EP1559336A1

EP1559336A1 - Method for improving or giving physical and chemical properties to items to be placed in contact with the skin, and item obtained with the method

Info

Publication number: EP1559336A1
Application number: EP04011658A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Angelo Galli; Gianpaolo Tocco
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-01-29
Filing date: 2004-05-17
Publication date: 2005-08-03
Also published as: ITMI20040136A1

Abstract

A method for improving or giving physical and chemical properties to items to be placed in contact with the skin and an item obtained with the method, the method comprising the steps of applying a supporting layer (2) to an item (1) for which particular physical and chemical properties are to be improved or to which one wishes to give particularly physical and chemical properties; the supporting layer (2) incorporates at least one granular substance (3,3a) that has, or can develop, by interaction with the item or with the skin of the user, physical and chemical properties.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for improving or giving physical and chemical properties to items to be placed in contact with the skin, and to an item obtained with the method.

As is known, the field of production of items of clothing is constantly searching for innovative products aimed at meeting the most disparate aesthetic and/or functional requirements.

In recent years there has been a growing use of synthetic fibers in the production of items of clothing with predominantly aesthetic aims. The use of synthetic fibers on the one hand allows to achieve particular aesthetic effects that are highly appreciated by end users, but has the drawback of limiting moisture permeation, thereby facilitating onset of bad odors.

It is also known to use particular materials, such as for example carbon, in the production of particular items of clothing. In textile use, however, carbon is usually used inside yams used to produce items of clothing with the aim of increasing their mechanical strength and their thermal and electrical insulation.

In addition to the characteristics cited above, carbon is capable of absorbing unpleasant odors and therefore might have an excellent effect in eliminating bad odors produced by limited breathability of fabrics, but its use inside the yams does not allow to utilize this property, since direct contact of the carbon with the vapor produced by body perspiration is extremely limited.

Moreover, the use of carbon in textile fibers has been limited up to now, since its presence generally penalizes the characteristics of softness, flexibility and easy handling of the finished item.

More generally, the need is felt to be able to improve certain properties or give additional properties to items to be placed in direct contact with the skin, particularly items of clothing, so as to obtain for example therapeutic effects or sanitizing effects or improved comfort effects.

The aim of the present invention is to meet this requirement by providing a method that allows to improve or give particular physical and chemical properties to items to be placed in contact with the skin without upsetting or excessively complicating their production cycle.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a method that allows to apply to an item, particularly an item of clothing, in a sufficiently stable manner, substances such as for example carbon but also other substances that can interact with the skin of the user in order to obtain therapeutic or sanitizing effects or improved comfort effects.

Another object of the invention is to propose a method that can be performed at competitive costs.

This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a method for improving or giving additional physical and chemical properties to items to be placed in contact with the skin, characterized in that it comprises the steps of applying, on at least one side of the item to be placed in contact with the skin of the user, a supporting layer that incorporates at least one granular substance that has or can develop, by interaction with the item or with the skin of the user, chemical and physical properties.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the method according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a sock obtained with the method according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a highly enlarged-scale sectional view of a detail of the sock of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a highly enlarged-scale view of a detail of the sock of Figure 1, obtained with a different embodiment of the method according to the invention.

With reference to the figures, the method according to the invention consists substantially in applying a supporting layer 2, to at least one side and on at least one portion of an item 1 to be placed in contact with the skin and for which one wishes to improve certain chemical and physical properties already possessed by the item, or to which one wishes to give certain chemical and physical properties not possessed by the item per se, said supporting layer incorporating at least one substance in granules 3, 3a, which has or can develop, by interaction with the item 1 or with the skin of the user, chemical and physical properties.

The side of the item 1 to which the supporting layer 2 is applied can be constituted, depending on the requirements and on the type of item, by the side of the item that is meant to be directed toward the skin of the user, or by the opposite side, i.e., the side that is meant to be directed away from the skin of the user, or by both sides of the item 1.

The granular substance 3, 3a is preferably constituted by carbon in the form of charcoal, preferably activated charcoal, or graphite or silver or a mixture of carbon in the form of charcoal or graphite and silver.

Carbon, in the form of charcoal or graphite, absorbs unpleasant odors in addition to providing thermal and electrical insulation.

Silver instead performs a bactericidal and antimycotic activity.

The granules 3, 3a preferably have an average diameter substantially comprised between 0.5 µm and 10 µm. In practice, the substance or substances dispersed in the supporting layer 2 is or are in powder form.

The supporting layer 2, which is meant to stably couple the granules 3, 3a to the item 1, preferably has a thickness that is lower than the average diameter of the granules 3, 3a. In this manner, the granules 3, 3a protrude from the supporting layer 2, as shown in Figure 2.

As an alternative, if it is necessary to apply a larger quantity of granular substance 3, 3a to the item 1, one can achieve an overlap of granules 3, 3a, as shown in Figure 3, with a thickness of the supporting layer 2 that is greater than the average diameter of the granules 3, 3a and is sufficient to retain said granules 3, 3 a.

The supporting layer 2 is preferably constituted by a water-based or acrylic or polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based or epoxy-based paint, for example of the type currently used to decorate items of clothing.

Preferably, the granules 3, 3a are dispersed beforehand in the paint that constitutes the supporting layer 2 before applying it to the item 1. This application can be performed by spraying or by screen printing or by tampographic printing.

The supporting layer 2 with the granules 3, 3a is applied by first dispersing the granules 3, 3a in the paint that constitutes the supporting layer 2 and by then applying by spraying, after agitation, or by screen printing or tampographic printing, said mixture onto the item 1.

The application can affect an entire side and optionally both sides of the item 1, or can be limited to certain regions, depending on the requirements.

Merely by way of indication, if application is performed by screen printing, it is possible to use for example as paint in which the carbon granules 3 are dispersed the product known as "EXTRA CLEAR BASE", produced by the company E.T.S. Engineering Transfer System S.r.l. of Cavaria (Varese) or the product known as "PLAST HS", produced by the company AMEX S.r.l. of Villaguardia (Como), constituted by PVC-based paints.

If application is performed by spraying, merely by way of example it is possible to use the "PLASTIVEL" product of the company Azienda Ligure Coloranti e Affini S.r.l., of Genoa, which is constituted by an acrylic-based paint, or the "SILVER P36" product of the company Promel Lainate Nuova S.r.l. of Lainate (Milan), constituted by an epoxy paint.

Generally, these paints are composed of a paste and a solvent. By varying the quantity of the solvent it is possible to vary the thickness of the supporting layer 2.

After application, the supporting layer 2 is dried or allowed to dry freely.

The method according to the invention has been conceived in particular to improve or give additional physical and chemical properties to items of clothing to be placed in direct contact with the skin. In the accompanying drawings, the item 1 to which the supporting layer 2 with the granules 3, 3a is applied is constituted by a sock.

In the application of the method according to the invention to items of clothing, it should be noted that once the supporting layer 2 has stabilized, the item of clothing can be subjected to further operations, such as for example dyeing and/or sewing, like a conventional item of clothing, since the presence of the supporting layer 2 and of the granules 3 of carbon and/or of the granules 3 a of silver does not hinder these operations at all.

The presence of the carbon granules 3 allows to obtain excellent thermal and electrical insulation for the item of clothing according to the invention. Moreover, the carbon granules 3, by protruding partially from the supporting layer 2, make direct contact with the vapor produced by body perspiration, effectively performing filtration and absorption of unpleasant odors and also performing a sanitizing action.

The presence of the silver granules 3a ensures a bactericidal and antimycotic action that is particularly sought-after in the treatment and prevention of diseases.

The extremely thin supporting layer 2 does not limit significantly the softness and flexibility of the fibers used to produce the item of clothing, which maintains its characteristics of comfort.

With a suitably reduced thickness of the supporting layer 2, it is possible to achieve sufficient anchoring of the granules 3, 3a without blocking the interstices of the fabric that composes the item of clothing, maintaining excellent breathability of the item of clothing.

Moreover, the anchoring of the granules 3, 3a ensured by the supporting layer 2 is such as to allow the granules 3, 3a to withstand many washing cycles.

Moreover, it should be noted that thanks to the fact that the application of the supporting layer 2 with the granules 3, 3a is performed on the textile article after its production, there are no problems linked to the possible release of granules 3, 3a in the weaving looms or in the knitting machines used to produce the textile article, which can be produced with conventional techniques.

The granules 3, 3a perform their function better if the supporting layer 2 with the granules 3, 3a is applied to the side of the item of clothing that is meant to be directed toward the skin of the user; however, in the case of items of clothing meant to be worn under other items or clothing accessories, as in the case of socks, they may perform their function even if the supporting layer 2 with the granules 3, 3a is applied to the outer side of the item of clothing. The supporting layer 2 with the granules 3, 3a may in any case be applied to the outer side of the item of clothing if one wishes to privilege the thermal and electrical insulation effect provided by the carbon granules 3.

It should be noted that the presence of the supporting layer 2 does not penalize the functions of the granular substances 3, 3a that require exposure of the granules 3, 3a, such as for example filtration and absorption of unpleasant odors, as well as the sanitizing action on the part of the carbon and the bactericidal and antimycotic action on the part of the silver. The supporting layer 2, depending on its composition, can in fact be sufficiently porous, or contact with the skin produces a gradual wear of said supporting layer 2, exposing the granules 3, 3a increasingly. Optionally, exposure of the granules 3, 3a can be achieved also by means of a slight abrasion of the exposed surface of the supporting layer 2.

Although the method according to the invention has been conceived to be used in particular in the production of items of clothing, it can also be used in the production of other items. The method according to the invention can be used for example also to produce insoles for shoes, or underarm pads for absorbing sweat, or gauzes or adhesive plasters for medications, in order to apply to the side of these items that is meant to be directed toward the skin of the user granules of carbon and/or silver with the above cited functions.

In practice it has been found that the method according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, since it allows to apply stably and effectively to items meant to be placed in contact with the skin substances capable of improving certain physical and chemical properties and/or of giving additional physical and chemical properties to said items.

Although the invention has been conceived in particular for the production of items for human use, it can also be used in the production of items for animal use.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, unless otherwise specified, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2004A000136 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

A method for improving or giving additional physical and chemical properties to items to be placed in contact with the skin, characterized in that it comprises the steps of applying, on at least one side of an item (1) to be placed in contact with the skin of the user, a supporting layer (2) that incorporates at least one granular substance (3,3a) that has or can develop, by interaction with the item or with the skin of the user, chemical and physical properties.
The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one substance (3,3a) comprises carbon in the form of charcoal or graphite.
The method according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said charcoal is constituted by activated charcoal.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one substance (3,3a) comprises silver.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said granules (3,3a) have an average diameter substantially comprised between 0.5 µm and 10 µm.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting layer (2) is constituted by a paint in which the granules (3,3a) of said at least one substance are dispersed before applying said supporting layer (2) to said item (1).
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting layer (2) with said at least one substance (3,3a) dispersed therein is applied to said item. (1) by spraying.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting layer (2) with said at least one substance (3,3a) dispersed therein is applied to said item (1) by screen printing.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting layer (2) with said at least one substance (3,3a) dispersed therein is applied to said item (1) by tampographic printing.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said paint is an acrylic-based paint.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said paint is a water-based paint.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said paint is a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based paint.
The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said paint is an epoxy paint.
An item (1) to be placed in direct contact with the skin, characterized in that it is obtained with a method according to one or more of the preceding claims.
The item according to claim 14, characterized in that said supporting layer (2) is applied to the side of the item that is meant to be directed toward the skin of the user.
The item according to claim 14, characterized in that said supporting layer (2) is applied to the side of the item that is meant to be directed away from the skin of the user.
The item according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of said supporting layer (2) is lower than the average diameter of the granules (3,3a) of said at least one substance.
The item according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constituted by an item of clothing.
The item according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constituted by a sock.
The item according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constituted by an insole for shoes.
The item according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constituted by an underarm pad.
The item according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constituted by an adhesive plaster or bandage for medications.