Apparatus, Material And Method Of Applying The Same To Garments In Order To Maintain A Crease

Abstract

The invention relates to a method to apply a material which assists in the maintenance of a crease (4) or other formation in a garment (2), such as a crease line in the leg of a pair of trousers. The material (15) which is applied is of a form which minimizes the opportunity for the material (15) to be visible at the time of application and/or during subsequent use of the garment (2). The material (15) is applied using a method and apparatus (100) in which the spacing of the apparatus nib (14) from which the material (15) is applied, from the garment (2) and/or contact of the nib (14) with the garment (2) is controlled by support members (112, 114) such that the material (15) is applied onto the garment (2) and adheres thereto in a manner in which the desired effect of the material (15) is achieved without the material subsequently causing discolouration and/or passing through the garment (2).

Claims

1. A method of applying a liquid material substance to a garment to aid retention of a crease formed in the garment, said method including the steps of: applying a ribbon or elongate line of the liquid material along or adjacent to a crease line from a material dispenser during relative movement between the material dispenser and garment, said liquid material subsequently cured to retain the crease form and wherein the material dispenser for the liquid material includes a nib from which the liquid material is emitted with the nib held with respect to a crease line so as to be out of contact, or in non pressure contact, with the garment so as to prevent pressure of application of the liquid material causing the liquid material to be forced through the garment.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein, if the nib is not in contact with the garment, the liquid material is emitted so as to bridge a gap between the nib and the garment and attach to the garment.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid material is held in a dispensing cartridge which includes the nib with an aperture through which the liquid material can be dispensed onto, or adjacent to, the garment crease.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the garment is held in a fixed position and a cartridge is moved along a length of the crease line with the liquid material being dispensed therefrom in a controlled manner.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein a cartridge is provided with guides which pass along, or in line with, the crease and guide movement of the cartridge when the cartridge is being moved along the garment.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the nib is placed into position on a dispensing aperture and can be provided at an angle offset and spaced from the garment.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein relationship between a position of a free end of the nib and the base of guide members is selected so as to control the position of the nib, and hence application, of the liquid material at a required depth into the garment.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the said relationship is altered to suit a particular liquid material which is being applied and/or a weight of a fabric from which the garment has been made in order to prevent the liquid material from completely passing through the fabric whilst ensuring that retention of the crease is maintained.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid material is wetted out.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein spacing of the nib from the garment crease to which the liquid material is applied extends from no pressure contact such that the nib kisses the garment to a spacing up to 0.07 mm.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the nib of a cartridge is provided at a first end of the cartridge and, at an opposing end, there is provided means for allowing connection to a pressurised fluid source such as compressed air which acts on a piston located in the cartridge.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the pressurised fluid source is introduced into the cartridge in a controlled manner at a selected pressure so as to move a piston located in the cartridge along an interior of the cartridge and, as it does so, move the liquid material within the cartridge towards and out of a dispensing aperture in a controlled manner.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the cartridge is provided with a non-return member so as to prevent the piston from returning to a starting position and hence prevent refilling of the cartridge.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein viscosity of the liquid material is selected such that the liquid material will contact with and adhere to the garment whilst not penetrating through the garment fabric to thereby avoid creation of discolouration or strike through.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the liquid material is moved through the cartridge towards the nib at a pressure in a region of 15 psi.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein said garment to which the liquid material is to be applied is positioned on a support surface with the crease in the garment or garment piece along which the liquid material is to be applied located to lie along an elongate valley formation in the support surface.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the elongate valley formation is substantially V or U shaped.

18. The method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid material is introduced into the crease to a sufficient extent such that the liquid material locks fibres and/or yarns of the fabric of the garment or garment piece at and/or adjacent to the crease in a position at which the same are located when the liquid material is applied.

19. The method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid material is applied to an inner surface of the garment along a preformed crease in the garment to a sufficient extent to permeate into a weave and, once cured, retain a structure of the weave to act to retain the preformed crease in that position.

20. The material for use to be applied to a garment crease when the material is in a liquid state in order to retain the crease for a period of time and wherein said material is a polyurethane hybrid compound.

21. The material according to claim 20 wherein the material cures upon exposure to atmospheric humidity and forms an elastomer along a line of application of the material on the garment.

22. The material according to claim 20 wherein the material is formed as a non-sag elastic 1-c sealant material.

23. The material according to claim 20 wherein the material is a compound with high abrasion resistance.

24. Apparatus for applying a material along a crease line in a garment, said apparatus comprising: a cartridge with a cavity in which a quantity of the material is retained; and said cartridge having a nib with a dispensing aperture through which the material can be selectively dispensed and wherein the nib is maintained in non pressure contact with, or at a spaced distance from, the garment to which the material is to be applied, by one or more support members provided on the cartridge and which contact with the garment to maintain the nib at a required location with regard to the garment.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the nib is manufactured from a material of a type such that if the nib contacts with the garment material, the material dispensed from the nib is not forced by the nib through the garment.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the nib is formed of a material which is capable of deformation when force is applied to the cartridge to move the nib into contact with the garment so as to reduce the force applied by the nib to the dispensed material and hence resist the dispensed material from being forced from one face of the garment through to the opposing face of the garment.

27. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein the cartridge includes a piston head movable along said cavity under the influence of a pressurised fluid introduced into the cartridge cavity via a connection provided on the cartridge to a pressurised fluid source.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27 wherein a contact face of the nib is provided to be located at an angle in a range of 2 to 10 degrees with respect to a garment surface.

29. Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein at least two spaced support members are located in line with the nib and are moved along the crease line in advance of the nib with regard to a direction of movement of the cartridge.

30. Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein at least two spaced support members are provided in a form of wheels.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the wheels are provided as part of a carriage on which the cartridge is located and the cartridge and carriage move with respect to the garment as the material is applied.

32. Apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the wheels are located on or with the cartridge and in line with the nib and contact with the garment so as to be moved along the crease line.

33. Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the garment is placed on a surface of a stand, said surface including an elongate groove and the crease line of the garment to which the material is to be applied is positioned to lie in and along the said groove and along which the nib of the cartridge is then moved to apply the material along the crease line.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the elongate groove is U or V-shaped in cross section and the garment crease line is V shaped in cross section and the garment is positioned with respect to the elongate groove such that a base point of the V lies in a base of the U or V shaped groove and the material is applied into the V of the garment crease line.

Description

[0040] Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein;

[0041] FIGS. 1a and h illustrate test results using a conventional material of the prior art;

[0042] FIGS. 2a and b illustrate in schematic manner a cross sectional end elevation and cross sectional elevation of the support surface and the apparatus for application of the material in accordance with the invention;

[0043] FIG. 3a illustrates a garment with a crease with conventional material applied and FIG. 3b illustrates a garment with a crease with material applied in accordance with the invention;

[0044] FIGS. 4a-d illustrate a cartridge with a nib in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and

[0045] FIGS. 5a-f and 6a-f illustrate test results obtained using the material in accordance with the invention in one embodiment.

[0046] Referring firstly to FIGS. 4a-d there is illustrated a cartridge 100 which includes a body portion in which is provided a cavity 102 (shown in broken lines in FIG. 4c). The cavity contains a quantity of material which is moved for dispensation via a piston towards the dispensing end 104. The dispensing end has a nib 106 in fluid communication with the cavity so that material can flow through a channel 108 provided in the nib and which leads to an opening at the free end 116 of the nib so that material can flow out of the nib and onto the garment crease 110, also referred to as the strike line.

[0047] The cartridge also includes first and second support members 112,114 which contact with the garment crease line (also referred to as the strike line) as shown. In accordance with the invention, the arrangement of the size or depth of the support members 112, 114 define the distance of the cartridge body 102 from the garment and, more importantly, they, in conjunction with the length of the nib 106 which is fitted to the cartridge, allow the position of the free end 116 of the nib with respect to the garment to be set and maintained as the cartridge is moved along the garment to apply the rein thereto, in accordance with the invention, the free end of the nib is positioned such that there is a non-pressure, contact between the nib and the garment or, a gap is maintained between the free end of the nib and the garment so that there is no contact between the same. This ensures that the material reaches and attaches to the fabric of the garment crease line in a manner so that the material is effectively laid onto the aliment crease line rather than being pressed into and through the fabric of the garment.

[0048] As an alternative to the use of support member skids as shown, the support members may be provided as wheels mounted on the cartridge or on a carriage to which the cartridge is attached and the wheels are again aligned with the nib to allow the material to be applied therefrom along the crease line. In one embodiment this means that the wheels are rolled along the crease line.

[0049] The cartridge can be provided in one embodiment with a non return member within the cavity which allows the movement of the material towards the dispensing aperture and prevents refilling of the cartridge respectively. The piston is moved by the pressurised air which is introduced to the rear of the same. The supply of the fluid and movement of the cartridge with respect to the garment can be controlled by the operator of the apparatus.

[0050] FIGS. 2a and b illustrate one embodiment of apparatus for use in applying the material of this application. The apparatus comprises a stand with a support surface 8 in which a V shaped channel 10 is provided. The garment 2 is located with respect to the channel 10 such that the crease line 4 formed therein lies long the channel. The cartridge nib 14 is provided in the cartridge that is located to be moved along the channel and through which material 15 is dispensed along the crease line 4 as the cartridge is moved along the garment crease line with the support member guides or fins on the underside of the cartridge contacting with the garment in the crease and the support surface in the channel 10 and hence guiding the movement and also supporting the end of the nib at the required distance and angular orientation from the garment so as to control the depth of absorption of the material into the garment.

[0051] Referring now to FIG. 3a there is illustrated part of a garment 2 with a crease line 4 formed therein. The retention of the crease line 4 in FIG. 3a and FIGS. 1a-f has been achieved in a conventional manner and using a conventional material which typically will include 15% fumed silica with the remainder of the contents being silicone or modified silicone based components. The material is typically applied to the inner face of the garment with the nib of the cartridge in contact with and pressing into the garment to force the material applied therefrom into and through the fabric of the garment. In FIG. 3a the external face of the garments is shown and it is found that after wear, ironing and/or washing or dry cleaning that a white line 6 becomes viewable externally of the garment with the white being created along the area where the material has been applied as shown in FIG. 3a and FIGS. 1a-f. This is a particular problem with lighter fabrics and/or more open weave fabrics where the material colour can be more easily viewed through the fabric and hence be exposed on the external surface thereof.

[0052] The same type of garment is illustrated in FIG. 3b and in this case the material is in accordance with the present invention and which has been applied along the crease line using a nib with it's free end spaced from the garment as described with reference to FIGS. 4a-d. It will be seen that in this case no white line is present or viewable along the crease 4. The applicant has therefore found that the use of the material in accordance with the present invention and particularly when applied using this non pressure contact or gap between the nib and garment and with the nib outlet at an angle of 5 degrees with respect to the garment means that the visible white line does not occur on the crease and so the appearance of the garment is unaffected. This also extends the potential scope of use of the application apparatus and method by which the material can be applied to garments where this previously may not have been possible and also for use in countries where lighter weight clothing is predominantly worn especially when the material used is that provided in accordance with this invention. This is illustrated with reference to the test results shown in FIGS. 5a-f and 6a-f.

[0053] FIGS. 5a-f and 6a-f illustrate test results obtained using a material in accordance with one embodiment of the invention and in each case there is illustrated the garment with the original crease line 202 in FIGS. 5a and 6a and then the crease line condition thereafter after 1000 rub cycles (FIGS. 5b and 6b); 2000 cycles (FIGS. 5c and 6c; 3000 cycles (FIGS. 5d and 6d); 4000 cycles (FIGS. 5e and 6e) and 5000 cycles (FIGS. 5f and 6f). It will be seen that in each case there is no white line effect after the rubs which is in contrast to the results obtained using the conventional material illustrated in FIGS. 1a-f. The material is required to have sufficient viscosity to allow the same to be laid onto the surface of the garment to provide the desired effect without soaking through the fabric of the garment while at the same time being able to leave the aperture in the nib, creating flow across any gap between the nib and the fabric to make contact with, and remain in contact with, the said fabric. The spacing of the nib from the garment means that the material leaves the nib and pressure and/or gravity cause the material to be applied onto the garment and adhere thereto in a manner in which the effect of the material on the crease is achieved without the material subsequently causing discolouration.