Moisture-Draining Textile Substrate for Dry Seat Surfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current textile substrates for seat covers face challenges in maintaining air-conditioned seating comfort during long periods, as they often suffer from poor moisture management, leading to damp and uncomfortable surfaces, and are either expensive or have insufficient surface stability.

Innovation Solution

A textile substrate comprising wool and regenerated cellulose fibers, with a specific three-component yarn structure that includes continuous synthetic fibers, allowing for efficient moisture absorption and distribution across two surfaces, creating a progressive moisture gradient that keeps the seating surface dry and cool.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If textile substrates use capillary systems with thin densely arranged fibers to transport moisture, then moisture transport efficiency is improved, but fiber arrangement flexibility is reduced and the surface becomes cold-wet after evaporation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoisture transport efficiencyVSAvoidfiber arrangement flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines three different fiber types (wool, regenerated cellulose, and synthetic continuous fibers) into a single yarn structure. Each fiber type contributes different properties: wool provides moisture absorption, regenerated cellulose provides capillary transport, and synthetic fibers provide structural stability. This composite approach enables the textile substrate to achieve efficient moisture transport without requiring thin densely arranged fibers, thus maintaining fiber arrangement flexibility and avoiding the cold-wet surface problem.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If textile substrates absorb and store large amounts of moisture, then moisture absorption capacity is improved, but drying speed is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoisture absorption capacityVSAvoiddrying speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates different zones within the yarn structure with distinct moisture management functions. The core zone contains high concentrations of moisture-absorbing fibers (wool and regenerated cellulose) to provide high moisture absorption capacity. The sheath zone contains synthetic continuous fibers that provide structural stability and facilitate rapid drying. This local differentiation of fiber properties enables the textile substrate to simultaneously achieve high moisture absorption capacity and fast drying speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 substrate effectively manages moisture, maintaining a dry and comfortable seating surface by absorbing and distributing moisture across its layers, ensuring improved seating comfort and air-conditioned conditions without the need for complex cooling systems.

Implementation Method 1

the viscose fibers in particular are able to absorb relatively large amounts of water and to dissipate them over relatively large distances in the respective fibers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

fibers made from regenerated cellulose, the respective concentration of which in the core zone is greater than in the sheath zone

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 3

the respective wool fibers ensure that the textile substrate has a high level of permeability for vaporous moisture (water vapour) over the entire cross section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP2606169B1Textile substrate with water and water vapour draining properties
Publication Date: 2014.09.10 GESSNER
  • EP2606169B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2B
  • EP2606169B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2606169B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a textile substrate (1) comprising warp and weft, wherein the warp comprises a plurality of warp threads (K26-K34) and the weft comprises a plurality of weft threads (S29-S30), wherein each warp thread crosses over a plurality of weft threads and each weft thread crosses over a plurality of warp threads, such that the warp and the weft jointly form a layer that has a first surface (2-1) and a second surface (2-2) opposite the first surface. At least one of the weft threads (S29) consists of a first yarn (15) and at least one weft thread (S30) consists of a second yarn (16). The first yarn (15) is a three-component yarn, which comprises fibres of wool and regenerated cellulose and at least one third fibre in the form of a continuous fibre made of a synthetic material. The second yarn (16) contains regenerated cellulose fibres, wherein the mass fraction of the regenerated cellulose fibres contained in the second yarn with respect to the total mass of the second yarn is greater than the mass fraction of the second fibres of regenerated cellulose contained in the first yarn with respect to the total mass of the first yarn. In the case of the at least one weft thread (S29) consisting of the first yarn (15), the overall length of all those longitudinal sections that run at the first surface (2-1) is greater than the overall length of all longitudinal sections that run at the second surface (2-2). In the case of the at least one weft thread (S30) consisting of the second yarn (16), the overall length of all those longitudinal sections that run at the first surface (2-1) is smaller than the overall length of all longitudinal sections that run at the second surface (2-2).