Abstract: An article including one or more moisture wicking layers and one or more fibrous layers. The fibrous layers may have generally vertically oriented fibers, which may be oriented generally perpendicularly to a surface having or producing moisture. The article may be adapted to remove moisture form the surface having or producing moisture. The article may be breathable. The article may be quick drying. The article may provide cushioning. The article may be a wearable item.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the design and manufacture of nanofiber layers, webs, films, or membranes that may be self-supporting and can function as standalone products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a microporous nanofiber films and the use of such films in a wide variety of products and applications, including applications where physical property tuning is typically limited. Generally, the microporous films of the present invention can function as a standalone nanofiber membrane or can be bonded to other microporous films to produce a layered stacked film stack with customizable properties. Unlike conventional microporous films available in today's market, the microporous films of the present invention can be lighter, require less raw material cost to produce, and can improve operating performances in a variety of applications.

Abstract: Upper components for footwear include: (a) a first layer including a first filament including first plural, non-intersecting, spaced apart path segments (wherein the first filament may have a width dimension of less than 3 mm wide); and (b) a second layer including a second filament including second plural, non-intersecting, spaced apart path segments (wherein the second filament may have a width dimension of less than 3 mm), wherein the second layer is fused to the first layer at locations where the layers contact one another. Additional layers of material, including additional layers with filament, may be included in the upper. The filament material in the different layers may be the same or different from one another (e.g., a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic polyurethane material, a hydrophobic material, a water-repelling material, a non-water absorbing material, etc.). One or more layers each may be formed as a continuous extruded path of filament.

Abstract: Upper components for footwear include: (a) a first upper component that includes a first layer having a first material as a first filament including first plural, non-intersecting, spaced apart path segments (wherein the first filament has a width dimension of less than 3 mm wide (and in some examples, less than 2 mm wide, less than 1.5 mm wide, less than 1 mm wide, or even less than 0.75 mm wide)); and (b) a second upper component including a fabric element formed at least in part of a fusible material, wherein the fusible material of the second upper component is fused to the first material of the first upper component (e.g., in an adhesive-free manner). Additional layers of material, including additional layers including filament and/or fabric elements, e.g., of the types described above, may be included in the upper.

Abstract: A dyeing and welding process may be configured to convert a substrate into a welded substrate having at least some color imparted thereto via a dye and/or coloring agent by applying a process solvent having a dye and/or coloring agent therein to the substrate, wherein the process solvent interrupts one or more intermolecular force between one or more component in the substrate. The substrate may be configured as a natural fiber, such as cellulose, hemicelluloses, and silk. The process solvent may include a binder, such as dissolved biopolymer (e.g., cellulose). After application of a process solvent comprised of a dye and/or coloring agent, the substrate may be exposed to a second application of a process solvent comprised of a binder, which second application may occur before or after a process temperature/pressure zone, process solvent recovery zone, and/or drying zone.

Abstract: A warp knitting system may knit a seamless tube of fabric. The fabric may have a spacer between outer and inner fabric layers. The knitting system may have first and second needle guide systems. The first and second needle guide systems may each have selectively linked needle bed sections that guide respective needles. A guide bar system may have guide bars that dispense strands of material during knitting. Each guide bar may be positioned using a respective guide bar positioner. The guide bar system may be shifted relative to the needles using a rotational positioner. The needle guide systems and guide bar system may be formed from selectively coupled links. The selectively coupled links may be configured to adjust the diameter of the tube of fabric to a desired value. The thickness of the tube may be adjusted by adjusting a gap between the first and second needle guide systems.

Abstract: A method for improving the translation efficiency of fiber strength into composite strength is provided. A single unidirectional tape, single unidirectional fiber web or a stack of unidirectional web/unidirectional tape plies formed from partially oriented fibers/tapes is primed under mild conditions followed by subjecting the primed plies to an axial extension stress in the axial fiber direction of each fiber ply by passage through a compression apparatus. The axial extension stress extends the fibers, strengthening them, while also compacting the plies together and thereby forming a composite having improved strength. Production yield is improved by avoiding maximal fiber stretching and thereby avoiding typical manufacturing loss, and low weight composite armor having increased strength is achieved.

Abstract: The garments disclosed herein have integrated gripping technology to grip the body of the wearer over large interior surfaces. The distribution of gripping technology throughout the garment gives increased freedom of body movement and reduces bulkiness over conventional garments, while also allowing for free cut edges. Furthermore, the dispersion of the gripping technology over the majority of the garment eliminates the problem of polymer strips and beading digging into the skin. Slip garment embodiments are disclosed herein that include a lower region having an interior surface with exposed elastic threads configured to directly contact the wearer. The slip garment embodiments include a free-cut lower edge. The slip garment embodiments can be constructed using cut and sew methods.

Abstract: An article including one or more moisture wicking layers and one or more fibrous layers. The fibrous layers may have generally vertically oriented fibers, which may be oriented generally perpendicularly to a surface having or producing moisture. The article may be adapted to remove moisture form the surface having or producing moisture. The article may be breathable. The article may be quick drying. The article may provide cushioning. The article may be a wearable item.

Abstract: The vehicle headliner includes a base layer, a skin layer disposed on one side of the base layer, and an infrared reflecting layer and a protection layer, in this order, disposed on the other side of the base layer. The base layer contains thermoplastic resin and fiber. The protection layer is a non-stretched resin layer containing a thermoplastic resin having a melting point of 200° C. or more.

Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a three-dimensional textile reinforcement material and a method of constructing a textile reinforced concrete structure using a three-dimensional textile reinforcement material. A two-dimensional grid is bent into a three-dimensional shape using a two-dimensionally woven or knitted textile grid, and the bent grid is coupled with at least one two-dimensional grid, and thus the three-dimensional textile reinforcement material can be simply and easily formed. The three-dimensional textile reinforcement material can be formed by coating the coupled two-dimensional grid and a three-dimensional grid with a thermosetting resin and curing the coupled grids to support a concrete pouring pressure.

Abstract: A cementitious composite includes a first layer, a second layer, and a cementitious mixture disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The cementitious mixture includes (i) cementitious materials and (ii) a viscosity modifier and/or an accelerator. The cementitious materials provide a void fraction between 0.64 and 1.35. The void fraction is defined as the ratio of the volume of the voids within the cementitious mixture per unit area of the cementitious composite to the volume of the cementitious materials per unit area of the cementitious composite. The cementitious mixture is configured to absorb a mass of water that provides a maximum 28 day compressive strength of the cementitious composite. A ratio of the mass of the water relative to the mass of the cementitious materials of the cementitious mixture per unit area of the cementitious composite that provides the maximum 28 day compressive strength of the cementitious composite is between 0.25 and 0.55.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides articles of manufacture with improved moisture control as well as methods of making such articles. In some embodiments, provided herein the article has a fabric with an outer hydrophobic surface and an inner surface with hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions where the hydrophilic regions can form a pattern, allowing moisture to collect and move through the pattern, and the hydrophobic regions prevent the whole inner surface from becoming moist and the outer hydrophobic regions does not show moisture. The fabric may be used to make garments. The entire inner surface of the garment may be patterned with hydrophilic patterns for partial absorption, and the entire outer surface of the garment is hydrophobic, thereby preventing perspiration from being seen from outside of the garment. Further provided herein are methods of making fabrics with improved moisture control including by printing or knitting.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer composition comprising a polyolefin, peroxide and a sulphur containing antioxidant, wherein said peroxide is present in an amount which corresponds to X mmol —O—O—/kg polymer composition and said sulphur containing antioxidant is present in an amount which corresponds to Y mmol —OH/kg polymer composition, wherein Y1?Y?Y2, X?45 and 0.9*Y+m?X?n?k*Y, wherein Y1 is 0.50 and Y2 is 10, and m is 0.8, n is 70 and k is 4.7; and wherein said polymer composition has a melt flow rate (MFR) of less than 1.7, and said polymer composition comprises less than 0.05% by weight (wt %) 2,4-Diphenyl-4-methyl-1-pentene; a crosslinked polymer composition, and use thereof, a power cable insulation, a power cable, useful in high voltage (HV DC) and extra high voltage (EHV DC) direct current applications, and a method for reducing electrical conductivity of a crosslinked polymer composition.

Abstract: A steering wheel cover including a stretch fabric ring having a c-shaped cross-section forming a three-hundred-sixty angular degree circle, a first frictitious layer lining at least some of the inside of the stretch fabric ring excepting an angular fabric-only portion of the three-hundred-sixty degree circle, and a second frictitious layer covering some of the outside of the stretch fabric ring, but not covering the angular fabric-only portion.

Abstract: Articles of footwear may include uppers having one or more skin layers attached to a base layer, wherein at least one of the skin layers is at least partially transparent or translucent. The transparent or translucent skin layer may be applied over other elements of the upper (e.g., other skin layers, base layers, reinforcing layers, etc.) to provide interesting color change options and color palettes for the upper. Additional aspects of this invention relate to production of curved tongue composite structures and/or footwear having a bonded (hot melt) side seam for forming the upper (and optionally do not include a rear heel seam).

Abstract: A stiffening element that includes one or more integral current flowpaths may include: a first layer including carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic plies; a second layer including one or more glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic plies; and/or a third layer including aluminum. The third layer may form an outer surface of the stiffening element. The third layer may form at least part of the one or more integral current flowpaths. A method of using a stiffening element that comprises one or more integral current flowpaths as part of a current return network for a stiffened structure may include: selecting the stiffening element that includes a first layer including carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic plies, a second layer including one or more glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic plies, and/or a third layer including aluminum; and/or routing current from the current return network through the one or more integral current flowpaths of the selected stiffening element.

Abstract: Three-dimensional weaving, knitting, or braiding tools may be used to create three-dimensional fabric (24) with internal pockets (56). The pockets (56) may be shaped to receive electrical components such as switch electrodes (46A, 46B) for a switch (18). The fabric (24) may have adjacent first and second layers that are interposed between the switch electrodes (46A, 46B). The switch electrodes (46A, 46B) may be biased apart using magnets (46A-1, 46B-1) or other biasing structure. In a region of the fabric (24) that overlaps the first and second switch electrodes (46A, 46B), the first and second layers of fabric may be disconnected from each other. This allows the first and second layers to pull away from each other so that the electrodes (46A, 46B) are separated by the biasing force from the biasing structure. The switch (18) can be closed by pressing the electrodes (46A, 46B) together.

Abstract: A spacing knitted fabric has a first and a second flat knitted fabric layer that are connected to each other by incorporated spacing threads. The first knitted fabric layer has mesh-forming loop threads made from thermoplastic plastic and non-mesh-forming additional threads made of thermoplastic plastic. In the first knitted fabric layer, only the additional threads are at least partially melted and due to the at least partial melting, causing a reinforcement of the first knitted fabric layer.

Abstract: A multilayer nanofiber sheet (10) includes: a nanofiber layer (11) including nanofibers which comprise a water-soluble polymer compound; a substrate layer (12) arranged on one surface side of the nanofiber layer (11); and a water-insoluble porous layer (13) arranged on the other surface side of the nanofiber layer (11). The three layers are layered, and the multilayer nanofiber sheet is used in a state in which a surface thereof on the porous layer side is arranged so as to face a surface of an object. Preferably, the three layers are layered in a fixed state. Preferably, the porous layer (13) has a thickness of from 3 to 1000 ?m.