Thermofusible sheet material

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current textile interlinings struggle to effectively bond with thin, transparent, flexible outer fabrics due to issues with adhesive penetration and contamination, leading to quality deterioration and production inefficiencies, while also lacking sufficient elasticity and washing resistance.

Innovation Solution

A thermally fixable fabric with a carrier layer coated with a polyurethane foam having a specific pore structure and low foaming agent content, which provides excellent bonding, elasticity, and washing resistance without penetrating the carrier layer, and can be easily processed using conventional presses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional adhesive coatings are applied to bond interlinings with thin outer fabrics, then bonding strength is improved, but adhesive penetration and contamination occur leading to quality deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding strengthVSAvoidadhesive penetration and contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a nonwoven carrier material with controlled porosity and pore size distribution. The pores are sized to allow breathability and flexibility while being too small to permit adhesive penetration through to the outer fabric, thus maintaining bonding strength without contamination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The nonwoven carrier material serves as an intermediary layer between the adhesive and the thin outer fabric. It provides a bonding surface for the adhesive while its porous structure prevents the adhesive from penetrating through to contaminate the outer fabric

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If mechanically bonded nonwovens are produced with high basis weight, then structural stability is improved, but softness and elasticity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidsoftness and elasticity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the basis weight parameter to low values (5-50 g/m²) while maintaining structural stability through the porous network structure and appropriate fiber selection, achieving both stability and softness/elasticity simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If chemically bonded nonwovens are produced with binder, then fiber bonding strength is improved, but product stiffness increases reducing softness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber bonding strengthVSAvoidproduct softness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses minimal binder content (0.1-10% by weight) just sufficient to provide adequate fiber bonding, avoiding excessive binder that would cause stiffness. The binder is used sparingly to achieve the minimum necessary bonding strength while preserving softness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Productivity

If point-shaped calender bonding is used for interlining nonwovens, then bonding efficiency is improved, but flexibility and elasticity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebonding efficiencyVSAvoidflexibility and elasticity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains a porous structure throughout the nonwoven material rather than creating dense bonded points. This porous network provides both the necessary bonding efficiency and maintains flexibility and elasticity, as the porous structure allows the material to deform and recover without rigid bonded points

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 enables the production of interlinings with improved tactile and optical properties, high elasticity, and excellent washing resistance up to 95°C, while maintaining a clean production environment and avoiding adhesive penetration, thus enhancing the overall quality and efficiency of textile interlinings.

Implementation Method 1

a reaction product of at least one bifunctional polyisocyanate (A) with an isocyanate content of 5 to 65 parts by weight with at least one polyol (B)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPolyaddition reaction: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentEP3286367B1Thermofusible sheet material
Publication Date: 2019.06.05 CARL FREUDENBERG KG
  • EP3286367B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3286367B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3286367B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to thermofusible sheet material which can be used as a fusible interlining in the textile industry, comprising a carrier layer made from a textile material to which a polyurethane foam coating is applied. The polyurethane foam has a pore structure in which more than 50% of the pores have a diameter, measured according to DIN ASTM E 1294, which is in the range of 5 to 30 μm.