Electric blanket shell and method of production

• US 3,973,066 A
• Filed: 01/16/1975
• Issued: 08/03/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chatham Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Fiberwoven Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Alexander M. II, Adkins, Allen H., Roth, Thomas M. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cannon, J.C.
• Application Number:
  US05/541,645
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 428/198, 428/175, 428/239, 428/247, 428/252, 428/255, 428/294, 428/295, 428/301, 428/286, 428/293, 428/179, 428/91, 428/95, 428/105, 428/114, 428/284, 428/287, 428/288 , 428/300, 428/296, 156/148, 156/290, 156/306, 156/309, 156/73, 219/212, 219/529, 219/549, 128/399, 128/376, 5/334 R, 28/72.2
• US Class Current: 428/91
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/086 using a rotary anvil
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7437 the tool being a perforating tool perforating as mechanical pre-treatment B29C66/02242
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/21 said joint lines being formed by a single dot or dash or by several dots or dashes, i.e. spot joining or spot welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/232 said joint lines being multiple and parallel, i.e. the joint being formed by several parallel joint lines
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/306 Applying a mark during joining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/729 Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7292 coated B29C66/72941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73941 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermosets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81433 being toothed, i.e. comprising several teeth or pins comprising a single tooth B29C66/81429, or being patterned
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83411 Roller, cylinder or drum types B29C66/83431 takes precedence; rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined B29C66/8362
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2001/12 Cellulose acetate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2001/14 Cellulose acetate-butyrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/00 Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/18 : Polymers of hydrocarbons having four or more carbon atoms, e.g. polymers of butylene, e.g. PB, i.e. polybutylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/04 : Polymers of styrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/08 : PVDC, i.e. polyvinylidene chloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2031/04 : Polymers of vinyl acetate, e.g. PVAc, i.e. polyvinyl acetate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 : Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/20 : PAN, i.e. polyacrylonitrile
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2059/00 : Use of polyacetals , e.g. POM, i.e. polyoxymethylene or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 : Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 : Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 : PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 : Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/12 : PPO, i.e. polyphenylene oxide; PPE, i.e. polyphenylene ether
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 : Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/0028 : Stretching, elongating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0246 : Acrylic resin fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0276 : Polyester fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/0831 : using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/00 : Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/004 : by physically contacting the layers, e.g. by the use of heated platens or rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 : Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 : Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/06 : characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer mechanically connected, e.g. by needling to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/08 : the fibres or filaments of a layer being of different substances , e.g. conjugate fibres, mixture of different fibres
• 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: B32B 7/05 : the layers not being connected over the whole surface, e.g. discontinuous connection or patterned connection using interposed adhesives or bonding materials applied in spaced arrangements B32B7/14
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/10 : at least one layer having inter-reactive properties
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/559 : the fibres being within layered webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/06 : strengthened or consolidated by welding-together thermoplastic fibres, filaments, or yarns
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 : Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 : flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2395 : Nap type surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24058 : including grain, strips, or filamentary elements in respective layers or components in angular relation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24132 : including grain, strips, or filamentary elements in different layers or components parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24636 : Embodying mechanically interengaged strand[s], strand-portion[s] or strand-like strip[s] [e.g., weave, knit, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24669 : Aligned or parallel nonplanarities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24826 : Spot bonds connect components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3707 : Woven fabric including a nonwoven fabric layer other than paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/608 : Including strand or fiber material which is of specific structural definition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/643 : Including parallel strand or fiber material within the nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/667 : Needled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/668 : Separate nonwoven fabric layers comprise chemically different strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/688 : Containing polymeric strand or fiber material

Abstract

An electric blanket shell is composed of first and second-needled textile fabrics with a yarn layer disposed in at least one of the needled fabrics. The yarn layer has a plurality of first planar yarns extending generally in a first planar direction. A heat-fusible component is disposed in at least one of the needled fabrics. A plurality of small, discrete sonically or ultra-sonically-produced fusion bonds, spaced from each other, link the needled fabrics to form a blanket shell. The fusion bonds form a series of patterns across a planar dimension of the blanket shell and the patterns define a series of channels, for receiving heating wires, between the needled fabrics. The patterns of fusion bonds are disposed in a direction transverse to the direction of the first planar yarns. The fusion bonds of any one pattern do not engage more than about 50% of the first planar yarns and overlaps of fusion-bond patterns are substantially avoided.

Claims

1. An electric blanket shell comprising:

1. first and second needled textile fabrics in juxtaposition to each other and each fabric having textile fibers needled together into an integral, coherent structure;

2. a yarn layer disposed in at least one of the first and second needled fabrics and said yarn layer having a plurality of first planar yarns extending generally in a first planar dimension of the needled fabric;

3. a heat fusible component disposed in at least one of the first and second needled fabric;

4. a plurality of small, discrete fusion bonds spaced from each other which link the first needled fabric to the second needled fabric to form a blanket shell and a series of patterns across a planar dimension of the blanket shell which patterns define a series of channels between the first and second needled fabrics, said patterns of fusion bonds being disposed in a direction traverse to the direction of the said first planar yarns of the yarn layer; and

wherein the fusion bonds of any one traversely extending pattern do not engage more than about 50 percent of the said first planar yarns and wherein overlaps of fusion bond patterns are substantially avoided.

2. The shell of claim 1 wherein both the first needled fabric and the second needled fabric contain the heat fusible component.

3. The shell of claim 1 wherein the heat fusible component is thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer.

4. The shell of claim 3 wherein the fusible component is in fibrous form.

5. The shell of claim 4 wherein the fusible component is a discrete component of a multi-component fiber.

6. The shell of claim 5 wherein the multi-component fiber is in the form of concentric components and the fusible component is the outermost component.

7. The shell of claim 5 wherein the fusible component is a component of a bi-component fiber.

8. The shell of claim 4 wherein the fusible component is in the form of a homogeneous fiber.

9. The shell of claim 8 wherein at least one of the first or second needled fabrics is a mixture of fibers of different compositions and the different compositions have different melting points.

10. The shell of claim 1 wherein both the first and second needling fabrics are composed of the same heat fusible fibers.

11. The shell of claim 1 wherein the yarn layer is a self-supporting layer.

12. The shell of claim 1 wherein the yarn layer also has a plurality of yarns extending generally parallel to the pattern of fusion bonds.

13. The shell of claim 12 wherein the yarn layer is non-woven.

14. The shell of claim 12 wherein the yarn layer is woven.

15. The shell of claim 1 wherein the yarns of the yarn layer are fusible.

16. The shell of claim 1 in which the needled fabrics are in an elongated condition.

17. The shell of claim 16 in which the elongated condition is at least 10 percent greater than the non-elongated condition.

18. The shell of claim 1 wherein the fusion bonds have no planar dimension greater than 0.75 inch.

19. The shell of claim 1 wherein the fusion bonds have no planar dimension greater than 0.50 inch.

20. The shell of claim 1 wherein the fusion bonds have an average planar dimension no greater than 0.1 inch.

21. The shell of claim 18 wherein no substantial numbers of adjacent fusion bonds, in any one pattern of fusion bonds, overlap.

22. The shell of claim 21 wherein adjacent patterns of fusion bonds are no closer than the average distance between adjacent fusion bonds within a pattern.

23. The shell of claim 22 wherein at least one of the needled fabrics has at least two layers and the innermost layer contains the majority of the fusible component.

24. The shell of claim 23 wherein the innermost layer contains substantially all of the fusible component.

25. The shell of claim 22 wherein the patterns of fusion bonds form channels between adjacent rows of fusion bonds.

26. The shell of claim 25 wherein the rows and channels terminate prior to the edges of the shell.

27. The shell of claim 26 wherein a complete pattern of rows of fusion bonds repeats within distance intervals at least less than a blanket shell width.

28. The shell of claim 1 wherein at least one surface of the blanket shell has a napped surface.

29. The shell of claim 1 wherein the fusion bonds are sonic or ultra-sonic fusion bonds.

30. The shell of claim 28 wherein the fusion bonds are ultra-sonic fusion bonds.