Patent Publication Number: US-7581258-B2

Title: Article of apparel incorporating a flocked material

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to materials for articles of apparel. The invention concerns, more particularly, a flocked material that is suitable for use in articles of apparel. The invention has application, for example, to articles of apparel intended for use during athletic activities. 
   2. Description of Background Art 
   Articles of apparel designed for use during athletic activities generally exhibit characteristics that enhance the performance or comfort of an individual. For example, apparel may incorporate an elastic material that provides a relatively tight fit, thereby imparting the individual with a lower profile that minimizes wind resistance. Apparel may also be formed from a material that wicks moisture away from the individual in order to reduce the quantity of perspiration that accumulates adjacent to the skin. Furthermore, apparel may incorporate materials that are specifically selected for particular environmental conditions. Accordingly, materials incorporated into articles of apparel for athletic activities may be specifically selected to enhance the performance or comfort of the individual. 
   The characteristics of the materials that are incorporated into an article of apparel are generally selected based upon the specific activity for which the article of apparel is intended to be used. A material that minimizes wind resistance, for example, may be suitable for activities where speed is a primary concern. Similarly, a material that reduces the quantity of perspiration that accumulates adjacent to the skin may be most appropriate for athletic activities commonly associated with a relatively high degree of exertion. Accordingly, materials may be selected to enhance the performance or comfort of individuals engaged in specific athletic activities. 
   Textiles area a commonly-utilized class of materials for articles of apparel. Textiles may be defined as any manufacture from fibers, filaments, or yarns characterized by flexibility, fineness, and a high ratio of length to thickness. Textiles generally fall into two categories. The first category includes textiles produced directly from webs of fibers by bonding, fusing, or interlocking to construct non-woven fabrics and felts. The second category includes textiles formed through a mechanical manipulation of yarn, thereby producing a woven fabric. 
   Yarn is the raw material utilized to form textiles in the second category and may be defined as an assembly having a substantial length and relatively small cross-section that is formed from at least one filament or a plurality of fibers. Fibers have a relatively short length and require spinning or twisting processes to produce a yarn of suitable length for use in textiles. Common examples of fibers are cotton and wool. Filaments, however, have an indefinite length and may merely be combined with other filaments to produce a yarn suitable for use in textiles. Modern filaments include a plurality of synthetic materials such as rayon, nylon, polyester, and polyacrylic, with silk being the primary, naturally-occurring exception. Yarn may be formed from a single filament or a plurality of individual filaments grouped together. Yarn may also include separate filaments formed from different materials, or the yarn may include filaments that are each formed from two or more different materials. Similar concepts also apply to yarns formed from fibers. Accordingly, yarns may have a variety of configurations that generally conform to the definition provided above. 
   The various techniques for mechanically manipulating yarn into a textile include interweaving, intertwining and twisting, and interlooping. Interweaving is the intersection of two yarns that cross and interweave at substantially right angles to each other. The yarns utilized in interweaving are conventionally referred to as warp and weft. Intertwining and twisting encompasses procedures such as braiding and knotting where yarns intertwine with each other to form a textile. Interlooping involves the formation of a plurality of columns of intermeshed loops, with knitting being the most common method of interlooping. 
   The manner in which a textile is formed, and the specific yarns incorporated into the textile, affect the characteristics of the textile and the suitability of the textile for use in articles of apparel for athletic activities. A tight weave, for example, may not be sufficiently permeable to permit the removal of perspiration. A tight weave, however, may be sufficient to block wind or precipitation. Accordingly, the suitability of a particular textile depends upon various factors relating to the particular activity and environmental conditions associated with the activity. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One aspect of the present invention is a flocked material having a substrate and a plurality of flocking fibers. The substrate is formed from a two-dimensional material and has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The flocking fibers are secured to the second surface. In addition, the flocking fibers may form a plurality of apertures that expose at least a portion of the second surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the apertures may exhibit an elongate or elliptical configuration. The substrate may be a textile and may include a water-resistant coating. 
   Another aspect of the invention is an article of apparel that includes the flocked material. More particularly, the flocked material is incorporated into the article of apparel such that the flocking fibers face inward to form at least a portion of an interior surface of the article of apparel. The flocking fibers may be positioned to contact an individual wearing the article of apparel and form a space between the individual and the substrate. 

   
     The advantages and features of novelty characterizing the present invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. To gain an improved understanding of the advantages and features of novelty, however, reference may be made to the following descriptive matter and accompanying drawings that describe and illustrate various embodiments and concepts related to the invention. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing Summary of the Invention, as well as the following Detailed Description of the Invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an article of apparel incorporating a material in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of a portion of the material. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the material, as defined by section line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is another cross-sectional view of the material that corresponds with  FIG. 3  and depicts the material as being in contact with an individual. 
       FIGS. 5A-5F  are plan views depicting various additional configurations for the material. 
       FIG. 6  is a front plan view of a another article of apparel incorporating the material. 
       FIG. 7  is a front plan view of yet another article of apparel incorporating the material. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose an article of apparel  10  at least partially formed from a flocked material  20 , in accordance with the present invention. Article of apparel  10  is depicted in  FIG. 1  as having the general configuration of a conventional jacket, with the exception of flocked material  20 . One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that flocked material  20  may be incorporated into a plurality of articles of apparel exhibiting a variety of different configurations, including long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirts, headwear, coats, pants, underwear, gloves, socks, and footwear, for example. Accordingly, the various concepts disclosed in the following discussion and accompanying figures with respect to article of apparel  10  may be utilized in connection with a variety of apparel configurations, in addition to a jacket. 
   Article of apparel  10  includes a torso portion  11  and two arm portions  12   a  and  12   b . Torso portion  11  corresponds with a torso of an individual and, therefore, covers the torso when worn. Similarly, arm portions  12   a  and  12   b  respectively correspond with a right arm and a left arm of the individual and cover the arms when worn. A zipper  13  extends vertically through torso portion  11  to provide the individual with access to article of apparel  10 . In addition, zipper  13  provides the individual with a structure for regulating the thermal properties of article of apparel  10 . That is, zipper  13  may be opened to facilitate air flow and release heat, or closed to limit air flow. Article of apparel  10  exhibits, therefore, the general configuration of a conventional jacket. In contrast with the conventional jacket, however, article of apparel  10  is at least partially formed from flocked material  20 . 
   The primary elements of flocked material  20  are a substrate  21 , a plurality of flocking fibers  22 , and an adhesive  23 , as depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Substrate  21  may be a textile or a polymer sheet, for example, that has a first surface  24   a  and an opposite second surface  24   b . Flocking fibers  22  exhibit a perpendicular or otherwise substantially orthogonal orientation with respect to substrate  21 , and flocking fibers  22  are secured to second surface  24   b  with adhesive  23 . Accordingly, flocked material  20  has a configuration wherein flocking fibers  22  are perpendicularly-secured to substrate  21  with adhesive  23 . 
   Flocked material  20  is incorporated into article of apparel  10  such that first surface  24   a  faces outward and second surface  24   b  faces inward. That is, flocking fibers  22  are positioned in article of apparel  10  to form an interior surface of article of apparel  10  and contact the individual, which is represented by reference numeral  14  in  FIG. 4 . In many conventional articles of apparel that incorporate a flocked material, the flocked surface of the flocked material faces outward to provide an aesthetic quality to the conventional articles of apparel. In article of apparel  10 , however, flocking fibers  22  and second surface  24   b  face inward in order to enhance the performance and comfort of the individual. More particularly, flocking fibers  22  contact the individual and form a space  25  between substrate  21  and the individual. Space  25  may enhance performance by facilitating the movement of air, thereby promoting removal of perspiration. Space  25  may also enhance comfort by retaining heat and ensuring that substrate  21  does not cling or otherwise significantly contact the individual. Accordingly, flocked material  20  is incorporated into article of apparel  10  such that flocking fibers  22  face inward, form space  25 , and are positioned adjacent the individual. 
   Substrate  21  is formed from a generally two-dimensional material. As utilized with respect to the present invention, the term “two-dimensional material” is intended to encompass generally flat materials exhibiting a length and a width that are substantially greater than a thickness. Accordingly, suitable materials for substrate  21  include various textiles and polymer sheets, for example. Textiles, as discussed in the Background of the Invention section above, are generally manufactured from fibers, filaments, or yarns that are, for example, either (a) produced directly from webs of fibers by bonding, fusing, or interlocking to construct non-woven fabrics and felts or (b) formed through a mechanical manipulation of yarn to produce a woven fabric. Polymer sheets may be extruded, rolled, or otherwise formed from a polymer material to exhibit a generally flat aspect. In addition to textiles and polymer sheets, substrate  21  may be formed from other two-dimensional materials, such as leather and synthetic suede. 
   One suitable material for substrate  21  is a textile formed from a false twist textured polyester yarn having 75 and  72  filaments per yarn. Polyester is a hydrophobic material that also provides relatively high durability. Substrate  21  may be augmented with a durable, water-repellant material, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene coating. The specific characteristics of substrate  21  when formed from the polyester yarn are intended to provide an example of a suitable material for substrate  21 . A variety of other materials are also suitable for substrate  21 , including materials such as cotton, rayon, wool, and nylon, for example. The characteristics of substrate  21 , when formed as a textile, depend primarily upon the materials of the yarns that form substrate  21 . Cotton, for example, provides a soft hand, natural aesthetics, and biodegradability. Rayon provides high luster and moisture absorption. Wool also provides high moisture absorption, in addition to insulating properties. Nylon is a durable and abrasion-resistant material with high strength. Accordingly, the materials selected for substrate  21  contribute to the properties of article of apparel  10  and flocked material  20 . 
   In order to provide stretch and recovery properties to flocked material  20 , elastane fiber may be incorporated into substrate  21 . Elastane fibers are available from E.I. duPont de Nemours Company under the LYCRA trademark. Such fibers may have the configuration of covered elastane, wherein the fiber includes an elastane core that is surrounded by a nylon sheath. Other fibers or filaments exhibiting elastic properties may also be utilized. A plurality of other materials, whether elastic or inelastic, are also suitable for substrate  21 . 
   Flocking fibers  22  may be formed from any of the materials discussed above for substrate  21 , in addition to a variety of other materials. One suitable material for flocking fibers  22  is a 1.5 denier nylon fiber having a length of approximately 0.5 millimeters. Within the scope of the present invention, however, flocking fibers  22  may vary in length from 0.2 millimeters to 5.0 millimeters, for example, and may exhibit a denier between 0.8 and 22. Accordingly, the specific configuration of flocking fibers  22  may vary significantly within the scope of the present invention. 
   Adhesive  23  securely joins flocking fibers  22  to substrate  21 . A variety of adhesives may be utilized within the scope of the present invention. The specific adhesive selected for adhesive  23  should, however, continue to join flocking fibers  22  to substrate  21  through significant use and a plurality of washing cycles. Accordingly, a variety of adhesives may be utilized for adhesive  23 . 
   Article of apparel  10  is formed from a plurality of individual elements that are joined together through stitching, for example, to form the configuration of a jacket. That is, multiple elements of flocked material  20  may be joined together to form torso portion  11  and arm portions  12   a  and  12   b . Each of the individual elements may be formed from flocked material  20 . As an alternative, one or more of the elements may be formed from different materials. For example, the elements forming torso portion  11  may be formed from flocked material  20 , whereas the elements forming arm portions  12   a  and  12   b  may be formed from a different two-dimensional material. As another alternative, each of the elements forming article of apparel  10  may be formed from flocked material  20 , but the specific material forming substrate  21  may vary. Accordingly, the manner in which flocked material  20  is incorporated into article of apparel  10  may vary significantly within the scope of the present invention. 
   With reference to  FIG. 2 , the pattern of flocking fibers  22  on substrate  21  define a plurality of elongate apertures  26 , with flocking fibers  22  extending entirely around apertures  26 . As depicted, apertures  26  are elliptical in shape and have a width dimension that is approximately 70 percent a length dimension. Accordingly, the length of each aperture  26  may be approximately 10 millimeters, with the width being approximately 7 millimeters. The specific configuration of flocking fibers  22  on substrate  21  may vary significantly, however, as depicted in  FIGS. 5A-5F . Flocking fibers  22  may form apertures  26  to have round or hexagonal shapes, for example, as depicted respectively in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . Flocking fibers  22  may also form straight or curved lines on substrate  21 , as depicted respectively in  FIGS. 5C and 5D . In some embodiments, flocking fibers  22  may form discrete areas of flocking having elliptical or round shapes, as depicted respectively in FIGS.  5 E and  5 F.For instance,  FIGS. 2-5F  illustrate some embodiments having a first area and a plurality of second areas, wherein flocking fibers are connected to one of the first of second areas. For example,  FIGS.2 ,  5 A, and  5 B illustrate some embodiments wherein the first aea  22  extends around the second areas  21  and the flocking fibers  22  are connected to the first area. Additionally or alternatively,  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 E, and  5 F illustrate some embodiments wherein the first area  21  extends around the plurality of second areas  22  and the flocking fibers are connected to the plurality of second areas. In the arrangements shown, the flocking fibers  22  may be generally absent from the area to which they are not connected. In some other embodiments, flocking fibers  22  may even be randomly-placed such that no distinct pattern is formed on substrate  21 . Accordingly, the shape of apertures  26  or the pattern of flocking fibers  22  may vary significantly within the scope of the present invention. 
   As discussed above, the pattern of flocking fibers  22  on substrate  21  define a plurality of elongate apertures  26 , with flocking fibers  22  extending entirely around apertures  26 . This configuration has advantages over configurations, including enhanced durability and grip characteristics. Regarding durability, flocking fibers  22  in this configuration remained intact on substrate  21  to a greater degree during washing when compared to materials having discrete areas of flocking fibers. In addition, this configuration may provide enhanced grip. Accordingly, flocked material  20  may be incorporated into gloves, for example, that are intended for use in gripping objects. More particularly, flocking fibers may be positioned on the exterior of a glove, such as a soccer goalkeeper glove, that is utilized for catching or otherwise handling a soccer ball. 
   Flocking fibers  22  contact the individual and form space  25  between substrate  21  and the individual, as discussed in detail above. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that various factors cooperatively contribute to the proper formation of space  25 , including the drape of substrate  21 , the length of flocking fibers  22 , and the dimensions and shape of apertures  26 . The drape characteristic of substrate  21  may form a downward bow in each of apertures  26 . The downward distance that substrate  21  extends is at least partially determined by the dimensions and shape of apertures  26 . Accordingly, the length of flocking fibers  22  should be selected to be at least slightly longer than the downward distance that substrate  21  extends. If, for example, the downward distance that substrate  21  extends is greater than the length of flocking fibers  22 , when substrate  21  may contact the individual and substantially limit the effectiveness of space  25 . When designing flocked material  20 , therefore, the drape of substrate  21 , the length of flocking fibers  22 , and the dimensions and shape of apertures  26  should be cooperatively considered in order to ensure that space  25  is properly formed. 
   Flocked material  20  may be formed through a generally conventional process. For example, the manufacturing process may initially involve placing adhesive  23  on substrate  21  in only those areas where flocking fibers  22  are intended to be located. As flocking fibers  22  contact adhesive  23 , the various flocking fibers  22  may be aligned perpendicular to substrate  21  with an electrostatic charge. That is, the electrostatic charge may be utilized to impart the proper orientation to flocking fibers  22 . End portions of flocking fibers  22  then contact adhesive  23  and are bonded with substrate  21  in the correct orientation. Flocked material  20  is then incorporated into article of apparel  10  such that flocking fibers  22  face inward, form space  25 , and are positioned adjacent the individual. 
   With reference to  FIG. 6 , another article of apparel  30  is disclosed. Article of apparel  30  has the configuration of a short-sleeved shirt and includes a torso portion  31  and two arm portions  32   a  and  32   b . Torso portion  31  corresponds with a torso of an individual and, therefore, covers the torso when worn. Similarly, arm portions  32   a  and  32   b  respectively correspond with a right arm and a left arm of the individual and cover the arms when worn. Article of apparel  30  exhibits, therefore, the general configuration of a conventional short-sleeved shirt. In contrast with the conventional short-sleeved shirt, however, article of apparel  30  is at least partially formed from flocked material  20 . Accordingly, flocked material  20  is incorporated into article of apparel  30  such that first surface  24   a  faces outward and second surface  24   b  faces inward. That is, flocking fibers  22  are positioned in article of apparel  30  to contact the individual and form a space between substrate  21  and the individual. 
   Another article of apparel  40  is depicted in  FIG. 7  as having the configuration of a pair of pants. Article of apparel  40  includes a pelvic portion  41  and a pair of leg portions  42   a  and  42   b . As with articles of apparel  10  and  30 , article of apparel  40  incorporates flocked material  20  such that first surface  24   a  faces outward and second surface  24   b  faces inward. That is, flocking fibers  22  are positioned in article of apparel  40  to contact the individual and form a space between substrate  21  and the individual. 
   Based upon the above discussion, flocked material  20  may be incorporated into a variety of articles of apparel. The manner in which flocked material  20  is incorporated into articles of apparel may vary significantly within the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, flocking fibers  22  are positioned to contact the individual. That is, the flocked portion of flocked material  20  faces inward. This configuration provides various advantages. For example, flocking fibers  22  contact the individual and form a space  25  between substrate  21  and the individual. Space  25  may enhance performance by facilitating the movement of air, thereby promoting removal of perspiration. Space  25  may also enhance comfort by retaining heat and ensuring that substrate  21  does not cling or otherwise significantly contact the individual. Accordingly, flocked material  20  may be incorporated into a variety of articles of apparel such that flocking fibers  22  face inward, form space  25 , and are positioned adjacent the individual. 
   The present invention is disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings with reference to a variety of embodiments. The purpose served by the disclosure, however, is to provide an example of the various features and concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.