Permeable backing and tufted articles comprising said backing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for achieving breathability and water permeability in tufted articles, such as carpet and artificial turf, involve forming perforations in the backing, which increase manufacturing costs and lead to machine maintenance issues.
Innovation Solution
A tufted article with a woven backing structure that includes void spaces between woven fibers, coupled with a scrim layer, allowing for liquid and vapor passage without the need for perforations, and optionally coated with a polymer to prevent the coating from entering these void spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If perforations are formed in the backing to achieve breathability and water permeability, then liquid and vapor passage is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and machine maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The backing is constructed as a woven structure with inherent void spaces between the woven fibers, creating a porous material that provides breathability and water permeability without requiring additional perforation processes. This eliminates the need for hot needles, drills, or punches to create openings, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and machine maintenance requirements while maintaining reliable liquid and vapor passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The backing structure is segmented into individual woven fibers arranged in a pattern that creates interconnected void spaces throughout the material. This segmentation allows liquid and vapor to pass through multiple pathways between fibers, achieving effective permeability through the natural woven architecture rather than through concentrated perforations.
2Strength
If a polymer coating is applied to the lower surface of the backing, then structural integrity and coating adhesion are improved, but the coating may enter and block the void spaces, reducing breathability
Solution Approach 1:
The scrim layer acts as an intermediary barrier between the polymer coating and the void spaces in the woven backing. The open mesh structure of the scrim allows the polymer coating to be applied to the lower surface for improved adhesion and structural integrity, while the scrim itself prevents the coating material from penetrating into and blocking the breathability void spaces of the woven fibers.
3Reliability
If multiple layers are used to achieve both permeability and coating application, then functional requirements are met, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The scrim layer is integrated directly with the woven backing structure, with the scrim coupled to the lower surface of the woven fibers. This merging of the scrim and woven backing into a single composite backing structure eliminates the need for separate permeable layer and coating layer, reducing device complexity while maintaining both breathability and coating adhesion functionality.
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 provides effective breathability and water permeability while reducing manufacturing costs and avoiding machine maintenance, maintaining structural integrity, and allowing for the use of a single backing layer.
Implementation Method 1
Void spaces are defined between respective woven fibers of the plurality of woven fibers of the woven backing structure. The void spaces are configured to permit passage of liquid or vapor from the first surface to the second surface of the woven backing structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is tufted article including a backing having a vertical axis. The backing includes an open structure material having a first surface and an opposed second surface. The open structure material includes a plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers define void spaces through the open structure material from the first surface to the second surface in part based on variability of fibers along the vertical axis. The void spaces are configured to permit passage of liquid or vapor from the first surface to the second surface of the open structure material. A scrim layer is coupled to the opposed second surface of the open structure material. The scrim layer has an open mesh structure. A second plurality of fibers are tufted through the backing and extend upwardly from the first surface of the open structure material.