Functional fabrics

Abstract

To provide a functional fabric having both a quick warming effect and a heat-retaining effect. A functional fabric comprising a base fabric layer, a multilayer metal layer, and a thermal isolation layer, wherein the base fabric layer has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the multilayer metal layer is formed on the first surface of the base fabric layer, the multilayer metal layer comprises a high thermal conductivity metal layer and a low thermal conductivity metal layer, the thermal conductivity coefficient of the high thermal conductivity metal layer is at least five times the thermal conductivity coefficient of the low thermal conductivity metal layer, and the thermal isolation layer is formed on the multilayer metal layer.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a functional fabric and a functional yarn, and more particularly to a functional fabric and a functional yarn that have both a rapid warming effect and a heat-retaining effect. [Background technology]

[0002] In traditional textile technology, the general design idea for making clothing warm is to stuff it with fluffy fillings such as down, natural cotton, or polyester cotton, and take advantage of the low thermal conductivity of air (about 0.025 W / m·℃) to slow down the loss of body heat, thereby achieving a warming effect. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, although the garments manufactured in this manner have excellent heat insulating properties, they may cause discomfort to the wearer depending on the conditions of use.

[0004] For example, when an office worker commuting to work in winter gets into a car wearing a winter coat 300 (such as a padded jacket, down jacket, or wool jacket), as shown in FIG. 3, the back of the worker usually leans against the driver's seat 310.

[0005] Because the thermal conductivity of the winter coat 300 is very low, the heat emitted from the person's back quickly accumulates between the driver's seat 310 and the person's back (i.e., at the position S1), causing discomfort such as stuffiness and sweating on the person's back.

[0006] Here, the front of the coat (position S2) receives the air from the air conditioner, so the person's chest area quickly becomes less likely to feel hot or uncomfortable compared to the back.

[0007] To avoid the above-mentioned uncomfortable sweating on the back, people must remove their winter coats before entering the vehicle, or get into the driver's seat wearing the winter coat and then remove it afterwards.

[0008] However, since there are people sitting inside the car, the space in the driver's seat is often very narrow, making it very difficult to put on and take off a thick winter coat, so people have no choice but to choose between enduring the discomfort of a hot and sweaty back while riding, or enduring the inconvenience of frequently putting on and taking off a winter coat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In view of the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration.

[0010] A functional fabric including a base fabric layer, a multilayer metal layer, and a thermal isolation layer, the base fabric layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; the multilayer metal layer is formed on the first surface of the base fabric layer, the multilayer metal layer includes a high thermal conductivity metal layer and a low thermal conductivity metal layer, and the thermal conductivity coefficient of the high thermal conductivity metal layer is at least five times that of the low thermal conductivity metal layer; The thermal isolation layer is formed on the multi-layer metal layer.

[0011] The ratio of the thermal conductivity coefficient of the high thermal conductivity metal layer to the thermal conductivity coefficient of the low thermal conductivity metal layer is in the range of 5-33.

[0012] The high thermal conductivity metal layer is located between the low thermal conductivity metal layer and the base fabric layer.

[0013] Additionally, the low thermal conductivity metal layer is positioned between the high thermal conductivity metal layer and the base fabric layer.

[0014] The high thermal conductivity metal layer is selected from the group consisting of silver, red copper, brass, aluminum, and combinations thereof.

[0015] Additionally, the low thermal conductivity metal layer is selected from the group consisting of barium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, germanium, tin, stainless steel, and combinations thereof.

[0016] The thickness of the high thermal conductivity metal layer is in the range of 10 nm to 1000 nm, and the thickness of the low thermal conductivity metal layer is in the range of 10 nm to 1000 nm.

[0017] The thickness of the high thermal conductivity metal layer is in the range of 50 nm to 250 nm, and the thickness of the low thermal conductivity metal layer is in the range of 50 nm to 250 nm. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] Clothes made from the functional fabric of this invention not only have the same "warmth" effect as conventional clothing, but also have the effects of "uniform temperature" and "rapid temperature rise" that conventional winter clothing does not have. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a functional fabric according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a functional fabric according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of a person wearing a winter coat and riding in a car. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The following description will be given with reference to Fig. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a functional fabric 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The functional fabric 100 includes a base fabric layer 110, a multilayer metal layer 120, and a thermal isolation layer 130. The base fabric layer 110 has a first surface 111 and a second surface 112 opposite to the first surface 111.

[0021] The multilayer metal layer 120 is formed on the first surface 111 of the base fabric layer 110 and has at least a high thermal conductivity metal layer 121 and a low thermal conductivity metal layer 122, and the thermal conductivity coefficient of the high thermal conductivity metal layer 121 is at least 5 times that of the low thermal conductivity metal layer 122, and can be, for example, in the range of 5 to 33 times.

[0022] The thermal isolation layer 130 is formed on the multilayer metal layer 120. In this embodiment, when a person wears clothing made of the functional fabric 100, the second surface 112 of the base fabric layer 110 faces the person, so that the body heat of the person passes through the base fabric layer 110 and immediately spreads along the multilayer metal layer 120. At the same time, however, the body heat is blocked by the thermal isolation layer 130 in the direction perpendicular to the multilayer metal layer 120 and does not immediately escape to the outside world.

[0023] Furthermore, assuming that the current room temperature is 20°C, when a person wears clothing made of the functional fabric 100, the temperature of the base fabric layer 110 is the same as room temperature, and due to the material properties of the multilayer metal layer 120, it can quickly absorb the body heat that passes through the base fabric layer 110, so when a person's skin is in direct contact with the functional fabric 100, the physical sensation when wearing it is not much different from wearing regular clothing.

[0024] However, due to the characteristics of metal materials, which have high thermal conductivity and low heat capacity, when body heat is blocked by the thermal isolation layer 130 and cannot quickly escape in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the clothing, the temperatures of the base fabric layer 110 and the multilayer metal layer 120 rise in a short period of time and dynamically balance with the temperature of the surface of the person's skin, making the person feel warm.

[0025] What we want to emphasize here is that compared to conventional winter clothing, clothes made from functional fabric 100 not only have the same "warmth" effect, but also have the effects of "uniform temperature" and "rapid temperature rise" that conventional winter clothing does not have.

[0026] In this embodiment, the base fabric layer 110 is equivalent to what is commonly known in the textile industry as lining fabric and can be made from nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon / cotton blends, or polyester / cotton blends.

[0027] Linings are often used inside important clothing, such as suits, coats, and the lining of suit trousers. Their main function is to reduce the discomfort caused by the texture of the surface fabric or the sewing thread coming into direct contact with the skin. At the same time, they can also prevent the inside of the surface fabric from touching the skin or being damaged by friction with other clothing.

[0028] The thermal isolation layer 130 itself may be a cotton facing, a down-filled facing, a wool facing, etc., which can prevent human body heat from passing through the base fabric layer 110 and the multi-layer metal layer 120 and being transmitted to the outside by thermal conduction or thermal convection.

[0029] Since the present invention focuses on the combined performance of "uniform temperature + rapid temperature rise + heat retention", it is not focused on applications under extreme climatic conditions, and thermal radiation is not within the scope of discussion in this invention.

[0030] As described above, the multi-layer metal layer 120 must include at least the high thermal conductivity metal layer 121 and the low thermal conductivity metal layer 122. The reason why the thermal conductivity of the high thermal conductivity metal layer 121 must be at least five times higher than that of the low thermal conductivity metal layer 122 is because metal materials have good thermal conductivity properties, but these thermal conductivity properties are not anisotropic.

[0031] In the present invention, a metal layer is added to the lining to achieve the combined performance of "uniform temperature + rapid temperature rise + heat retention." However, if the thickness of the metal layer is too thin, too little heat can be conducted per unit time, which is not desirable from the viewpoint of uniform temperature and rapid temperature rise.

[0032] Therefore, the present invention aims to add a material to the fabric that has "excellent thermal conductivity in the plane direction" but "low thermal conductivity in the perpendicular direction."

[0033] The only materials that have such properties in nature and are ready for commercialization are graphite or graphene, but they are limited by their own properties, making it difficult to achieve large-area deposition on textile surfaces based on existing process technologies, and it is also difficult to expect reliable adhesion of graphite or graphene to textile surfaces.

[0034] To reduce the thermal conductivity of metallic materials with non-directional thermal conductivity in the vertical direction, the present invention uses a "multi-layer metal" to form at least one heterojunction in the vertical direction. This heterojunction forms a thermally resistive contact interface, and the greater the difference in thermal conductivity of the materials on either side of the interface, the greater the thermal resistance that is formed.

[0035] Theoretically, the more metal layers included in the multi-layer metal layer 120, the more heterojunctions there are and the greater the overall thermal contact resistance. However, because each additional metal deposition process consumes more time and energy, it is more economical to select materials that increase the thermal conductivity of the materials on either side of the heterojunction rather than forming multiple metal layers.

[0036] Therefore, the difference in thermal conductivity coefficient between the high thermal conductivity metal layer 121 and the low thermal conductivity metal layer 122 of the present invention must be 5 times or more, and for example, the difference may be 5 to 33 times.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1, the high thermal conductivity metal layer 121 is located between the low thermal conductivity metal layer 122 and the base fabric layer 110 .

[0038] In other words, when body heat is conducted along a direction perpendicular to the base fabric layer 110, the heat first reaches the high thermal conductivity metal layer 121, then passes through the high thermal conductivity metal layer 121 to the low thermal conductivity metal layer 122, and then passes through the low thermal conductivity metal layer 122 and is blocked by the thermal isolation layer 130.

[0039] In some embodiments, the high thermal conductivity metal layer can be selected from silver, red copper, brass, and aluminum, and the low thermal conductivity metal layer can be selected from barium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, germanium, tin, and stainless steel.

[0040] In some embodiments, the thickness of the high thermal conductivity metal layer is between the range of 10 nm and 1000 nm, and the thickness of the low thermal conductivity metal layer is between the range of 10 nm and 1000 nm.

[0041] In another embodiment, the thickness of the high thermal conductivity metal layer of the above-mentioned functional fabric is between 50 nm and 500 nm, and the thickness of the low thermal conductivity metal layer is between 50 nm and 250 nm.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 2. Figure 2 shows another example of a functional fabric 200. It also includes a base fabric layer 210, a multi-layer metal layer 220, and a thermal isolation layer 230.

[0043] Compared to the functional fabric 100 , the low thermal conductivity metal layer 222 of the functional fabric 200 is located between the high thermal conductivity metal layer 221 and the base fabric layer 210 .

[0044] In other words, when body heat is conducted along a direction perpendicular to the base fabric layer 210, the heat first reaches the low thermal conductivity metal layer 222, then reaches the high thermal conductivity metal layer 221, and is blocked by the thermal isolation layer 230.

[0045] Experimental results show that both the above-mentioned functional fabric 100 and functional fabric 200 can achieve the combined performance of "uniform temperature + rapid temperature rise + heat retention" under simulation using the same usage conditions, and the temperature gradient distribution of the clothing made using functional fabric 100 and functional fabric 200 is equivalent.

[0046] It should be noted that, compared to wearing clothing made from functional fabric 200, people with sensitive skin may feel a slight coldness during the initial contact with the human body when wearing clothing made from functional fabric 100, but this very short-term difference in sensation upon contact with the human body quickly disappears as functional fabric 100 heats up rapidly.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 3 again. The present invention is particularly effective in this usage situation. As described above, when riding in a car wearing the winter coat 300, it is easy to feel discomfort, such as heat and sweating, especially on the back.

[0048] When a winter coat is made from the functional fabric 100 or the functional fabric 200 disclosed in the above embodiments, the heat at the position S1 is easily transferred to the position S2, and then easily dissipated to the outside by the air conditioner.

[0049] This significantly reduces the accumulation of heat between the driver's seat 310 and the person's back (i.e., the position of S1), effectively alleviating the discomfort of people who wear winter coats in a car and have to endure the humid heat and sweat on their backs, and also effectively alleviating the inconvenience of frequently putting on and taking off winter coats every time they get in and out of a vehicle.

[0050] Considering the above effects, the functional fabrics 100 and 200 of the present invention can solve the localized stuffiness caused by winter coats by providing the combined functions of "uniform temperature + rapid temperature rise + heat retention".

[0051] For example, if you are wearing a traditional winter coat and board a streetcar with heated seats, you will not feel uncomfortable at first because you have just boarded a warm train from a cold environment. However, as the ride continues, body heat gradually begins to accumulate in the parts of your body that are in contact with the seat, such as your buttocks and back, and at this time your buttocks and back will feel hot and stuffy.

[0052] When a person wears a winter coat using the functional fabrics 100, 200 instead of these traditional winter coats, the stuffy feeling described above is effectively eliminated or reduced.

[0053] The above-described embodiments are merely intended to illustrate the technical ideas and features of the present application, and the purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the embodiments and implement them accordingly. If it is unclear how to interpret the scope of the claims of the present application, any equivalent changes or modifications that are generally made based on the spirit made clear in the description of the present application will still fall within the technical scope of the present application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 100 Functional Fabrics 110 base fabric layer 111 First Surface 112 Second Surface 120 multilayer metal layer 121 High thermal conductivity metal layer 122 Low thermal conductivity metal layer 130 Thermal isolation layer 200 Functional Fabrics 210 base fabric layer 211 First Surface 212 Second Surface 220 Multi-layer metal layer 221 High thermal conductivity metal layer 222 Low thermal conductivity metal layer 230 Thermal isolation layer 300 Winter Coat 310 Driver's Seat S1 position S2 position

Claims

1. A functional fabric including a base fabric layer, a multilayer metal layer, and a thermal isolation layer, the base fabric layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; the multilayer metal layer is formed on the first surface of the base fabric layer, the multilayer metal layer includes a high thermal conductivity metal layer and a low thermal conductivity metal layer, and the thermal conductivity coefficient of the high thermal conductivity metal layer is at least five times that of the low thermal conductivity metal layer; The thermal isolation layer is formed on the multi-layer metal layer. A functional fabric characterized by:

2. The ratio of the thermal conductivity coefficient of the high thermal conductivity metal layer to the thermal conductivity coefficient of the low thermal conductivity metal layer is in the range of 5 to 33. The functional fabric according to claim 1 .

3. The high thermal conductivity metal layer is located between the low thermal conductivity metal layer and the base fabric layer. The functional fabric according to claim 1 .

4. The low thermal conductivity metal layer is located between the high thermal conductivity metal layer and the base fabric layer. The functional fabric according to claim 1 .

5. The high thermal conductivity metal layer is selected from the group consisting of silver, red copper, brass, aluminum, and combinations thereof. The functional fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The low thermal conductivity metal layer is selected from the group consisting of barium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, germanium, tin, stainless steel, and combinations thereof. The functional fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The thickness of the high thermal conductivity metal layer is in the range of 10 nm to 1000 nm, and the thickness of the low thermal conductivity metal layer is in the range of 10 nm to 1000 nm. The functional fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The thickness of the high thermal conductivity metal layer is between 50 nm and 250 nm, and the thickness of the low thermal conductivity metal layer is between 50 nm and 250 nm. The functional fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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