A non-woven elastic cloth includes a perforated elastomer film having discrete warp lines, discrete weft lines, and peripheral flanges. Each of the discrete warp lines has warp segments. Each of the discrete weft lines has weft segments. The warp segments intersect the weft segments so as to form a woven-like texture and define grid spaces thereamong. Each warp segment has two opposite ends cooperating with two adjacent ones of the weft segments to form two first V-shaped recesses. Each weft segment has two opposite ends cooperating with two adjacent ones of the warp segments to form two second V-shaped recesses. Each peripheral flange protrudes outwardly of a respective grid space.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 101136362, filed Oct. 2, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a non-woven elastic cloth having a woven-like texture, more particularly to a non-woven elastic cloth including a perforated elastomer film having discrete warp lines and discrete weft lines.

2. Description of the Related Art

Woven fabrics tend to be stable and more rigid than knitted fabrics. Knitted fabrics are flexible and stretchable in both vertical and horizontal directions even if non-elastic yarns are used. It is known in the art that woven fabrics can include elastic yarns to increase elasticity of the woven fabrics.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0212659 discloses a method of making a woven fabric that includes hard warp yarns, hard weft yarns which are interlaced with the hard warp yarns, and elastomeric weft yarns which are interlaced with the hard warp yarns. The elastomeric weft yarns have a greater shrinkage ratio than that of the hard warp yarns and the hard weft yarns.

However, the manufacturing costs of making the woven fabric are expensive. In addition, the woven fabric thus formed tends to form wrinkles after being stretched, and requires a relatively long time to restore to its original shape after being deformed. Moreover, the woven fabric thus formed still has a relatively low elasticity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a non-woven elastic cloth having a woven-like texture that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art.

According to this invention, there is provided a non-woven elastic cloth having a woven-like texture that simulates a texture of interlaced warp and weft yarns of a conventional woven cloth. The non-woven elastic cloth comprises a perforated elastomer film having a plurality of discrete warp lines extending in a warp direction and adapted to simulate the warp yarns of the conventional woven cloth, a plurality of discrete weft lines extending in a weft direction and adapted to simulate the weft yarns of the conventional woven cloth, and a plurality of peripheral flanges. Each of the discrete warp lines has a plurality of warp segments. Each of the discrete weft lines has a plurality of weft segments. The warp segments of the warp lines intersect the weft segments of the weft lines so as to form a woven-like texture and to define a plurality of grid spaces thereamong. Each of the warp segments has two opposite ends that respectively meet and cooperate with two adjacent ones of the weft segments to form two first V-shaped recesses thereat. Each of the weft segments has two opposite ends that respectively meet and cooperate with two adjacent ones of the warp segments to form two second V-shaped recesses thereat. Each of the peripheral flanges protrudes outwardly of a respective one of the grid spaces from corresponding ones of the warp and weft segments that cooperatively define the respective one of the grid spaces, and has an end opening that is disposed outwardly of the respective one of the grid spaces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

FIGS. 1 to 4illustrate the first preferred embodiment of a non-woven elastic cloth according to the present invention. The non-woven elastic cloth has a woven-like texture that simulates a texture of interlaced warp and weft yarns of a conventional woven cloth, and includes a perforated elastomer film1.

The perforated elastomer film1has a plurality of discrete warp lines11extending in a warp direction (X) and adapted to simulate the warp yarns of the conventional woven cloth, a plurality of discrete weft lines12extending in a weft direction (Y) and adapted to simulate the weft yarns of the conventional woven cloth, and a plurality of peripheral flanges13. Each of the discrete warp lines11has a plurality of warp segments110. Each of the discrete weft lines12has a plurality of weft segments120. The warp segments110of the warp lines11intersect the weft segments120of the weft lines12so as to form the woven-like texture and to define a plurality of first grid spaces16thereamong. Each of the warp segments110has two opposite ends1101that respectively meet and cooperate with two adjacent ones of the weft segments120to form two first V-shaped recesses15thereat. Each of the weft segments120has two opposite ends1201that respectively meet and cooperate with two adjacent ones of the warp segments110to form two second V-shaped recesses17thereat. Each of the peripheral flanges13protrudes outwardly of a respective one of the first grid spaces16from corresponding ones of the warp and weft segments110,120that cooperatively define the respective one of the first grid spaces16, and has an end opening130that is disposed outwardly of the respective one of the first grid spaces16.

In this embodiment, the warp direction (X) is perpendicular to the weft direction (Y). Alternatively, the warp direction (X) and the weft direction (Y) may form an angle other than 90 degrees.

The warp segments110have a warp width (w1) in the weft direction (Y). The weft segments120have a weft width (w2) in the warp direction (X). The weft width (w2) may be the same as or different from the warp width (w1) so as to impart the perforated elastomer film1with different levels of elasticity in the warp and weft directions (X, Y). The warp segments110have a warp length (L1) in the warp direction (X). The weft segments120have a weft length (W2) in the weft direction (Y). The weft length (L1) may be the same as or different from the warp length (L2) so as to impart the perforated elastomer film1with different levels of elasticity in the warp and weft directions (X, Y).

In this embodiment, each of the warp segments110and the weft segments120has an arcuate cross-section, and each of the peripheral flanges13is generally truncated-conical in shape.

Preferably, the perforated elastomer film1is made from an elastomer selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane and thermoplastic polyolefin. The thermoplastic polyolefin is preferably selected from ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and propylene-based elastomer.

FIGS. 5 to 7illustrate the second preferred embodiment of the non-woven elastic cloth according to the present invention. The second preferred embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that the second preferred embodiment further includes a fibrous layer3(seeFIG. 7), that the warp segments110of the warp lines11cooperate with the weft segments120of the weft lines12to further define a plurality of second grid spaces18which are separated from the first grid spaces16, and that the perforated elastomer film1further has a plurality of protrusions14, each of which protrudes outwardly of a respective one of the second grid spaces18from corresponding ones of the warp and weft segments110,120that cooperatively define the respective one of the second grid spaces18. Each of the protrusions14has a generally U-shaped cross-section and a closed end141for closing one side of the respective one of the second grid spaces18.

In this embodiment, the fibrous layer3includes a plurality of fibers31thermally bonded to and protruding from the closed ends14of the protrusions14so as to provide a soft feeling of touch. The perforated elastomer film1has opposite first and second sides101,102. The woven-like texture is formed at the first side101, and the fibrous layer3is formed at the second side102.

The second grid spaces18are arranged in a pattern of parallel first lanes21and parallel second lanes22that intersect the first lanes21to form a plurality of block regions23. The first grid spaces16are divided into a plurality of groups, each of which is disposed within a respective one of the block regions23. The first lanes21extend in a first lane direction (U). The second lanes22extend in a second lane direction (V) perpendicular to the first lane direction (U). The first lane direction (U) and the warp direction (X) form an acute angle (α).

The inclusion of the protrusions14in the perforated elastomer film1can enhance the tensile strength of the perforated elastomer film1and permit the perforated elastomer film1to be able to quickly restore to its original shape after being stretched and deformed.

The perforated elastomer film1of the previous embodiments can be formed by subjecting a non-perforated elastomer film to vacuum perforating and embossing techniques.

By forming the discrete warp lines11, the discrete weft lines12and the peripheral flanges13of the perforated elastomer film1of the non-woven elastic cloth of this invention, the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art can be alleviated.