Induction heating methods for bonding seams
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorDavid Turner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for bonding a seam using an inductively heated structure are provided. A three-dimensionally conformable structure is placed upon materials at a location of a desired seam for a clothing article. The structure contours to the surface and material as placed. The structure includes a conductive filling that may be inductively heated. The heated structure and conductive filling activate a heat-responsive adhesive at the location and bond the materials to one another to form the desired seam.
Claims20
A method for using a heated structure to bond garment seams, the method comprising:
- using an application of energy, heating a conductive filling enclosed within a flexible structure constructed from a fabric-type material and having three-dimensional conformability;
- and
- placing the flexible structure upon two or more portions of fabric at a location where the two or more portions of fabric contact one another to form an irregular garment seam, wherein heat of the conductive filling causes the two or more portions to bond to one another.
A method for using an inductively heated structure to bond garment seams, the method comprising:
- inductively heating a conductive filling enclosed within a flexible structure constructed from fabric-type material and having three-dimensional conformability, wherein the flexible structure having three-dimensional conformability is adapted to conform to one or more of an irregular, non-planar surface and a seam on which the flexible structure is placed;
- and
- placing the flexible structure to contact two or more portions of fabric at a location where the two or more portions of fabric at least partially overlap one another, wherein the overlap corresponds to the seam, and wherein at least one portion of the two or more portions of fabric includes heat-bonding characteristics such that heat of the conductive filling causes the at least one portion to bond the two or more portions of fabric.
A method for using an inductively heated structure to bond irregularly shaped seams, the method comprising:
- positioning two or more edges of fabric adjacent one another to form a garment seam;
- overlaying a heat-responsive adhesive tape with the garment seam;
- placing a flexible structure on the garment seam, wherein the flexible structure is three-dimensionally conformable such that the flexible structure is constructed from fabric-type material and adapted to conform to a surface on which the flexible structure is placed;
- and
- via an inductive heating process, heating a conductive filling that at least partially fills the flexible structure and is enclosed therein, wherein heat from the conductive filling causes the heat-responsive adhesive tape to bond to the two or more edges of fabric.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.