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US 9,215,900 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
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Abstract
Laminates are described having a durable outer film surface for use in making lightweight liquidproof articles, including 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.
Claims27
A method of making an outerwear garment having an abrasion resistant exterior film surface, said method comprising:
- selecting a woven or knit textile and a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane;
- laminating the textile and the porous PTFE membrane to form a laminate having an outer film surface and an inner textile surface;
- and
- assembling an outerwear garment from the laminate so that the outer film surface is the outerwear garment exterior film surface and the inner textile surface is on a side opposite the outerwear garment exterior film surface;
- wherein the laminate has a moisture vapor transmission rate greater than 4000 g/m2/24 hours,
- wherein said laminate is liquidproof after more than 6000 abrasion movements on the outer film 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.
7 more elements
A method of making an outerwear garment having an abrasion resistant exterior film surface, said method comprising:
- selecting a textile composite comprising an abrasion resistant laminate having a colorized, outer film surface, wherein the laminate comprises:
- (i) a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film membrane having an average maximum load in the transverse and longitudinal direction greater than 10N, and
- (ii) textile attached to the porous PTFE membrane on a side opposite the colorized outer film surface
- forming garment pieces comprising the textile composite;
- and
- assembling an outerwear garment from said garment pieces comprising the textile composite by orienting the garment pieces so that the colorized outer film surface is the outerwear garment exterior film surface and the inner textile surface is on a side opposite the outer film surface;
- wherein the laminate has a moisture vapor transmission rate greater than 4000 g/m2/24 hours,
- wherein said laminate is liquidproof after more than 6000 abrasion movements on the outer film 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.
8 more elements
A method of making an outerwear article of apparel having an abrasion resistant low water pickup exterior film surface, said method comprising:
- selecting a textile layer and a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane;
- laminating the textile and the porous membrane to form a laminate having an outer film surface and an inner textile surface;
- assembling the article of apparel from the laminate so that the outer film surface is the exterior film surface of the article of apparel and the inner textile surface is on a side opposite the exterior film surface;
- wherein the laminate has a water pickup of less than or equal to 10 g/m2,
- wherein the laminate has a moisture vapor transmission rate greater than 4000 g/m2/24 hours,
- wherein said laminate is liquidproof after more than 6000 abrasion movements on the outer film 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.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.