Methods, systems and articles for producing film patterns on substrate materials

Abstract

Aspects of this document are directed to systems, methods, and articles for producing a patterned film and using the patterned film to form a pattern of discrete coating structures on a substrate material. A film material of uniform thickness is deposited on a first surface of a series of carrier sheets, wherein each carrier sheet includes one or more holes extending therethrough. A first carrier sheet is extracted from the series of carrier sheets, and a second surface of the carrier sheet is positioned on a substrate material. Heat and / or pressure is applied to the film material so that the film material is transferred to the substrate material through one or more holes in the carrier sheet, thereby forming a pattern of discrete coating structures on the substrate material. The carrier sheet is removed from the substrate material together with the remainder of the film material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects herein are directed to methods, systems, and articles for forming a patterned film material and applying the patterned film material to a substrate material to produce a film pattern on the substrate material. Background Art

[0002] Applying a film pattern having multiple discrete film structures to a base material is typically a labor-intensive process that is not scalable to meet production needs. In one example, discrete film structures are generated by, for example, cutting a film material, and the discrete film structures are applied to a base material.

[0003] Summary of the claimed invention

[0004] This application involves the following projects:

[0005] 1. A system for producing a patterned film, the system comprising:

[0006] a series of carrier sheets, each carrier sheet in the series of carrier sheets having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough;

[0007] a conveyor assembly that advances the series of carrier sheets past an extrusion device that continuously extrudes a uniform thickness of film material onto a first surface of the series of carrier sheets; and

[0008] A take-up assembly is provided for taking up the series of carrier sheets having the film material deposited thereon about a central axis of rotation.

[0009] 2. A system for producing a patterned film according to item 1, wherein the series of carrier sheets has a length and a width, and wherein the extrusion emission portion of the extrusion device has a width substantially the same as the width of the series of carrier sheets.

[0010] 3. The system for producing a patterned film according to item 1, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0011] 4. A system for producing a patterned film according to item 1, wherein the conveying component includes a surface, and wherein the second surface of the series of carrier sheets is positioned on the surface of the conveying component.

[0012] 5. A system for producing a patterned film according to item 1, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0013] 6. A system for producing a patterned film according to item 1, wherein the series of carrier sheets are formed from one or more of a fibrous material, a woven composite material, and a metallic material.

[0014] 7. A method for producing a patterned film, the method comprising:

[0015] continuously extruding a film material of uniform thickness onto a first surface of a series of carrier sheets, each carrier sheet of the series of carrier sheets having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough;

[0016] winding the series of carrier sheets having the film material deposited thereon about a central axis of rotation; and

[0017] The film material is cured.

[0018] 8. The method for producing a patterned film according to item 7, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is from about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0019] 9. A method for producing a patterned film according to item 7, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0020] 10. The method for producing a patterned film according to item 7, wherein the film material is cured for about 24 hours to about 36 hours.

[0021] 11. A method for producing a patterned film according to item 7, wherein the series of carrier sheets are formed from one or more of a fibrous material, a nonwoven material, a woven composite material, and a metallic material.

[0022] 12. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material, the method comprising:

[0023] applying a second surface of a carrier sheet having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, the first surface of the carrier sheet having a uniform thickness of film material deposited thereon, to the base material;

[0024] applying one or more of heat and pressure to the film material to transfer the film material to the base material at areas corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet; and

[0025] The carrier sheet is removed from the base material such that portions of the membrane material at areas not corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet are also removed from the base material.

[0026] 13. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to item 12, wherein the carrier sheet is one or more of a fiber material, a nonwoven material, a woven composite material and a metal material.

[0027] 14. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to item 12, wherein the substrate material comprises one or more of a knitted material, a woven material and a non-woven material.

[0028] 15. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to item 12, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is about 40 micrometers to about 200 micrometers.

[0029] 16. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to item 12, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0030] 17. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to item 12, wherein the second surface of the carrier sheet comprises an adhesive.

[0031] 18. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to item 12, wherein the carrier sheet has a thickness of about 50 micrometers to about 500 micrometers.

[0032] 19. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to item 12, wherein one or more of heat and pressure are applied to the film material for a first time period, and wherein one or more of heat and pressure are subsequently applied to the film material for a second time period.

[0033] 20. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to item 19, wherein the second time period is shorter than the first time period. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Examples of various aspects of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0035] Figure 1 An example carrier sheet having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough according to aspects herein is shown;

[0036] Figure 2 According to various aspects of the present invention, Figure 1 A cross section of the carrier sheet taken along the cutting line 1-1;

[0037] Figure 3An example system for producing a patterned film according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown;

[0038] Figure 4 According to various aspects of the present invention, Figure 3 A cross section of a carrier sheet assembly produced by a system;

[0039] Figure 5 An example take-up assembly for taking up a carrier sheet having a film material deposited thereon according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown;

[0040] Figure 6 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional side view of an example system for producing a patterned film according to aspects herein;

[0041] Figure 7 A process flow for transferring a pattern of discrete film structures onto a substrate material according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown;

[0042] Figure 8 An example carrier sheet having a film material deposited on a first surface of the carrier sheet and an adhesive layer on a second surface of the carrier sheet according to aspects herein is shown;

[0043] Fig. 9 A flow chart illustrating an example method for producing a patterned film and using the patterned film to generate a pattern of discrete film structures on a substrate material according to aspects of the present disclosure;

[0044] Fig.10 A flow chart illustrating an example method of producing a patterned film according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown;

[0045] Fig.11 A flow chart illustrating an example method of generating a pattern of discrete film structures on a substrate material according to aspects of the present disclosure;

[0046] Fig.12 Another example process flow for transferring a pattern of discrete film structures onto a substrate material according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown;

[0047] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13B An example fixture for transferring a pattern of discrete film structures onto a substrate material according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown;

[0048] Fig.14 An example process flow for maximizing utilization of film material when transferring a pattern of discrete blanket film structures onto a substrate material in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is shown;

[0049] Fig.15 An example process flow for imparting texture to discrete film structures on a substrate material according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown;

[0050] Fig.16 A transfer device configured to transfer pattern dots of discrete lamination structures onto a substrate material according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0051] Fig.17 It is shown that according to various aspects of this invention, Fig.17 An example process flow of transferring a pattern of a discrete coating structure onto a substrate material using a transfer device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The subject matter of the present invention is described in detail herein to meet statutory requirements. However, this description itself is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Instead, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed or disclosed subject matter may also be embodied in other ways in conjunction with other current or future technologies to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the steps described in this document. In addition, although the terms "step" and / or "box" may be used herein to refer to different elements of the method employed, unless and in addition to the order of the individual steps being explicitly stated, these terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between the various steps disclosed herein.

[0053] The pattern of discrete film structure is applied to the base material traditionally is a labor-intensive process, which is usually not scalable to meet large production needs. In an example, a discrete film structure is generated by, for example, cutting a film material, and the discrete film structure is applied to the base material with a desired pattern. Aspects of this article are directed to a kind of scalable method of producing a patterned film and using the patterned film to form a pattern of a discrete film structure on a base material. Patterned film is produced by extruding a film material of uniform thickness onto a series of carrier sheets with a plurality of holes extending through it. A series of carrier sheets deposited with film material thereon can be rolled up to form a roll-shaped article, which can be stored and used as needed. A series of carrier sheets deposited with film material thereon can be subdivided into a plurality of separate carrier sheets, wherein each carrier sheet comprises a first surface and a relative second surface on which film material is deposited. The second surface of the corresponding carrier sheet can be applied to the base material in the form of a pattern sheet, for example for clothing or continuous roll goods, and heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy are applied to the carrier sheet to transfer the film material to the base material at the areas corresponding to the holes in the carrier sheet, thereby producing a pattern of discrete film structures on the base material that matches the pattern of holes in the carrier sheet. The carrier sheet can then be removed, which removes the portion of the film material located at the "non-hole" portion of the carrier sheet (i.e., the negative of the pattern of the discrete film structures). The method described in this way is suitable for large-scale production needs.

[0054] Aspects of the present invention are also directed to additional articles and methods for applying film materials to substrate materials. For example, aspects of the present invention contemplate a fixture that allows alignment of the substrate material to produce a consistent pattern of film structures on the substrate material. Aspects of the present invention also contemplate a transfer device utilizing a transfer point that can be heated to transfer the film material point to the substrate material to produce a pattern of discrete film structures. In exemplary aspects, the use of a transfer device can eliminate the need for a carrier sheet. Aspects of the present invention include methods for imparting surface textures to discrete film structures during the transfer process by using, for example, textured release paper. Another method contemplated herein is directed to maximizing the utilization of the film material by the following operations: repositioning the film material on the carrier sheet after initial use so that the non-transfer area of ​​the film material is located above the hole in the carrier sheet, positioning the carrier sheet on the substrate material, and using heat and / or pressure to transfer the film material through the hole on the carrier sheet and onto the substrate material to produce a pattern of discrete film structures.

[0055] As used herein, the term "base material" generally refers to a material suitable for forming an article of clothing such as an upper body garment, a lower body garment, a full body garment, socks, shoes, gloves, headwear articles, and the like. Thus, in exemplary aspects, the base material may include a knitted material, a woven material, a nonwoven material, and the like. In one example, the knitted material and / or the woven material may be formed from a yarn having a low moisture regain, wherein the moisture regain is defined as the percentage of moisture absorbed from the air by a drying fiber or filament at standard temperature and relative humidity. As further explained below, it is contemplated herein that when a membrane material is applied to a base material, the membrane material may cause deformation or wrinkling of the base material when the membrane material is exposed to moisture; the wrinkling or deformation provides functional benefits in exemplary aspects. For example, wrinkling or deformation can change the fit of the clothing article, which can produce a push-off structure that can reduce adhesion and promote cooling when positioned on the inward-facing surface of the article, and / or wrinkling or deformation can be used to tighten the vents in the base material from a closed state to an open state to increase the overall permeability and breathability of the clothing article. When the base material is formed by yarns with low moisture regain, the degree of wrinkling or deformation may be enhanced because these yarns will absorb less moisture and therefore will not offset the deformation force of the membrane material. In other exemplary aspects, the base material may include a lightweight textile fabric (e.g., about 30 grams per square meter (gsm) to about 150gsm) or an ultra-lightweight fabric (e.g., about 10gsm to about 100gsm), although heavier fabrics are contemplated herein. In contrast to heavier fabrics, lightweight and ultra-lightweight fabrics may wrinkle or deform to a greater extent when the membrane material is exposed to moisture.

[0056] As used herein, the term "membrane material" may include thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film materials, and more specifically polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)-based TPEE film materials, which are configured to transport or diffuse moisture from one surface of the film material to an opposing second surface of the film material. The transport of moisture can be facilitated by the presence of hydrophilic molecules (molecules that attract or have an affinity for water) within the film material, wherein a greater number of hydrophilic molecules can result in greater moisture transport. The movement of moisture through the film material can be measured using a water vapor permeability test such as ASTM E96 B, and in exemplary aspects, the water vapor permeability of the film material can be about 600 g / m 2 / day to about 10,000g / m 2 / day, about 1,000g / m 2 / day to about 9,000g / m 2 / day, about 3,000g / m 2 / day to about 8,000g / m 2 / day, about 5,000g / m 2 / day to about 7,000g / m 2 / day or about 6,000g / m 2 / day. As used herein, the term "about" means within ±10% of the indicated value. An example of a PBT-based TPEE film material is TPEE48 manufactured by Far Eastern New Century Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan, China. Additional film materials contemplated herein include thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film materials or variants thereof, thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film materials, and / or any film material capable of transporting or diffusing moisture from one surface of a film material to an opposing second surface of the film material.

[0057] When a film material is applied to a substrate material in a pattern of discrete film structures, and the substrate material is exposed to, for example, moisture, the discrete film structures undergo dimensional changes, such as an increase in height in the z-direction, an increase in length in the y-direction, and / or an increase in width in the x-direction. Because the discrete film structures are fully adhered to the substrate material, the dimensional changes in the discrete film structures cause the substrate material to wrinkle or tense in the z-direction in the area beneath the discrete film structures.

[0058] Unless otherwise stated, all measurements provided herein were measured at standard ambient temperature and pressure (25 degrees Celsius or 298.15 K and 1 bar).

[0059] Figure 1An example carrier sheet 100 is shown, which in example aspects has been extracted or removed from a series of carrier sheets. The carrier sheet 100 can be formed of a flexible / pliable material, such as a fiber or nonwoven material and / or a woven composite material. In example aspects, the carrier sheet 100 can be coated with silicone, polytetrafluoroethylene, or other substances with a low coefficient of friction to facilitate release. In one example, the carrier sheet 100 can be polytetrafluoroethylene fiber (commonly known as ) woven material. In another example, the carrier sheet can be formed of a thin alloy metal such as steel, which is coated with a low modulus substance such as silicone and / or polytetrafluoroethylene. In exemplary aspects, the carrier sheet 100 is configured to be used multiple times, exposed to temperatures of about 100 degrees Celsius or higher. The use of a metal carrier sheet can allow even more uses than, for example, a carrier sheet formed of a woven, fiber, or nonwoven material.

[0060] The carrier sheet 100 includes a first surface 110 and a second surface 112 opposite the first surface 110. Each of the first surface 110 and the second surface 112 of the carrier sheet 100 is generally flat or smooth. The carrier sheet 100 includes a plurality of holes 114 extending through the carrier sheet 100 from the first surface 110 to the second surface 112. The plurality of holes 114 can be in a desired pattern and can include holes of the same size, holes of varying sizes, holes of the same shape, holes of different shapes, holes of varying sizes ... Figure 1 More holes than shown Figure 1 Fewer holes (e.g., one hole), and / or Figure 1 The holes shown have different hole patterns. It is contemplated herein that the plurality of holes 114 may have a minimum size, such as a minimum length of at least 5 mm and a minimum width of at least 5 mm, and / or a minimum diameter of at least 5 mm, wherein the minimum size is sufficient to allow the film material to extend through the plurality of holes 114 and be transferred to the substrate material.

[0061] The carrier sheet 100 has a length 116 and a width 118. In example aspects, the width 118 can be less than the length 116, and in other example aspects, the width 118 can be substantially the same as the length 116 (e.g., within ±10%). Depending on the intended use, the length 116 and the width 118 of the carrier sheet 100 can have different sizes. Although generally shown as a rectangle, it is contemplated herein that the carrier sheet 100 can have different geometric shapes, such as other geometric shapes, organic shapes, alphanumeric shapes, etc., depending on the intended use.

[0062] Figure 2 Shown along Figure 12-2, and depicts a first surface 110 and a second surface 112 with a thickness 210 therebetween. Example thicknesses may range from about 20 microns to about 700 microns, from about 30 microns to about 600 microns, or from about 50 microns to about 500 microns, although other thicknesses are contemplated herein. A plurality of apertures 114 extend through the thickness 210 of the carrier sheet 100.

[0063] Figure 3 A portion of an example system 300 for producing a patterned film applied to a substrate material is shown. The system 300 is illustrative only and is intended to convey features of the system 300, but not necessarily the exact configuration, details, and / or dimensions of the system 300. The system 300 includes a conveyor assembly 310 that advances a series of carrier sheets 312 in a machine direction. The conveyor assembly 310 may include a roller conveyor assembly, an endless pattern belt, and the like. In an example aspect, the series of carrier sheets 312 includes a plurality of individual carrier sheets, such as a carrier sheet 312a and a carrier sheet 312b that extend seamlessly from each other. The dashed line separating the carrier sheet 312a from the carrier sheet 312b shown represents a separation line 313 between the carrier sheet 312a and the carrier sheet 312b. In an example aspect, the separation line 313 may be an imaginary line, or it may include a physical mark or physical separation line that may be used when extracting or removing an individual carrier sheet from the series of carrier sheets 312.

[0064] A series of carrier sheets 312 include a first surface 314, a second surface ( Figure 3 The array of carrier sheets 312 is provided with a plurality of holes 315 extending through the thickness of the array of carrier sheets 312 from the first surface 314 to the second surface. In an exemplary aspect, the second surface of the array of carrier sheets 312 faces toward, and is in contact with or in proximity to, the surface 316 of the conveyor assembly 310. The first surface 314 of the array of carrier sheets 312 faces away from the surface 316 of the conveyor assembly 310 and is exposed.

[0065] As described above, the conveyor assembly 310 advances a series of carrier sheets 312 in a machine direction. In the system 300, the machine includes an extrusion device 318. The extrusion device 318 may include, for example, a T-die type extruder, a T-die hanger type extruder, a hanger extruder, etc. In an example aspect not shown, the device 318 may be configured to blow a film material onto a first surface 314 of a series of carrier sheets 312. The extrusion device 318 is configured to continuously extrude a uniform thickness of film material 320 (illustrated by arrows) onto the first surface 314 of a series of carrier sheets 312 when the conveyor assembly 310 advances a series of carrier sheets 312 through the extrusion device 318. The film material 320 may include a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material, a thermoplastic poly (ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material, etc. In example aspects, the thickness of the film material 320 can be from about 10 microns to about 500 microns, from about 20 microns to about 450 microns, from about 30 microns to about 425 microns, from about 40 microns to about 400 microns, or from about 50 microns to about 300 microns.

[0066] The extrusion device 318 includes an extrusion emission portion having a width 322 that extrude film material 320. In an exemplary aspect, the width 322 of the extrusion emission portion of the extrusion device 318 is substantially the same (e.g., within about 10%) as the width 324 of the series of carrier sheets 312. Thus, in an exemplary aspect, after the film material 320 has been deposited on the first surface 314 of the series of carrier sheets 312, the width of the film material 320 is substantially the same as the width 324 of the series of carrier sheets 312.

[0067] Reference numeral 312 / 320 denotes a series of carrier sheets 312 after film material 320 has been uniformly deposited on a first surface 314 of the series of carrier sheets 312 by an extrusion device 318. A plurality of holes 315 extending through the thickness of the series of carrier sheets 312 are shown in phantom to indicate that the plurality of holes 315 are covered by the film material 320. Aspects herein contemplate that after advancing through the extrusion device 318, the series of carrier sheets 312 includes a uniform thickness of film material 320 that extends continuously and uninterruptedly across the width 324 and length of the series of carrier sheets 312.

[0068] Figure 4A cross section of a carrier sheet 410 having a film material 320 deposited thereon produced by the system 300 is shown. The carrier sheet 410 having the film material 320 deposited thereon may be referred to herein as a carrier sheet assembly 410 / 320. The carrier sheet assembly 410 / 320 may be extracted or removed from a series of carrier sheets 312 / 320 having the film material deposited thereon. The carrier sheet 410 includes a first surface 314 and a second surface 412 opposite to the first surface 314. The film material 320 is deposited on the first surface 314 of the carrier sheet 410. The carrier sheet 410 also includes a plurality of holes 315 extending through the thickness of the carrier sheet 410. The film material 320 has a uniform thickness 414 and extends continuously and uninterruptedly over the width 324 of the carrier sheet 410. In this way, the film material 320 extends across the plurality of holes 315 of the carrier sheet 410.

[0069] Figure 5 An example system 500 with an example roller assembly 510 is shown. The system 500 can be a part of the system 300. The system 500 and the roller assembly 510 are merely illustrative and are intended to convey the general features of the system 500 and the roller assembly 510, but not necessarily the exact configuration, details and / or dimensions of the system 500 and the roller assembly 510. After the film material 320 is deposited on the first surface 314 of the series of carrier sheets 312, it can be advanced to the roller assembly 510 by the conveyor assembly 310. In example aspects, the roller assembly 510 winds up the series of carrier sheets 312 / 320 on which the film material is deposited around the central axis of rotation 512 to form a roll article 524. In some example aspects, the winding up of the series of carrier sheets 312 / 320 on which the film material is deposited can occur immediately after advancing through the extrusion device 318. In other example aspects, the series of carrier sheets 312 / 320 on which the film material is deposited can pass through one or more drying or curing stations before being wound into a roll article 524. In example aspects, when the film material 320 is in or out of the form of a roll article 524, the film material 320 can be cured, for example, for a period of about 24 hours to about 36 hours before the film material 320 is applied to the substrate material. In some example aspects, a release paper can be applied to the series of carrier sheets on which the film material 312 / 320 is deposited before winding. The roll article 524 can provide a convenient way to cure, store, and / or transport the series of carrier sheets 312 / 320 on which the film material is deposited.

[0070] Figure 6A schematic cross-sectional side view of an example system 600 for producing a patterned film is illustrated. Example system 600 may include features of system 300 and features of system 500. System 600 includes a conveying system 610 for conveying a film material 612, such as film material 320, to an extrusion device 614, such as extrusion device 318. In one example aspect, and as Figure 6 As shown, the film material 612 can be in the form of a liquid before being transported to the extrusion device 614. In this regard, the conveying system 610 can be configured in various different ways. For example, the conveying system 610 may include a pump to move the liquid film material 612 from the tank 616 to the extrusion device 614. The conveying system 610 may include a pressure control system to help control the pressure of the liquid film material 612 supplied from the pump. In other example aspects, when the film material 612 is transported to the extrusion device 614 by the conveying system 610, the film material 612 can be in a solid or semi-solid state. In this example, the extrusion device 614 can be configured to melt the film material 612 into a liquid form before extruding the film material 612.

[0071] Film material 612 from conveyor system 610 passes through extrusion device 614 and is uniformly deposited on first surface 617 of a series of carrier sheets 618 (e.g., series of carrier sheets 312) having holes extending therethrough. A conveyor assembly 620 (e.g., conveyor assembly 310 of system 300) advances the series of carrier sheets 618 through extrusion device 614. As shown, a second surface 619 of the series of carrier sheets 618 is positioned adjacent to the surface of conveyor assembly 620. After advancing through extrusion device 614, conveyor assembly 620 advances the series of carrier sheets 618 with film material 612 deposited thereon to roller assembly 622, such as roller assembly 510 of system 500. Roller assembly 622 winds the series of carrier sheets 618 with film material 612 deposited thereon around a central axis of rotation to form a roll article, such as roll article 524. The roll article can be stored to allow for curing or further curing of film material 612.

[0072] Figure 7The process flow of using patterned film to transfer the pattern of discrete film structure to substrate material is shown. In step 710, a carrier sheet 714 is extracted or removed from a series of carrier sheets (indicated by reference numeral 712) on which film material is deposited. The carrier sheet 714 includes a first surface 713, a second surface 715 opposite to the first surface 713, and a plurality of holes 716 extending through the carrier sheet 714 from the first surface 713 to the second surface 715. The film material 711 is uniformly deposited on the first surface 713 of the carrier sheet 714. For example, the film material 711 can be deposited on the carrier sheet 714 using the system 300 and / or the system 600. In exemplary aspects, step 710 can occur at a production facility separated from a production facility that produces a series of carrier sheets 712 on which film material is deposited. In other exemplary aspects, step 710 can occur at a production facility that is the same as a production facility that produces a series of carrier sheets 712 on which film material is deposited. Extraction of the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 may be performed, for example, by a cutting process (eg, laser cutting, die cutting, manual cutting, etc.), although other ways of extracting or removing the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 are contemplated herein.

[0073] In step 718, a base material 720 is provided and can be positioned on a work surface. The base material 720 can be a knitted material, a woven material, or a nonwoven material. In example aspects, the base material 720 can be formed by yarns with low moisture regain. In further example aspects, the base material 720 can include lightweight or ultra-lightweight materials. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated within the various aspects of this article. Although shown as a square, it is contemplated herein that the base material 720 can be in the form of a pattern piece for clothing articles, and therefore can have a shape different from the shape shown. It is also contemplated herein that the base material 720 can be in the form of a continuous roll product.

[0074] At step 721, the second surface 715 of the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 is positioned on the first surface 717 of the base material 720. In exemplary aspects, the positioning of the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 can be performed by using alignment marks (real or virtual) on the base material 720. In further exemplary aspects, the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 can be held in place on the base material 720 by using a peelable adhesive, although it is contemplated herein that a peelable adhesive may not be used. Although not shown, it is contemplated herein that a release paper known in the art can be disposed on the first surface 713 of the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711. In exemplary aspects, the release paper can have a uniform surface texture or a non-uniform surface texture.

[0075] In step 722, heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy (e.g., magnetic, ultrasonic, light) are applied to the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 using, for example, a device 724. The device 724 may include, for example, a static heat press, a heat emission device, a press, an energy emission device (e.g., light, ultrasonic, magnetic), etc. In exemplary aspects, the device 724 may also be a continuous fusing machine that utilizes, for example, a roller or a belt to move the substrate material 720 in a machine direction while applying continuous heat and / or pressure. In exemplary aspects, the device 724 may apply heat and / or pressure and / or other forms of energy to the first surface 713 of the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711. In other exemplary aspects, the device 724 may apply heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy to the first surface 713 of the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 and the second surface (not shown) of the substrate material 720.

[0076] In exemplary aspects, the device 724 can apply a temperature from about 175 degrees Celsius to about 230 degrees Celsius, from about 190 degrees Celsius to about 220 degrees Celsius, or from about 105 degrees Celsius to about 200 degrees Celsius to the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 at a pressure from about 4 bar to about 8 bar or from about 5 bar to about 7 bar. The heat can be applied to the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 for about 5 seconds to about 50 seconds or about 5 seconds to about 45 seconds. The temperature, pressure, and time variables can depend on the thickness of the membrane material 711, the type of membrane material used, the type of substrate material used, the thickness of the substrate material 720, etc.

[0077] Applying heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy to the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 causes the film material 711 to adhere to the first surface 717 of the base material 720 at an area corresponding to the plurality of holes 716 in the carrier sheet 714. In one example aspect, the heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy can cause the film material 711 to completely melt and flow onto the base material 720, where the film material 711 subsequently cools and adheres to the base material 720. In other example aspects, the heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy can cause the film material 711 to at least partially melt, causing the film material 711 to extend through the plurality of holes 716 in the carrier sheet 714 and adhere to the first surface 717 of the base material 720. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated within the various aspects of this document. In some example aspects, the device 724 can apply heat and / or pressure more than once. For example, a double stroke method may be used in which the device 724 applies heat and / or pressure to the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 for a period of about 20 seconds to about 40 seconds or about 30 seconds to generally adhere the film material 711 to the base material 720. The device 724 may then apply heat and / or pressure to the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 a second time for a period of about 5 seconds to about 15 seconds or about 10 seconds to fully adhere the film material 711 to the base material 720. For example, the second stroke may increase the penetration depth of the film material 711 in the base material 720. It has been found that using a double stroke method may reduce the chance of the film material 711 being delaminated from the base material 720, particularly at the edges of the film material 711.

[0078] At step 726, the carrier sheet assembly 714 / 711 is removed from the first surface 717 of the base material 720, leaving a pattern of discrete lamination structures 728 on the base material 720 at areas corresponding to the plurality of holes 716 in the carrier sheet 714. In an exemplary aspect, where a release paper having a non-uniform surface texture is used, the surface texture of the release paper may be imparted to the pattern of discrete lamination structures 728 during the transfer process, as described below with respect to Fig.15 Because the carrier sheet 714 blocks, masks, or prevents the remaining portion of the film material 711 (e.g., the film material 711 at the area of ​​the carrier sheet 714 that does not include the plurality of holes 716) from contacting the base material 720, the remaining portion of the film material 711 is removed when the carrier sheet 714 is separated from the base material 720. In other words, the remaining portion of the film material 711 removed from the carrier sheet has a pattern that corresponds to the negative of the pattern of the discrete film structures 728 on the base material 720.

[0079] Step 730 shows the base material 720 after the carrier sheet 714 has been removed. As shown, the base material 720 includes a pattern of discrete film structures 728 corresponding to the pattern of the plurality of holes 716 in the carrier sheet 714. In step 732, the base material 720 with the pattern of discrete film structures 728 is incorporated into a clothing article 734. Although shown as an upper body garment, it is contemplated that the clothing 734 may include other types of clothing, headwear, gloves, shoes, etc. Although the base material 720 is shown as being incorporated into the front of the clothing article 734, it is contemplated herein that the base material 720 may be incorporated into a position different from the position shown. In exemplary aspects, steps 718 to 732 may be performed at a production facility that produces patterned films, or steps 718 to 732 may be performed at one or more different production facilities.

[0080] Figure 8 Depicted is a cross section of a carrier sheet assembly 800, which includes a carrier sheet 810 and a film material 812 deposited on a first surface of the carrier sheet 810, the carrier sheet 810 having a plurality of holes 811 extending therethrough. The carrier sheet assembly 800 also includes an adhesive layer 814 adhered to the opposite second surface of the carrier sheet 810. In one exemplary aspect, the adhesive layer 814 includes a pressure sensitive adhesive that is activated when pressure is applied. In other exemplary aspects, the adhesive layer 814 may include a low melting thermoplastic polyurethane that achieves a lower application temperature when the film material 812 is transferred to the substrate material. As shown, the adhesive layer 814 extends across the carrier sheet 810, including extending across the plurality of holes 811. When carrier sheet assembly 800 is applied to a substrate material such as substrate material 720 and pressure and / or heat and / or other types of energy are applied, adhesive layer 814 may adhere to the substrate material and film material 812 may adhere to adhesive layer 814 at areas corresponding to plurality of holes 811 in carrier sheet 810. The use of an adhesive layer is merely illustrative, and it is contemplated herein that an adhesive layer may not be used.

[0081] Fig. 9 A flow chart of an example method 900 for producing a film pattern on a substrate material using a patterned film is depicted. Method 900 may be performed at least in part using system 300 and / or system 600 and may include Figure 7 At step 910, a film material (eg, film material 320) of uniform thickness is continuously extruded onto a first surface of a series of carrier sheets (eg, series of carrier sheets 312), wherein each carrier sheet has a plurality of holes extending therethrough.

[0082] At step 912, a first carrier sheet is extracted from the series of carrier sheets. In exemplary aspects, the first carrier sheet can be extracted by a cutting process that can utilize markings on the series of carrier sheets as an indication of the cutting location. Other ways of extracting the carrier sheet are contemplated herein. At step 914, the second surface of the first carrier sheet is applied to a substrate material, such as Figure 7 The base material 720 is provided.

[0083] At step 916, one or more of heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy are applied to the first carrier sheet to transfer the film material to the base material at the areas corresponding to the holes in the first carrier sheet. At step 918, the first carrier sheet is removed from the base material. Removing the first carrier sheet from the base material also removes portions of the film material at areas that do not correspond to the holes in the carrier sheet. The end result of method 900 is a pattern of discrete film structures on the base material, wherein the pattern of the discrete film structures is the same as the pattern of holes in the carrier sheet.

[0084] Fig.10 A flow chart of an example method 1000 for producing a patterned film is depicted. In example aspects, system 300 and system 500 and / or system 600 may be used to perform method 1000. In step 1012, a film material of uniform thickness is continuously extruded onto a first surface of a series of carrier sheets. Each carrier sheet in a series of carrier sheets includes one or more holes extending therethrough. In step 1014, a series of carrier sheets on which film material is deposited may be rolled up around a central axis of rotation using, for example, a roller assembly 510 to form a roll article, such as a roll article 524. In step 1016, the film material is cured. In example aspects, when a series of carrier sheets on which film material is deposited are in the form of a roll article, curing may occur. In other example aspects, step 1016 may occur before the rolling up of a series of carrier sheets on which film material is deposited.

[0085] Fig.11 A flow chart of an example method 1100 for generating a pattern of discrete film structures on a substrate material is shown. For example, a method may be used Figure 7Method 1100 is performed by the steps shown in FIG. 11. At step 1112, a second surface of a carrier sheet (e.g., carrier assembly 714 / 711) having a film material uniformly deposited thereon is applied to a surface of a substrate material (e.g., substrate material 720). The carrier sheet includes a plurality of holes, such as a plurality of holes 716. At step 1114, heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy are applied to the carrier sheet using a device such as device 724 to transfer the film material to the substrate material at areas corresponding to the plurality of holes. At step 1116, the carrier sheet is removed from the substrate material, leaving a pattern of discrete film structures on the substrate material, and removing the remaining portion of the film material. The pattern of the discrete film structures has a pattern corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet.

[0086] Fig.12 Another example process flow for transferring a pattern of discrete film structures onto a substrate material is shown. In step 1210, a substrate material 1212 having a first surface 1213 is provided. The substrate material 1212 may be Figure 7 The same substrate material 720 of the substrate material 720. At step 1214, a carrier sheet 1216 having a plurality of holes 1218 extending therethrough is located on the first surface 1213 of the substrate material 1212. In this example aspect, the carrier sheet 1216 does not include a film material deposited thereon. The carrier sheet 1216 can be formed of the materials described herein (e.g., fibrous, nonwoven, woven, or metal alloy) and can include the same features as the carrier sheets described herein.

[0087] At step 1220, film material 1222 is positioned over carrier sheet 1216. Film material 1222 can be formed from materials described herein and can include the same properties as film materials described herein. Film material 1222 can be from a roll of film, and in example aspects, film material 1222 can optionally be cut to have the same shape as carrier sheet 1216. Although not shown, a release paper can be positioned over film material 1222. In example aspects, and as described with respect to Fig.15 As described above, the release paper may include an uneven surface texture. At step 1224, device 1226 applies heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy to film material 1222 to transfer film material 1222 to substrate material 1212 through multiple holes 1218 in carrier sheet 1216. Similar to the Figure 7As described in the process flow shown in , the device 1226 can be, for example, a static heat press or a continuous fusion machine. In an exemplary aspect, a two-pass method can be used, in which the device 1226 applies heat and / or pressure for an initial time period to adhere the film material 1222 to the base material 1212, and applies heat and / or pressure for a second time period less than the initial time period to allow the film material 1222 to penetrate deeper into the base material 1212 to reduce the chance of delamination.

[0088] In step 1228, the carrier sheet 1216 having the remaining portions of the film material 1222 thereon is removed from the base material 1212, leaving a pattern of discrete laminate structures 1230 formed by the film material 1222. The pattern of the discrete laminate structures 1230 has the same pattern as the plurality of holes 1218 in the carrier sheet 1216. In an exemplary aspect, where a release paper having an uneven surface texture is used, the surface texture may be imparted to the pattern of the discrete laminate structures 1230 during the transfer process. The remaining portions of the film material 1222 on the carrier sheet 1216 are the negative of the pattern of the discrete laminate structures 1230. Step 1232 shows the base material 1212 after the carrier sheet 1216 has been removed, and further shows the pattern of the discrete laminate structures 1230. In step 1234, the base material 1212 having the pattern of the discrete laminate structures 1230 is incorporated into an article of clothing 1236.

[0089] Fig.13A and Fig. 13B Depicts a method that can be used, for example, Fig.12 An example fixture 1300 is shown in the process flow. Fig.13A , the fixture 1300 includes a base surface 1310. The base surface 1310 can be formed of a heat-resistant material, including, for example, a rubber material, a polymer material, a textile material, a metal material, etc. The base surface 1310 can optionally include an alignment mark 1312. The alignment mark 1312 can be fixed in an appropriate position so that the alignment mark 1312 is generally for a specific pattern piece, or the alignment mark 1312 can be removable to accommodate different pattern pieces of the base material. The alignment mark 1312 can include a visual mark in the base surface 1310, a depression or groove, a protrusion extending away from the base surface 1310, etc.

[0090] The fixture 1300 also includes a carrier sheet 1314 having holes 1316, such as Fig.1213. The carrier sheet 1314 is secured to the base surface 1310 along one edge (e.g., by sewing, bonding, welding, mechanical coupling, etc.), as indicated by reference numeral 1318. The secured edge 1318 between the carrier sheet 1314 and the base surface 1310 acts as a hinge, thereby enabling the carrier sheet 1314 to be folded onto the base surface 1310. The base material 1320 is shown positioned on the base surface 1310. To ensure repeatable alignment of the base material 1320, an edge 1322 of the base material 1320 is positioned against the secured edge 1318 between the carrier sheet 1314 and the base surface 1310.

[0091] Fig. 13B The fixture 1300 is shown with a carrier sheet 1314 positioned above a base surface 1310 with a fixed edge 1318 acting as a hinge. Fig. 13B As shown, alignment marks 1312 protrude from base surface 1310. Edge 1322 of base material 1320 is positioned against fixed edge 1318. Once carrier sheet 1314 is positioned over base surface 1310, film material and optional release paper can be positioned over carrier sheet 1314 and the assembly can be subjected to a heat and / or pressure process to transfer a plurality of discrete laminate structures to base material 1320.

[0092] Fig.14 A process flow configured to maximize utilization of membrane material is shown. Fig.14 The process flow and Fig.12 The process flows depicted in the paper share some common steps and Fig.12 The description can be applied equally to Fig.14 At step 1410, a substrate material 1412 having a first surface 1413 is provided. The substrate material 1412 may be in the form of a roll article (e.g., a continuous sheet), a pattern sheet, etc. At step 1414, a carrier sheet 1416 having a plurality of holes 1418 extending therethrough is positioned on the first surface 1413 of the substrate material 1412. The carrier sheet 1416 may be formed of a material described herein (e.g., fibrous, nonwoven, woven, or metal alloy) and may include the same features as the carrier sheets described herein.

[0093] At step 1420, a film material 1422 is positioned over the carrier sheet 1416. The film material 1422 may be formed from materials described herein and may include the same properties as the film materials described herein. The film material 1422 may be in roll film or sheet form, and in exemplary aspects, the film material 1422 may optionally be cut to have the same shape as the carrier sheet 1416. Although not shown, a release paper may be positioned over the film material 1422. At step 1424, a device 1426 applies heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy to the film material 1422 to transfer the film material 1422 to the base material 1412 through the plurality of holes 1418 in the carrier sheet 1416. Similar to the description of Figure 7 As described in the process flow shown in , the device 1426 can be, for example, a static heat press, a continuous fusion machine, etc. In an exemplary aspect, a double-pass method can be used, in which the device 1426 applies heat and / or pressure during an initial time period to adhere the film material 1422 to the base material 1412, and applies heat and / or pressure during a second time period that is less than the initial time period to allow the film material 1422 to penetrate deeper into the base material 1412 to reduce the chance of delamination.

[0094] In step 1428, the carrier sheet 1416 having the remaining portion of the film material 1422 thereon is removed from the base material 1412, leaving a first pattern of discrete lamination structures 1430 formed by the film material 1422. The first pattern of discrete lamination structures 1430 has the same pattern as the plurality of holes 1418 in the carrier sheet 1416. The remaining portion of the film material 1422 on the carrier sheet 1416 is the negative of the first pattern of discrete lamination structures 1430.

[0095] At step 1432, the film material 1422 is removed from the carrier sheet 1416. The removal of the film material 1422 from the carrier sheet 1416 is facilitated by coating the carrier sheet 1416 with a non-stick coating such as silicone, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc. At step 1434, the carrier sheet 1416 is positioned at a new position on the base material 1412, which deviates from the position shown in step 1414 as shown by the arrow. The offset can be in the ±x direction, the ±y direction, or a combination of the ±x direction and the ±y direction. The offset can also be biased from the ±x direction and / or the ±y direction (i.e., on the diagonal). In exemplary aspects, the carrier sheet 1416 is positioned on the base material 1412 so that the plurality of holes 1418 in the carrier sheet 1416 do not overlap with the first pattern of the discrete film structures 1430. It is contemplated herein that a carrier sheet with a different hole pattern can be used to replace the carrier sheet 1416. It is also contemplated herein that the carrier sheet 1416 or a carrier sheet having a different hole pattern may be applied to a different substrate material than the substrate material 1412. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated within the various aspects herein.

[0096] At step 1436, the film material 1422 is applied to the carrier sheet 1416. The film material 1422 is positioned on the carrier sheet 1416 so that the holes in the film material 1422 are offset from the plurality of holes 1418 in the carrier sheet 1416, including being completely offset. By doing so, the remaining area (i.e., the non-transfer area) of the film material 1422 is positioned to cover the plurality of holes 1418 in the carrier sheet 1416. At step 1438, the device 1426 applies heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy to the film material 1422 so that the film material 1422 is transferred to the base material 1412 through the plurality of holes 1418 in the carrier sheet 1416. A double-stroke method may also be used at step 1438. Step 1440 shows the base material 1412 after the carrier sheet assembly 1416 / 1422 has been removed. There is a first pattern of discrete lamination structures 1430 , and additionally a second pattern of discrete lamination structures 1442 is applied to the base material 1412 . Fig.14 The steps shown in the process flow allow for maximum utilization of the membrane material 1422, which can reduce manufacturing costs.

[0097] Fig.15 A process flow for applying texture to discrete film structures deposited on a substrate material is depicted. Fig.15 The process flow shown can be Figure 7 , Fig.12 and Fig.14 1510, a carrier sheet 1512 having a film material 1514 positioned or deposited thereon is positioned over a base material 1516. The film material 1514 is represented by negatively inclined hatching. At step 1518, a textured release paper 1520 is positioned over the carrier sheet assembly 1512 / 1514. The texture on the release paper 1520 is represented by cross-hatching and can include any type of texture formed by protrusions extending from the surface of the release paper 1520. At step 1522, a device 1524 applies heat and / or pressure and / or other types of energy to the assembly including the release paper 1520, the film material 1514, and the carrier sheet 1512 so that the film material 1514 is deposited on the base material 1516 through the holes in the carrier sheet 1512. Since the film material 1514 is typically in a semi-soft or liquid state when deposited, the pressure applied by the device 1524 transfers the pattern of the release paper 1520 to the film material 1514.

[0098] At step 1526, the assembly including the release paper 1520, the film material 1514, and the carrier sheet 1512 is removed from the base material 1516, leaving a pattern of discrete film structures 1528 having a texture corresponding to the texture of the release paper 1520, as further shown in step 1530. Applying different textures to the discrete film structures can be used to impart different aesthetic properties to the base material (e.g., matte film structures versus shiny film structures). Similarly, different textures can be used to improve the feel of the film structure, especially when the film structure is positioned adjacent to the skin surface of the wearer. For example, a slightly rough surface texture can prevent the film structure from adhering to the skin surface of the wearer, which improves the comfort of the wearer.

[0099] Fig.16 A transfer device 1600 is depicted, which is configured to transfer the pattern points of discrete coating structures onto a substrate material. The transfer device 1600 includes a base surface 1610, and a plurality of transfer points 1612 extend from the base surface. In other words, the transfer points 1612 extend away from the surface plane of the base surface 1610. In exemplary aspects, the base surface 1610 can be composed of a variety of different materials configured to withstand heat, pressure, and multiple uses. In an example, the base surface 1610 can be a metal. The transfer points 1612 can be composed of a material (e.g., a metal or ceramic material) configured to transfer heat.

[0100] Fig.17 A process flow for transferring film material dots onto a substrate material using transfer device 1600 is depicted. At step 1710, transfer device 1600 is positioned above film material 1714, which in turn is positioned above substrate material 1712. Device 1716 applies heat and / or pressure to transfer device 1600, causing transfer dots 1612 to melt film material 1714 at contact areas. As shown in step 1718, the melting of film material 1714 at locations corresponding to transfer dots 1612 produces a pattern of discrete film structures 1720 on substrate material 1712. In one exemplary aspect, Fig.17 The process flow shown can eliminate the need for a carrier sheet.

[0101] The following clauses represent example aspects of the concepts contemplated herein. Any of the following clauses may be combined in multiple dependent ways to be dependent on one or more other clauses. Furthermore, any combination of dependent clauses (clauses that are explicitly dependent on previous clauses) may be combined while remaining within the scope of the aspects contemplated herein. The following clauses are examples and not limitations.

[0102] Item 1. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material, the method comprising: continuously extruding a film material of uniform thickness onto a first surface of a series of carrier sheets, each carrier sheet of the series of carrier sheets having a plurality of holes extending therethrough; extracting a first carrier sheet from the series of carrier sheets; subsequently applying an opposite second surface of the first carrier sheet to the substrate material; applying one or more of heat and pressure to the first carrier sheet so that the film material is transferred to the substrate material at areas corresponding to the plurality of holes in the first carrier sheet; and removing the first carrier sheet from the substrate material.

[0103] Clause 2. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to Clause 1, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is from about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0104] Clause 3. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Clauses 1 to 2, wherein the second surface of the first carrier sheet comprises an adhesive.

[0105] Clause 4. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of clauses 1 to 3, further comprising curing the film material for a defined period of time prior to applying the second surface of the first carrier sheet to the substrate material.

[0106] Clause 5. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of clauses 1 to 4, wherein the substrate material comprises one or more of a knitted material, a woven material and a non-woven material.

[0107] Item 6. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Items 1 to 5, wherein removing the first carrier sheet from the substrate material also removes portions of the film material from the substrate material in areas that do not correspond to the plurality of holes in the first carrier sheet.

[0108] Item 7. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Items 1 to 6, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0109] Item 8. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material, the method comprising: continuously extruding a film material of uniform thickness onto a first surface of a series of carrier sheets, each carrier sheet of the series of carrier sheets having a plurality of holes extending therethrough; curing the film material for a defined period of time; extracting a first carrier sheet from the series of carrier sheets; subsequently applying an opposite second surface of the first carrier sheet to the substrate material; applying one or more of heat and pressure to the first carrier sheet so that the film material adheres to the substrate material at areas corresponding to the plurality of holes in the first carrier sheet; and removing the first carrier sheet from the substrate material so that portions of the film material at areas not corresponding to the plurality of holes in the first carrier sheet are also removed from the substrate material.

[0110] Clause 9. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to Clause 8, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is from about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0111] Clause 10. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Clauses 8 to 9, wherein the defined period of time for curing the film material is from about 24 hours to about 36 hours.

[0112] Clause 11. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of clauses 8 to 10, wherein the substrate material comprises one or more of a knitted material, a woven material and a non-woven material.

[0113] Item 12. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Items 8 to 11, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0114] Item 13. A system for producing a patterned film, the system comprising: a series of carrier sheets, each carrier sheet in the series of carrier sheets having a plurality of holes extending therethrough; a conveying assembly that advances the series of carrier sheets through an extrusion device that continuously extrudes a film material of uniform thickness onto a first surface of the series of carrier sheets; and a winding assembly that winds up the series of carrier sheets having the film material deposited thereon about a central axis of rotation.

[0115] Clause 14. A system for producing a patterned film according to Clause 13, wherein the series of carrier sheets has a length and a width, and wherein the extrusion emission portion of the extrusion device has a width that is substantially the same as the width of the series of carrier sheets.

[0116] Clause 15. The system for producing a patterned film according to any one of Clauses 13 to 14, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is from about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0117] Clause 16. A system for producing a patterned film according to any one of Clauses 13 to 15, wherein the transport assembly comprises a surface, and wherein the second surface of the series of carrier sheets is positioned on the surface of the transport assembly.

[0118] Item 17. A system for producing a patterned film according to any one of Items 13 to 16, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material, or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0119] Clause 18. A system for producing a patterned film according to any one of Clauses 13 to 17, wherein the series of carrier sheets are formed from one or more of a fibrous material and a woven composite material.

[0120] Item 19. A method for producing a patterned film, the method comprising: continuously extruding a film material of uniform thickness onto a first surface of a series of carrier sheets, each carrier sheet of the series of carrier sheets having a plurality of holes extending therethrough; winding the series of carrier sheets having the film material deposited thereon around a central axis of rotation; and curing the film material.

[0121] Clause 20. The method for producing a patterned film according to Clause 19, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is from about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0122] Item 21. A method for producing a patterned film according to any one of Items 19 to 20, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0123] Clause 22. The method for producing a patterned film according to any one of Clauses 19 to 21, wherein the film material is cured for about 24 hours to about 36 hours.

[0124] Item 23. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material, the method comprising: applying a second surface of a carrier sheet to the substrate material, the carrier sheet having a plurality of holes extending therethrough, the first surface of the carrier sheet having a film material of uniform thickness deposited thereon; applying one or more of heat and pressure to the film material so that the film material is transferred to the substrate material at areas corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet; and removing the carrier sheet from the substrate material so that portions of the film material at areas not corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet are also removed from the substrate material.

[0125] Clause 24. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to Clause 23, wherein the carrier sheet is one or more of a fibrous material, a woven composite material, and a metallic material.

[0126] Clause 25. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Clauses 23 to 24, wherein the substrate material comprises one or more of a knitted material, a woven material and a non-woven material.

[0127] Clause 26. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Clauses 23 to 25, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is from about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0128] Item 27. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Items 23 to 26, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0129] Item 28. A carrier sheet assembly that can be used to apply a film pattern on a substrate material, the carrier sheet assembly comprising: a carrier sheet having a length and a width, the carrier sheet including a plurality of holes extending therethrough; and a film material adhered to a first surface of the carrier sheet, the film material having a uniform thickness, length, and width, wherein the length and the width of the film material are substantially the same as the length and the width of the carrier sheet, and wherein the film material extends continuously across the carrier sheet.

[0130] Clause 29. The carrier sheet assembly of Clause 28, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is from about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0131] Clause 30. The carrier sheet assembly of any one of Clauses 28 to 29, further comprising an adhesive secured to the second surface of the carrier sheet.

[0132] Clause 31. The carrier sheet assembly of any one of Clauses 28 to 30, wherein the carrier sheet has a thickness of about 50 microns to about 500 microns.

[0133] Clause 32. The carrier sheet assembly of any one of Clauses 28 to 31, wherein the carrier sheet comprises one or more of a fibrous material and a woven composite material.

[0134] Clause 33. The carrier sheet assembly of any one of clauses 28 to 32, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material, or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0135] Item 34. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material, the method comprising: applying a second surface of a carrier sheet to the substrate material, the carrier sheet having a plurality of holes extending therethrough, applying a first surface of a film material to the first surface of the carrier sheet; applying one or more of heat and pressure to the film material so that the film material is transferred to the substrate material at areas corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet to produce a first pattern of discrete coating structures on the substrate material; and removing the carrier sheet from the substrate material so that portions of the film material at areas not corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet are also removed from the substrate material.

[0136] Clause 35. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to Clause 34, wherein the carrier sheet is one or more of a fibrous material, a nonwoven material, a woven composite material, and a metallic material.

[0137] Clause 36. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Clauses 34 to 35, wherein the substrate material comprises one or more of a knitted material, a woven material and a non-woven material.

[0138] Clause 37. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Clauses 34 to 36, wherein the film material has a thickness of about 40 microns to about 200 microns.

[0139] Item 38. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of items 34 to 37, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0140] Clause 39. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of clauses 34 to 38, further comprising: applying a release paper to a second surface of the film material before applying one or more of heat and pressure to the film material, wherein the release paper has an uneven surface texture.

[0141] Item 40. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of items 34 to 39, wherein one or more of heat and pressure are applied to the film material for a first time period, and wherein one or more of heat and pressure are subsequently applied to the film material for a second time period, the second time period being less than the first time period.

[0142] Clause 41. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to Clause 40, wherein the first time period is about 30 seconds, and wherein the second time period is about 10 seconds.

[0143] Item 42. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to any one of Items 34 to 41, further comprising: removing the film material from the carrier sheet after removing the carrier sheet from the substrate material; repositioning the carrier sheet on the substrate material so that the multiple holes in the carrier sheet deviate from the pattern of discrete coating structures; reapplying the film material to the first surface of the carrier sheet so that portions of the film material at areas not corresponding to the multiple holes in the carrier sheet are positioned above the multiple holes in the carrier sheet; applying one or more of heat and pressure to the film material so that the film material is transferred to the substrate material at areas corresponding to the multiple holes in the carrier sheet to produce a second pattern of discrete coating structures on the substrate material.

[0144] Item 43. A clamp comprising: a base surface having a first edge; a carrier sheet having a plurality of holes extending therethrough, the carrier sheet having a first edge, the first edge being movably secured to the first edge of the base surface at a fixed edge, wherein the clamp is in an open state when the base surface and the carrier sheet are in a generally side-by-side relationship, and wherein the clamp is in a closed state when the carrier sheet is positioned above the base surface by angular rotation about the fixed edge.

[0145] Item 44. A method for using the clamp of Item 43: when the clamp is in an open state, positioning a first edge of a base material so that it is adjacent to the first edge of a base surface of the clamp; converting the clamp to a closed state by angular rotation about a fixed edge; positioning a film material above the carrier sheet; and applying one or more of heat and pressure to the film material so that the film material is transferred to the base material at areas corresponding to the multiple holes in the carrier sheet to produce a pattern of discrete coating structures on the base material.

[0146] Clause 45. A method for using a clamp according to Clause 44, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material, or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0147] Clause 46. A method for using a clamp according to any one of Clauses 44 to 45, wherein the carrier sheet comprises a nonwoven material, a fibrous material, a woven composite material, or a metallic material.

[0148] Clause 47. The method for using a clamp according to any one of Clauses 44 to 46, further comprising positioning a release paper over the film material prior to applying the one or more of heat and pressure to the film material.

[0149] Clause 48. The method for using a clamp according to Clause 47, wherein the release paper comprises an uneven surface texture.

[0150] Item 49. A method for using a transfer device, the transfer device comprising a base surface and a plurality of transfer points extending away from a surface plane of the base surface, the method comprising: positioning a film material above the surface of a substrate material; positioning the transfer device above the film material so that the plurality of transfer points are in contact with the film material; and applying one or more of heat and pressure to the transfer device so that the film material is transferred to the substrate material at areas corresponding to the plurality of transfer points to produce a pattern of discrete coating structures on the substrate material.

[0151] Item 50. A method for using a transfer device according to Item 49, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material, or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

[0152] Clause 51. The method for using a transfer device according to any one of Clauses 49 to 50, further comprising positioning a release paper over the film material before positioning the transfer device over the film material.

[0153] Clause 52. The method for using a transfer device according to any one of Clauses 49 to 51, wherein the release paper comprises an uneven surface texture.

[0154] Clause 53. A method for using a transfer device according to any one of Clauses 49 to 52, wherein the plurality of transfer points are formed of a thermally conductive material.

[0155] Clause 54. A method for using a transfer device according to any one of Clauses 49 to 53, wherein the plurality of transfer points are formed of a metallic material.

[0156] The various aspects of the present disclosure have been described as illustrative rather than restrictive. Without departing from its scope, alternative aspects will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the skilled person may develop alternative means to achieve the above improvements.

[0157] It should be understood that certain features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated to be within the scope of the claims.Not all steps listed in the various figures need to be performed in the particular order described.

Claims

1. A system for producing a patterned film, the system comprising: a series of carrier sheets, each carrier sheet in the series of carrier sheets having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough; a conveyor assembly that advances the series of carrier sheets past an extrusion device that continuously extrudes a uniform thickness of a film material onto a first surface of the series of carrier sheets such that the plurality of holes are covered by the film material on the first surface and the film material extends continuously and uninterruptedly across the width and length of the first surface of the carrier sheets; as well as A take-up assembly is provided for taking up the series of carrier sheets having the film material deposited thereon about a central axis of rotation.

2. A system for producing a patterned film according to claim 1, wherein the series of carrier sheets has a length and a width, and wherein the extrusion emission portion of the extrusion device has a width that is substantially the same as the width of the series of carrier sheets.

3. The system for producing a patterned film according to claim 1, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is 40 microns to 200 microns.

4. The system for producing a patterned film of claim 1, wherein the transport assembly comprises a surface, and wherein the second surface of the series of carrier sheets is positioned on the surface of the transport assembly.

5. The system for producing a patterned film according to claim 1, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material, or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

6. The system for producing a patterned film according to claim 1, wherein the series of carrier sheets are formed of one or more of a fibrous material, a woven composite material, and a metallic material.

7. A method for producing a patterned film, the method comprising: continuously extruding a film material of uniform thickness onto a first surface of a series of carrier sheets, each carrier sheet of the series of carrier sheets having a plurality of holes extending therethrough, wherein the plurality of holes are covered by the film material on the first surface, and the film material extends continuously and uninterruptedly across the width and length of the first surface of the carrier sheets; winding the series of carrier sheets having the film material deposited thereon about a central axis of rotation; as well as The film material is cured.

8. The method for producing a patterned film according to claim 7, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is 40 microns to 200 microns.

9. The method for producing a patterned film according to claim 7, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

10. The method for producing a patterned film according to claim 7, wherein the film material is cured for 24 hours to 36 hours.

11. The method for producing a patterned film according to claim 7, wherein the series of carrier sheets are formed of one or more of a fibrous material, a nonwoven material, a woven composite material, and a metallic material.

12. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material, the method comprising: applying a second surface of a carrier sheet to the base material, the carrier sheet having a plurality of holes extending therethrough, the first surface of the carrier sheet having a uniform thickness of film material deposited thereon, wherein the plurality of holes are covered by the film material on the first surface, and the film material extends continuously and uninterruptedly across the width and length of the first surface of the carrier sheet; applying one or more of heat and pressure to the film material to transfer the film material to the base material at areas corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet; as well as The carrier sheet is removed from the base material such that portions of the membrane material at areas not corresponding to the plurality of holes in the carrier sheet are also removed from the base material.

13. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to claim 12, wherein the carrier sheet is one or more of a fiber material, a nonwoven material, a woven composite material, and a metal material.

14. The method for producing a film pattern on a base material according to claim 12, wherein the base material comprises one or more of a knitted material, a woven material, and a non-woven material.

15. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to claim 12, wherein the uniform thickness of the film material is 40 micrometers to 200 micrometers.

16. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to claim 12, wherein the film material comprises one of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) film material, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film material or a thermoplastic poly(ether-amide) elastomer (TPAE) film material.

17. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to claim 12, wherein the second surface of the carrier sheet comprises an adhesive.

18. The method for producing a film pattern on a base material according to claim 12, wherein the carrier sheet has a thickness of 50 micrometers to 500 micrometers.

19. A method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to claim 12, wherein the one or more of heat and pressure are applied to the film material for a first time period, and wherein the one or more of heat and pressure are subsequently applied to the film material for a second time period.

20. The method for producing a film pattern on a substrate material according to claim 19, wherein the second time period is shorter than the first time period.

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