Hydrophobic fabric

Abstract

A composite fabric that hydrophobic, durable, stretchable, breathable and elastic for aquatic environment includes a synthetic woven fabric with an integrated discontinuous layer or patterned layer of melted polyurethane. The integrated discontinuous layer or patterned layer of melted polyurethane is preferably formed by heat pressing a pattern into sheets of polyurethane that are in contact with sheets of the synthetic woven fabric to form a composite layered structure that is then cured in a heat stabilization process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite fabric comprising:
 a) a synthetic woven fabric; and   b) an integrated discontinuous layer or patterned layer of melted polyurethane on the a synthetic woven fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The composite fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated discontinuous layer or patterned layer is formed by placing sheets of polyurethane, pressing a pattern into the sheets of polyurethane to form a composite layered structure and curing the composite layered structure. 
     
     
         3 . The composite fabric of  claim 1 , the pressing a pattern into the sheets of polyurethane to form a composite layered structure comprises putting sheets of the synthetic woven fabric and the sheets of sheets of polyurethane simultaneously through a heated drum or cylinder press. 
     
     
         4 . The composite fabric of  claim 3 , wherein the heated drum or cylinder press includes a patterned drum or cylinder that transfers a pattern on to the sheets of polyurethane as the sheets of the synthetic woven fabric and the sheets of sheets of polyurethane simultaneously pass through a heated drum or cylinder press. 
     
     
         5 . The composite fabric of  claim 2 , wherein the synthetic woven fabric is treated to a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) Hydrophobic process prior to forming the composite layered structure. 
     
     
         6 . The composite fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic woven fabric comprises polyester, polyamide or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A composite fabric comprising:
 a) a synthetic woven fabric; and   b) an integrated discontinuous layer or patterned layer of melted polyurethane on the a synthetic woven fabric that is formed by generating a patterned polyurethane layer on the synthetic woven fabric to form a composite layered structure and curing the composite layered structure in the heating process or heat stabilization process.   
     
     
         8 . The composite fabric of  claim 7 , wherein generating a patterned polyurethane layer on the synthetic woven fabric to form the composite layered structure comprising pressing a pattern into the sheets of polyurethane placed in contact with sheets of the synthetic woven fabric sheets and simultaneously putting the sheets of polyurethane and the sheets of synthetic woven fabric through a heated drum or cylinder press. 
     
     
         9 . A method for making a composite fabric:
 a) proving a synthetic woven fabric;   b) patterning a polyurethane layer onto the synthetic woven fabric to form a composite layered structure; and   c) curing the composite layered structure to form a integrated discontinuous layer or patterned layer of melted polyurethane beads on the synthetic woven fabric.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising treating the synthetic woven fabric with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) Hydrophobic process prior to forming the composite layered structure.