U.S. patent application number 11/270057 was filed with the patent office on 2006-03-23 for adhesive coated sewing thread.
Invention is credited to Steven Clay Moore.
Application Number | 20060063452 11/270057 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46323138 |
Filed Date | 2006-03-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060063452 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moore; Steven Clay |
March 23, 2006 |
Adhesive coated sewing thread
Abstract
Methods and arrangements to methods and arrangements for an
adhesive coated sewing thread are disclosed. Embodiments may
comprise coating a sewing thread with a thermally activated
adhesive that is activated when heated and set when cooled. The
adhesive can be permanently set when cooled, or it can be
reactivated every time it is heated above the threshold temperature
for the adhesive and reset when cooled. Further, by using this
thread to sew garments and textiles, the garments and textiles may
be heated to activate the adhesive and cooled to set the adhesive.
Setting the adhesive may strengthen the garment or textile,
increasing the quality and lifetime of the article.
Inventors: |
Moore; Steven Clay; (Austin,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SCHUBERT OSTERRIEDER & NICKELSON PLLC
6013 CANNON MTN DR, S14
AUSTIN
TX
78749
US
|
Family ID: |
46323138 |
Appl. No.: |
11/270057 |
Filed: |
November 9, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10606973 |
Jun 27, 2003 |
|
|
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11270057 |
Nov 9, 2005 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
442/199 ;
442/189 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D02G 3/46 20130101; Y10T
442/3146 20150401; D02G 3/404 20130101; Y10T 442/3065 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
442/199 ;
442/189 |
International
Class: |
D03D 15/00 20060101
D03D015/00 |
Claims
1. A textile comprising: a sewing thread woven into the textile;
and a thermally activated adhesive coating the thread to stick the
sewing thread to adjacent threads when the adhesive is activated,
wherein the adhesive is activated when heated and set when
cooled.
2. The textile as described in claim 1, wherein the thermally
activated adhesive is activated at a threshold temperature, the
threshold temperature being sufficiently low to avoid damage to the
sewing thread when initially activated.
3. The textile as described in claim 1, wherein the thermally
activated adhesive is activated at a threshold temperature, the
threshold temperature being sufficiently high to avoid reactivation
when heated in a domestic dryer.
4. The textile as described in claim 1, wherein the thermally
activated adhesive is activated at a threshold temperature, the
threshold temperature being sufficiently high to avoid reactivation
during normal use.
5. The textile as described in claim 1, wherein the thermally
activated adhesive is activated at a threshold temperature, the
threshold temperature being sufficiently high to avoid reactivation
during dry cleaning.
6. The textile as described in claim 1, wherein the adjacent
threads are coated with the thermally activated adhesive.
7. A garment comprising: a textile comprising coated threads to
form the garment; and a thermally activated adhesive on each of the
coated threads, the adhesive to stick the threads together when the
adhesive is activated, wherein the adhesive is activated when
heated and set when cooled.
8. The garment as described in claim 7, wherein the textile
comprises cotton threads.
9. The garment as described in claim 7, wherein the textile
comprises nylon threads.
10. The garment as described in claim 7, wherein the thermally
activated adhesive is a partially cured B-stage thermal set
plastic, which is permanently set after activation.
11. The garment as described in claim 7, wherein the thermally
activated adhesive is a thermal set plastic.
12. The garment as described in claim 7, wherein the textile
comprises other threads.
13. The garment as described in claim 12, wherein the other threads
lack the thermally activated adhesive and are interspersed between
the threads.
14. A method comprising: coating a sewing thread with a thermally
activated adhesive, the adhesive to stick the thread to adjacent
threads when the adhesive is activated, wherein the adhesive is
activated when heated and set when cooled; and storing the sewing
thread.
15. The method as described in claim 14, further comprising sewing
the textile with the sewing thread to create a garment.
16. The method as described in claim 14, further comprising heating
the textile to activate the adhesive.
17. The method as described in claim 14, further comprising cooling
the textile to set the adhesive.
18. The method as described in claim 14, wherein coating the sewing
thread comprises coating the sewing thread with a partially cured
B-stage thermal set plastic which is permanently set after
activation.
19. The method as described in claim 14, wherein coating the sewing
thread comprises coating the sewing thread with a plastic that
activates when heated to a threshold temperature.
20. The method as described in claim 14, wherein storing the sewing
thread comprises wrapping the sewing thread around a spool.
21. A method comprising: coupling a sewing thread with a sewing
needle; and applying a thermally activated adhesive to the sewing
thread while the sewing thread is between a spool and a sewing
needle, the adhesive to stick the sewing thread with adjacent
threads when the adhesive is activated, wherein the adhesive is
activated when heated and set when cooled.
22. The method as described in claim 21, further comprising sewing
a textile with the sewing thread.
23. The method as described in claim 21, further comprising heating
the thermally activated adhesive above a threshold temperature to
permanently set the thermally activated adhesive.
24. The method as described in claim 21, further comprising heating
the thermally activated adhesive above a threshold temperature to
reactivate the thermally activated adhesive and cooling the
thermally activated adhesive to reset the thermally activated
adhesive.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Pursuant to 35 USC .sctn. 120, this continuation-in-part
application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Utility patent
application Ser. No. 10/606,973, filed Jun. 27, 2003, on behalf of
inventor Steven Clay Moore, entitled "Adhesive coated sewing
thread".
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to coating sewing thread with a
thermally activated adhesive.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Loose threads on garments and other textiles diminish the
quality and reduce the lifetime of a garment or textile. In the
last ten years, advances in treating thread and yarn have solved
the problem of textile disintegrating by treating the textile as a
whole with adhesive, coating thread with polymers that when heated
hold the thread in its new stitched shape and adhere the thread to
the cloth.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,182 by Ebert, describes coating sewing
thread with different polymers, with the intention of increasing
the volume of the thread. When heated, the polymer evaporates and
the threads shrink, tightening the stitching. While Ebert mentions
and includes polymers having adhesive properties, the patent is
coating the thread with the intention of increasing the thread
volume rather than coating the thread with a thermal set
adhesive.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,210 by Bullock, describes treating
textiles with adhesive, along with other compounds. Though the
patent covers treating textiles with adhesive materials, it is
oriented towards treating the woven textile rather than the
individual threads before the textile is sewn.
[0006] Other patents relating to the art of treating thread and
yarn include increasing strength and elasticity, altering the
thermodynamic properties to allow for a larger temperature range,
and increasing resistance to cutting. None of these patents, as
well as others retrieved in text and title searches, are the same
as the present invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The problems identified above are in large part addressed by
methods and arrangements related to coating a thread with an
adhesive material before sewing, either wrapping it around a spool
or applying it between the spool and sewing needle. When the
textile is sewn adjacent threads on a textile stick together as the
adhesive material is activated. To avoid threads adhering together
when spooled, the adhesive material must be thermally activated,
such as epoxy or another thermal set plastic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Advantages of the invention will become apparent upon
reading the following detailed description and upon reference to
the accompanying drawings in which, like references may indicate
similar elements:
[0009] FIG. 1 depicts a system for applying a thermally activated
adhesive to a thread;
[0010] FIG. 2 depicts an alternate system for applying a thermally
activated adhesive to a thread;
[0011] FIGS. 3A-B depict a textile comprising a thread coated with
a thermally activated adhesive;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows garments comprising threads coated with a
thermally activated adhesive;
[0013] FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart for applying a thermally
activated adhesive to a thread before spooling the thread; and
[0014] FIG. 6 depicts a flowchart for applying a thermally
activated adhesive to a thread while sewing with the thread.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of
the invention depicted in the accompanying drawings. The
embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the
invention. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to
limit the anticipated variations of embodiments, but on the
contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents,
and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present
invention as defined by the appended claims. The detailed
descriptions below are designed to make such embodiments obvious to
a person of ordinary skill in the art.
[0016] Generally speaking, methods and arrangements for an adhesive
coated sewing thread are contemplated. Embodiments may comprise a
sewing thread with a thermally activated adhesive that is inactive
until heated and set when cooled. The adhesive may be permanently
set when cooled, or it may be reactivated when it is heated above
the threshold temperature for the adhesive and reset when cooled.
Further embodiments comprise systems and arrangements for applying
the thermally activated adhesive to the sewing thread.
[0017] In some embodiments, the adhesive may be a partially cured
thermal set plastic, such as epoxy, so the adhesive used cured by
cross linkage does not reactivate when the garment or textile is
heated in a domestic dyer or when dry cleaned commercially. If the
adhesive can be reactivated thermally, the activating temperature
may be higher than temperatures the garment or fabric will
encounter during cleaning or normal use, while at the same time
being low enough to not damage the thread or garment when the
adhesive is initially activated.
[0018] While specific embodiments will be described below with
reference to particular thread coatings and thread materials, those
of skill in the art will realize that embodiments of the present
invention may advantageously be implemented with other thread
materials and other substantially equivalent coatings that may be
activated and set in response to exposure to hot and/or cold
temperatures.
[0019] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a system 110 for
applying a thermally activated adhesive to a thread. System 100
comprises a thread source 110, an adhesive applicator 120, and a
thread spooler 130. More specifically, system 100 may coat a thread
with a thermally activated adhesive via adhesive applicator 120 and
wind the coated thread on a spool via thread spooler 130.
[0020] Thread source 110 is a source of one or more threads such as
nylon threads, cotton threads, polyester threads, and/or any other
thread material. The thread may be uncoated or coated. In some
embodiments, thread source 110 may comprise a spool of thread. In
further embodiments, thread source 110 may create thread via one or
materials. The thread may be fed from thread source into adhesive
applicator 120.
[0021] Adhesive applicator 120 may apply a thermally activated
adhesive to the thread. For example, in some embodiments, the
thread may drawn through an enclosure containing the thermally
activated adhesive. In further embodiments, adhesive applicator 120
may apply the thermally activated adhesive in more than one stage.
In such embodiments, adhesive applicator 120 may comprise a first
enclosure with a first stage of the coating and a second enclosure
with a second stage of the coating. In some embodiments, one or
more the stages may apply different parts of the adhesive. In other
embodiments, the different stages may facilitate application of
additional coats of the same adhesive.
[0022] Adhesive applicator 120 may apply the thermally activated
adhesive to the thread in various manners. For instance, adhesive
applicator 120 may apply the thermally activated adhesive to the
thread with a roller, a squeegee, a spray nozzle, a bath, or the
like.
[0023] Thread spooler 130 may comprise an apparatus to gather the
coated thread after application of the thermally activated
adhesive. For instance, thread spooler 130 may pull the thread from
thread source 110 through adhesive applicator 120 while winding the
thread on a spool.
[0024] FIG. 2 depicts an alternate system 200 for applying a
thermally activated adhesive to a thread. In particular, system 200
may apply a thermally activated coating to a thread as the thread
is being sewn or woven into a textile or garment. For example, the
thread may be woven into a textile such as a cotton fabric. In some
embodiments, the thread may be woven into a textile and
interspersed amongst threads that are not coated with the thermally
activated adhesive. In such embodiments, the thread coated with the
thermally activated adhesive may adhere to, e.g., adjacent,
uncoated threads to improve the strength and durability of the
fabric. In further embodiments, the thread coated with the
thermally activated adhesive may be woven into the textile with
other thread coated with the thermally activated adhesive.
[0025] System 200 comprises a thread spool 210, an adhesive
applicator 220, an adhesive 240, and a sewing needle 230. Thread
spool 210 may comprise a spool of the uncoated thread. Adhesive
applicator 220 may apply adhesive 240 to the thread as the thread
is sewn into a fabric via sewing needle 230. In many embodiments,
adhesive applicator 220 may spray the adhesive onto the thread as
the thread is sewn into the fabric via sewing needle 230. In other
embodiments, the thread may be pulled through a bath of the
thermally activated adhesive.
[0026] Adhesive 240 may comprise a thermally activated adhesive
that sticks the threads together when the adhesive is activated. In
one embodiment, adhesive 240 may be activated when heated and set
when cooled. In many embodiments, adhesive 240 may comprise a
thermal set plastic. In several embodiments, adhesive 240 may
comprise a partially cured. B-stage thermal set plastic, which is
permanently set after activation. In some embodiments, adhesive 240
may comprise an epoxy.
[0027] In many embodiments, the thermally activated adhesive is
activated at a threshold temperature that is sufficiently high to
avoid reactivation during normal use. In further embodiments, the
thermally activated adhesive is activated at a threshold
temperature that is sufficiently high to avoid reactivation during
dry cleaning.
[0028] FIG. 3A-B show a textile 300 comprising a thread coated with
a thermally activated adhesive. More specifically, FIG. 3A depicts
textile 300 with a magnified view 305 to show threads 310, 315, and
320. In one embodiment, threads 310, 315, and 320 may all be coated
with a thermally activated adhesive. In further embodiments, one or
two of the three threads may be coated with a thermally activated
adhesive.
[0029] FIG. 3B depicts an alternative embodiment of a magnification
of textile 300. In FIG. 3B, one or more of threads 330, 335, and
340 may be coated with a thermally activated adhesive and/or one or
more of threads 345, 350, and 355 may be coated with a thermally
activated adhesive. In such embodiments, threads 330, 335, and 340
cross threads 345, 350, and 355 at an angle. When activated, the
thermally activated adhesive may stick or bind the threads together
to improve the durability of textile 300.
[0030] FIG. 4 shows garments 410 and 420 comprising threads coated
with a thermally activated adhesive in a manner such as those
illustrated with textile 300 in FIGS. 3A-B. In the present
embodiment, garment 410 comprises a shirt and garment 420 comprises
pants created with a textile with threads that are coated with a
thermally activated coating. Upon increasing the temperature of
garment 410, the adhesive coating on the threads may bind threads
of the fabric together. In some embodiments, the adhesive may be
permanently set after garment 410 cools. In further embodiments,
garment 410 may be re-heated to a threshold temperature to activate
the adhesive and cooled to reset the adhesive.
[0031] FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart 500 for applying a thermally
activated adhesive to a thread before spooling the thread, weaving
the thread into a textile, and setting the adhesive. Flowchart 500
begins with coating a sewing thread (element 510). Coating the
sewing thread may involve spraying, pouring, soaking, applying the
adhesive with a squeegee, rolling, or otherwise applying the
adhesive to the sewing thread in one or more stages.
[0032] Once the thermally activated coating is applied the sewing
thread, the sewing thread is wrapped around or wound on a spool
(element 515). The spool of coated thread may then be attached to a
machine to weave a textile with the coated thread (element 525). In
some embodiments, the coated thread may be Woven into a textile
with uncoated threads. In several of these embodiments, the coated
threads may be woven as every other or every third thread parallel.
In further embodiments, the coated threads may be otherwise
interspersed through the textile. For example, the coated threads
may be woven into the textile at, e.g., 90 degree angles such that
most, if not all, of the threads in the textile will touch a coated
thread.
[0033] After weaving the textile, the textile may be heated
(element 530) and cooled (element 535) to activate and set the
adhesive. For example, once a fabric is produced, the adhesive may
be activated and set to attenuate damage to the fabric during
distribution to consumers. In some embodiments, the adhesive may be
re-activated and set when the fabric is made into a consumer
product.
[0034] FIG. 6 depicts a flowchart 600 for applying a thermally
activated adhesive to a thread while sewing with the thread.
Flowchart 600 begins with attaching a spool of thread to a sewing
machine (element 610). Attaching the spool to the sewing machine
may comprise placing the spool on a rod on top the machine to hold
the spool in place while allowing the spool to spin.
[0035] The thread from the spool may be fed through an adhesive
applicator (element 615) and threaded through a sewing needle
(element 625). In particular, the thread may be fed through an
enclosure that directs the thread through a bath of the adhesive to
coat the thread. The coated thread that exits the adhesive
applicator may then be drawn through a sewing needle so that the
uncoated thread on the spool is coated with the adhesive while
sewing a textile with the thread to create a garment (element 630).
In further embodiments, a garment may be created with an uncoated
thread from a textile that already incorporates threads coated with
a thermally activated adhesive.
[0036] After creating a garment with the coated thread, the
adhesive may be heated to or above a threshold temperature to
activate the adhesive (element 635) and cooled to set the adhesive
(element 640). For instance, the adhesive may be selected or
adapted to have an activation threshold temperature that is below a
temperature that damages the thread.
[0037] In several embodiments, the thermally activated adhesive is
activated at a threshold temperature that is sufficiently low as to
avoid damage to the sewing thread when initially activated. In some
embodiments, the thermally activated adhesive is activated at a
threshold temperature that is sufficiently high as to avoid
reactivation when heated in a domestic dryer.
[0038] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the
benefit of this disclosure that the present invention contemplates
methods and arrangements for an adhesive coated sewing thread. It
is understood that the form of the invention shown and described in
the detailed description and the drawings are to be taken merely as
examples. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted
broadly to embrace all the variations of the example embodiments
disclosed.
[0039] Although the present invention and some of its advantages
have been described in detail for some embodiments, it should be
understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can
be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined by the appended claims. Although an embodiment
of the invention may achieve multiple objectives, not every
embodiment falling within the scope of the attached claims will
achieve every objective. Moreover, the scope of the present
application is not intended to be limited to the particular
embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of
matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As
one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the
disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines,
manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps,
presently existing or later to be developed that perform
substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same
result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be
utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the
appended claims are intended to include within their scope such
processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means,
methods, or steps.
* * * * *