Layered Thermoplastic Non-Woven Textile Elements

• US 20120227282A1
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Hawkinson, Karen A., Dua, Bhupesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/87
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/00 Clothing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4358 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4374 using different kinds of webs, e.g. by layering webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/009 Condensation or reaction polymers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/697 Containing at least two chemically different strand or fiber materials

Abstract

A layered non-woven textile may be incorporated into various products, including apparel. The layered non-woven textile may be formed from a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is formed from a plurality of first filaments that include a first thermoplastic polymer material with a first melting temperature. The second layer is located adjacent to the first layer and secured to the first layer. The second layer is formed from plurality of second filaments that include a second thermoplastic polymer material with a second melting temperature. The first melting temperature is lower than the second melting temperature.

Claims

1. A non-woven textile comprising:

a first layer formed from a plurality of first filaments that include a first thermoplastic polymer material with a first melting temperature; and

a second layer located adjacent to the first layer and secured to the first layer, the second layer being formed from plurality of second filaments that include a second thermoplastic polymer material with a second melting temperature, the first melting temperature being lower than the second melting temperature.

2. The non-woven textile recited in claim 1, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer material and the second thermoplastic polymer material are thermoplastic polyurethane materials.

3. The non-woven textile recited in claim 1, wherein the first layer includes a fused region having a continuous area of at least one square centimeter, the first filaments being fused to form a non-filamentous portion of the non-woven textile in the fused region.

4. The non-woven textile recited in claim 3, wherein the second layer includes a filamentous region adjacent to the fused region of the first layer.

5. The non-woven textile recited in claim 3, wherein a component is secured to the fused region.

6. The non-woven textile recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of strands are embedded within the non-woven textile, the strands extending in a direction that is substantially parallel to a surface of the second layer for a distance of at least five centimeters.

7. The non-woven textile recited in claim 6, wherein the strands are located between the first layer and the second layer.

8. The non-woven textile recited in claim 1, wherein the non-woven textile is incorporated into an article of apparel.

9. The non-woven textile recited in claim 1, wherein the non-woven textile is incorporated into an article of footwear.

10. An article of apparel comprising:

a non-woven textile including (a) a first layer formed from a plurality of first filaments that include a first thermoplastic polymer material with a first melting temperature and (b) a second layer located adjacent to the first layer, the second layer formed from plurality of second filaments that include a second thermoplastic polymer material with a second melting temperature, the first melting temperature being lower than the second melting temperature; and

a component heatbonded to the first layer.

11. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein the first layer forms a portion of an exterior surface of the apparel, and the first layer forms a portion of an exterior surface of the apparel.

12. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein the first layer includes at least one fused region having a continuous area of at least one square centimeter, the first filaments being fused to form a non-filamentous portion of the non-woven textile in the fused region.

13. The article of apparel recited in claim 12, wherein the second layer includes a filamentous region adjacent to the fused region of the second layer.

14. The article of apparel recited in claim 12, wherein the component is heatbonded to the first layer at the fused region.

15. The article of apparel recited in claim 10, wherein the apparel is footwear.

16. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the upper comprising a non-woven textile having (a) a first layer formed from a plurality of first filaments that include a first thermoplastic polymer material with a first melting temperature and (b) a second layer located adjacent to the first layer, the second layer formed from plurality of second filaments that include a second thermoplastic polymer material with a second melting temperature, the first melting temperature being lower than the second melting temperature, the first layer being positioned to form at least a portion of an exterior surface of the footwear, and the second layer being positioned inward of the first layer.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 16, wherein the first layer includes a fused region having a continuous area of at least one square centimeter, the first filaments being fused to form a non-filamentous portion of the non-woven textile in the fused region.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 17, wherein the second layer includes a filamentous region adjacent to the fused region of the first layer.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 17, wherein a component is heatbonded to the non-woven textile in the fused region.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 19, wherein the component is selected from a group consisting of a toe cap, a heel counter, and indicia.

21. The article of footwear recited in claim 16, wherein a plurality of strands are embedded within the first layer.

22. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the strands extend from a lace region of the upper to a region that is adjacent to the sole structure.

23. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the first layer includes a fused region having a continuous area of at least one square centimeter, the first filaments being fused to form a non-filamentous portion of the non-woven textile in the fused region, and the strands being located within the fused region.

24. An article of apparel comprising:

a non-woven textile including (a) a first layer formed from a plurality of first filaments that include a first thermoplastic polymer material with a first melting temperature and (b) a second layer located adjacent to the first layer, the second layer formed from plurality of second filaments that include a second thermoplastic polymer material with a second melting temperature, the first melting temperature being lower than the second melting temperature; and

a plurality of strands at least partially embedded in the first layer, the strands being formed from a material that is different than the first thermoplastic material and the second thermoplastic material.

25. The article of apparel recited in claim 24, wherein the first layer forms a portion of an interior surface of the apparel, and the second layer forms a portion of an exterior surface of the apparel.

26. The article of apparel recited in claim 24, wherein the second layer includes at least one fused region located to extend along the strands.

27. The article of apparel recited in claim 24, wherein the apparel is footwear.