigid material, such steel or another metal or metal alloy, or the rollers may comprise a soft, relatively flexible material such as silicone rubber or another elastomeric material. Such soft rollers may be more efficient at removing the liquid comprising an elastomeric material from the spaces between the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100 to form the voids 108, such as when it is desirable to render the fabric 100 permeable. Relatively hard rollers may be employed when it is desired to maintain at least some elastomeric material 106 in the spaces between the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100, so as to render the fabric 100 impermeable.
Any other process suitable to partially or completely coat the fiber 104 of the fiber strands 102 with an elastomeric material 106 to form an elastomer-enhanced fabric 100 may be employed in accordance with the present disclosure. For example, a liquid comprising an elastomeric material may be sprayed onto the fibers 104 of the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100, without saturating the fiber strands 102 and subsequently removing a portion of the liquid comprising an elastomeric material, as previously described. As another example, a sheet of thermoplastic elastomeric material may be disposed adjacent a sheet of fabric and passed between hot rollers to melt the thermoplastic elastomeric material and squeeze it into the spaces between the fiber strands 102 of the fabric 100. The liquid comprising an elastomeric material may be allowed or caused to solidify to form the elastomeric material 106 after being provided on the fibers 104.
Elastomer-enhanced fabrics 100 as described herein may exhibit certain advantages over previously known fabrics that are not enhanced with elastomeric material 106, as described herein. Knitted fabrics, which tend to “run” easily, may not exhibit such runs under the same conditions after being enhanced by elastomeric material 106 as described herein. For example,
Elastomer-enhanced fabrics 100 as described herein may feel cool to the touch, which may be desirable in coverings for or components within pillows, mattresses, and mattress overlay products, for example, or in any other products in which the user desires a cool to the touch feeling, whether the user is in direct or indirect contact with the fabric 100. The length of time that the gel-enhanced fabric 100 feels cool to the touch may be adjusted shorter or longer by the addition of additives (which may include, for example, hollow microspheres, expanded plastic beads, microspheres with phase-change material inside, such as wax), or by adjusting the ratio of the weight of the elastomeric polymer to the weight of the plasticizer in the elastomeric material 106.
Enhancing a fabric with elastomeric material 106 as described herein may allow a knit fabric to stretch to a larger extent (as a percentage of unstretched size) without damage, while still returning to original size and shape, compared to the same fabric in the absence of enhancement with elastomeric material 106 as described herein. For example, a loose tricot, jersey, or ribbed knit polyester that may be stretched to no more than 200% of its original length without suffering permanent deformation may be stretched to 500% or more without suffering permanent deformation after enhancement with elastomeric material 106 as described herein, and may still return to its original size and shape time after time when the deforming force is removed. Limitations on stretchability that exist with previously known fabrics formed from SPANDEX and LYCRA may be reduced or eliminated when such fabrics are enhanced with elastomeric material 106 as described herein, as many such elastomeric materials 106 as described herein may stretch up to ten to fifteen times their original length or more, whereas the rubber threads used in SPANDEX and LYCRA knits may only stretch to three to five times their original length without experiencing permanent damage or deformation.
In addition, many elastomeric materials 106 as described herein, such as thermoplastic gelatinous elastomers may impart aggressive non-skid and/or non-slip characteristics to the fabric 100, which may be used to assist products comprising such fabric 100 to stay in place during use. Such products may comprise, for example, wheelchair cushions, seat cushions, mattresses, mattress toppers, rugs, and floor mats.
In applications in which the advantages of elastomer-enhanced fabric 100 are desired, but at least one side of the fabric 100 may be desired to have the feel and friction of conventional fabric that is free of such elastomeric material 106, the elastomeric material 106 may be applied only partially through a thickness of the fabric 100, leaving the surfaces of the fiber strands 102 free of the elastomeric material 106 on one side of the fabric 100.
Additionally, elastomer-enhanced fabric 100 as described herein, when used as a covering for or components within a cushion such as a pillow or mattress, may reduce shear forces applied to the body of a person supported on such a cushion. Such shear forces may cause blisters, decubitus ulcers or discomfort.
As previously discussed, the enhancement of a fabric with an elastomeric material 106 as described herein may be performed in a manner that renders the elastomer-enhanced fabric 100 either permeable or impermeable to liquid, vapor, and/or gas. Permeability may be desirable in products in which sweat or vapor, or heat, or lack of oxygen may otherwise exist. This may be the case in many products, and may include pillows, mattresses, mattress overlays, shoe insoles, socks, and articles of clothing. Impermeability may be desirable in other applications, such as water-proof coverings for cushions. Such impermeable elastomer-enhanced fabric 100 may be used as stretchable, water-proof covers for mattresses, chairs, and wheelchair cushions, for example.
Additional non-limiting example embodiments are set forth below.
An elastomer-enhanced fabric, comprising: one or more fiber strands, the one or more fiber strands including at least one fiber and an elastomeric material carried by the at least one fiber, the elastomeric material comprising an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer; wherein the elastomeric material does not entirely fill all spaces between the one or more fiber strands, such that the elastomer-enhanced fabric has a textured surface.
The fabric of Embodiment 1, wherein voids are present in the spaces between the one or more fiber strands.
The fabric of Embodiment 2, wherein gas may permeate across the fabric from one side of the fabric to another opposite side of the fabric through the voids in the spaces between the one or more fiber strands.
The fabric of any one of Embodiments 1 through 3, wherein the one or more fiber strands including at least one fiber comprises a strand of interlocked fibers.
The fabric of Embodiment 4, wherein the elastomeric material is infused into the spaces between the interlocked fibers of the strand.
The fabric of any one of Embodiments 1 through 5, wherein the fabric comprises woven fiber strands.
The fabric of any one of Embodiments 1 through 5, wherein the fabric comprises non-woven fiber strands.
The fabric of any one of Embodiments 1 through 5, wherein the fabric comprises one or more knitted fiber strands.
The fabric of any one of Embodiments 1 through 8, wherein the one or more fiber strands are not laminated to, sandwiched with, or submerged in a continuous sheet of the elastomeric material.
The fabric of any one of Embodiments 1 through 9, wherein the elastomeric material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a gelatinous elastomer, a thermoplastic elastomer, rubber, a synthetic elastomer, and combinations thereof.
The fabric of any one of Embodiments 1 through 11, wherein the elastomeric polymer comprises an A-B-A triblock copolymer.
An article of manufacture comprising a fabric as recited in any one of Embodiments 1 through 12.
The article of manufacture of Embodiment 13, wherein the article of manufacture is selected from the group consisting of an article of clothing and a cover for or a component within a pillow, mattress, or cushion.
A method of forming an elastomer-enhanced fabric, comprising: providing an elastomeric material on at least one fiber of one or more fiber strands of a fabric, the elastomeric material comprising an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer; and causing the elastomeric material to not entirely fill all spaces between the one or more fiber strands, such that the fabric has a textured surface.
The method of Embodiment 15, wherein providing an elastomeric material on the at least one fiber of the one or more fiber strands of a fabric comprises: disposing a liquid comprising an elastomeric material on the one or more fiber strands; and removing a portion of the liquid comprising the elastomeric material from the one or more fiber strands.
The method of Embodiment 16, wherein removing the portion of the liquid comprising the elastomeric material from the one or more fiber strands comprises compressing the one or more fiber strands to expel at least some of the liquid comprising the elastomeric material from the one or more fiber strands.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 through 17, further comprising: selecting the one or more fiber strands to include a strand of interlocked fibers; and infiltrating the interlocked fibers of the strand with the elastomeric material.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 through 17, wherein providing an elastomeric material on one or more fiber strands of a fabric comprises: providing the elastomeric material on the one or more fiber strands; and subsequently forming the one or more fiber strands into the fabric.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 through 17, wherein providing an elastomeric material on one or more fiber strands of a fabric comprises: forming the fabric comprising the one or more fiber strands; and subsequently providing the elastomeric material on the one or more fiber strands of the fabric.
Embodiments of the disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. Specific embodiments have been shown in the drawings and described in detail herein to provide illustrative examples of embodiments of the disclosure. However, the disclosure is not limited to the particular forms disclosed herein. Rather, embodiments of the disclosure may include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure as broadly defined herein. Furthermore, elements and features described herein in relation to some embodiments may be implemented in other embodiments of the disclosure, and may be combined with elements and features described herein in relation to other embodiments to provide yet further embodiments of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/849,334, filed Jan. 24, 2013, and entitled “Gel-enhanced fabric and articles made therefrom,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61849334 | Jan 2013 | US |
