Micromesh laminate

• US 5,935,878 A
• Filed: 07/08/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micromesh Technology Corporation (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bruce Scott Glasser
• Inventors: Glasser, Bruce Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, James J.
• Application Number:
  US08/889,272
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 442/30, 442/49, 442/56, 442/38, 442/41, 442/45, 442/46, 442/47, 442/312, 442/315, 442/1
• US Class Current: 442/30
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/08 Trimmings; Ornaments
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/185 using layered materials
• 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 442/10 Scrim [e.g., open net or mesh, gauze, loose or open weave or knit, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/15 Including a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/183 Synthetic polymeric fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/195 Including a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/45 Knit fabric is characterized by a particular or differential knit pattern other than open knit fabric or a fabric in which the strand denier is specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/469 Including a foamed layer or component

Abstract

A first embodiment of a micromesh laminate includes a micromesh fabric first layer, a form-providing second layer laminated to the micromesh fabric, and preferably a woven or knit fabric third layer laminated or stitched to the second layer. The micromesh fabric is typically a knit fabric made of polyester or nylon and has small holes, on the order of approximately 0.5 mm by 0.5 mm to 3 mm by 3 mm, knit into the fabric. Preferably, the second layer is either a high or low density polyurethane foam, neoprene foam, or film, and the third layer is made from cotton, nylon, polyester, acrylic, or spandex. The layers are preferably bonded together with an adhesive which can withstand high washability, e.g., a crosslinked urethane adhesive; alternatively, the second layer and third layer may be flame laminated or stitched together. A second embodiment of a micromesh laminate includes a micromesh first layer, and a woven or knit fabric second layer laminated to the first layer. In either embodiment, the second layer may be provided with a color different than that of the micromesh first layer. When the first and second layers are laminated together, the color of the second layer is visible through the knit holes of the micromesh fabric, thereby providing a two-tone fabric.

Claims

1. A micromesh laminate, comprising:

a) a micromesh first layer having a surface provided with a plurality of knit holes, said surface having a surface area and said knit holes having a combined area which is substantially less than one-half said surface area; and

b) a second layer directly bonded to said micromesh layer over substantially their entire surface areas.

2. A micromesh laminate according to claim 1, wherein:

said micromesh fabric is made of at least one of polyester, nylon, a polyester blend, and a nylon blend.

3. A micromesh laminate according to claim 1, wherein:

said micromesh fabric is provided with knit holes, said knit holes having a first dimension between approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 3 mm.

4. A micromesh laminate according to claim 1, wherein:

said second layer is a foam.

5. A micromesh laminate according to claim 4, wherein:

said foam comprises one of polyurethane-ether, polyurethane-ester, and neoprene.

6. A micromesh laminate according to claim 1, wherein:

said second layer is one of knit fabric and a woven fabric.

7. A micromesh laminate according to claim 6, wherein:

said one of said knit fabric and said woven fabric comprises at least one of polyester, cotton, nylon, spandex, wool, acetate, acrylic, terry cloth, polypropylene, brushed polyester, brushed nylon, and brushed cotton.

9. A micromesh laminate according to claim 1, wherein:

said second layer is bonded to said micromesh layer with a crosslinked polyurethane adhesive.

10. A micromesh laminate according to claim 1, further comprising:

c) a third layer attached to said second layer.

11. A micromesh laminate according to claim 10, wherein:

said second layer is a film layer and said third layer is one of a woven fabric, a knit fabric, and a fleece fabric.

12. A micromesh laminate according to claim 11, wherein:

said film layer comprises one of polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, and polypropylene.

13. A micromesh laminate according to claim 1, wherein:

said first layer is of a first color and said second layer is of a second color different than said first color, said second color being visible through said plurality of holes provided in said first layer.

17. A micromesh fabric according to claim 4, further comprising:

c) a fabric layer which is one of bonded, sewn, and quilted to said foam layer.

18. A micromesh fabric according to claim 17 wherein:

said micromesh layer comprises one of nylon and polyester and is provided with knit holes having a first dimension of between approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 3 mm.

24. A micromesh laminate according to claim 1, wherein:

said combined area of said knit holes is less than twenty-five percent of said surface area.

27. A micromesh fabric according to claim 18, wherein:

said combined area being less than twenty-five percent of said surface area.

8. A micromesh laminate according to clam 6, wherein:

said second layer is micromesh knit fabric.

25. A micromesh laminate according to claim 8, wherein:

said micromesh first layer is of a first color and said micromesh knit fabric second layer is of a second color different than said first color, said second color being visible through said plurality of holes provided in said first layer.

14. A fabric laminate, comprising:

a) a first fabric layer having a surface provided with a plurality of holes which are one of die cut or knit in said first fabric layer, said surface having a surface area and said holes having a combined area which is substantially less than one-half said surface area;

b) a foam second layer directly bonded to said first fabric layer over substantially their entire surface areas; and

c) a fabric third layer which is one of bonded or otherwise attached to said second layer.

15. A fabric laminate according to claim 14, wherein:

said foam comprises one of polyurethane-ether, polyurethane-ester, and neoprene.

16. A fabric laminate according to claim 14, wherein:

said second layer is bonded to said first layer with a crosslinked polyurethane adhesive.

26. A fabric laminate according to claim 14, wherein:

said combined area being less than twenty-five percent of said surface area.

19. A micromesh laminate fabric, comprising:

a) a micromesh layer having a surface provided with a plurality of knit holes, said surface having a surface area and said knit holes having a combined area which is substantially less than one-half said surface area; and

b) a second layer which is one of directly bonded and quilted to said micromesh layer over substantially their entire surface areas.

20. A micromesh fabric according to claim 19, wherein:

said second layer comprises one of a polyurethane-ether foam, a polyurethane-ester foam, a neoprene foam, a polyurethane film, a polyvinylchloride film, and a polypropylene film.

21. A micromesh fabric according to claim 20, further comprising:

c) a third layer which is one of bonded, quilted, and sewn to said second layer.

22. A micromesh fabric according to claim 21, wherein:

said third layer comprises one of a knit fabric, a woven fabric, and a fleece fabric.

23. A micromesh fabric according to claim 19, wherein:

said second layer comprises one of a knit fabric, a woven fabric, and a fleece fabric.

28. A micromesh fabric according to claim 19, wherein:

said combined area being less than twenty-five percent of said surface area.