Controlled air permeability composite fabric articles having enhanced surface durability

Abstract

A fabric article of knitted or woven construction with multi-filament, interlaced yarns has at least one pile or raised or fleece region on its inner surface and at least one discontinuous coating region of binder material on its outer surface. The binder material provides improved durability against pilling and fraying without substantial adverse effect on characteristics of the base fabric. The same or different binders and/or the same or different densities of binders may be applied to one or more selected regions of the fabric surface using engineered printing technology, the binder regions resisting napping to create predetermined non-raised or non-fleece regions of contrasting thermal insulation and/or breatheability conforming to needs of underlying corresponding regions of the wearer's body. Methods of forming the fabric articles are also described.

1 . A fabric article of knitted or woven construction of multi-filament, interlaced yarns, the fabric article having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface having at least one region of pile or raised fibers or fleece formed thereupon, and the outer surface having at least one region of a non-continuous coating of binder material adhered to yarns and to yarn fibers, for durability of the outer surface against pilling or fraying during use.  
     
     
         2 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the non-continuous coating of binder material is adhered to yarns and to yarn fibers at least at interlacing intersections.  
     
     
         3 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric article has construction selected from the group consisting of plaited circular knit construction, reverse plaited circular knit construction, woven construction, and warp knit construction.  
     
     
         4 . The fabric article of  claim 1  in the form of an article of wearing apparel.  
     
     
         5 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-filament yarns are textured.  
     
     
         6 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-filament yarns are flat.  
     
     
         7 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-filament yarns comprises fibers formed of materials selected from the group consisting of: polyester, nylon and polypropylene.  
     
     
         8 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-filament yarns comprises spun yarns formed of materials selected from the group consisting of: natural fibers, synthetic fibers, and blends thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-filament yarns of the outer surface comprise spandex.  
     
     
         10 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein fibers of the multi-filament yarns are highly intermingled at over at least about 10 tucks per meter.  
     
     
         11 . The fabric article of  claim 10 , wherein fibers of the multi-filament yarns are highly intermingled at over about 60 tucks per meter.  
     
     
         12 . The fabric article of  claim 11 , wherein fibers of the multi-filament yarns are highly intermingled at over about 100 tucks per meter.  
     
     
         13 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein fibers of the multi-filament yarns have little or no intermingling.  
     
     
         14 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the binder material adheres to yarn fibers in a manner to substantially avoid restriction of air permeability through the fabric article.  
     
     
         15 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the binder material comprises a film extending into interstitial air passageways through the fabric article in a manner to reduce air permeability.  
     
     
         16 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one region of a non-continuous coating of binder material is without substantial adverse effect on drapability and hand of the fabric article.  
     
     
         17 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one region of a non-continuous coating of binder upon the outer surface of the fabric article comprises one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability due to relatively greater density of binder or binder dots per unit area applied by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web.  
     
     
         18 . The fabric article of  claim 17 , wherein said one or more first regions comprises at least shoulder regions or elbow regions.  
     
     
         19 . The fabric article of  claim 1  or  claim 17 , wherein the outer surface of the fabric article further comprises one or more second regions of relatively lesser surface durability due to relatively lesser density of binder or binder dots per unit area applied by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web.  
     
     
         20 . The fabric article of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more second regions comprises at least body regions.  
     
     
         21 . The fabric article of  claim 19 , wherein one or more of the second other regions of relatively lesser surface durability have no or only negligible density of binder or binder dots per unit area.  
     
     
         22 . The fabric article of  claim 21 , wherein one or more of the second other regions of the outer surface comprises regions of pile or raised fibers or fleece and one or more of the first regions of the outer surface remains non-raised or smooth face.  
     
     
         23 . The fabric article of  claim 22 , wherein said one or more second other regions comprises at least body regions of the fabric article.  
     
     
         24 . The fabric article of  claim 1  or  claim 17 , wherein the at least one region of a non-continuous coating of binder upon the outer surface of the fabric article comprises one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability due to relatively greater durability of a first binder material applied by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web.  
     
     
         25 . The fabric article of  claim 24 , wherein said one or more first regions comprises at least shoulder regions or elbow regions.  
     
     
         26 . The fabric article of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the fabric article further comprises one or more second regions of relatively lesser surface durability due to relatively lesser durability of a second binder material applied by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web.  
     
     
         27 . The fabric article of  claim 26 , wherein said one or more second regions comprises at least body regions.  
     
     
         28 . The fabric article of  claim 26 , wherein one or more of the second other regions of relatively lesser surface durability have no or only negligible density of binder material per unit area.  
     
     
         29 . The fabric article of  claim 28 , wherein one or more of the second other regions of the outer surface comprises regions of pile or raised fibers or fleece and one or more of the first regions of the outer surface remains non-raised or smooth face.  
     
     
         30 . The fabric article of  claim 29 , wherein said one or more second other regions comprises at least body regions of the fabric article.  
     
     
         31 . The fabric article of  claim 24 , wherein the outer surface of the fabric article further comprises one or more second regions of relatively lesser surface durability due to relatively lesser durability of a second binder material applied by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web.  
     
     
         32 . The fabric article of  claim 31 , wherein said one or more second regions comprises at least body regions.  
     
     
         33 . The fabric article of  claim 31 , wherein one or more of the second other regions of relatively lesser surface durability have no or only negligible density of binder material per unit area.  
     
     
         34 . The fabric article of  claim 33 , wherein one or more of the second other regions of the outer surface comprises regions of pile or raised fibers or fleece and one or more of the first regions of the outer surface remains non-raised or smooth face.  
     
     
         35 . The fabric article of  claim 34 , wherein said one or more second other regions comprises at least body regions of the fabric article.  
     
     
         36 . A method of forming a fabric article, said method comprising the steps of: 
 interlacing yarns comprising multi-filament fibers to form a fabric body of knit or woven construction,    forming one or more raised or fleece regions upon an inner surface of the fabric body; and, thereafter,    applying binder material to one or more regions of an outer surface of the fabric article to form a discontinuous coating of binder material upon yarn fibers on at least the outer surface of the fabric article, to resist pilling and fraying of yarn fibers at the outer surface.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material to one or more regions of an outer surface of the fabric article forms a discontinuous coating of binder material upon yarn fibers at least at interlacing intersections.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material comprises applying binder material by standard printing technology.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the standard printing technology is selected from the group consisting of: printing by rotary screen roll, printing by gravure roll, and printing by ink jet printing.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material comprises applying the binder material with a kiss roll.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising removing binder material in liquid state from interstitial spaces of the fabric body in a manner to control reduction of air permeability.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein removing binder material comprises blowing air through the interstitial spaces.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein removing binder material comprises drawing air by suction through the interstitial spaces.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material comprises applying one or more binder materials in one or more forms selected from the group consisting of: resin, latex, polymer emulsion, polymer dispersion, and plastisol system.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the binder material is selected from the group consisting of: melamine, acrylate, polyurethane, silicon, poly vinyl chloride, epoxy and blends thereof.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material to one or more regions of an outer surface comprises the steps of: 
 applying first binder material to one or more regions by screen printing techniques in a first pattern, and    applying second binder material the same or different from the first binder material to one or more regions by screen-printing techniques in a second pattern not overprinting the first pattern.    
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material comprises applying binder material in a liquid carrier and allowing the liquid carrier to evaporate leaving the binder material.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material comprises applying binder material in a foam liquid carrier and allowing the foam carrier to collapse leaving the binder material.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the fabric article is formed of a knit construction with a technical face defining the outer surface and a technical back defining the inner surface, and the method comprises raising the technical back and thereafter applying the binder material to the technical face.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material comprises applying binder material by engineered pattern-printing technology to a fabric web.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein applying binder material by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web comprises the steps of: 
 forming one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability by applying a first pattern of a binder material with relatively greater density of binder or binder dots per unit area, and    forming one or more second other regions of relatively lesser surface durability by applying a second pattern of a binder material with relatively lesser density of binder or binder dots per unit area.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 46 ,  claim 50  or  claim 51 , wherein applying binder material by engineered pattern printing technology to a fabric web comprises: 
 forming one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability by applying first binder material, and    forming one or more second other regions of relatively lesser surface durability by applying second binder material.    
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein forming one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability comprises applying the first pattern with relatively greater density of binder or binder dots per unit area at least upon one or more regions selected from the group consisting of: shoulder regions and elbow regions.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein forming one or more second other regions of relatively lesser surface durability comprises applying the second pattern with relatively lesser density of binder or binder dots per unit area at least upon body regions.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein applying binder material by engineered printing technology to a fabric web comprises the steps of: 
 forming one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability by applying a first pattern with relatively greater density of binder or binder dots per unit area, and    forming one or more second other regions of relatively lesser surface durability by applying no or only negligible density of binder or binder dots per unit area.    
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein forming one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability comprises applying the first pattern with relatively greater density of binder or binder dots per unit area at least upon one or more regions selected from the group consisting of shoulder regions and elbow regions.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55  or  claim 56  wherein forming one or more second other regions of relatively lesser surface durability comprises forming second other regions at least upon body regions.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , comprising a further step performed after applying binder to the one or more first regions of enhanced surface durability, the further step comprising raising or napping the one or more second regions bearing little or only negligible density of binder or binder dots per unit area to form fleece or velour.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising, prior to forming a raised or fleece region upon an inner surface of the fabric body, 
 applying binder material to one or more predetermined regions of the inner surface by engineered printing technology, and    generating, upon the inner surface of the fabric body, an engineered three-dimensional pattern of raised or fleece regions and non-raised or non-fleece regions designed to meet predetermined thermal insulation and/or breatheability at predetermined regions by forming one or more raised or fleece regions upon the inner surface of the fabric body while the one or more regions to which binder material is applied resist raising or fleecing.    
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , comprising a further step of forming the fabric body by plaited knit construction.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the fabric body is circular knit with terry sinker loop.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein applying binder material to one or more regions of an inner surface of the fabric body is synchronized with wet printing in other regions.  
     
     
         63 . A method of forming a fabric article, said method comprising the steps of: 
 interlacing yarns comprising multi-filament fibers to form a fabric body of knit or woven construction,    forming one or more raised or fleece regions upon an outer surface of the fabric body,    applying binder material to one or more regions of an inner surface of the fabric body to form a discontinuous coating of binder material upon yarns fibers on at least the inner surface of the fabric body, and    generating, upon the inner surface of the fabric body, an engineered three-dimensional pattern of raised or fleece regions and non-raised or non-fleece regions designed to meet predetermined thermal insulation and/or breatheability at predetermined regions by forming one or more raised or fleece regions upon the inner surface of the fabric body while the one or more regions to which binder material is applied resist raising or fleecing.    
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein applying binder material to one or more regions of an inner surface of the fabric body forms a discontinuous coating of binder material upon yarns fibers at least at interlacing intersections.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63 , further comprising the steps of: 
 applying binder material to the inner surface of the fabric body in a manner to cause the binder material to penetrate to the outer surface of the fabric body, and    generating, upon the outer surface of the fabric body, an engineered three-dimensional pattern of raised or fleece regions and non-raised or non-fleece regions designed to meet predetermined thermal insulation and/or breatheability at predetermined regions by forming one or more raised or fleece regions upon the outer surface of the fabric body while the one or more regions to which binder material is applied resist raising or fleecing.    
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising the step of: 
 generating, upon the inner surface of the fabric body, an engineered three-dimensional pattern of raised or fleece regions and non-raised or non-fleece regions designed to meet predetermined thermal insulation and/or breatheability at predetermined regions by forming one or more raised or fleece regions upon the inner surface of the fabric body while the one or more regions to which binder material is applied resist raising or fleecing, one or more raised or fleece regions of the inner surface of the fabric body being in registration with one or more raised or fleece regions of the outer surface of the fabric body.    
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 63  or  claim 65 , comprising the further step of forming the fabric body by reverse plaited knit construction.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the fabric body is circular knit with terry sinker loop.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein applying binder material to one or more regions of an inner surface of the fabric body is synchronized with wet printing in other regions.