WO2022006627A1 - Article textile résistant aux fluides et couture - Google Patents

Article textile résistant aux fluides et couture Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022006627A1
WO2022006627A1 PCT/AU2021/050722 AU2021050722W WO2022006627A1 WO 2022006627 A1 WO2022006627 A1 WO 2022006627A1 AU 2021050722 W AU2021050722 W AU 2021050722W WO 2022006627 A1 WO2022006627 A1 WO 2022006627A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
seam
textile
fluid
resistant
sheet
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU2021/050722
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Brendon Rowse
Original Assignee
Welspring Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from AU2020902334A external-priority patent/AU2020902334A0/en
Priority claimed from AU2021204310A external-priority patent/AU2021204310A1/en
Application filed by Welspring Pty Ltd filed Critical Welspring Pty Ltd
Publication of WO2022006627A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022006627A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
    • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
    • A41D13/12—Surgeons' or patients' gowns or dresses
    • A41D13/1236—Patients' garments
    • A41D13/1245—Patients' garments for the upper part of the body
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
    • A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
    • A41D13/12—Surgeons' or patients' gowns or dresses
    • A41D13/1209—Surgeons' gowns or dresses
    • A41D13/1227—Surgeons' gowns or dresses with liquid-proof sleeves
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
    • A41D27/00—Details of garments or of their making
    • A41D27/24—Hems; Seams
    • A41D27/245—Hems; Seams made by welding or gluing
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
    • A41D31/00—Materials specially adapted for outerwear
    • A41D31/04—Materials specially adapted for outerwear characterised by special function or use
    • A41D31/10—Impermeable to liquids, e.g. waterproof; Liquid-repellent
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
    • A41D31/00—Materials specially adapted for outerwear
    • A41D31/04—Materials specially adapted for outerwear characterised by special function or use
    • A41D31/10—Impermeable to liquids, e.g. waterproof; Liquid-repellent
    • A41D31/102—Waterproof and breathable
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
    • B32B27/12—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B27/00—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin
    • B32B27/40—Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin comprising polyurethanes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/02—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/024—Woven fabric
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/02—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/026—Knitted fabric
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/02—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/028—Net structure, e.g. spaced apart filaments bonded at the crossing points
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/02—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/06—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer mechanically connected, e.g. by needling to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
    • B32B5/073—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer mechanically connected, e.g. by needling to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper characterised by the fibrous or filamentary layer being mechanically connected to another layer by sewing, stitching, hook-and-loop fastening or stitchbonding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B5/00—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts
    • B32B5/22—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed
    • B32B5/24—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
    • B32B5/26—Layered products characterised by the non- homogeneity or physical structure, i.e. comprising a fibrous, filamentary, particulate or foam layer; Layered products characterised by having a layer differing constitutionally or physically in different parts characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B7/00—Layered products characterised by the relation between layers; Layered products characterised by the relative orientation of features between layers, or by the relative values of a measurable parameter between layers, i.e. products comprising layers having different physical, chemical or physicochemical properties; Layered products characterised by the interconnection of layers
    • B32B7/04—Interconnection of layers
    • B32B7/12—Interconnection of layers using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
    • A41D2300/00—Details of garments
    • A41D2300/50—Seams
    • A41D2300/52—Seams made by welding or gluing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2250/00—Layers arrangement
    • B32B2250/02—2 layers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2250/00—Layers arrangement
    • B32B2250/24—All layers being polymeric
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2262/00—Composition or structural features of fibres which form a fibrous or filamentary layer or are present as additives
    • B32B2262/02—Synthetic macromolecular fibres
    • B32B2262/0276—Polyester fibres
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2307/00—Properties of the layers or laminate
    • B32B2307/70—Other properties
    • B32B2307/726—Permeability to liquids, absorption
    • B32B2307/7265—Non-permeable
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2437/00—Clothing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B32—LAYERED PRODUCTS
    • B32B—LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
    • B32B2479/00—Furniture

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to fluid-resistant textile articles and fluid- resistant seams.
  • the present invention relates to articles of fluid-resistant clothing and seams for such clothing for use by medical professionals, military, industrial and emergency services personnel, hikers and adventurers, or the like.
  • Durable, fluid-resistant textile articles are also used by hikers, adventurers, military, industrial and emergency services personnel, for whom durability, breathability, light weight, thermal comfort and maximum operability are important performance characteristics.
  • the present invention provides a fluid-resistant textile article including: a textile having an outer fluid resistant layer; and an inner layer, wherein the outer layer is bonded to the inner layer.
  • the outer layer is impermeable.
  • the present invention provides a fluid-resistant textile article including: a textile having at least one welded seam.
  • the present invention provides a fluid-resistant textile article including a textile having an outer fluid resistant layer; and an inner layer, wherein the outer layer is bonded to the inner layer, wherein the textile has at least one welded seam.
  • the at least one seam is sealed via a controllable seam welding technique.
  • the seam may be welded using techniques such as ultrasonic sewing or welding, high frequency welding, hot air welding, wedge welding, heated bar or plate welding, or impulse welding.
  • all seams of the article are configured to minimise the total seam length.
  • this makes special seam treatments more affordable and minimises any risk of contamination through seam failures.
  • the textile article may be a medical garment, a garment for use by military, industrial or emergency services personnel, or outerwear for hikers and adventurers. It will be understood that the textile article is suitable for use in any breathable, lightweight, fluid-resistant textile article. Breathable materials in this context have a moisture vapour transmission rate at least 100 grams per square metre per 24 hours. Lightweight materials weigh less than 200 grams per square metre. Fluid resistance requirements vary depending on textile article applications and relevant standards.
  • the article is a medical gown.
  • the article includes a polyurethane-laminated polyester fabric, or any substantially equivalent fabric composition of a breathable and weldable membrane laminated to a textile that in combination has the properties that are essential to the performance and thermal comfort of an ultra-durable, breathable, lightweight, fluid- resistant garment. Ultra-durable garments last for at least 100 WSD cycles.
  • the textile is a fabric including an outer fluid resistant layer bonded to an inner layer.
  • the inner layer holds the outer layer together and reduces or prevents cracking or tearing.
  • the inner layer is a knitted or woven layer.
  • the knitted or woven layer preferably includes a mesh of polyester or similarly durable fibres.
  • the outer impermeable layer includes a polyurethane or otherwise weldable film.
  • Bonding is preferably via a lamination adhesive.
  • the adhesive is preferably a two-part adhesive.
  • the adhesive preferably includes an epoxy adhesive.
  • the fibres of the knitted or woven layer are encased by the epoxy adhesive.
  • These encased fibres are preferably bonded to both the mesh of the inner layer and the outer film. This advantageously provides a strong lamination.
  • the tensile strength of a preferably double-interlocked warp knit holds epoxy particles in stable positions, minimising pore expansion over time.
  • the knitted or woven layer has a high degree of stretch capacity. This minimises the risk of adhesion with the membrane layer being damaged by stretching and folding in use and in laundry processes, or of fibres breaking under tension.
  • the components of the fabric are resistant to heat, laundry chemicals, and physical bending, stretching, compression and abrasion.
  • the fabric is breathable, thermally comfortable, fluid-resistant and resistant to laundry chemicals, heat, bending, stretching, compression and abrasion.
  • the article preferably comprises a textile having an initial hydrostatic resistance at or exceeding about 2,500 cm H2O.
  • the initial hydrostatic resistance level is measured prior to the first wash of the article.
  • the textile’s outer surface is highly resilient to abrasion and laundry chemical action. This may be achieved by surface treatments such as vapour deposition technologies, or by including an additional open mesh or porous fabric or membrane layer, preferably bonded to the outer membrane layer of the base fabric.
  • the bonding is through a form of continuous lamination, bonding all adjacent surfaces of the layers together.
  • this layer can protect the textile from abrasive wear, particularly through the lamination of a fine mesh or porous fabric or membrane, thereby minimising the emergence of micro-cracking sites that can be attacked by accelerating chemical and physical processes that can occur in WSD cycles.
  • the application of a very porous or open mesh structure minimises the addition of weight and substantially maintains the breathability of the fabric.
  • any seams, hems, collars, and ties not at the periphery of the article are controllably welded. This avoids the use of thread and any puncturing of the otherwise impervious membrane layer by sewing needles. This also advantageously minimises thread weight and water absorption capacity.
  • the total seam length is preferably minimised, particularly in the front-facing zones most exposed to contamination. This may be achieved by cutting the whole gown in one piece. This may exclude some bindings, where preferred. This makes special seam treatments more affordable and minimises any risk of contamination through seam failures.
  • One method to achieve this includes taking the seam directly under the arms and across the back.
  • An alternative method includes taking the seam line to the collar.
  • the lamination strength of the multi-layered fabric holds the fabric strands together at any cut edges, dispensing with any need for hems or cuffs for that purpose. This ensures the entire article is equally fluid resistant, minimising potential for contamination that could otherwise occur at vulnerable positions such as cuffs made of less fluid resistant materials or attached by less fluid resistant means.
  • the stretch fit of the multi-layered fabric may be relied on in place of any folded or added cuff.
  • the seam may be mechanically sewn at or near to the edge of the cuff for comfort and further strength in addition to the seam’s weld.
  • the seam is formed in such a method that no stitching is required at the cuff or at the other end of the seam.
  • a fabric or membrane tab that is contiguous with the fabric may be welded transversely relative to the seam line at each seam end.
  • the article includes an RFID tag.
  • This advantageously allows the article to be tracked and monitored. This can be important for managing laundry flows, keeping articles for low temperature drying separate from articles for high temperature drying, thereby avoiding gown damage. Even a 1 percent loss rate per WSD cycle can result in half of an initial gown stock being lost after 75 WSD cycles, due to the exponential impact of recurring loss rates.
  • a method of manufacturing a fluid-resistant textile article including the steps of: a) providing a textile according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the textile is formed in a pattern corresponding to the article; b) forming at least one seam in the textile using welding, wherein the at least one seam corresponds to a seam shown in the pattern, thereby to form the article.
  • the method of welding is controllable, such as ultrasonic or high frequency welding.
  • the method of welding may be any other controllable welding technique. This may include techniques such as hot air welding, wedge welding, or impulse welding.
  • the method preferably includes prior to step (a) the step of providing a textile or fabric roll of sufficient width to accommodate the pattern of the article.
  • this allows the textile for the article to be cut in a single piece.
  • this includes both the body of the gown and the sleeves, requiring a fabric width of at least 1 .5 metres for a small adult-sized gown.
  • the seams are preferably formed through folding and then welding to fix each seam in place.
  • a fold pattern advantageously ensures that strong and continuous seam seals may be formed through controllable welding, without any risk of some seam areas remaining vulnerable to fluid ingress. This requires the fold sequence to position smooth, simple, and easily weldable surfaces face to face. Pleats should be avoided to prevent any risk of delamination under stress. This may be achieved, for example, using 1 , 2 or 3 dimensionally curved forms over or around which the fabric may be placed for welding. For the gown pattern referred to in this specification, care is needed to avoid any pleats between the back panel’s fabric edge and the contiguous sleeve fabric edge.
  • the seams to be welded are preferably arranged in easily weldable lines and minimum distances for maximum production speed and minimum seam seal lengths and durability risks.
  • the method of the invention can minimise seam length and production time, while minimising garment weight and wear in laundry processes.
  • a method of manufacturing a fluid-resistant garment including the steps of: a) providing a fluid-resistant textile according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the textile in the shape of a pattern for the garment, the pattern including a substantially rectangular section; and a sleeve section located adjacent one elongate side of the substantially rectangular section; b) folding the textile at the junction between the substantially rectangular section and the sleeve section; and c) applying a weld to at least part of the fold to form a seam.
  • the garment is a medical gown.
  • the method may include the step of applying a continuous weld from the sleeve seam edge to the rear panel edge.
  • the method may preferably include forming a fold in the fabric and applying a weld to the fold. With sufficient heat application, such as may be achieved with high frequency welding, multiple layers of seams may be welded at the same time, maximising production speed. Having a substantially straight seam configuration facilitates the welding of both the sleeve and back panel seams at the same time.
  • This may be achieved in a single long continuous seam section, or by folding the back-panel seam fabrics over the sleeve seam fabrics, with the two seam sections separated by a non-weldable separating surface to prevent the two seam sections from being welded to themselves by the applied heat.
  • a curved form may be used to stretch complicated weld lines over.
  • the method may include a further seam formation step that translates the initially formed “prayer seam” structure into a “lapped seam” structure.
  • This step increases the fluid resistance of the seam and with appropriate weld widths and/or patterns can eliminate any need for other measures to eliminate seam peel initiation.
  • fabrics such as single-sided PUL polyester, for which only one side is weldable via any given welding method: i)
  • the prayer seam structure can initially be formed with the edge of one layer offset laterally from the edge of the other along the entire length of the seam. The exposed weldable surface at the seam’s offset is then welded to the polyester inner lining of the gown’s fabric.
  • the prayer seam need not have its edges offset if other measures are provided to facilitate bonding of one of the seam’s polyester surfaces to the adjacent polyester lining of the gown’s fabric. Such measures may include the insertion of a weldable strip between the two polyester surfaces, or the application of an adhesive instead of a weldable material.
  • the colour of any intermediary materials or adhesives may be complementary to the gown’s fabric, or transparent.
  • the seams’ fluid resistance, physical strength and durability can be increased by welding a gasket lining to the lightweight fabric along each edge that will be used to form a seam.
  • a weld is then applied to the reinforced fabric edges facing each other, leaving a margin of gasket lining on the outside of the gown that is not welded to the opposing gasket lining on the other side of the outer seam line. Peel forces are then transferred to the centre of the stronger, welded gasket linings, away from the thinner weldable layer of the lighter-weight fabric.
  • material offsets can be applied to ensure at least one weldable material margin is available inside the gown to weld the seam back against the inside of the gown’s fabric, translating peel forces laterally across the internally lapped seam.
  • the method may preferably include the step of folding an edge of the fabric and applying a weld to the edge to form a hem. When such folds cover back over seam ends, this method of hem formation can prevent seam peel initiation. Alternatively, tabs may be included in the pattern, avoiding any need to fold the main edge of the fabric.
  • the manufactured textile article is impervious to fluid ingress, comfortable to wear, not flammable, free of electrostatic discharge risks, non-allergenic and safe for contact with human skin.
  • a fluid-resistant seam including: a first textile sheet; a second textile sheet; and a connecting portion having a first interface region and a second interface region spaced apart from the first interface region; wherein the first interface region is connected to the first textile sheet and the second interface region is connected to the second textile sheet, thereby connecting the first textile sheet to the second textile sheet.
  • the connecting portion is an elongate tube.
  • the first and second interface regions each extend longitudinally on an external surface of the elongate tube.
  • the seam preferably has a fluid facing side and an opposite internal facing side, and wherein a part of the tube on the fluid facing side is relaxed when the seam is in an opened or closed configuration, and wherein a part of the tube on the internal facing side is in tension when the seam is in the opened configuration.
  • the connecting portion is an elongate sheet.
  • the first and second interface regions each extend longitudinally on a surface of the elongate sheet.
  • the elongate sheet includes edge regions extending adjacent opposed longitudinal edges of the sheet.
  • the first and second interface regions are preferably positioned intermediate the opposed edge regions.
  • the edge regions are connected to each other to form a cross-sectional profile having a closed circumference surrounding a hollow inner region.
  • the opposed edge regions are preferably connected to each other by stitching.
  • the connecting portion may be either an elongate sheet or an elongate tube.
  • the first and second interface regions each extend longitudinally on a surface of the elongate sheet or tube.
  • the first and second textile sheet are directly connected to each other.
  • the first and second textile sheet are preferably connected to each other by one of: an adhesive, a weld, or stitching.
  • the connection between the first and second textile sheets is preferably arranged on an internal facing side of the seam.
  • the connecting portion is preferably arranged on the opposite fluid facing side.
  • At least one of the connecting portion, the first textile sheet, and the second textile sheet are formed from a flexible material.
  • at least one of the connecting portion, the first textile sheet, and the second textile sheet are formed from a flexible material are planar sheets.
  • at least one of the connecting portion, the first textile sheet, and the second textile sheet are formed from a fluid- resistant or fluid-impervious material.
  • the first interface region is preferably connected to the first textile sheet and the second interface region is preferably connected to the second textile sheet by one of: an adhesive, a weld, or stitching.
  • a textile article including at least one seam according to the first aspect.
  • the textile article is any one of: a garment of clothing, tent, mattress, pillow, blanket, sleeve or bag.
  • a method of manufacturing a fluid-resistant seam including the steps of: a) connecting the first interface region of the connecting portion to the first textile sheet; b) connecting the second interface region of the connecting portion to the second textile sheet.
  • a method of manufacturing a flexible fluid-resistant seam including: a) connecting a first interface region of a connecting portion to a first textile sheet; b) connecting a second interface region of a connecting portion to a second textile sheet, wherein the first interface region is spaced apart from the second interface region.
  • steps (a) and (b) include connecting the first interface region to the first textile sheet and connecting the second interface region to the second textile sheet by one of: an adhesive, or a weld.
  • the method includes a further step of: c) connecting the first textile sheet to the second textile sheet, wherein the connection between the first textile sheet and the second textile sheet is arranged on an internal facing side of the seam and the connecting portion is arranged on an opposite fluid facing side of the seam.
  • the present invention provides a flexible fluid- resistant seam including: at least two edges of flexible fluid-resistant or impermeable material to be joined together; and at least one tubular flexible and fluid-resistant or impermeable material intermediating the materials or material edges to be joined.
  • the seam is a flexible fluid-resistant seam formed by techniques that leave no penetrations through which fluid may flow.
  • Such techniques include, but are not limited to, controllable welding and application of flexible fluid-resistant or impermeable adhesives.
  • the welding may be achieved by use of techniques such as ultrasonic welding, hot air welding, wedge welding, or impulse welding.
  • the flexible seam may be used in shelters and/or clothing for use by industrial or military personnel or police officers, or by hikers and adventurers and the like. It will be understood that the seam’s structure and method of manufacturing is suitable for application in any type of flexible seam.
  • the method may preferably include the step of selecting components that maximise production speed, simplicity, and capital efficiency.
  • the flexible, fluid-resistant or impervious tubular connecting portion may be acquired in a preformed state, particularly with such formation having been achieved through such methods as extrusion, whereby the component has no internal joins or penetrations through which fluid may transfer.
  • the flexible tubular component may be formed by methods that result in joins and/or penetrations within the tubular component to the extent that they are carefully placed between the fluid-resistant or impervious seam seals to be formed by controllable welding or adhesive application.
  • the tubular component may be formed by folding a strip of flexible fluid-resistant or impermeable material down a longitudinal axis of the material and then sewing, welding or adhering its lengthwise edges together. Sewing and/or adhesion of the edges may be selected, for example, for fabric that is not weldable on one side.
  • the manufactured flexible fluid-resistant seam is impervious to fluid ingress, highly durable, comfortable to wear as a garment component, and producible in a single step using just one piece of equipment.
  • Figure 1 is a front view of an article according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 is a back view of the article of Figure 1 .
  • Figure 3 is a graph showing modelled hydrostatic resistance of the fabric used in the textile article compared to the number of wash-sanitise-dry cycles.
  • Figure 4 is a graph showing the amortised cost per use of a reusable medical gown according to the invention compared to the number of uses.
  • Figure 5 shows a cutting and folding pattern for use in the method of the invention.
  • Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a seam according to the invention.
  • Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the seam shown in Figure 1 in an opened configuration.
  • Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative seam according to the invention.
  • Figure 9 is a cross-section view of an alternative seam according to the invention.
  • the fluid-resistant textile article includes: an outer fluid resistant layer; and an inner layer, wherein the outer layer is bonded to the inner layer.
  • the fluid-resistant textile article includes seams which are controllably welded.
  • the fluid-resistant textile article may include both of these features.
  • the article may be a medical garment, a garment for use by military, industrial or emergency services personnel, or outerwear for hikers and adventurers. It will be understood that the textile article is suitable for use in any durable, breathable, lightweight, fluid-resistant textile article.
  • the reusable gown (1) shown in Figure 1, is designed to achieve the previously unmet need of a four-fold multiplication of durability, surviving at least 300 wash/dry/sanitise (WDS) cycles. Its approach includes a novel combination of measures, including some elements that are novel in themselves. These measures are explained below. Some of those measures are counterintuitive, because they incur higher garment production costs to achieve higher protectiveness, comfort and quality at a lower total cost per use.
  • a breathable and thermally comfortable yet waterproof fabric that is resistant to laundry chemicals, heat, bending, stretching, compression and abrasion.
  • One preferred embodiment consists of a polyurethane- laminated polyester (PUL) fabric bonded via a “two-pot” lamination adhesive.
  • PUL polyurethane- laminated polyester
  • Other viable fabric compositions include different breathable membranes laminated to a different textile that in combination have the properties that are essential to the performance and thermal comfort of an ultra-durable, breathable, lightweight, fluid- resistant garment.
  • nylon may be considered as a substitute for polyester
  • other suitably formed and durable, breathable and weldable membranes may be considered as substitutes for polyurethane
  • other ultra-durable and strongly bonding adhesives may substitute for the two-pot epoxy adhesive.
  • Additional layers may also be incorporated to the extent that their addition preserves the overall properties desired for the whole composition.
  • the supplier of a preferred PUL fabric asserts that it will retain its structural integrity for at least 300 high-temperature wash/dry/sanitise cycles when laundered according to manufacturer instructions. The supplier further asserts that this is the only fabric of its type in the world with this level of durability. Their testing has found this fabric’s weight to be more flexible to work with, not "crackly/crunchy,” and less likely to crack or split than heavier weights.
  • the PUL fabric is highly durable largely because it has a continuous waterproof membrane layer that is entirely bonded via a strong and highly durable two- pot glue layer to an inner knit/woven layer that holds the waterproof layer together and prevents any risk of cracking or tearing.
  • the loops of the knit/woven layer are physically encased at the glue layer, providing an extraordinarily strong lamination.
  • the knitted or woven layer s high degree of stretch capacity minimises the risk of adhesion with the membrane layer being damaged by stretching and folding in use and in laundry processes, or of fibres breaking under tension. Garment failure can happen before fabric failure, however, meaning that the gown’s construction method, particularly for producing durably sealed seams, is equally important.
  • the textile may include an open mesh or porous fabric or membrane layer bonded to the outer membrane surface of the textile.
  • This additional layer is advantageously able to protect the membrane from abrasive wear, particularly through the lamination of a fine mesh fabric or porous membrane, thereby minimising the emergence of micro-cracking sites that can be attacked by accelerating chemical and physical processes that can occur in WSD cycles.
  • the application of a very porous or open mesh structure minimises the addition of weight and substantially maintains the breathability of the fabric.
  • surface treatments such as vapour deposition may be used to achieve the same outcomes even more efficiently.
  • the fabric’s membrane may be pigmented to increase its opacity and optimise the fabric’s appearance over many laundry cycles. Without opacifying the membrane, occlusions developing at an otherwise transparent membrane’s surface and at the adhesive layer may reduce reflected coloured light intensity and give an impression of colour fading that is significantly more severe than the actual colour intensity of the underlying fabric layer.
  • Fabrics that have a highly absorbent inner lining are preferred for thermal and physical comfort. This may be optimised through careful selection of the physicochemical properties of the lining material, along with its morphology.
  • the lining surface should have a high surface area, as is the case with knit fabrics, and it should be free of additives that might normally be used to minimise water absorption and drying costs in laundry processes. Condensation and absorption of water vapour that has evaporated from the body of someone wearing the article, without creating any perception of dampness, is an important countermeasure for retaining thermal and physical comfort when using highly durable fabrics that can exhibit relatively high levels of resistance to vapour transmission.
  • Thermal comfort is preferably further optimised by keeping the absorbent fabric lining close to the body through gown design, sizing and fit, minimising the volume of warm water vapour that may occupy the space between the fabric and the body.
  • Ultrasonic, high frequency or otherwise controllable welding of seams, hems, collars and ties avoids the use of thread and any puncturing of the otherwise impervious membrane layer by sewing needles.
  • the durability of the gown’s function depends on having strongly welded seam seals.
  • ultrasonic welding method which yields clean and controllably uniform seams that are appropriate for medical applications
  • thin and lightweight fusible fabrics provide the strongest and most durable welds.
  • thicker fusible fabrics may be used to provide strong and durable welds, and multiple and curved seals may be applied in one timed pressing application via the use of carefully designed welding forms.
  • Fligh-power methods such as high frequency welding may be used to produce multiple layers of seams at the same time, maximising production speed.
  • total seam length may be minimised, particularly in the front-facing zones most exposed to contamination, by: i) Cutting the whole garment in one piece, apart from some bindings where preferred. ii) Optimising the cutting pattern to minimise total seam length and locate seams as far to the back-facing side of the gown as possible. Taking the seam directly under the arms and across the back achieves this. It also has the benefit of providing a seamless fabric protection layer around the torso and leg areas. It will be appreciated that other one-piece cutting configurations are also possible, but with longer seams. For example, seams can alternatively run continuously along the lengths of the sleeves and then down the sides of the gown, rather than straight across the back.
  • Productivity may be optimised by welding multiple layers of seams in the same orientation simultaneously.
  • both seam sections may be welded at the same time.
  • This approach optimises productivity, subject to having a controllable welding method with sufficient heat input.
  • a non-weldable material may be inserted between them.
  • Minimising fabric weight can minimise WSD costs along with the momentum and wear effects of bending, stretching, compression and abrasion contacts in these processes. Wear can be minimised by: i) Relying on a single lightweight, multilayered fabric to provide all the performance characteristics necessary for isolation gowns. The currently used fabric has a weight of 137 grams per square metre (gsm), which is a fraction of the average 240 gsm of other reusable gowns. 1 ii) Relying on the lamination strength of the multilayered fabric to hold all the fabric strands together at cut edges, dispensing with any need for hems or cuffs for that purpose. iii) Relying on the stretch fit of the multilayered fabric in place of any folded or added cuff.
  • gsm grams per square metre
  • the seam may optionally be stitch sewn at or near the edge of the cuff for comfort and further strength in addition to the seam’s weld.
  • Ensuring the gowns are only washed and dried with other gowns of the same material and construction, and that there are no rigid or sharp components that can cause damage.
  • Ensuring chemical, temperature, abrasion, compression, stretching and bending exposure times are minimised, subject to fulfilling hygiene requirements.
  • One of the keys to affordably achieving this synthesis of durability dimensions, inclusive of durably sealed seams, is the development of a novel, highly efficient cutting pattern and manufacturing process for use in conjunction with a single ultra-durable, lightweight, breathable, fluid-resistant and weldable fabric: i) The process requires fabric rolls of sufficient width to fully accommodate the gown’s pattern, at least 1.5 metres wide for small adult-sized garments, so that the entire gown including the sleeves may be cut in one piece. ii) A fold pattern is required to ensure that strong and continuous seam seals may be formed through controllable welding, without any risk of some seam areas remaining vulnerable to fluid ingress. This requires the fold sequence to position smooth, simple, and easily weldable surfaces face to face.
  • a pattern (2) such as the one shown in Figure 5 is substantially rectangular, efficiently utilising the available width of the fabric, and can be quickly folded, sealed, and finished.
  • One of the viable folding, seam welding and binding sequences may be exemplified as follows, with reference to the markings on the schematic diagram shown in Figure 5: i) The front faces of the sleeves are folded forward along with the rear panels, along the indicated fold lines, and welds are applied to seam sets A, B, C and D. For points B and points C to meet, the back panels must be folded towards the centre of the gown at the same time. ii) For complete and continuous seals without any gaps, care must be taken at the junctions between seam sections A and B, and between the junctions of seam sections C and D. When the seam ends of the fabric are stretched apart, the fabric edges are drawn into a substantially straight orientation, making a continuous seal easy to form.
  • the method may include a further seam formation step that translates the initially formed “prayer seam” structure into a “lapped seam” structure. This step increases the fluid resistance of the seam and with appropriate weld widths and/or patterns can eliminate any need for other measures to eliminate seam peel initiation.
  • fabrics such as single-sided PUL polyester, for which only one side is weldable via any given welding method:
  • the prayer seam structure can initially be formed with the edge of one layer offset laterally from the edge of the other along the entire length of the seam.
  • the exposed weldable surface at the seam’s offset is then welded to the polyester inner lining of the gown’s fabric. If welded with the polyester side of the gown’s fabric facing out, a non-weldable surface is placed between the two weldable sleeve and gown fabric layers otherwise facing each other to prevent unwanted welding between them. No insertion layer is required if the weldable side of the gown’s fabric faces out during welding, but care is needed to minimise any welding impressions on the gown’s outer surfaces. In either fabric orientation, care must be taken to avoid damaging the outer membrane.
  • the prayer seam need not have its edges offset if other measures are provided to facilitate bonding of one of the seam’s polyester surfaces to the adjacent polyester lining of the gown’s fabric.
  • measures may include the insertion of a weldable strip between the two polyester surfaces, or the application of an adhesive instead of a weldable material.
  • the colour of any intermediary materials or adhesives may be complementary to the gown’s fabric, or transparent.
  • the seams’ fluid resistance, physical strength and durability can be increased by welding a gasket lining to the lightweight fabric along each weldable edge that will be used to form a seam.
  • a weld is then applied to the reinforced fabric edges facing each other, leaving a margin of gasket lining on the outside of the gown that is not welded to the opposing gasket lining on the other side of the outer seam line. Peel forces are thereby transferred to the centre of the stronger, welded gasket linings, away from the thinner, weldable layer of the lighter-weight fabric.
  • material offsets can be applied to ensure at least one weldable material margin is available inside the gown to weld the seam back against the inside of the gown’s fabric, further translating peel forces laterally across the internally lapped seam.
  • Seams may be further reinforced by mechanical stitching at their start and end points, where the most strain is applied in donning, doffing and laundering of the gown.
  • “T” or “L” junction welding may be applied to prevent peel initiation at seam ends. Seam end tabs can be incorporated into the cutting pattern to make the formation of “T” or “L” junctions as efficient as possible. Neither stitching nor “T” or “L” junctions may be required if lapping of the seams has already been achieved.
  • the collar may be treated by folding the gown’s fabric back over itself and/or applying a separate binding, and then stitching or welding the collar line.
  • a separate binding is preferably inclusive of continuous extensions for ties that may be sewn back on themselves to create space for overlapping the gown’s rear neck sections. Alternatively, a suitable section of fabric at the collar’s edge(s) may be cut back.
  • Bindings are applied for any other chosen tie positions, including near the waist.
  • the tie on one of the rear panels may be securely affixed to the panel’s edge.
  • the tie on the opposing rear panel, or the ties for both panels may be securely welded to the outward-facing field of the panel(s).
  • the latter configuration makes it easier for large overlaps to be achieved while tying the back panels together as the gown is donned.
  • a single continuous waist tie may be welded to the outer face of the gown. This may be achieved securely by folding a horizontal section of the gown down over the tie and welding it to the gown section immediately below the tie.
  • a third weldable and fluid- resistant and/or non-absorbent material may be welded over or around the tie and to the gown.
  • Fitted cuffs may be formed from desired cutting patterns.
  • tight and presentable cuffs may be formed by folding the fabric of the cuffs in and folding it over itself, so that at least one weldable surface is in contact with another fabric surface. Such cuff application may simultaneously serve as a robust barrier to seam peel initiation.
  • a durable stretchy wristband may be enclosed within such an inwardly folded cuff before welding the enclosure shut.
  • Silicone is an example of an appropriately durable elastomeric material for the wristband, being resistant to the high temperatures and aggressive chemicals of laundry processes.
  • an elastomeric material may be welded into one or more splits in the end of the cuff section’s fabric.
  • a care and usage tracking label may be welded or stitched to the garment, preferably near a fabric edge far from contaminant exposure points. This location minimises any damage to the fluid barrier properties of the gown’s field. It also minimises the impact of any such damage through location far away from the highest risk zones at the front of the gown.
  • An RFID tag may be incorporated within the care label or elsewhere.
  • An alternative folding, seam welding and binding sequence may be exemplified as follows: i) The upper section of the gown is pulled forward and down, so that the upper fabric edge is brought below the sleeve axis fold line, which remains unmoved. ii) The gown is turned over. iii) Then rear sides of the gown body are folded back towards the centre along the side fold lines. iv) The top left of the gown is folded back over the shoulder and sleeve fold lines. v) The sleeve and shoulder seam edges from the folded top left of the gown are folded back under to overlay the opposite seam edge fold from the front of the gown. vi) A substantially straight-line weld seals the left sleeve and continued seam across the left back.
  • the top right of the gown is folded back over the shoulder and sleeve fold lines.
  • the sleeve and shoulder seam edges from the folded top right of the gown are folded back under to overlay the opposite seam edge fold from the front of the gown.
  • Cuffs may be formed.
  • Bindings and seam start and end reinforcements, welded hems and/or “T” or “L” junction seam-end welds are applied.
  • a care label may be added, with or without an RFID tag.
  • the method may include a further seam formation step that translates the initially formed “prayer seam” structure into a “lapped seam” structure.
  • This step increases the fluid resistance of the seam and with appropriate weld widths and/or patterns can eliminate any need for other measures to eliminate seam peel initiation.
  • fabrics such as single-sided PUL polyester, for which only one side is weldable via any given welding method: (1 )
  • the prayer seam structure can initially be formed with the edge of one layer offset laterally from the edge of the other along the entire length of the seam. The exposed weldable surface at the seam’s offset is then welded to the polyester inner lining of the gown’s fabric.
  • the prayer seam need not have its edges offset if other measures are provided to facilitate bonding of one of the seam’s polyester surfaces to the adjacent polyester lining of the gown’s fabric.
  • measures may include the insertion of a weldable strip between the two polyester surfaces, or the application of an adhesive instead of a weldable material.
  • the colour of any intermediary materials or adhesives may be complementary to the gown’s fabric, or transparent.
  • the seams’ fluid resistance, physical strength and durability can be increased by welding a gasket lining to the lightweight fabric along each weldable edge that will be used to form a seam.
  • a weld is then applied to the reinforced fabric edges facing each other, leaving a margin of gasket lining on the outside of the gown that is not welded to the opposing gasket lining on the other side of the outer seam line. Peel forces are thereby transferred to the centre of the stronger, welded gasket linings, away from the thinner, weldable layer of the lighter-weight fabric.
  • material offsets can be applied to ensure at least one weldable material margin is available inside the gown to weld the seam back against the inside of the gown’s fabric, further translating peel forces laterally across the internally lapped seam.
  • An alternative waist tie binding method may be applied to any gown assembly process: i) A continuous or preassembled tie that is longer than the maximum dimension of the gown’s fabric around the waist is securely affixed to the gown’s rear panel’s edges, so that it runs around the outside of the body of the gown without any stitching or other affixing methods being required anywhere except the rear panel edges. ii) Preferably as a preassembly step, the tie is folded back on itself from one or both of its ends and securely affixed to itself, or has separate ties affixed at what would otherwise be the fold point(s), to accommodate ample overlap of the rear panels when the gown is worn and tightened at the waist by pulling the tie ends towards each other. When the ties are tightened in this way, tension applies at the fold points, not at the gown edges. This prevents any significant tension being applied to the attachment point to the gown, thereby maximising the gown’s durability.
  • materials with microscopic synthetic setae like the microscopic structures on gecko feet may be applied, oriented so that the adhesive side of straps or strips face smooth surface(s) on the gown side to be held in place.
  • the simple two-dimensional area of such materials must be sufficient to provide secure connections, even when someone wearing the gown is engaged in vigorous, potentially emergency activity.
  • the material used should also withstand temperatures and other conditions of laundry requirements and retain its required adhesive strength for at least as many washes as the designed service life of the gown.
  • the gown has the beneficial properties tabulated below.
  • Washing Instructions i) The use of zero-residue detergent is recommended - liquid detergent, preferably. Wash temperatures can be hot, between 65 and 75 °C. Decontamination for health and social care requires a laundry cycle achieving 71 °C for at least 3 minutes. Minimise temperature to maximise durability. Healthcare laundry standards provide for lower temperature washing and drying where effective decontamination can be achieved via other methods such as ozone treatments.
  • DO NOT use bleach If required, non-chlorine oxygenated bleach can be used sparingly, provided the detergent does not already contain sodium percarbonate, the active ingredient in many oxygenated bleaches. The detergent must also not contain any fabric softeners, natural oils, perfumes, dyes, UV brighteners, stain guard ingredients or enzymes.
  • Drying Instructions i) Dry on medium to high heat, at a temperature not more than 90 °C. Minimise temperature to maximise durability. Use of drying sheets with fabric softeners is not recommended. ii) DO NOT wring or iron on the film side. iii) Do NOT expose to direct sunlight. Exposure to sunlight will turn the film yellow and cause it to crack over time. When the UV index is high, this can happen in as little as 10 hours of exposure.
  • the fluid- resistant seam (3) includes an elongate tubular connecting portion (4) connected by a first interface region (5) to a first textile sheet (6) and by a second interface region (7) to a second textile sheet (8), thereby connecting the two sheets together.
  • Each of the tubular connecting portion, the first sheet and the second sheet are preferably formed from flexible fluid-resistant or impermeable material.
  • the connections are preferably formed by adhesion, welding, or stitching.
  • the first and second interface regions each extend longitudinally along the external surface of the elongate tubular connecting portion (4) and are spaced apart from one another.
  • the seam has a fluid facing side (A) and an opposite internal facing side (B).
  • A fluid facing side
  • B opposite internal facing side
  • the part of the tubular connecting portion (4) on the fluid facing side is in a relaxed state.
  • the part of the tubular connecting portion (4) on the fluid facing side remains in a relaxed state while the part (9) of the tubular connecting portion on the internal facing side is in tension when the seam is in the opened configuration.
  • the connecting portion is a folded elongate sheet of flexible fluid-resistant or impermeable material (10).
  • the first and second interface regions (5, 7) each extend longitudinally on the surface of the sheet (10).
  • the interface regions are positioned intermediate edge regions (11) which respectively extend adjacent opposed longitudinal edges of the sheet (10).
  • These edge regions (11) are connected to each other, typically by stitching (12), to form a closed loop.
  • first textile sheet (6) and second textile sheet (8) are connected directly to one another (13) on an internal facing side (B) of the seam.
  • This connection is preferably formed by one of an adhesive, welding, or stitching.
  • the connecting portion (4) may be a folded elongate sheet as shown, or alternatively may be an elongate tube. In both configurations, the connecting portion is arranged on the fluid facing side (A).
  • the connecting portion (4) on the fluid facing side is in a relaxed state in both a closed configuration of the seam (not shown) or an opened (stretched) or configuration of the seam as shown in Figure 4.
  • the internal facing connection (13) between the first and second textile sheets is maintained and remains closed.
  • the embodiments shown in Figure 1 to 3 utilise the connecting portion (4) as the primary load bearing element.
  • the embodiment of Figure 4 utilises the connection or seam (13) formed between the first and second textile sheets to bear the mechanical load, while the flexible connecting portion provides the fluid seal.
  • the mechanical and fluid sealing functions of the seam are separated between the seam components. This separation of functionalities substantially reduces the risk that the connecting portion might fail under mechanical load.
  • the invention provides a textile article, including at least one seam as described above.
  • the textile article is any one of: a garment of clothing, tent, mattress, pillow, blanket, sleeve or bag.
  • a method of manufacturing a fluid-resistant seam includes connecting a first interface region (5) of the tubular connecting portion (4) to a first fluid- resistant sheet (6), and connecting a second interface region (7) of the tubular connecting portion (4) to a second fluid-resistant sheet (8).
  • the step of connecting may be performed using an adhesive or by welding.
  • the method includes the further step of connecting the first textile sheet (6) directly to the second textile sheet (8), wherein the direct connection (13) between the first textile sheet and the second textile sheet is arranged on an internal facing side of the seam (B) and the connecting portion (4) is arranged on an opposite fluid facing side of the seam (A).
  • the flexible fluid-resistant or impermeable seam (3) may be incorporated in a medical garment or drape, a garment for use by military personnel or police officers, outerwear or shelter for hikers and adventurers, or the like. It will be understood that the textile article is suitable for use in any flexible fluid-resistant seam structure.
  • the textile sheets may be formed from a laminated textile such as polyurethane laminated polyester. It is understood that other fluid-resistant and fluid- impervious materials may also be used.
  • a flexible, fluid resistant or impervious tubular component (4) is acquired in a preformed state, particularly with such formation having been achieved through such methods as extrusion, whereby the component has no internal joins or penetrations through which fluid may transfer.
  • the flexibility of the tube should be sufficient for flattening the tube when welding it to the materials to be joined, and for bending around internal and external seam curves without gathering of the tube’s material within the width of curved weld lines.
  • the weldable surfaces of the flattened tube are placed between the weldable surfaces of the materials or material edges to be joined (6, 8).
  • the weldable surfaces are positioned so that approximately half or more of the flattened flexible tubular component lies beyond the weld line towards the fluid facing side of the seam. This ensures that there will be sufficient slack in the fluid facing portion of the flexible tubular component of the seam, so that when fluid pressure is applied and tension expands the seam, the tension is ultimately resisted by a lap- seam structure rather than a levered “prayer” seam structure, as explained further below.
  • the formed seam can be expanded as shown in Figure 2.
  • the seam also expands like this when exposed to fluid pressure from outside the seam structure.
  • the key aspect of the opened seam shape that yields its high fluid resistance is the lapping of the welded materials to the material of the flattened flexible tubular seam component. This translates the levered peel force of a standard “prayer” seam structure into an unlevered lateral tension across a strong lap seam structure.
  • the flexible tubular component may be formed by methods that result in joins and/or penetrations within the tubular component to the extent that they are carefully placed between the fluid-resistant or impervious seam seals to be formed by controllable welding or adhesive application.
  • the tubular component (10) may be formed by folding a strip of flexible fluid-resistant or impermeable material down its central axis and then sewing its lengthwise edges together, as shown in Figure 3. This method may be selected, for example, for fabric that is not weldable on one side.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Multi-Layer Textile Fabrics (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un article textile résistant aux fluides et un procédé de fabrication d'un article textile résistant aux fluides. L'article est formé à partir d'un textile ayant une couche imperméable externe et une couche interne. Des coutures sont formées dans le textile à l'aide d'un soudage pour former l'article. L'invention concerne également des coutures résistantes aux fluides et des procédés de fabrication d'une couture résistante aux fluides.
PCT/AU2021/050722 2020-07-07 2021-07-06 Article textile résistant aux fluides et couture WO2022006627A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2020902334 2020-07-07
AU2020902334A AU2020902334A0 (en) 2020-07-07 Fluid-resistant textile article
AU2020903148A AU2020903148A0 (en) 2020-09-03 Fluid-resistant textile article
AU2020903148 2020-09-03
AU2021203785 2021-06-08
AU2021203785 2021-06-08
AU2021204310 2021-06-24
AU2021204310A AU2021204310A1 (en) 2021-06-08 2021-06-24 Fluid resistant textile seams

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WO2022006627A1 true WO2022006627A1 (fr) 2022-01-13

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040040640A1 (en) * 2000-09-22 2004-03-04 Bordes Y. A. Method for making an article and a textile laminate therefor
US20060165939A1 (en) * 2003-06-27 2006-07-27 Martin Hottner Welded microseam
US20090282602A1 (en) * 2008-05-19 2009-11-19 The Orvis Company, Inc. Waterproof breathable fishing wader
WO2015087053A1 (fr) * 2013-12-12 2015-06-18 Sealskinz Limited Procédé pour fabriquer un vêtement étanche à l'eau mais perméable à l'air
US20190125018A1 (en) * 2016-04-13 2019-05-02 Lk International Ag Flat-knitted outdoor clothing and method for manufacturing same

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040040640A1 (en) * 2000-09-22 2004-03-04 Bordes Y. A. Method for making an article and a textile laminate therefor
US20060165939A1 (en) * 2003-06-27 2006-07-27 Martin Hottner Welded microseam
US20090282602A1 (en) * 2008-05-19 2009-11-19 The Orvis Company, Inc. Waterproof breathable fishing wader
WO2015087053A1 (fr) * 2013-12-12 2015-06-18 Sealskinz Limited Procédé pour fabriquer un vêtement étanche à l'eau mais perméable à l'air
US20190125018A1 (en) * 2016-04-13 2019-05-02 Lk International Ag Flat-knitted outdoor clothing and method for manufacturing same

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