Engineered non-woven textile and method of manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional textile manufacturing methods result in suboptimal material structure for functional apparel and footwear, leading to increased material usage, waste, and weight due to the need for secondary reinforcement to meet specific performance requirements, while lacking design freedom to tailor intrinsic structure to functional demands.
Innovation Solution
The development of engineered textiles with oriented yarn strands bonded by a polymer material, allowing for tailored directional elasticities and strengths without additional weight, achieved through additive manufacturing techniques that align yarns with expected load paths and apply a bonding material to secure them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional woven or knit fabric structures are used to provide sheet integrity, then the fabric maintains its structural strength, but the structure is suboptimal for functional performance and increases material usage and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric is segmented into discrete functional zones with different yarn orientations and bonding densities. Each zone is independently optimized for its specific functional requirement (e.g., elasticity in one direction, strength in another), eliminating the need for uniform reinforcement throughout the entire fabric structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the fabric are assigned different local properties through selective yarn placement and bonding. Areas requiring high elasticity receive yarns oriented in specific directions with lower bonding density, while areas requiring strength receive higher bonding density, optimizing material usage in each location.
2Adaptability or versatility
If secondary reinforcement structures (cables, additional fabric sections) are added to meet functional strength and elasticity requirements, then the functional performance is improved, but material usage, waste, and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The structural reinforcement function is merged into the base fabric structure itself through integrated yarn placement and bonding. Instead of adding separate reinforcement layers or cables, the reinforcement is built into the fabric's intrinsic structure through strategically placed yarns that serve both structural and functional purposes simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric utilizes composite construction with multiple yarn types (e.g., elastic yarns, rigid yarns) bonded together in specific configurations. This allows the fabric to achieve multiple functional properties (strength, elasticity, breathability) within a single integrated structure rather than layering multiple separate components.
3Stability of the object's composition
If pre-produced rolled fabric with intrinsic weave or knit structure is used, then the fabric provides sheet integrity, but design freedom to tailor structure to functional demands is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric structure is made dynamic and adaptable through post-manufacturing modification capabilities. Yarns can be selectively added, removed, or repositioned after the initial fabric construction, allowing the structure to be tailored to specific functional requirements without starting from scratch.
Solution Approach 2:
The fabric is pre-configured with a base structure and bonding pattern that can subsequently be modified. This preliminary structure provides sheet integrity while leaving room for later customization of yarn orientations and bonding densities to meet specific functional demands.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces material waste and weight, optimizes structural performance, and provides greater design freedom by aligning yarns with load directions, resulting in more efficient and environmentally friendly production of functional apparel and footwear.
Implementation Method 1
a bonding material extending across the plurality of yarn strands, the bonding material encapsulating a portion of each yarn strand to bond adjacent ones of the plurality of yarn strands together
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an article of footwear comprising: an upper; a sole structure coupled to the upper; and an engineered textile incorporated into at least a portion of the upper, the engineered textile comprising: a plurality of yarn strands including a subset extending in a substantially parallel and spaced arrangement; a bonding material extending across the plurality of yarn strands, the bonding material encapsulating a portion of each yarn strand to bond adjacent ones of the plurality of yarn strands together; and wherein the plurality of yarn strands are bonded together only via the bonding material.