Breathable fabric

• US 7,682,994 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lightex Limited (Divcom Lighting, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lightex Limited (Divcom Lighting, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carr, Chris, Van Emden, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES VELAZQUEZ, NORCA LIZ
• Application Number:
  US11/573,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20080096001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 442/304, 442/313, 442/79, 442/82, 442/181, 264/103
• US Class Current: 442/181
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/102 Waterproof and breathable
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/12 Hygroscopic; Water retaining
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/125 Moisture handling or wicking function through layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/217 natural from plants, e.g. cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/283 synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/292 Conjugate, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/47 multicomponent, e.g. blended yarns or threads multicomponent fibres or filaments D03D15/292
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/14 Other fabrics or articles characterised primarily by the use of particular thread materials
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/263 of unsaturated carboxylic acids; Salts or esters thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/277 containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/08 Ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/12 Carbon; Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2101/20 Metallic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/02 Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/04 Linen
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/06 Jute
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/24 Viscose
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/28 Cellulose esters or ethers, e.g. cellulose acetate
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/02 Wool
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/04 Silk
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/042 : polymers of fluorinated hydrocarbons, e.g. polytetrafluoroethene [PTFE]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/06 : polymers of unsaturated alcohols, e.g. polyvinyl alcohol, or of their acetals or ketals
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/10 : polymers of unsaturated nitriles, e.g. polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene cyanide
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/02 : polyamides D10B2331/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/04 : polyesters, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/021 : hydrophobic
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/022 : hydrophylic
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/062 : stiff, shape retention
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/13 : anti-allergenic or anti-bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/00 : Wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/04 : Outerwear; Protective garments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249922 : Embodying intertwined or helical component[s]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2164 : Coating or impregnation specified as water repellent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2189 : Fluorocarbon containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 : Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/40 : Knit fabric [i.e., knit strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/456 : Including additional strand inserted within knit fabric

Abstract

A fabric comprising a textile layer comprising yarns, wherein said textile layer is permeable to water vapour and impermeable to liquid water; and disposed on at least part of one side of the textile layer is a wicking means.

Claims

1. A single-weave fabric comprising a woven textile layer that is permeable to water vapor and impermeable to liquid water and comprising hydrophobic warp and weft yarns and floating warp or weft wicking yarns or fibres,

wherein the floating warp or weft wicking yarns or fibres are integrally woven with the hydrophobic yarns, and the hydrophobic warp and weft yarns and the floating warp or weft wicking yarns or fibres together form the single weave fabric, and

wherein the textile layer has two opposing sides and the wicking yarns or fibres are disposed on at least part of one side of the textile layer, and

the other side has more than 70% hydrophobic yarns exposed.

2. The fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hydrophobic warp and weft yarns comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyarn ides, polyvinyl alcohols, lyocell, rayon, viscose, nylon, cotton, linen, flax, hemp, jute and wool, acetates, acrylic, elastane, and silk, and wherein said hydrophobic warp and weft yarns comprise hydrophobic molecular moieties bound to the individual yarns and/or to individual yarn fibres that constitute at least part of the yarns.

3. The fabric as claimed in claim 2 wherein the textile layer is formed from woven yarns and the hydrophobic molecular moieties have been applied to the individual yarns and/or individual yarn fibres before the fabric is woven.

4. The fabric as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least some of the hydrophobic molecular moieties constitute molecules that are directly or indirectly non-covalently bound to the yarns and/or yarn fibres that constitute at least part of the yarns.

5. The fabric as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least some of the hydrophobic molecular moieties are chemical groups that are directly or indirectly covalently bonded to the yarns and/or yarn fibres that constitute at least part of the yarns.

6. The fabric as claimed in claim 2 wherein the hydrophobic molecular moieties comprise hydrophobic molecules or hydrophobic chemical groups.

7. The fabric as claimed in claim 6 wherein the hydrophobic molecules or chemical groups comprise hydrophobic fluorinated polymeric hydrocarbon groups.

8. The fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wicking yarns or fibres comprise floating yarns or fibres, the majority of the lengths of which are disposed on one side of the textile layer.

9. The fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wicking fibres or yarns are floating weft fibres or yarns.

10. The fabric as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wicking yarns or fibres include fibres comprising cellulosic fibres, polyamide fibres and/or hydrophilic natural fibres.

11. An article of clothing comprising the textile fabric of claim 1:

wherein said side on which the wicking yarns or fibres are disposed is disposed on an inside of the article and intended to face toward a wearer of the article; and

wherein said other side having more than 70% hydrophobic yarns exposed is disposed on an outside of the article and intended to face away from the intended wearer of the fabric.

12. The article as claimed in claim 11 wherein the article is selected from a shirt, T-shirt, vest, poly top, pullover, male or female brief, underwear, longjohn, nightwear such as pyjamas, sportswear top, bra, cardigan, skit, dress, blouse, trousers, tracksuit bottom, shorts, sock, tie, pair of jeans, glove, coat, jacket, boxing glove, mitt, hat, cap, skull cap, helmet, dressing gown, baby clothing such as nappies and bibs, garments such as gowns, drapes, overalls, masks, uniforms such as chefs jackets and aprons, and inner lining of clothing and towels.

13. A method of making the fabric as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising:

providing the hydrophobic yarns and wicking yarns,

weaving the hydrophobic yarns and the wicking yarns into the single-weave fabric so that the hydrophobic yarns are both warp and weft yarns and the wicking yarns are floating yarns,

wherein the majority of the lengths of the wicking yarns are disposed on one side of the fabric and integrally woven with the hydrophobic yarns.

14. The method of claim 13:

wherein said weaving comprises integrally weaving the yarns for making the fabric and the wicking yarns into a textile layer such that the majority of the lengths of the wicking yarns are disposed on one side of the fabric,

and before, during or after said weaving treating the yarns of the textile layer to form hydrophobic yarns, such that the resultant textile layer is permeable to water vapour and impermeable to liquid water.

15. A method of making an article of clothing comprising providing a fabric as defined in claim 1, forming said article of clothing from said textile fabric, optionally using one or more other fabrics that are permeable to liquid water and water vapour.

16. A fabric obtainable by a method as defined in claim 13.

17. An article of clothing obtainable by a method as defined in claim 15.

18. The fabric of claim 1 wherein said other side having more than 70% hydrophobic yarns exposed is adapted to face away from an intended wearer of the fabric.

19. The fabric of claim 1 wherein said other side has at least 80% hydrophobic yarns exposed.

20. The fabric of claim 19 wherein said other side having at least 80% hydrophobic yarns exposed is adapted to face away from an intended wearer of the fabric.

21. The fabric of claim 1 wherein said other side has at least 90% hydrophobic yarns exposed.

22. The fabric of claim 21 wherein said other side having at least 90% hydrophobic yarns exposed is adapted to face away from an intended wearer of the fabric.