SAIL AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF
First Claim
1. A method for fabricating at least part of a sailboat sail, the method comprising:
- providing an ink transfer medium that includes visible content on one side thereof;
providing a first layer of a durable sailcloth material having a first side and an opposing second side;
disposing a first heat-activatable adhesive layer onto the second side of the first layer of material;
positioning the ink transfer medium and the first layer of material onto a support structure such that the first adhesive layer faces upwards and the visible content contacts the first side of the first layer of material;
positioning a plurality of load bearing yarns upon the first adhesive layer in predetermined load path orientations;
providing a second layer of the durable sailcloth material having a first side and an opposing second side;
providing a second heat-activatable adhesive layer;
positioning the second layer of material upon the first layer of material such the second adhesive layer is positioned between the first side of the second layer of material and the plurality of load bearing yarns, wherein at least the ink transfer medium, the first layer of material, the first adhesive layer, the plurality of load bearing yarns, the second layer of material, and the second adhesive layer form a sail arrangement;
positioning the sail arrangement into a vacuum; and
applying sufficient heat and pressure to the sail arrangement while the sail arrangement is in the vacuum to transfer the visible content from the ink transfer medium onto the first side of the first layer of material, activate at least the first and second adhesive layers, and mitigate a quantity of voids between the first layer of material and the second layer of material.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sail includes at least two layers of durable sailcloth material, a scrim of load bearing yarns arranged in predetermined load path orientations, and at least one heat-activated adhesive layer securing the layers of material to the scrim, such that the scrim is positioned between the layers of material. An opaque layer may be included between the two outer layers of material to prevent the passage of light through the sail. Alternatively, the adhesive layer or layers may be dyed or otherwise colored to effectuate an opaque layer. The sail is preferably manufactured using a high temperature, vacuum lamination process to mitigate the quantity of voids between the layers of material and to transfer visible content from one or more image transfer mediums to the outside surface(s) of the layer(s) of material using dye sublimation to provide durable imaging. After lamination, the image transfer medium or media may be discarded.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A method for fabricating at least part of a sailboat sail, the method comprising:
-
providing an ink transfer medium that includes visible content on one side thereof; providing a first layer of a durable sailcloth material having a first side and an opposing second side; disposing a first heat-activatable adhesive layer onto the second side of the first layer of material; positioning the ink transfer medium and the first layer of material onto a support structure such that the first adhesive layer faces upwards and the visible content contacts the first side of the first layer of material; positioning a plurality of load bearing yarns upon the first adhesive layer in predetermined load path orientations; providing a second layer of the durable sailcloth material having a first side and an opposing second side; providing a second heat-activatable adhesive layer; positioning the second layer of material upon the first layer of material such the second adhesive layer is positioned between the first side of the second layer of material and the plurality of load bearing yarns, wherein at least the ink transfer medium, the first layer of material, the first adhesive layer, the plurality of load bearing yarns, the second layer of material, and the second adhesive layer form a sail arrangement; positioning the sail arrangement into a vacuum; and applying sufficient heat and pressure to the sail arrangement while the sail arrangement is in the vacuum to transfer the visible content from the ink transfer medium onto the first side of the first layer of material, activate at least the first and second adhesive layers, and mitigate a quantity of voids between the first layer of material and the second layer of material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A sailboat sail formed by a process comprising:
-
providing an ink transfer medium that includes visible content on one side thereof; providing a first layer of a durable sailcloth material having a first side and an opposing second side; disposing a first heat-activatable adhesive layer onto the second side of the first layer of material; positioning the ink transfer medium and the first layer of material onto a support structure such that the first adhesive layer faces upwards and the visible content contacts the first side of the first layer of material; positioning a plurality of load bearing yarns upon the first adhesive layer in predetermined load path orientations; providing a second layer of the durable sailcloth material having a first side and an opposing second side; providing a second heat-activatable adhesive layer; positioning the second layer of material upon the first layer of material such the second adhesive layer is positioned between the first side of the second layer of material and the plurality of load bearing yarns, wherein at least the ink transfer medium, the first layer of material, the first adhesive layer, the plurality of load bearing yams, the second layer of material, and the second adhesive layer form a sail arrangement; positioning the sail arrangement into a vacuum; and applying sufficient heat and pressure to the sail arrangement while the sail arrangement is in the vacuum to transfer the visible content from the ink transfer medium onto the first side of the first layer of material, activate at least the first and second adhesive layers, and mitigate a quantity of voids between the first layer of material and the second layer of material. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A sailboat sail formed by a process comprising:
-
providing a first ink transfer medium that includes first visible content on one side thereof; providing a first layer of a durable sailcloth material having a first side and an opposing second side; disposing a first heat-activatable adhesive layer onto the second side of the first layer of material; positioning the first ink transfer medium and the first layer of material onto a support structure such that the first adhesive layer faces upwards and the first visible content contacts the first side of the first layer of material; positioning a plurality of load bearing yams upon the first adhesive layer in predetermined load path orientations; providing a second layer of the durable sailcloth material having a first side and an opposing second side; providing a second heat-activatable adhesive layer; providing a second ink transfer medium that includes second visible content on one side thereof; positioning the second layer of material upon the first layer of material such the second adhesive layer is positioned between the first side of the second layer of material and the plurality of load bearing yarns; positioning the second ink transfer medium onto the second layer of material such that the second visible content contacts the second side of the second layer of material, wherein at least the first ink transfer medium, the first layer of material, the first adhesive layer, the plurality of load bearing yams, the second layer of material, the second adhesive layer, and the second ink transfer medium form a sail arrangement; positioning the sail arrangement into a vacuum; applying sufficient heat and pressure to the sail arrangement while the sail arrangement is in the vacuum to transfer the first visible content from the first ink transfer medium onto the first side of the first layer of material, transfer the second visible content from the second ink transfer medium onto the second side of the second layer of material, activate at least the first and second adhesive layers, and mitigate a quantity of voids between the first layer of material and the second layer of material; removing the sail arrangement from the vacuum after application of the heat and pressure; and discarding the first and second ink transfer mediums after removal of the sail arrangement from the vacuum. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method for fabricating at least part of a sailboat sail so as to include visible content on at least one side thereof, the method comprising:
-
providing an ink transfer medium that includes the visible content on one side thereof; providing a section of sailcloth having a first side and an opposing second side; positioning the ink transfer medium against the sailcloth such that the visible content contacts the first side of the sailcloth; and applying sufficient heat and pressure to the ink transfer medium and the sailcloth to transfer the visible content from the ink transfer medium onto the first side of the sailcloth. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
-
Specification