Abstract:
Embodiments described herein may take the form of a textile fabric, including: a first region defined by a first plurality of textile fibers; a second region adjacent the first region and being formed from a second plurality of textile fibers and a hot melt material adjacent the second plurality of textile fibers; wherein the first region is free of hot melt material. Other embodiments may take the form of a method for fabricating a textile product, including the operations of: applying heat to a textile having associated hot melt fibers, thereby melting the hot melt fibers; modifying a mechanical property of a portion of the textile by introducing a solvent to the textile; and stopping an action of the solvent on the textile when the mechanical property reaches a target.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    Embodiments described herein relate generally to a nonwoven textile product, and more particularly to a nonwoven textile product having one or more reduced density or thinned regions and one or more full density regions. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Textile products have been in use for thousands of years and come in many forms. One way to classify textile products is by whether they are woven products (such as cotton products) or non-woven products (such as felt products). Generally, both have many applications and are widely used. Generally, “woven” products, as used herein, includes knitted textile products 
         [0003]    One example of a nonwoven textile is felt, which has been used to make goods for centuries. Felt may be formed by placing randomly aligned wool and/or synthetic fibers under pressure and adding moisture, and optionally chemicals. With sufficient time, heat and water, the fibers bond to one another to form a felt cloth. This process may be known as “wet felting.” 
         [0004]    As another option, fibers may be formed into a felt through “needle felting.” In needle felting, a specialized notched needle is pushed repeatedly in and out of a bundle or group fibers. Notches along the shaft of the needle may grab fibers in a top layer of the bundle and push them downward into the bundle, tangling these grabbed fibers with others. The needle notches face toward the felt bundle, such that the grabbed felt is released when the needle withdraws. As the needle motion continues, more and more fibers are tangled and bonded together, again creating a felt cloth. 
         [0005]    Although two different ways to create felt products have been described, it should be appreciated that variants and/or other methods may be employed. Regardless of the production method, however, felts share certain characteristics. For example, felts are often used as an acoustic damper due to their relatively dense natures. Likewise, felt tends to pull apart readily, due to its nonwoven nature, if the integrity of the bonds between the threads is compromised. This tendency to break apart when subjected to certain stresses and/or chemical may limit the usefulness of felt for certain applications. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Embodiments described herein may take the form of a textile fabric, including: a first region defined by a first plurality of textile fibers; a second region adjacent the first area and being formed from a second plurality of textile fibers and a hot melt material adjacent the second plurality of textile fibers; wherein the first region is free of hot melt material. 
         [0007]    Other embodiments may take the form of a method for fabricating a textile product, including the operations of: applying heat to a textile having associated hot melt fibers, thereby melting the hot melt fibers; modifying a mechanical property of a portion of the textile by introducing a solvent to the textile; and stopping an action of the solvent on the textile when the mechanical property reaches a target. 
         [0008]    Additional embodiments and configurations will be apparent upon reading this disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  depicts a magnified view of a portion of a fabric incorporating hot melt fiber. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  depicts a sheet of textile material. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3A  depicts a first example of the fiber textile sheet of  FIG. 2  after selectively heating portions of the sheet. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3B  depicts a second example of the fiber textile sheet of  FIG. 2  after selectively heating portions of the sheet. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  depicts the sheet of  FIG. 3  after application of a solvent. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a sample method of manufacturing a textile product having thinned regions. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a sample consumer product formed from a textile product having thinned regions. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  shows a second sample consumer product formed from a textile product having thinned regions. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Embodiments described herein may take the form of a textile product having one or more selectively thinned or weakened regions. In certain embodiments, the textile may be a woven fabric, such as a cotton, polyester or the like. In other embodiments, the textile may be a nonwoven fabric, such as a felt. 
         [0018]    Generally, some or all strands of material forming the textile may be interspersed with, at least partially encircled by, interwoven with, or otherwise associated with a hot melt fiber. This hot melt fiber may be incorporated into the textile at specific areas or volumes or may be incorporated into the entirety of the textile. Likewise, the density of the hot melt material with respect to the fibers may vary (e.g., more or fewer hot melt fibers per area or volume of textile may be employed in certain regions), as may the thickness of the hot melt fibers, the number of hot melt fibers, the ratio of hot melt fibers to textile fibers, and so on. It should be appreciated that such variations may occur only in certain portions, segments or areas of the textile. Likewise, multiple variations may occur in multiple portions. 
         [0019]    Generally, references to an “area” herein are intended to also encompass three-dimensional areas, e.g., volumes. Likewise, the term “region” encompasses both an area and a volume. 
         [0020]    As described in more detail below, the hot melt fibers may be melted onto or into the textile, at least in certain areas or volumes, through the application of heat. Sufficient heat may cause the hot melt fibers to melt and flow into a protective matrix, thereby at least partially coating and/or bonding textile fibers positioned near or adjacent the protective matrix. Generally, the melting point of the hot melt fiber is lower than a melting point of the textile fabric, and often below a temperature at which the fabric may scorch or burn. 
         [0021]    Typically, the hot melt material is chosen to be impervious to one or more solvents that may dissolve or otherwise weaken the textile fabric. Thus, when a textile product is exposed to a solvent after the protective matrix is formed by the hot melt, the matrix may prevent the solvent from affecting protected portions of the textile fabric. Meanwhile, unprotected portions of the textile fabric may be weakened, dissolved, removed, thinned, decreased in density, or the like by the solvent. By selectively applying and/or melting the hot melt fibers, certain areas or volumes may be protected from the action of the solvent while others are exposed. In this fashion, various patterns may be created in a textile for a variety of effects, many of which are discussed herein. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a sample bundle of textile fibers  100  wrapped about with a hot melt fiber  105 . The hot melt fiber  105  is shown generally encircling the bundle of fibers  100 , although in alternative embodiments the relationship between the hot melt fiber and bundle of textile fibers may be different. For example, the hot melt fibers may overlay the textile fibers, such that the hot melt fibers and the textile fibers essentially occupy different adjacent planes of a textile object. As another alternative, the hot melt fibers  105  may be interspersed or interwoven with the textile fibers  100  throughout a textile product. Both alternatives will be discussed in more detail, below. Further, it should be appreciated that the hot melt fiber may underlay some textile fibers and still generally encircle the fibers. For example, and as shown in  FIG. 1 , the hot melt fiber  105  (the dark fiber) is wrapped around a bundle of fibers  100  but passes beneath some of them, at least on some windings of the hot melt fiber  105 . 
         [0023]    Continuing with the description of  FIG. 1 , the diameter of the hot melt fiber  105  may be substantially less than the diameter of the bundle of textile fibers  100  or, in some embodiments, less than the diameter of any individual textile fiber. The relative diameters of the hot melt fiber and the textile fibers may influence the dispersion of the hot melt fibers within the textile. For example, thinner hot melt fibers may require the use of more fibers to cover or impregnate a given area or volume of textile. Likewise, thicker hot melt fibers may allow fewer fibers to be used in a given area or volume. 
         [0024]    It should also be appreciated that the bundle of fibers  100  shown in  FIG. 1  is formed from woven fibers. However, nonwoven fibers may also be use in some embodiments, with hot melt fibers  105  snaking through the nonwoven fibers, overlaying the nonwoven fibers, or encircling such fibers. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates a sample textile sheet  200  that may be formed into a cover for a tablet computing device (not shown) in accordance with the discussion and methods herein. The textile sheet  200  may be formed from textile fibers  100  (woven or nonwoven) and hot melt fibers  105 , as discussed above. Generally, the textile sheet  200  is patterned into a series of hot melt areas/volumes  205  and non-melt areas/volumes  210 . The hot melt areas  205  may have hot melt fibers  105  present therein, while the non-melt areas  210  may lack hot melt fibers. 
         [0026]    For example,  FIGS. 3A and 3B  depict alternative examples of the textile sheet  200  with hot melt fibers  105  in the hot melt areas  205 . In the example of  FIG. 3A , the hot melt fibers  105  are interspersed throughout the textile sheet  200  in each hot melt area  200 . That is, the hot melt fibers may run randomly or semi-randomly throughout the hot melt areas of the textile sheet. As can be seen in  FIG. 3A , there are generally no (or very few, or only incidental) hot melt fibers in the non-melt regions  210 . In alternative embodiments, the hot melt fibers  105  may extend throughout or into the non-melt regions  210 . In such embodiments, heat may not be applied to the non-melt regions, thereby preventing the hot melt fibers from melting in that area and leaving the textile fibers exposed. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3B  illustrates an alternative textile fiber sheet  200  having hot melt fiber  105  associated therewith. In this embodiment, the hot melt fiber  105  may impregnate or wrap only a portion of the textile fibers  100  to define a hot melt area  205 , specifically those on an upper surface  300  of the textile sheet  200 . As an alternative, the hot melt fibers  105  may be deposited on an upper surface  300  of the textile sheet in specific patterns  305  or shapes to form the hot melt areas  205  and non-melt areas  210 . 
         [0028]    The discussion now turns to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  depicts the textile sheet  200  after application of heat and a solvent. As discussed below with respect to  FIG. 6 , heat mat be applied at least to the upper surface  300  of the textile sheet  200  (or whichever surface is impregnated with, wrapped by, overlaid by, or otherwise contains the hot melt fibers  105 ). In alternative embodiments, the entirety of the textile sheet  200  may be heated. 
         [0029]    The heat generally causes the hot melt fibers  105  to melt, wicking across the textile fibers  100 . The hot melt fibers  105  may spread across an entirety of adjacent textile fibers  100  or may partially envelop or shield the textile fibers. As one other example, the hot melt fibers may coat the textile fibers at intersections between adjacent textile fibers and taper out from such intersections along the lengths of the fibers. This may have the added effect of strengthening such intersections, and may be particularly useful in the fabric is a nonwoven material, such as felt, since the bond between adjacent nonwoven fibers may be strengthened by the hot melt. Further, it should be appreciated that the hot melt fibers, when melted onto the textile fibers, need not form a contiguous or continuous surface. The melting of the hot melt fibers  105  may form hot melt areas or volumes  405  where the textile fabric is covered or impregnated with the hot melt and unprotected areas or volumes  400  that lack any hot melt. 
         [0030]    A solvent may be applied to the textile sheet  200  after the hot melt fibers  105  are melted. The solvent may be applied as a bath or may be forced through the textile by pressure and/or gravity. For example, the textile sheet  200  may be pressure washed with a solvent. Alternatively, the textile sheet may be dipped into a solvent or placed into a solvent bath. In many embodiments, the solvent may be forced or fed through the textile sheet  200  from the upper surface  300  (e.g., the surface associated with the now-melted hot melt fibers  105 ). 
         [0031]    The solvent may dissolve, partially dissolve, or weaken the textile fibers  100 . However, the hot melt fibers  105  are typically impervious, or at least resistant, to the solvent. Thus, in regions where the hot melt fibers  105  have been melted, the hot melt may protect the textile fibers  100  from the action of the solvent. In this fashion, the textile sheet may be thinned in regions  400  that lack any hot melt materials, while the hot melt regions  405  are unaffected by the solvent. After the solvent has sufficiently thinned or weakened the textile fibers in the unprotected regions  400 , the textile sheet  200  may be washed or otherwise cleaned of the solvent. 
         [0032]    Selectively thinning, weakening or perforating the textile sheet  200  in specific areas  400  (generally corresponding to the non-melt areas  210 ) to form a desired pattern may provide certain benefits. For example, the unprotected areas  400  may be altered to be acoustically transmissive or transparent, or near-transparent, even though the textile itself generally may be an acoustic muffle. Likewise, the unprotected areas  400  may be thinned or changed sufficiently by the solvent to be light-transmissive, at least partially. For example, the unprotected areas may appear translucent when backlighted or may emit a relatively diffuse light, or may be at least partially see-through when backlit. As yet another example, the textile sheet may bend more easily in the unprotected areas  400  after operation of the solvent while the hot melt areas  405  may retain their original stiffness. Thus, by selectively masking portions of the textile sheet with hot melt  105 , the textile sheet  200  may be configured to provide certain functionality that is otherwise lacking in a standard textile sheet  200 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 5  shows one example of a cover  500  for an electronic device that may be formed from a textile sheet treated as discussed herein. Generally, the cover  500  may be a finished product corresponding to the textile sheet  200  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The cover may bend at the unprotected areas  400  as they have been softened by the action of the solvent. The hot melt areas  405  may be relatively stiff when compared to the unprotected areas. Thus, the cover  500  may be configured to selectively bend and/or be reshaped. 
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart setting forth general operations in accordance with certain embodiments herein. In operation  600 , hot melt fibers  105  are added to a textile sheet  200  to form a particular pattern or patterns. The hot melt fibers may be added or introduced in any fashion described herein. 
         [0035]    In operation  605 , heat is applied to the textile sheet  200 . The heat may be uniformly applied, concentrated or applied only in certain areas (like those areas incorporating hot melt fibers  105 ), applied to fewer than all sides or edges, or the like, and so on. The heat is typically sufficient to flow the hot melt fibers  105 . The maximum heat may be less than a burning or scorching temperature of the textile sheet, or the heat may be applied for a time sufficient to flow the hot melt fibers but not to damage the textile fibers. In embodiments where the hot melt fibers are generally interspersed or placed throughout the entirety of the textile fabric, heat may be selectively applied only to those regions in which the hot melt fibers are to be melted. 
         [0036]    Next, in operation  610 , solvent is applied to the textile sheet  200 . The solvent may be poured or pushed through the textile sheet  200  in some embodiments, while in others the textile sheet may be placed or laid face-down in a solvent bath. The solvent generally weakens, things, and/or reduces the density of the textile fibers, which are vulnerable to the action of the solvent (e.g., are solvable). After the solvent thins or weakens the textile fibers  105  that are not protected by hot melt, the solvent may be removed or neutralized in operation  615 . 
         [0037]    In operation  620 , the hot melt  105  may optionally be removed from the textile sheet. Removal of the hot melt  105  may be practical, for example, in embodiments where the hot melt coats a surface of the textile sheet  200  rather than being incorporated into the sheet. Removal may also be practical in embodiments where only a portion of the textile sheet  200  is impregnated with hot melt. This operation is optional and may not be performed in many embodiments. Likewise, hot melt may be removed in certain areas only and left in other areas of a textile sheet  200 . Further, it should be appreciated that some embodiments may perform this operation before applying solvent in order to define features within a hot melt region  405  that may be affected by the solvent. As one example, an entire surface of a textile sheet  200  may be protected by hot melt  105  and the hot melt may be specifically removed from certain regions to permit the solvent to operate on the textile fibers  105 . 
         [0038]    In operation  625 , it may be determined if another solvent operation (e.g., a bath, a stream or the like) is to be applied to the textile sheet  200 . Multiple solvent applications may be made when different features are to be formed in the textile sheet, as one example. Such features may be of different thicknesses or strengths, as another example, and thus may be exposed to solvent for differing periods of time. As yet another option, or in addition to the foregoing, multiple different types of solvent may be employed in multiple applications of solvent to the textile. 
         [0039]    If another solvent operation is required or desired, the method may return to operation  610 . Otherwise, operation  630  is accessed and the textile may be formed into a final configuration. The textile maybe cut or shaped, for example. In many embodiments, operation  630  may be omitted. 
         [0040]    It should be appreciated that a variety of items may be made from a textile fabric  200  selectively treated with a hot melt material  105 . For example, a variety of covers or cases may be formed.  FIG. 7  shows one example of an exterior case  700  for a tablet computing device  705  that may be formed in accordance with the present disclosure. The case  700  may define one or more acoustic outlets  710  and/or acoustic inlets  715 . These acoustic outlets/inlets may be unprotected regions  400  that were exposed to solvent, thereby thinning the textile fabric sufficiently to permit sound to pass therethrough without substantial impedance or distortion. An acoustic outlet  710  may cover a speaker of the tablet computing device  705  while an acoustic inlet  715  may cover a microphone, for example. It should be appreciated that the look of these acoustic outlets  710  and inlets  715  may be identical or substantially similar to the rest of the case  700 , including any portions  720  that were protected from the action of the solvent by hot melt  105 . Thus, although the acoustic properties of the outlets  710  and inlets  715  may be altered, the visual appearance, and optionally the feel, of these elements may match the rest of the case. The dashed lines signify that these elements, while transmissive, may not form an aperture permitting objects to pass through the textile fabric. 
         [0041]    The case  700  may also define a light-transmissive section  725 . The light-transmissive section may emit light when backlit. For example, when a status indicator is activated, the outputted light may be visible through the light-transmissive section. In some embodiments the light may be visible even though the status indicator is not. 
         [0042]    Through multiple solvent applications, or through the use of varying concentrations of solvents selectively applied simultaneously, one or more apertures  730  passing through the textile  700  may be formed in the textile material. 
         [0043]    It should be appreciated that any number of items may be formed from a textile fabric that is selectively altered in the fashions described herein. For example, textile seat covers for automobiles may be so manufactured. Likewise, grilles or covers for audio elements, such as speakers, may be formed. As still another example, bands or bracelets may be fabricated in this fashion. Covers for other electronic devices, such as telephones and notebook computers, may also be created. Various other products will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure in its entirety. Accordingly, the proper scope of protection is set forth in the appended claims.