Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PATCH FOR PERFORMANCE GARMENTS AND
METHODS OF USING AND MAKING
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention is directed to a patch for a performance
garment and a
method for applying the patch.
Background Art
[0002]
It is well known that patches can be used for repairing tears or cuts in
fabrics. In
the past, some patches have been stitched or sewn onto an item of apparel.
Some patches
include an adhesive on one side of the patch and can be adhered to the item of
apparel
using heat or pressure. Traditionally, patches used to repair tears or cuts in
performance
apparel for athletes have been made from relatively heavy and rigid woven
fabrics.
[0003] Recently, it has become popular for apparel to be made from
lightweight,
stretchable fabric, particularly in performance apparel. However, because the
apparel is
lightweight and stretchable, it may rip or be cut easier than heavier
clothing. For apparel
designed to be worn during ice hockey or other skating sports, for example,
this problem
may be particularly apparent due to incidental contact with the blades of an
ice skate.
When traditional patches are applied to such apparel, they can encumber the
underlying
garment and can hinder the wearer's movement during use. Moreover, such
patches tend
to be heavy and bulky and sewing or stitching them onto an item of apparel can
be a time
consuming process. In addition, sewing a patch can denigrate or otherwise
weaken the
underlying garment due to, for example, needle holes from the sewing process.
Any such
weakening can be especially problematic for performance garments. Accordingly,
there
is a need in the art to develop innovative patches and methods of applying and
producing
said patches that are more suitable for such apparel.
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BRIEF SUMMARY
[0004] In one aspect, there is provided a patch for a performance
garment,
comprising: a fabric substrate layer; a reinforcing layer including a
plurality of plates affixed
to the substrate layer, wherein the plurality of plates are arranged in a
pattern such that a
plurality of continuous gaps are defined between adjacent ones of the plates,
and an
elastomeric adhesive layer overlying the reinforcing layer, the adhesive layer
for adhering the
patch to the garment, wherein at least one of the sheet and the elastomeric
adhesive is
stretchable. In some embodiments, at least one of the sheet and the
elastomeric adhesive has
an independent stretch greater than the stretch of the garment.
[0004a] In another aspect, there is provided a performance garment
having a patch
comprising: a fabric substrate layer; a reinforcing layer including a
plurality of plates affixed
to the sheet, the plurality of plates being arranged in a pattern such that a
plurality of
continuous gaps are defined between adjacent ones of the plates; and an
elastomeric adhesive
layer overlying the reinforcing layer sheet and adhered to the garment, one or
both of the
substrate layer and the elastomeric adhesive layer having an independent
stretch greater than
that of the garment.
[0005] In another aspect, there is provided a method of reinforcing
or repairing an
opening in a performance garment using a patch, comprising: (a) providing a
patch
comprising: a sheet of fabric; a reinforcing layer including a plurality of
plates affixed to the
sheet, wherein the plurality of plates are arranged in a pattern such that a
plurality of
continuous gaps are defined between adjacent ones of the plates; an
elastomeric adhesive
overlying the reinforcing layer; and a backing sheet removably attached to the
elastomeric
adhesive; (b) preparing the garment for application, including arranging the
garment so that
the garment is inside out and an area of application of the garment is laid
substantially flat;
(d) peeling off the removable backing sheet; (e) placing the adhesive side of
the patch on the
area of application; and (f) applying heat and pressure to the patch to bond
it to the garment.
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[0006] In another aspect, there is provided a repair kit for
reinforcing or repairing an
opening in a garment, comprising: a plurality of sheets of fabric, a
reinforcing layer for each
sheet including a plurality of plates affixed to the sheet and arranged in a
pattern such that a
plurality of continuous gaps are defined between adjacent ones of the plates,
and an
elastomeric adhesive overlying the reinforcing layer, and wherein at least one
of the sheet and
the elastomeric adhesive is stretchable; and a container adapted to hold the
plurality of sheets.
In some embodiments, at least one of the sheet and the elastomeric adhesive
has an
independent stretch greater than the stretch of the garment.
[0007] In another aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing
a patch for a
performance garment comprising: (a) providing a sheet of fabric; (b) affixing
a reinforcing
layer to the sheet such that continuous gaps are defined between adjacent ones
of a plurality
of plates of the reinforcing layer; and (c) adhering an elastomeric adhesive
and a removable
backing to the reinforcing layer, with at least one of the sheet and the
elastomeric adhesive
being stretchable. In some embodiments, at least one of the sheet and the
elastomeric
adhesive has an independent stretch greater than the stretch of the
performance garment.
[0007a] In a further aspect, there is provided a patch for a
lightweight, stretchable, and
recoverable fabric, the patch comprising: a substrate; an adhesive configured
to adhere the
substrate to the fabric; a reinforcing layer attached to the substrate,
wherein the reinforcing
layer includes discrete, spaced-apart plates that impart cut-resistance to the
patch; wherein the
patch is configured to flex with the fabric without substantially restricting
movement of the
wearer; and wherein the adhesive overlies the reinforcing layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES
[0008] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a
part of
the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the
description, further
serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person
skilled in the pertinent
art to make and use the invention.
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serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person
skilled in the
pertinent art to make and use the invention.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top of an exemplary patch
according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the patch of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a side view of the patch of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a view of an exemplary article of clothing having a
tear or cut in it
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a view of the inner side of the article of clothing
having a tear or cut in it
of FIG. 4, with the patch of FIG. 1 covering the tear or cut according to an
embodiment
of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a view of the outer side of the article of clothing
having a tear or cut in it
of FIG. 4, with the patch of FIG. 1 covering the tear or cut on the inner side
of the article
of clothing according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a view of the patch of FIG. 1 being cut into a suitable
size for
application to an article of clothing;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a view of an exemplary athletic apparel repair kit
for reinforcing and/or
repairing an opening in athletic apparel according to an embodiment of the
present
invention; and
[0017] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for applying a patch to
an article of
clothing according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 10 is a front view of a portion of an alternative fabric
that can be used with
an exemplary patch according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 11 is a side view of the portion of the alternative
fabric of FIG. 10 according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of
a portion of an
alternative fabric according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 13 is a side view of the portion of the alternative
fabric of FIG. 12 according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with
reference to
embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying figures. While specific
configurations and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that
this is done for
illustrative purposes only. References to "an embodiment", "one embodiment",
"another
embodiment," etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a
particular feature,
structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include
the particular
feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not
necessarily refer to the
same embodiment. Further, a person skilled in the relevant art will recognize
that other
configurations and arrangements can be used without departing from the scope
of the
invention.
[0023] Patches can be used in hockey socks, jerseys, gloves, pants,
track suits, hats,
socks, shorts, shirts, shoes, and protective equipment for a variety of other
sports (such as, for
example, speed skating, football, lacrosse, baseball, and soccer). Some
specific areas that the
patches can be used for repair and/or reinforcement include the palms of
gloves, the knee,
groin, or buttocks areas of pants or shorts, and the cuff, collar, or elbow
area of a shirt or
jersey, for example.
[0024] In one embodiment, as shown in FIGs. 1-3, a patch 100 for
repairing an
opening, such as a tear or cut, and/or reinforcing an area in an article of
clothing. The article
of clothing preferably comprises athletic apparel. In one embodiment, the
article of clothing
comprises hockey apparel, such as, for example, a hockey sock or a hockey
sweater. It is
contemplated that patch 100 may be used to repair and/or reinforce other
apparel. The apparel
may include one or more natural or synthetic materials, or combinations
thereof, suitable for
athletic apparel. The apparel may include a woven, non-woven, or knit
material.
[0025] In some embodiments, the apparel is made of a stretchable
material or the
portion to which the patch is applied is made of a stretchable material. In
some embodiments,
the stretchable material has a stretch of at least about 5%, at least about
10%, or at least about
20%. In some embodiments, the stretch of the stretchable material can be in a
range of about
5% to about 30%, about 5% to about 50% or about 5% to about 100%. One
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method of determining the stretch of a material includes hanging the material
with no
load attached, then measuring a distance (Al) between two benchmarks on the
material.
A ten pound force is then applied to the bottom of the material. A distance
(D) between
the two benchmarks is measured. Stretch is measured as a percentage and is
determined
by formula Stretch = 100 x [(D-A1)/A 1 . Accordingly, a completely non-
stretchable
material would have a 0% stretch. In some embodiments, the patch and the
apparel each
have an independent stretch (i.e., the stretches of each item are each
measured when they
are not joined together) of at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least
about 15%, or at
least about 20%. For example, the patch and the apparel can each have
independent
stretch in the range of about 5 to about 40% such as a stretch in the range of
about 5 to
about 30% or about 5 to about 20%.
[0026] Some embodiments of the patch include one or more natural or
synthetic
materials, or combinations thereof, suitable for athletic apparel. Some
embodiments
include woven, non-woven, or knit material. Suitable materials include, but
are not
limited to, those made of cotton, flax, silk, polyester, aramid, acrylic,
nylon, cellulose-
based materials such as rayon or viscose, polyurethane, spandex, and/or
olefin. In some
embodiments, the article, or portions of the article to which the patch is
applied can be
made of a polyester/spandex blend material.
[0027]
In one embodiment, patch 100 can be made from a substrate, such as
polyester
fabric 110. In one embodiment, patch 100 may comprise a single substrate layer
in order
to provide a more lightweight and flexible patch. In other embodiments, patch
100 may
comprise multiple substrate layers.
[0028] Examples of substrate fabrics that can be used include
polyester/spandex blends.
In some embodiments, a polyester/spandex blend substrate includes about 70% to
about
90% polyester fiber by weight such as, for example, about 78% to about 87%
polyester
fiber by weight, with the balance being spandex fiber. In some embodiments, a
polyester/spandex blend substrate has a warp knit construction. The
polyester/spandex
blend substrate can have a fabric weight of about 4 to about 8 ounces per
square yard
such as about 4.5 to about 7.5 or about 4.75 to about 7.35 ounces per square
yard.
Examples of suitable polyester/spandex blends include those available from
Darlington
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Fabrics (New York, NY) such as Style Nos. 00025KW09, 26050, 00191KW07, and
26480.
[0029] The patch substrate can be selected to have a thickness
compatible with a
performance garment such as a hockey uniform. In some instances, the patch
substrate is no
thicker than the underlying performance garment fabric. In some embodiments,
the patch
substrate is substantially thinner than the underlying performance garment
fabric. For
example, the substrate can have a thickness of less than about 4 mm, less than
about 3 mm, or
less than about 2 mm. In some embodiments, the substrate can have a thickness
of, for
example, about 0.1 mm to about 3 mm such as about 0.1 to about 2 mm, about 0.2
to about
1.5 mm, or about 0.2 mm to about 1.2 mm.
[0030] In some embodiments, the patch includes a stretchable patch
substrate having
a stretch of at least about 10%, at least about 20%, or at least about 40%.
For example, the
stretch of the stretchable patch substrate can be in a range of about 20% to
about 200% or
about 40% to about 180%.
[0031] Suitable substrate materials can include, but are not limited
to, those made of
cotton, flax, silk, polyester, aramid, acrylic, nylon, cellulose-based
materials such as rayon or
viscose, polyurethane, polypropylene, spandex, olefin, polyethylene, para-
aramid synthetic
fiber (e.g., Kevlar0), carbon fiber, and combinations thereof In some
embodiments, the patch
substrate can include a polyester or a polyester blend.
[0032] In some embodiments the patches can be simply fabric and
adhesive. In other
embodiments, the patches can also include a reinforcing layer such as a cut or
resistant
material. Suitable materials for this reinforcing layer include, but are not
limited to, a resin
containing a hard material and cut resistant fabric such as para-aramid
synthetic fiber (e.g.,
Kevlart). The reinforcing layer can further or alternatively include any of a
variety of
materials that increase the cut resistance of the patch. For example, the hard
material could
include ceramics, polymers, minerals, rocks, metals and combinations thereof
In some
embodiments, the hard material is a cut resistant resin-based material such as
SUPERFABRICTM Custom Engineered High Performance Fabric (HDM, Inc.; Oakdale,
MN). In some embodiments, the patch includes an adhesive applied over the
reinforcing
portion which was applied over a polyester/spandex substrate. The resulting
patch has a
stretch of at least about 5%, at least about 10%, or at least about 15%. For
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example, the stretch of such a patch can be in a range of about 5% to about
50% or about 15%
to about 40%.
[0033] In some embodiments, a patch including a hard material is no
more flexurally
rigid than the underlying apparel. In some embodiments, a patch including a
hard material is
substantially less flexurally rigid than the underlying apparel. In some
embodiments, the patch
itself can have flexural rigidity, for example, of less than about 10
milligram-centimeters
(x 104) (mg cm x 0.0001) or about 1 to about 10 mg cm x 0.0001. In some
embodiments, the
reinforcing portion is attached to the patch substrate layer. In one
embodiment, the adhesive
layer then overlies the reinforcing portion. In other embodiments, the
adhesive layer and the
reinforcing portion overlie opposite sides of the patch substrate.
[0034] The method outlined in European Standard EN388 can be used to
access cut
resistance (cutting by sharp objects) of a patch of the present invention. For
example, a
circular blade can be moved back and forth across a sample under a fixed load
while rotating
in the opposite direction of the linear movement and the number of repetitive
cuts needed to
cut through the fabric can be compared to a standard such as, for example,
cotton fabric. Cut
Index can be calculated that compares the fabric sample to the standard. For
example, a Cut
Index of 3 means the sample has three-times better cut resistance than the
standard.
According to International Skating Union Communication No 1159 (May 20, 2002),
protective competition clothing/uniforms should have a Cut Index of 5.94
according to
EN388 in a cut resistance test (resistance to cutting by sharp objects). In
some embodiments
of the present invention, patches and/or apparel which include the patches
have a Cut Index
greater than the apparel alone. In some embodiments the Cut Index of the
patches and/or the
apparel, which include the patches have a cut index of at least about 2, at
least about 3, or at
least about 4. In some embodiments the patches, particularly patches including
a reinforcing
portion, have a Cut Index that exceeds the International Skating Union's
recommendation of
5.94. In some embodiments, the Cut Index of the patch is at least about 6, at
least about 8, or
at least about 10.
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[0035]
In one embodiment, patch 100 may comprise a lightweight and flexible
material
such that the patch may flex with the article without substantially
restricting movement of
the wearer. In one embodiment, patch 100 may comprise a material having a
stretch or
modulus of elasticity substantially similar to that of the article of
clothing.
[0036] The patch can be constructed to have a flexural rigidity compatible
with a
performance garment. In some instances, the patch itself is no more flexurally
rigid than
the underlying performance garment fabric. In some embodiments, the patch
itself is
substantially less flexurally rigid than the underlying performance garment
fabric. In
some embodiments, the patch itself can have flexural rigidity, for example, of
less than
about 10 milligram-centimeters (x 104) (mg cm x 0.0001) or about 1 to about 10
mg cm
x 0.0001.
[0037] The patch adhesive layer can be selected to have a thickness
compatible with a
performance garment. The patch can have an adhesive layer thickness, for
example, of
about 0.002 inch to about 0.007 mm such as about 0.004 inch.
[0038] The patch can be constructed to have a thickness compatible with a
performance
garment. In some embodiments, the patch is no thicker than the underlying
performance
garment fabric. In some embodiments, the patch itself is substantially thinner
than the
underlying performance garment fabric. In some embodiments, the patch itself
can have
a thickness of less than about 4 mm, less than about 3 mm, or less than about
2 mm. For
example, the patch can have a thickness of, for example, about 0.1 mm to about
3 mm
such as about 0.2 to about 2 mm or about 0.25 mm to about 1.4 mm.
[0039]
In one embodiment, patch 100 may comprise a lightweight material. For
example, patch 100 may include a fabric with a weight of less than 350 grams
per square
meter (g/m2), less than about 300 g/m2, or less than about 250 g/m2. In one
embodiment,
patch 100 may have a fabric with a weight in the range of from about 100 g/m2
to about
350 g/m2 such as about 100 to about 250 g/m2. In one embodiment, patch 100 may
include a fabric with a weight of about 230 g/m2. The lightweight nature of
patch 100
may enhance the wearability of the article of clothing.
[0040]
In one embodiment, patch 100 may comprise a material with little or no
shrinkability. For example, patch 100 may comprise a material having a maximum
of
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about 2.5% shrinkage. In one embodiment, patch 100 may comprise a hydrophobic
material and/or may include a water repellent finish.
[0041] Fabric 110 may be generally rectangular, as shown in FIGs. 1-4,
or it may be cut
into any appropriate shape. Fabric 110 may be a single, solid piece of fabric,
or it may
contain holes or perforations. In preferred embodiments, fabric 110 is
stretchable under
tension and can substantially recover its shape and size when tension is
removed.
[0042] Fabric 110 has a front surface 310 and an opposing back surface
320. In one
embodiment, patch 100 includes an elastomeric adhesive adhered to back surface
320 for
attaching patch 100 to fabric, such as an article of apparel. In one
embodiment, patch
100 includes a removable backing sheet 330 adhered to the back surface 320 for
protectively covering the adhesive prior to application of the patch to the
article of
clothing. Backing sheet 330 may be a polypropylene liner, or other suitable
material.
The adhesive layer can be a continuous layer or a discontinuous layer. The
layer can be
uniform or not. The layer can be a film or a pattern in the form of dots,
lines, areas of
greater concentration of adhesive or any other suitable pattern.
[0043] In some embodiments, the stretchability of patch 100 may make it
particularly
suitable for attaching to an article of apparel made from a stretchable
material, as patch
100 may stretch with the article of apparel. This may be an advantage over
prior patches
because when the article of apparel stretches but a patch does not, the
attachment means
can be weakened, increasing the likelihood that the patch will detach.
Accordingly,
allowing patch 100 to stretch with the article of apparel to which it is
attached may
increase the durability of patch 100 and/or minimize the likelihood that patch
100 will
become detached. Furthermore, when patch 100 is attached to stretchable and
recoverable athletic apparel, such as apparel used for playing hockey, the
apparel can
better accommodate the wearer's movements as compared to when traditional
patches are
used on apparel. In addition, use of patch 100 on apparel can reduce
misplacement or
shifting relative to underlying protective equipment (e.g., protective pads)
as compared to
apparel with traditional patches. For example, patch 100 can be less likely to
snag or
hinder the movement of protective equipment underlying the apparel than
traditional,
bulky and rigid, patches.
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[0044]
In preferred embodiments, the adhesive is stretchable. In some embodiments,
the
adhesive has an independent stretch of at least about 5%, at least about 25%,
at least
about 50%, or at least about 70%. In some embodiments, the adhesive is an
adhesive
film with an independent stretch of about 70% to about 100% such as about 80%
to about
90%.
[0045] The adhesive may have a low softening point ideal for heat
sensitive fabrics and
continuous processing operations. For example, the adhesive may be made of an
ester
polyurethane. The adhesive layer may be transparent, opaque, clear, white, or
colored or
any other suitable color or appearance. In some embodiments, the adhesive can
have a
weight of 31 gm/m2 per 25 microns. In some instances, the adhesive may have a
softening point of about 65 to about 100 degrees Celsius such as about 70 to
about 85
degrees Celsius or about 75 degrees Celsius. The adhesive may have a melt flow
index of
about 40 to about 60 decigrams/minute (dg/min) such as about 50 dg/min.
Examples of
suitable adhesives include, but are not limited to, film nos. 3206, 3206D,
3218, 3287,
3405, 3410, 4220, 5214, 5250, 5290, 6218, 6343, 6344, 6371, and 6385 available
from
Bemis Associates (Shirley, MA) and tape nos. EXF-367 and UAF-442 available
from
Adhesive Films, Inc. (Pine Brook, NJ).
[0046] FIGs. 4-6 shows how patch 100 may be used. FIG. 4 shows article
of clothing
410 having a tear or cut 420 in it. FIG. 5 shows the inner side of article of
clothing 410
having tear or cut 420, with the patch 100 covering tear or cut 420 on the
inner side of
article of clothing 410. Alternatively, patch 100 may instead be placed on the
outer side
of article of clothing 410. In some embodiments, the patch is applied to the
inside of the
garment. There are several advantages to this placement and the fact that
stitching is not
used. In particular, (1) the chance of snagging an exterior patch or stitching
during
athletic events is lessened, and (2) better cosmetic appearance, which is
particularly
important because concealment of patch and lack of stitching permits
uniformity of
appearance and maintenance of team identity which is especially important in
team, high-
level amateur, and professional sports.
[0047]
The patch may further or alternately be used to reinforce an area in an
article of
clothing. The areas where the patch is applied for reinforcement can be those
that are
prone to cut, tearing, or ripping. By using the patches a user can customize
the placement
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of the reinforcement tailored to how the individual wearer experiences garment
wear,
cuts, tearing, ripping, etc.
[00481 FIG. 6 is a view of the outer side of article of clothing 410
having tear or cut 420,
with patch 100 covering the tear or cut 420 on the inner side of article of
clothing 410.
[0049] FIG. 7 shows patch 100 being cut into a suitable size for
application to an article
of clothing.
[0050] FIG. 8 is a view of an exemplary athletic apparel repair kit 800
for repairing an
opening in hockey apparel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Athletic
apparel repair kit 800 includes container 810 that holds one or more of the
above
described embodiments, such as sheets of polyester fabric 820 and 830. In this
embodiment, each sheet has a paper backing and an elastomeric adhesive
disposed
between the sheet and the backing and both the sheet and the elastomeric
adhesive may
have a modulus of elasticity substantially similar to the apparel. Each sheet
may be a
solid color or may include multiple colors. The athletic apparel repair kit
may include
any combination of sheets having a solid or multiple colors.
[0051] In one embodiment, patch 100 is made according to the method
outlined in the
flowchart of FIG. 9. In a step 900, a user obtains patch 100 including a sheet
of polyester
fabric 110 and an elastomeric adhesive adhered to back surface 320 of fabric
110. Next,
in step 910, the user cuts the patch into a piece larger than the size and
shape of the tear
or cut in the article of clothing. If patch 100 is already an appropriate size
and shape, this
step may not be necessary. Next, in step 920, if necessary, the user turns the
article of
clothing inside out. This step may also be not necessary, if for example, the
article of
clothing is already inside out, or if the user would prefer to have the patch
on the outside
surface of the article of clothing.
[0052] In step 930, the user arranges the article of clothing so that the
area of the tear or
cut is laid flat without excessive pulling at the article of clothing so as to
minimize the
gap in the article of clothing caused by the tear or cut.
[0053] Next, in step 940, which is optional, the user preheats the area
of the tear or cut.
Then, in step 950, if the patch includes removable backing sheet 330, the user
peels off
removable backing sheet 330. The user then, in step 960, places the adhesive
side of
patch 100 on the area of the tear or cut 420. Finally, in step 970, the user
applies heat and
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pressure to patch 100 to bond it to the article of clothing. The user may
place a thin sheet of
material, such as teflon, between the patch and iron, so as to minimize the
possibility of
burning patch 100.
[0054] The order of steps shown in FIG. 9 is merely exemplary and the
steps may be
carried out in a variety of combinations. For example, in one embodiment, step
950 of peeling
off a removable backing 330 may occur at any point before the patch is bonded
to the article
of clothing. In addition, step 910 of cutting the patch into a piece larger
than the size and
shape of the tear or cut in the article of clothing can be performed at any
time. For example, it
can be performed before the user receives the patch, or it can be performed
after the patch is
already adhered to the article of clothing. As discussed above for the purpose
of description
and not of limitation, it is also possible for one or more of the steps shown
in FIG. 9 to be
optional. The steps outlined in the flowchart of FIG. 9 are not limiting and
additional steps
may be included.
[0055] FIG. 10 is a front view of a portion 1000 of an alternative
fabric assembly that
can be used with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side
view of portion
1000 of the alternative fabric. Embodiments of the fabric assembly may be
disclosed in
greater detail in U. S. Patent Nos. 6,962,739 and 7,018,692 and U. S.
Publication Nos.
2009/0142535 and 2005/0170221. The fabric assembly may be a puncture, pierce,
and cut
resistant fabric including a flexible substrate 1110 (best shown in FIG. 11)
having a top
surface 1120, and a plurality of polymeric resin plates 1010 having a
substantially uniform
thickness Z of approximately 400 microns. The plurality of plates 1010 are
affixed to the top
surface 1120 of the flexible substrate 1110 and are arranged in a pattern such
that a plurality
of continuous gaps 1020 are defined between adjacent plates 1010. In one
embodiment, the
gaps 1020 have a width Y of approximately 10 mils.
[0056] In some embodiments, for example the embodiment shown in FIG. 10,
the
plurality of polymeric resin plates 1010 are arranged in a repeating pattern
of polygonal
shapes. As shown in FIG. 10, the repeating pattern may include a centrally
located square-
shaped plate having a side length X of about 100 mils, surrounded by pentagon-
shaped plates.
Other suitable patterns, gap sizes, and arrangements may also be used. For
example, as shown
in FIGs. 12 and 13 an embodiment may include a pattern of
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polymeric resin plates 1210 and substrate 1220. The fabric assembly may be
twistable,
bendable, and flexible and may be constructed of substances that will
withstand cutting,
puncture, and piercing forces encountered in medical, athletic performance, or
other
environments.
[0057] In some embodiments, the plates are a cut resistant resin-based
material such as
SUPERFABRICTM Custom Engineered High Performance Fabric (HDM, Inc.; Oakdale,
MN). In some embodiments, Hi-Cut GL5 epoxy resin is configured in a Penta
100/10-
400 pattern, or in a 80/28 or a 83/11 pattern (both of these exemplary
patterns are
available from HDM, Inc.).
[0058] One or more of the hard materials can be present in the patch in a
variety of
configurations such as in a uniform or non-uniform layer. In some embodiments,
the
hard material is present in the patch in discrete, spaced-apart concentrations
of hard
material. Discrete, spaced-apart concentrations of hard material can include,
for
example, concentrations of hard material in dots, plates, lines, or
combinations thereof.
In some instances, concentrations of hard material are spaced apart
sufficiently such that
the patch has flexibility compatible with the performance garment to which the
patch will
be applied.
[0059] In some embodiments, concentrations of hard material are spaced
apart at least
about 0.001 inch such as at least about 0.005 inch, at least 0.01 inch, or at
least about
0.015 inch. In some embodiments, concentrations of hard material are spaced
apart about
0.001 inch to about 0.02 inch such as about 0.005 inch to about 0.015 inch.
[0060]
Some embodiments of the patch for a performance garment having a sheet of
fabric, an elastomeric adhesive, and a removable backing, wherein at least one
of the
sheet and the elastomeric adhesive have an independent stretch greater than
the stretch of
the performance garment, can be manufactured by adhering the adhesive directly
to the
fabric. Suitable methods of adhering the adhesive to the fabric include
lamination,
extruding, screen printing and rotogravure.
[0061] In some embodiments of a lamination process, the adhesive can be
laminated to
the fabric in roll form or flat, with a removable backing attached to the
other side of the
adhesive. In some embodiments of an extrusion, screen printing, or rotogravure
process,
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the adhesive film is adhered to the fabric, and then the removable backing may
optionally
be applied over the adhesive.
[0062] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so
fully reveal the
general nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within
the skill of
the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific
embodiments,
without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of
the present
invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be
within the
meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the
teaching
and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or
terminology
herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the
terminology or
phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled
artisan in light
of the teachings and guidance.
[0063] The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be
limited by any of the
above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in
accordance with
the following claims and their equivalents.
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