Liquid water resistant and water vapor permeable garments

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-05-08
EI DU PONT DE NEMOURS & CO
View PDF16 Cites 24 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]The present invention is directed towards a layered material for a garment that p

Problems solved by technology

“Breathable” materials that do permit evaporation of perspiration have tended to wet through from the rain, and they are not truly waterproof.
Oilskins, polyurethane coated fabrics, polyvinyl chloride films and other materials are waterproof but do not allow satisfactory evaporation of perspiration.
Fabrics treated with silicone, fluorocarbon, and other water repellants usually allow evaporation of perspiration but are only marginally waterproof; they allow water to leak through under very low pressures and usually leak spontaneously when rubbed or mechanically flexed.
However even recent developments in breathable fabric articles using microporous films tend to limit moisture vapor transmission if air permeability is to be controlled.
If a hydrophobic coating is to be applied to the fabric structure, then the technology currently available in the market is overdesigned for the application.
Clothing which appreciably inhibits heat transfer can cause heat and moisture buildup and this can result in discomfort due to warm, sticky, clammy and or sweaty sensations.
In the extreme case, for example, where protective clothing prevents adequate thermal regulation during activity in a warm and humid environment, such clothing limitations not only lead to discomfort, but can result in life-threatening heat stress.
For this reason, frequently, clothing limitations impose limitations on activity to avoid the consequences of heat stress.
Conversely, garments made of fabrics with the highest air flow resistance limited the physical activity of the same subjects to the lowest levels to avoid heat stress.
Unfortunately, smaller pore size also generally results in higher air flow resistance.
Microporous films have been used in barrier materials to achieve extremely high hydrostatic head liquid barrier properties, but at the expense of breathability, such that their air permeabilities are unacceptably low, rendering fabrics containing such films uncomfortable for the wearer.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0041]A two-layer fabric construction made from a 170 gsm stretch nylon plain-weave fabric (available from Rose City Textiles in Portland, Oreg.) and a nanoweb made from Nylon 6,6, with a basis weight of 10 gsm (grams per square meter) was produced. The two-layer fabric construction was produced by laminating the nylon woven fabric to the nanoweb using a solvent-based urethane adhesive using a “288-pattern” gravure-roll application with a pressure of 60 psi. The final two-layer fabric construction was then treated with a telomeric fluorinated surfactant (Zonyl® 7040, Du Pont, Wilmington, Del.) at 8% solids (as received) in a water bath. The Zonyl® (commercially available from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company) was applied using a dip and squeeze method where both sides of the construction are fully submerged in the bath. The two-layer construction was then passed through an electrically heated oven at a temperature of 140° C. with a residence time of 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

[004...

example 2

[0045]A single layer of the nanoweb made from Nylon 6,6, with a basis weight of 25 gsm, was calendared_and then treated with Zonyl® 7040 at 8% solids (as received). This treated nanoweb was then tested for hydrohead. The first trial did not use any type of support system for the nanoweb, and the resulting hydrohead was 48 cmwc. For the second trial, a coarse, mesh support screen, with two gaskets on either side at the edge, was placed over the nanoweb in the test clamp. This screen was used to keep the nanoweb from bulging while applying the hydrostatic pressure. The resulting hydrohead was 166 cmwc using this coarse mesh support screen. For the third and fourth trials, a much finer mesh support screen was used to control the bulging of the nanoweb during the test. The resulting hydroheads were 244 cmwc and 269 cmwc, respectively, using this fine mesh support screen.

example 3

[0046]A single layer of the nanoweb made from Nylon 6,6, with a basis weight of 25 gsm, was treated with Zonyl® 7040 at 8% solids (as received). The first trial did not use any type of support system for the nanoweb, and the resulting hydrohead was 40 cmwc. For the second, third, and fourth trials, the fine mesh support screen was placed on top of the nanoweb in the test clamp to stop the nanoweb from bulging during the test. The resulting hydroheads were 202 cmwc, 214 cmwc, and 202 cmwc. MVTR was 1730 g / m2 / day.

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

PropertyMeasurementUnit
Massaaaaaaaaaa
Lengthaaaaaaaaaa
Speedaaaaaaaaaa
Login to View More

Abstract

A water resistant garment having regions of high MVTR while maintaining water resistance. The garment has a nanofiber layer bonded to, and in a face-to-face relationship with, a fabric layer. Optionally a second fabric layer is bonded adjacent to and in a face-to-face relationship with the nanofiber layer and on the opposite side of the nanofiber layer to the first fabric layer. The garment has regions having a Frazier air permeability of no greater than about 25 cfm / ft2, an MVTR per ASTM E-96B method of greater than about 500 g / m2 / day and a hydrohead of at least about 50 cmwc.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates to garments with controlled moisture vapor and water management capability. The invention as claimed and disclosed has particular applications in outerwear.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Protective garments for wear in rain and other wet conditions should keep the wearer dry by preventing the leakage of water into the garment and by allowing perspiration to evaporate from the wearer to the atmosphere. “Breathable” materials that do permit evaporation of perspiration have tended to wet through from the rain, and they are not truly waterproof. Oilskins, polyurethane coated fabrics, polyvinyl chloride films and other materials are waterproof but do not allow satisfactory evaporation of perspiration.[0003]Fabrics treated with silicone, fluorocarbon, and other water repellants usually allow evaporation of perspiration but are only marginally waterproof; they allow water to leak through under very low pressures and usually leak spontane...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
IPC IPC(8): A41D13/00D04H1/42D04H1/4258D04H1/4291D04H1/43D04H1/4309D04H1/4326D04H1/4334D04H1/4342D04H1/435D04H1/4374D04H1/4382D04H1/728
CPCA41D31/02A41D2400/20A41D2400/22B32B5/26D01D5/0084B32B27/02B32B27/12B32B27/34B32B7/12A41D31/102A41D31/185A41D13/00D04H13/00
InventorCONLEY, JILL A.GUCKERT, JOSEPH ROBERTMARIN, ROBERT ANTHONYPALMER, GEORGE BRUCE
OwnerEI DU PONT DE NEMOURS & CO