Patent Application
20090271914
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to garments having support bands containing an elastomeric adhesive and flocking and a method for producing those garments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In most previously known undergarments, seam connections are required in order to connect the different layers or parts of the undergarment with one another. However such seams have the disadvantage that the seam material has an elastic behavior which differs from the textile material itself such that the wearing properties are impaired. Further, the seams and/or elastic bands sewn to the undergarments typically present a significantly thicker area that can result in discomfort to the wearer and visible lines on the outside of form-fitting clothes. Fabricating the elastic band and sewing it onto the garment can also be costly and time consuming.
While some undergarments may be formed without elastic bands sewn on, they often suffer the disadvantage that the support and bearing force is strongly impaired since the elasticity is provided by the fabric alone and not by other additional means.
Additionally, although undergarments have been produced with, e.g., silicone rubber coated sections to provide support and adhere to the skin, the rubber tends to be uncomfortable where it contacts the skin. There exists a need for waistbands and other elastic portions of apparel that do not have separately connected seams, and that are more comfortable to the wearer than garments having rubber to skin contact.
The invention is therefore generally based on providing garments with elastomeric support that is not sewn to the garment and that is comfortable against the wearer's skin.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a garment includes a stretchable fabric, an elastomeric adhesive coating a portion of the inside of the fabric that would face the skin of a person wearing the garment, and fiber flocking with one end of each fiber embedded within the elastomeric adhesive.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of fabricating a garment including cutting one or more panels of a stretchable fabric to form the garment, coating a portion of the inside of the fabric that would face the skin of a person wearing the garment with an elastomeric adhesive, and embedding one end of each fiber of fiber flocking within the elastomeric adhesive. The fiber flocking may be attracted to the adhesive by electrostatic charges.
The invention will be explained in further detail in conjunction with drawings representing various embodiments. In the drawings and in the following descriptions, further characteristics and advantages associated with the invention are evident.
The application of an elastomeric adhesive coating on a specific area of a garment, such as the waistband of the pair of panties 100, may provide localized elastic properties which provide additional modulus to the garment as and where required. The wider the waistband or other support band of elastomeric adhesive coating of a given thickness, the greater the supporting force will be. Additional components of the panties 100, if desired, may be joined by the elastomeric adhesive, however the components may also be joined by thermal methods, seams, or any other method of joining pieces of fabric.
The elastomeric adhesive may be applied to the garment before the garment is finally cut to size. In a preferred embodiment, the cut may be made within the coated section to ensure even and complete coating of the garment. Alternatively, the elastomeric adhesive may be applied to the garment after it has been cut to size.
The application of the elastomeric adhesive to the garment may take place with a silkscreen configuration according to
Alternatively, the elastomeric adhesive may be sprayed onto the garment with or without the silkscreen 201. The thickness of the coating may vary, and depends on the type and configuration of the garment (e.g., the type of fabric used and the size of the garment), as well as customer requirements. The width of the bands may also vary, depending on the type and configuration of the garment, as well as customer requirements.
The fibers for the flocking 102 may be formed from any natural or synthetic material. Synthetic materials may include nylons, polyamides, polyesters such as terephthalate polymers and acrylic, and natural materials may include cotton, silk, rayon, and wool. A conductive coating or finish may be applied continuously or discontinuously over the exterior surface of the flocking fibers to permit the flocking fibers to hold an electrical charge.
The length of fiber used for flocking can be varied as appropriate. For example, a short or long length may be preferred. Additionally, the fibers may be linear or shaped. For example, the fibers may be curled, crimped, or bent. The fibers may be substantially perpendicular to the elastomeric adhesive coating, but, alternatively may be randomly oriented, angled between perpendicular and parallel orientations, or substantially parallel depending on a variety of design factors. The fibers used for flocking may be made by chopping or cutting a length of filament to a desired length. During the chopping or cutting, the fiber ends produced may be jagged or have multiple projections extending therefrom.
The flocking fibers may be attached to a sacrificial carrier layer or release sheet, with a release adhesive or binder applied to the carrier layer. The flocking fibers may then be transferred to the elastomeric adhesive by electrostatic or mechanical flocking.
In electrostatic flocking, the portion of the garment coated with the elastomeric adhesive may be passed through a fiber metering station in which an electrostatic field is maintained around the elastomeric adhesive, using, e.g., electrodes situated above and below the coated portion of the garment. The fibers may be applied to the elastomeric adhesive in the presence of the electrostatic field, which may orient the flocking fibers at a desired angle as they contact the elastomeric adhesive. The elastomeric adhesive may then be cured, anchoring the flocking.
Mechanical flocking may also be used to attach flocking to the elastomeric adhesive. In this aspect, the elastomeric adhesive may be coated with flocking by the beater-bar method. In a preferred aspect, the adhesive-coated portion of the garment may be passed over a series of polygonal rollers that rapidly vibrate that portion of the garment. This vibration may drive the fiber into the adhesive. The flocking fibers may then be delivered by a flock module for flat surfaces or by an airstream pump. Any excess and unattached fibers may be removed by vacuum.
One aspect of the invention involves the application of charge to the flock fibers and attraction of the fibers to the elastomeric coating on the garment as is represented by the drawing provided in
If heat curing is used with the elastomeric adhesive, the flocking may be protected by controlling the curing temperature and limiting the time the flocked garment is held in a dryer.
The principles, preferred embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. The invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed, as these are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the foregoing best mode of carrying out the invention should be considered exemplary in nature and not as limiting to the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
