Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B1/00—Weft knitting processes for the production of fabrics or articles not dependent on the use of particular machines; Fabrics or articles defined by such processes
  • D04B1/10—Patterned fabrics or articles
  • D04B1/102—Patterned fabrics or articles with stitch pattern
  • D04B1/104—Openwork fabric, e.g. pelerine fabrics
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D10—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
  • D10B—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
  • D10B2401/00—Physical properties
  • D10B2401/02—Moisture-responsive characteristics
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D10—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
  • D10B—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
  • D10B2403/00—Details of fabric structure established in the fabric forming process
  • D10B2403/01—Surface features
  • D10B2403/011—Dissimilar front and back faces
  • D10B2403/0114—Dissimilar front and back faces with one or more yarns appearing predominantly on one face, e.g. plated or paralleled yarns

Definitions

• a dual-layer breathable textile product A dual-layer breathable textile product
• the present invention relates to a textile product, and especially a textile product intended for contact with the skin of a user.
• the textile product may be a gamient, such as a T-shirt, vest, leotard, underpants or bra, or, more in general, an article intended for use in contact with, or close to the skin of the wearer.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a breathable textile structure or textile product which improves the performance in terms of breathability and other technical-functional features, comfortable fit and hygiene in use, of a gannent or other article made with the aforesaid textile structure.
• the invention essentially provides a textile product intended to be placed in contact with the skin, with at least one portion consisting of a fabric comprising an inner layer made of at least one first yam, and an outer layer made of at least one second yam, wherein:
• the first yam is a multifilament yam made of polypropylene, e.g. a hydrophobic, homopolymeric polypropylene, with a titer in the range of 10 to
• the second yam is a multifilament yam made of hydrophilic polyamide 66 with a titer in the range of 10 to 60 dte , a number of filaments in the range of 10 to 40, and a DPF of 0.5 or less.
• the inner layer is the one that faces towards the body of the wearer of the product when it is being wom, which is normally in contact with, or close to the user's skin.
• the second outer layer is the one that faces towards the outside when the product is being wom.
• multifilament yam is used to mean a yam consisting of a plurality of continuous filaments obtained in a known manner from the processing of the base polymer (polypropylene or polyamide).
• homopolymeric polypropylene is used to mean either a material obtained from a single type of homopolymeric polypropylene, or a mixture or blend of two or more polypropylene homopolymers.
• the material forming the first yam i.e. the yam that forms the layer of fabric facing towards the skin when the product is being wom, may consist mainly of a single polypropylene polymer. In other embodiments, however, two or more polymers may be combined to perform a blend, both polymers preferably being made of polypropylene.
• suitable blends may consist of Moplen HP462R or Moplen HP561 S, or Moplen HP561R, mixed with a polypropylene obtained by metallocene catalysis, e.g. Metocene HM562S, all the above-mentioned products being commercially available from LyondellBasell, Rotterdam (NL).
• suitable blends may contain 80-90% w/w of Metocene and 20-10% w/w of Moplen.
• the structure formed by the two layers thus defined enables a particularly effective breathability to be achieved because the inner hydrophobic polypropylene layer causes the rapid transfer towards the outer layer of perspiration, in the form of vapor, generated by the body of the person wearing the product. This vapor condenses on the outer layer and is released into the environment when it evaporates once again due to the effect of convection with the ambient air.
• the hydrophobic and hydrophilic characteristics of the yams facilitate said transfer.
• the use of microfilaments for the inner layer and sub-microfilaments for the outer layer facilitates the transfer of moisture from the inside to the outside, and its dispersion into the ambient air.
• the use of sub-microfibers or sub-microfilaments in the production of the second yam contained in the outer layer of the textile structure is particularly important.
• the filaments of this second yam advantageously have a diameter of 1 micrometer or less.
• the yams also contain a large number of filaments.
• the particular choice of the number of filaments, and of the diameter of each filament, expressed by the above-mentioned ranges of values enables the advantage of a veiy high total surface area per unit length of the filaments to be obtained for both the yams, and for the one forming the outer layer in particular, of the same order of magnitude as in a conventional yam with fewer filaments and a larger filament diameter.
• the yams made with fibers or filaments of such limited size enable a much more marked capillary effect to be achieved, favoring a better, more efficient dispersion of the moisture produced by perspiration from the body.
• the different distribution of the mass of the yam makes the fabric more comfortable to wear.
• each filament is 0.0052 mm, and a consequent unit surface area (per 1000 m of yam) of 1 ,976 cm .
• a 35 dtex yam with 68 filaments has substantially the same surface area, because the diameter of each filament is 0.00092 mm, and as a consequence the unit surface area (per 1000 m of yam) is approximately 1 ,965 cm 2 .
• the much larger number of filaments in the latter case makes the fabric more comfortable to wear and lends it a more marked capillary effect, which enables a more efficient transfer of any moisture towards the outside of the fabric.
• Each yam can be used as is to prepare the corresponding layer of fabric, or it can be part of a more complex thread, hi particular, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one of the two layers of the textile structure fomiing the product may have elastic characteristics, in winch case the yam forming said layer is wound around a core consisting of an elastomer.
• an elastomer There are known elastomers suitable for this purpose.
• the elastomer is preferably provided inside the second yam, i.e. in the polyamide yam fomiing the outer layer.
• the fabric may be a woven fabric. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, it is knitted fabric.
• the method known as plating may be used to knit the fabric.
• the two yams used to form the inner and outer layers are delivered to the needles of a knitting machine, which is advantageously a circular knitting machine, to form the stitches of the fabric simultaneously, the first yam always being positioned on one side, and the second yam always on the other side of the textile structure being knitted.
• the plated butting technique is well known to a person skilled in the art and requires no further description herein.
• the product according to the invention may comprise only a few portions or parts made with the above-described dual-layer polypropylene and polvamide fabric.
• the product may be made with a layer comprising a single type of yam and contain inserts, located in selected areas, made with the dual- layer, two-yam structure as described above.
• the product is made entirely of a fabric comprising an inner layer and an outer layer, characterized by the above-described composition and hydrophobic and hydrophilic characteristics.
• the first yam forming the first layer of the fabric has a titer preferably in the range of 20 to 40 dtex or, better still, between 25 and 35 dtex, e.g. between 26 and 30 dtex, and particularly between 27 and 29 dtex.
• the number of filaments varies, depending on the total titer of the yam, bearing in mind that the DPF (i.e. the titer of each filament) is advantageously 1.2 or less, and preferably 1.1 or less, e.g. between 1 and 0.8.
• the titer of the yam is 28 dtex and the number of filaments is 28, with a DPF of 1.
• the second yam has a titer in the range of 25 to 40 dtex, and preferably between 30 and 38 dtex or, better still, between 32 and 36 dtex.
• the number of filaments varies, depending on the total titer of the yam, bearing in mind that the DPF (i.e. the titer of each filament) is advantageously 1 or less, and preferably 0.9 or less, e.g. coming between 0.8 and 0.3.
• the titer of the yam is 35 dtex and the number of filaments is 68, with a DPF of approximately 0.5.
• the product has microperforated areas to enhance the fabric's breathability. These microperforated areas are advantageously positioned so that they coincide with areas of the skin where perspiration is more abundant when the product is being worn.
• the term "more abundant” is used in a relative sense visa-vis areas where perspiration is less abundant.
• these areas where perspiration is more abundant are located in the area of the armpits (axillary area) and in the central areas of the chest (abdominal area) and back (spinal area).
• the first yam forming the inner layer intrinsically has marked bacteriostatic features.
• the polyamide yam forming at least a part of the outer layer is hydrophilic, it may require a treatment to improve the bacteriostatic features of this textile layer.
• bacteriostatic features is used to mean a general capacity to reduce, combat or prevent the proliferation of microorganisms, hi some embodiments, the second yam is advantageously treated with a bacteriostatic product.
• a metal ion which is typically and advantageously a silver ion (Ag 2+ ), or another substance with bacteriostatic features may be used for this purpose. The treatment may be completed during the yam dyeing process.
• a product as described above is contained inside a sealed external wrapping to preserve the product's bacteriostatic characteristics.
• This wrapping may be made of an appropriate metal that is suitably inert, or that is at least made inert on the surface in contact with the garment and defining the volume inside the package.
• a wrapping made of tinplate may be used (i.e. a tinplated steel sheet), with an aluminium closing membrane or foil.
• a protective paint may be applied on the inside of the package, e.g. an epoxy phenolic paint.
• the areas of any welds can be suitably treated, with a polypropylene protection for instance, to overcome the difficulty of anchoring the paint to the welding material.
• the wrapping of the package surrounds an internal volume with a controlled or modified atmosphere, such as an inert atmosphere.
• a controlled or modified atmosphere such as an inert atmosphere.
• Said inert atmosphere may be a nitrogen atmosphere.
• the oxygen, and preferably also any moisture, are advantageously at least partially, or even totally removed from inside the package. This enables any proliferation of microorganisms to be avoided, while also preventing any oxidation of the bacteriostatic metal ions.
• the invention concerns a method for packaging a product as described above, comprising the following stages: forming a wrapping defining a volume for containing said product; inserting the product inside said container; closing the container after creating a controlled atmosphere inside it.
• a controlled or modified atmosphere may be created first inside the container, e.g. using nitrogen, and entirely or partially eliminating the moisture and/or oxygen.
• the wrapping may be made of metal sheet, e.g. a steel and tin alloy, possibly painted on the inside, and closed by means of an aluminium membrane or foil.
• the product may be a generic garment, such as an item of underwear (bra, underpants), pantyhose, stockings or socks, an undershirt, T-shirt or vest, etc.
• the product may for instance be a protective tubular article sized and shaped to fit over various parts of the body, for use as a muscle warmer or as a protective bandage covering a medication, or for other such purposes.
• the product is extremely comfortable because it is easy for the moisture produced by perspiration to be dissipated on the outside, maintaining optimal hygienic conditions thanks to the highly bacteriostatic characteristics of the fabric (be they intrinsic or induced during the dyeing treatment).
• the fibers used are treated with one or more components that make the fabric temperature-responsive.
• These one or more components may include one or more temperature-responsive polymers or copolymers that change the way in which moisture is released into the outside environment depending on the temperature of the body.
• the responsive component modifies the rate at which moisture is released to the outside, thus having the effect of maintaining the body's physiological temperature. For this purpose, when the temperature "recorded" by the responsive substance amounts to 30°C or more, a greater release of moisture towards the outside is enabled, while said release of moisture is restricted when the temperature is lower. This avoids the classic cold sensation being perceived when the body perspires and the resulting moisture evaporates rapidly through the fabric.
• Responsive polymers suitable for these applications are commercially available from HeiQ Materials AG, Bad Zurzach, Switzerland.
• the responsive component can be advantageously applied to the fiber during the dying process.
• the responsive treatment is preferably applied to the fibers intended to form the outer layer of the textile structure.
• a knitted article of clothing comprising at least one portion consisting of a knitted fabric comprising an inner layer intended to face towards the skin and made of at least a first yam, and an outer layer made of at least a second yam.
• the first yam is a multifilament yam made from a hydrophobic polymer, preferably made of polypropylene, with a titer for instance in the range of 10 to 40 dtex, a number of filaments in the range of 10 to 40, and a DPF (dtex per filament) of 1.2 or less.
• the second yam is a multifilament yam made from a hydrophilic polymer, such as hydrophilic polyamide 6,6 (Nylon 6-6), preferably with a titer in the range of 10 to 60 dtex, and a number of filaments chosen to obtain a DPF of 1 or less, and preferably of 0.9 or less or, better still, of 0.8 or less, e.g. in the range of 0.8 to 0.3.
• the number of filaments may vary from 10 to 70, and the titer from 25 to 40, with a number of filaments sufficient to obtain a DPF of 1 or less, e.g.
• the yams are knitted to form a plated fabric with the first yam facing towards the inside. This gives rise to a manufactured garment in which the surface facing towards the inside of the item of clothing is formed entirely of the first yam, while the second yam remains on the outer surface of the garment, achieving a separation (thanks to the combination of materials chosen for the production of the yams and the plated knitting method) between the outer surface of the garment and the skin when the garment is worn in direct contact with the skin.
• the garment thus obtained can have one or more of the features described below and forming the specific subject of the dependent claims attached to the present description, of which they form an integral part.
• Figs. l and 2 show a front view and a rear view of a garment (a short-sleeved undershirt or T-shirt in this example) made according to the invention
• Figs. 2 A and 2B schematically show an enlargement of the microperforated fabric obtained by means of the transfer of knitted stitches, in two different embodiments;
• Figs. 3 and 4 show a front view and a greatly-enlarged schematic cross- sectional view of a knitted fabric suitable for use in the manufacture of a product according to the invention
• Fig. 5 schematically shows a functional representation of the properties of the fabric used to manufacture the product according to the invention.
• Fig. 6 shows a package containing the product according to the invention. Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention
• Figs. 1 and 2 schematically show a garment (a T-shirt in this example) globally indicated by the numeral 1 , that can be made with a plated knitted fabric schematically having the structure illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and forming a textile structure according to the invention.
• the textile structure forming the garment 1 consists of a plated knitted fabric obtained by knitting together two different yams, shown schematically in Figs. 3 and 4, where they are schematically identified as Fl and F2.
• the plated knitting technique used to obtain the structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is well known and is not described in further detail herein.
• This technique essentially enables the production of a textile structure formed of stitches knitted with a double yam, where the yam F 1 comes to be on one side of the structure and the yam F2 on the other.
• the yam Fl thus forms an inner layer of the garment, while the yam F2 forms an outer layer.
• these layers are globally indicated as SI and SE, respectively.
• the dual-layer structure is made so that the inner layer SI serves to convey moisture, in the form of vapor generated by the body wearing the garment 1 , towards the outer layer SE.
• This moisture condenses on the outer layer SE. Due to the effect of the ambient air, the moisture that condenses in the outer layer SE then gradually evaporates and is released into the outside environment.
• the skin covered by the garment thus remains dry.
• the mechanism by which the moisture due to perspiration is transferred from the inner layer in contact with the skin towards the outer layer is qualitatively represented in Fig. 5.
• the yam Fl forming the inner layer characteristically consists of polypropylene, and advantageously of homopolymeric polypropylene, and has a multifilament structure, i.e. it consists of a plurality of filaments with a total titer in the range of 10 to 40 dtex, and preferably between 20 and 35 dtex, for instance between 25 and 33 dtex.
• the number of filaments in the yarn Fl may be advantageously in the range of 10 to 40, and in any case the number of filaments is chosen in relation to the titer of the yarn so as to obtain a DPF substantially amounting to 1 or less.
• the yam F2 is advantageously composed of a polyamide 66 with a titer for instance in the range of 10 to 60 dtex, and preferably coming between 20 and 40 dtex or, better still, between 25 and 38 dtex, and with a number of filaments in the range of 10 to 40, and chosen in any case so that the DPF of the yarn is preferably 0.8 or less, and even more preferably 0.6 or less or, better still, 0.5 or less, hi practical terms, the filaments forming the yam F2 have a diameter of a few hundred nm, and preferably less than 1 ⁇ .
• the polyamide yam F2 is preferably wound around a core consisting of an elastomer (not shown in the figures).
• the polyamide yam 66 is preferably wound there in a spiral around the elastomer, which thus forms the inner core of the yam used to knit the stitches of the outer layer SE. This spiraling technique and the machines that perform this action are well known and are not described in further detail herein.
• the elastomer may alternatively be covered with the polyamide yam by means of an air-jet interlacing technique.
• the yam Fl forming the inner layer is hydrophobic, and this feature enables it to transfer the moisture released from the skin in the form of vapor towards the outer layer SE.
• the hydrophobic feature of the yam forming the layer SI also gives this layer adequate bacteriostatic features, so no further treatments are needed to reduce the bacterial load in this component of the textile structure forming the garment 1.
• the polyamide 66 forming the yam F2 i.e. the outer part of the composite filament consisting of the yam F2 and the internal elastomer, has hydrophilic properties, which are necessary for the purpose of transferring the moisture generated by the body wearing the garment 1 onto this layer.
• Said substance preferably consists of silver ions, though this does not rule out the possibility of using other known substances with an adequately bacteriostatic effect, a low toxicity and the capacity to become anchored to the polyamide 66. All of the fabric forming the garment 1 thus has adequate bacteriostatic features, making it particularly safe from the hygienic standpoint.
• the garment 1 is advantageously inserted in a packaging suitable for preserving the characteristics of the silver ions (or other equivalent bacteriostatic substance) applied to the textile structure.
• Fig. 6 schematically shows a packaging 1 1 of this type
• the packaging 1 1 consists an external metal container 13, made for instance of tinplate, i.e. of a sufficiently thin sheet of extra-soft steel coated with a layer of tin, closed by means of an aluminium membrane or foil.
• the inside surface may be further painted, e.g. with an epoxy phenolic paint.
• the areas where the tinplate is welded can be treated with a polyester coating.
• the inside volume of the container 13 is preferably filled with an inert gas, typically nitrogen, under a calibrated pressure.
• an inert gas typically nitrogen
• the presence of the modified or controlled atmosphere also prevents any formation and growth of microorganisms that might negatively affect the hygienic features of the product.
• the garment 1 may be a fabric knitted with a different texture for the various parts of the garment in order to further increase its breathability.
• the solution shown in Figs. 1 and 2 there are essentially five different areas, coinciding with the use of different knitting patterns.
• a first area 1A is located on the front portion, coinciding with the breastbone and extending downwards to the area of the abdomen and hips, and defined as the "abdominal area”; a second area I B is located on the rear, covering the central portion of the back (the “spinal area") with a tapered shape from the top downwards; a third area 1 C is located so as to coincide with the armpits; a fourth area I D covers the shoulders.
• These four areas are advantageously made with a knitting pattern that produces microperforations.
• the remainder of the garment, indicated as I E, is advantageously made using a plain knitting stitch.
• a perforation or microperforation is generally obtained by transferring a stitch from one needle to a neighboring needle on the (normally cylindrical) needle bed used to knit the garment.
• Figs. 2A and 2B schematically show the knitting pattern obtained using this stitch transfer process.
• the stitch may also be transferred on the opposite side to the one shown in the figure.
• the stitch is transferred to the adjacent needle, while in Fig. 2B it is transferred to the next needle after that.
• the size of the microperforation is measured in tenns of the number of needles by which the stitch is displaced. The larger the number of needles between which the transfer takes place, the larger the size of the microperforation.
• the area of the spine and the areas under the armpits are provided with microperforations are obtained by transferring a stitch to the first adjacent needle, while in the abdominal area contains microperforations obtained by transferring the stitch over three needles. Perspiration being more abundant under the armpits and along the spine than in the abdominal area, it is preferable to provide a greater density of microperforations in the former than in the abdominal area.
• microperforations with a dimension corresponding to the transfer of stitches to adjacent needles, and preferably with a density in the range of 30 to 70 microperforations/cm 2 or, better still, between 40 and 60 microperforations/cm 2 , e.g. approximately 50 microperforations/cm 2 .
• the microperforations are preferably made in a size corresponding to the transfer of a stitch over three needles, and preferably with a density in the range of 5 to 30 microperforations/cm 2 or, better still, between 10 and 20 microperforations/cm " , e.g. approximately 14-17 microperforations/cm".
• the areas 1A, IB, 1 C and I D correspond to areas where perspiration is more abundant and these areas of the garment have a structure with a knitting pattern characterized by microperforations that facilitate the transfer of moisture from the body to the outer layer SE and its release into the outside environment. Provision can be made for microperforations of different sizes to be made in the various areas 1 A- 1 D.
• microperforations can be created by retaining the loops of stitches over one or more rows and/or with a needle selection involving a needle transfer, or with similar techniques.
• the size of the microperforations may be advantageously chosen so that it differs in the various areas identified above and, to be more precise, the microperforations in the central areas 1A, I B, I D may be larger than the microperforations in the area 1 C, or suited to the needs of the user.
• gannents with different breathability characteristics may be manufactured, enabling the user to choose between several different articles with breathability features that differ from one area to another. Users may choose their gamient to suit the way in which they perspire. In fact, some individuals perspire more under the armpits rather than on their back and/or chest, and vice versa. It is also possible to further distinguish the structure of the fabric between the front and rear parts of the garment to take into account such different degrees of perspiration.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Treatments For Attaching Organic Compounds To Fibrous Goods (AREA)
• Knitting Of Fabric (AREA)
• Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)

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• 2011
  • 2011-05-09 IT IT000095A patent/ITFI20110095A1/it unknown
• 2012
  • 2012-05-07 EP EP12731677.6A patent/EP2707528A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-05-07 WO PCT/IB2012/052251 patent/WO2012153252A2/en active Application Filing

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