Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02904754 2015-09-17
SEAMLESS SILHOUETTE WITH ENGINEERED INSULATION PROPERTY
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/071,162
filed on September 17, 2014.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The presently-disclosed invention relates generally to insulation
fabrics and more
particularly to seamless insulation articles made with such insulation fabrics
to provide insulation
and moisture wicking while preventing chafing.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Thermally insulating textiles are commonly developed by containing
air between the
textile material and the skin and/or body of a user. To better contain air
between the textile
material and a user's skin, the bulk and/or thickness of the textile material
is often increased, as
thermal insulation of the textile material is directly correlated with the
bulk or thickness of the
material. To increase the bulk in a textile material, the textile material may
undergo raising
and/or napping to generate three-dimensional fleece. The thermal insulation of
the textile
material is directly related to the total bulk of the three-dimensional fleece
surface because the
higher bulk three-dimensional surfaces entrap more air than lower bulk three-
dimensional
surfaces or textile articles without three-dimensional surfaces. Although
fleece increases a
textile material's thermal insulation, it reduces the material's water
management. As such, sweat
remains on the skin for a long period of time, thereby creating an
uncomfortable clammy feeling
for the user.
[0004] To avoid the discomfort caused by fleece against the skin but
still reap the benefits of
fleece's thermal insulative properties, users frequently layer garments with a
smooth base layer
and an insulated (often fleece) mid layer. However, layering garments adds
bulk and may impair
a wearer's range of motion. Additionally, because different body areas have
different
temperature sensitivities and thermoregulative abilities, layering garments
makes it difficult to
provide appropriate insulation levels for all areas of the wearer's body.
Date recue / Date received 2021-11-03
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[0005] Some fabric articles have attempted to offer regions having
different heat and/or
vapor exchange rates in one garment, but these fabric articles typically have
numerous seams for
joining together multiple areas and/or layers in the garment. As a result,
these fabric articles
have high production costs and waste associated with cutting, piecework, and
sewing.
Moreover, seams are often prone to failure. In addition, seams can be
uncomfortable and may
even chafe a wearer's skin.
[0006] Therefore there at least remains a need in the art for seamless
insulation articles that
provide insulation, breathability, and moisture management while preventing
chafing.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0007] One or more embodiments of the invention may address one or more of
the
aforementioned problems. Certain embodiments according to the invention
provide seamless
insulation articles suitable for a wide variety of uses (e.g., garments,
footwear, home textile
articles, etc.). In accordance with certain embodiments, the seamless
insulation article includes
a knit base comprising a first yam and a second yam incorporated into a
continuous web defined
by the first yarn and the second yarn in a predetermined pattern to form a
plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces. The plurality of three-dimensional surfaces, according
to certain
embodiments, may define at least two discrete regions having different
contrasting insulative
capacities arranged in the predetermined pattern such that the at least two
discrete regions may
comprise a first discrete region and a second discrete region. The first
discrete region may
comprise a first insulative capacity, the second discrete region may comprise
a second insulative
capacity, and the second insulative capacity may be greater than the first
insulative capacity.
[0008] In another aspect, certain embodiments according to the invention
provide methods
for making seamless insulation articles. In accordance with certain
embodiments, the method
includes combining a first yarn and a second yarn in a continuous web in a
predetermined pattern
and finishing at least one surface of the continuous web to form a plurality
of three-dimensional
surfaces. The plurality of three-dimensional surfaces, according to certain
embodiments, may
define at least two discrete regions having different contrasting insulative
capacities arranged in
the predetermined pattern such that the at least two discrete regions may
comprise a first discrete
region and a second discrete region. The first discrete region may comprise a
first insulative
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capacity, the second discrete region may comprise a second insulative
capacity, and the second
insulative capacity may be greater than the first insulative capacity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0009] The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention
are shown.
Indeed, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not
be construed as
limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are
provided so that this
disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to
like elements
throughout.
[0010] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a seamless insulated article
according to an example
embodiment.
[0011] Figure 2 illustrates a top view of a seamless insulated article of
the example
embodiment illustrated in Figure 1.
[0012] Figure 3 illustrates a side view of a seamless insulated article of
the example
embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-2 in use according to an example
embodiment.
[0013] Figure 4 illustrates a side view of a seamless insulated article
according to an example
embodiment.
[0014] Figure 5 illustrates a top view of a seamless insulated article of
the example
embodiment illustrated in Figure 4.
[0015] Figures 6A-6G illustrate various seamless insulation articles in
accordance with
example embodiments.
[0016] Figure 7 illustrates a process flow diagram for making a seamless
insulation article
including the optional steps of designing the predetermined pattern,
laminating the seamless
insulated article with a second article, and removing the seamless insulated
article from the
continuous web according to the predetermined pattern according to an example
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention
are shown.
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Indeed, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not
be construed as
limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are
provided so that this
disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the
specification, and in the
appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", "the", include plural referents
unless the context
clearly dictates otherwise.
100181 In accordance with certain embodiments, the invention includes
seamless insulation
articles suitable for a wide variety of uses (e.g., garments, footwear, home
textile articles, etc.).
Seamless insulation articles, according to certain embodiments, may include a
knit base
comprising a first yarn. Such embodiments may also include a second yarn
incorporated into a
continuous web defined by the first yarn and the second yarn in a
predetermined pattern to form
a plurality of three-dimensional surfaces. In accordance with certain
embodiments, the plurality
of three-dimensional surfaces may define at least two discrete regions having
different
contrasting insulative capacities arranged in the predetermined pattern such
that the at least two
discrete regions may comprise a first discrete region and a second discrete
region. The first
discrete region may comprise a first insulative capacity, the second discrete
region may comprise
a second insulative capacity, and the second insulative capacity may be
greater than the first
insulative capacity. In this regard, the seamless insulation article may
provide, for example, a
base layer that incorporates the insulative properties of a fleece layer
(e.g., a mid-fleece layer)
into the base layer while maintaining the moisture wicking properties of a
base layer and
preventing chafing. In this regard, certain embodiments provide a single layer
material (e.g., a
seamless insulation article) that may provide or comprise the same or similar
physical properties
traditionally only realized by the use of multiple layers (e.g., a base layer
in combination with a
fleece layer).
10019] In one aspect, the invention includes seamless insulation articles
suitable for a wide
variety of uses (e.g., garments, footwear, home textile articles, etc.) that
provide insulation,
breathability, and moisture management while preventing chafing. As used
herein, the term
"seamless" may comprise an article formed with no or in some embodiments a
minimal number
of sewn seams. In accordance with certain embodiments, the articles are devoid
of any sewn
seams. Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a seamless insulated article
according to an example
embodiment. In accordance with certain embodiments, the seamless insulation
article 10
includes a knit base I comprising a first yarn and a second yarn incorporated
into a continuous
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web defined by the first yarn and the second yarn in a predetermined pattern
to form a plurality
of three-dimensional surfaces 2. In accordance with certain embodiments and as
discussed in
more detail below, the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces may be formed
by utilizing the
second yarn as a floating yarn, in which the second yarn is not anchored or
strongly anchored
into the continuous web at all areas of the continuous web. In this regard,
the floating yarn (e.g.,
the second yarn) may be free or have a degree of freedom to generate the
plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces in the z-direction. The predetermined pattern may
comprise three-
dimensional surfaces of various predetermined sizes, spacings, and heights
(i.e., in the Z-
direction perpendicular to the knit base). Figure 2 illustrates a top view of
a seamless insulated
article of the example embodiment illustrated in Figure 1. As shown in Figures
1 and 2, for
example, the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces 2 may define at least two
discrete regions 3,
6 having different contrasting insulative capacities arranged in the
predetermined pattern such
that the at least two discrete regions may comprise a first discrete region 6
and a second discrete
region 3. For example, the first discrete region 6 may comprise a first
insulative capacity, the
second discrete region 3 may comprise a second insulative capacity, and the
second insulative
capacity may be greater than the first insulative capacity.
100201 In accordance with certain embodiments and as illustrated by Figure
3, for instance,
the seamless insulation article 10 may comprise an outer surface 7 and a skin
surface 8. In such
embodiments, for example, the outer surface 7 may comprise a smooth topography
and may be
positioned away from the body of a wearer. In this regard, the outer surface 7
may be exposed to
the ambient environment or a second article (e.g., one or more layers of
material, which may
provide additional insulation, moisture management, water resistance, water
repellency, etc.).
Moreover, the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces 2 may be disposed on the
skin surface 8
facing a wearer's skin 5 and may define a three-dimensional topography.
However, in other
embodiments, for instance, the skin surface 8 may comprise a smooth
topography, and the outer
surface 7 may comprise a three-dimensional topography such that the plurality
of three-
dimensional surfaces face the ambient environment rather than the skin 5. In
certain
embodiments, the skin surface, whether it has a smooth or three-dimensional
topography, may be
brushed, sanded, or generally softened to enhance the comfort level by
imparting a softer touch
to a wearer's skin and to reduce chaffing. In addition, the first yarn and/or
the second yarn may
comprise filaments and/or fiber bundles that improve the moisture wicking
properties of the
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seamless insulation article 10. In this regard, for example, the fiber bundles
and/or filaments of
the second yarn may contact a wearer's skin 5 via the plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces 2
and thereby wick and transfer moisture from the skin 5 along the fiber bundles
and/or filaments
towards the outer surface 7. In some embodiments, for instance, the first yam
may comprise a
first yarn denier, the second yarn may comprise a second yam denier, and the
first yam denier
may be finer than the second yam denier such that the finer yarn faces away
from the skin. In
this regard, the differences in denier may enhance the movement of moisture
(e.g., liquid sweat)
from the skin to the outer surface 7, from where it will evaporate. In this
regard, certain
embodiments may comprise a greater amount of finer denier yarn on the surface
of the article
configured to be positioned away from a wearer. As such, the moisture wicking
may reduce any
discomfort to the wearer caused by a clammy feeling and/or a post-exercise
chilling effect as a
result of moisture retention. In this regard, for instance, certain
embodiments beneficially
provide targeted insulative capacity (e.g., localized regions of increased or
decreased degrees of
insulation based on the predetermined design) while simultaneously providing
moisture
management due, for example, by the transportation of moisture (e.g., sweat
from a wearer)
away from the skin of a wearer.
10021] Furthermore, on the skin surface 8, according to certain
embodiments, for example,
the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces 2 may define a plurality of air
channels 9
therebetween. In certain embodiments, for instance, the plurality of air
channels 9 may extend in
one direction (e.g., X or Y direction), both directions (e.g., X and Y
directions), or intersect each
other. In this regard, the plurality of air channels 9 may provide good
thermal insulation in static
conditions when no wind and/or no to low movement of the wearer (e.g., when
the wearer is in a
low metabolic state) and improved air movement through the plurality of air
channels 9 and
therefore better cooling, sweat evaporation, and less heat stress when the
wearer is in an active
state. As such, the plurality of air channels 9 may further improve the
moisture transportation
properties (e.g., evaporative cooling) of the seamless insulation article 10.
For instance, the air
channels may provide the article a structure in which the movement of air
through the air
channels facilitates or promotes transportation of moisture (e.g., sweat from
a wearer) away from
the skin of a wearer by, for example, moisture concentration gradients created
or present between
the wet or moist skin surface and the relatively less moist air travelling
through the air channels.
Such a transfer of moisture away from the skin of a wearer may not only reduce
any clammy
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,
feeling realized by the wearer due to unwanted sweat retention, but may also
provide the
additional benefit of providing a cooling effect to the wearer (e.g.,
evaporative cooling).
Accordingly, certain embodiments may provide a desirable combination of
localized or targeted
insulative capacities; moisture management (e.g., moisture transportation away
from the skin of
a wearer by wicking and/or mass transport driven movement of moisture); and a
cooling effect
(e.g., evaporative cooling).
100221 As noted above, certain embodiments may comprise a plurality of
three-dimensional
surfaces formed by utilizing the second yarn as, for example, a floating yarn,
in which the second
yarn is not anchored or strongly anchored into the continuous web at all areas
of the continuous
web. For instance, the floating yarn (e.g., the second yarn) may be free or
loosely stitched into
the continuous web at regions of location associated with the three-
dimensional surfaces while
the floating yarn (e.g., the second yarn) may be anchored to the continuous
web and/or first yarn
at regions associated, for example, with the air channels 9 illustrated in
Figure 3. In this regard,
the floating yarn (e.g., the second yarn) may generally free to move relative
to the first yam (e.g.,
to generate the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces in the z-direction) at
regions associated
with the three-dimensional surfaces while being secured to the first yarn at
regions associated
with the air channels.
[0023] According to certain embodiments, for instance, the plurality of
three-dimensional
surfaces may comprise at least a first group of three-dimensional surfaces 2
and a second group
of three-dimensional surfaces 4. In such embodiments and as shown in Figures 4
and 5, for
example, the first discrete region 6 of the seamless insulation article 20 may
comprise the first
group of three-dimensional surfaces 2, and the second discrete region 3 may
comprise the second
group of three-dimensional surfaces 4. However, in certain embodiments, for
instance, the first
discrete region 6 may not contain any three-dimensional surfaces. In some
embodiments, for
instance, the second group of three-dimensional surfaces may comprise a height
from about 1
mm to about 20 mm. In other embodiments, for example, the second group of
three-dimensional
surfaces may comprise a height from about 1 mm to about 10 mm. In further
embodiments, for
instance, the second group of three-dimensional surfaces may comprise a height
from about 3
mm to about 7 mm. As such, in certain embodiments, the second group of three-
dimensional
surfaces may comprise a height from at least about any of the following: 1,
1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 nun
and/or at most about 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, and 7 mm (e.g., about 2.5-
18 mm, about 3-10
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mm, etc.). In certain embodiments, for example, the second group of three-
dimensional surfaces
may be taller than the first group of three-dimensional surfaces. In this
regard, the first group of
three-dimensional surfaces, while being shorter or smaller, according to
certain embodiments
may comprise a height from at least about any of the following: 1, 1.5, 2,
2.5, and 3 mm and/or at
most about 19, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, and 7 mm (e.g., about 2.5-18 mm,
about 3-10 mm, etc.).
In addition or alternatively to, the first and second groups of three-
dimensional surfaces may
comprise the same height, but comprise different areas of size. For example,
the first group of
three-dimensional surfaces may comprise the same height as the second group of
three-
dimensional surfaces, but the individual area of one or more (e.g., all) of
the second group of
three-dimensional surfaces may be larger than the individual area of one or
more (e.g., all) of the
first group of three-dimensional surfaces. In this regard, the second discrete
region may
comprise a larger percentage of area comprising a three-dimensional surface
(e.g., bubble
formation(s)) therein to provide a greater insulative capacity as compared to
the first discrete
region. In certain embodiments, the respective heights of the first and second
group of three-
dimensional surfaces may be the same or different (as discussed above), but
the population
density to the respective three-dimensional surfaces may be different to
provide contrasting
insulative capacities. For example, the first and second group of three-
dimensional surfaces may
(or may not) comprise the same shape (e.g., height, individual bubble area,
etc.), but the second
discrete region may comprise a greater number of individual three-dimensional
surfaces per unit
area of the article to provide insulative capacity greater than the insulative
capacity of the first
discrete region.
[0024] According to certain embodiments, for instance, the predetermined
pattern may
correspond to selected body region insulative requirements. As such, the
seamless insulated
article may comprise at least one of insulative portions, non-insulative
portions, open mesh
portions, or any combination thereof. In this regard, for example, each of the
first discrete region
and the second discrete region may correspond to at least one of a spinal cord
area, spine, back
area, an upper back area, a lower back area, a neck area, a knee back area, a
chest front area, a
breast area, an abdominal area, an armpit area, an arm area, an elbow front
area, a sacrum dimple
area, a groin area, a thigh area, a shin area, or any combination thereof. By
way of example
only, an arm area (e.g., elbow or shoulder) may have greater insulative
requirements than an
armpit area, and, as such, the arm area (e.g., elbow or shoulder) may comprise
an insulative
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, ,
portion of a seamless insulation article to keep the arm warm while an armpit
area may comprise
an open mesh portion of the seamless insulation article to promote ventilation
in an area that
produces more sweat than other body areas.
100251 For example, Figures 6A-6G illustrate various seamless
insulation articles in
accordance with example embodiments. For instance, in some embodiments and as
shown in
Figures 6A-6B, the seamless insulation article 30 may comprise a seamless
insulation shirt. For
example, according to certain embodiments and as shown by comparing Figures 6A
and 6B, the
front side of the seamless insulation shirt (as shown in Figure 6A) may have a
different three-
dimensional surface pattern than the back side of the seamless insulation
shirt (as shown in
Figure 6B). In this regard, the seamless insulation shirt may have different
insulation on the
chest side from the back and/or shoulder regions, based at least in part of
the chest side having a
different pattern of three-dimensional surfaces than the back side of the
shirt. In addition, the
seamless insulation shirt may be loose fitting or tight fitting. Moreover, in
other embodiments
and as shown in Figure 6C, for example, the seamless insulation article 40 may
comprise a
seamless insulation glove. In further embodiments and as shown in Figure 6D,
for instance, the
seamless insulation article 50 may comprise a seamless insulation jacket. In
other embodiments
and as shown in Figure 6E, for example, the seamless insulation article 60 may
comprise a
seamless insulation sock. In further embodiments and as shown in Figure 6F,
for instance, the
seamless insulation article 70 may comprise a seamless insulation shoe. In
this regard, seamless
insulation articles according to certain embodiments may comprise an article
or footwear in
which the inner and outer surfaces can independently be tailored to match the
required insulation
as desired. In some embodiments and as shown in Figure 6G, for example, the
seamless
insulation article 80 may comprise seamless insulation pants.
10026] In accordance with certain embodiments, for instance, the
plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces may comprise at least one of a bubble, a pile, a pillar,
or any combination
thereof. In further embodiments, for example, the plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces may
comprise at least one of a circular bubble, an elliptical bubble, a square
bubble, a rectangular
bubble, irregularly shaped bubble, or any combination thereof. As such, in
some embodiments,
for instance, the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces may comprise a three-
dimensional
domed shape from the side and any suitable geometry including, but not limited
to, a circle, an
ellipse, a square, a rectangle and/or the like when viewed from above the
seamless insulation
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article. Moreover, for example, the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces
may comprise a
combination of different geometries when viewed from above the seamless
insulation article. In
this regard, the geometries of the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces may
be tailored to fit the
insulative needs of a particular application or localized region of the
seamless insulation article.
[0027] In accordance with certain embodiments, for instance, each of the
first yarn and the
second yam may comprise at least one of a multifilament yam, a spun fiber
yarn, a monofilament
yarn, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, for example, each of
the first yarn and
the second yarn may comprise at least one of a synthetic yarn and/or fiber, a
natural yarn and/or
fiber, a regenerated yarn and/or fiber, yams and/or fibers generated from
natural products, or any
combination thereof. In certain embodiments, for instance, synthetic yarns
and/or fibers may
comprise (but are not limited to) nylon yarns and/or fibers, acrylic yams
and/or fibers, polyester
yarns and/or fibers, and polypropylene yarns and/or fibers. In further
embodiments, for example,
yams having a natural source may be obtained from cotton, wool, flax, jute,
bamboo, hemp,
alpaca and/or the like. In certain embodiments, by way of example only,
regenerated fibers may
comprise rayon. In some embodiments, for instance, yarns derived from and/or
manufactured
from a natural source may be obtained from soy protein, corn, and the like.
According to certain
embodiments, for example, yarns having filament may have either a flat or
textured form. For
example, the yarns may comprise continuous flat filaments, continuous textured
filaments, spun
yarns comprising synthetic staple fibers and/or the like. Examples of such
filament forms of
yarn may include, but are not limited to, nylon, polyester, polypropylene
and/or the like. The
various yams described herein, for instance, may be used individually or in
combination with
each other. In some exemplary embodiments, for example, the first yam and the
second yarn
may comprise the same color or different colors and may comprise different
dyeability. By way
of example only, in such embodiments, the first yarn may comprise, for
example, nylon, while
the second yarn may comprise a cationic dyeable polyester. Further, the yam
combinations may
be formed, for example, in the knitting process or in a separate process prior
to the knitting
process.
[0028] According to certain embodiments, for instance, the seamless
insulation article may
further comprise an elastomeric yarn. In some embodiments, for example, the
elastomeric yarn
may comprise at least one of rubber, spandex or other elastic material such as
Lycra fiber. In
certain embodiments, for instance, the elastomeric yarn may be incorporated
into the seamless
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insulation article by being laid-in, knit-in and/or the like. Moreover, in
some embodiments, for
example, the elastomeric yarn may comprise bare spandex laid-in or plaited
with the knit base
and/or second yarn. In further embodiments, for instance, the spandex and/or
rubber may be
commingled with other fibers (e.g., nylon, polyester, polypropylene, etc.) to
form a synthetic
filament yarn. In other embodiments, for example, the spandex and/or rubber
may be covered by
at least one of filament yarn, spun yarn (e.g., natural fibers like cotton,
wool, etc. or a blend of
natural fibers with synthetic fibers such as a polyester/cotton blend) and/or
the like. In further
embodiments, for instance, the elastomeric yarn may further comprise a
covering of flat and/or
textured filament yarns such as nylon, polyester or polypropylene. According
to certain
embodiments, for example, the elastomeric yarn may be utilized to form the
plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces.
[0029] In accordance with certain embodiments, for example, the seamless
insulation article
may further comprise at least one smart yarn. In such embodiments, for
instance, the at least one
smart yarn may comprise at least two polymers having different relative
shrinkages when
exposed to heat (e.g., dry and/or wet heat during, for example, steaming or
dyeing). In certain
embodiments, the three-dimensional surfaces may be formed by exploiting the
different relative
shrinkages. For instance, the differential shrinkage between the two polymers
when exposed to
heat may enhance the three-dimensional configuration generated by the knit
structure containing,
for example only, spandex. In further embodiments, for example, the at least
one smart yarn
may further comprise at least one of a ceramic (e.g., zirconium carbide), a
synthetic material, a
phase change material (e.g., phase change polymer), a biomimetric material, or
any combination
thereof.
[0030] According to certain embodiments, for instance, the seamless
insulation article may
further comprise at least one of a softener, an antimicrobial treatment, a
wicking treatment, a soil
release treatment, a water repellent, an oil repellent, a fire retardant, or
any combination thereof.
In this regard, in example embodiments, for instance, odor may be reduced in
the seamless
insulation article via treatment with at least one durable antimicrobial.
Further exemplary
embodiments may utilize a wicking treatment in order to increase the surface
tension of the
seamless insulated article in order to better enable moisture (e.g., liquid
sweat) to move in
between yarn filaments and/or fiber bundles. In addition, some example
embodiments, for
instance, may incorporate a soil release treatment into the seamless insulated
article in order to
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,
facilitate stain removal. Moreover, in regard to softeners, for example, the
skin surface of the
seamless insulation article may be softened by at least one of a softener or
mechanical softening
(e.g., sanding, brushing and/or the like). In example embodiments utilizing
mechanical
softening, for instance, mechanical softening may be performed on the seamless
insulation article
as a finishing process and/or on the second yarn prior to knitting.
10031] Thus, the invention includes seamless insulation articles suitable
for a wide variety of
uses (e.g., garments, footwear, home textile articles, etc.). In accordance
with certain
embodiments, the seamless insulation article may include a knit base
comprising a first yarn and
a second yarn incorporated into a continuous web defined by the first yarn and
the second yarn in
a predetermined pattern to form a plurality of three-dimensional surfaces. The
plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces may define at least two discrete regions having different
contrasting
insulative capacities arranged in the predetermined pattern such that the at
least two discrete
regions may comprise a first discrete region and a second discrete region. The
first discrete
region may comprise a first insulative capacity, the second discrete region
may comprise a
second insulative capacity, and the second insulative capacity may be greater
than the first
insulative capacity.
[0032] In another aspect, certain embodiments of the invention provide a
method for making
a seamless insulation article. In accordance with certain embodiments, the
method includes
combining a first yarn and a second yarn in a continuous web in a
predetermined pattern and
finishing at least one surface of the continuous web to form a plurality of
three-dimensional
surfaces. The plurality of three-dimensional surfaces, for example, may define
at least two
discrete regions having different contrasting insulative capacities arranged
in the predetermined
pattern such that the at least two discrete regions may comprise a first
discrete region and a
second discrete region. For instance, the first discrete region may comprise a
first insulative
capacity, the second discrete region may comprise a second insulative
capacity, and the second
insulative capacity may be greater than the first insulative capacity.
[0033] Figure 7, for example, illustrates a process flow diagram for
making a seamless
insulation article according to an example embodiment. As shown in Figure 7,
the method may
include an initial optional step of designing the predetermined pattern at
operation 110. Next,
the method may proceed by combining a first yarn and a second yarn in a
continuous web in a
predetermined pattern at operation 120 and finishing at least one surface of
the continuous web
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to form a plurality of three-dimensional surfaces at operation 130. Then, the
method may
include the optional steps of combining (e.g., laminating, stitching, etc.)
the seamless insulated
article with a second article at operation 140 and removing the seamless
insulated article from
the continuous web according to the predetermined pattern at operation 150.
10034] According to certain embodiments, for instance, combining a first
yam and a second
yam in a continuous web in a predetermined pattern may comprise at least one
of tubular circular
knitting, plaiting, reverse plaiting, warp knitting, weaving, or any
combination thereof. In
further embodiments, for example, combining a first yarn and a second yam in a
continuous web
in a predetermined pattern may comprise at least one of tubular circular
knitting and warp
knitting on a whole seamless silhouette machine (e.g., Santoni seamless
knitting machine,
Shima Seild knitting machine, etc.). In other embodiments, for instance, the
second yarn may
be plaited with the first yarn. In this regard, in some embodiments, for
example, loosely plaiting
the second yarn with the first yarn may form the plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces. In
further embodiments, for example, the first yarn and the second yarn may be
combined via
regular plaiting, and one surface of the continuous web may be finished to
form a single face
fleece. In other embodiments, for instance, the first yarn and the second yam
may be combined
via reverse plaiting, and both surfaces of the continuous web may be finished
to form a double
face fleece. By way of example only, combining a first yarn and a second yarn
in a continuous
web in a predetermined pattern may comprise forming loop yam to a first pile
height in a first
discrete region and forming loop yarn to a second pile height in a second
discrete region such
that the second pile height is greater than the first pile height. In some
embodiments, for
instance, forming loop yarn to a first pile height may comprise forming loop
yarn with no pile.
[00351 In other exemplary embodiments, however, forming loop yam to a first
pile height
may comprise forming loop yarn to a low pile height using, by way of example
only, shrinkable
yarn. In such embodiments, for example, the first yarn may comprise a first
shrinkage and the
second yarn may comprise a second shrinkage being different from the first
shrinkage to define a
differential relative shrinkage between the first yarn and the second yarn
when exposed to heat.
In certain embodiments, the three-dimensional surfaces may be formed by
exploiting the
differential relative shrinkages. By way of example only, yams according to
example
embodiments may comprise bicomponent polymer yarns. In such embodiments, for
instance,
there may be a differential relative shrinkage between flat polyester filament
yams and textured
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polyester filament yarns. In other embodiments, for example, there may be a
differential relative
shrinkage between a heat set textured polyester filament yarn and a non-heat
set textured
polyester filament yarn. In further embodiments, for instance, there may be a
differential relative
shrinkage between a high heat set textured polyester filament yarn and a low
heat set textured
polyester filament yarn. Moreover, polyester filament yarns having different
deniers may also
exhibit a differential relative shrinkage.
100361 According to certain embodiments, for example, combining a first yam
and a second
yarn in a continuous web in a predetermined pattern may further comprise
incorporating at least
one smart yarn into the continuous web. By way of example only, the at least
one smart yarn
may be incorporated into the continuous web in the first discrete region in
which the loop yarn is
formed to the first pile height and/or the second discrete region in which the
loop yarn is formed
to the second pile height. In some example embodiments, for instance, the at
least one smart
yarn may be utilized as stitch yarns in the second discrete region in which
the loop yarn is
formed to the second pile height. Moreover, in further embodiments, for
example, the at least
one smart yarn may be incorporated into the continuous web as a floating yarn
in the first
discrete region in which the loop yarn is formed to the first pile height. In
such embodiments,
for instance, the floating yarn is anchored to the continuous web in the
segments between the
three-dimensional surfaces that define the plurality of air channels. In
certain embodiments and
as previously discussed, for instance, the at least one smart yarn may
comprise at least one of a
ceramic (e.g., zirconium carbide), a synthetic material, a phase change
material (e.g., phase
change polymer), a biomimetric material, or any combination thereof. In
further embodiments,
for example, an elastomeric material may be incorporated (e.g., plaited,
commingled, warp
knitted, etc.) into the continuous web.
10037] In accordance with certain embodiments, for example, the method may
further
comprise designing the predetermined pattern, combining (e.g., laminating,
stitching, etc.) the
seamless insulated article with a second article, and removing the seamless
insulated article from
the continuous web according to the predetermined pattern. In some
embodiments, for instance,
designing the predetermined pattern may comprise designing the predetermined
pattern for use in
at least one of a jacket, a shirt, a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, a glove,
a mitt, a sock, a shoe, a
shoe insert, a blanket, a mattress cover, a mattress ticking, or any
combination thereof. In some
example embodiments, for instance, laminating (or otherwise attaching or
combining) the
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seamless insulated article with a second article may comprise laminating (or
otherwise attaching
or combining) the seamless insulated article with a complementary seamless
article having a
complementary pattern of three-dimensional surfaces or other non-seamless
article if so desired.
In such embodiments, for instance, in order to laminate the seamless insulated
article with a
complementary seamless article (or non-seamless article if so desired), a
tubular seamless knit
may be slit so as to laminate the open width of the seamless article. For
example, the second
article may comprise a controlled air permeability element (e.g., a
windbreaker, jacket and/or the
like). In further embodiments, for example, removing the seamless insulated
article from the
continuous web according to the predetermined pattern may comprise cutting the
seamless
insulated article out of the continuous web based on the pattern of the
plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces. For example, a seamless insulated article having a
predetermined pattern
of the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces appropriate for a seamless
insulated jacket may be
cut from the continuous web to isolate the seamless insulated jacket.
[0038] In accordance with certain embodiments, for instance, the method may
be directed to
forming a seamless insulation article system. In such embodiments, for
example, the method
may comprise forming a first seamless insulation article, forming at least one
additional article
(e.g., an additional insulation article), and overlying the first seamless
insulation article with the
at least one additional article (e.g., an additional insulation article). In
this regard, the seamless
insulation article system may provide a system comprising thin layers that
provide, for example,
insulation, breathability, and moisture management while preventing chafing.
In this regard,
certain embodiments may comprise a single layer article or a multi-layered
article.
[0039] Although exemplary knitting processes have been described herein,
one of ordinary
skill in the art should understand that this disclosure is not limited to such
knitting processes. In
fact, any knitting process suitable for producing the seamless insulation
article described herein
as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art may be used. Moreover, all
disclosures
regarding the seamless insulation article are hereby incorporated into the
method disclosures
discussed herein.
[0040] In this regard, the seamless insulation article may allow a user to
keep selected
regions of the body warm, while allowing other regions of the body to be
cooled by evaporation
and/or ventilation. By way of example only, selected regions such as the arms
or lower back may
be made to have higher insulative capacity to keep athletes warm. In some
embodiments, for
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example, either the right arm or the left arm may be more insulating in order
to keep the
throwing arm of a pitcher warm while allowing the rest of the body to be cool.
Moreover, the
formation of the seamless insulation article as complementary single layer
elements may reduce
cutting and sewing costs and fabric wastage, and utilizing a seamless
insulation article reduces
potential failure points and also may reduce chafing on the user's skin.
Extremely intricate
patterns of varying thickness may be achieved and used to create infinitely
varied regions of
insulating warmth, range of motion, and breathability in the fabric that may
be customized for
any number of physical activities.
[0041] In addition, similar advantages may be provided by seamless
insulation articles in the
form of home textile articles, such as bed sheets and mattress covers utilized
in, for example,
furniture for home, institutional, and commercial markets, including
transportation seating. For
example, home textile articles may be configured to provide discrete regions
of insulation
performance in a pattern corresponding to insulation requirements of a user's
body. By way of
example only, seamless insulation articles utilized as mattress covers may be
configured to
provide discrete regions offering improved breathability, ventilation, and
reduced sweat for
different regions of a user's body (e.g., the user's back). As such, the
seamless insulation articles
disclosed herein may provide insulation, breathability, and moisture
management while
preventing chafing in a variety of applications including, but not limited to,
garments, home
textile articles and/or the like.
[0042] Non-limiting Exemplary Embodiments
100431 Having described various aspects and embodiments of the invention
herein, further
specific embodiments of the invention include those set forth in the following
paragraphs.
100441 Certain embodiments according to the invention provide seamless
insulation articles
suitable for a wide variety of uses (e.g., garments, footwear, home textile
articles, etc.). In
accordance with certain embodiments, the seamless insulation article includes
a knit base
comprising a first yarn and a second yarn incorporated into a continuous web
defined by the first
yarn and the second yarn in a predetermined pattern to form a plurality of
three-dimensional
surfaces. The plurality of three-dimensional surfaces define at least two
discrete regions having
different contrasting insulative capacities arranged in the predetermined
pattern, said at least two
discrete regions comprising a first discrete region and a second discrete
region. The first discrete
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region comprises a first insulative capacity, the second discrete region
comprises a second
insulative capacity, and the second insulative capacity is greater than the
first insulative capacity.
[0045] In accordance with certain embodiments, the plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces
defines a plurality of air channels therebetween. Moreover, in some
embodiments, the seamless
insulation article comprises an outer surface and a skin surface, the outer
surface comprises a
smooth topography, and the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces is disposed
on the skin
surface and defines a three-dimensional topography. In certain embodiments,
the plurality of
three-dimensional surfaces comprises at least a first group of three-
dimensional surfaces and a
second group of three-dimensional surfaces, the second group of three-
dimensional surfaces
comprises a height from about 1 mm to about 20 mm, and the second group of
three-dimensional
surfaces is taller than the first group of three-dimensional surfaces. In such
embodiments, the
first discrete region comprises the first group of three-dimensional surfaces,
and the second
discrete region comprises the second group of three-dimensional surfaces. In
some
embodiments, the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces comprises at least
one of a bubble, a
pile, a pillar, or any combination thereof. In further embodiments, the
plurality of three-
dimensional surfaces comprises at least one of a circular bubble, an
elliptical bubble, a square
bubble, a rectangular bubble, or any combination thereof.
[0046] According to certain embodiments, the predetermined pattern
corresponds to selected
body region insulative requirements. In this regard, each of the first
discrete region and the
second discrete region correspond to at least one of a spinal cord area, back
area, an upper back
area, a lower back area, a neck area, a knee back area, a chest front area, a
breast area, an
abdominal area, an armpit area, an arm area, an elbow front area, a sacrum
dimple area, a groin
area, a thigh area, a shin area, or any combination thereof.
[0047] In accordance with certain embodiments, each of the first yam and
the second yarn
comprise at least one of a synthetic fiber, a natural fiber, a regenerated
fiber, or any combination
thereof. In some embodiments, each of the first yarn and the second yarn
comprise at least one
of a multifilament yarn, a spun fiber yarn, a monofilament yarn, or any
combination thereof. In
other embodiments, the seamless insulation article further comprises an
elastomeric yarn. In
some embodiments, the first yarn comprises a first shrinkage and the second
yarn comprises a
second shrinkage being different from the first shrinkage to define a
differential relative
shrinkage between the first yarn and the second yarn when exposed to heat. In
further
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embodiments, the seamless insulation article further comprises at least one
smart yarn, wherein
the at least one smart yarn comprises at least one of a ceramic, a synthetic
material, a phase
change material, a biomimetric material, or any combination thereof. In
further embodiments,
the seamless insulation article further comprises at least one of a softener,
an antimicrobial
treatment, a wicking treatment, a soil release treatment, a water repellent,
an oil repellent, a fire
retardant, or any combination thereof.
10048] In another aspect, certain embodiments according to the invention
provide methods
for making seamless insulation articles. In accordance with certain
embodiments, the method
includes combining a first yam and a second yarn in a continuous web in a
predetermined pattern
and finishing at least one surface of the continuous web to form a plurality
of three-dimensional
surfaces. The plurality of three-dimensional surfaces define at least two
discrete regions having
different contrasting insulative capacities arranged in the predetermined
pattern, said at least two
discrete regions comprising a first discrete region and a second discrete
region. The first discrete
region comprises a first insulative capacity, the second discrete region
comprises a second
insulative capacity, and the second insulative capacity is greater than the
first insulative capacity.
In some embodiments, combining a first yarn and a second yarn in a continuous
web in a
predetermined pattern comprises at least one of tubular circular knitting,
plaiting, reverse
plaiting, warp knitting, weaving, or any combination thereof. According to
certain
embodiments, combining a first yarn and a second yarn in a continuous web in a
predetermined
pattern further comprises incorporating at least one smart yarn into the
continuous web, said at
least one smart yarn comprising at least one of a ceramic, a synthetic
material, a phase change
material, a biomimetric material, or any combination thereof. In further
embodiments, the
method further comprises designing the predetermined pattern, laminating the
seamless insulated
article with a second article, and removing the seamless insulated article
from the continuous
web according to the predetermined pattern. In some embodiments, designing the
predetermined
pattern comprises designing the predetermined pattern for use in at least one
of a jacket, a shirt, a
pair of pants, a pair of shorts, a glove, a mitt, a sock, a shoe, a shoe
insert, a blanket, a mattress
cover, a mattress ticking, or any combination thereof.
[0049] These and other modifications and variations to the invention may be
practiced by
those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention,
which is more particularly set forth in the appended claims. In addition, it
should be understood
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that aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged in whole or in
part. Furthermore,
those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing
description is by way of
example only, and it is not intended to limit the invention as further
described in such appended
claims. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be
limited to the
exemplary description of the versions contained herein.
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