Self-regulating batting insulation

Abstract

Self-regulating insulative batting is provided. The batting includes a blend of a plurality of fibers including functional fibers and non-functional fibers. The plurality of fibers are non-woven and oriented substantially vertically along a thickness direction of the batting. The functional fibers are configured to self-regulate at least one insulative quality of the batting based on changes in at least one environmental condition interacting with the batting. At least one of the length and thickness of the functional fibers changes based on changes in at least one environmental condition interacting with the batting. Articles comprising the self-regulating batting and methods of making the self-regulating batting are also provided.

1 . Self-regulating insulative batting, comprising:
 a blend of a plurality of fibers including functional fibers and non-functional fibers, the plurality of fibers being non-woven and oriented substantially vertically along a thickness direction of the batting,   wherein the functional fibers are configured to self-regulate at least one insulative quality of the batting based on changes in at least one environmental condition interacting with the batting.   
     
     
         2 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the batting is in the form of a sheet extending along width and length directions. 
     
     
         3 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional fibers are configured to self-regulate the insulative quality of the batting with respect to heat based changes in at least one environmental condition interacting with the batting. 
     
     
         4 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional fibers are configured to self-regulate the insulative quality of the batting with respect to moisture based changes in at least one environmental condition interacting with the batting. 
     
     
         5 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional fibers are configured to self-regulate at least one insulative quality of the batting based changes in humidity of an environment interacting with the batting. 
     
     
         6 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 5 , wherein the functional fibers are configured to self-regulate insulative quality of the batting with respect to at least heat based changes in humidity of the environment interacting with the batting. 
     
     
         7 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 6 , wherein the functional fibers are configured to self-regulate insulative quality of the batting with respect to at least heat based changes in humidity of the environment interacting with the batting by varying the thickness of the batting. 
     
     
         8 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 7 , wherein the functional fibers are configured to vary the thickness of the batting by self-varying their length along the thickness direction based changes in humidity of the environment interacting with the batting. 
     
     
         9 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 8 , wherein the functional fibers self-vary their length along the thickness direction by forming a crimp therein or increasing a crimp thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 7 , wherein the functional fibers are configured to decrease the insulative quality of the batting with respect to at least heat based of increases in humidity of the environment interacting with the batting by decreasing the thickness of the batting. 
     
     
         11 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 10 , wherein the functional fibers are configured to decrease the insulative quality of the batting with respect to at least heat based of increases in humidity of the environment interacting with the batting above a predetermined threshold humidity level by decreasing the thickness of the batting. 
     
     
         12 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers are vertically lapped. 
     
     
         13 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers comprises staple fibers of a staple length within the range of 12 mm to 70 mm and a denier within the range of 0.5 D to 8 D. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , functional fibers include a hygroscopic component and a non-hygroscopic component. 
     
     
         17 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-functional fibers include binder fibers. 
     
     
         18 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-functional fibers comprise synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 18 , wherein the synthetic fibers comprise polyester fibers. 
     
     
         20 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 18 , wherein the synthetic fibers comprise siliconized fibers. 
     
     
         21 . The self-regulating batting according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional fibers comprise at least 15% of the blend of fibers. 
     
     
         22 . An article, comprising:
 the self-regulating insulative batting according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         23 . The article according to  claim 22 , wherein said article is selected from the group consisting of an outerwear product, clothing, a sleeping bag, and bedding. 
     
     
         24 . The article according to  claim 22 , wherein the article is configured to be used by a user such that a micro climate interacting with the batting is formed between the user and the self-regulating insulative batting extending along the thickness direction. 
     
     
         25 . The article according to any of  claims 22 , wherein the article includes at least one outer protection layer that prevents the environment exterior to the self-regulating batting from interacting with the self-regulating batting. 
     
     
         26 . A method of making self-regulating batting, comprising:
 forming at least one nonwoven web from a blend of a plurality of fibers including functional fibers and non-functional fibers; and   vertically lapping the at least one nonwoven web such that the fibers are oriented substantially vertically along a thickness direction of the batting,   wherein the functional fibers are configured to self-regulate at least one insulative quality of the batting based on changes in at least one environmental condition interacting with the batting.   
     
     
         27 . A method of making self-regulating insulative batting, comprising:
 obtaining a plurality of opened and blended fibers including functional fibers and non-functional fibers, the functional fibers being configured to self-regulate at least the length thereof based on changes in at least one environmental condition interacting with the fiber;   parallelizing the plurality of opened and blended fibers into at least one non-woven, carded web layer; and   vertically lapping the at least one non-woven, carded web layer to form a self-regulating insulative batting with the lengths of the fibers being oriented substantially vertically along thickness direction of the batting so that at least one insulative quality of the batting self-regulates based on changes in at least one environmental condition interacting with the batting.   
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein obtaining a plurality of opened and blended fibers comprises opening a plurality of the functional fibers and non-functional fibers and blending a plurality of the opened functional fibers and non-functional fibers. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claims 27 , further comprising positioning the self-regulating insulative batting within an article configured to be used by a user such that a micro climate interacting with the batting is formed between the user and the self-regulating insulative batting extending along the thickness direction. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the article includes at least one outer protection layer that prevents the environment exterior to the self-regulating batting from interacting with the self-regulating batting.