U.S. patent number RE32,713 [Application Number 06/835,628] was granted by the patent office on 1988-07-12 for capsule impregnated fabric.
Invention is credited to Yen-Kong Woo.
United States Patent |
RE32,713 |
Woo |
July 12, 1988 |
Capsule impregnated fabric
Abstract
This invention is a fabric impregnated with micron-size bubbles
in the form of fragile capsules within the interstices between the
strands inside the body of the fabric by spraying the capsules in
combination with a liquid binder and then putting the fabric
through a set of rollers, the invention being that the micron-size
bubbles are so bonded completely within the interior of the fabric
that when rubbed, certain of the bubbles break and release the
fragrance from the broken capsules, none of the capsules being on
the outside of the fabric surface.
Inventors: |
Woo; Yen-Kong (San Francisco,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
27384040 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/835,628 |
Filed: |
March 3, 1986 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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130728 |
Mar 17, 1980 |
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Reissue of: |
291443 |
Aug 10, 1981 |
04514461 |
Apr 30, 1985 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
442/96;
428/321.5; 428/323; 428/905 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61L
9/12 (20130101); B01J 13/025 (20130101); D06M
13/005 (20130101); D06M 23/12 (20130101); Y10T
442/2303 (20150401); Y10T 428/249997 (20150401); Y10T
428/25 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A61L
9/12 (20060101); B01J 13/02 (20060101); D06M
23/12 (20060101); D06M 13/00 (20060101); B32B
005/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;428/240,241,283,290,323,325,327,905,402.22 ;424/16,27,31,76
;401/132 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Thibodeau; Paul J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Limbach, Limbach & Sutton
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending
application Ser. No. 06/130/728 filed Mar. 17, 1980 abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. A fabric having an impregnation of .[.micro-sized.].
.Iadd.micron-sized .Iaddend.capsules .Iadd.therein.Iaddend.;
said capsules being formed by a fragrance emitting core
encapsulated in a .[.micro-sized.]. .Iadd.micron-sized
.Iaddend.container of sufficient strength to resist breakage under
normal handling of the fabric but sufficiently fragile to rupture
under suitably exerted .[.hand.]. pressure to release said
fragrance;
said impregnation having the characteristic of being sprayed with
said capsules in company with a liquid binder by a forceful spray
to insure complete and uniform penetration of said fabric by said
capsules; .Iadd.and .Iaddend.
said fabric having the characteristic of having passed lightly
between heated pressure rollers to insure absence of any capsules
on its surface thus providing a .Iadd.substantially .Iaddend.smooth
surface on said fabric. .Iadd.
2. A device for packaging a solid, liquid or dispersion of solids,
said device comprising:
a fabric having two opposed substantially smooth surfaces; and
a plurality of capsules containing said solid, liquid or dispersion
of solids, said capsules completely embedded within said fabric
such that said capsules are not present on either surface of said
fabric,
wherein said capsules are sufficiently strong so as to contain the
solid, liquid or dispersion of solids contained therein and resist
rupture under normal handling of said device but are sufficiently
fragile so as to rupture and release the solid, liquid or
dispersion of solids contained therein when a suitable force is
applied to said fabric. .Iaddend. .Iadd.3. The device according to
claim 1 wherein said force is pressure. .Iaddend. .Iadd.4. The
device according to claim 1 wherein said capsules are uniformally
embedded within said fabric. .Iaddend. .Iadd.5. The device
according to claim 1 wherein said fabric is saturated with said
capsules. .Iaddend. .Iadd.6. The device according to claim 1
wherein said capsules are of micron size. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7. The
device according to claim 1 wherein said solid, liquid or
dispersion of solids comprises an odorous
substance. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. The device according to claim 1
wherein said odorous substance is a fragrance or a deodorant.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The device according to claim 1 wherein said
solid, liquid or dispersion of solids comprises a disinfectant.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.10. A method of making a device for packaging a
solid, liquid or dispersion of solids, said method comprising the
steps of:
providing a fabric having two opposed substantially smooth
surfaces; and
embedding a plurality of capsules containing said solid, liquid or
dispersion of solids completely within said fabric such that said
capsules are not present on either surface of said fabric, said
capsules being of sufficient strength so as to contain said solid,
liquid or dispersion of solids and resist rupture under normal
handling of said device but of sufficient fragility so as to
rupture to release said solid, liquid or dispersion of solids
contained therein when suitable force is applied to said fabric.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The method according to claim 10 said capsules
are uniformally embedded within said fabric. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12.
The method according to claim 10 wherein said embedding step
includes the
step of saturating said fabric with said capsules. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.13. The method according to claim 10 wherein said embedding
step includes the step of forcibly spraying said capsules in the
company of a liquid binder into said fabric so as to insure
complete and uniform penetration of said capsules in said fabric.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The method according to claim 10 after said
embedding step further including the step of passing said fabric
between heated pressure rollers to insure that capsules are not
present on the surfaces of said fabric. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The
method according to claim 10 wherein said capsules are of micron
size. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The method according to claim 10 wherein
said solid, liquid or dispersion of solids comprises an odorous
substance. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The method according to claim 16
wherein said odorous substance is a fragrance or a deodorant.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The method according to claim 10 wherein said
solid, liquid or dispersion of solids comprises a disinfectant.
.Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Process of coating certain materials, such as the surface of paper,
is old in the art. The micropackaging technique is a process
applying a thin polymeric coating on the surface of materials with
the content being the desired fragrance.
It is known that perfume makers introduced perfume into printing
ink for readers to sniff such as perfumed advertisements.
Microencapsulation is a well known micro-packaging technique which
involves deposition of thin polymeric coatings to minute particles
of solids, droplets of liquids, or dispersions of solids in
liquids. Such capsules have been used in the pharmaceutical
industry and industrial chemicals.
There are several processes for coating minute particles employing
the principles and phenomenon of coacervation. This is a
generalized phase separation phenomenon involving the emergence
from a homogenous solution of polymeric material liquid droplets of
concentrated solution rather than solid aggregates. Such separated
emergent phase in the form of amorphous, liquid drops, constitutes
the coacervate. Deposition of this coacervate around individual
minute insoluble particles dispersed in the equilibrium liquid form
embroyonic capsules, and appropriate gelling of the coacervate
deposits results in useful microcapsules, with or without
after-treatment to modify the properties of the containing
polymeric wall.
Such processes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,631 to Soloway
which also discloses a fibrous tissue or paper containing such
capsules. Additional processes are described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,087,376 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,103 to Foris, et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,184 to Brain teaches a method of entraining
microcapsules in fabric by mixing them with laundry detergents and
then washing the fabric which does not insure uniform and firm
impregnation of the fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,629 to Geiser discloses a tape or narrow strip
of sheet material having rupturable microcapsules entrapped on its
surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,822 to Cowsar teaches a fabric in which a resin
finish is used on the fabric to contain decontamination agents for
reaction with toxic substances. No novel method of impregnation is
disclosed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The novelty of the present invention is impregnating fabric with
microcapsules, the core of each of which is an essential oil
suitable to function as a deodorant or the like. The essence is
encapsulated in impervious waterproof polymer container of
micron-size, wherein the container wall is sufficiently fragile to
break upon rubbing under pressure thereby to release the fragrance
of the encapsulated core.
It is an essential part of the invention that this encapsulated
essential oil substance be not spread as a coating on the surface
of some material porous or otherwise. But on the contrary, the
encapsulated micron-sized bubbles are imbedded completely within
the interstices between the strands of the fabric so that they
remain within the fabric and are practically invisible on the
surface of the fabric and do not vary the appearance or feel of the
fabric surface.
The capsules are sprayed into the fabric or saturated in a solution
of binder and the fabric then rolled between two heated rollers
with equal pressure and temperature to insure deep and uniform
penetration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates surface on a much enlarged coated paper or the
like which represents prior art.
FIG. 2 illustrates a much enlarged scale, the fabric impregnated
according to this invention and diagrammatic representation of the
rollers used to complete the process, with equal degree of high
heat and pressure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The fabric 1 woven, non-woven or otherwise made, has strands 2
therein which form the fabric body. The micron binder coated
capsules 3 in the form of minute bubbles are confined in the
interstices 4 around the strands of the fabric. On account of the
extremely and relatively small size of the capsules, the general
texture and feel of the fabric is not altered. The outer surfaces 5
of the fabric are smooth and capsule free.
The polymer container walls of the bubbles are of sufficient
fragility to break upon rubbing between the fingers or otherwise
with normal hand pressure and the liberated core provide the
fragrance for deodorization, disinfectant and the like to suit the
needs of the user.
On FIG. 1, 3a shows capsules on surface 1a in prior art.
The deodorizer fabric may be then manufactured into any shape or
size as necessary, for instance, as into fabric handled in the
usual manner and which can be sewed into medical supplies, coats,
jackets, ties, handbags, belts, pillows, cushions, stuffed toys,
decorations and the like, and the deodorizer fragrance or
disinfectant remains concealed within the fabric unnoticeably.
It is important that the encapsulated fragrant substance is in such
minute bubbles as to be of substantially dust consistency in bulk.
These microbubbles or capsules are impregnated in the fabrics, such
as cotton, wool, silk, or synthetic fabrics, by any known
microbinding process and agents.
The herein impregnated fabric is an important advancement over the
previous "scratch and sniff" products of former years, and over the
surface coated paper products as shown in FIG. 1, because immensely
larger quantities of capsules are contained in the substrate of the
fabric and the fragrance lasts much longer than said previous
products. The resulting fabric has greater durability, convenience
and inconspciuousness. It can have a selection of deodorant,
hygienic disinfectant or other fragrances and the fabric may be
dyed with any desired color.
Important advantages of the herein described fabric are: lasting
quality because the unbroken capsules remain effective and are not
subject to deterioration such as dripping or molding or drying out
or straining; the elimination of presently used bulky containers
and dispensers; and the selective adjustability of the strength of
fragrance released by fragmenting less or more of the bubbles.
I utilize a liquid acrylic latex of any known formula for the
capsules as a binder which I spray or saturate into the fabric so
that the capsules 3 are binder coated and imbedded in the
interstices 4. I then dry and press the fabric between equally
heated rollers 6 and 7 at a temperature of approximately
300.degree. plus Fahrenheit and just enough pressure to insure
driving the capsules firmly into the fabric and not rupturing them.
The rollers are kept at the same temperature and pressure to insure
uniformity. Since all capsules are firmly positioned in the fabric
it can stand laundering as I have verified by test.
* * * * *