Textured Elements Incorporating Non-Woven Textile Materials And Methods For Manufacturing The Textured Elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015123305-A1
Application number	US-201414528491-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Feb 6, 2009
Publication date	May 7, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a textured element may include (a) collecting a plurality of filaments upon a textured surface to form a non-woven textile and (b) separating the non-woven textile from the textured surface. Another method of manufacturing a textured element may include depositing a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments upon a first surface of a polymer layer to (a) form a non-woven textile and (b) bond the filaments to the polymer layer. A textured surface may then be separated from a second surface of the polymer layer, the second surface being opposite the first surface, and the second surface having a texture from the textured surface.

First claim

1 . A method of manufacturing a textured element comprising:
collecting a plurality of filaments upon a textured surface to form a non-woven textile; and separating the non-woven textile from the textured surface.

2 . The method recited in claim 1 , further including a step of extruding a thermoplastic polymer material to form the filaments.

3 . The method recited in claim 1 , further including a step of compressing the non-woven textile against the textured surface.

4 . The method recited in claim 1 , further including a step of drawing air through the textured surface.

5 . The method recited in claim 1 , further including a step of selecting the textured surface to be one of (a) a release paper, (b) a surface of a moving conveyor, and (c) a release paper coupled to a moving conveyor.

6 . The method recited in claim 1 , further including a step of selecting the textured surface to have at least one of (a) a plurality of protrusions with a height in a range of 0.1 to 3.0 millimeters and (b) a plurality of indentations with a depth in a range of 0.1 to 3.0 millimeters

7 . A method of manufacturing a textured element comprising:
depositing a plurality of filaments upon a moving and endless loop of textured release paper to form a non-woven textile; and separating the non-woven textile from the textured release paper.

8 . The method recited in claim 7 , further including a step of forming the filaments from a thermoplastic polymer material.

9 . The method recited in claim 7 , further including a step of compressing the non-woven textile against the textured release paper.

10 . The method recited in claim 7 , further including a step of drawing air through the textured release paper.

11 . A method of manufacturing a textured element comprising:
extruding a plurality of substantially separate filaments that include a thermoplastic polymer material; and depositing the filaments upon a moving surface to (a) join the filaments to form a non-woven textile and (b) imprint a texture of the moving surface into the non-woven textile.

12 . The method recited in claim 11 , further including a step of compressing the non-woven textile against the moving surface.

13 . The method recited in claim 11 , further including a step of drawing air through the moving surface.

14 . The method recited in claim 11 , further including a step of selecting the moving surface to be one of (a) a release paper, (b) a surface of a conveyor, and (c) a release paper coupled to a conveyor.

15 . A method of manufacturing a textured element comprising:
positioning an extruder proximal to a moving surface having (a) a width of at least 30 centimeters in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of movement of the moving surface and (b) a texture that extends across at least a portion of the width and includes a plurality of protrusions with a height in a range of 0.1 to 3.0 millimeters; extruding a plurality of separate and unjoined filaments from the extruder, the filaments having a thickness in a range of 1 to 100 microns, and the filaments including a thermoplastic polymer material; depositing the filaments upon the moving surface to form a non-woven textile, the protrusions extending into a surface of the non-woven textile to imprint the texture of the moving surface into the non-woven textile; compressing the non-woven textile against the moving surface; and separating the non-woven textile from the moving surface.

16 . The method recited in claim 15 , further including a step of drawing air through the moving surface.

17 . The method recited in claim 15 , further including a step of selecting the moving surface to be one of (a) a release paper, (b) a surface of a conveyor, and (c) a release paper coupled to a conveyor.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Davis Carrie L
• Dua Bhupesh
• Niegowski James A

Classifications

• D04H1/76

  otherwise than in a plane, e.g. in a tubular way · CPC title

• D04H3/08

  characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating · CPC title

• D04H1/54

  by welding together the fibres, e.g. by partially melting or dissolving (in combination with needling D04H1/485) · CPC title

• D04H1/542

  Adhesive fibres · CPC title

• D04H1/44 Primary

  the fleeces or layers being consolidated by mechanical means, e.g. by rolling · CPC title