Patent Application
20180000177
The present disclosure relates to thermochromic articles of apparel, specifically athletic outerwear/apparel and athleisure, and methods of production.
Thermochromic dyes are popular in a number of different articles, including cups, food product containers, and certain types of textiles. The dyes may be utilized for aesthetics as well as for purposes such as heat exhaustion detection, food temperature monitoring, etc.
Athletic apparel is a large industry with a high demand for innovation. Men, women, and children alike utilize this apparel for various recreational activities, as well as just for everyday use. Thermochromic dyes have been utilized mainly in leisure clothing including cotton fibers, which may include T-shirts, leans, etc. Thermochromic dyes have been attempted to be incorporated into athletic apparel, but the efforts have fallen short due to the poor adhesion between the dyes and the synthetic yarns and fibers in the athletic apparel. Because of this, the dyes tend to wash out when the apparel is washed. Efficient means are needed in order to properly affix thermochromic inks to athletic apparel and other synthetic fabrics.
Athletic apparel is a large industry with a high demand for innovation. Men, women, and children alike utilize this apparel for various recreational activities, as well as just for everyday use.
The disclosed subject matter provides articles of apparel, more specifically athletic outerwear/apparel comprising thermochromic molecules. The apparel may comprise various textile and polymer constructions that may interact with thermochromic molecules.
An article of apparel may comprise a textile layer and a thermochromic portion affixed to the textile layer. The thermochromic portion may comprise at least one set of thermochromic molecules. A heat protective layer may comprise a plurality of heat resistant molecules and may be positioned on a first surface of the thermochromic portion.
The disclosure may further include a thermochromic patch comprising a thermochromic portion affixable to a portion of a textile. The thermochromic portion may comprise at least one set of thermochromic molecules. A heat protective layer,may be positioned on a first portion of the thermochromic portion. The heat protective layer may prevent transmission of heat from an external environment to the thermochromic portion.
The disclosure may further comprise a method for producing a thermochromic article of apparel. The method may comprise providing a textile layer. A thermochromic comprising at least one set of thermochromic molecules may then be affixed to the textile layer. A heat protective layer may be applied and positioned on a first portion of the thermochromic portion.
The novel features believed characteristic of the disclosed subject matter will be set forth in any claims that are filed. The disclosed subject matter itself, however, further objectives, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Reference now should be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numbers are used throughout the different figures to designate the same components.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. Thus, a first element discussed below could be termed a second element without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” or “includes” and/or “including” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The disclosure may relate to athletic apparel such as, but not limited to, activewear, athleisure, pants, shirts, skirts, shorts, skorts, etc. More specifically, the disclosure may relate to apparel including various configurations utilizing thermochromic molecules, as well as dye and pigment molecules.
Embodiments may include various configurations such as, but not limited to woven/knit apparel with multiple layers and woven/knit apparel including screen printed/adhered polymeric material.
The predetermined portion may include an area that may be adjacent an individual's muscle when an individual is wearing the article 200. When the muscle is being used for activity, the muscle may give off more heat than other parts of the body, allowing for the heat to transfer to the thermochromic portion 210 and change the color of the thermochromic portion 210. Depending on the standard and activation temperatures of the thermochromic molecules, thermoclyromic portions 210 with specific thermochromic molecules 220 may be placed on different areas of the body, depending on how much heat is released from the different areas.
In embodiments, the thermochromic portion 210 may comprise an elastic polymer. The elastic polymer may be at least one of a binding agent, a polyurethane, a vinyl polymer, and HDPE. In embodiments, the thermochromic portion 210 may comprise a cross-linked polymer.
In embodiments, the thermochromic portion 210 may be affixed to the textile layer via at least one method of self-adhesion, a binding agent, ultrasonic welding, and heat treatment.
In order to be able to view the changing of color of the thermochromic molecules 340, in embodiments, the polymer layer may be at least one of translucent and transparent. In embodiments, the heat protective layer 330 may comprise at least one of silicon dioxide, a metal oxide, a polyphosphazene, and a silicone polymer.
In embodiments, single fibers 1000 may comprise a varying thickness at different points in the fibers, such as that shown in
In embodiments, synthetic fibers may comprise varying thicknesses at different points in the fibers. In embodiments, the synthetic fibers of varying thicknesses may be incorporated into at least one of a core-spun yarn core and a core-spun yarn sheath. The additional surface area may provide an increased wicking rate for sweat being wicked from an individual's body, which may deliver body heat from the sweat to the thermochromic portion, which may change the color of the thermochromic molecules at a faster rate.
In embodiments, the thermochromic portion 1120 may comprise an elastic polymer.
In embodiments, the thermochromic portion 1120 may be affixed to the article 1200 via at least one of self-adhesion, a binding agent, ultrasonic welding, and heat treatment.
In embodiments, the thermochromic portion may be positioned along a border of an orifice defined within the textile portion.
In embodiments, method 1400 may further comprise applying a non-thermochromic dye including a first color. In this embodiment, at least one set of thermochromic molecules is colorless at a first temperature range and a second color at a second temperature range.
In embodiments, fabric utilized may be knit in a double knit pattern. In embodiments, the double knit fabric may comprise one or more different types of yarn. In embodiments, the one or more different types of yarn may comprise fibers of different thicknesses.
For the purposes this disclosure, the term “thermochromic molecule” may include thermochromic dye molecules and thermochromic pigment molecules.
In embodiments, the article of apparel may comprise at least one of a plurality of stabilizer molecules, a plurality of absorber molecules, and a plurality of blocker molecules. In embodiments, the molecules may be dispersed within thermochromic portions.
It is appreciated that, although one or more FIGS. may display embodiments of pants and tops, the disclosure is not limited to pants and tops and may include other articles of apparel.
It is noted that dye molecules referred to herein (pigment, dye, thermochromic, etc.) may be incorporated into thermochromic portions by conventional standards, unless otherwise disclosed.
In embodiments, at least some of the plurality of thermochromic molecules may comprise a darker value than the value of at least one of the dye molecules and pigment molecules.
In embodiments, warp yarns and weft yarns found in any of the articles of apparel may be selected from the group consisting of: core-spun yarn, blended yarn, ply yarn, cord yarn, boucle yarn, self-striping yarn, and marled yarn.
In embodiments, the textile layer may comprise natural yarns including natural fibers. In embodiments, the textile layer may comprise synthetic yarns including synthetic fibers.
In embodiments, any disclosed article of apparel pattern may include weaves such as, but is not limited to, any of the following: plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, basket weave, leno weave, mock leno weave, and pile weave.
In embodiments, any disclosed article of apparel pattern may include knits such as, but is not limited to, any of the following: knit stitch, purl stitch, elongated stitch, plaited stitch, slip stitch, increase knitting pattern, and decrease knitting pattern.
Examples of blends that various articles of apparel may be made from may include polyester/rayon/spandex blends, such as 47% polyester, 47% rayon, and 6% spandex; or from 30-60% polyester, 30-60% rayon, and 1-20% spandex; such as from 40-50% polyester, 40-50% rayon, and 2-18% spandex, such as from 43-49% polyester, 43-49% rayon, and 3-15% spandex; such as from 45-52% polyester, 45-52% rayon, and 4-10% spandex; including from 35-50% polyester, 40-50% rayon, and 5-8% spandex, and so on. Likewise, a blend of 88% nylon, and 12% spandex may be utilized, or 90:10 nylon:spandex, or anywhere from 70-98% nylon and 2-30% spandex may be used.
In embodiments, fabrics may comprise from 1-6 types of materials, such as from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 types of materials. These materials may be present in any amount, including, for example where the blend is 50:50, or 45:55, or 40:60 or 35:65, or 30:70, or 25:75, or 20:80, or 15:85, or 10:90, or 5:95, or each component is present from about 1-99%, such as from 2-95%, or from about 3-98%, or from 4-97%, or 5-90%, or 6-92%, or 7-91%, or 8-96%, or 9-94%, or 10-93%, or 11-89%, or 12-88%, or 87%, or 14-86%, or 15-85%, or 16-84%, or 17-83%, or 18-82%, or 19-81% , or 20-80%, or 21-79%, or 22-78%, or 23-77%, or 24-76%, or 25-75%, or 26-74%, or 27-73%, or 28-72%, or 29-71%, or 30-70%, or 31-69%, or 32-68%, or 33-67%, or 34-66%, or 35-65%, or 36-64%, or 37-63%, or 38-62%, or 39-61%, or 40-60%, or 41-59%, or 42-58%, or 43-57%, or 44-56%, or 45-55%, or 46-54%, or 47-53%, or 48-52%, or 49-51%, or 50% each.
Particular examples of fabric blends in embodiments may include 97% cotton with 3% spandex, or from about 80-99% cotton with about 1-20% spandex, such as a 99:1, or 98:2, or 97:3, or 96:4, or 95:5, or 94:6, or 93:7, or 92:8, or 91:9, or 90:10, or 89:11, or 88:12, or 87:13, or 86:14, or 85:15, or 84:16, or 83:17, or 82:18, or 81:19, or 80:20, or 79:21, or 78:22, or 77:23, or 76:24, or 75:25, or 74:26, or 73:27, or 72:28, or 71:29, or 70:30 cotton:spandex blend, or cotton:polyester blend, or polyester/spandex blend. These materials may be used for one or more of a waistband, legs of a garment, and/or a crotch or other parts of a garment, with any one or more of these parts of a garment being the same or different. Preferred materials and blends can include one or more of organic cotton/spandex, cotton; modal, viscose/spandex, PILAYO (SUPPLEX Nylon/LYCRA Spandex), Heathered PILAYO (SUPPLEX Nylon(Polyester/LYCRA Spandex), or COOLMAX (polyester). The lists of materials and compositions of the fabric provided in this specification are not meant to be exhaustive but only representative of the types of materials and amounts of material that may be used.
In embodiments, the thermochromic molecules may be microencapsulated.
In embodiments, the thermochromic molecules found in. any disclosed textiles may be of any color or may be colorless.
In embodiments, any of the mentioned articles of apparel may include a design made up of a pluraljty of thermochromic molecules. In embodiments, separate portions of the image may each comprise thermochromic molecules with different activation energes. When the article of apparel increases in temperature (such as by the transfer of body heat, the absorption of sunlight, etc.), different thermochromic molecules may be activated at different temperatures and may change color (so that different portions of the design may be viewable at different temperatures).
It is appreciated that certain features of the disclosure, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination its a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the disclosure, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-combination.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as are commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Although methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, suitable methods are described herein.
All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will prevail. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub-combinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 62/355,872, filed Jun. 29, 2016, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62355872 | Jun 2016 | US |
