Fabric having improved diffusion moisture capability and garments made therefrom

• US 8,806,663 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Under Armour Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Under Armour Incorporated
• Inventors: White, Thomas, Cumiskey, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tejash
• Application Number:
  US13/655,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20140109282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 2 6/9, 2 8/1, 2 6/95, 210/2, 2/214, 245/6, 428/36.1, 428/36.5, 428/145, 428/201
• US Class Current: 2/69
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/00 Garments for children A41D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/002 with controlled internal environment
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/12 Hygroscopic; Water retaining
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/20 All layers being fibrous or filamentary
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0261 Polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0276 Polyester fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/062 Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7265 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/728 Hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/73 Hydrophobic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/00 Clothing anti-ballistic clothing B32B2571/02
• 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: Y10T 428/2481 including layer of mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2164 Coating or impregnation specified as water repellent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2484 Coating or impregnation is water absorbency-increasing or hydrophilicity-increasing or hydrophilicity-imparting

Abstract

A fabric is provided having a defined pattern of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions that extend entirely through the thickness of the fabric so that the defined pattern is identical on the inner and outer surfaces of the fabric. The defined pattern is configured so that the hydrophilic regions are all in communication or interconnected so that moisture, such as perspiration, can wick not only from the inner to the outer surface of the fabric but also throughout the surface of the fabric and in several directions on the fabric so that the surface area of the wetted hydrophilic regions increases. The defined pattern may be further configured so that none of the hydrophobic regions are in communication.

Claims

1. A garment comprising:

a fabric having an inner surface and an outer surface and having a repeating pattern of hydrophobic regions and hydrophilic regions,

wherein the hydrophilic regions and hydrophobic regions extend from the inner surface to the outer surface of the fabric, wherein the hydrophobic regions have a triangular shape and the hydrophilic regions surround the triangular shape of each hydrophobic region at a substantially uniform width, and

further wherein all of the hydrophilic regions are interconnected and in fluid communication throughout the fabric and all of the hydrophobic regions are isolated from each other throughout the fabric.

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic regions occupy greater than 50% of the total surface area of the inner and outer surfaces of the fabric.

3. The garment of claim 2, wherein the hydrophilic regions occupy about 60% of said total surface area.

4. The garment of claim 1, wherein:

the triangular shape of each hydrophobic region is an equilateral triangle with sides having a length of about 6 mm; and

said substantially uniform width of the hydrophilic regions is about 2 mm.

7. The garment of claim 1, wherein:

said fabric is formed of a hydrophobic material that is generally impermeable to water from the inner surface to the outer surface; and

said hydrophilic regions of said fabric are treated with a hydrophilic composition.

8. The garment of claim 1, wherein a composition that is either hydrophilic or hydrophobic is applied to the fabric in said repeating pattern to form said hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions.

9. The garment of claim 8, wherein said composition is applied by a printing operation on one of said inner and outer surface sufficient so that said composition penetrates to the other of said inner and outer surface.

5. A garment comprising:

a fabric having an inner surface and an outer surface and having a repeating pattern of hydrophobic regions and hydrophilic regions,

wherein the hydrophilic regions and hydrophobic regions extend from the inner surface to the outer surface of the fabric,

wherein all of the hydrophilic regions are interconnected and in fluid communication throughout the fabric and all of the hydrophobic regions are isolated from each other throughout the fabric,

wherein said fabric is formed of a hydrophilic material capable of wicking water from the inner surface to the outer surface; and

further wherein said hydrophobic regions of said fabric are treated with a water-repellant composition.

6. The garment of claim 5, wherein the water-repellant composition is a silicone composition.

19. The garment of claim 5 wherein the hydrophobic regions have a triangular shape and the hydrophilic regions surround the triangular shape of each hydrophobic region at a substantially uniform width.

10. A fabric comprising:

an inner surface and an outer surface; and

a repeating pattern of hydrophobic regions and hydrophilic regions extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the fabric,

wherein all of the hydrophilic regions are interconnected and in fluid communication throughout the fabric and all of the hydrophobic regions are isolated from each other throughout the fabric, and

wherein the hydrophobic regions have a triangular shape and the hydrophilic regions surround the triangular shape of each hydrophobic region at a substantially uniform width.

11. The fabric of claim 10, wherein the hydrophilic regions occupy greater than 50% of the total surface area of the inner and outer surfaces of the fabric.

12. The fabric of claim 11, wherein the hydrophilic regions occupy about 60% of said total surface area.

13. The fabric of claim 10, wherein:

the triangular shape of each hydrophobic region is an equilateral triangle with sides having a length of about 6 mm; and

said substantially uniform width of the hydrophilic regions is about 2 mm.

16. The fabric of claim 10, further comprising:

a hydrophobic material having said inner and outer surface and that is generally impermeable to water from the inner surface to the outer surface; and

said hydrophilic regions are treated with a hydrophilic composition.

17. The fabric of claim 10, wherein a composition that is either hydrophilic or hydrophobic is applied to the fabric in said repeating pattern to form said hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions.

18. The fabric of claim 17, wherein said composition is applied by a printing operation on one of said inner and outer surface sufficient so that said composition penetrates to the other of said inner and outer surface.

14. A fabric comprising:

an inner surface and an outer surface;

a repeating pattern of hydrophobic regions and hydrophilic regions extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the fabric, wherein all of the hydrophilic regions are interconnected and in fluid communication throughout the fabric and all of the hydrophobic regions are isolated from each other throughout the fabric;

a hydrophilic material having said inner and outer surface and capable of wicking water from the inner surface to the outer surface; and

said hydrophobic regions are treated with a water-repellant composition.

15. The fabric of claim 14, wherein the water-repellant composition is a silicone composition.

20. The fabric of claim 14 wherein the hydrophobic regions have a triangular shape and the hydrophilic regions surround the triangular shape of each hydrophobic region at a substantially uniform width.