Method for nonwoven textiles with variable zonal properties

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a process to generate a nonwoven textile. In one example, the nonwoven textile may have layered, zonal properties resulting from entangling two or more types of staple fibers through a merging region between the layers of staple fibers while maintaining distinct zones, each zone comprising a type of staple fiber. Furthermore, the process may include embedding a filament layer into the nonwoven textile via a continuous assembly line.

1 . A nonwoven textile, comprising:
 a staple fiber zone; and   a continuous filament with at least some portions aligned with staple fibers of the staple fiber zone along a length or width of the textile and other portions unaligned with the staple fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The textile of  claim 1 , wherein the staple fiber zone defines a surface of the textile and the continuous filament is embedded within the staple fiber zone and wherein the continuous filament has a sinuous pattern in the textile. 
     
     
         3 . The textile of  claim 1 , wherein the staple fiber zone includes carded staple fibers oriented in a lengthwise direction of the textile, and wherein the continuous filament is threaded into the textile in the lengthwise direction of the textile. 
     
     
         4 . The textile of  claim 1 , wherein the staple fibers of the staple fiber zone and the continuous filament differ from one another in one or more of color, material, and melting points. 
     
     
         5 . The textile of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the staple fiber zone is greater than a thickness of the continuous filament. 
     
     
         6 . The textile of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous filament is felted to the staple fiber zone along a depth of the textile. 
     
     
         7 . The textile of  claim 1 , wherein the textile is used in one or more of an article of apparel and an article of footwear. 
     
     
         8 . A nonwoven textile, comprising:
 staple fibers horizontally aligned along a depth of the textile; and   a continuous filament aligned with the staple fibers at a middle layer of the textile and forming a sinuous pattern.   
     
     
         9 . The textile of  claim 8 , wherein the staple fibers are vertically pleated along an entirety of the depth of the textile, and the continuous filament is vertically pleated at the middle layer. 
     
     
         10 . The textile of  claim 9 , wherein the vertically pleated continuous filament has higher elasticity than the staple fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The textile of  claim 8 , wherein the staple fibers include a first zone of first staple fibers defining a top surface of the textile along a vertical axis perpendicular to the horizontally aligned staple fibers, and a second zone of second staple fibers defining a bottom surface of the textile and wherein the first staple fibers are enmeshed with the second staple fibers in the middle layer and vertically felted to the continuous filament. 
     
     
         12 . The textile of  claim 11 , wherein the first staple fibers are of a first type, the second staple fibers are of a second type, different from the first type, and wherein the first staple fibers, second staple fibers, and the continuous filament are of a differing physical property including one or more of color, material, texture, thickness, elasticity, and melting point. 
     
     
         13 . The textile of  claim 8 , wherein the continuous filament includes yarn. 
     
     
         14 . A method of generating a non-woven textile, comprising:
 generating a web including a staple fiber and a continuous filament at least partially aligned to each other; and   pleating the web along a first axis while moving the pleated web along a second axis, offset from the first axis and substantially perpendicular to the first axis.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein generating the web includes carding the staple fiber, along the first axis, via a carding machine and threading the continuous filament along the first axis via a threader, and feeding the web to a cross-lapping machine. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cross-lapping machine includes a pleating head having a first static roller and a second mobile roller, the second mobile roller continuously moving towards and away from the first roller with a frequency, wherein a degree of pleating of the pleated web is based on the frequency. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein pleating the web includes repeatedly pleating the web via the cross-lapping machine and further comprising, generating a textile pattern via the pleating of the web, wherein the textile pattern is based on a frequency of the pleating. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising, felting the pleated web along the second axis via a felting machine by continuously feeding the pleated web to the felting machine and wherein the continuous feeding includes continuously moving the pleated web from the cross-lapping machine, away from the carding machine, and to the felting machine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the felting includes mechanically entangling the staple fibers through a portion of a depth of the textile via a needling action of a needle loom of the felting machine. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein generating the nonwoven textile includes aligning the staple fiber adjacent to the continuous filament in the web along the first axis.