WATER VAPOR PERMEABLE, WATERPROOF TEXTILE LAMINATE AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF

Abstract

A water vapor permeable, waterproof textile laminate, comprising at least two layers made of planar web material, which are disposed on top of each other and bonded to each other, wherein an open fabric web comprising polymer fiber threads forms a top tier and a film-like, water vapor permeable, waterproof thermoplastic membrane web forms a bottom tier. The polymer fiber threads of the fabric web comprise raised thread regions, which are held bearing against the membrane web and/or are partially fused into the membrane web, wherein the membrane web comprises integral fusion areas with the raised thread regions, which are generated according to the invention by way of laser light in a laser transmission welding method.

Claims

1-4. (canceled)

5. A method for producing a breathable waterproof textile laminate including at least two layers made of planar web material, which are disposed on top of each other and bonded to each other, an open fabric web comprising polymer fiber threads forming a top tier and a film-like, water vapor permeable, waterproof thermoplastic membrane web forming a bottom tier, and the polymer fiber threads of the fabric web comprising raised thread regions, which are held bearing against the membrane web and/or are partially fused with the membrane web, wherein the membrane web has a thickness between 4 and 100 m and comprises integral fusion areas with the raised thread regions of the fabric web, which form a continuous and/or a discontinuous bond between the fabric web and the membrane web, wherein in the case of the continuous bond, a planar extensive bond is created, in which substantially all the raised thread regions of the fabric web are partially fused with the membrane web, and wherein in the case of the discontinuous bond, a defined bonding grid exists, in which raised thread regions of the fabric web disposed in a spot and/or line pattern are locally partially fused with the membrane web, the method comprising the following steps: joining the open fabric web comprising polymer fiber threads with the film-like, water vapor permeable, waterproof thermoplastic membrane web; pressing the membrane web against the fabric web; applying laser light to the membrane web; continuously and/or discontinuously bonding the membrane web to the fabric web by heating the fabric web and/or the membrane web using a laser transmission welding method, wherein the application of laser light to the membrane web or to the fabric web depends on whether the fabric web and/or the membrane web comprise dyes absorbing laser light, until the membrane web has become plastified, and pressing the raised thread regions of the polymer fiber threads of the fabric web against the membrane web by pressing the fabric web and the membrane web against each other, forming integral fusion areas between the membrane web and the fabric web; and cooling the membrane web and the fabric web while maintaining the pressing action.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web between a support plate and a press plate, or between a rotating support roller and a rotating press roller, by mechanical pressure application, wherein the fabric web is seated against the support plate or the support roller, and the membrane web is seated against the press plate or the press roller, and the press plate or the press roller is designed to be transparent to laser light.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web on a stationary support plate, or on a rotating support roller by the application of suction, wherein the fabric web is seated against a support plate or a support roller, and the membrane web is seated against the fabric web, and the support plate or the support roller, comprises a plurality of suction holes for the membrane web.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web on a support plate or on a rotating support roller, by the application of a blowing action to the membrane web, wherein the fabric web is seated against the support roller.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web on a rotating support roller by the application of a tensile action to the membrane web.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein a compensating plate is disposed on the membrane web opposite the support plate, or a compensating web is joined with the membrane web opposite the support roller, so as to press the membrane web against the fabric web, wherein the compensating plate, or the compensating web, is more flexurally rigid than the membrane web and is transparent to the laser light.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein a compensating plate is disposed on the membrane web opposite the support plate, or a compensating web is joined with the membrane web opposite the support roller, so as to press the membrane web against the fabric web, wherein the compensating web is more flexurally rigid than the membrane web and is transparent to the laser light.

12. A method according to claim 6, wherein after the membrane web has been pressed against the fabric web, the positions of the fusion areas in the laser transmission welding method are determined by way of a shadow mask, a diffractive optical element or a laser scanner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 shows an enlarged section of a textile laminate according to the invention, comprising a membrane web that is laminated to a fabric web;

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a representative illustration of a configuration for carrying out the laser transmission welding according to the invention for bonding a membrane web to a fabric web, forming the textile laminate according to the invention of FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 3a shows a structuring type for discontinuously bonding the membrane web to the fabric web in a definable grid by way of the method shown in FIG. 2, using a shadow mask;

[0039] FIG. 3b shows a structuring type for discontinuously bonding the membrane web to the fabric web in a definable grid by way of the method shown in FIG. 2, using a diffractive optical element;

[0040] FIG. 3c shows a structuring type for discontinuously bonding the membrane web to the fabric web in a definable grid by way of the method shown in FIG. 2, using a laser scanner;

[0041] FIG. 4a shows the laser transmission welding method according to the invention for bonding the membrane web to the fabric web, in which the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web by applying mechanical pressure to the membrane web in conjunction with a contact plate;

[0042] FIG. 4b shows the laser transmission welding method according to the invention for bonding the membrane web to the fabric web, in which the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web by applying suction to the membrane web in conjunction with a contact plate;

[0043] FIG. 4c shows the laser transmission welding method according to the invention for bonding the membrane web to the fabric web, in which the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web by applying a blowing action into the membrane web in conjunction with a contact plate;

[0044] FIG. 5a shows the laser transmission welding method for bonding the membrane web to the fabric web, in which the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web by applying mechanical pressure to the membrane web in conjunction with a rotating contact roller; and

[0045] FIG. 5b shows the laser transmission welding method for bonding the membrane web to the fabric web, in which the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web by applying suction to the membrane web in conjunction with a rotating contact roller; and

[0046] FIG. 5c shows the laser transmission welding method for bonding the membrane web to the fabric web, in which the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web by applying a blowing action to the membrane web in conjunction with a rotating contact roller; and

[0047] FIG. 6 shows the laser transmission welding method for bonding the membrane web to the fabric web, in which the membrane web is pressed against the fabric web by tensioning the fabric web and the membrane web against a rotating contact roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a water vapor permeable, waterproof textile laminate 1, preferably intended for further processing to obtain weather-proof clothing items, comprising two layers 2a, 2b made of planar web material, which are disposed on top of each other and bonded to each other, wherein an open fabric web 4 comprising polymer fiber threads 3 forms a top tier 5 and a film-like, water vapor permeable, waterproof thermoplastic membrane web 6 forms a bottom tier 5a. The polymer fiber threads 3 of the fabric web 4 comprise raised thread regions 7, which are held bearing against the membrane web 6 and/or are partially integrally fused with the membrane web 6. The membrane web 6 comprises fusion areas 8 for the raised thread regions 7 generated during the laser transmission welding method. The fabric web 4 is produced in the manner of a woven fabric, a knitted fabric, a warp-knitted fabric, an interlaced product, a stitched product, a non-woven fabric or a felt. The membrane web 6 bonded to the fabric web 4 has a water vapor resistance Ret of less than 20 m.sup.2Pa/W and a thickness between 4 and 100 m. The fabric web 4 and/or the membrane web 6 are provided with dyes absorbing laser light, which are not shown in the drawing.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a representative illustration of a configuration for the laser transmission welding method according to the invention for bonding the membrane web 6 to the fabric 4, forming the textile laminate 1 according to the invention. The fabric web 4 is a knitted product, such as a knitted fabric, for example. The fabric web 4 comprises polymer fiber threads 3, which form loops 9. It is disposed in an extended and planar manner and carries the membrane web 6. The membrane web 6 is seated against the raised thread regions 7 of the polymer fiber threads 3 forming the loops 9 which, after local plastification of the membrane web 6 at the fusion areas 8 as a result of the laser transmission welding method, are partially fused locally with the membrane web 6 as the membrane web 6 is pressed against the fabric web 4. Laser light 10 is applied to the membrane web 6 so as to plastify the same. The laser light source from which the laser light originates is not shown in the drawing.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows different structuring types for discontinuously bonding the membrane web 6 to the fabric web 4 in a definable grid by way of the laser transmission welding method, which is only representatively illustrated in FIG. 2. According to FIG. 3a, the textile laminate 1 according to the invention is structured by way of a shadow mask 11, which locally shadows the membrane web 6 in a predetermined grid. Fusion areas 8 for the polymer fiber threads 3 with the membrane web 6 are created where the shadow mask 11 allows the laser light 10 to pass through. FIG. 3b illustrates the structuring of the textile laminate 1 according to the invention by way of a diffractive optical element 12 (DOE) which, similarly to the shadow mask 11, generates a simultaneous pattern on the membrane web 6. As a result of the DOE 12, the laser light 10 undergoes local phase shifts, which result in a pattern of fusion areas 8 that is determined by the DOE 12 being projected on the membrane web 6. FIG. 3c shows the corresponding structuring of the textile laminate 1 by way of a laser scanner 13, which generates a corresponding desired pattern in one pass. FIGS. 3a to 3c show the laser 10 only symbolically, the depiction of the laser light source from which the laser light 10 originates being omitted. The function, design, use and mode of operation of shadow masks, diffractive optical elements and laser scanners have already been disclosed in a variety of publications of the prior art with respect to the laser transmission welding method, which is known per se, and are therefore common knowledge to the person skilled in the art, such they need not be described in more detail here.

[0051] FIG. 4 shows the laser transmission welding method according to the invention for continuously bonding the membrane web 6 to the fabric web 4 in greater detail.

[0052] FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c show three basically different possible variants for pressing the membrane web 6 against the fabric web 4 during the laser transmission welding method. In all three illustrations, the fabric web 4 is seated against a support plate 14. The membrane web 6 is disposed in each case on the fabric web 4 and is pressed against the fabric web 4 by mechanical pressure application in the variant according to FIG. 4a, by the application of suction in the variant according to FIG. 4b, and by the application of a blowing action in the variant according to FIG. 4c.

[0053] The application of mechanical pressure is carried out by way of a press plate 15, which is placed on the membrane web 6 and which is configured with pressure means 15a. The press plate 15 is transparent to the laser light 10, so that the laser light 10 can be directed through the press plate 10 at the membrane web 6. The application of suction to the membrane web 6 is carried out by way of suction means 16, which communicate with suction holes 16a, a plurality of which are formed in the support plate 14. The membrane web 6 is drawn in the direction of the support plate 14 via the suction holes 16a and thus is pressed against the fabric web 4. The application of a blowing action to the membrane web 6 is carried out by way of blowing means 17, which are disposed opposite the support plate 14 at a distance from the membrane web 6 and which press the membrane web 6 against the fabric web 4. So as to prevent the membrane web 6 from becoming deformed, an additional compensating plate 18, which is transparent to the laser light 10, is disposed on the membrane web 6. This plate evenly presses the membrane web 6 against the fabric web 4 and the support plate 14.

[0054] FIG. 5 shows technical modifications of the embodiments shown in FIG. 4 for pressing the membrane web 6 against the fabric web 4. The basic idea remains unchanged but in the embodiment variants shown in FIGS. 5a to 5c, the support plate 14 is generally replaced by a rotating support roller 19. The linear contact on the roller can be increased by using a soft elastic material for the roller surface, or by guiding the fabric web 4 and the membrane web 6 seated thereon not in a planar manner, but rather in a curved manner, over the roller. The curvature of the fabric web 4 and of the membrane web 6 is dependent on the diameter of the contact roller 19. Moreover, the press plate 15 is replaced by a correspondingly designed press roller 20, and the compensating plate 18 is replaced by a compensating web 18a.

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a further option for pressing the membrane web 6 against the fabric web 4 in conjunction with a rotating support roller 19, in which no press roller 20 is required. The fabric web 4 is thus seated against the support roller 19, and the membrane web 6 is seated against the fabric web 4. The fabric web 4, as well as the membrane web 6, are tensioned against the support roller 19. A corresponding tension roller 21 is provided for this purpose which, in conjunction with a specially disposed guide roller 22, draws the membrane web 6 in the direction of the support roller 19. The pretensioned membrane web 6 is supported against the fabric web 4 in the direction of the support roller 19 and presses the fabric web 4 against the support roller 19.

[0056] Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, it is obvious that equivalents and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. The present invention includes all such equivalents and modifications, and is limited only by the scope of the following claims.