CN109788815B - Thermal insulating and breathable garment formed using sections of nonwoven polymeric material - Google Patents

Abstract

Aspects herein provide a method (1000) of manufacturing a ventilated insulation garment (700) using sections of nonwoven polymeric material and a garment (500) produced thereby. The method (1000) generally includes positioning a section of nonwoven polymeric material (112) between two textile layers (110, 114), and bonding the two textile layers (110, 114) together at a region adjacent to the section of nonwoven polymeric material (112) to form a seam (722, 724). The seams (722, 724) may optionally be perforated.

Description

Thermal insulating and breathable garment formed using sections of nonwoven polymeric material

Technical Field

Aspects herein relate to an insulated ventilated garment (insulated ventilated garment) and a method of manufacturing an insulated ventilated garment.

The present document relates to the following aspects:

1) a method of making an insulating garment, the method comprising:

providing a sheet of a first material;

providing a sheet of a second material;

providing a section of insulating fill material;

positioning said insulating fill material section on said first sheet of material;

positioning said second sheet of material such that said insulating fill material section is between said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material;

securing the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material at one or more areas adjacent to the insulating fill material section; and

forming said thermal garment using at least said first and second sheets of material.

2) The method of claim 1), wherein the step of securing includes applying adhesive to an inwardly facing surface of at least one of the first and second sheets of material at the one or more areas adjacent to the insulating fill material section.

3) The method of claim 2), wherein the applied adhesive is activated by one of thermal energy or ultrasonic energy.

4) The method of claim 1), wherein the insulating fill material section is positioned on the first sheet of material by attaching the insulating fill material section to the first sheet of material along a peripheral edge thereof.

5) The method of claim 1), further comprising perforating the one or more areas adjacent to the insulating fill material section to form a plurality of perforations on the one or more areas, the plurality of perforations extending through the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material in the one or more areas.

6) The method of claim 1), wherein one or more of said first and second sheets of material are formed from a knitted textile.

7) The method of claim 1), wherein one or more of said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material are formed from a woven textile.

8) A garment, comprising: at least a first garment panel, the first garment panel comprising:

inner sheet stock;

outer sheet stock;

a first insulating fill material section interposed between said inner and outer sheet stock; and

at least a first seam joining said inner sheet material to said outer sheet material at a first area adjacent to said first insulating fill material section.

9) The garment of claim 8), further comprising at least a second seam joining the inner panel to the outer panel at a second area adjacent to the first insulating filler material section, wherein the first seam is spaced apart from and not connected to the second seam.

10) The garment of claim 9), wherein the first seam and the second seam define an open-ended chamber containing the first insulating fill material section.

11) The garment of claim 8), wherein the garment comprises one or more additional sections of insulating filler material between the inner and outer panels.

12) The garment of claim 8), wherein said first seam joining said inner panel to said outer panel is formed with an adhesive activated by application of energy.

13) The garment of claim 12), wherein the first seam is reinforced by stitching.

14) The garment of claim 8), wherein at least one of said inner and outer panels is formed of a knitted textile.

15) The garment of claim 8), wherein at least one of said inner and outer panels is formed of a woven textile.

16) A garment, comprising: at least a first sheet of material, said first sheet of material comprising:

inner sheet stock;

outer sheet stock;

an insulating fill material section interposed between said inner and outer sheet stock;

a first seam joining said inner sheet material to said outer sheet material at a first area adjacent to said insulating fill material section; and

a second seam joining said inner sheet material to said outer sheet material at a second area adjacent to said insulating fill material section, said first seam and said second seam defining an open-ended chamber containing said insulating fill material section.

17) The garment of claim 16), further comprising a plurality of perforations on at least said first seam, said plurality of perforations extending through said first seam and through said inner and outer panels.

18) The garment of claim 16), further comprising at least a second sheet of material, said second sheet of material comprising a single layer of material.

19) The garment of claim 18), wherein the garment comprises a pair of pants having a torso portion, a first leg portion, and a second leg portion, and wherein the first sheet of material is positioned on at least an upper front face of the first leg portion and the second leg portion.

20) The garment of claim 18), wherein the garment comprises a shirt having a torso portion, a first sleeve portion, and a second sleeve portion, and wherein the first sheet of material is positioned on at least a front face of the torso portion.

Background

Conventional methods of making thermal garments include making a chamber by, for example, sewing together pieces of material to form the chamber and blowing down or other synthetic fibers into the chamber. This usually requires specialized machinery and can be confusing. In addition, conventional thermal garments may trap moisture generated by the wearer, which may cause discomfort to the wearer.

Brief Description of Drawings

Examples of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

fig. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a first exemplary structure of an insulating and venting garment according to aspects herein;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top perspective view (top perspective view) of structural details of the first exemplary structure of FIG. 1, in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 3 illustrates a top perspective view of the first example structure of fig. 1 when in an assembled state, in accordance with aspects herein;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along cut line 4-4 of FIG. 3, in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 5-6 illustrate front and rear views, respectively, of an example thermal ventilation garment formed using, for example, the first example structure of fig. 1, in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 7-8 illustrate front and rear views, respectively, of an example thermal and ventilation garment formed, for example, using the first example structure of fig. 1, in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 9A-9B illustrate exemplary patterns of seams (seams) according to aspects herein;

fig. 10 illustrates a flow diagram of an exemplary method of forming a thermal ventilation garment in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 11 illustrates an exploded view of a second exemplary structure of an insulating and venting garment according to aspects herein;

fig. 12A illustrates a top perspective view of a structural detail of the second example structure of fig. 11, in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 12B illustrates a top perspective view of the second example structure of fig. 11 in an assembled state, in accordance with aspects hereof;

FIG. 13 illustrates an alternative structure of a second example structure in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 14 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along cut line 14-14 of fig. 12B, in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 15 illustrates a front view of an example thermal ventilation garment formed, for example, using the second example structure of fig. 11, in accordance with aspects hereof;

fig. 16 illustrates a front view of an example thermal ventilation garment formed, for example, using the second example structure of fig. 11, in accordance with aspects hereof; and

fig. 17 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method of forming an insulating and venting garment in accordance with aspects herein.

Detailed description of the invention

The subject matter of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed or disclosed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Moreover, although the terms "step" and/or "block" may be used herein to connote different elements of methods employed, the terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly stated.

Aspects herein relate generally to methods of constructing thermal and ventilation garments and garments formed by the methods. Methods of constructing the thermal ventilation garment may utilize non-woven polymer sheets (non-woven polymer sheets) or sections of non-woven polymer material, rather than materials such as down or loose chemical fiber cotton (poly-fill fibers). As used throughout this disclosure, terms such as "nonwoven polymer sheet", "poly-fill sheet", "thermal insulating sheet material", and "thermal insulating fill sheet" may be used interchangeably herein. Further, as used throughout this disclosure, terms such as "nonwoven polymer material section," "chemical fiber cotton material section," "insulating sheet material section," and "insulating fill material section" may be used interchangeably herein. Due to the cohesive structure (coherent structure) of the nonwoven polymer sheet or nonwoven polymer material sections, in addition to being easier to use, the use of nonwoven polymer sheets or nonwoven polymer material sections imparts warmth to the finished garment. In addition, the nonwoven polymeric materials described herein are generally hypoallergenic (hypoallergenic), do not require special laundering, have short drying times, and still provide warmth even in a wet state. Nor do they require special handling or special machinery when forming the garment, which saves manufacturing costs.

In a first construction method utilizing a nonwoven polymer sheet, one or more selected portions of the nonwoven polymer sheet can be removed to create openings or void portions in the nonwoven polymer sheet. In alternative aspects, the nonwoven polymer may be formed with one or more openings or void portions. The nonwoven polymer sheet is positioned between a first sheet of material and a second sheet of material. The first sheet of material is secured or bonded to the second sheet of material in one or more areas corresponding to void portions in the nonwoven polymer sheet. In an alternative exemplary aspect, one or more perforations (perforations) may be formed in the bonding region, wherein the perforations extend through the first and second sheets of material. As described further below, the perforations may serve to allow moisture and/or excess heat generated by the wearer to escape from the interior of the garment. The first and second material panels may be at least partially used to form a garment.

The garment produced using the first method may include, for example, at least one garment panel having an inner panel and an outer panel. The nonwoven polymer sheet can be positioned between the inner and outer sheets, wherein the nonwoven polymer sheet can include a void portion (i.e., a portion from which the nonwoven polymer sheet is removed or absent). The garment may further comprise at least one seam joining the inner panel to the outer panel at an area corresponding to the void portion of the nonwoven polymer sheet. In various aspects, the garment may include a plurality of seams at regions corresponding to the void portions of the nonwoven polymeric sheet, wherein the seams may help define a plurality of chambers containing the nonwoven polymeric sheet. In an alternative aspect, the garment may further comprise one or more perforations located on the seam, wherein the perforations extend through the inner and outer panels.

In a second method of construction utilizing sections or strips of nonwoven polymeric material, the sections of nonwoven polymeric material can be positioned between a first sheet of material and a second sheet of material. The first material web is secured or bonded to the second material web in one or more regions adjacent to the section of nonwoven polymeric material. In an alternative exemplary aspect, perforations may be formed in the bonding areas, wherein the perforations extend through the first and second material webs.

The garment produced using the second construction method may comprise, for example, at least one garment panel having an inner panel and an outer panel. The section of nonwoven polymeric material may be positioned between the inner and outer sheets. The garment may further comprise one or more seams joining the inner panel to the outer panel at an area adjacent or next to the section of nonwoven polymeric material; the seam may define a chamber containing a section of the nonwoven polymeric material. In an alternative aspect, the perforations may extend through the seam such that they extend through the inner and outer panels.

Typically, the garments produced using the first and second construction methods are insulating and breathable. This can be advantageous for wearers who are performing physical activities, as these wearers often produce moisture in the form of perspiration. Cold weather still sweats and when the wearer wears a heat-insulating garment, the sweating may increase. By utilizing the perforations described herein, moisture can escape to the outside environment, thereby helping to maintain wearer comfort. Also, the internal temperature of the garment may be adjusted by facilitating heat transfer through the garment via the perforations.

Additional advantages may be obtained by using non-woven polymeric sheets and/or sections of non-woven polymeric material. Due to their non-woven structure, e.g. formed by entangling fibers or filaments, they are able to maintain a cohesive or integral structure, in contrast to e.g. loose chemical fibre cotton fibers and/or down. In this way, they allow the creation of chambers positioned vertically and/or diagonally on the garment. In other words, because the risk of material shifting is small (as opposed to, for example, down and/or loose chemical cotton fibers that do not have a cohesive structure), the chambers may take on an orientation that is different than a substantially discontinuous chamber having a horizontal orientation. Furthermore, the chamber may take on more organic or curvilinear shapes, as there is no need to blow down or loose chemical fiber cotton fibers into the chamber. It is known that it is often difficult to distribute down or loose chemical cotton fibers evenly into chambers that curve or deviate from the more traditional horizontally oriented chambers. In addition, the chambers described herein may be in the form of "open-ended" chambers, as there is no need to contain loose fill material. That is, the chambers described herein may include one or more sides or regions not defined by seam lines (seam lines), rather than traditional chambers bounded on all sides by seam lines to form closed chambers.

Accordingly, aspects herein provide a method of manufacturing an insulating garment, the method comprising providing a first sheet of material; providing a sheet of a second material; and providing an insulating fill sheet having one or more void portions. The insulating fill sheet is secured to at least the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material is positioned such that the insulating fill sheet is between the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material. The first sheet of material is attached to the second sheet of material in one or more areas corresponding to one or more void portions in the insulating fill sheet, and the garment is formed using at least the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material.

In another aspect, a garment is provided that includes at least a first garment panel. The first garment panel includes an inner panel, an outer panel, and an insulating filler sheet interposed between the inner panel and the outer panel, wherein the insulating filler sheet includes at least one void portion. The garment also includes at least one seam joining the inner panel to the outer panel at an area corresponding to the void portion of the insulating fill sheet, and a plurality of perforations located on the at least one seam, wherein the plurality of perforations extend through the at least one seam and through the inner and outer panels.

In yet another aspect, a garment is provided that includes at least a first garment panel. The first garment panel comprises an inner panel, an outer panel, and an insulating filler sheet interposed between the inner panel and the outer panel at the first region, wherein the insulating filler sheet comprises at least a first void portion and a second void portion. The garment also includes at least a first seam joining the inner panel to the outer panel at a first location corresponding to a first void portion of the insulating fill sheet, and at least a second seam joining the inner panel to the outer panel at a second location corresponding to a second void portion of the insulating fill sheet, wherein the first seam is spaced apart from and not connected to the second seam. In addition, the garment includes an open-ended chamber formed between the inner and outer panels and bounded by the first seam and the second seam, wherein the chamber contains at least a portion of the insulating filler sheet.

Aspects herein also provide a method of making a thermal garment. The method includes providing a first sheet of material, providing a second sheet of material, and providing a section of insulating fill material. The insulating fill material section is positioned on the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material is positioned such that the insulating fill material section is between the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material. The first sheet of material is secured to the second sheet of material at one or more areas adjacent the insulating fill material section, and the garment is formed using at least the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material.

In another aspect, a garment is provided. The garment includes at least a first garment panel including an inner panel, an outer panel, a first insulating fill material section between the inner and outer panels, and at least a first seam joining the inner panel to the outer panel at a first area adjacent the insulating fill material section.

In a further aspect, a garment is provided. The garment includes at least a first material panel including an inner panel, an outer panel, and a section of insulating fill material between the inner and outer panels. The garment also includes a first seam joining the inner panel to the outer panel at a first area adjacent the insulating fill material section and a second seam joining the inner panel to the outer panel at a second area adjacent the insulating fill material section. The first seam and the second seam define an open-ended chamber containing a section of insulating fill material.

As used throughout this disclosure, positional terms used when describing, for example, garments, such as "anterior," "posterior," "inferior," "upper," "lateral," "medial," and the like, will be given their ordinary meaning with respect to garments intended to be worn by an imaginary wearer standing in an anatomical position. Unless otherwise specified, terms such as "attached," "coupled," "secured," and the like may mean that two or more elements are releasably attached together using, for example, structural differences between the elements, releasable adhesives, snaps, buttons, hook and loop fasteners, and the like. These terms may also mean that two or more elements are permanently attached together using, for example, stitching, bonding, adhesives, welding, and the like. Unless otherwise specified, terms such as "proximate" or "adjacent" may mean in the range of 0cm to 5.0cm of a specified reference point.

First exemplary construction method and garment produced thereby

Aspects herein contemplate a method of forming a thermal ventilation garment using a nonwoven polymer sheet, such as a thermal insulating chemical fiber cotton sheet. Aspects herein also contemplate an insulating and breathable garment formed using a nonwoven polymer sheet. As used throughout this disclosure, the term "non-woven" may be defined as a mat-like or sheet-like structure formed by entangling fibers or filaments of material. In exemplary aspects, the nonwoven polymer sheet may comprise a single layer or multiple layers. Further, in an exemplary aspect, the polymeric material may comprise polyester fibers or filaments. Nonwoven polymer sheets are generally lightweight, yet provide good thermal insulation due to the entrapment of hot air (healed air) between the entangled fibers.

Turning now to fig. 1, an exploded view of a first exemplary structure of an insulating and venting garment is provided in accordance with aspects herein. The exemplary structure 100 includes at least a first flexible textile layer 110, a non-woven polymer sheet 112, and a second flexible textile layer 114. In various aspects, the first textile layer 110 can comprise an inward-facing layer of a garment (i.e., a layer configured to face toward a body surface of a wearer when the garment is worn), and the second textile layer 114 can comprise an outward-facing layer of a garment (i.e., a layer configured to face away from a body surface of a wearer and toward an external environment when the garment is worn). The first textile layer can include a first surface 116 and an opposing second surface 118, wherein the second surface 118 is configured to face a body surface of a wearer when the garment is worn. The second textile layer 114 can include a third surface 124 and an opposite fourth surface 126, wherein the third surface 124 is configured to face the external environment when the garment is worn.

In an exemplary aspect, the first textile layer 110 and the second textile layer 114 can comprise a knit, woven, or non-woven textile. Further, the first textile layer 110 may be formed of the same material (e.g., a knitted or woven material) as the second textile layer 114, or layers 110 and 114 may be formed of different materials (i.e., the first textile layer 110 may be a knitted material and the second textile layer 114 may be a woven material, or vice versa). In an exemplary aspect, one or more of the layers 110 and/or 114 may be treated with a durable water repellant treatment (DWR) to render the resulting garment substantially impervious to water. For example, since the second textile layer 114 is an outward facing layer, it may be treated with DWR finishing (a DWR finish). Further, it is contemplated herein that first textile layer 110 may be surface finished to provide a soft feel or hand to enhance the comfort of the wearer because first textile layer 100 is configured to potentially contact the wearer's body surface when the garment is worn. For example, the first textile layer 110 may be brushed to impart a soft feel to the first textile layer 110. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

It is also contemplated herein that one or more of the first textile layer 110 and/or the second textile layer 114 may be formed from fabrics (fabrics) having different weights. For example, layers 110 and/or 114 may be formed ofLight fabric (89 g/m)²To 30g/m²) Or even ultra-light fabrics (29 g/m)²Or lighter) to form. However, according to aspects herein, heavier weight fabrics are contemplated herein, such as weights at 90g/m²To 149g/m²Or even 150g/m²To 250g/m²Or higher range fabrics may be used for layers 110 and/or 114.

A non-woven polymer sheet 112 is shown positioned between the first and second textile layers 110, 114. It is contemplated herein that the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112 can include any number of different weights. Next, the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112 includes a fifth surface 120 and an opposite sixth surface 122. In the structure 100, the fifth surface 120 is positioned adjacent the fourth surface 126 of the second textile layer 114, and in the structure 100, the sixth surface 122 is positioned adjacent the first surface 116 of the first textile layer 110.

The nonwoven polymer sheet 112 is shown with a portion removed to form an opening or void portion 132. In exemplary aspects, this can be accomplished using a mechanical cutting process, ultrasonic cutting, laser cutting, water jet cutting, or the like to form void portions 132 in the nonwoven polymer sheet 112. In an alternative exemplary aspect, the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 may be preformed with the void portions 132. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document. Although only one void portion 132 is shown, it is contemplated herein that the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112 may include a plurality of void portions. Further, it is contemplated herein that void portion 132 may include any number of different lengths and may have different shapes, such as curvilinear shapes or organic shapes (organic flaps). Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

The structure 100 depicted in fig. 1 also includes a first adhesive material 128 and a second adhesive material 130. In an exemplary aspect, the first adhesive material 128 and the second adhesive material 130 can comprise an adhesive tape formed to have a shape corresponding to the shape of the void portion 132 of the non-woven polymeric sheet 112. The first adhesive material 128 and the second adhesive material 130 can be used to secure or bond the first textile layer 110 to the second textile layer 114 at the void portions 132 of the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112. For example, the first adhesive material 128 can be positioned on the first textile layer 110 and the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112 can be positioned on the first textile layer 110 such that the void portions 132 are axially aligned with the first adhesive material 128. The second adhesive material 130 may also be positioned such that it is axially aligned with the void portion 132, and the second textile layer 114 may be positioned adjacent to the first textile layer 110. The two layers 110 and 114 may then be pressed together with sufficient force and/or energy applied in the area generally corresponding to the void portion 132 to activate the adhesive materials 128 and 130, thereby creating a bond between the two layers 110 and 114. The adhesive materials 128 and 130 may be activated by, for example, heat, or ultrasonic energy, or any other type of applied energy. By removing portions of the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 at the area where the first and second textile layers 110, 114 are joined, a stronger bond can be formed.

Once the first textile layer 110 and the second textile layer 114 are bonded together, a seam is formed at the bonded area. In other words, a seam is formed at the void portion 132 of the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112, as will be discussed further below. It is contemplated herein that only one of the adhesive materials 128 or 130 may be used herein to attach the first textile layer 110 to the second textile layer 114. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

The structure 100 also includes one or more optional perforations 134. In an exemplary aspect, perforations 134 are made through the second textile layer 114 and the first textile layer 110 in areas corresponding to the void portions 132. In other words, the perforations 134 are formed at the seam area created when the first textile layer 110 is attached or bonded to the second textile layer 114 at the void portion 132 of the nonwoven polymer sheet 112. Perforations 134 may be formed using, for example, a mechanical cutting process, a knitting or weaving process, laser cutting, water jet cutting, ultrasonic cutting, or the like. As discussed above, the perforations 134 can be used to allow moisture or excess heat generated by the wearer to exit the garment.

Turning now to fig. 2, generally indicated by numeral 200, a top perspective view of a portion of the structure 100 according to aspects herein is shown that includes a nonwoven polymer sheet 112 positioned on the first surface 116 of the first textile layer 110. As described above, the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 may be secured to the first textile layer 110 prior to attaching the first textile layer 110 to the second textile layer 114 at the void portion 132 of the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 to prevent the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 from shifting during operation of the structure 100. For example, the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 may be secured to the first textile layer 110 by sewing or attaching (tacking) the perimeter edges defining the void portion 132 to the first textile layer 110. This is indicated by reference numeral 210. Other methods of securing the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 to the first textile layer 110 are contemplated herein, such as using adhesives, bonding processes, spot welding, melting processes, and the like. Further, although shown secured to the first textile layer 110, it is contemplated herein that the non-woven polymer sheet 112 may alternatively be secured to the second textile layer 114 or to both the first and second textile layers 110, 114.

Fig. 3 illustrates a top perspective view of the structure 100 in an assembled state, in accordance with aspects herein; as shown, the second textile layer 114 is positioned adjacent the first textile layer 110 such that the third surface 124 of the second textile layer 114 is exposed. A non-woven polymer sheet 112 is positioned between the first textile layer 110 and the second textile layer 114. The void portion 132 of the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112 is indicated by dashed lines. As described above, the first textile layer 110 is secured or bonded to the second textile layer 114 at the void portion 132 to form the seam 310. Perforations 134 extend through seam 310. In other words, in accordance with aspects herein, perforations 134 extend through first textile layer 110 and second textile layer 114 at seam 310.

A cross-sectional view of the structure 100 taken along cut line 4-4 of fig. 3 is illustrated in fig. 4, in accordance with aspects hereof. Because the seam 310 is positioned at a location corresponding to the void portion 132 of the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112, the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112 is not present in the seam 310. However, all three layers, the first textile layer 110, the nonwoven polymer sheet 112, and the second textile layer 114, are present in the area adjacent to the seam 310. As further shown in fig. 4, perforations 134 extend through first textile layer 110 and second textile layer 114 at seam 310. As used throughout this disclosure, the portion of the structure 100 that includes the first textile layer 110, the nonwoven polymer sheet 112, and the second textile layer 114 may be referred to as a chamber. For example, reference numeral 410 may indicate a first chamber and reference numeral 412 may indicate a second chamber, wherein the first chamber 410 may be demarcated or separated from the second chamber 412 by a seam 310.

Turning now to fig. 5 and 6, front and back views, respectively, of a garment 500 having a structure 100 according to aspects herein are shown. Garment 500 is shown in the form of a coat, however it is contemplated herein that garment 500 may take other forms, such as a shirt, pullover, vest, pants, shorts, full body suits (body unit), socks, hats, shoes, and the like. The garment 500 includes a torso portion 510, the torso portion 510 being configured to cover a front torso and a rear torso of a wearer when the garment 500 is in an as-worn configuration. Torso portion 510 may include an optional releasable fastener mechanism 522, such as a zipper for opening and closing garment 500. Torso portion 510 defines at least a neck opening 516, a waist opening 518, and first and second sleeve openings (not shown). The neck opening 516, in turn, can be defined by a collar portion (collar portion)520 of the garment 500. The garment may optionally include a first sleeve portion 512 extending from torso portion 510 at a first sleeve opening, and a second sleeve portion 514 extending from torso portion 510 at a second sleeve opening.

Some or all of garment 500 may include structure 100 described with reference to fig. 1-4. For example, it is contemplated herein that the entire torso portion 510, including the collar portion 520, may be formed from the construct 100. In some aspects, first sleeve portion 512 and second sleeve portion 514 may also be formed from structure 100.

It is also contemplated herein that the structure 100 may be used on only a portion of the garment 500. For example, the garment 500 may be partitioned into different regions, such as regions requiring high, medium, and low amounts of insulation. In an exemplary aspect, the partitions may be based on heat or sweat maps (heat or sweat maps) of the human body. Areas requiring high insulation may include, for example, first sleeve portion 512 and second sleeve portion 514. The areas requiring a medium to low amount of insulation may include, for example, the front of torso portion 510, and the areas requiring a medium to low amount of insulation may include, for example, the back of torso portion 510. These locations are merely exemplary, and it is contemplated herein that garment 500 may be zoned in different ways.

Next, areas requiring high insulation may be formed from the structure 100, but the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 in these areas may not include void portions. In contrast, a continuous large area (continuous) of nonwoven polymer sheet 112 may be positioned between the first 110 and second 114 textile layers to provide a higher level of thermal insulation. Accordingly, it is contemplated herein that areas requiring higher insulation may not include seams, such as seam 310, and may not include perforations, such as perforation 134.

Areas requiring an intermediate amount of insulation may be formed from the structure 100 in which the nonwoven polymer sheet 112 includes a void portion, and the first and second textile layers 110, 114 are bonded together at locations corresponding to the void portion to create one or more seams. By having void portions in these regions, a lower amount of insulation can be achieved compared to nonwoven polymer sheets having continuous large areas. Perforations, such as perforations 134, may be formed on some or all of the seams to impart increased permeability (permeability) and breathability to the garment 500 in these areas.

Regions requiring low amounts of thermal insulation may also be formed from the structure 100. In exemplary aspects, an increased number of seams may be formed in these areas, and/or a greater number of seams may include perforations to achieve a higher level of permeability and breathability. Alternatively, a region requiring a low heat insulating amount may also be formed without using the structure 100. For example, these areas may not comprise the nonwoven polymer sheet 112, but may comprise only the first and second textile layers 110, 114, only one of the layers 110 or 114, or they may comprise different textiles, such as, for example, mesh materials for greater permeability and breathability. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

With particular reference to the garment 500 shown in fig. 5, the garment 500 includes a plurality of seams, where a seam represents an area where the first textile layer 110 is bonded or secured to the second textile layer 114 at the void portions of the nonwoven polymer sheet 112. For example, seam 528 may be located on the front face (front aspect) of the torso portion 510 at a first lateral side of the torso portion 510, seam 536 may be located on the front face of the torso portion 510 at an opposite second lateral side of the torso portion 510, and seams 524 and 526 may be located on the front face of the collar portion 520. Although the seams 526, 528, and 536 are shown as being perforated, it is contemplated herein that one or more of the seams 526, 528, and 536 may not be perforated.

A close-up of perforation 531 located over seam 536 is shown in fig. 5. In an exemplary aspect, perforations 531 can comprise many different shapes and sizes. As shown, perforations 531 may comprise an alternating pattern of larger sized perforations and smaller sized perforations. Further, perforations 531 may extend continuously along seam 536 as shown, or perforations 531 may be placed intermittently along seam 536. As further shown in the close-up view of seam 536, seam 536 may optionally be reinforced with stitching 532. Stitching 532 may be along one edge of seam 536 or along both edges of seam 536. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

Seams 524 and 526 on the collar portion 520 of the garment 500 include perforated seams and unperforated seams. For example, seam 524 is unperforated and seam 526 is perforated. The seam having perforations and the unperforated seam at the collar portion 520 may help provide a moderate amount of insulation while still imparting breathable and permeable characteristics to the collar portion 520.

The back portion of the garment 500 as shown in fig. 6 may include a different pattern of seams than the front portion of the garment 500. For example, seam 618 may be located on a first lateral side of the back portion of torso portion 510, seam 620 may be located on an opposite second lateral side of the back portion of torso portion 510, and another set of seams 612 and 614 may be located in the upper center of the back portion of torso portion 510. The seam 610 may also be located on the collar portion 520. Some or all of the seams 610, 612, 614, 618, or 620 may be perforated similar to the seams located on the front of the torso portion 510.

In an exemplary aspect, an open-ended chamber may be formed between adjacent seams. For example, referring to fig. 6, an open-ended chamber 616 may be formed between seam 612 and seam 614. Chamber 616 is bounded along two sides by seams 612 and 614, but is not bounded or open at each opposing end. Due to the cohesive or unitary structure of the nonwoven polymer sheet 112, open-ended chambers, such as chamber 616, may be created. In other words, the polymeric sheet 112 need not be enclosed in, for example, a four-sided chamber (down-sized chamber) due to the non-woven structure of the polymeric sheet 112, as opposed to, for example, loose fill or down that could escape from the chamber if not enclosed. In addition, the use of nonwoven polymer sheet 112 can create chambers, such as chamber 617, that are oriented vertically or diagonally on garment 500. Using vertically or diagonally oriented chambers with, for example, loose fill or down may be challenging because these materials have a tendency to sink due to gravity.

The seam patterns shown on the front and back of garment 500 are merely exemplary, and it is contemplated herein that different seam patterns may be used in accordance with aspects herein. Additionally, it is contemplated that when structure 100 is used to form arm portions 512 and 514, seams may exist on arm portions 512 and 514. The perforation patterns shown in association with the seams on garment 500 are also exemplary, and it is contemplated herein that different perforation patterns may be used in accordance with aspects herein. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

Fig. 7 and 8 illustrate front and back views, respectively, of a garment 700 also formed using a structure 100 according to aspects herein. Garment 700 is in the form of shorts, although it is contemplated herein that garment 700 may be in the form of pants, jeans, kapri pants, tights (tights), and the like. Garment 700 includes a torso portion 710, a first leg portion 712, and a second leg portion 714, the torso portion 710 adapted to cover a lower torso of a wearer when garment 700 is worn. Torso portion 710, along with first leg portion 712 and second leg portion 714, help to at least partially define a waist opening 716, a first leg opening 718, and a second leg opening 720.

Similar to garment 500, garment 700 may be configured to provide different levels of insulation on different portions of garment 700. This may be based on the heat or sweat pattern of the human body. For example, a greater amount of insulation may be required in the area of garment 700 adapted to cover the front thigh area of the wearer, and a lower amount of insulation may be required on the back of torso portion 710 of garment 700. As such, the structure on different portions of the garment 700 may be different to include nonwoven polymer sheets without void portions, nonwoven polymer sheets with void portions and perforations, and/or portions of the garment 700 that do not include nonwoven polymer sheets.

As stated, the garment 700 may be formed from the structure 100. As such, some or all of the garment 700 may include a first textile layer 110, a nonwoven polymer sheet 112, and a second textile layer 114. One or more portions of the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112 may be removed to form void portions, such as void portion 132 in fig. 1. Referring to fig. 7, seams 722 and 724 may be formed in areas corresponding to void portions of the nonwoven polymer sheet 112. In an exemplary aspect, seam 722 may be located on the front face of first leg portion 712, and seam 724 may be located on the front face of second leg portion 714. Although seams 722 and 724 are shown as including perforations, it is contemplated herein that one or more of seams 722 and/or 724 may not include perforations. Both seams 722 and 724 are shown in a near vertical orientation, however other orientations are contemplated herein.

Referring to fig. 8, which depicts a rear view of garment 700, garment 700 may further include seam 810 on the rear face of second leg portion 714 at the rear knee region (posteror knee region), and seam 812 on the rear face of first leg portion 712 at the rear knee region. The seam 814 may also be located on the rear face (posteroir aspect) of the torso portion 710 adjacent the waist opening 716. As shown, some of the seams 810, 812, and 814 are perforated, while some are not.

The placement and pattern of seams on garment 700 is merely exemplary, and other patterns are contemplated herein. Moreover, the perforation pattern of the illustrated garment 700 is merely exemplary, and other perforation patterns are contemplated herein. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope herein.

The seams of the illustrated garments 500 and 700 are shown as being substantially linear. However, it is contemplated that the seams described herein may take on a more organic or curvilinear shape. Fig. 9A and 9B illustrate this aspect. For example, the seam 910 in fig. 9A includes an undulating form, while the seam 912 in fig. 9B includes nearly circular features. Seam 912 may define at least a portion of the chamber. As shown, an organic or curvilinear seam pattern may be used to define, for example, a chamber that also has a more organic or curvilinear shape than a more conventional horizontally oriented straight-edge chamber. In this aspect, the chamber 913 is bounded by a seam line and may have an open end. Fig. 9A and 9B further illustrate perforations located on seams 910 and 912.

Turning now to fig. 10, a flow diagram depicting an exemplary method 1000 of forming a thermal ventilation garment using a nonwoven polymer sheet or an insulating filler sheet is provided, in accordance with aspects herein. In step 1010, a first sheet of material, such as the first textile layer 110, is provided, and in step 1012, a second sheet of material, such as the second textile layer 114, is provided. In an exemplary aspect, the first and second material webs may comprise flexible knitted, woven or non-woven textiles.

In step 1014, an insulating fill sheet, such as a nonwoven polymeric sheet 112, is provided, wherein the insulating fill sheet includes one or more void portions or openings, each void portion or opening bounded by a peripheral edge. In one exemplary aspect, the void portion can be formed by removing selected portions of the insulating fill sheet using, for example, a mechanical cutting process, laser jet cutting, water jet cutting, ultrasonic cutting, or the like. The portion removed from the insulating fill sheet can be based on, for example, a predetermined pattern. In an alternative exemplary aspect, the insulating fill sheet may be preformed to have a void portion.

In step 1016, the insulating fill sheet is secured to one or more of the first and/or second sheets of material. In an exemplary aspect, this may occur by, for example, attaching or sewing the peripheral edge defining each of the openings or void portions to the first and/or second sheets of material. Other ways of securing the insulating fill sheet to the first and/or second material sheets are contemplated herein, such as using adhesives, bonding, spot welding, and the like.

In step 1018, a sheet of first material and a sheet of second material are positioned adjacent to each other such that the insulating fill sheet is interposed between the first sheet and the second sheet. In step 1020, the first and second sheets of material are secured to each other in areas corresponding to openings or void portions in the insulating fill sheet to form seams. In an exemplary aspect, this may be accomplished by providing an adhesive material, such as an adhesive sheet, that is formed (e.g., cut) to have a shape that corresponds to the shape of the opening in the insulating fill sheet. The adhesive material is positioned between the first and second sheets of material such that it is aligned with the respective openings or void portions in the insulating fill sheet. The adhesive material is activated by applying, for example, heat, light, ultrasound, pressure, etc. in the area corresponding to the opening to bond the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material. Similar processes are contemplated for each of the openings or void portions formed in the insulating fill sheet. In step 1022, a garment is formed using at least the bonded assembly (bonded assembly) described above.

Additional method steps are contemplated herein. For example, in addition to the insulating properties provided by using an insulating filler sheet, perforations may be formed through some or all of the seams to impart breathability properties to the garment. It is also contemplated herein that the seam formed in the area corresponding to the opening or void portion in the insulating fill sheet may be reinforced by stitching. The list of method steps 1000 is merely exemplary, and it is contemplated herein that these steps may be performed in other sequences unless otherwise specified.

Another exemplary construction method contemplated herein includes the use of a nonwoven polymeric sheet having no void portions. In other words, the nonwoven polymeric sheet includes a continuous expanse of material without openings or void portions formed therein. The nonwoven polymer sheet is positioned between a first textile layer and a second textile layer, such as first textile layer 110 and second textile layer 114 of fig. 1. However, rather than bonding the first and second layers directly together at the void portions of the nonwoven polymer sheet, as described with reference to structure 100, the first and second textile layers and the nonwoven polymer sheet are bonded together in one or more areas to form a seam. In this regard, the material for the nonwoven polymeric sheet can be selected such that it melts and/or acts as an adhesive when activated by, for example, heat or energy application. It is further contemplated herein that additional binder materials may be used to further enhance the bonding between the first and second textile layers and the nonwoven polymeric sheet. Thus, in this aspect, the seam area will comprise the first textile layer, the nonwoven polymeric sheet, and the second textile layer. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

As described, aspects herein relate to a method of forming a thermal ventilation garment using a nonwoven polymer sheet (such as a thermal insulating chemical cotton sheet). Aspects herein also relate to an insulating and breathable garment formed using the nonwoven polymer sheet. The use of nonwoven polymer sheets provides an economical and efficient method of manufacture, and garments manufactured using this type of structure may include organic or curvilinear chambers that may be positioned on the garment to provide targeted insulation and ventilation features.

Second exemplary construction method and garment produced thereby

Aspects herein also contemplate a method of forming an insulating and venting garment using sections or strips of a nonwoven polymeric material. Aspects herein also contemplate an insulating and venting garment formed using sections or strips of non-woven polymeric material. As used throughout this disclosure, the term "strip" or "section" of nonwoven polymeric material may be defined as a discrete or non-continuous portion of nonwoven polymeric material used in the construction of garments, wherein adjacent discrete sections of nonwoven polymeric material may be separated by seams, as described below. In some aspects, the section may take the form of a narrow sheet of non-woven polymeric material (e.g., a sheet having a width less than its length), which is referred to hereinafter as a "strip" of non-woven polymeric material. However, it is contemplated herein that the term "section" may also encompass other geometric shapes, such as square sheets of nonwoven polymeric material, rectangular sheets of nonwoven polymeric material, round or triangular sheets of nonwoven polymeric material, curved or organically shaped sheets of nonwoven polymeric material, and the like. Similar to the above, when the section of nonwoven polymeric material is incorporated into a garment, the section of nonwoven polymeric material can provide good insulation while still being lightweight, as heated air is trapped between the entangled fibers.

Turning now to fig. 11, in accordance with aspects herein, an exploded view of a second exemplary structure 1100 of an insulating and venting garment is provided. The structure 1100 includes a first flexible textile layer 1110, a second flexible textile layer 1114, and a section 1112 of non-woven polymeric material. In an exemplary aspect, the first textile layer 1110 can include a first surface 1116 and an opposing second surface 1118, and the second textile layer 1114 can include a third surface 1120 and an opposing fourth surface 1122. When the structure 1100 is used in a garment, the third surface 1120 of the second textile layer 1114 can comprise an outward facing surface of a garment or garment panel, and the second surface 1118 of the first textile layer 1110 can comprise an inward facing surface of a garment or garment panel.

In an exemplary aspect, the first textile layer 1110 and the second textile layer 1114 may have similar pattern shapes. However, it is also contemplated herein that the first textile layer 1110 and the second textile layer 1114 can include different pattern shapes. For example, the first textile layer 1110 can have a pattern shape that includes a smaller surface area than the second textile layer 1114. To describe in a different manner, the first textile layer 1110 may be applied to the second textile layer 1114 at one or more areas of the second textile layer 1114 as sections or "patches". Accordingly, the insulation features described herein using first and second textile layers 1110, 1114 and non-woven polymeric material sections 1112 may be incorporated at one or more discrete portions of an article of apparel or apparel. This will be discussed further below with reference to fig. 13.

Similar to the structure 100, the first textile layer 1110 and the second textile layer 1114 can include a knitted, woven, or non-woven textile. Further, the first textile layer 1110 can be formed from the same material (e.g., a knitted or woven material) as the second textile layer 1114, or the layers 1110 and 1114 can be formed from different materials (i.e., the first textile layer 1110 can be a knitted material and the second textile layer 1114 can be a woven material, or vice versa). In an exemplary aspect, one or more of the layers 1110 and/or 1114 can be treated with a durable water repellant treatment (DWR) to render the resulting garment substantially water impermeable. For example, the second textile layer 1114, because it is the outward facing layer, may be treated with DWR surface finishing. In addition, the first textile layer 1110 may be surface finished such that it has a soft feel or hand. Finishing the surface may include, for example, napping second surface 1118 of first textile layer 1100. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the aspects herein.

It is also contemplated herein that one or more of the first textile layer 1110 and/or the second textile layer 1114 may be formed from fabrics having different weights. For example, layers 1110 and/or 1114 may be composed of a lightweight fabric (89 g/m)²To 30g/m²) Or even ultra-light fabrics (29 g/m)²Or lighter) to form. However, according to aspects herein, heavier weight fabrics are contemplated herein, such as weights at 90g/m²To 149g/m²Or even 150g/m²To 250g/m²Or higher range fabrics may be used for layers 1110 and/or 1114.

Non-woven polymeric material section 1112 is shown as having a curved ribbon-like shape. However, it is contemplated herein that the non-woven polymeric material sections 1112 may comprise different shapes as described above. A section of non-woven polymeric material 1112 is also shown positioned between the first textile layer 1110 and the second textile layer 1114. More specifically, the section of non-woven polymeric material 1112 is shown positioned between the first surface 1116 of the first textile layer 1110 and the fourth surface 1122 of the second textile layer 1114.

Similar to the nonwoven polymeric sheet 112 of fig. 1, the nonwoven polymeric material sections 1112 are contemplated as having a cohesive or unitary structure due to, for example, fiber entanglement used to form the nonwoven polymeric material sections 1112. In exemplary aspects, the sections of nonwoven polymeric material 1112 can be cut from the nonwoven polymeric sheet using, for example, a mechanical cutting process, laser cutting, ultrasonic cutting, water jet cutting, or the like. In other exemplary aspects, non-woven polymeric material sections 1112 can be formed having the shape shown. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

The structure 1100 also includes a first adhesive material 1124 and a second adhesive material 1126. In an exemplary aspect, the first adhesive material 1124 and the second adhesive material 1126 can comprise adhesive strips formed to have a shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the non-woven polymeric material segments 1112. First adhesive material 1124 and second adhesive material 1126 can be used to bond first textile layer 1110 to second textile layer 1114.

To assemble the structure 1100, the non-woven polymeric material section 1112 can be secured to the first surface 1116 of the first textile layer 1110, and the first adhesive material 1124 and the second adhesive material 1126 can be positioned adjacent the non-woven polymeric material section 1112 on the first surface 1116 of the first textile layer 1110. More specifically, the first adhesive material 1124 and the second adhesive material 1126 may be positioned on the first surface 1116 of the first textile layer 1110 adjacent the section of nonwoven polymeric material 1112 on opposite sides of the section of nonwoven polymeric material 1112. As used in this regard, the term "adjacent" may refer to within 0.0mm to 20.0mm from the edge of the nonwoven polymeric material section 1112. The fourth surface 1122 of the second textile layer 1114 may then be positioned adjacent to the first surface 1116 of the first textile layer 1110. The two layers 1110 and 1114 can be pressed together with sufficient force and/or energy applied in the areas generally corresponding to the adhesive materials 1124 and 1126 to activate the adhesive materials 1124 and 1126 and cause bonding between the two layers 1110 and 1114. The adhesive materials 1124 and 1126 may be activated by heat, or ultrasonic energy, or any other type of applied energy. In construction 1100, first textile layer 1110 and second textile layer 1114 are unattached or unbonded in the areas corresponding with sections 1112 of nonwoven polymer material.

Once the first and second textile layers 1110, 1114 are bonded together, a seam is formed at the bonded area. In other words, a seam is formed at the area corresponding to the first adhesive material 1124 and a seam is formed at the area corresponding to the second adhesive material 1126. It is contemplated herein that instead of positioning the first adhesive material 1124 and the second adhesive material 1126 adjacent the first textile layer 1110, the adhesive materials 1124 and 1126 may be positioned adjacent the second textile layer 1114. It is also contemplated herein that additional adhesive materials may be used to bond the first textile layer 1110 and the second textile layer 1114 together in areas adjacent to the non-woven polymeric material sections 1112. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

The structure 1100 also includes one or more optional perforations 1134 and 1136. In an exemplary aspect, perforations 1134 can be made through the second textile layer 1114 and the first textile layer 1110 in areas corresponding to the second adhesive material 1126, and perforations 1136 can be made through the second textile layer 1114 and the first textile layer 1110 in areas corresponding to the first adhesive material 1124. In other words, perforations 1134 are formed at the seam area created when first textile layer 1110 is attached or bonded to second textile layer 1114 using second adhesive material 1126. And perforations 1136 are formed at the seam area created when the first textile layer 1110 is attached or bonded to the second textile layer 1114 using the first adhesive material 1124. Perforations 1134 and 1136 may be formed using, for example, a mechanical cutting process, a knitting or weaving process, laser cutting, water jet cutting, ultrasonic cutting, and the like. As stated above, perforations 1134 and 1136 may be used to allow moisture or excess heat generated by the wearer to exit the garment.

Turning to fig. 12A, generally indicated by the numeral 1200, a top perspective view of a portion of a structure 1100 according to aspects herein is shown, the portion including a section 1112 of a non-woven polymeric material positioned on a first surface 1116 of a first textile layer 1110. As described above, the non-woven polymeric material sections 1112 can be secured to the first textile layer 1110 prior to attaching the first textile layer 1110 to the second textile layer 1114 using the first adhesive material 1124 and the second adhesive material 1126 to prevent displacement of the non-woven polymeric material sections 1112 during operation of the structure 1100. In one exemplary aspect, this can be accomplished by attaching or stitching the nonwoven polymeric material section 1112 along a perimeter edge of the nonwoven polymeric material section 1112 indicated by reference numeral 1210. However, other ways of securing the non-woven polymeric material sections 1112 to the first textile layer 1110 are contemplated herein, such as using adhesives, bonding, spot welding, and the like. It is also contemplated herein that instead of securing the section of non-woven polymeric material 1112 to the first textile layer 1110, it may be secured to the second textile layer 1114 or to both the first and second textile layers 1110, 1114. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

Fig. 12B illustrates a top perspective view of the structure 1100 in an assembled state, in accordance with aspects hereof. As shown, the second textile layer 1114 is positioned adjacent to the first textile layer 1110 such that a third surface 1120 of the second textile layer 1114 is exposed. A section of non-woven polymeric material 1112 is positioned between the first textile layer 1110 and the second textile layer 1114, as indicated by the dashed lines. As discussed, the first textile layer 1110 and the second textile layer 1114 are bonded or secured to each other at a first seam 1310 corresponding to the second adhesive material 1126 and a second seam 1312 corresponding to the first adhesive material 1124. It is contemplated herein that the first textile layer 1110 and the second textile layer 1114 may generally be unsecured or unattached to each other except at seams 1310 and 1312. Seams 1310 and 1312 are located adjacent to nonwoven polymeric material section 1112 and on opposite sides of nonwoven polymeric material section 1112 and help define a chamber 1314 containing nonwoven polymeric material section 1112. To describe in a different manner, the chamber 1314 is defined or bounded on at least two sides by seams 1310 and 1312, but may not be bounded by seams at the ends of the chamber 1314 (i.e., it is an open-ended chamber 1314). Due to the cohesive or monolithic structure of the non-woven polymeric material sections 1112, it is possible to form open-ended chambers (such as chamber 1314) as opposed to loose fill material that may need to be completely enclosed within the chamber to prevent migration.

Figure 12B further illustrates optional perforations 1134 and 1136. Perforations 1134 are positioned at first seam 1310 and extend through first and second textile layers 1110, 1114 in this area. Similarly, perforations 1136 are positioned at the second seam 1312 and extend through the first and second textile layers 1110, 1114 in this area.

As described above, it is contemplated herein that the first textile layer 1110 can have a different pattern shape than the second textile layer 1114 such that the first textile layer 1110 has a smaller surface area than the second textile layer 1114. This is illustrated in fig. 13, generally designated by the numeral 1300, which depicts a bottom perspective view of an alternative configuration of a structure 1100 in which a first textile layer 1110 has a different pattern shape than a second textile layer 1114. In this aspect, the first textile layer 1110 is bounded by perimeter edges 1352, 1354, 1356, and 1358, and the surface area of the first textile layer 1110 is less than the surface area of the second textile layer 1114. In addition to being secured to the second textile layer 1114 at bonded seams 1310 and 1312, the first textile layer 1110 may also be secured to the second textile layer 1114 along its perimeter edges 1352, 1354, 1356 and 1358. This may be by using adhesive seam tape (adhesive seam tape), bonding, stitching, welding, and the like. In an exemplary aspect, the remainder of the first textile layer 1110 can remain unattached to the second textile layer 1114.

The configuration shown in fig. 13 enables the formation of insulation and ventilation zones at portions of the garment formed using, for example, the second textile layer 1114. For example, the second textile layer 1114 can be used to form a garment such as a shirt. In areas where a higher amount of insulation is desired, sections of the first textile layer 1110 can be used to form the structure 1100 shown in fig. 11. By limiting the area in which the first textile layer 1110 is used, a lighter weight structure can be achieved while still having the desired insulation characteristics.

Next, in accordance with aspects hereof, a cross-sectional view of the structure 1100 taken along cut line 14-14 of fig. 12B is shown in fig. 14. Seams 1310 and 1312 are shown positioned adjacent chamber 1314 containing non-woven polymeric material section 1112. In other words, chamber 1314 includes a first textile layer 1110, a section 1112 of non-woven polymeric material, and a second textile layer 1114. As shown, seams 1310 and 1312 include only a first textile layer 1110 and a second textile layer 1114. Perforations 1134 are shown extending through the first and second textile layers 1110, 1114 at seam 1310, and perforations 1136 are shown extending through the first and second textile layers 1110, 1114 at seam 1312.

Although the illustrated structure 1100 includes one section of nonwoven polymeric material 1112, it is contemplated herein that the structure 1100 may include multiple sections of nonwoven polymeric material, wherein each section is separated from an adjacent section of nonwoven polymeric material by a seam, wherein the seam may include optional perforations. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

Turning to fig. 15, a front view of a garment 1500 having a structure 1100 is shown, in accordance with aspects herein. Garment 1500 is shown in the form of a coat, however it is contemplated herein that garment 1500 may take other forms, such as a shirt, pullover, vest, pants, shorts, full body suit, socks, hat, shoes, and the like. The garment 1500 includes a torso portion 1510, the torso portion 1510 configured to cover a front torso and a rear torso of a wearer when the garment 1500 is in an as-worn configuration. Torso portion 1510 may include an optional releasable fastener mechanism 1511, such as a zipper for opening and closing garment 1500. Torso portion 1510 defines at least a neck opening 1516, a waist opening 1518, and first and second sleeve openings (not shown). The neck opening 1516, in turn, may be defined by a collar portion. The garment 1500 may optionally include a first sleeve portion 1512 extending from the torso portion 1510 at a first sleeve opening, and a second sleeve portion 1514 extending from the torso portion 1510 at a second sleeve opening.

Some or all of the garment 1500 may include the structure 1100 shown in fig. 11-14. For example, it is contemplated herein that the entirety of torso portion 1510 may be formed from structure 1100. In some aspects, first sleeve portion 1512 and second sleeve portion 1514 may also be formed from structure 1100.

Similar to garment 500, it is also contemplated herein that structure 1100 may be used on only portions of garment 1500. For example, the garment 1500 may be partitioned into different zones, such as a zone requiring a high amount of insulation, a zone requiring a medium amount of insulation, and a zone requiring a low amount of insulation.

Next, a region requiring high to medium heat-insulating amount may be formed of the structure 1100. However, the seams formed in these areas may not be perforated. Regions requiring low amounts of thermal insulation may also be formed from structure 1100. The seams in these areas may be perforated to increase permeability and breathability in these areas. Alternatively, a region requiring a low heat-insulating amount may be formed without using the structure 1100. For example, these regions may not include a section 1112 of nonwoven polymeric material, but may include only the first and second textile layers 1110, 1114, only one of the layers 1110 or 1114, or these regions may include a different textile, such as, for example, a more permeable and breathable mesh material. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

With specific reference to the garment 1500, the garment 1500 includes a number of seams, such as seam 1520 and seam 1522 on a first exterior side located on an upper face (upper aspect) of the torso portion 1510, and seams 1526 and 1528 on an opposite second exterior side located on an upper face of the torso portion 1510. In an alternative aspect, the seams 1520, 1522, 1526, and 1528 may be reinforced by stitching. Stitching may be along one edge of the seams 1520, 1522, 1526, and 1528, or along both edges of the seams 1520, 1522, 1526, and 1528. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

In exemplary aspects, the seam 1520 and the seam 1522 define a first chamber 1524 comprising a section of non-woven polymeric material, and the seam 1526 and the seam 1528 define a second chamber 1530 comprising another section of non-woven polymeric material. Chambers 1524 and 1530 are shown bounded on two sides by seams, but are open at each end. Some or all of the seams 1520, 1522, 1526, and 1528 may be perforated. For example, seams 1520 and 1526 are shown as including perforations 1532. Similar to the perforations discussed with respect to garment 500, perforations 1532 may comprise different sizes, shapes, and may be formed continuously or intermittently along seams 1520 and 1526. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

Although seams 1520, 1522, 1526, and 1528 and chambers 1524 and 1530 are shown in a generally horizontal orientation, it is contemplated herein that garment 1500 may include seams and chambers that have a generally vertical orientation or that exhibit a more curvilinear or organic shape, such as the exemplary shapes shown in fig. 9A and 9B. Further, the placement of seams 1520, 1522, 1526, and 1528 and chambers 1524 and 1530 shown in fig. 15 is merely exemplary, and other patterns are contemplated herein, such as the pattern of garment 500 shown in fig. 5. Although not shown, it is also contemplated that the back portion of the garment 1500 may also include seams, chambers, and/or perforations. For example, the back of the garment 1500 may have a pattern of seams, chambers, and/or perforations similar to the pattern of seams, chambers, and/or perforations of the garment 500 shown in fig. 6. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

Fig. 16 illustrates a front view of a garment 1600 formed using a structure 1100 in accordance with aspects hereof. Garment 1600 is in the form of shorts, however it is contemplated herein that garment 1600 may be in the form of pants, seventies, kapri pants, tights, and the like. Garment 1600 includes a torso portion 1610, a first leg portion 1612, and a second leg portion 1614, the torso portion 1610 adapted to cover the lower torso of the wearer when garment 1600 is worn. Torso portion 1610, along with first and second leg portions 1612 and 1614, help to at least partially define a waist opening 1616, a first leg opening 1618, and a second leg opening 1620.

Similar to garment 700 of fig. 7 and 8, garment 1600 may be configured to provide different levels of insulation on different portions of garment 1600. As such, the structure on different portions of garment 1600 may vary to include areas with sections of nonwoven polymeric material, areas without sections of nonwoven polymeric material, seams with perforations, seams without, etc.

As shown in fig. 16, garment 1600 includes seams 1622 and 1624 on first leg portion 1612, such that when garment 1600 is worn, seams 1622 and 1624 are configured to be positioned adjacent a wearer's right front thigh region. The seams 1622 and 1624 at least partially define a chamber 1626 that includes a section of non-woven polymeric material. Similarly, the garment 1600 also includes seams 1628 and 1630 located on the second leg portion 1614 such that the seams 1628 and 1630 are configured to be positioned adjacent the left front thigh area of the wearer when the garment 1600 is worn. Some or all of the seams 1622, 1624, 1628, and 1630 may be perforated. For example, seam 1624 and seam 1630 are shown in fig. 16 as including perforations.

Although the seams 1622, 1624, 1628, and 1630 and the chambers 1626 and 1632 are shown in a generally horizontal orientation, it is contemplated herein that the seams 1622, 1624, 1628, and 1630 and the chambers 1626 and 1632 may assume a more vertical orientation, or they may assume more curvilinear or organic aspects. Further, the placement of the seams 1622, 1624, 1628, and 1630 and chambers 1626 and 1632 shown in fig. 16 is merely exemplary, and other patterns are contemplated herein, such as the pattern of the garment 700 shown in fig. 7. Although not shown, it is also contemplated that the back portion of garment 1600 may also include seams, chambers, and/or perforations. For example, the back of garment 1600 may have seams, chambers, and/or perforation patterns similar to those of garment 700 shown in fig. 8. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this document.

Turning to fig. 17, in accordance with aspects herein, a flow diagram of an exemplary method 1700 of forming an insulating and venting garment using sections or strips of non-woven polymeric material or insulating and filling material is provided. In step 1710, a first sheet of material, such as first textile layer 1110, is provided, and in step 1712, a second sheet of material, such as second textile layer 1114, is provided. In an exemplary aspect, the first and second material webs may comprise flexible knitted, woven or non-woven textiles.

In step 1714, an insulating fill material section, such as nonwoven polymeric material section 1112, is provided. The insulating fill material section can be cut from the insulating fill material sheet or the insulating fill material section can be formed to have a specific shape as desired for the structure.

In step 1716, a section of insulating fill material is positioned between the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material. In an exemplary aspect, the insulating fill material section can be secured to the first and/or second material panels by sewing or otherwise attaching the insulating fill material section to the panels along a peripheral edge thereof. Other ways of securing the insulating fill material sections to the first and/or second material sheets are contemplated herein, such as using adhesives, bonding, spot welding, and the like.

In step 1718, the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material are positioned adjacent to each other such that the insulating fill material section is interposed or positioned between the first sheet and the second sheet. In step 1720, the first and second sheets of material are secured to each other in an area adjacent to the insulating fill material section to form a seam. In an exemplary aspect, this may be accomplished by providing an adhesive material, such as an adhesive sheet, that is formed (e.g., cut) to have a shape that corresponds to the overall shape of the insulating fill material section. The adhesive material is positioned between the first and second sheets of material such that it is positioned adjacent to one or more edges of the insulating fill material section. The adhesive material is activated by applying, for example, heat, light, ultrasound, pressure, etc. in an area adjacent to the insulating fill material section to bond the first sheet of material to the second sheet of material. Similar processes are contemplated for additional insulating fill material sections. In step 1722, a garment is formed using at least the bonding assembly described above.

Additional method steps are contemplated herein. For example, perforations may be formed through some or all of the seams to impart breathability characteristics to the garment, in addition to the insulating properties provided by using insulating filler material sections. It is also contemplated herein that the seam formed in the area adjacent to the insulating fill material section may be reinforced with stitching. The list of method steps 1700 is merely exemplary, and it is contemplated herein that these steps may be performed in other sequences unless otherwise specified.

As described, aspects herein relate to a method of forming an insulating and venting garment using sections of non-woven polymeric material, such as chemical fiber cotton material. Aspects herein also relate to an insulating and venting garment formed using sections of a nonwoven polymeric material. The use of sections of non-woven polymeric material provides an economical and efficient method of production, and garments produced using this type of structure may include organically shaped or curved chambers that may be positioned on the garment to provide targeted insulation and ventilation features.

Aspects of the present disclosure have been described for purposes of illustration and not limitation. Alternative aspects will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Alternative means of accomplishing the foregoing improvements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need be performed in the particular order described.

Claims (17)

1. A method of making an insulating garment, the method comprising:

providing a sheet of a first material;

providing a sheet of a second material;

providing an insulating fill material section of a nonwoven polymeric material, the insulating fill material section having an opening or void portion;

positioning said insulating fill material section on said first sheet of material;

positioning said second sheet of material such that said insulating fill material section is between said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material;

securing said first sheet of material to said second sheet of material at said opening or void portion of said insulating fill material section;

perforating in areas corresponding to said openings or void portions to form a plurality of perforations extending through said first sheet of material and said second sheet of material; and

forming said insulating garment using at least said first and second material sheets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of securing includes applying adhesive to an inwardly facing surface of at least one of the first and second sheets of material at an area corresponding to the opening or void portion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the applied adhesive is activated by one of thermal energy or ultrasonic energy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said insulating fill material section is positioned on said first sheet of material by attaching a peripheral edge defining said opening or void portion to said first sheet of material prior to securing said first sheet of material to said second sheet of material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first sheet of material has a first surface area and said second sheet of material has a second surface area, and wherein said first surface area is less than said second surface area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of said first and second sheets of material are formed from a knitted textile.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of said first and second sheets of material are formed from a woven textile.

8. A garment, comprising: at least a first garment panel, the first garment panel comprising:

inner sheet stock;

an outer panel, wherein said inner panel is positioned on an inward facing surface of said garment;

a first insulating fill material section of non-woven polymeric material interposed between said inner and outer sheets; and

an opening or void portion is formed on the first insulating fill material section, wherein the inner sheet is fixed to the outer sheet at the opening or void portion of the first insulating fill material section, and wherein a plurality of perforations are formed in an area corresponding to the opening or void portion, the plurality of perforations extending through the inner sheet and the outer sheet.

9. The garment of claim 8, wherein said inner panel has a first surface area and said outer panel has a second surface area, and wherein said first surface area is less than said second surface area.

10. The garment of claim 8, wherein the garment includes one or more additional sections of insulating filler material between the inner and outer panels.

11. The garment of claim 8, wherein the inner panel is secured to the outer panel by an adhesive that is activated by application of energy.

12. The garment of claim 8, wherein at least one of said inner and outer panels is formed of a knitted textile.

13. The garment of claim 8, wherein at least one of said inner and outer panels is formed of a woven textile.

14. An insulating garment made according to the method of any one of claims 1-7.

15. The thermal garment of claim 14, wherein the second sheet of material comprises a single layer of material.

16. The thermal garment of claim 15, wherein the thermal garment comprises a pair of pants having a torso portion, a first leg portion, and a second leg portion, and wherein the first sheet of material is positioned on at least an upper front face of the first leg portion and the second leg portion.

17. The thermal garment of claim 15, wherein the thermal garment comprises a shirt having a torso portion, a first sleeve portion, and a second sleeve portion, and wherein the first sheet of material is positioned on at least a front face of the torso portion.

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