WO2007049322A2

WO2007049322A2 - Multi-layer skin product with thermoregulating properties

Info

Publication number: WO2007049322A2
Application number: PCT/IT2006/000754
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edmondo Fanini
Original assignee: Glory S.N.C. Di Fanini Edmondo & C.
Priority date: 2005-10-28
Filing date: 2006-10-26
Publication date: 2007-05-03
Also published as: WO2007049322A3; ITRM20050535A1

Abstract

This invention concerns a multi-layer skin product with thermoregulating properties showing a layer in technological material with thermoregulating properties, put between an internal and external layer, both being of skin. The invention concerns also a process to make a multi-layer product and the use of the multi-layer product as defined earlier for the making of clothing items.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Multi-layer skin product with thermoregulating properties.

This invention concerns a skin product for clothing items, with enhanced thermal comfort features for the user.

Currently, there are different types of interlinings with thermoregulating properties on the

market. The funtion of this type of products is to provide an additional layer, on the internal side of

clothes, gloves, shoes or blankets, of a technological material capable of guaranteeing an optimal management of the passage of heat from the product user to the exterior or vice versa, so as to

prevent an overcooling or, vice versa, an overheating of the user.

In particular, a solution appears to be significantly effective, which is based on "phase change"

materials inserted in microcapsules placed inside fibres of a spunbonded fabric. The "phase change"

material is chosen from among those which have a phase change temperature (from solid to liquid

and vice versa, from liquid to vapour and vice versa, from a crystalline to an amorphous phase and

vice versa, or from a crystalline form to another crystalline form with a higher binding energy and

vice versa, in general from one phase to another with a different internal energy) closer to that

assuring optimal comfort for the user. In particular, inside the microcapsules there can be phase

change materials with different temperatures. In this way, when the body or room temperature

exceeds a pre-defined temperature, the material contained shifts to a phase with a higher internal

energy absorbing the surplus heat, thus leading to a cool feeling. Speculatively, when the body or

room temperature drops below a pre-defined temperature, the material contained in the

microcapsules goes to a phase with a lower internal energy, yielding heat and providing it to the user.

Generally, the spunbonded fabric containing microcapsules, according to the technology

described above, is used as interlining, namely, it is coupled with fabrics or skins, on the side facing the user, and is covered with a lining. The function of the lining is therefore to hide the layer of

spunbonded fabric, since the latter' s aesthetic features are extremely poor.

However, the same lining has an aesthetic effect which would often be better to avoid,

especially if skin clothes are considered, which are appreciated by users also thanks to a particular

aesthetic effect not only outside the clothing item, but also inside it.

It would be much better to have a skin product which keeps its aesthetic properties and, at

the same time, can guarantee the thermoregulating properties of the new materials developed by the technology.

It is in this context that the solution of this invention comes into play: it is aimed at

providing a skin product for clothing items which is characterised not only for combining the

aesthetic look typical of traditional skins with the thermal properties of the new materials, but also

for combining the thermoregulating properties of skin products with those of the aforesaid new

technological materials, thus guaranteeing features which have gone beyond what it would have

been right to expect from the coupling of these two materials. What is more, according to the

present invention the products are soft to the touch and flexible.

These and other results are obtained according to the present invention, proposing the

coupling of two skin layers with an intermediate layer of material with thermoregulating properties,

so as to obtain a multi-layer product suitable for use rh the clothing sector.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is a multi-layer skin product showing a

layer in technological material with thermoregulating properties, put between an internal and

external layer, both being of skin.

In particular, according to this invention, the aforesaid technological material with thermoregulating properties is a spunbonded fabric incorporating microcapsules containing a phase

change material, and the above mentioned internal and external layers are respectively made up of

the internal and external portion of the same skin, cut to about half of its thickness. A second specific object of the present invention is a process to make a multi-layer product,

as defined earlier, which involves the following phases:

- cutting of a skin to about half of its thickness and all through its width, to obtain an

internal and an external portion of the skin, separated from each other;

- placing of a thin layer of technological material with thermoregulating properties, its-

breadth being substantially similar to that of the skin, in between the two skin portions, so that each of its sides is in contact with the cut sides of the two skin portions;

- adhesion of the different layers by glueing or sewing.

A third specific object of the present invention is the use of the multi-layer product as

defined earlier for the making of clothing items.

Finally, a fourth specific object of the present invention is an item of clothing

incorporating a multi-layer product, as defined earlier.

The invention will be described below for illustration purposes and by no means limited to

it, with particular regard to some illustrative examples referring to a skin product for an item of

clothing with a layer of thermoregulating material placed between the two portions of a skin cut to

about half of its thickness.

Example 1. Preparation of the multi-layer product of skin/thermoregulating material/skin

The preparation of the multi-layer product, according to a preferred form of realisation of

the present invention, involves a first phase in which the skin is cut to about half of its thickness and

throughout its breadth, so as to completely separate the internal from the external portion.

Subsequently, before replacing the two portions next to each other, a layer of technological

material with thermoregulating properties is placed between them, in particular a sheet of spunbonded fabric incorporating microcapsules of phase change material belonging to the type

described earlier, thus forming three overlapping layers.

Adhesion among the different components forming the three layers can be reached through glues or sewing.

Alternatively, it is possible to avoid the separation of the two portions of skin and place the

layer of material with thermoregulating properties inside the two layers of skin not cut to half of

their thickness. Obviously, such a solution will turn out to be more expensive, the use of a double quantity of skin being necessary.

Example 2. Features of the multi-layer product

The multi-layer product as made according to example 1 appeal's externally identical to a

normal skin.

To the touch, the product appears to be remarkably soft and flexible.

The thermal features of the product turn out to be significantly superior to those of the

same skin which has no in-between layer, and also to those of the skin to which the same

technological material with thermoregulating properties, later covered with lining, has been merely, overlapped, on the internal side.

So prepared, the product can be handled like a normally tanned skin, and it is particularly

suitable for the making of clothes or shoes.

The present invention has been described for illustration purposes and is by no means"

limited to this, according to its preferred forms of realisation, but it must be pointed out that any

changes and/or amendments may be made by experts in the field without going beyond the

respective scope of protection, as defined by the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. Multi-layer skin product characterised by the fact that it shows a layer of technological

material with thermoregulating properties, placed between an internal and external layers, both

being of skin.

2. Multi-layer product according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the aforesaid

technological material with thermoregulating properties is a spunbonded fabric incorporating

microcapsules containing a phase change material.

3. Multi-layer product according to claims 1 or 2, characterised by the fact that the

aforesaid internal and external layers respectively consist of the internal and external portion of the

same skin, cut to about half of its thickness.

4. Process to make a multi-layer product as defined in claims 1-3, characterised by the fact

that it involves the following phases:

- cutting of a skin to about half of its thickness and throughout its breadth, to obtain an

internal and external portion of the skin, separated from each other;

- placing of a thin layer of technological niaterial with thermoregulating properties, its

breadth substantially corresponding to that of the skin, placed between the two skin portions so that

each of its sides is in contact with the cut sides of the two skin portions;

- adhesion of the different layers through glues or sewing.

5. Use of the multi -layer product as defined in

claims 1-3 for the making of clothing items.

6. Item of clothing incorporating a multi -layer product as defined in claims 1-3.