Temperature Responsive Smart Textile

Abstract

A textile fabric includes a smooth surface with one or more regions having coating material exhibiting thermal expansion or contraction in response to change in temperature, adjusting insulation performance of the textile fabric in response to ambient conditions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bi-component layer for use in a textile fabric, the layer comprising:
 a first coating material comprising a polymer that expands or contracts gradually over a temperature range; and   a second coating material, at least a portion of the first coating material directly contacting and overlying or underlying at least a portion of the second coating material, the second coating material comprising a polymer that remains soft and rubbery over the temperature range, and, in response to changing temperature,   the first coating material and the second coating material respectively exhibiting different thermal expansion or contraction over the temperature range, thereby to change a three dimensional configuration of the bi-component layer gradually and reversibly in response to gradual temperature changes in ambient conditions.   
     
     
         2 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the first coating material comprises a crystallizing polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The bi-component layer of  claim 2 , wherein the second coating material comprises a soft rubbery polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the first coating material comprises polyurethane. 
     
     
         5 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the second coating material comprises polyurethane, silicone, or acrylate. 
     
     
         6 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature range is between about −20° C. and about 40° C. 
     
     
         7 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature range is between about 50° F. and about 100° F. 
     
     
         8 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer of the second coating material remains soft and rubbery without substantial expansion or contraction over the temperature range. 
     
     
         9 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the second coating material comprises polypropylene or polyethylene. 
     
     
         10 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the second coating material is chemically bonded to the first coating material. 
     
     
         11 . The bi-component layer of  claim 1 , wherein the second coating material is physically bonded to the first coating material. 
     
     
         12 . A textile fabric comprising:
 a textile fabric substrate having a smooth surface; and   discrete bi-component coatings disposed upon and bonded to one or more regions of the smooth surface, each bi-component coating comprising a first coating material and a second coating material, at least a portion of the first coating material directly contacting and overlying or underlying at least a portion of the second coating material, the first coating material comprising a crystallizing polymer, and the second coating material comprising a soft rubbery polymer, and,   in response to changing temperature within a temperature range, the first coating material expanding or contracting gradually over the temperature range, and the second coating material remaining soft and rubbery over the temperature range,   the first coating material and the second coating material exhibiting respectively different thermal expansion or contraction characteristics in response to change in temperature over the temperature range, thereby to adjust insulation performance of the textile fabric by changing three dimensional configuration of the textile fabric substrate gradually in response to gradual temperature changes in ambient conditions.   
     
     
         13 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the first coating materials and the second coating material gradually change the three dimensional configuration of the bi-component layer reversibly. 
     
     
         14 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the temperature range is between about −20° C. and about 40° C. 
     
     
         15 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the polymer of the second coating material remains soft and rubbery without substantial expansion or contraction over the temperature range. 
     
     
         16 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the second coating material comprises polypropylene or polyethylene. 
     
     
         17 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the second coating material is chemically bonded to the first coating material. 
     
     
         18 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the second coating material is physically bonded to the first coating material. 
     
     
         19 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the textile fabric substrate has a construction selected from the group consisting of: circular knit construction, warp knit construction, and woven construction. 
     
     
         20 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the textile fabric substrate comprises elastic yarn. 
     
     
         21 . The textile fabric of  claim 20 , wherein the elastic yarn comprises spandex yarn selected from the group consisting of: bare spandex yarn, air entangled yarn, core-spun yarn, and wrap yarn. 
     
     
         22 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the textile fabric substrate has a knitting construction selected from the group consisting of: single jersey, double knit, and terry loop. 
     
     
         23 . The textile fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the terry loop is formed in plaited construction. 
     
     
         24 . The textile fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the terry loop is formed in reverse plaited construction. 
     
     
         25 . The textile fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the terry loop is raised by napping. 
     
     
         26 . The textile fabric of  claim 12 , wherein the textile fabric substrate comprises a two-end fleece or a three-end fleece. 
     
     
         27 . A method of forming a textile fabric element for use in an engineered thermal fabric garment, the method comprising:
 forming a textile fabric substrate having at least one smooth surface; and   disposing on and bonding to one or more regions of the smooth surface discrete bi-component coatings, each bi-component coating comprising a first coating material and a second coating material, at least a portion of the first coating material directly contacting and overlying or underlying at least a portion of the second coating material, the first coating material comprising a crystallizing polymer, and the second coating material comprising a soft rubbery polymer, and,   in response to changing temperature within a temperature range, the first coating material expanding or contracting gradually over the temperature range, and the second coating material remaining soft and rubbery over the temperature range,   each of the first coating material and the second coating material exhibiting respectively different thermal expansion or contraction in response to change in temperature over the temperature range, thereby to adjust insulation performance of the textile fabric by changing three dimensional configuration of the textile fabric substrate gradually and reversibly in response to gradual temperature changes in ambient conditions.