Fabric (woven – knitted – or nonwoven textile or cloth – etc.) – Coated or impregnated woven – knit – or nonwoven fabric which... – Coating or impregnation specified as porous or permeable to...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-05
2004-08-17
Morris, Terrel (Department: 1771)
Fabric (woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.)
Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which...
Coating or impregnation specified as porous or permeable to...
C428S195100, C442S077000, C442S070000, C442S071000, C442S072000, C442S073000, C442S074000, C442S141000, C442S144000, C442S145000, C442S114000, C442S068000, C442S069000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06777356
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a luminous composite fabric and garment endowed with luminous properties.
Research is currently being conducted concerning fabrics and garments endowed with luminescent properties in order to improve visibility and enhance safety when work is performed under conditions of poor lighting or when nighttime work is performed outdoors, and to achieve better aesthetic properties under conditions of poor lighting.
The following types of such luminous fabric are known: products obtained by coating or imprinting a fabric surface with a coating preparation containing a luminescent substance, or impregnating the fabric therewith (conventional products (1)), products obtained by bonding luminescent strips to fabric surfaces (conventional products (2)), and products in which luminescent materials are used as the filling tapes during garment manufacture, and the resulting garments are worn by being turned inside out as needed (conventional products (3)).
A specific example of conventional product (1) is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application 57-65914 (reference 1), which describes a product obtained by completely or partially coating or imprinting a glove surface with a photo-storage pigment. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application 7-12418 (reference 2) discloses a completely colored luminous product obtained by dyeing a garment with a luminous pigment substantially free from radioactive materials. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 10-292257 (reference 3) discloses a luminescent fibrous structure whose apparent surface area constitutes no more than 0.7 of the actual surface area and in which the fabric surface is coated with a prescribed amount of luminous pigment. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 11-50378 (reference 4) discloses a breathable, waterproof, luminescence-regenerating, reflective printed fabric in which the fabric surface is coated in a dry state with a resin layer containing aluminum, silver or another light-reflecting substance, and the resin layer is then imprinted with a resin layer containing fine luminescent powder and glass beads.
A specific example of conventional product (2) is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application 58-135408 (reference 5), which describes a luminescent piece of clothing obtained by bonding luminescent strips at prescribed locations on the obverse side of a piece of fabric.
A specific example of conventional product (3) is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application 59-123125 (reference 6), which describes a garment in which a luminescent tape is attached as a sealing tape to the insides of garment seams, and the garment is turned inside out during nighttime emergencies to utilize the luminescence capabilities of the garment.
A drawback of the luminescent gloves of reference 1 or the luminescent fibrous structures of reference 3 is that the luminescent layers peel off over time due to outside exposure, and the luminescence capabilities thereof risk being compromised by the soiling of the surface layer and cannot be maintained for a sufficiently long time. Another drawback is that the aesthetic qualities of the products are compromised because the luminescent layers are exposed to the outside. Yet another drawback is that design limitations make it impossible to adapt these products to uniforms and other types of fixed-design clothing. In addition, the luminescent fibrous structures of reference 3 are three-dimensional, and hence their application was limited to breast sections, back sections, and other garment sections where said structures do not inhibit movement during wear, making it impossible to provide acceptable visibility at certain angles.
Similarly, the garment of reference 2 loses some of its luminescence capabilities over time due to the soiling of the surface layer, and thus cannot be regarded as acceptable because this garment remains luminescent for only a short time. Another drawback of the garment disclosed in reference 2 is that acrylic resin or another binder must be used in order to bond a luminous pigment to the fiber surface with sufficient durability, but a fabric obtained using such a binder is much less acceptable in terms of hand and moisture permeability. In addition, fabric colors are limited to light tones in order to provide adequate luminescence capabilities, imposing design limitations. The colors of the luminescent pigments themselves are also limited, making it difficult to obtain light color tones (such as white) and creating problems when such products are used, for example, to manufacture white rainwear for traffic control officers.
The luminescent printed fabric of reference 4 is obtained by employing a two-step process to coat the fabric surface with a resin, but this structure prevents a thin resin layer from being formed on the fabric, and is thus disadvantageous in that the moisture permeability or hand of the fabric are severely compromised. The use of polyurethane resin, which has excellent moisture permeability, for the resin layer has been suggested as a way of improving the moisture permeability of printed fabrics, but because the polyurethane resin takes up moisture, swells, and allows the moisture to penetrate into the film, the luminescent pigment is exposed to the moisture and hydrolyzed, losing some or all of its luminescence capabilities.
Because the luminous clothing of reference 5 is configured such that the luminescent layer is exposed on the clothing exterior, its luminescence capabilities decrease over time due to the soiling of the surface layer or the peeling off of the luminescent layer in the same manner as above, and can therefore be sustained only for a short time. The garment loses some of its hand and wear comfort due to the stiffening of the areas occupied by the luminescent strips, the luminescent material can be utilized only partially, the range of design options is limited because the luminescent layer must be exposed to the outside, and there is a risk that the aesthetic qualities will be compromised.
In the garment described in reference 6, the seams alone are provided with a luminescent tape, so the resulting luminescence is insufficient for providing good visibility. Cost and waterproofness considerations commonly dictate that a waterproof garment be patterned with a minimum possible number of seams. In addition, luminescent tape for stitches and jointed portions must remain inconspicuous because of design considerations. Such placement cannot provide good visibility. Another drawback is that when a luminescent tape is fused over a jointed portion, the joints and ends of the tape stand out, and the external appearance of the product is severely compromised. The luminophors used are commonly photo-storage materials, but because the garment of reference 6 can exhibit luminescence capabilities only after being turned inside out, the luminescent tape remains on the inside of the garment during normal wear and cannot store light because of the lack of exposure. A resulting drawback is that luminescence cannot be achieved in the absence of a light source for exciting the luminescent tape in an emergency.
Therefore, an object of the present invention, which was perfected in view of the above-described drawbacks, is to provide a luminous fabric and garment that have excellent luminescent properties under conditions of poor lighting, that lose their luminescent properties only slightly due to wear degradation and the like during prolonged use, that have the same color tone and design as regular fabrics and garments during day use, and that possess excellent aesthetic qualities and are free from design limitations.
These and other purposes of the present invention will become evident from review of the following specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An important feature of the luminous composite fabric pertaining to the present invention is that the reverse side of the fabric is covered partially or completely with a backing member containing
Sadato Hiroki
Yamamuro Kiminobu
Boland Kevin J.
Japan Gore-Tex Inc.
Morris Terrel
Salvatore Lynda
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