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EP-4740778-A2 - SELECTIVE LASER BONDING ON TEXTILES

EP4740778A2EP 4740778 A2EP4740778 A2EP 4740778A2EP-4740778-A2

Abstract

A composite nonwoven textile having a first face an opposite second face, and a volume between the first face and the second face, the composite nonwoven textile comprising: a first web of fibers that forms the first face, the first web of fibers comprising first fibers having a first propensity to absorb electromagnetic radiation emitted by a laser; a second web of fibers that forms the second face, the second web of fibers comprising second fibers having a second propensity to absorb the electromagnetic radiation, the second propensity to absorb the electromagnetic radiation is lower than the first propensity to absorb the electromagnetic radiation, wherein fibers of at least one of the first fibers and the second fibers comprise a polymer; and a plurality of discrete bonding structures positioned between the first face and the second face of the composite nonwoven textile within the volume of the composite nonwoven textile, at least some of the plurality of discrete bonding structures including an amorphous polymer agglomerate and fibers from one or more of the first fibers and the second fibers in a fiber form, wherein portions of one or more of the first fibers and the second fibers are at least partially encapsulated by the amorphous polymer agglomerate.

Inventors

  • LUND, Dallas
  • TURNER, DAVID

Assignees

  • NIKE Innovate C.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230516

Claims (15)

  1. A composite nonwoven textile (1226) having a first face (1232) an opposite second face (1236), and a volume (1310) between the first face (1232) and the second face (1236), the composite nonwoven textile (1226) comprising: a first web of fibers (1212) that forms the first face (1232), the first web of fibers (1212) comprising first fibers (1214) having a first propensity to absorb electromagnetic radiation emitted by a laser (1222); a second web of fibers (1216) that forms the second face (1236), the second web of fibers (1216) comprising second fibers (1218) having a second propensity to absorb the electromagnetic radiation, the second propensity to absorb the electromagnetic radiation is lower than the first propensity to absorb the electromagnetic radiation, wherein fibers of at least one of the first fibers (1214) and the second fibers (1218) comprise a polymer; and a plurality of discrete bonding structures (1512) positioned between the first face (1232) and the second face (1236) of the composite nonwoven textile (1226) within the volume (1310) of the composite nonwoven textile (1226), at least some of the plurality of discrete bonding structures (1512) including an amorphous polymer agglomerate and fibers from one or more of the first fibers (1214) and the second fibers (1218) in a fiber form, wherein portions of one or more of the first fibers (1214) and the second fibers (1218) are at least partially encapsulated by the amorphous polymer agglomerate.
  2. The composite nonwoven textile (1226) of claim 1, wherein the plurality of discrete bonding structures (1512) are located at an interface (1224) between the first web of fibers (1212) and the second web of fibers (1216).
  3. The composite nonwoven textile (1226) of any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the first fibers (1214) absorb the electromagnetic radiation and the second fibers (1218) do not absorb the electromagnetic radiation.
  4. The composite nonwoven textile (1226) of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein two or more fibers of the first fibers (1214) are in contact with two or more fibers of the second fibers (1218) within the volume (1310) of the composite nonwoven textile (1226).
  5. The composite nonwoven textile (1226) of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a number of discrete bonding structures (1512) per unit area (1310) on the first face (1232) is less than a number of discrete bonding structures (1512) per unit area (1510) within the volume (1310) of the composite nonwoven textile (1226), and optionally (1226) wherein the number of discrete bonding structures (1512) per unit area on the first face (1232) is zero.
  6. The composite nonwoven textile (1226) of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a number of discrete bonding structures (1512) per unit area (1410) on the second face (1236) is less than a number of discrete bonding structures (1512) per unit area (1510) within the volume (1310) of the composite nonwoven textile (1226), and optionally (1226) wherein the number of discrete bonding structures (1512) per unit area on the second face (1236) is zero.
  7. The composite nonwoven textile (1226) of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein one or more of the first fibers (1214) comprise bicomponent fibers with an electromagnetic radiation absorbing material positioned in a side-by-side relationship with a non-electromagnetic radiation absorbing material.
  8. The composite nonwoven textile (1226) of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first web of fibers (1212) comprises a first entangled web of fibers.
  9. The composite nonwoven textile (1226) of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second web of fibers (1216) comprises a second entangled web of fibers.
  10. An article of apparel formed from the composite nonwoven textile (1226) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
  11. The article of apparel of claim 10, wherein the first face (1232) of the composite nonwoven textile (1226) forms an outermost-facing surface of the article of apparel, and/or wherein the second face (1236) of the composite nonwoven textile (1226) forms an innermost-facing surface of the article of apparel.
  12. The article of apparel of any one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the article of apparel is one of an upper-body garment (1700), a lower-body garment (1800), or an upper (1900) for an article of footwear.
  13. A method of forming a composite nonwoven textile (1226) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the method comprising: selectively applying the electromagnetic radiation using the laser (1222) to the composite nonwoven textile (1226) to form the plurality of discrete bonding structures (1512).
  14. The method of forming the composite nonwoven textile (1226) of claim 13, wherein the selective application of the electromagnetic radiation using the laser (1222) causes portions of the first fibers (1214) to melt, and wherein after the selective application of the electromagnetic radiation from the laser (1222) ceases, the melted portions of the first fibers (1214) re-soldify to form the amorphous polymer agglomerate.
  15. The method of forming the composite nonwoven textile (1226) of any one of claims 13 or 14, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is applied in a pattern comprising spaced-apart application sites.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Aspects herein relate to creating bonding structures within a volume of a nonwoven material to reduce pilling and/or to affix two or more nonwoven textiles to each other. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Because nonwovens are generally formed using fibers, fiber ends may migrate through a face of the nonwoven and entangle with other fiber ends to form pills. Although pilling may be reduced by treating the face of the nonwoven with different processes such as calendaring and/or with different materials including adhesive-type materials to adhere together the fiber ends, the all-over surface treatment may impact the face of nonwoven by, for example, potentially reducing the softness or hand of the nonwoven and also may impact the drapability of the nonwoven. This may be less than desirable when the nonwoven is used in articles of apparel where a soft hand and drapability are desirable characteristics. Moreover, traditional processes for securing nonwoven webs or textiles together include, for example, using adhesives or films, stitching, entangling, and the like. Although these processes may be effective securing mechanisms, they may increase manufacturing costs, increase the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing, and/or may reduce the recyclability of the resulting composite nonwoven textile due to the use of disparate materials such as, for example, adhesives, films, or threads used for stitching. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Examples of aspects herein are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic of an example process of finishing a nonwoven textile to reduce pilling in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 2 illustrates a first face of the nonwoven textile of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 3 illustrates an opposite second face of the nonwoven textile of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 4 illustrates a planar section of the nonwoven textile of FIG. 1 taken along the plane indicated at cut-line 4-4 of FIG. 2 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-section of the nonwoven textile of FIG. 1 taken at cut-line 5-5 of FIG. 2 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 6 illustrates an example bi-component fiber having two materials with different propensities for absorbing electromagnetic radiation emitted by a laser positioned in a side-by-side relationship in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 7 illustrates an example pattern for electromagnetic radiation application by a laser on a nonwoven textile in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 8 illustrates an example upper-body garment formed from the nonwoven textile of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 9 illustrates an example lower-body garment formed from the nonwoven textile of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 10 illustrates an example upper for an article of footwear formed from the nonwoven textile of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 11 illustrates an example flow diagram of a method of finishing a nonwoven textile, such as the nonwoven textile of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic of an example process of forming a composite nonwoven textile using laser bonding in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 13 illustrates a first face of the composite nonwoven textile of FIG. 12 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 14 illustrates an opposite second face of the composite nonwoven textile of FIG. 12 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 15 illustrates a planar section of the composite nonwoven textile of FIG. 12 taken along the plane indicated at cut-line 15-15 of FIG. 13 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 16 illustrates a cross-section of the composite nonwoven textile of FIG. 12 taken along cut-line 16-16 of FIG. 13 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 17 illustrates an example upper-body garment formed from the composite nonwoven textile of FIG. 12 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 18 illustrates an example lower-body garment formed from the composite nonwoven textile of FIG. 12 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 19 illustrates an example upper for an article of footwear formed from the composite nonwoven textile of FIG. 12 in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 20 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method of forming a composite nonwoven textile using laser bonding in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 21 illustrates an example nonwoven textile having laser bonding sites to demarcate pattern pieces in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 22A illustrates an example pattern piece for a sleeve formed from a nonwoven textile where the pattern piece includes laser bonding sites to increase drapability in accordance with aspects herein;FIG. 22B illustrates an example cross-section of the pattern piece of FIG. 22A and depicts dimpling caused by a bonding structure in accordance with aspects herein; andFIG. 23 illustrates a schema