EP0407246B1 - Insert intended for the garment industry - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a breathable and impermeable insert intended for the garment industry. It comprises a microporous layer (1) of polymers. According to the invention, the microporous layer (1) is in the form of a stable foam and the said layer is mechanically reinforced by a textile substrate (2). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an insert for the clothing industry.

Textile products for the clothing industry and their manufacturing process are evolving rapidly. In particular, for a few years now, semi-permeable products have been available which are impermeable to water but which allow carbon dioxide and water vapor to pass. They are called breathable. These products protect the user from rain and wind while ensuring their comfort.

For this purpose, products are known in which a semi-permeable layer or film is directly applied to the drapery (FR-A-1341627)

Other products are also known in which an insert constitutes the semi-permeable barrier of the garment. This insert is then produced by assembly, most often by bonding a semi-permeable film on a textile support.

All these techniques are relatively restrictive, and the presence of a semi-permeable layer makes it difficult to control the appearance, the feel and the drape of the textile.

In addition, the semi-permeable film has mechanical properties (elasticity, tensile strength, shrinkage at temperature or maintenance) different from those of the textile support on which it is generally bonded. These differences in behavior act directly on the interface of the textile support and of the film and quickly lead to localized ruptures of the adhesive which can lead to total decohesion.

In order to remedy these drawbacks, it has been envisaged to use a film directly, a microporous layer of polymers for the production of an insert. However, this film or this layer does not have sufficient mechanical strength and all attempts made in this direction have so far been abandoned.

The objective of the invention is the production of an insert which does not does not have these drawbacks, allows the production of a textile whose properties can be controlled, which has a pleasant feel and surface appearance, and satisfies all the conditions necessary for the use of a textile in the clothing sector. that is to say sufficient mechanical strength, resistance to maintenance by dry cleaning, by washing, resistance to the abrasion and friction stresses which occur when wearing the garment.

The invention therefore relates to a breathable and waterproof insert intended for the clothing industry which comprises a microporous layer of polymers. The microporous layer is produced in the form of a stable foam and said layer is mechanically reinforced by a textile substrate.

• . La figure 1 est une représentation en coupe d'un insert selon l'invention.
• . La figure 2 est une vue de face d'un insert selon l'invention.
• . La figure 3 est la représentation d'une installation pour la mise en oeuvre du procédé de l'invention selon un premier mode de réalisation.
• . La figure 4 est la représentation d'une installation pour la mise en oeuvre du procédé de l'invention selon un deuxième mode de réalisation.
• . La figure 5 est la représentation d'une installation pour la mise en oeuvre du procédé de l'invention selon un troisième mode de réalisation.
• . La figure 6 est la représentation d'une installation pour la mise en oeuvre du procédé de l'invention avec deux couches de mousse.

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• . Figure 1 is a sectional representation of an insert according to the invention.
• . Figure 2 is a front view of an insert according to the invention.
• . FIG. 3 is the representation of an installation for implementing the method of the invention according to a first embodiment.
• . Figure 4 is a representation of an installation for implementing the method of the invention according to a second embodiment.
• . FIG. 5 is the representation of an installation for implementing the method of the invention according to a third embodiment.
• . Figure 6 is the representation of an installation for implementing the method of the invention with two layers of foam.

The invention therefore relates to a breathable and waterproof insert intended for the clothing industry.

Inserts are commonly used to be mounted inside the garments, so as to modify the qualities and specific properties of the drapery itself. They are most often placed between the drapery and the lining.

The inserts can be mounted flying, they are then joined by their periphery to the drapery or the lining. They can also be laminated to the drapery or lining. In the latter case, a point bonding is preferably used which makes it possible to give the garment good flexibility and a pleasant touch.

The insert of the invention comprises a microporous layer 1 of polymers, these polymers are in the form of a stable foam and this layer is mechanically reinforced by a textile substrate 2.

The foam used is stable, it remains in this form during its preparation, during the implementation of the entire manufacturing process and allows the production after drying of a microporous layer.

Preferably, it is a polyurethane foam obtained by stirring from a polymer-water mixture in equal parts. Such polymers are for example marketed under the name "TUBICOAT MP", by the company "CHEMISCHE FABRIK TUBINGEN R. R. BEITLICH GmbH". This foam layer is mechanically reinforced by a textile substrate 2 which it most often completely impregnates. Thus, it is possible, by the choice of the textile substrate 2 to control the tensile or tear strength of the moment. For example, when an elasticity in the weft direction is sought, a textile substrate 2 having the same type of elasticity will be used to reinforce the microporous layer 1 of polymers, in the form of foam.

The textile substrate 2 has a low grammage, for example from 10 to 50 g / m², preferably between 20 and 80 g / m. The insert thus produced will then have good mechanical strength without its grammage becoming significant.

The textile substrate 2 can also be a nonwoven, a textile woven or knitted. It is preferable that its texture is open so as to allow and facilitate the penetration of the foam during manufacture.

The textile substrate can be a woven knit as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In a preferred embodiment, two microporous layers 1 of polymers in the form of foam are each applied to one side of the textile substrate 2, thus achieving complete insertion of the textile substrate 2 into the polymer foam.

The textile substrate 2 may also have several components so as to give the insert no longer an elasticity but a resiliency factor, for example in the direction of the weft.

The properties of the textile substrate 2 also make it possible to determine the clothing qualities of the insert. It is also possible to limit the penetration of the foam into the textile substrate so as to leave one of its faces intact. Scratching or emerying of the intact surface allows the insert to have the corresponding clothing feel and increases its resistance to abrasion.

Furthermore, the grammage and density of the foam used make it possible to vary the waterproofing and breathability qualities of the insert produced. In order to produce a thermoadhesive insert, a thermoadhesive layer for example distributed by points is deposited on one or the other of the faces of the insert.

To maintain the properties of the insert which is breathable, the thermo-adhesive layer is discontinuous and can be sprayed. The polymers commonly used as adhesives in the textile field can be used here whether they are thermoplastic or thermosetting (polyethylene, polyester, polyamide, polyurethane ...).

In order to manufacture the insert of the invention, a stable foam is first produced from a mixture of polymers and water. A layer of the polymer foam is then brought into contact with a textile substrate 2. The layer of polymer foam is dried and finally passes the product obtained through a cold calender 3 so as to crush the structure of the foam in order to improve the cohesion of the foam on the textile substrate and the abrasion resistance of the complex.

The coating of the stable polymer foam will be carried out either directly on the textile or on a continuous non-stick support 4 then subsequently brought into contact with the textile substrate 2.

When the coating is carried out directly, the textile substrate 2 can be supported by a continuous non-stick support 4.

Continuous support is a carpet circulating in a closed loop at constant speed around the roller 8, 9.

This coating will be carried out by the methods themselves known, either by application to the rotary frame or by scraping using a knife. One can for example use a rotary frame with foam scraper 5. This last technique makes it possible to apply a variable thickness of foam by acting on the distance between the knife and the support according to the foam in a first embodiment of the invention , the polymer foam is spread directly on the textile substrate 2. The assembly then passes through one or more ovens 6, 7 so as to produce a first slow drying phase at around 100 ° C. and then a second drying phase at a temperature between 120 ° C and 130 ° C so as to consolidate the structure of the foam. The microporous structure is then dry and stable, as indicated above, the complex then passes through a cold calender 3. The pressure exerted on the calender makes it possible to define the degree of penetration of the textile substrate 2 into the polymer foam.

The calendering is intended to exert pressure on the composite and to make the foam layer penetrate the textile substrate 2. This operation can also be carried out by a scarf.

In another embodiment of the method, a layer of stable polymer foam is produced on a non-adherent mat 4 and the textile substrate 2 is calendered on the layer of foam.

This calendering can be carried out on the stable foam which is still wet, before any drying or, on the contrary, after the first drying phase at 100 ° C. in the latter embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the microporous layer 1 is brought into contact with the textile substrate 2 between the oven 6 which is at 100 ° C and the oven 7 at 130 ° C.

In another embodiment, two layers of foam 2a, 2b are simultaneously deposited each on one face of a textile substrate 2 by a double rotary frame with foam rakes 5a, 5b.

This substrate is then completely embedded in the foam. In certain applications, the flame retardant qualities of the insert are sought. They can be obtained by the choice of each of the components. The textile substrate is then fire resistant and a layer of fire retardant is added to the foam layer.

The hydrophobic properties of the insert can be improved by passing the entire composite through a water-repellent solution before padding.

The polymer foam can have a density of about 200g / l. Then, the application of 50 to 100g of foam per m² produces a layer having a thickness of between 0.5 and 1mm.

The use of a textile substrate 2 consisting of a textured knit with weft insertion based on textured polyesters with a grammage of 40 g / m² having an elasticity of 30% in the weft direction makes it possible to obtain an elastic insert in the weft direction.

The coating can be produced with a 14 mesh rotating frame with a 40% coverage rate of the foam stable at 200g / l.

During the implementation of the process, the textile substrate 2 is temporarily supported by a non-stick mat. An insert is thus obtained having a dry basis weight of 90 g / m² and having the desired semi-permeable character. Drying is carried out in stages from 100 ° C to 130 ° C.

The insert thus obtained has a waterproofness greater than 1000mm of water, a total impermeability to wind, a resistance to water vapor of 60 to 80 millibars per m² / w. It has an elasticity in the weft direction of 25 to 30%.

Claims (11)

1. A respirable and impermeable insert intended for the clothing industry comprising a microporous layer (1) of polymers, characterised in that the microporous layer (1) is in the form of a stable foam and the said layer is mechanically reinforced by a fabric substrate (2).
2. An insert according to claim 1, characterised in that the fabric substrate (2) has a low G.M.S. of, for example, between 10 and 80 g/m2.
3. An insert according to either claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the fabric substrate (2) is a knitted or woven fabric with an open structure.
4. An insert according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that it comprises two microporous layers (1) of polymer foam each located on one side of the fabric substrate (2).
5. An insert according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it is coated with a discontinuous thermoadhesive layer.
6. An insert according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the polymers contained in the foam are polyurethanes, the foam being obtained from a mixture of polyurethanes and water.
7. A process for manufacturing an insert intended for the clothing industry comprising a microporous layer (1) of polymers, characterised in that

   - a stable foam is obtained from a mixture of polymers and water,

   - a layer of the polymer foam is placed in contact with a fabric substrate (2),

   - the layer of polymer foam is dried,

   - the compound obtained is cold-pressed.
8. A manufacturing process according to claim 7, characterised in that the polymer foam is deposited directly on the fabric substrate (2).
9. A manufacturing process according to claim 7, characterised in that the polymer foam is deposited on a non adherent conveyor belt (4) so as to form a layer, and then the fabric substrate (2) is placed in contact with the foam layer by means of calendering.
10. A manufacturing process according to claim 9, characterised in that the foam layer is partially dried before being placed in contact with the fabric substrate (2).
11. A manufacturing process according to any of claims 7 to 10, characterised in that the fabric substrate (2) is simultaneously placed in contact with two layers of polymer foam, one on each of its faces.

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