Patent ID: 12226989

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In the following, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail with reference to an abrasion resistant material. While specific feature combinations are described in the following with respect to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to such embodiments. In particular, not all features have to be present for realizing the invention, and the embodiments may be modified by combining certain features of one embodiment with one or more features of another embodiment.

FIG.1adepicts two layers110,120of textile material arranged loosely on top of each other prior to heat bonding. The first layer110at the bottom includes a first textile material and may be composed of a uniform net of meshes113, which is also depicted in an enlarged illustration on the right side ofFIG.1a. The textile material of the first layer110may be a thermoplastic material, in particular a thermoplastic polyurethane, TPU. The second layer120on top includes a second textile material and may be composed of openings123larger than an average mesh size (not shown) of this layer or the mesh size113of the first layer110. The textile material of the second layer120may be a polyester core with a thermoplastic coating. In some embodiments, the thermoplastic coating may include a thermoplastic material different to the thermoplastic material of the first layer110. In another embodiment, the thermoplastic coating may be a TPU.

The first textile material may exhibit a larger stretchability than the second textile material. One way of characterizing the stretchability of a textile material is to pull apart a stripe having a predefined dimension of textile material from both ends, using a force that is smaller than a force needed to tear the textile material. By characterizing two different textile materials having identical predefined dimensions and applying the same force, a comparison of the resulting length of the textile materials enables to determine which lengthens more and thus is defined to have a larger stretchability.

The first textile material may exhibit a larger shrinkability than the second textile material, when heat bonding both layers110,120at least partially. One way of characterizing the shrinkability of a textile material is to determine the change in surface area of the textile material during an application of heat. By starting with two different textile materials having the same size of surface area and applying the same temperature and pressure to both textile materials for the same amount of time, the one with a smaller resulting surface area is defined to have a larger shrinkability.

In some embodiments, the aspect of the larger shrinkability of the first textile material compared to the second textile material may lead to a strong bonding between both layers110,120when heat bonded at least partially to each other. It may be noted that the shrinkability of the second layer120may also be zero. Furthermore, if the methods are performed in accordance with the present invention, the resulting material may provide a versatile abrasion resistant material that is flexible and can be easily shaped.

FIG.1bdepicts an illustration of the first111and second121layer shown inFIG.1aafter heat bonding. The heat bonding may include applying a pressure up to 1 bar at a temperature of 100° C. to 200° C. for a time duration of at least 10 seconds. During the heat bonding of both layers111,121, the second textile material may melt at least partly, which may lead to a puffed or swollen appearance of the second textile material as depicted inFIG.1b. Additionally or alternatively, the first textile material may shrink during the heat bonding. These two aspects, partly melting of the second textile material and shrinking of the first textile material may create a strong bond between both layers111,121and may form the abrasion resistant material100of the present invention.

By varying the parameters of the heat bonding, namely temperature, pressure and time, different effects and looks may be achieved. For example, an increase in temperature may lead to a higher degree of melting of the second textile material resulting in a more puffed or swollen look and a stronger degree of abrasion resistance. Similar effects may be possible by an increase of time duration. In some embodiments the heat bonding may be applied to an entire arrangement of two layers111,121as depicted inFIG.1b, wherein the above-mentioned effects may be achieved homogeneously on the entire arrangement. The openings122of the second layer121may still be larger than the average mesh size of the second layer121after heat bonding in some embodiments.

In another embodiment, heat bonding using different parameters may be applied to various regions of an arrangement of the two layers211,221, wherein the above-mentioned effects may thus appear differently at the various regions. For example,FIG.2depicts an embodiment that includes two regions230,240. A first region240in a central part of the arrangement and a second region230around the central part. Using a higher temperature and/or a longer duration of the heat bonding applied to the first region240when compared to the second region230, may result in a higher abrasion resistance and a more puffed or swollen appearance of the second textile material. Various embodiments may include a different number of regions arranged differently than depicted inFIG.2. The openings224of the first region240of the second layer221may have a different size and shape than the openings222of the second region230of the second layer221. In some embodiments the transition between various regions230,240may be abrupt, wherein in other embodiments the transition may be gradually or smooth. This enables not only to vary the intended amount of abrasion resistance for different parts of e.g. a shoe or sports apparel, but also provides a method to create different looks and appearances of e.g. a shoe or sports apparel having the abrasion resistant material200.

FIG.3depicts another embodiment that includes a third region301and a fourth region350, wherein the transition between both regions is abrupt. The third region301includes the abrasion resistant material300with a puffed or swollen appearance and openings322in the second layer321. The openings322may enable a translucent effect in which parts of the first layer311are visible and therefore may provide a method to create different designs and looks using various colors to manufacture the abrasion resistant material300. The fourth region350includes a second layer352, which is identical to the second layer321of the third region301. However, the first layer351of the fourth region350may be manufactured from a standard material not exhibiting the first shrinkability. Therefore, heat bonding such a first layer351of a standard material and the second layer352of the present invention may not provide a material with a high abrasion resistance as depicted in the fourth region350ofFIG.3with a non-puffed or non-swollen appearance.

FIG.4depicts an embodiment of abrasion resistant material attached to a medial or lateral side of an upper450of a shoe. This may enable to provide a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, having a higher durability and thus lasting longer by using patches of the abrasion resistant material400of the present invention at areas of the shoe that are more prone to higher wear and tear. In some embodiments, the outer layer of e.g. sports equipment, apparel or shoes may also include a fusible layer, as for example the first451and second layer452of upper450, so that the abrasion resistant material400may be directly attached to the outer layer using heat bonding. This may provide an attachment without the need of sewing or gluing. Similar toFIG.3, the abrasion resistant material400may have openings422in the second layer421, so that the first layer411may be visible.

FIG.5depicts a front part of a shoe570having a sole560and the abrasion resistant material500attached to an upper550of the shoe570. This may enable to protect regions of the shoe570, as for example a medial and lateral forefoot region, that are exposed to a rugged usage during sports activity. It is known that for example tennis players drag their shoes frequently by sliding over the rough surface of a tennis court when trying to reach a ball. This may expose the upper550of a tennis shoe570to a high degree of abrasion, in particular when playing on a clay court. By providing such an upper550of a tennis shoe570with an abrasion resistant material500, particularly at highly stressed regions, the overall lifetime of the shoe570may be prolonged. This may reduce the amount of waste and thus provide an eco-friendlier version of a shoe570by an attachment of the abrasion resistant material500. In some embodiments the materials used for the production of the first yarn to manufacture the first layer511and the second yarn to manufacture the second layer521may be recycled material. The second layer521may comprise openings522which may provide an improved air permeability and ventilation through the meshes of the first layer511for a foot of an athlete wearing the shoe570comprising the abrasion resistant material500.

In addition to the high performance of the abrasion resistant material100,200,300,400,500of the present invention, the abrasion resistant material may also provide a great visual appeal and the possibility to create interesting patterns and designs on e.g. sports equipment, apparel or shoes570by using textile materials with different colors. Further, by varying the parameters of the heat bonding, different looks and structures may easily be accomplished, for example openings122,222,224,322,422,522with different sizes and shapes or similar. Furthermore, the methods described herein, may provide an abrasion resistant material100,200,300,400,500, which in contrast to the use of an ordinary TPU foil may offer a high degree of flexibility to e.g. sports equipment, apparel or shoes when covered with the abrasion resistant material100,200,300,400,500.

Some embodiments described herein relate to an abrasion-resistant material that includes a first layer including a first textile material, and a second layer including a second textile material, wherein the second layer is arranged on the first layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are at least partially heat bonded to each other, wherein the first textile material exhibits a first shrinkability and the second textile material exhibits a second shrinkability, and wherein the first shrinkability is greater than the second shrinkability when at least partially heat bonding the first layer and the second layer.

In any of the various embodiments described herein, at least a part of the first layer or the second layer may be woven.

In any of the various embodiments described herein, the second textile material may melt at least partially during the heat bonding.

In any of the various embodiments described herein, the first textile material may include a first yarn and the second textile material may include a second yarn, and the first yarn may include a first thermoplastic material. In some embodiments, the first yarn may include only the first thermoplastic material.