U.S. patent application number 11/320291 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-06 for photochromic hybrid fabric.
Invention is credited to Anthony Lavant Clark.
Application Number | 20060147708 11/320291 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36640794 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060147708 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Clark; Anthony Lavant |
July 6, 2006 |
Photochromic hybrid fabric
Abstract
A photochromic yarn can be formed by combining one or more
photochromic dyed synthetic fiber filaments and can be formed by
combining one or more photochromic dyed synthetic fiber filaments
with one or more natural fiber filaments. A photochromic fabric can
be formed by weaving one or more photochromic yarns together and by
weaving one or more photochromic yarns with one or more natural
fiber yarns. A method of making photochromic yarns and fabrics that
have improved photochromic qualities, includes the steps of dyeing,
buffer coating, spinning and weaving.
Inventors: |
Clark; Anthony Lavant; (San
Jose, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Mr. Anthony L. Clark
P.O. Box 81
Saratoga
CA
95071
US
|
Family ID: |
36640794 |
Appl. No.: |
11/320291 |
Filed: |
December 29, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60639979 |
Dec 30, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/364 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D02G 3/346 20130101;
Y10T 428/2913 20150115; D02G 3/328 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/364 |
International
Class: |
D02G 3/00 20060101
D02G003/00 |
Claims
1. A photochromic yarn comprising: one or more natural fiber
components, composed of one or more natural fiber filaments; and
one or more synthetic fiber components, composed of one or more
synthetic filaments; wherein the synthetic fiber components are
dyed with a photochromic dye during the yarn manufacturing
process.
2. A natural fiber component as in claim 1 wherein the natural
fiber component is composed of one or more materials selected from
the group comprising: cotton, wool, camel hair, linen, and
silk.
3. A synthetic fiber component as in claim 1 wherein the synthetic
fiber component is composed of one or more materials selected from
the group comprising: acetate, acrylic, aramid, elastane, modal,
nylon, olefin, optical fiber, and rayon.
4. A natural fiber component as in claim 2 wherein the natural
fiber component is cotton.
5. A synthetic fiber component as in claim 3 wherein the synthetic
fiber component is Kevlar brand aramid.
6. A synthetic fiber component as in claim 3 wherein the synthetic
fiber component is a 62.5/125 micron multimode optical fiber.
7. A photochromic stretch yarn comprising: a natural fiber
component composed of one or more natural fiber filaments selected
from among cotton, wool, camel hair, linen, silk, and other natural
fiber filaments; a first synthetic component composed of one or
more synthetic fiber filaments selected from among acetate,
acrylic, aramid, elastane, modal, nylon, olefin, optical fiber,
rayon, and other synthetic fiber filaments, and wherein the first
synthetic component is dyed with a photochromic dye during the yarn
manufacturing process; and a second synthetic component composed of
elastane or another stretch fiber filament; wherein the natural
fiber component and the first synthetic fiber component are
together wrapped around the second synthetic fiber component.
8. A photochromic fabric comprising: one or more photochromic
yarns, each yarn composed of at least one photochromic dyed
synthetic filament; wherein the photochromic yarns are woven
together to create a photochromic fabric.
9. A photochromic fabric comprising: at least one photochromic yarn
composed of at least one photochromic dyed synthetic filament; and
at least one natural fiber yarn composed of natural fiber
filaments; and wherein the photochromic yarn and the natural fiber
yarn are woven together to create a photochromic fabric.
10. A photochromic fabric as in claim 9 comprising: a "stretch"
photochromic yarn, composed of a ring-spun cotton filament and a
photochromic dyed aramid filament, that are together wrapped around
an elastane filament core; and a natural fiber yarn, composed of
ring-spun cotton filaments; and wherein the photochromic yarn and
the cotton fiber yarn are woven together to create a stretch
photochromic fabric.
11. A photochromic fabric as in claim 9 comprising: a "stretch"
photochromic yarn, composed of a ring-spun cotton filament and a
photochromic dyed 62.5/125 micron multimode optical fiber filament,
that are together wrapped around an elastane filament core; and a
natural fiber yarn, composed of ring-spun cotton filaments; and
wherein the photochromic yarn and the cotton fiber yarn are woven
together to create a stretch photochromic fabric.
12. A method of making a photochromic yarn, the method comprising:
dyeing one or more synthetic filaments with a photochromic dye;
applying a protective buffer coat to the photochromic dyed
filaments; and combining the dyed and buffer coated filaments
together to form a photochromic yarn.
13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the synthetic filaments are
twisted together in a rope before being dipped into a photochromic
dye.
14. A method as in claim 12 wherein the buffer coat is applied to
the individual photochromic dyed filaments, and the buffered
filaments allowed to completely dry before further manufacturing
processing.
15. A method as in claim 12 wherein the buffer coat material is
selected from among acetate, acrylic, neoprene, nitrile,
polystyrene, rayon, and urethane; and wherein the buffer coat is
applied to a thickness of less than 100 microns.
16. A method of making a photochromic fabric, the method
comprising: dyeing one or more synthetic filaments with a
photochromic dye; applying a protective buffer coat to the
photochromic dyed filaments; combining the dyed and buffer coated
filaments together to form a photochromic yarn; and weaving the
photochromic yarns together create a photochromic fabric.
17. A method as in claim 16 wherein the synthetic filaments are
twisted together in a rope before being dipped into a photochromic
dye.
18. A method as in claim 16 wherein the buffer coat is applied to
the individual photochromic dyed filaments, and the buffered
filaments allowed to completely dry before further manufacturing
processing.
19. A method as in claim 16 wherein one or more photochromic yarns
are woven together with one or more natural fiber yarns to make a
photochromic fabric.
20. A method as in claim 12 wherein the buffer coat material is
selected from among acetate, acrylic, neoprene, nitrile,
polystyrene, rayon, and urethane; and wherein the buffer coat is
applied to a thickness of less than 100 microns.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to and claims priority from U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/639,979, titled "Photochromic Hybrid
Fabric," filed Dec. 30, 2004, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to the construction of photochromic
dyed yarns and fabrics.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EXEMPLARY
EMBODIMENTS
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] This invention is better understood by reading the following
detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings,
which are described below:
[0004] FIG. 1 shows a composite view of a photochromic yarn
according to embodiments of the present invention; and
[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates a composite view of a photochromic fabric
according to embodiments of the present invention.
BACKGROUND & SUMMARY
[0006] Photochromic dyes are special dyes that reversibly change
color upon exposure to ultraviolet sources, such as sunlight. Color
changes occur at the molecular level. When the light source is
removed, the molecules return to their uncolored state. The number
of reaction cycles, each of which consists of an activation and a
fade period, vary greatly by application. The activation times are
generally much shorter than the fade times. On average, fade times
are two or three times longer than activation times. The life span
governing the number of reaction cycles is limited and is affected
by a number of factors including but not limited to the type of
yarn or fabric to which the photochromic dye is applied, the method
or process used to apply the dye to the yarn or fabric, and the
depth to which the dye penetrates the yarn or fabric.
[0007] Prior art techniques for creating fabrics with photochromic
properties have typically applied photochromic dye to post-mill
(i.e., post-manufactured) fabrics. Typically a garment dyeing
approach is used whereby a photochromic dye is applied to the
finished garment. Two limitations of such techniques are the
following: fabric options are generally limited to synthetic
materials and the dyed fabrics have short photochromic life spans,
which may be on the order of a few hours up to a few weeks of light
exposure, due to the superficial application of the dye.
[0008] An objective of the present invention is to improve upon the
performance of prior art techniques for making photochromic yarns
and fabrics. Dye-Buffer-Spin-Weave (DBSW) construction, according
to embodiments of the present invention, defines a new process for
creating photochromic dyed yarns and fabrics, allowing for the
production of multifilament, mixed natural and synthetic yarns and
fabrics that have improved photochromic life spans.
Description
Photochromic Yarn
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a woven photochromic multifilament yarn
fragment 10 according to embodiments of the present invention. As
shown in FIG. 1, the photochromic yarn is comprised of a natural
fiber filament 11, a synthetic fiber filament 12, and a synthetic
fiber filament 13. The natural fiber filament 11 and the synthetic
fiber filament 12 are wrapped around the synthetic fiber filament
core 13 in a process that is sometimes referred to as
core-spinning.
[0010] One of skill in the art will realize that in some
embodiments of the present invention other weave patterns for the
natural fiber filament 11, the synthetic fiber filament 12, and the
synthetic fiber filament 13 of the photochromic yarn 10 are
possible.
[0011] The natural fiber portion 11 of the photochromic yarn 10 can
be composed of cotton, wool, camel hair, linen, silk, other natural
fibers, or any combination of natural fibers.
[0012] In some presently preferred embodiments, the natural fiber
portion 11 of the photochromic yarn 10 is composed of a ring-spun
cotton filament.
[0013] The synthetic portions 12 and 13 of the photochromic yarn 10
can be composed of acetate, acrylic, rayon, modal, elastane, e.g.,
Spandex.RTM., polyester, aramid, nylon, olefin, optical fiber, or
other synthetic fibers. .RTM. Spandex is a registered trademark of
Dupont, Inc.
[0014] In a presently preferred embodiment, the synthetic portion
12 of the photochromic yarn 10 is composed of a Kevlar.RTM. brand
aramid filament, which has been dyed with a Photosol.RTM. brand
photochromic dye, and the synthetic portion 13 of the photochromic
yarn 10 is composed of a RadiciSpandex S-17B polyether-based
Spandex/elastane filament. .RTM. Kevlar is a registered trademark
of Dupont, Inc. .RTM. Photosol is a registered trademark of PPG
Industries, Inc.
[0015] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
synthetic portion 12 of the photochromic yarn 10 is composed of a
62.5/125 micron multimode optical fiber filament, which has been
dyed with a Photosol brand photochromic dye, and the synthetic
portion 13 of the photochromic yarn 10 is composed of a
RadiciSpandex S-17B polyether-based Spandex/elastane filament.
[0016] In a presently preferred embodiment, a ring-spun cotton
filament and a photochromic dyed aramid filament are wrapped (or
core spun) around an elastane filament core to create a "stretch"
photochromic dyed yarn.
[0017] In one implementation, a ring-spun cotton filament and a
photochromic dyed 62.5/125 micron multimode optical fiber filament
are wrapped (or core spun) around an elastane filament core to
create a "stretch" photochromic dyed yarn.
[0018] Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that in
some embodiments of the present invention the two synthetic
filaments 12 and 13 of the photochromic yarn 10 in FIG. 1 may be
respectively composed of the same material and may be respectively
composed of dissimilar materials.
[0019] One of ordinary skill in the art will also recognize that in
other exemplary embodiments of the current invention different
natural filament and synthetic filament combinations are possible
and that the number of filaments that comprise a photochromic yarn
can be less than or greater than the three filaments shown in FIG.
1.
Photochromic Fabric
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a photochromic fabric fragment 20 according to
embodiments of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the
photochromic fabric 20 is comprised of two yarns: one designated as
warp 21 and one designated as weft 22. The warp yarn 21 runs
parallel to the selvage or woven edge portion of a fabric. The weft
yarn 22 is woven through the warp yarn 21 and runs crosswise from
one selvage 23 to the other selvage 23 of the fabric. The weft yarn
may be woven perpendicular (forming a 90.degree. angle) to the warp
yarn in a fabric, or the weft yarn 22 may be woven on a diagonal to
the warp yarn 21 as shown in FIG. 2.
[0021] Presently preferred example yarn combinations for the
photochromic fabric 20 shown in FIG. 2 are listed in Table 1. One
of ordinary skill in the art will realize that for other
embodiments of the current invention different warp yarn 21 and
weft yarn 22 combinations than those shown in Table 1 are possible.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Warp Weft Natural fiber yarn Photochromic
yarn 50% natural yarn and 50% photochromic Photochromic yarn yarn
Photochromic yarn Natural fiber yarn
[0022] A presently preferred embodiment of the current invention is
a photochromic stretch denim fabric comprised of a ring-spun cotton
fiber warp yarn 21 and a photochromic weft yarn 22, the
photochromic yarn being composed of a Kevlar brand aramid filament
12 and cotton filament 11 that are core spun around a RadiciSpandex
brand elastane filament core 13.
[0023] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
weft yarn 22 of the photochromic stretch denim fabric is composed
of a cotton filament 11 and a 62.5/125 micron multimode optical
fiber filament 12 that are together core spun around a
RadiciSpandex brand elastane filament core 13. The warp yarn 21 is
composed of ring spun cotton.
[0024] One of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the warp
yarn 21 and weft yarn 22 of the photochromic fabric 20 in FIG. 2
are not limited to and in fact can be composed of other materials
than those materials specified in the presently preferred and
exemplary embodiments described above.
[0025] One of ordinary skill in the art will realize that other
photochromic fabric options are possible beyond the photochromic
stretch denim fabric described above.
Dye-Buffer-Spin-Weave (DBSW) Process
[0026] According to embodiments of the current invention, the
"Dye-Buffer-Spin-Weave," or DBSW process is a method for creating
mixed (or blended) natural and synthetic yarns and fabrics that
have improved photochromic properties.
[0027] The DBSW process includes the following steps:
[0028] Dye: A photochromic dye is applied to one or more synthetic
filaments that are to be part of a photochromic yarn.
[0029] Buffer: The dyed filaments are buffer coated with a clear
synthetic material, e.g., acrylic, to protect the dyed filaments
both during and after the spinning and weaving steps of the
process.
[0030] Spin: The dyed and buffered filaments are spun together, or
optionally spun with natural fiber filaments, which may have been
previously dyed using a traditional means, e.g., rope-dyeing, to
create a photochromic yarn which has properties of the dyed
synthetic fiber filaments and has properties of the natural fiber
filaments, e.g., "hand/feel," if natural fiber filaments are
optionally spun with the synthetic fiber filaments.
[0031] Weave: The created photochromic yarns can be woven together
or weaved with natural fiber yarns to create a photochromic fabric,
which in turn can be used to make finished garments having improved
photochromic properties.
[0032] In a presently preferred embodiment of the DBSW method,
Kevlar brand aramid (synthetic) filaments are twisted into a rope
before being dipped into a Photosol brand photochromic dye. The
photochromic dyed filaments are then coated, or buffered with a
clear color acrylic, having a thickness of less than 100 microns.
The photochromic dyed and buffered aramid filaments and ring-spun
natural cotton filaments are then together core spun around a
RadiciSpandex S-17B polyether-based Spandex/elastane filament core
to form a photochromic yarn. The photochromic yarn (weft) is then
woven with a natural cotton yarn (warp), using a "one-up and
one-down" pattern, to create a photochromic stretch denim
fabric.
[0033] One of ordinary skill in the art will realize that
variations of the above stated preferred embodiment of the DBSW
method are possible and include, but are not limited to the
following: other synthetic filaments may be used; different
combinations of synthetic and natural filaments may be used to
create the photochromic yarn; other buffer materials, e.g., rayon,
may be used to protect the photochromic yarn; the thickness of the
buffer coating may be thinner or thicker than 100 microns; and
different combinations of natural yarns and photochromic yarns may
be woven together using different weaving techniques.
[0034] Thus are described photochromic yarns and fabrics and
methods of making the same. While the invention has been described
in connection with what is presently considered to be the most
practical and preferred embodiment, it should be understood that
the invention is not limited by the disclosed embodiment, but on
the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and
equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *