Coated articles having enhanced reversible thermal properties and exhibiting improved flexibility, softness, air permeability, or water vapor transport properties

• US 7,135,424 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Outlast Technologies, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Outlast Technologies, Incorporated
• Inventors: Lekan, Alan John, Pushaw, Robert John, Henshaw, Michael Alan, Worley, James Brice, Hartmann, Mark Henry, Magill, Monte Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Juska, Cheryl A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sperty, Arden B.
• Application Number:
  US10/642,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20040033743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 442/59, 442/131, 442/133, 428/141, 428/195.1, 428/310.5, 428/196, 428/206
• US Class Current: 442/131
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/065 using layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/02 Processes in which the treating agent is releasably affixed or incorporated into a dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/16 Processes for the non-uniform application of treating agents, e.g. one-sided treatment; Differential treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2205/04 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2205/08 Microballoons, microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/121 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/123 Breathable
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2211/06 Building materials
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2211/106 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2211/18 Medical, e.g. bandage, prostheses, catheter medical patches D06N2211/22; medical packaging D06N2211/20
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2213/04 Perforated layer
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/0056 characterised by the compounding ingredients of the macro-molecular coating D06N3/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 7/0092 Non-continuous polymer coating on the fibrous substrate, e.g. plastic dots on fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/023 the latent heat storage material being enclosed in granular particles or dispersed in a porous, fibrous or cellular structure
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2020/0008 the heat storage material being enclosed in plate-like or laminated elements, e.g. in plates having internal compartments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2481 including layer of mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24893 including particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249961 : With gradual property change within a component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 : Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/259 : Coating or impregnation provides protection from radiation [e.g., U.V., visible light, I.R., micscheme-change-itemave, high energy particle, etc.] or heat retention thru radiation absorption
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2607 : Radiation absorptive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2631 : Coating or impregnation provides heat or fire protection

Abstract

The invention relates to a coated article having enhanced reversible thermal properties. The coated article comprises a substrate having a surface and a coating covering a portion of the surface and comprising a polymeric material and a temperature regulating material dispersed in the polymeric material. The coating is formed with a plurality of regions of discontinuity that are separated from one another and expose a remaining portion of the surface to provide improved flexibility, softness, air permeability, or water vapor transport properties. The coated article may be used in apparel, footwear, medical products, containers and packagings, building materials, appliances, and other products.

Claims

1. A coated article having enhanced reversible thermal properties, comprising:

a substrate having a surface; and

a coating covering a portion of the surface and comprising a polymeric material and a non-encapsulated phase change material dispersed in the polymeric material, wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material is a solid/solid phase change material, and the coating is formed as a plurality of coating regions that are distributed substantially uniformly across the surface and are separated from one another to provide improved flexibility and air permeability to the coated article.

2. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a fabric, film, foam, or leather.

3. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material has a transition temperature in the range of 22°

to 40°

C.

4. The coated article of claim 3, wherein the transition temperature of the non-encapsulated phase change material is in the range of 22°

to 28°

C.

5. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the coating covers between 1 to 99 percent of the surface of the substrate.

6. The coated article of claim 5, wherein the coating covers between 50 to 90 percent of the surface of the substrate.

7. The coated article of claim 1, wherein at least two coating regions have different shapes or sizes.

8. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the coating regions have shapes that are independently selected from the group consisting of circular, half-circular, diamond-shaped, hexagonal, multi-lobal, octagonal, oval, pentagonal, rectangular, square-shaped, star-shaped, trapezoidal, triangular, and wedge-shaped.

9. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the coating regions have sizes ranging from 1 mm to 4 mm.

10. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the solid/solid phase change material comprises a polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-hydroxymethyl-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, ethylene glycol, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol, pentaglycerine, tetramethylol ethane, neopentyl glycol, tetramethylol propane, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, monoaminopentaerythritol, diaminopentaerythritol, and tris(hydroxymethyl)acetic acid.