Textured elements incorporating non-woven textile materials and methods for manufacturing the textured elements

• US 8,906,275 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Davis, Carrie L., Dua, Bhupesh, Niegowski, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): THEISEN, MARY LYNN F
• Application Number:
  US13/482,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20130320584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 264/112
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/44 the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/542 Adhesive fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/56 in association with fibre formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion of staple fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/76 otherwise than in a plane, e.g. in a tubular way
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/07 otherwise than in a plane, e.g. in a tubular way
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/08 characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/14 with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/16 with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a textured element may include (a) collecting a plurality of filaments upon a textured surface to form a non-woven textile and (b) separating the non-woven textile from the textured surface. Another method of manufacturing a textured element may include depositing a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments upon a first surface of a polymer layer to (a) form a non-woven textile and (b) bond the filaments to the polymer layer. A textured surface may then be separated from a second surface of the polymer layer, the second surface being opposite the first surface, and the second surface having a texture from the textured surface.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a textured element comprising:

depositing a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments upon a first surface of a polymer layer to (a) form a non-woven textile and (b) bond the filaments to the polymer layer; and

separating a textured surface from a second surface of the polymer layer, the second surface being opposite the first surface, and the second surface having a texture from the textured surface.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of selecting the polymer layer to include one of (a) a thermoplastic polymer material used to form the thermoplastic polymer filaments and (b) a different thermoplastic polymer material.

3. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of heating the polymer layer prior to the step of depositing.

4. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of compressing the non-woven textile and the polymer layer.

5. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of selecting the textured surface to have at least one of (a) a plurality of protrusions with a height in a range of 0.1 millimeters to 3.0 millimeters and (b) a plurality of indentations with a depth in a range of 0.1 millimeters to 3.0 millimeters.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of depositing includes moving the polymer layer and the textured surface.

7. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of compressing the polymer layer against the textured surface.

8. The method recited in claim 1 further including a step of drawing air through the textured surface.

9. The method recited in claim 1 further including a step of selecting the textured surface to be one of (a) a release paper, (b) a surface of a moving conveyor, and (c) a release paper coupled to a moving conveyor.

10. A method of manufacturing a textured element comprising:

heating a combination of a polymer layer and a texture layer, the polymer layer being formed from a first thermoplastic polymer material, and the polymer layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface that is in contact with a textured surface of the texture layer;

depositing a plurality of filaments upon the first surface of the polymer layer to (a) form a non-woven textile from the filaments and (b) bond the filaments to the polymer layer, the filaments being formed from a second thermoplastic polymer material;

compressing the non-woven textile, the polymer layer, and the texture layer; and

separating the polymer layer from the texture layer.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the step of heating includes raising a temperature of the polymer layer to at least a glass transition temperature of the first thermoplastic polymer material.

12. The method recited in claim 10, further including a step of selecting the first thermoplastic polymer material to be the same as the second thermoplastic polymer material.

13. The method recited in claim 10, further including a step of compressing the polymer layer against the textured surface.

14. The method recited in claim 10, further including a step of drawing air through the textured surface.

15. The method recited in claim 10, further including a step of selecting the textured surface to be one of (a) a release paper, (b) a surface of a moving conveyor, and (c) a release paper coupled to a moving conveyor.