U.S. patent application number 13/792741 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-11 for waterproof taped glove and mitten with laminated leather.
This patent application is currently assigned to THE NORTH FACE APPAREL CORP.. The applicant listed for this patent is THE NORTH FACE APPAREL CORP.. Invention is credited to Daniel RAMOS.
Application Number | 20140250564 13/792741 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50349411 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140250564 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
RAMOS; Daniel |
September 11, 2014 |
Waterproof Taped Glove and Mitten with Laminated Leather
Abstract
A leather laminating method and an apparatus manufactured by
applying the leather laminating method. A waterproof membrane may
be sandwiched between two layers of breathable materials, and a
waterproof breathable (WPB) material may be formed. The WPB
material may be laminated to a leather material by using a dot
adhesive, and a laminate construction may be created. The laminate
construction may be cut into pieces, and the pieces may be sewn
together into a hand-covering garment. The garment may be taped at
seams to prevent water from passing through the garment.
Inventors: |
RAMOS; Daniel; (Alameda,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
THE NORTH FACE APPAREL CORP. |
Wilmington |
DE |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
THE NORTH FACE APPAREL
CORP.
Wilmington
DE
|
Family ID: |
50349411 |
Appl. No.: |
13/792741 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/158 ; 2/167;
2/169 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 31/102 20190201;
A41D 19/0006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/158 ; 2/167;
2/169 |
International
Class: |
A41D 19/00 20060101
A41D019/00 |
Claims
1. An apparatus, comprising: a dorsal section and a palmar section,
wherein the dorsal section and the palmar section are made of a
laminate construction; wherein the laminate construction includes
at least two materials laminated to each other; wherein a first of
the at least two materials is leather and wherein a second of the
at least two materials is a waterproof breathable material; wherein
the waterproof breathable material comprises a plurality of layers;
wherein one of the plurality of layers is a waterproof membrane;
wherein the waterproof membrane is sandwiched between at least two
other layers of the plurality of layers; wherein the at least two
other layers of the plurality of layers are made of breathable
materials; and wherein the palmar section is joined with the dorsal
section.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the palmar section and the
dorsal section are sewn to each other to form at least one seam;
wherein the at least one seam is taped to prevent water from
penetrating through the at least one seam.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laminate construction
further comprises an adhesive material placed between the leather
material and the waterproof breathable material.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the adhesive material is a dot
adhesive material.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the leather material is one of
the following: a natural leather material and a synthetic leather
material.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the leather material is
perforated.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the waterproof breathable
material is a shell fabric sandwich, wherein the shell fabric
sandwich comprises a face fabric layer, the waterproof membrane,
and a tricot or woven backer.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the waterproof breathable
material is a soft shell fabric sandwich, wherein the soft shell
fabric "sandwich" comprises a face fabric layer, the waterproof
membrane, and a fleece or tricot backer.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the waterproof breathable
material is a pocket-liner fabric sandwich, wherein the
pocket-liner fabric sandwich comprises the waterproof membrane, and
two layers of tricot or woven backer which are laid above and below
the waterproof membrane.
10. A method of manufacturing hand-covering garments comprising the
steps of: forming a waterproof breathable construction by
sandwiching a waterproof membrane between at least two layers,
wherein the at least two layers are made of breathable materials;
forming a laminate construction by using an adhesive material to
laminate the waterproof breathable construction to a leather
material; cutting the laminate construction into pieces; and sewing
the pieces of the laminate construction into a hand-covering
garment.
11. The method of manufacturing hand-covering garments of claim 10,
comprising: creating seams along a line of sewing of the pieces of
the laminate construction to each other; and waterproofing the
hand-covering garment by taping said seams.
12. The method of manufacturing hand-covering garments of claim 10,
comprising: sewing the pieces of the laminate construction into a
glove, wherein the glove is formed in a "reverse-gunn-cut"
pattern.
13. The method of manufacturing hand-covering garments of claim 12,
further comprising: providing a pre-curve fit at the top portion by
including darts.
14. The method of manufacturing hand-covering garments of claim 10,
comprising: sewing the pieces of the laminate construction into a
glove, wherein the glove is formed by sewing a dorsal section and a
palmar section to each other; wherein the palmar section includes a
front portion of four finger cavities other than a thumb cavity;
and wherein the dorsal section includes a back portion of a second
and a fifth finger cavity.
15. A hand-covering garment, comprising: a dorsal section and a
palmar section, wherein the dorsal section and the palmar section
are made of a laminate construction; wherein the laminate
construction includes at least two materials laminated to each
other; wherein a first of the at least two materials is leather and
wherein a second of the at least two materials is a waterproof
breathable material; wherein the waterproof breathable material
comprises a plurality of layers that are stacked on top of each
other to form a "sandwich" of layers; wherein one of the plurality
of layers is a waterproof membrane; wherein the waterproof membrane
is sandwiched between at least two other layers of the plurality of
layers; wherein the at least two other layers of the plurality of
layers are made of breathable materials; wherein the sandwich of
layers is one of the following: a shell fabric sandwich, a soft
shell fabric sandwich, and a pocket-liner fabric sandwich, and
wherein the palmar section is joined with the dorsal section.
16. The hand-covering garment of claim 15, wherein the shell fabric
"sandwich" comprises a face fabric layer, the waterproof membrane,
and a tricot or woven backer.
17. The hand-covering garment of claim 15, wherein the soft shell
fabric sandwich comprises a face fabric layer, the waterproof
membrane, and a fleece or tricot backer.
18. The hand-covering garment of claim 15, wherein the pocket-liner
fabric sandwich comprises the waterproof membrane and two layers of
tricot or woven backer that are laid above and below the waterproof
membrane.
19. The hand-covering garment of claim 15 is one of the following:
long-gauntlet glove, under-cuff glove, long-gauntlet mitten, and
under-cuff mitten.
20. The hand-covering garment of claim 15, wherein a top portion of
the garment includes darts which provide a pre-curve fit at the top
portion.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a method of
laminating leather, which is applied for making gloves or mittens
that can be used for a variety of indoor and outdoor activities,
especially in environments abundant with water or humidity.
BACKGROUND
[0002] One of the most important objectives of making gloves and
mittens that are exposed to water is to ensure that they are
waterproof while being breathable.
[0003] Currently in the art, gloves are most commonly waterproofed
by inserting a bag, made of a waterproof material, into a glove.
The bag is shaped according to the glove that contains it. Further,
it is tacked at the fingertips and either sewn or glued to the
glove. This process seals the glove in its entirety, but only on
its inner side. However, the outer layer of the glove is made by
sewing pieces of a desired material, e.g., leather, to each other,
which in turn produces seams in the outer layer. The drawback of
this method is that, as a result, the outer layer ceases to be
waterproof at the seams and allows water to penetrate through it
and fill the glove in the portion between the outer layer and the
laminated bag. Consequently, several important properties of the
glove made in this manner are diminished, some of them being
breathability, weight, and the insulating and the drying capability
of the glove.
[0004] Another technique of waterproofing gloves, known in the art,
is developed to eliminate the void between an outer layer and a
waterproof membrane by laminating the two materials to each other
in their flat form. As a result, however, this technique tilts the
balance between the waterproof capabilities of the glove and its
breathability against the breathability of the glove due to the
direct integration of the outer layer with the membrane. Namely,
the lamination process creates an overly robust and impermeable
construction consisting of the two materials. Next, the laminate
sheath is cut out into pieces and the pieces are sewn together to
form a glove, inevitably producing seams in the glove. Having too
many seams further affects the ability of the glove to allow vapor
from perspiration to pass through, because, in order for the glove
to remain waterproof, the seams must be taped. Excessive taping
diminishes the breathability of the glove made by this method.
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for a leather lamination
technique for manufacturing gloves and mittens, which ensures that
they are waterproof without hindering their breathability.
SUMMARY
[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of
laminating leather, which is applied for making apparatus that can
be used for a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, especially
in environments abundant with water or humidity. One example of
such an apparatus may include a dorsal section and a palmar
section, wherein the dorsal section and the palmar section may be
made of a laminate construction.
[0007] The laminate construction may include at least two materials
laminated to each other, where a first of the at least two
materials may be leather and a second of the at least two materials
may be a waterproof breathable material. The waterproof breathable
material may include a plurality of layers, where one of the
plurality of layers may be a waterproof membrane. The waterproof
membrane may be sandwiched between at least two other layers of the
plurality of layers. The at least two other layers of the plurality
of layers may be made of breathable materials. Then, the palmar
section may be joined with the dorsal section.
[0008] Specifically, the palmar section and the dorsal section may
be sewn to each other to form at least one seam, where the at least
one seam may be taped to prevent water from penetrating through the
seam. Moreover, the laminate construction may include an adhesive
material placed between the leather material and the waterproof
breathable material, where the adhesive material may be a dot
adhesive material.
[0009] The leather material may be a natural leather material or a
synthetic leather material, and it may be perforated.
[0010] In one example, the waterproof breathable material may be a
shell fabric "sandwich" comprising a face fabric layer, the
waterproof membrane, and a tricot or woven backer. In another
embodiment, the waterproof breathable material may be a soft shell
fabric "sandwich" comprising a face fabric layer, the waterproof
membrane, and a fleece or tricot backer. Another example of the
waterproof breathable material may be a "pocket-liner" fabric
"sandwich" comprising the waterproof membrane, and two layers of
tricot or woven backer which may be laid above and below the
waterproof membrane.
[0011] One example of a method of manufacturing hand-covering
garments may include the steps of forming a waterproof breathable
construction by sandwiching a waterproof membrane between at least
two layers, where the at least two layers may be made of breathable
materials, forming a laminate construction by using an adhesive
material to laminate the waterproof breathable construction to a
leather material, cutting the laminate construction into pieces,
and sewing the pieces of the laminate construction into a
hand-covering garment.
[0012] In one embodiment, this method may include creating seams
along a line of sewing of the pieces of the laminate construction
to each other and waterproofing the hand-covering garment by taping
said seams.
[0013] Another example of this method may further include sewing
the pieces of the laminate construction into a glove, where the
glove may be formed in a "reverse-gunn-cut" pattern, or, more
specifically, where the glove may be formed by sewing a dorsal
section and a palmar section to each other in a manner where the
palmar section may include a front portion of four finger cavities
other than a thumb cavity, and the dorsal section may include a
back portion of a second and a fifth finger cavity.
[0014] One embodiment of the present invention may be a
hand-covering garment which may include a dorsal section and a
palmar section joined together, where the dorsal section and the
palmar section may be made of a laminate construction, which may
include at least two materials laminated to each other. A first of
the at least two materials may be leather and a second of the at
least two materials may be a waterproof breathable material.
[0015] The waterproof breathable material may include a plurality
of layers that may be stacked on top of each other to form a
"sandwich" of layers. In such embodiment, one of the plurality of
layers may be a waterproof membrane, where the waterproof membrane
may be sandwiched between at least two other layers of the
plurality of layers, the two layers being made of breathable
materials.
[0016] Further, the "sandwich" of layers may be one of the
following: a shell fabric "sandwich," a soft shell fabric
"sandwich," and a "pocket-liner" fabric "sandwich." While the shell
fabric "sandwich" may comprise a face fabric layer, the waterproof
membrane, and a tricot or woven backer, the soft shell fabric
"sandwich" may include a face fabric layer, the waterproof
membrane, and a fleece or tricot backer. Finally, the
"pocket-liner" fabric "sandwich" may comprise the waterproof
membrane and two layers of tricot or woven backer that may be laid
above and below the waterproof membrane.
[0017] In addition, the hand-covering garment may constitute a
mitten. Finally, the hand- covering garment may include darts on
its top portion, and the darts may provide a pre-curve fit at the
top portion of the garment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given below and from the accompanying
drawings. The drawings are intended to disclose but a few possible
examples of the present invention, and thus do not limit the
present invention's scope.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows one example of leather laminating where an
adhesive material is used to laminate a leather material to a
waterproof breathable material;
[0020] FIG. 2 shows one example of leather laminating where a
waterproof breathable material is sandwiched between two layers
prior to being laminated to a leather material;
[0021] FIG. 3 shows one example of a long-gauntlet that is
manufactured by sewing pieces of a laminate including a leather
material and a waterproof breathable material;
[0022] FIG. 4 shows one example of a short-gauntlet, i.e.
under-cuff glove that is manufactured by sewing pieces of a
laminate including a leather material and a waterproof breathable
material;
[0023] FIG. 5 shows one example of a mitten manufactured by sewing
pieces of a laminate of a leather material and a waterproof
breathable material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The present invention generally relates to a method of
laminating leather, which may be applied for making gloves or
mittens that can be used for a variety of indoor and outdoor
activities, especially in environments abundant with water or
humidity. While a preferred example of laminating leather is
described in detail below, a construction in accordance with the
present invention may be used in a broad range of products, such as
indoor and outdoor garments, as well a variety of gloves, mittens
and other apparel and accessories.
[0025] One example of laminating leather in accordance with the
present invention is shown in FIG. 1, where laminate 100
construction is described. The laminate 100 may include three
materials arranged on top of each other in their flat form: leather
101, which may constitute an outer layer of the laminate 100,
waterproof breathable material (WPB) 102, which may be an inner
element of the laminate 100 construction, and adhesive 103, which
may be placed between the leather 101 and the WPB 102. The function
of the adhesive 103 may be to attach the leather 101 to the WPB 102
in a high-temperature environment, when the laminate 100 may be
formed as a result.
[0026] One of the advantages of laminating the leather 101 to the
WPB 102 is that the end product, the laminate 100, may constitute a
waterproof leather construction, i.e., a material which may prevent
water from penetrating through the leather 101 and from being
accumulated between the leather 101 and the WPB 102. Joining the
two materials in this manner may improve breathability, weight, and
the insulating and the drying capability of a garment made of the
laminate 100, as compared to the existing technologies, for the
reasons that will be discussed in detail.
[0027] A material used for the leather 101 may be a natural leather
material, for example, goat, cow, pig, or sheep leather, or any
other leather material deemed suitable for making leather garments.
Further, the material used for the leather 101 may be any synthetic
leather material including, but not limited to, synthetic suede or
rubber. Moreover, leather 101 may be vented, or perforated, in
order to increase the overall vapor permeability of the laminate
100 compared to existing lamination technologies. On the other
hand, in instances where waterproof properties are preferred to
breathability, non-perforated leather may be applied.
[0028] Moreover, the adhesive 103 may constitute a film adhesive,
or it may be a dot adhesive, illustrated in FIG. 1. Applying dot
adhesive material improves breathability of the laminate 100 in
comparison with existing lamination technologies, due to
intermittent placement of glue within the adhesive material.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, the WPB 102 may include three layers:
membrane 204, and two additional layers which may sandwich the
membrane 204. A material used for the membrane 204 may be
waterproof, which may render the entire WPB 102 construction
impenetrable to water. In addition, the other two layers of the WPB
102 may be made of materials that may enhance the breathability of
the WPB 102. Namely, sandwiching the membrane 204 between two such
materials may place a layer in-between the membrane 204 and the
leather 101, which may allow vapor from perspiration to pass
through, without diminishing the waterproof properties of the WPB
102, and consequently, the laminate 100.
[0030] In one embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2(a), the WPB 102 may
constitute shell fabric "sandwich" (SFS) 205 construction, which
may include the membrane 204, face fabric (FF) 206, and tricot or
woven backer (TWB) 207. The FF 206 may be made of any material
deemed suitable for permeating vapor. Moreover, the FF 206 may be
made of nylon, polyester, or any other synthetic material. In one
example, the FF 206 may be used as an interface between the WPB 102
and the leather 101, joined together to form the laminate 100.
[0031] In another embodiment, depicted in FIG. 2(b), the WPB 102
may constitute soft shell fabric "sandwich" (SSFS) 208
construction, which may include the membrane 204, the FF 206, and
fleece or tricot backer (FTB) 209. The FF 206 of this embodiment
may be made of any material deemed suitable for allowing vapor from
perspiration to pass through. In addition, the FF 206 of the SSFS
208 may be used as an interface between the WPB 102 and the leather
101, joined together to construct the laminate 100.
[0032] In yet another example, shown in FIG. 2(c), the WPB 102 may
constitute "pocket-liner" fabric "sandwich" (PLFS) 210
construction, which may include the membrane 204 and two TWB 207
layers laid over and under the membrane 204. One of the two TWB 207
layers may be used as an interface between the WPB 102 and the
leather 101, joined together to form the laminate 100.
[0033] Next, the laminate 100 may be cut into pieces to manufacture
a variety of garments. In comparison with the existing
technologies, a garment made of such material shows improved
durability, because the inserted layer protects the membrane 204 in
case of delamination.
[0034] In one of the examples shown in FIG. 3(a), the laminate 100
may be used to form long-gauntlet (LG) glove 300, by sewing
together pieces of the laminate 100. As a result, seams 311 may
form along lines where the pieces of the laminate join. Thus, in
order to maintain the LG glove 300 fully waterproof, the seams 311
may be taped with a waterproof tape (not shown in the drawing).
[0035] Moreover, assembling the LG glove 300 by using as few pieces
of the laminate 100 as possible may be desirable, in order for
fewer seams 311 to be created, resulting in fewer paths for water
to pass through the LG glove 300. Accordingly, less tape would need
to be used to tape the seams 311, which would, in turn, enhance the
breathability of the glove, considering the general characteristic
of taping materials to block the vapor from passing through. In one
embodiment, a "reverse-gunn-cut" pattern may be applied to minimize
the number of the pieces used for manufacturing the LG glove 300,
as illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0036] The "reverse-gunn-cut" pattern may be created by sewing
dorsal section 312 to palmar section 313. In one example, the
dorsal section 312 may include a backside of the second and the
fifth finger cavities of the LG glove 300, and the palmar section
313 may incorporate front portions of all four finger cavities of
the LG glove 300, not counting a thumb cavity. Sewing the dorsal
section 312 to the palmar section 313 may be performed along a
single seam, i.e. lateral seam 314, thereby minimizing the number
of seams created. Next, back middle portion 315 may be joined with
the palmar section 313 and the dorsal section 312 along knuckle
seam 316. Further, inner thumb section 317 may be sewn to outer
thumb section 318 and the construction of the two may be attached
to the remainder of the LG glove 300. Subsequently, all the seams
may be taped, in order to preserve the waterproof capabilities of
the LG glove 300. On the other hand, the seams of the
"reverse-gunn-cut" pattern may remain not taped, and this
construction may be built with a traditional insert construction.
Finally, the "reverse-gunn-cut" pattern may be made with no insert
at all.
[0037] One of the advantages of this glove manufacturing pattern,
in addition to limiting the number of seams in a glove, may be
that, in comparison with a regular "gunn-cut" pattern, known in the
art, gloves made in the "reverse-gunn-cut" pattern may be more
comfortable and more durable. Namely, by reversing the gunn-cut
pattern, the middle portion 315 may be attached to a base of the LG
glove 300 at the knuckles area, and not at a palmar crease area, in
contrast with the regular "gunn-cut" pattern. Thus, when an object
is held while wearing the LG glove 300, the seam attaching the
middle portion 315 may not be located in a grab area of the LG
glove 300, and, thus, it would neither interfere with the bending
motion of the fingers, nor be placed in a direct contact with the
grabbed object. As a result, the "reverse-gunn-cut" pattern may
reduce tearing of the LG glove 300 at the seam, and it may also
render the glove 300 more comfortable to wear.
[0038] One embodiment of the current invention may include darts
319 at the middle knuckle of each finger. Such feature of the LG
glove 300 may further improve its durability, because it may
prevent puckering of taped areas of the LG glove 300 by providing a
pre-curve fit at finger cavities.
[0039] In another example, illustrated in FIG. 4, laminate 100 may
be used to form short-gauntlet (SG) glove 400, by sewing together
pieces of the laminate 100. The SG glove 400 may be under-cuff,
i.e. shortened around the wrist area.
[0040] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment that may prioritize thermal
insulation and breathability related benefits of a hand-cover
garment made of the laminate 100 over its functionality and over
the tactile sense that the garment permits to the fingers. In one
of the examples of the present invention, pieces of the laminate
100 may be sewn together to form mitten 500. The mitten 500 may
contain four fingers in a same cavity, thereby further decreasing
the number of seams needed to manufacture it. Namely, the mitten
500 may omit the middle portion 315 depicted in FIG. 3(b), and,
thus, the knuckle seam 316 may be eliminated. Consequently, the
taping of the seams may be reduced, which may, in turn, increase
the breathability of the mitten 500. Moreover, by containing four
fingers together, the mitten 500 may expose less area surface of
the fingers to the garment, thereby decreasing heat exchange
between the fingers and the surrounding environment.
[0041] In one embodiment, darts 524 may be created in back portion
525 of the mitten 500. Such feature of the mitten 500 may further
improve its durability, because it may prevent puckering of taped
areas of the mitten 500 by providing a pre-curve fit at a top
portion of the mitten 500.
[0042] Finally, similarly to the glove embodiments discussed above,
the mitten 500 may be either a long-gauntlet mitten or an
under-cuff mitten, shortened around the wrist area.
[0043] While various embodiments have been described, other
embodiments are plausible. It should be understood that the
foregoing descriptions of various examples of using laminated
leather to manufacture gloves or mittens are not intended to be
limiting, and any number of modifications, combinations, and
alternatives of the examples may be employed.
[0044] The examples described herein are merely illustrative, as
numerous other embodiments may be implemented without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, while
certain features of the invention may be described above only in
the context of certain examples or configurations, these features
may be exchanged, added, and removed from and between the various
embodiments or configurations while remaining within the scope of
the invention.
* * * * *