Patterned Filament Overlay for Durable Flexible Wearables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing textiles used in garments and gear often lack the necessary durability, cushioning, and tailored mechanical behavior for extreme environments, particularly in footwear and performance-based applications.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for depositing thermoplastic polymers onto textile surfaces using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) techniques, enabling programmable and spatially controlled modifications to enhance mechanical, thermal, and aesthetic performance, with features like zonal abrasion resistance, flexibility, and moisture management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional textiles are used in garments and gear, then the items can be manufactured with standard textile processes, but the textiles lack sufficient durability, cushioning, and tailored mechanical behavior for extreme environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by depositing polymer material in specific patterns and locations on the textile substrate. The polymer deposition is spatially controlled to provide enhanced durability, abrasion resistance, and cushioning only in areas where these properties are needed, rather than uniformly across the entire textile. This allows the textile to have tailored mechanical behavior in specific zones while maintaining the base textile's properties elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining a textile substrate with deposited polymer material. The textile provides the base structure and flexibility, while the polymer overlay adds durability, abrasion resistance, and customized mechanical properties. This composite approach enables the garment or gear to achieve reliability and tailored performance that neither material could provide alone.
2Reliability
If polymer material is deposited onto textile surfaces using FFF techniques, then mechanical performance and durability are improved, but the manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary deposition system that bridges the textile substrate and the final enhanced product. The FFF deposition apparatus acts as an intermediary tool that applies polymer material in a controlled manner onto the textile surface. This intermediary process allows for programmable and spatially controlled modifications without requiring complete redesign of the manufacturing workflow, as the deposition can be overlaid on existing textile components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the polymer deposition process to control the mechanical performance of the final product. By adjusting deposition parameters such as polymer material composition, deposition pattern, layer thickness, and heating/cooling rates, the manufacturing process can be tuned to achieve desired mechanical properties. This allows for customization of durability and cushioning characteristics without fundamentally changing the manufacturing system.
3Reliability
If uniform polymer coating is applied to enhance durability, then abrasion resistance improves, but flexibility and breathability of the textile are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies polymer material in specific patterns and locations on the textile substrate rather than as a uniform coating. The deposition is spatially controlled to provide enhanced abrasion resistance only in areas where protection is needed, while leaving other areas with the base textile's natural flexibility and breathability. This localized approach resolves the contradiction by providing targeted durability without compromising overall textile performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the polymer deposition into distinct regions and patterns on the textile surface. Instead of applying a continuous uniform layer, the polymer is deposited in segmented areas that correspond to specific functional zones. This segmentation allows different regions of the garment or gear to have different properties - some areas with enhanced durability and others with maintained flexibility and breathability.
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 process results in textiles with improved mechanical performance, bonding quality, and manufacturability, providing customizable enhancements for footwear, apparel, and gear, including enhanced durability, flexibility, and tailored mechanical behavior.
Implementation Method 1
A continuous deposition of polymer material is applied to the woven substrate to form an abrasion resistant polymer layer
Implementation Method 2
A method and system for depositing thermoplastic polymers onto textile surfaces using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) techniques
Implementation Method 3
The process results in textiles with improved mechanical performance, bonding quality, and manufacturability
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable item may include at least one panel forming a back portion to extend along a back of a person and shoulder portions extending forwardly from the back portion. A patterned filament overlay (PFO) in the form of an individually formed line of material crossing itself or extending alongside itself over an area is located on the shoulder portions.