Elastomeric composite fabric

• US 5,036,551 A
• Filed: 02/16/1990
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Dailey, Marlene M., Henn, Robert L., Daniel, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, James J.
• Application Number:
  US07/481,309
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 428/284, 428/315.5, 428/315.7, 428/315.4, 428/420, 428/421, 428/422, 428/903, 428/297, 428/298, 2/167, 2/168
• US Class Current: 2/167
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/0068 Two-dimensional gloves, i.e. obtained by superposition of two sheets of material
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/102 Waterproof and breathable
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/185 using layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/026 Porous
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/728 Hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2375/00 Polyureas; Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/02 Gloves, shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/903 Microfiber, less than 100 micron diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249978 Voids specified as micro
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249979 Specified thickness of void-containing component [absolute or relative] or numerical cell dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24998 Composite has more than two layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31544 Addition polymer is perhalogenated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2098 At least two coatings or impregnations of different chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2148 Coating or impregnation is specified as microporous but is not a foam

Abstract

Elastomeric composite fabrics are described which have a layered construction and are made of a microporous polymeric membrane, a water vapor permeable polymer, and an elastomeric thermoplastic nonwoven material. The elastomeric composite fabrics provide barrier properties with water vapor permeability and find utility in articles of wearing apparel and other articles which conform about another object.

Claims

1. An elastomeric composite fabric which is substantially planar and which comprises in a layered arrangement:

(i) a microporous polymeric membrane

(ii) a water vapor-permeable polymer and

(iii) an elastomeric thermoplastic fibrous nonwoven web in which the fibers are elastomeric and are less than 50 micron in diameter,

said polymer (ii) being continous and being in contact with membrane (i) and substrate (iii),

said composite fabric exhibiting an elastic modulus in at least one direction less than 15 pli, an overall thickness less than about 15 mils, and having a force to flex less than 35 grams in any direction;

said composite fabric being liquid water-impermeable,

said composite fabric having a water vapor transmission rate of at least about 5000 gm.m² /24 hrs.

2. A composite fabric of claim 1 wherein polymer layer (ii) is present substantially as a layer between layers (i) and (iii).

3. A composite fabric of claim 1 wherein polymer layer (ii) is present substantially in the pores of microporous polymeric membrane (i).

4. A composite fabric of claim 1 wherein the microporous polymeric membrane has a microscopic structure of open, interconnecting voids.

5. A composite fabric of claim 4 wherein the microporous polymeric membrane is a plastic polymer or an elastomeric polymer.

6. A composite fabric of claim 4 wherein the microporous polymeric membrane is a plastic polymer selected from the class consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyesters, polyamides, polyacrylates.

7. A composite fabric of claim 4 wherein the microporous polymeric membrane is an elastomeric polymer selected from the class consisting of polyurethanes, copolyether esters and copolyether amides.

8. A composite fabric of claim 1 wherein the continuous water vapor-permeable polymer is a hydrophilic polyurethane.

9. A composite fabric of claim 8 wherein the hydrophilic polyurethane is a poly (oxyethylene) polyurethane.

10. A composite fabric of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric nonwoven web comprises a coherent nonwoven matrix of elastic fiber of a block copolymer.

11. The composite fabric of claim 10 where the block copolymer is a polyetherester.

12. A composite fabric of claim 10 wherein the polyetherester has the formula ##STR2## where "G" is selected from the group including poly(oxyethylene)-alpha, omega-diol poly(oxpropylene)-alpha, omege-diol, or poly(oxytetramethylene)-alpha, omega-diol and "m", "n" and "a" are positive integers.

13. The composite fabric of claim 10 the block copolymer is a polyurethane.

14. A form fitting article which comprises two superimposed layers of the fabric of claim 1, said two layers being Joined together along the periphery thereof to form a configuration corresponding to the contour of a desired article, leaving an unjoined opening portion.

15. The article of claim 14 wherein the nonwoven web side of each layer is adjacent to one another.

16. The article of claim 14 wherein the microporous polymeric membrane side of each layer is adjacent to one another.

17. The article of claim 15 in the form of a glove or mitten.

18. The article of claim 16 in the form of a glove or mitten.