Responsive fabric and method of manufacturing of responsive fabric

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025341051-A1
Application number	US-202318869105-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 4, 2023
Priority date	May 26, 2022
Publication date	Nov 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

It is provided a fabric that simultaneously responds to multiple environment conditions to enhance comfort of an individual. The fabric comprises a fabric layer with a first yarn that mainly forms a face surface of the fabric facing an environment and a second yarn that mainly forms a back surface of the fabric facing a wearer. At least two stimuli responsive materials are applied to the fabric. One of the at least two stimuli responsive materials is temperature responsive material or moisture responsive material that dynamically changes its dimensions, conformation, rigidity/elasticity or its color in response to a change of a temperature or humidity in the environment.

First claim

1 - 76 . (canceled)

77 . An article of apparel comprising:
a fabric layer comprising a face surface configured to face an ambient environment and a back surface configured to face a wearer body; and at least two stimuli responsive materials, wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials are each individually applied to at least a portion of the fabric, are each individually different materials, and are each individually configured to respond independently to different environment stimuli; wherein at least one of the at least two stimuli responsive materials comprises a temperature response material which is configured to dynamically change dimensions, conformation, chemical structure, color or rigidity/elasticity in response to a change of a temperature in the ambient environment or in a microclimate environment between a wearer body and the fabric, or wherein at least one of the at least two stimuli responsive materials comprises a moisture responsive material which is configured to dynamically change dimensions, conformation, chemical structure, color or rigidity/elasticity in response to a change of moisture in the ambient environment or in the microclimate environment between the wearer body and the fabric.

78 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein a first one of the at least two stimuli responsive materials comprises the moisture responsive material, a second one of the at least two stimuli responsive material comprises the temperature responsive material, and the article of apparel is configured to position the moisture responsive material closer to skin of a wearer body and is configured to position the temperature responsive material further away from skin of a wearer body.

79 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein a first one of the at least two stimuli responsive materials comprises the moisture responsive material, a second one of the at least two stimuli responsive material comprises the temperature responsive material, and the moisture responsive material and the temperature responsive material create a pattern on the fabric.

80 . The article of apparel of claim 79 , wherein the pattern includes a first area or first areas comprising only the moisture responsive material, and includes a second area or second areas comprising only the temperature responsive material.

81 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials comprises a first responsive material and a second responsive material, the first responsive material comprises the temperature responsive material or the moisture responsive material, and the second responsive material comprises a strain/stress responsive material configured to dynamically change dimensions, chemical structure, rigidity/elasticity or color in response to a force applied to the fabric.

82 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the fabric further comprises a middle layer positioned between the face layer and the back layer of the fabric.

83 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials include the moisture responsive material, and the moisture responsive material comprises a polyurethane or a polyurethane derivative.

84 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials include the moisture responsive material, and the moisture responsive material includes a liquid crystal.

85 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials include the moisture responsive material, the moisture response material comprises a synthetic polymer, a natural material, or a combination thereof; or comprises a blend of a cellulose microfibril/nanofibril, or comprises a graphene, or comprises a blend of a cellulose microfibril/nanofibril and a graphene.

86 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials include the moisture responsive material, and the moisture responsive material comprises a brush polymer, or the moisture response material comprises a liquid crystal polymer or a liquid crystal dispersed polymer.

87 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive material include the temperature responsive material, the temperature responsive material is configured to change from being hydrophilic with a high moisture regain level to hydrophobic with a lower moisture regain level when a temperature in the ambient environment or in the microclimate environment between a wearer body and the fabric increases above a lower critical temperature, and wherein the temperature responsive material comprises a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), a derivative thereof, a copolymer thereof, or a combination thereof.

88 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials include the temperature responsive material, and the temperature responsive material comprises a brush polymer.

89 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials include the temperature responsive material, and the temperature responsive material comprises a liquid crystal polymer or a liquid crystal dispersed polymer.

90 . The article of apparel of claim 81 , wherein the strain/stress responsive material is configured to change rigidity/elasticity, dimensions or color in response to a force is applied to at least part of the fabric, and is a composite material comprising a strain/stress responsive response material and a base polymer.

91 . The article of apparel of claim 90 , wherein the strain/stress responsive material comprises a brush polymer, or comprises a liquid crystal polymer, or comprises photonic crystals embedded in an elastic polymer or a blend of elastic polymers.

92 . The article of apparel of claim 90 , wherein the strain/stress responsive material is configured to stiffen in response to a force, and is selected from crosslinked polymer networks, a hydrogel, a liquid metal and elastomer composite, or a nanocomposite.

93 . The article of apparel of claim 90 , wherein the strain/stress responsive material is configured to soften in response to a force, and comprises a carbon fiber and elastomer composite or a nanocomposite.

94 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the fabric further comprises at least one self-healing agent configured to reinforce the fabric with extra rigidity or elasticity or durability, or to repair a damage to the fabric by crosslinking, curing, solidification, or material growth.

95 . The article of apparel of claim 94 , wherein the self-healing material comprises an isocyanate prepolymer enclosed by a polyurethane hardener and a 1,4-butanediol shell, or comprises a polyelectrolyte including positively and negatively charged polymers.

96 . The article of apparel of claim 77 , wherein the at least two stimuli responsive materials comprise the moisture responsive material, and the moisture responsive material is applied in a pattern along pores in the fabric.

Assignees

• Lululemon Athletica Canada Inc

Inventors

• Wan Lynn Yuqin
• Gathercole Robert John

Classifications

• D06N2211/10

  Clothing · CPC title

• D06N2209/14

  having chemical properties · CPC title

• D06N2209/06

  having thermal properties · CPC title

• D06N3/183

  the layers are one next to the other · CPC title

• D06N3/14

  with polyurethanes · CPC title