TWI878638B - Air-permeable multi-layer insulative construct - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an air-permeable multi-layer insulative construct that includes: a first outer pliable layer; a second outer pliable layer; and an inner insulation material layer disposed between the first outer pliable layer and the second outer pliable layer. At least one of the first outer pliable layer and the second outer pliable layer: contains a nonwoven polymeric web that includes a plurality of fibers having a diameter of less than 10 µm; and has an air permeability of 1 to 500 CFM. The inner insulation material layer: has a thermal performance warmth to weight ratio of at least 0.50 CLO/oz/sq yd., according to ISO 11092; and has a thickness greater than 2 mm. The air-permeable multi-layer insulative construct has a migration resistance of less than 20 fibers when tested according to the INS-17 Fiber Migration Test.

Description

Breathable multi-layer insulation structure

The present invention generally relates to a breathable multi-layer insulation structure, an article containing the structure, and a method of making the structure. The structure is particularly useful in the textile field.

Cross-references to related applications

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/124,554 filed on December 11, 2020, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Microfibers are those fibers having a denier less than or equal to 1.0 ("denier" is a measure of the weight in grams per 9,000 meters of fiber length). Synthetic microfiber insulation materials have been sold commercially for decades. Siliconized hydrophobic microfiber insulation materials are also well known. Such fibers are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,588,635 and are sold in the high-performance outdoor market under the brand name PrimaLoft®.

Fibers and fillers, including microfibers and natural fillers such as down, have long been used as insulating materials in the textile field. For example, the outdoor industry has used fibers, including microfibers and down, in cold weather clothing, sleeping bags, etc. for many years. However, a disadvantage of using such fibers is that such insulating materials can easily show severe fiber migration through the fabric surface, even when combined with low air permeability anti-down fabrics and/or protected by non-woven gauze materials.

Gauze is a lining that is usually used as a protective layer between the insulating material and the outer shell or backing fabric of an article. Fiber migration is the movement of fibers across the surface of a fabric so that the fibers are present on the front side of the article, which is usually the outside of the article that is exposed to the outside environment.

Lint-proof fabrics are generally defined as tightly woven fabrics with a thread count greater than 250 and an air permeability rating of less than 1 cubic foot per minute (CFM) per ASTM D737. Fabrics are sometimes coated or calendered to seal their surface as a means of reducing fiber migration and/or achieving lint-proof properties. These treatments further reduce the air permeability of the fabric, which has a direct impact on the overall comfort of the product. The lower the air permeability of a fabric, the worse its breathability and comfort. The higher the air permeability of a fabric, the better its breathability and comfort.

Certain types of anti-migration insulation materials used in the textile field are known in the art. These insulation materials are generally composed primarily of high denier fibers exceeding 1.0 denier and do not contain a hydrophobic finishing agent. Anti-migration surfaces are easily produced on these types of commonly produced general-purpose insulation materials using commercially available chemical resins as a binder on the surface of the insulation material. However, there are various disadvantages to such treatments, including that the treatment makes the insulation material hard and brittle, reduces stretch, and causes discomfort to wear. In addition, most commercially available chemical resins used to produce anti-migration surfaces absorb water quickly, which is a considerable disadvantage for textiles (such as outdoor products) that require both performance and comfort.

Therefore, there is a need for improved insulation structures that are breathable and comfortable while providing improved resistance to or preventing fiber migration.

Although certain aspects of the conventional technology have been discussed to facilitate the disclosure of the present invention, the applicant does not deny these aspects of the technology, and it is expected that the claimed invention may cover one or more aspects of the conventional technology discussed herein.

Where a document, act or item of knowledge is cited or discussed in this specification, such citation or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was publicly available, publicly known, part of the common general knowledge, or otherwise constituted prior art under applicable statutory provisions at the priority date; or was known to be relevant to attempts to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

In short, the present invention satisfies the need for improved anti-migration textile structures. The present invention may solve one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the above-mentioned technologies. However, it is expected that the present invention may prove helpful in solving other problems and deficiencies in many areas of the technology. Therefore, the claimed invention should not be construed as limited to solving any particular problem or deficiency discussed herein.

Applicants have surprisingly discovered that embodiments of breathable multi-layer insulation structures as described herein having at least one outer flexible layer having an air permeability of 1 to 500 CFM and composed of a dense polymer fiber network of fibers having a diameter less than 10 μm provide significant resistance and/or prevention of fiber migration (including down migration).

Polymer meshes have been used in other applications, but to the best of applicants' knowledge, not as disclosed herein.

DE 202016008757 discloses absorbent sanitary products such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins and panty liners having a specific absorbent core that can be used to absorb body fluids and exudates. The absorbent core contains channels specifically designed to enhance uniform liquid distribution and comfort. The core is disposed and maintained between the top sheet and the back sheet. The back sheet/shell of the absorbent article (which may be a breathable back sheet material, such as a nonwoven material, such as a meltblown layer) does not allow liquid to pass through it. US 7,118,558 also discloses absorbent articles such as diapers, whose back sheets contain a material that is substantially impermeable to liquids.

US 8,129,450 discloses a disposable article comprising a thermoplastic polymer composition containing a modified polymer having covalently bonded side chain substituents derived from cyclodextrin. The disposable article may comprise a nonwoven web comprising a spunbond fabric, a meltblown fabric, an electrospun fabric, and combinations thereof.

US 5,399,423 discloses a flame retardant fiber material for use as an insulating material. The material comprises a plurality of melt-blown or spunbonded thermoplastic filaments combined with a plurality of non-linear, non-graphite carbon-containing fibers.

US 4,433,024 discloses a sheet material filled with vapor absorbing particles having a low insulation value. The inner layer of the material may comprise a meltblown fiber web containing the vapor absorbing particles.

None of the above techniques consider using the web described herein in a breathable multi-layer insulation structure capable of reducing fiber migration. Although aspects of the above techniques may be included in certain specific embodiments of the present invention, it is also contemplated that certain specific embodiments of the present invention may exclude aspects of the above techniques.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a breathable multi-layer insulation structure comprising: - a first outer flexible layer; - a second outer flexible layer; and - an inner insulating material layer disposed between the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer: - comprises a nonwoven polymer web comprising a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than 10 μm; and - has an air permeability of 1 to 500 CFM, wherein the inner insulating material layer: - has a thermal performance warmth-to-weight ratio of at least 0.50 CLO/oz/sq yd (0.5 to 1.8) according to ISO 11092; and - Thickness greater than 2 mm, wherein the breathable multi-layer insulation structure has a migration resistance of less than 20 fibers when tested according to the INS-17 fiber migration test.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an article comprising a breathable multi-layer structure according to the first aspect of the present invention.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a breathable multi-layer structure according to the first aspect of the present invention or a product according to the second aspect of the present invention, the method comprising assembling the structure by disposing an inner insulating material layer between a first outer flexible layer and a second outer flexible layer.

Certain specific examples of the breathable multi-layer insulation structures, articles containing the structures, and methods of making the structures disclosed herein have several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for their desired properties. Without limiting the scope of the breathable multi-layer insulation structures, articles, and methods as defined by the appended claims, their more notable features will now be briefly discussed. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section of this specification entitled "Implementation Methods," it will be understood how the features of the various specific examples disclosed herein provide several advantages over the prior art. For example, embodiments of the present invention provide a breathable, comfortable insulating structure that significantly reduces and/or prevents fibers from migrating from an inner layer through one or more outer layers. Such a structure is particularly useful in the textile field, such as for clothing, outerwear, furniture, bedding, etc.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various aspects of the present invention in conjunction with the attached patent claims and drawings.

2: First external flexible layer

4: Second external flexible layer

6: Internal insulation material layer

8:Seam

10:Structure

12: Fiber

20:Structure

30:Structure

The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, wherein the same numerals represent the same elements, and: [FIG. 1] shows a side sectional view of a specific example of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention.

[Figure 2] shows a top view of a specific example of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention.

[Figure 3] shows a side sectional view of a specific example of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention.

[Figure 4] shows a multi-layer insulation structure which is not a specific example of the present invention.

[Figures 5A to 5C] are enlarged photographs of a portion of a meltblown web that can be used as the first and/or second outer flexible layer.

The various aspects of the present invention and certain features, advantages and details thereof are explained more fully below with reference to the non-limiting specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings. Descriptions of well-known materials, manufacturing tools, processing techniques, etc. are omitted so as not to unnecessarily defocus the details of the present invention. However, it should be understood that although the implementation mode and one or more specific embodiments indicate specific examples of the present invention, they are given only in an illustrative manner and not in a limiting manner. A person skilled in the art will clearly understand various substitutions, modifications, additions and/or arrangements within the spirit and/or scope of the basic inventive concept from the disclosure herein.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a breathable multi-layer insulation structure comprising: - a first outer flexible layer; - a second outer flexible layer; and - an inner insulating material layer disposed between the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer: - comprises a nonwoven polymer web comprising a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than 10 μm; and - has an air permeability of 1 to 500 CFM, wherein the inner insulating material layer: - has a thermal performance warmth-to-weight ratio of at least 0.50 CLO/oz/sq yd (0.5 to 1.8) according to ISO 11092; and - Thickness greater than 2 mm, and wherein the breathable multi-layer insulation structure has a migration resistance of less than 20 fibers when tested according to the INS-17 fiber migration test.

The description of "at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer" refers to one or both of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer.

FIG1 shows a side sectional view of a specific example of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure 10 of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the inner insulation material layer 6 is disposed (or sandwiched) between the first outer flexible layer 2 and the second outer flexible layer 4. The inner insulation material layer 6, the first outer flexible layer 2 and the second outer flexible layer 4 are parallel to each other.

In some embodiments, when the structure 10 is included in an article (e.g., a textile, such as clothing, a coat, furniture, bedding, etc.), the first outer flexible layer 2 will face the outer portion (e.g., fabric or other material or lining) of the article (e.g., a jacket), and the second outer flexible layer 4 will face the inner portion (e.g., fabric or other material or lining) of the article. For example, in a jacket, clothing, etc., the outer portion is the portion facing the environment, and the inner portion is the portion facing the wearer. In other embodiments, the first outer flexible layer 2 faces the inner portion of the article, and the second outer flexible layer 4 faces the outer portion of the article.

FIG2 shows a top view of a specific example of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention, wherein the inner insulation material layer 6 comprises a batting comprising a plurality of bonded non-woven polymer webs, the non-woven polymer webs comprising an elastomer and spirally curled synthetic fibers.

FIG3 shows a side cross-sectional view of a specific example of a breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention, wherein the structure is in the form of a baffle. Depicted are a plurality of baffles, which are made by sewing a first outer flexible layer 2 and a second outer flexible layer 4 along a seam 8, and then filling the baffles with an inner insulating material layer 6, which is a blowable insulating material.

FIG. 4 shows a multi-layer insulation structure which is not a specific example according to the present invention. It can be seen that fibers 12 (which may be polymer fibers, natural fibers, such as down, etc.) protrude from the commonly used padding or scrim layers 3 and 5. This is called fiber migration. Fiber migration can be a particular problem after textiles have been washed. This is a major problem for both polymer fibers (natural and synthetic) and other natural fibers (such as down).

In order to prevent fiber migration problems of down and other fine fibers, down proof fabrics have been used in insulation construction in the past. True down proof fabrics are generally fabrics with an air permeability of less than 1 cubic foot per square meter (CFM). Unfortunately, the weight and low air permeability of the fabric in down proof constructions sacrifices breathability and comfort in order to prevent fiber migration.

The applicant surprisingly discovered that a specific embodiment of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention is comparable to lint-proof fabrics in resisting or preventing fiber migration, but is more comfortable and breathable, thereby producing a highly improved textile product. This feature is produced by at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer comprising a non-woven polymer mesh, the non-woven polymer mesh comprising a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than (or less than or equal to) 10μm.

In some embodiments, the first outer flexible layer comprises a nonwoven polymer mesh comprising a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than 10 μm and having an air permeability of 1 to 500 CFM. Such a configuration may be particularly desirable for embodiments having only one surface or layer through which fiber migration is a problem, such as upholstered furniture, etc.

In some embodiments, the second outer flexible layer comprises a nonwoven polymer mesh comprising a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than 10 μm and having an air permeability of 1 to 500 CFM.

In some specific examples, the first and second outer flexible layers each comprise a nonwoven polymer mesh comprising a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than 10 μm and having an air permeability of 1 to 500 CFM.

In some embodiments, the first and second outer flexible layers include the same material. In other embodiments, the first and second outer flexible layers include different materials.

One or both of the first and second outer flexible layers have a CFM of 1 to 500 CFM (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 ,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57 ,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131 ,132,133,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146,147 ,148,149,150,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,16 3. 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 17 9, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 1 95, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 2 11, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242 ,243,244,245,246,247,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,255,256,257,25 8, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 27 4, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 2 90, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 3 06, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353 ,354,355,356,357,358,359,360,361,362,363,364,365,366,367,368,369 ,370,371,372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380,381,382,383,384,38 5. 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 40 1. 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 4 17, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 4 33, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, or 500 CFM air permeability, including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein (e.g., 1-400 CFM, 1-300 CFM, 1-200 CFM, 1-100 CFM, 5-500 CFM, 5-400 CFM, 5-300 CFM, 5-200 CFM, 5-100 CFM, etc.).

In some embodiments, one or both of the first and second outer flexible layers have an air permeability of at least 1 CFM (e.g., at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 CFM).

One or both of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer comprises a non-woven polymer mesh comprising a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than or equal to 10 μm. In some specific examples, the diameter of the fiber is 0.3 μm to 10 μm (e.g., 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 10μm), including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein (e.g., 1 to 10μm, 1 to 8μm, 1 to 6μm, 2 to 6μm, etc.).

In some embodiments, one or both of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer comprises 50 to 100 wt % (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 99.1, 99.2, 99.3, 99.4, 99.5, 99.6, 99.7, 99.8, 99.9, or 100 wt%) of the plurality of fibers having a diameter less than or equal to 10 μm, including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein.

In some embodiments, the nonwoven polymer mesh of the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer is a sheet of material having a structure of individual fibers or filaments that are laid together but not regularly laid like a mesh formed by a weaving or knitting process.

In some embodiments, the nonwoven polymer web constitutes (i.e., accounts for) 80 to 100 wt % (e.g., 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 99.1, 99.2, 99.3, 99.4, 99.5, 99.6, 99.7, 99.8, 99.9, or 100 wt %) of the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer. In the case where the nonwoven web accounts for less than 100 wt % of the layer, additives and/or other desired materials may also be included.

The first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer are flexible, which means that they can be folded without cracking or breaking the layers.

In some embodiments, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer has good drape (i.e., the layer hangs under its own weight). In some embodiments, such as according to ASTM The sag of the insulating material measured by method D1388 is 1.5 cm to 10.0 cm (e.g., 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.9, 9.0 .6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, or 10.0cm), including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein.

In some specific examples, the basis weight of the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer ranges from 8-35 grams per square meter (gsm) (e.g., 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, or 35 gsm), including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein (e.g., 20-30 gsm, 23-27 gsm, etc.).

The first and/or second outer flexible layers can be made by any technique capable of making layers as described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the first and/or second outer flexible layers comprise a nonwoven web formed by a meltblown process, an electrostatic spinning process, an extruded spinning process, or a bonded carded web process. Thus, in some embodiments, the first and/or second outer flexible layers comprise a nonwoven web selected from a meltblown web, an electrostatic spinning web, an extruded spinning web, and a bonded carded web. As is readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, meltblown webs include meltblown fibers, electrostatic spun webs include electrostatic spun fibers, extruded spun webs include extruded spun fibers, and bonded-carded webs include bonded-carded fibers (generally short fibers, i.e., fibers with a standard length, rather than long fibers, which are continuous fibers that may have an indefinite length).

Meltblown fibers are fibers formed by a meltblowing process, which generally involves extruding molten thermoplastic material as molten threads or long fibers through a plurality of fine, usually circular die capillaries (or nozzles) into a high-speed gas stream (e.g., air) containing long fibers of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter. After the fibers are formed, the meltblown fibers are carried at high speed by the gas stream and deposited on a collecting surface to form a diffusely distributed meltblown fiber web.

Where the first and/or second outer flexible layers comprise a meltblown web or other type of nonwoven polymer web formed by collecting discrete fibers in a fibrous web on a collecting surface, the web generally has a first side (also referred to as the "back side", which is the side formed adjacent to the collecting surface on which, in some embodiments, a pattern from the collecting surface is visible) and a second side (also referred to as the "front side", which is the side formed facing away from the collecting surface on which diffusely distributed fibers are generally most visible). Figures 5A and 5B are magnified photographs (6x and 60x, respectively) of the first side of a portion of a polypropylene meltblown web that may be used as the first and/or second outer flexible layers. Figure 5C is a photograph (60x magnification) of the second side of a portion of a polypropylene meltblown web that may be used as the first and/or second outer flexible layers.

In some embodiments of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer comprises a nonwoven polymer web having a first side and a second side, wherein for one or both of the layers, the second side is adjacent to the inner insulating material layer.

In some embodiments of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer comprises a nonwoven polymer web having a first side and a second side, wherein for one or both of the layers, the first side is adjacent to the inner insulating material layer.

In some embodiments, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer comprises a plurality of diffuse discontinuous polymer fibers forming a non-woven polymer network.

In some specific examples, the thickness of the first and second outer flexible layers is 100 to 1000 μm (e.g., 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142 ,143,144,145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,167,168 ,169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,183,184,185,186,187,188,189,190,191,192,193,194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 2 99, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 3 25, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 3 51, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 3 77, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400, 401, 402, 40 3. 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 42 9, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 45 5, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, or 1000 μm), including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein.

Unless otherwise specified, it is not intended to limit the chemistry/composition of the fibers in the first and second outer flexible layers, provided that one or both layers are otherwise as described herein.

In some specific examples, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer comprises fibers that can be processed in a melt-blowing method, an electrostatic spinning method, an extrusion spinning method or a bonded carded web method.

In some embodiments, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer allow water to pass therethrough. In some embodiments, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer are not substantially liquid impermeable, as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,118,558.

In some embodiments, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer comprises polymer fibers.

In some specific examples, non-exclusive polymers in the polymer fibers that can be used for the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer (or the inner insulating material layer) are selected from polyester, polyester, polypropylene, polylactic acid (PLA), polybutyl acrylate (PBA), polyamide (such as polyester/polyamide 6.6, polyamide 6, polyamide 4, polyamide 11, and polyamide 6.10, etc.), acrylic acid, acetate, polyolefin, rayon, lyocell, polyarylamide, elastic fiber, mucus, modal fiber, biopolymer fiber (such as polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), poly (hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV)), and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the fiber comprises a polyester selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(hexahydroterephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), poly-1,4-cyclohexyl dimethylene (PCDT), and terephthalate copolyesters wherein at least 85 mol% of the ester units are ethylene terephthalate or hexahydroterephthalate units. In some embodiments, the fiber comprises polypropylene or a polyester, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In some embodiments, the fiber comprises a virgin polymer material. In some embodiments, the fiber comprises a recycled polymer material, such as a post-consumer recycled (PCR) polymer material.

In some embodiments, the polymer used in the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer and/or the inner insulating material layer of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure does not have covalently bound side chain substituents derived from cyclodextrin, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 8,129,450.

In some embodiments, the first and/or second outer flexible layers include a length of 0.5 to 85 mm (e.g., 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 ,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, or 85mm), including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein (e.g., 0.5mm-15mm, 2mm-10mm, 2mm-85mm, etc.).

In some embodiments, the first and/or second outer flexible layers have a water absorption of less than or equal to 150 wt % based on the weight of the flexible layers when dry. For example, in some embodiments, the water absorption rate of the first and/or second outer flexible layer is 50 to 150 wt % (e.g., 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 02, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, or 150wt%).

In the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention, an inner insulation material layer is disposed between a first outer flexible layer and a second outer flexible layer. The inner insulation material layer has a thermal performance warmth-to-weight ratio of at least 0.50 CLO/oz/sq yd (e.g., at least 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, or 0.8 CLO) according to ISO 11092.

Clo (clo/oz/yd2) is a unit used to measure the thermal resistance of clothing. A value of 1.0 clo is defined as the amount of insulation that allows a person at rest to maintain thermal equilibrium in a normally ventilated room (0.1m/s air flow) at 21°C (70°F). Generally, above this temperature, a person so dressed will sweat, and below this temperature, a person will feel cold. Clo values can be assigned to products such as clothing and/or their components (such as insulating structures). A higher clo means that a product is warmer than another product with a relatively lower clo.

In some specific embodiments, the breathable multi-layer insulation structure has a CLO of 0.5 to 1.8 according to ISO 11092 (e.g., 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, or 1.8 CLO), including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein.

The thickness of the inner insulating material layer is greater than 2 mm. As is readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, different insulating material layer thicknesses are beneficial for different textiles. For example, in some specific embodiments, it is desired that the bed contains a significantly thicker inner insulating material layer than a lightweight jacket. It is within the capabilities of those of ordinary skill in the art to select any desired thickness for the inner insulating material layer as long as the thickness is greater than 2 mm. In some specific embodiments, the thickness or average thickness of the inner insulating material layer is at least 3 mm (e.g., at least 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 or 4 mm). In some specific examples, the thickness or average thickness of the inner insulating material layer is 3 mm to 310 mm (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 9 4, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114 ,115,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132,133 ,134,135,136,137,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152 ,153,154,155,156,157,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,167,168,169,170,171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 291, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 297, 298, 299, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, or 310 mm), including any and all ranges and sub-ranges therein (e.g., 3 to 250 mm, 3.5 to 200 mm, 3.5 to 150 mm, etc.).

The inner insulating material layer may comprise any desired insulating material suitable for use in textiles, which is within the capabilities of a person of ordinary skill in the art.

In some specific examples, the inner insulating material is a loose insulating material, including a blowable insulating material. "Blowable" is a term commonly used in the textile industry, and the meaning of a blowable insulating material is easily understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. As understood in the field of textiles, the term "blowable" refers to the ability of a material to be easily processed by typical blowing (or "blow-injection") equipment and injected as an insulating material into an insulating structure and/or product (e.g., a bag, pocket, channel or baffle of a pillow, clothing, bedding, sleeping bag, etc.). For example, the lightweight, discrete structure of down makes it very suitable for blowing using traditional equipment. It is well within the capabilities of the textile industry technician to determine whether a material is blowable, and if there is a question of blowability, it can be easily answered by testing the material on typical equipment. Some non-limiting typical blowing equipment is described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 6,329,051.

In some embodiments, the inner insulating material layer comprises blowable batting as described in U.S. Patent No. 10,633,244.

In some embodiments, the inner insulating material layer includes batting, which is also well known in the textile field. Non-limiting examples of batting that are useful for use in embodiments of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention are described in U.S. Publication No. 2017-0370037.

Denier is a unit of measurement defined as the weight (in grams) of 9000 meters of fiber or yarn. This is a common way to specify the weight (or size) of a fiber or yarn. For example, a polyester fiber of 1.0 denier will typically have a diameter of about 10 microns.

In some specific examples, based on the total weight of the inner insulating material layer, the inner insulating material layer comprises: - 0-100wt% (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 wt % of a micro denier polymer fiber having a denier less than or equal to 1.0 denier (e.g., 0.4 to 1.0 denier, such as 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 or 1.0 denier);- 0-100 wt% (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 wt % of a macrodenier polymer fiber having a denier greater than 1.0 (e.g., 1. 1 to 15.0 denier, such as 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9 , 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, 8.5, 9.0, 9.5, 10.0, 10.5, 11.0, 11.5, 12.0, 12.5, 13.0, 13.5, 14.0, 14.5 or 15.0 denier); and/or - 0-100 wt% (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 6, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 wt%) of natural fibers, including, for example, one or more selected from wool, cotton, tencel, kapok (cotton-like fluff obtained from the seeds of the kapok tree, which may optionally be further processed before use), linen, animal hair, silk and down (e.g. duck or goose down).

In some specific examples, the inner insulating material layer comprises 0-100 wt % (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 8, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 wt%) 41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 wt%), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

In some specific examples where the inner insulating material layer comprises polymer fibers, whether micro-denier or macro-denier, 0-100 wt % (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 , 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 wt%) of polymer fiber is a fiber containing one or more additives (such as the aerogel described in U.S. Publication No. 2018-0313001, the microcapsule described in U.S. Publication No. US2020-0141029, etc.).

In some specific examples, the inner insulating material layer includes 0-25 wt% (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 wt%) of binder fibers. Binder fibers are well known in the art, and generally have a bonding temperature lower than the softening temperature of one or more other polymer fiber components that may be present in the inner insulating material layer. In some embodiments of breathable multilayer insulation structures in which the inner insulating material layer includes binder fibers, the inner insulating material layer has been heat treated to melt all or a portion of the binder fibers (e.g., to form a bonded web-type batting). Persons of ordinary skill in the art understand that in such embodiments, although the "binder fibers" may be completely or partially melted fibers, as opposed to the binder fibers in their original pre-heat treated form.

In some specific examples, 0 to 100 wt % (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 wt % of any polymer fiber used is siliconized. Siliconization techniques are well known in the art. The term "siliconized" refers to fibers coated with a silicon-containing composition (e.g., polysilicon). Siliconization techniques are well known in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,454,422. The silicon-containing composition may be applied using any method known in the art, such as spraying, mixing, dipping, rolling, etc. The silicon-containing composition, such as polysiloxane, which may include an organosiloxane or polysiloxane, is bonded to the outer portion of the fiber. In some specific embodiments, the polysiloxane coating is a polysiloxane, such as methyl hydropolysiloxane, modified methyl hydropolysiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane, or amino-modified dimethylpolysiloxane. As is known in the art, the silicon-containing composition may be applied directly to the fiber, or may be diluted with a solvent prior to application to form a solution or emulsion, such as an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane. After treatment, the coating may be dried and/or cured. As is known in the art, catalysts may be used to accelerate the curing of silicon-containing compositions (e.g., polysiloxanes containing Si-H bonds), and for convenience, the catalyst may be added to an emulsion of the silicon-containing composition and the resulting composition used to treat synthetic fibers. Suitable catalysts include iron, cobalt, manganese, lead, zinc, and tin salts of carboxylic acids, such as acetates, octoates, cycloalkanoates, and oleates. In some embodiments, after silicidation, the fibers may be dried to remove residual solvent and then optionally heated to between 65°C and 200°C for curing.

The fibers used in the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention may be curled or non-curled. Various curls including spiral curls and standard curls are known in the art.

In some embodiments, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer are elastic. In some embodiments, the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer are inelastic. The term "elastic" as used herein refers to any material that can stretch when a biasing force is applied, i.e., can stretch to a stretched biased length of at least about 150% of its relaxed unbiased length, and after releasing the stretching force, recover at least 50% of the elongation in less than one minute. A hypothetical embodiment is a 1-inch sample of material that can stretch at least 1.50 inches, and after being stretched to 1.50 inches and released, will recover to a length of no more than 1.25 inches in less than one minute. Many elastic materials can be stretched more than 50% of their relaxed length, such as 80% or more, and many of them will substantially recover to their original relaxed length upon release of the stretching force, such as to within 105% of their original relaxed length. The term "inelastic" refers to materials that do not fall within the definition of "elastic" above.

In some embodiments, the inner insulating material layer does not contain one or more superabsorbent polymers (SAP) or other materials used to retain liquids, such as in personal care products such as diapers, sanitary napkins/pads, etc.

In some embodiments, the inner insulating material layer is not laminated to the first outer flexible layer and/or the second outer flexible layer.

In some specific examples, the breathable multi-layer insulation structure further includes a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer, wherein the first outer flexible layer, the second outer flexible layer and the inner insulation material layer are disposed between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer. In some specific examples, the first fabric layer and/or the second fabric layer are woven or knitted fabric layers.

One method of testing the resistance of structures to migration is the IDFL (International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory) Downproofness-International Rotation Box standard test method. According to this method, a 45.5 cm plastic box with a door on one side is used to make a drum. A motor rotates the box at a speed of 48 +/- 2 revolutions per minute. Twenty-four 6.5 solid silicone plugs are used inside the box. A clean sample article is placed in the box and the box is rotated for 30 minutes. All fibers and tufts are collected from the article, the drum box, and the surface of the silicone. The collected material was evaluated and counted and assigned a numerical rating from 1 (significant fiber migration) to 5 (little or no fiber migration) based on the amount of fibers (only fibers >4 mm were counted) escaping or protruding from the fabric of the article after 30 minutes of tumbling time as shown in Table 1.

In some specific examples, the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention has a fiber migration rating of 5 according to the IDFL Downproofness-International Rotation Box standard test method.

The applicant has developed a standard anti-migration test (the "INS-17 Fiber Migration Test") that is more strenuous and stringent than the IDFL Downproofness-International Rotation Box standard test method.

The INS-17 fiber migration test determines the ability of fibers to pass through various types of fabrics and uses the following equipment:

5.1. 12”x12” Template

5.2. Scissors

5.3. Household washing machines and dryers

5.4.Sewing machine

5.5. Ruler (preferably in cm, otherwise the result must be converted)

5.6. Permanent Market

5.7. Packaging tape

5.8.21 Rubber stoppers (such as Herco Black Rubber One-Hole Stoppers sold by Hecht Rubber Corporation, Part No. ST1H-04-BK).

The sample is prepared as follows: 6.1. Select the recommended fabric. Make sure the fabric on the side of the jacket faces outwards.

6.2. Fold the fabric in half (to make a 12” x 1” pillow) with three sides open.

6.3.Sew both sides of the pillow (about ½ inch from the edge). Do not sew the side opposite the fold.

6.4. Using the template, cut out a 12” x 12” piece of insulation material. (The insulation material should be small enough to fit into the fabric pillow without bunching).

6.5. Place the insulating material on the fabric pillow and carefully turn it inside out, such that the insulating material and the seamed edge are now on the inside of the pillow (the uncoated fabric side should now be on the outside.)

6.6.Sew the last end.

6.7. Sew approximately 1/4 inch around the entire outside of the pillow to prevent the insulating material from moving.

6.8.Sew a piece of fabric on the pillow and mark it as side A or B.

The testing procedure requires:

7.1. After the pillow is finished, it should be placed in the dryer for 45 minutes, without heat, with 21 rubber stoppers. This is cycle 1.

7.2. Closely observe the migration of fibers through the fabric on both sides of the pillow. A dark background and appropriate lighting should be used to observe the pillow. The surface of the pillow should be thoroughly scanned with tape.

7.3. Wash pillows in a household washing machine using the following settings (cycles 2-4): 7.3.1.1. Regular washing cycle

7.3.1.2. Cold water cleaning

7.3.1.3. Small wash loads

7.3.1.4. Two tablespoons of Tide or equivalent (for first wash cycle only)

7.4. After the wash cycle is complete, remove the pillow from the washing machine and place it in the dryer, sealed with 21 rubber stoppers on low heat until completely dry.

7.5. Closely observe the migration of fibers through the fabric on both sides of the pillow. A dark background and appropriate lighting should be used to observe the pillow. The surface of the pillow should be thoroughly scanned using packaging tape.

7.6. Repeat steps 7.3 to 7.5 twice (3 times in total)

The records and suggestions are as follows:

8.1. Count and record the number of fibers that migrate through the fabric on both sides of the pillow after each cycle.

8.2. Fabrics are graded as follows:

8.2.1.1. 0 Fiber Count - Anti-Migration

8.2.1.2. Less than 3 fiber counts - acceptable migration

8.2.1.3. Less than 10 fiber counts - Mild migration

8.2.1.4. Less than 20 fiber counts - Moderate migration

8.2.1.5. More than 20 fibers - severe migration

In some specific examples, the migration resistance of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention is "anti-migration" (i.e., 0 fiber count) or "acceptable migration" (i.e., less than 3 fiber count) according to the INS-17 fiber migration test.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an article comprising a breathable multi-layer structure according to the first aspect of the present invention.

In some embodiments, the product is clothing, a sleeping bag, a sleeping mattress, or footwear.

In some embodiments, the article is a garment selected from coats, jackets, vests, gloves, mittens, and headwear.

In some specific examples, the product is furniture (e.g., bedding, such as quilts or duvets, pillows, cushions, ottomans, etc.).

In some embodiments, the article has an air permeability of 1 CFM to 500 CFM.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a breathable multi-layer structure according to the first aspect of the present invention or a product according to the second aspect of the present invention.

Implementation example

The present invention will now be described with reference to the specific specific examples described in the following embodiments, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Three pillows were prepared. Each contained the same outer pillow fabric (109 CFM) and the same inner insulation material layer - loose fill mixture, which was composed of 80wt% goose down and 20wt% 1.2 denier siliconized PET fiber. Pillow 1 consisted of loose fill and outer pillow fabric only. Pillow 2 was the same as Pillow 1, but included a commercially available spunbond polypropylene scrim layer on each side of the fill mixture, the scrim layer having a basis weight of 28gsm, a thickness of 0.4mm, and an air permeability of 744CFM. Pillow 3 is the same as pillow 2, but instead of the scrim layer, includes a flexible layer according to a specific embodiment of the invention, which is a meltblown nonwoven web having a basis weight of 27 gsm, a thickness of 0.4 mm, and an air permeability of 42.8 CFM.

The fiber migration test was conducted according to the INS-17 fiber migration test. The results of the pillow 1-3 migration test are as follows:

Clearly, pillow 3, a specific embodiment of the breathable multi-layer insulation structure of the present invention, significantly outperforms pillows 1 and 2 from a fiber migration perspective. Despite the rigorous fiber migration testing procedures and having a first outer flexible layer and a second outer flexible layer with an air permeability of 42.8 CFM, pillow 3 still exhibits down resistance. The ability to achieve this level of fiber migration reduction/prevention without the need for down-resistant fabrics (<1 CFM) allows for a product that significantly reduces and/or prevents fiber migration while providing breathability and comfort that is unmatched by prior and competitive technologies.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprise" (and any forms of including, such as "comprises" and "comprising"), "have" (and any forms of having, such as "has" and "having"), "include" (and any forms of including, such as "includes" and "including"), "contain" (and any forms of containing, such as "contains" and "containing") and any other grammatical variants thereof, are open linking verbs. Thus, a method or article that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more steps or elements has those one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to having only those one or more steps or elements. Similarly, a method step or article element that "comprises," "has," "includes," or "contains" one or more features has those one or more features, but is not limited to having only those one or more features.

As used herein, the terms "comprising", "has", "inlcuding", "containing" and other grammatical variations encompass the terms "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of".

The phrase "consisting essentially of" or its grammatical variants, when used herein, should be deemed to specify the stated features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the addition of one or more additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof, but only if the additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition or method.

All documents cited in this specification are incorporated herein by reference as if each individual document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, subject matter incorporated by reference is not deemed to be a substitute for any limitation of the scope of the claims.

Where one or more ranges are mentioned in this specification, each range is intended to be a shorthand format for presenting information, wherein the range is understood to include every discrete point within the range as if fully set forth herein.

Although several aspects and embodiments of the present invention have been described and depicted herein, those skilled in the art may implement alternative aspects and embodiments to achieve the same purpose. Therefore, this disclosure and the attached patent application scope are intended to cover all such further and alternative aspects and embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

2: First external flexible layer

4: Second external flexible layer

6: Internal insulation material layer

10:Structure

Claims (30)

A breathable multi-layer insulation structure comprising: - a first outer flexible layer; - a second outer flexible layer; and - an inner insulating material layer disposed between the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer: - comprises a non-woven polymer web comprising a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than 10 μm; and - has an air permeability of 1 to 500 CFM, wherein the inner insulating material layer: - has a thermal performance warmth-to-weight ratio of at least 0.50 CLO/oz/sq according to ISO 11092 yd; and - a thickness greater than 2 mm, and wherein the breathable multi-layer insulation structure has a migration resistance of less than 20 fibers when tested according to the INS-17 fiber migration test. The breathable multi-layer insulation structure of claim 1, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both comprise a non-woven polymer mesh, and the non-woven polymer mesh comprises a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than 10 μm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer comprise a non-woven polymer mesh, and the non-woven polymer mesh comprises a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than 5 μm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer has a basis weight range of 8 to 35 gsm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both have a basis weight range of 8 to 35 gsm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer has a basis weight range of 23 to 27 gsm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both have a basis weight range of 23 to 27 gsm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer comprises a plurality of fibers having a length of 0.5 mm to 15 mm. As in claim 8, the breathable multi-layer insulation structure, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both contain a plurality of fibers with a length of 0.5 mm to 15 mm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer comprises a plurality of fibers having a length of 2 mm to 10 mm. As in claim 10, the breathable multi-layer insulation structure, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both contain a plurality of fibers with a length of 2 mm to 10 mm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer comprises a plurality of randomly discontinuous polymer fibers forming a non-woven polymer network. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both comprise a plurality of diffuse discontinuous polymer fibers forming a non-woven polymer network. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer comprises a meltblown web. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both comprise a meltblown mesh. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer has a thickness of 100 to 1000 μm. As in claim 16, the breathable multi-layer insulation structure, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both have a thickness of 100 to 1000 μm. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer has an air permeability of at least 5 CFM. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both have an air permeability of at least 5 CFM. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer has an air permeability of up to 100 CFM. The breathable multi-layer insulation structure of claim 20, wherein the first outer flexible layer and the second outer flexible layer both have a maximum air permeability of 100 CFM. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, 20 or 21, wherein the inner insulation material comprises loose fillers, one or more non-woven fiber meshes, or a combination thereof. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 22, comprising a loose filler selected from natural fiber fillers and polymer fiber fillers. The breathable multi-layer insulation structure of any one of claims 1 to 7, 20 or 21 further comprises a first fabric layer and a second fabric layer, wherein the first outer flexible layer, the second outer flexible layer and the inner insulation material layer are disposed between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer. A breathable multi-layer insulation structure as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least one of the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer is a woven layer or a knitted layer. As in claim 25, the breathable multi-layer insulation structure, wherein the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer are both woven layers or knitted layers. A product comprising a breathable multi-layer structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, 20 or 21. For example, the product of claim 27, wherein the product is clothing, sleeping bags, sleeping mattresses or footwear. The product of claim 28, wherein the product is a garment selected from coats, jackets, vests, gloves, mittens and headwear. For example, the product in claim 27, where the product is a household item.

Images