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US 9,215,897 B2Granted
Lightweight, durable apparel and laminates for making the same
AssigneeW.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
InventorsMatthew A. Johnson, Edward C. Gunzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Laminates are described having a durable outer film surface for use in making lightweight liquidproof articles of apparel, such as outerwear garments. A method of making the laminate and a lightweight outerwear garment having an abrasion resistant exterior film surface is described.
Claims12
A method of making a lightweight outerwear garment having an abrasion resistant exterior film surface, said method comprising:
- selecting a woven or knit textile and a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane;
- coating the porous PTFE membrane with an oleophobic polymer composition to obtain a porous PTFE membrane having an oleophobic outer membrane surface and oil rating greater than 2;
- colorizing the porous PTFE membrane with a colorant to obtain a colorized outer membrane surface;
- laminating the textile and the porous PTFE membrane to form a laminate, optionally before or after the coating step or the colorizing step, to form a laminate having an outer membrane surface and an inner textile surface;
- and
- assembling an outerwear garment from the laminate so that the oleophobic, colorized outer membrane surface is the outerwear garment exterior surface and the inner textile surface is on a side opposite the exterior surface;
- wherein said laminate is liquidproof after more than 6000 abrasion movements on the outer membrane surface when tested according to the Liquidproof (Suter) After Hook and Abrasion Test,
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has an average maximum load in the transverse and longitudinal direction greater than 10 N,
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has an average modulus in the transverse and longitudinal direction greater than 40 MPa,
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has an average matrix tensile strength in the longitudinal and transverse direction greater than 90 MPa, and
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has a ball burst load greater than 17 lb force.
8 more elements
A method of making an outerwear garment having an abrasion resistant exterior film surface, said method comprising:
- selecting a textile composite comprising a laminate having an oleophobic colorized outer membrane surface, wherein the laminate comprises:
- (i) a porous PTFE membrane having an average maximum load in the transverse and longitudinal direction greater than 10N, and
- (ii) a textile attached to the porous PTFE membrane on a side opposite the oleophobic colorized outer membrane surface;
- forming garment pieces comprising the textile composite;
- and
- assembling an outerwear garment from said garment pieces by orienting the garment pieces so that the oleophobic colorized outer membrane surface is the outerwear garment exterior surface and the inner textile surface is on a side opposite the exterior surface;
- wherein said laminate is liquidproof after more than 6000 abrasion movements on the outer membrane surface when tested according to the Liquidproof (Suter) After Hook and Abrasion Test,
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has an average modulus in the transverse and longitudinal direction greater than 40 MPa,
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has an average matrix tensile strength in the longitudinal and transverse direction greater than 90 MPa, and
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has a ball burst load greater than 17 lb force.
7 more elements
A method of making a lightweight laminate having an abrasion resistant outer film surface, said method comprising:
- selecting a textile;
- selecting a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane having an average maximum load in the transverse and longitudinal direction greater than 10N,
- coating and colorizing the porous PTFE membrane with an oleophobic polymer composition and a colorant to obtain a porous PTFE membrane having an oleophobic colorized outer membrane surface and oil rating greater than 2;
- and
- laminating the textile, and the porous PTFE membrane to form a laminate, optionally before or after the coating step or the colorizing step, to form a laminate having an outer membrane surface and an inner textile surface;
- wherein said laminate is liquidproof after more than 6000 abrasion movements on the outer membrane surface when tested according to the Liquidproof (Suter) After Hook and Abrasion Test,
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has an average modulus in the transverse and longitudinal direction greater than 40 MPa,
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has an average matrix tensile strength in the longitudinal and transverse direction greater than 90 MPa, and
- wherein said porous PTFE membrane has a ball burst load greater than 17 lb force.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.