Self-folding or self-rolling fabrics or textiles and methods of making and using the same
AssigneeNaperie LLC
InventorCraig Kelliher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-folding and/or self-rolling fabric, such as, for example, a towel or the like, comprises an internal structure of a memory material such as, for example, a metal or metal alloy wire, a metal or metal alloy foil, a polymeric material, or combinations thereof having a memory. When the memory material is heated, such as within a common heat-generating clothes dryer, the memory material reforms into a shape, thereby imparting the shape onto the fabric.
Claims20
A self-foldable or self-rollable fabric or textile comprising:
- an amount of a fabric or a textile in a planar configuration;
- and
- an internal structure within the fabric or the textile comprising a memory material configured to have a first shape, such that when formed into a second shape, retains the second shape until heated, wherein heating the memory material while in the second shape causes the internal structure to be configured into the first shape,
- wherein when the memory material is configured into the first shape, the fabric or the textile is in a folded or rolled configuration.
A method of making a self-foldable or self-rollable fabric or textile comprising the steps of:
- providing an amount of fabric or textile;
- embedding a memory material into the fabric or textile, wherein the memory material is configured to have a first shape, such that when formed into a second shape, retains the second shape until heated, wherein heating the memory material while in the second shape causes the internal structure to be configured into the first shape, and further wherein when the memory material is configured into the first shape, the fabric or the textile is in a folded or rolled configuration.
A method of using a self-foldable or self-rollable fabric or textile comprising the steps of:
- providing an amount of a fabric or a textile in a planar configuration having an internal structure within the fabric or the textile comprising a memory material configured to have a first shape, such that when formed into a second shape, retains the second shape until heated, wherein heating the memory material while in the second shape causes the internal structure to be configured into the first shape, wherein when the memory material is configured into the first shape, the fabric or the textile is in a folded or rolled configuration;
- folding or rolling the fabric or textile into a folded or rolled configuration;
- and
- heating the fabric or textile while in the folded or rolled configuration so that the memory material causes the fabric or textile to retain the folded or rolled configuration when subsequently cooled and reheated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.