Patent Publication Number: US-10309055-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for creating an image on fabric

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention claims priority on provisional patent application, Ser. No. 61/736,433, filed on Dec. 12, 2012, entitled “StretchGLOW Technology” and is hereby incorporated by reference 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Garment and jersey manufactures are always looking for new and exciting ways to improve the look and performance of their products. For instance, compression garments have become very popular. These garments are form fitting and use synthetic fabrics that have elastic properties. These fabrics tend to wick away perspiration and tend to help cool athletes when they are hot and warm them if they are cool. However, advertisements and emblems on these garments tend to be flat, subtle and mundane, which limits the revenue from advertisers and excitement for the fans. 
     Thus there exists a need for method of creating fabrics that are dynamic and flashy. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A method of creating an image on a fabric that overcomes these and other problems includes the steps of selecting a stretch fabric having a front side and a back side. A front side of the fabric is dyed with a solid color. A back side of the fabric is dyed with a knock out image. The knock out image is visible when the stretch fabric is stretched and is not visible when the stretch fabric is in a relaxed state. In one embodiment, the fabric is part of jersey and when the player stretches the fabric an image becomes visible. In another embodiment, the image expands or seems to glow. This provides a dynamic flashy image that is exciting to advertisers and fans alike. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cartoon drawing of a garment in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cartoon drawing of a garment in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a fabric with a first image in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a fabric with a second image in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of a stretch fabric in a relaxed state in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of a stretch fabric in a stretched state in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart of the step used in a method of creating an image on a stretch fabric in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to method of creating and image on a fabric that includes the steps of selecting a stretch fabric having a front side and a back side. A front side of the fabric is dyed with a solid color. A back side of the fabric is dyed with a knock out image. The knock out image is visible when the stretch fabric is stretched and is not visible when the stretch fabric is in a relaxed state. In one embodiment, the fabric is part of jersey and when the player stretches the fabric an image becomes visible. In another embodiment, the image expands or seems to glow. This provides a dynamic flashy image that is exciting to advertisers and fans alike. 
     Definitions 
     Neon color means an extremely bright color. 
     Stretch fabric means a fabric capable of being stretch in at least one direction 150% of original length under force and returning to its original length when the force is removed. 
     Knock out pattern means a pattern where the image is not printed/dyed/colored, but the area surrounding the image is printed/dyed/colored. 
     Darker means that a color reflects less light than another color. 
       FIG. 1  is a cartoon drawing of a garment  10  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. In this example the garment is a pair of football pants  12 . The pants are either made of stretch fabric or at least the knee portion  14  of the pants  12  are made of stretch fabric with an image created thereon.  FIG. 2  is a cartoon drawing of a garment  10  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. In this figure the fabric in the knee  14  is stretched and the image  16  is now visible. In this case the image is the player&#39;s number, but any image can be created. The image is dynamic because it is visible when the fabric is stretched, but not visible when the fabric is in a relaxed state. The size and the brightness of the image varies depending on how much the fabric is stretched, making a flashy image. 
       FIG. 3  is a fabric  20   a  with a first image in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The fabric  20   a  is a stretch fabric that may be a two way or a four way stretch fabric. However, the four way stretch fabric is generally preferred for most applications. For best result, the fabric&#39;s original color is very bright, such as a neon color although this will also work on white or light colored fabrics. The fabric  20   a  has a first side  20   a  and a second side  20   b . In one embodiment, the back side  20   a  is dyed with a knock out image  22  although other images than knock out images may be used. Note the number  94  is not dyed. For best results a sublimation dye process is used to make the image. Sublimation dying may be a direct printing process or may be an indirect process using transfer paper as is well understood in the art. 
       FIG. 4  is the fabric  20   b  with a second image  24  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The second image is printed on the front side  20   b  of the fabric  20 . The dye color is darker than the fabric color and in one embodiment is the same color as the dye used to make the knock out image  22 . 
     In another embodiment, the knock out image  22  is placed on a first fabric  20   a  and the cover  24  is placed on a second fabric  20   b . The two pieces  20   a ,  20   b  of fabric are held together so the images overlap with the first fabric  20   a  on the outside. When the fabrics are stretched the knock out image  22  is visible. For the best results the second fabric  20   b  is a light colored fabric. 
     Note in one embodiment, the image  22  may be something other than a knock out image. 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of a stretch fabric  20  in a relaxed state in accordance with one embodiment of the invention after it has been dyed as explained with respect to  FIGS. 3 &amp; 4 . The image  26  just looks like a dark square on the fabric  20 . Note that the image may be a circle, oval or almost any shape. In one embodiment all of the fabric is dyed so there is no un-dyed portion  28 .  FIG. 6  is a front view of a stretch fabric in a stretched state in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Now the image  26  shows the number  94 . The number  94  will have the same color (or similar color) as the original fabric. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart of the step used in a method of creating an image on a stretch fabric in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The process starts, step  40 , by selecting a stretch fabric have a front side and a back side at step  42 . The front side of the fabric is dyed with a solid color at step  44 . At step  46 , a back side of the fabric is dyed with a knock out image, which ends the process at step  48 . The order of when the images are dyed in not important in this embodiment. 
     Without being held to any particular theory the invention is believed to work because just the surface fibers of the stretch fabric are dyed. When the fabric is stretched part of the fibers are now exposed that were not dyed. Thus by dying the front and back with a darker color except where the knock out image is results in the only un-dyed fibers are those in the knock out image. Note this effect can also be achieved by first placing the knock out image on the front of the fabric and then dying a filled in image over the top of the knock out image, but it is not the preferred method. If this theory is correct the key points to the invention are just coloring the surface fibers in the relaxed state and coloring them with something that does not inhibit the stretching of the fabric/fibers. 
     Thus there has been described a method of creating fabrics that which is dynamic and flashy. 
     While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alterations, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations in the appended claims.