Patent ID: 9227363
Filing Date: 2016-01-05
CPC Classification: A41B,A41D,A43B,B29C,B29D,B29L,B32B,D04H,D06H,D10B,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A method of manufacturing a composite element incorporated in an article of apparel, the method comprising: locating a component adjacent to a surface of a non-woven textile formed from a plurality of filaments that include a thermoplastic polymer material, wherein the component is in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of filaments, wherein the component includes a woven textile that is formed of a plurality of yarns, the plurality of yarns being mechanically manipulated to exhibit a one-directional stretch which allows the woven textile to stretch in a first direction but limits stretch of the woven textile in a direction perpendicular to the first direction; melting at least a first portion of the plurality of filaments of the non-woven textile such that the at least first portion of the plurality of filaments exhibits a non-filamentous configuration, wherein the non-filamentous configuration has no permeability to gaseous and liquid fluids; heating and compressing the component and the non-woven textile to bond the component to the non-woven textile, wherein the component includes a thickness that is comparable to the thickness of the non-woven textile thereby securing the component to the non-woven textile by a heatbonding process; forming a composite element, wherein the at least first portion of the plurality of filaments is in contact with the component, wherein the non-filamentous configuration of the at least first portion of the plurality of filaments increases the stretch-resistance of the composite element; and incorporating the component and the non-woven textile into the article of apparel.