Appliqué to provide a design on a fabric
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing textile designs fail to create a three-dimensional visual effect without increasing manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
The appliqué uses ink layers with additives such as reflective particles and blowing agents, combined with a non-planar substrate and textile inserts, to achieve a three-dimensional visual effect, which can be applied to fabrics using heat and pressure with minimal manufacturing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If traditional flat appliqué methods are used, then manufacturing complexity is low, but three-dimensional visual effect is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple materials including ink layers with additives (reflective particles, blowing agents), non-planar substrates, and textile inserts to create a composite appliqué structure that delivers three-dimensional visual effect while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through integrated layering
2Shape
If multiple layers of ink and additives are used to create three-dimensional effect, then visual appeal is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The appliqué is pre-assembled with multiple ink layers, additives, and substrate structures before application to the fabric. This preliminary preparation allows the complex three-dimensional structure to be created once during manufacturing, simplifying the actual application process to a single heat-press step
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested layer structure where ink layers with additives are embedded within substrate layers, which are themselves integrated with textile inserts. This nesting approach consolidates multiple functional elements into a single integrated component that applies as one unit
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
The solution effectively creates a three-dimensional visual effect on textiles with ease of application and manufacturing, enhancing the visual appeal while maintaining simplicity in the process.
Implementation Method 1
the additive comprises reflective particles
Implementation Method 2
the additive comprises an agent which expands, such as with application of heat
Data Source
AI summary
An appliqué of the invention comprises a disposable carrier film onto which a release layer and PU inks are printed using layering techniques. The ink layers can be multicoloured and each colour is applied sequentially using a conventional screen-printing method. A back-up, a lacquer layer, and an adhesive layer are printed in sequence over the ink layers. The ink includes reflective particles providing the optical effect of a 3-dimensional appliqué. The artwork is created by overlapping design layers to controlled specification sequences. The ink, because of the additives, creates a desired colour tone, and this may be enhanced by layering of the ink in an overlapping region. Thus, there are three main regions, namely a central region with reflective ink, a “shoulder” region with overlapping matt and reflective inks and an outer region with only matt ink.