Wetness indicator textile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12016404-B2
Application number	US-202117171116-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2021
Priority date	Oct 18, 2017
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

The technology described herein relates to a pair of long pants garment panel comprising a pattern of a durable water-repellant (DWR) coating that is selectively applied on to the pant legs of the pair of long pants. The pattern is comprised of a plurality of discrete shapes that are isolated from one another. In other words, the textile material surrounding each discrete shape in the plurality of discrete shapes is not coated by the DWR coating. A size of the plurality of discrete shapes in the pattern is gradually decreased moving up the pant legs starting from a hemmed edge up to a knee area. The pattern is visible during wet conditions and not visible during dry conditions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A textile material comprising:
a first surface and a second surface; and
a pattern of a water-repellant coating applied on to the first surface, the pattern comprising a plurality of discrete shapes, wherein each discrete shape in the plurality of discrete shapes is surrounded by one or more portions of the textile material that do not have the water-repellant coating applied on to the first surface, wherein a size of the plurality of discrete shapes gradually decreases from a first area of the textile material toward a second area of the textile material, wherein the each discrete shape in the plurality of discrete shapes is isolated from another shape in the plurality of discrete shapes; and wherein the one or more portions of the textile material that surround the each discrete shape in the plurality of discrete shapes are interconnected and have a constant width throughout.

2. The textile material of claim 1 , wherein the pattern of the water-repellant coating is visible under wet conditions.

3. The textile material of claim 1 , wherein the textile material is comprised of a woven fabric material.

4. The textile material of claim 3 , wherein the woven fabric material comprises moisture management properties.

5. The textile material of claim 1 , wherein the second area is directly adjacent to the first area.

6. The textile material of claim 1 , wherein a first surface area covered by the water-repellant coating is greater in the first area than a second surface area covered by the water-repellant coating in the second area.

7. The textile material of claim 1 , wherein the textile material is comprised of polyester yarns.

8. A method of making a wetness indicator textile material, the method comprising:
applying a coating of a water-repellant material to a first surface of the wetness indicator textile material, wherein the coating is applied in a pattern comprising a plurality of discrete shapes, wherein each shape in the plurality of discrete shapes is surrounded by one or more portions of the wetness indicator textile material that do not have the coating of the water-repellant material applied to the first surface, wherein a size of each discrete shape in the plurality of discrete shapes gradually decreases from a first area to a second area of the wetness indicator textile material, wherein the each shape in the plurality of discrete shapes is isolated from another shape in the plurality of discrete shapes; and wherein the one or more portions of the wetness indicator textile material that surround the each discrete shape in the plurality of discrete shapes are interconnected and have a constant width throughout.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a first surface area covered by the water-repellant material is greater in the first area than a second surface area covered by the water-repellant material in the second area.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the wetness indicator textile material is used for forming a lower body garment, wherein in the lower body garment, the first surface is an outer-facing surface configured to be exposed to environmental elements when the lower body garment is worn by a wearer.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the wetness indicator textile material is comprised of a woven textile material.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the woven textile material is comprised of polyester yarns.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the pattern of the water-repellant material is visible during wet conditions and not visible during dry conditions.

14. A garment formed from the wetness indicator textile material formed according to the method of claim 9 .

15. The garment of claim 14 , wherein the garment is one of an upper body garment or a lower body garment.

16. The garment of claim 15 , wherein when the garment is the upper body garment, the pattern comprising the plurality of discrete shapes is provided at a shoulder portion of the upper body garment.

17. The garment of claim 16 , wherein the upper body garment further comprises a hood portion with the pattern comprising the plurality of discrete shapes.

18. The garment of claim 15 , wherein when the garment is the lower body garment, the pattern comprising the plurality of discrete shapes is provided such that the first area aligns with a cuff or bottom edge of a leg portion of the lower body garment, and the second area aligns with a knee area of the leg portion.

19. The garment of claim 18 , wherein the first area is configured to cover an area of the leg portion of the lower body garment measuring between 2 cm and 20 cm in length when measured from the bottom edge toward the knee area of the leg portion of the lower body garment.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Hutsenpiller Scott K

Classifications

• D06N3/0006

  using woven fabrics · CPC title

• D06N2213/045

  the coating layer does not completely close the openings between the fibres · CPC title

• D06N2211/10

  Clothing · CPC title

• D06N2209/126

  Permeability to liquids, absorption · CPC title

• D06N3/0036

  Polyester fibres (for elastomeric fibres D06N3/0025) · CPC title