Textile product with illuminated fibres, article made therefrom and production method of the same

• US 20030156426A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Luminex S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Luminex S.p.A.
• Inventors: Givoletti, Marcello
• Granted Patent: US 7,234,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/556
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/54 Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/02 Internal Trim mouldings ; Internal Ledges; Wall liners for passenger compartments; Roof liners B60R13/01 takes precedence ; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/441 Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• 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 15/49 textured chenille D03D27/18; curled; crimped
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/547 with optical functions other than colour, e.g. comprising light-emitting fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/20 optical
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/00 Wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/04 Outerwear; Protective garments
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/041 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2503/02 Curtains
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2503/06 Bed linen
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2503/10 Umbrellas
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/18 Outdoor fabrics, e.g. tents, tarpaulins D10B2507/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/15 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the outer surface of the guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/001 the light being emitted along at least a portion of the lateral surface of the fibre

Abstract

Textile product comprising light guiding fibres (2) consisting of a central core capable of transmitting the light and of an external sheath, in which at least a length portion of said external sheath presents, in respect to the internal core, a refraction index allowing the transmitted light to partially escape from the fibre; cloth article made from the textile product; and a manufacturing method of the textile product.

Claims

1. Textile product comprising light guiding fibres (2) consisting of a central core capable of transmitting the light and of an external sheath, characterised in that at least a length portion of said external sheath presents, in respect to the internal core, a refraction index allowing the transmitted light to partially escape from the fibre.

2. Product according to claim 1, wherein said fibres (2) are optical fibres and said sheath portion is constituted by superficially modified regions of the same fibres, the modifications being obtained as a result of texturing or by abrasions, micro cracking, stretching, or bending of the fibre surface and by other action able to allow the light to partially escape.

3. Product according to claim 2, wherein said modified regions consist of chemically treated selected regions of the textile product.

4. Product according to claim 3, wherein said regions are region treated by a chemical agent selected from:

aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons;

organic acids, aliphatic alcohol;

ketones;

aldehydes;

aromatic and aliphatic chlor derivatives;

aromatic and aliphatic amines;

amides;

aromatic and aliphatic esters.

5. Product according to claim 3, wherein said regions are region treated by a laser beam.

6. Product according to claim 1, wherein said fibres (2) are optical fibres and said sheath portion is obtained by manufacturing a sheath having a suitable refraction index along the whole length of the fibre.

7. Product according to claim 1, wherein said fibres (2) are polymeric optical fibres chemically doped.

8. Product according to claim 7, wherein said fibres are polymeric fibres made of a material selected from:

PMMA (PolyMethylMethaAcrylate), PEA (PolyEthylAcrylate), PEMA (PolyEthylMethaAcrylate), PMMA/PEMA (PolyMethyl/PolyMethylAcrylate), PC (PolyCarbonate), PS (PolyStyrole), chemically doped with organic aromatic polycyclic molecules possibly with or without quinone, amine, cyanine, azoic groups.

9. Product according to one or more of claims 1-8, consisting of a fabric made of texture threads and warp threads, wherein at least a number of non adjacent warp or texture threads consist of light guiding fibres (2), and at least one free length portion of said light guiding fibres is not interwoven with a corresponding underlying portion (6, 17) of fabric.

10. Product according to claim 9, wherein said fibres are arranged as warp yarns of the fabric.

11. Product according to claim 9, wherein said fibres are arranged as texture yarns of the fabric.

12. Method to manufacture a product according claim 9 by a textile loom, comprising the following steps:

a) selection of a plurality of light guiding fibres (f);

b) arranging of said fibres (f) as non adjacent warp or texture yarns;

c) weaving of a first piece (5) of fabric;

d) weaving of at least one piece of fabric (6) in which only fibres (f) are not interwoven by the texture/warp yarns.

13. Method according claim 12, further comprising a cutting step of the fabric through said fabric piece (6), possibly in an intermediate position thereof, so that the fibres (f) are cut and made free form the correspondent underlying fabric portion.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein fibres (f) are arranged as warp yarns supplied by tension control means.

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein said tension control is obtained by an autonomous motorization of the beams supplying fibres (f).

16. Article made of textile products according one or more of claims 1-11, comprising at least one light source (10, LS) optically coupled with a free end of said fibres (2).

17. Article according to claim 16, wherein said source light consists of a LED diode (10) securely fixed to one end of a bundle (7) of fibres (2) by a metal ring (9) and connected through cables (11) to a power unit constituted by a battery pack and a DC/AC converter.

18. Article according to claim 17, wherein the connection between diode (10) and fibres (2) is resin coated and protected by a cap (12).

19. Article according to claim 17, wherein said power unit is housed by a pocket of the article.

20. Article according to claim 17, manufactured from a fabric according to one or more of claims 6-8, wherein said bundle of fibres (2) is contained inside an hem (8) which is obtained by folding the fabric piece underlying the free portion of fibres (2).