INSULATION WITH REACTIVE FLAPS

Abstract

Insulation comprises a plurality of reactive flaps that react to one or more external stimuli, e.g., humidity. The flaps are made up of a fiber mixture that includes: 20-80 wt % reactive bicomponent fibers that are reactive to an external stimulus, and have a first configuration in an unactivated state and a second configuration in an activated state, and wherein the bicomponent fibers can reversibly transform between the unactivated and activated states; 5-40 wt % synthetic binder fibers having a denier of 1.5 to 4.0 denier; 0-75 wt % of a first population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of less than 2.0 denier; and 0-75 wt % of a second population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of 4.0 to 10.0 denier. Related articles and methods are also provided.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/448,182, filed Jan. 19, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to insulation, to articles comprising the insulation, and to methods of making the insulation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Often, the environment within which an individual finds oneself can change quickly. For example, during periods of exercise, and even when going about daily activities, one can quickly transition from a state of relative inactivity to high activity. Similarly, people often move from controlled indoor climates to drastically different outdoor climates. Moreover, climate change has resulted in weather conditions that can be unpredictable and that can vary significantly, even within a short time period within a single day. In view of the various humidity ranges and temperature fluctuations that people regularly experience, it is desirable to have adaptive articles (e.g., of clothing and outerwear) that can adjust to improve wearer/user comfort.

Thus, a need exists for new insulation and articles that are readily adaptable to an external stimulus such as temperature and/or humidity.

While certain aspects of conventional technologies are discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicant in no way disclaims these technical aspects, and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more conventional technical aspects.

In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was, at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, embodiments of the present invention satisfy the need for insulation and articles that are readily adaptable to an external stimulus such as temperature and/or humidity.

The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the art discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.

In a first aspect, the invention provides insulation having a plurality of slits therein that form a plurality of reactive flaps in the insulation, such that the insulation comprises the flaps and also a non-flap portion, wherein said reactive flaps comprise a flap fiber mixture that comprises:

• • 20-80 wt % bicomponent fibers having a core and a sheath, said fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 8.0 denier, and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm, wherein said bicomponent fibers are reactive to an external stimulus, and have a first configuration in an unactivated state and a second configuration in an activated state, and wherein the bicomponent fibers can reversibly transform between the unactivated and activated states;
  • 5-40 wt % synthetic binder fibers having a denier of 1.5 to 4.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm;
  • 0-75 wt % of a first population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of less than 2.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm; and
  • 0-75 wt % of a second population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of 4.0 to 10.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm.

In a second aspect, the invention provides an article comprising the inventive insulation according to the first aspect of the invention.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a method of making the inventive insulation according to the first aspect of the invention, said method comprising:

• • forming an intermediate insulation from a fiber mixture, said intermediate insulation comprising a plurality of flap areas that comprise the flap fiber mixture discussed in accordance with the first aspect of the invention;
  • heating the intermediate insulation in excess of the bonding temperature of the binder fibers in the flap fiber mixture; and
  • forming a plurality of slits in the intermediate insulation, thereby creating a plurality of reactive flaps.

Certain embodiments of the presently-disclosed insulation, articles comprising the insulation, and methods of making the insulation have several features, no single one of which is solely responsible for their desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of the insulation, articles, and methods as defined by the claims that follow, their more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section of this specification entitled “Detailed Description of the Invention,” one will understand how the features of the various embodiments disclosed herein provide a number of advantages over the current state of the art. For example, embodiments of the insulation provide reactive insulation that quickly adapts in order to maximize user/wearer comfort. Embodiments of the insulation can be used to make various articles, including clothing, outerwear, footwear, bedding, etc.

These and other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein like numerals denote like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is a top-view photograph of an embodiment 10 of the inventive insulation.

FIG. 2 is a simplified rendering of the top-view photograph FIG. 1, with reactive flaps 4 shown in black shading.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict an embodiment of a bicomponent fiber used in certain embodiments of the inventive insulation in its unactivated state and activated state, respectively.

FIGS. 4A-F depict non-limiting examples of cross-sections that bicomponent fibers used in certain embodiments of the invention can have.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the present invention and certain features, advantages, and details thereof are explained more fully below with reference to the non-limiting embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Descriptions of well-known materials, fabrication tools, processing techniques, etc., are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the invention in detail. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific example(s), while indicating embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, and are not by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions and/or arrangements within the spirit and/or scope of the underlying inventive concepts will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

In a first aspect, the invention provides insulation having a plurality of slits therein that form a plurality of reactive flaps in the insulation, such that the insulation comprises the flaps and also a non-flap portion, wherein said reactive flaps comprise a flap fiber mixture that comprises:

• • 20-80 wt % bicomponent fibers having a core and a sheath, said fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 8.0 denier, and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm, wherein said bicomponent fibers are reactive to an external stimulus, and have a first configuration in an unactivated state and a second configuration in an activated state, and wherein the bicomponent fibers can reversibly transform between the unactivated and activated states;
  • 5-40 wt % synthetic binder fibers having a denier of 1.5 to 4.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm;
  • 0-75 wt % of a first population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of less than 2.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm; and
  • 0-75 wt % of a second population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of 4.0 to 10.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm.

Denier is a unit of measure defined as the weight in grams of 9000 meters of a fiber or yarn. It is a common way to specify the weight (or size) of the fiber or yarn. For example, polyester fibers that are 1.0 denier typically have a diameter of approximately 10 micrometers. Micro-denier fibers are those having a denier of 1.0 or less, while macro-denier fibers have a denier greater than 1.0.

In some embodiments, the components of the flap fiber mixture are homogenously mixed, meaning, the mixture has a substantially uniform (i.e., 90-100% uniform, e.g., greater than or equal to 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, or 99% uniform) composition.

In various embodiments of the invention, the reactive flaps shrink and expand when exposed to an external stimulus (e.g., humidity). For example, in some embodiments, the flaps shrink when exposed to relatively higher humidity levels, and expand when exposed to relatively lower humidity levels respectively. This reactive functionality essentially results in insulation embodiments' ability to open/close flaps based on changing humidity levels. For example, when used in, e.g., certain embodiments of an article of clothing or outwear, during periods of general inactivity, the flaps will remain closed (here, the bicomponent fibers are considered to be in an unactivated state), whereas, during periods of activity where moisture is generated leading to a humidity increase, the flaps will shrink (to the bicomponent fibers' activated state), thereby effectively venting the insulation, and providing a more breathable and/or less insulative article.

FIG. 1 is a top-view photograph of an embodiment 10 of the inventive insulation. As can be seen, insulation 10 comprises a plurality of slits 2. In the depicted embodiment, each slit 2 forms a flap (also referred to herein as a “reactive flap”) 4, and the insulation 10 comprises a plurality of flaps 4. In addition to the flaps, insulation 10 additionally comprises at least one non-flap portion 6. As can be seen, in the depicted embodiment of insulation 10, non-flap portion 6 is a continuous portion of the insulation 10, having slits 2 therein that form a plurality of reactive flaps 4 in the insulation. In insulation 10, reactive flaps 4 comprise a flap fiber mixture as described herein, and non-flap portion 6 comprises the same flap fiber mixture.

FIG. 2 is a simplified/marked-up version of the top-view photograph of FIG. 1. For ease of visualization, in FIG. 2, slits 2 are shown in white. The reactive flaps 4 defined by slits 2 are shown in black, and the non-flap portion 6 is shown in light grey.

While the slits 2 in insulation 10 are C-shaped slits forming semicircle-like flaps 4, the insulation can comprise slits of any desired shape. Persons having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are a variety of shapes that the reactive flaps can take, as the shape of the slits and flaps are generally non-limiting relative to the inventive concept. Indeed, in view of the disclosure herein, persons having ordinary skill in the art will understand that the flaps are reactive by nature of the composition of the flap fiber mixture, and they will readily be able to ascertain different shapes/configurations that slits and flaps can assume. Generally speaking, the flaps are attached to the insulation at one side. In some non-limiting examples, the slits are made so as to form flaps that are semi-circular (or otherwise circular in shape, but remain attached to the insulation), oval, square, rectangle, or triangle-shaped.

The size and frequency of the flaps can be altered depending on the amount of desired potential reactivity to the external stimulus (e.g., humidity). In some non-limiting embodiments, the flaps have a maximum dimension of 2.5 cm (i.e., when the size of a flap is measured in every two-dimension direction of the shape of the flap formed by the slit, the maximum measurement is 2.5 cm). For example, in some embodiments, the flaps have a maximum dimension of 0.5 cm to 2.5 cm (e.g., 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, or 2.5 cm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein. In some embodiments, the flaps have a maximum dimension of 0.5 to 2 cm, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 0.75 to 1.25 cm).

The frequency of the flaps in the insulation can be varied as desired to increase/decrease the amount of open space in the insulation when it is subjected to an external stimulus (e.g., high humidity levels). For example, in some embodiments, the flaps make up 5 to 80% of the surface area of the insulation (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80%), including any and all ranges and subranges therein. In some embodiments, the non-flap portion(s) of the insulation makes up 20 to 95% of the surface area of the insulation (e.g., 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, or 95%), including any and all ranges and subranges therein. In FIG. 1, the area of the entire visible surface of insulation 10 constitutes the surface area of said insulation. In some embodiments the flaps are spaced 1.5 to 5 cm from one another, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., spaced 2 to 3 cm apart).

The flaps comprise a flap fiber mixture. The flap fiber mixture comprises:

• • 20-80 wt % bicomponent fibers having a core and a sheath, said fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 8.0 denier, and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm, wherein said bicomponent fibers are reactive to an external stimulus, and have a first configuration in an unactivated state and a second configuration in an activated state, and wherein the bicomponent fibers can reversibly transform between the unactivated and activated states;
  • 5-40 wt % synthetic binder fibers having a denier of 1.5 to 4.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm;
  • 0-75 wt % of a first population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of less than 2.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm; and
  • 0-75 wt % of a second population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of 4.0 to 10.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm.

As mentioned above, 20-80 wt % of the flap fiber mixture is made up of the reactive bicomponent fibers.

The bicomponent fibers are reactive to an external stimulus. In some embodiments, the external stimulus is humidity, pH, temperature, light, electrical current, force field, or microbes.

Some materials that are reactive to one or more external stimuli are discussed, for example, in International Application Publication No. WO/2009106785 A1.

The bicomponent fibers have an unactivated state. While in the unactivated state, the bicomponent fibers have a first configuration. When exposed to the intended external stimulus, the bicomponent fibers transform to a second configuration (activated state). When no longer exposed to the external stimulus, the bicomponent fibers transform back to the first configuration in the unactivated state. The bicomponent fibers go back and forth between activated and unactivated states, depending on whether or not they are exposed to the external stimulus. Therefore, the bicomponent fibers can reversibly transform between the unactivated and activated states. In some embodiments, upon exposure to an intended external stimulus, the bicomponent fibers reversibly transform from unactivated to activated state in less than or equal to 15 minutes (e.g., less than or equal to 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 minutes). In some embodiments, upon removal of the intended external stimulus, the bicomponent fibers reversibly transform from activated to unactivated state in less than or equal to 15 minutes (e.g., less than or equal to 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 minutes).

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict an embodiment of a bicomponent fiber 20 used in certain embodiments of the inventive insulation in its unactivated state and activated state, respectively. Bicomponent fiber 20 has a helix (aka helical) shape/crimp. A helix may be described as a three-dimensional curve around an axis. The pitch of a helix is the length of one complete turn measured along the axis of the helix. A circular helix has a constant curvature and constant torsion.

When in a dry environment, fiber embodiment 20 is in the unactivated state shown in FIG. 3A. When exposed to an intended external stimulus, such as increased humidity, fiber 20 transforms to the activated state shown in FIG. 3B, wherein the crimp of fiber 20 increases, such that the number of bends per length increases and the radius of the bends and/or the pitch decreases, that is, the helix becomes tighter, the radius and pitch of the helix decrease, and the fiber's helical configuration becomes more compact.

Persons having ordinary skill in the art will understand that certain embodiments of the bicomponent fibers used herein (e.g., the bicomponent fiber 20 of FIGS. 3A and 3B having a helix structure) have a structure that is caused by deliberate selection of the fiber's components. For example, in some embodiments (e.g., certain embodiments where the bicomponent fibers are intended to be reactive to humidity as external stimulus), one of the core and sheath of the bicomponent fiber is non-hygroscopic, and the other is hygroscopic. For example, in some embodiments, the core comprises a non-hygroscopic material and the sheath comprises a hygroscopic material. In some embodiments, the hygroscopic material is selected to have less thermal shrinkage and to be less stiff than the non-hygroscopic material. In some embodiments, when, e.g., co-extruded then heat shrunk, the hygroscopic material wants to elongate. However, this is restricted by the non-hygroscopic material, thereby resulting in a helix structure. On exposure to humidity, the hygroscopic material wants to further elongate. Again, this action is resisted by the non-hygroscopic material and the stiffer non-hygroscopic component causes the helix angle to tighten. This results in the activated configuration shown in FIG. 3B. Compared with the fiber 20 in relatively dry conditions (FIG. 3A), in FIG. 3B, the width a is reduced and the length b is reduced. On removal of the external stimulus (e.g., humidity), fiber 20 returns to its unactivated configuration shown in FIG. 3A. In some embodiments, the length b may be reduced by 5 to 40% (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40%), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 10 to 20%), and the width a may be reduced by 2 to 30% (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30%), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 3 to 15%), in 100% humid conditions as compared with dry conditions.

In some embodiments, the non-hygroscopic material comprises non-hygroscopic polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and/or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

In some embodiments, the hygroscopic material comprises nylon, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), an acrylic resin, polyurethane, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and/or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

In particular embodiments, the bicomponent fibers comprise nylon and polypropylene. For example, in some embodiments, the core comprises polypropylene and the sheath comprises nylon.

In some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers comprise 20 to 50 weight % (wt %) core material (e.g., 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, or 50 wt %), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 20 to 40 wt %, 25 to 35 wt %, etc.).

In some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers comprise a majority (i.e., >50 wt %) of sheath material. For example, in some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers comprise 50 to 80 wt % sheath material (e.g., 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80 wt %), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 60 to 80 wt %, 65 to 75 wt %, etc.).

In some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers have a helix first configuration and the second configuration is a helix with relatively decreased radius and/or pitch as compared to the first configuration.

In some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers' second configuration has increased twist as compared to the first configuration. In some embodiments, the bicomponent fiber has twist in both the first and second configurations.

In some embodiments, twist is imparted upon the shape of the bicomponent fibers by deliberate selection of the different materials that make up the bicomponent fibers. Embodiments of the bicomponent fibers contain two or more components, the components being made of different materials. The components are usually combined during the manufacture of the fibers, and may be combined in any ratio. Known manufacturing processes enable various bicomponent cross-sections to be achieved.

FIGS. 4A-F depict non-limiting examples of cross-sections that bicomponent fiber 20′ used in certain embodiments of the invention can have. In FIG. 4A, the core 42 and sheath 44 are in a 50:50 ratio and are in a side-by-side arrangement. As used herein, the term “core” refers to a foundational part of the bicomponent fiber that is distinct from the sheath portion. In various embodiments, the core may be at the center, innermost part of the bicomponent fiber. However, in other embodiments, the core may be off-centered, or present at at least a portion of a peripheral surface of the bicomponent fiber. In FIG. 4B the core 42 and sheath 44 are in an unequal radio and are in a side-by-side arrangement. Further, the interface between the core 42 and sheath 44 is not planar. In FIGS. 4C-4F, the core 42 and sheath 44 are in a concentric arrangement, where core 42 forms an interior portion of bicomponent fiber 20′ and is surrounded by sheath 44. In the non-limiting embodiments shown in FIGS. 4A to 4E, the core 42 is asymmetrically placed relative to the sheath 44 (i.e., the core 42 is symmetrically off-set within the bicomponent fiber 20′). In FIGS. 4C-4F, the core 42 is off-center (i.e., displaced from a center point or axis of the fiber) but still fully surrounded by the sheath 44. FIG. 4E shows a tri-lobal fiber 20′. The arrangements shown in FIGS. 4C-4F are also known as “sea island” configurations. Persons having ordinary skill in the art will understand that these are arrangements that are not limited and may include further components or additional “islands”.

In some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers are straight or relatively straight in the first configuration, then become crimped or twisted upon exposure to the external stimulus (e.g., humidity).

The bicomponent fibers have a denier of 2.0 to 8.0 denier (e.g., 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, or 8.0 denier), including any and all ranges and subranges therein. For example, in some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers have a denier of 2.0 to 7.0 denier, 2.0 to 4.5 denier, 2.0 to 3.0 denier, etc.

The bicomponent fibers are staple fibers (i.e., fibers having a standardized length) having a length of 38 to 105 mm (e.g., 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, or 105 mm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

In some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers comprise the active fiber as described in International Application Publication No. WO/2013186528 A1.

In some embodiments, the bicomponent fibers comprise commercially available INOTEK fibers available from MMT Textiles Limited.

In addition to the bicomponent fibers, the flap fiber mixture also comprises 0 to 75 wt % of a first population of synthetic fibers, and 0 to 75 wt % of a second population of synthetic fibers.

Persons having ordinary skill in the art are readily familiar with many synthetic fibers, and it is well within their purview to select appropriate synthetic fiber for use in the first and/or second populations of synthetic fibers depending on desired properties of the insulation being made and/or the article within which it is intended to be employed. Embodiments of the inventive insulation can comprise any synthetic fiber known in the art as being conducive to the preparation of textile materials. In some embodiments, nonexclusive synthetic fibers that may be used in the invention (e.g., comprised within the first and/or second populations) are selected from nylon, polyester, polypropylene, polylactic acid (PLA), poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA), polyamide, acrylic, acetate, polyolefin, nylon, rayon, lyocell, aramid, spandex, viscose, and modal fibers, and combinations thereof. In particular embodiments, synthetic fibers comprise polyester fibers. For example, in some embodiments, the polyester is selected from poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(hexahydro-p-xylylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), poly-1,4-cyclohexelyne dimethylene (PCDT) and terephthalate copolyesters in which at least 85 mole percent of the ester units are ethylene terephthalate or hexahydro-p-xylylene terephthalate units. In a particular embodiment, the polyester is polyethylene terephthalate. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers comprise virgin fibers. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers comprise recycled fibers (e.g., recycled polyester fibers).

The flap fiber mixture of the inventive insulation contains 0 to 75 wt % of the first population of synthetic fibers (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, or 75 wt %), including any and all ranges and subranges therein. The fibers of the first population have a denier of less than 2.0 denier (for example, 0.4 to 1.9 denier, e.g., 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, or 1.9 denier, including any and all ranges and subranges therein). The fibers of the first population have a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm (e.g., 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, or 105 mm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

The flap fiber mixture of the inventive insulation contains 0 to 75 wt % of the second population of synthetic fibers (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, or 75 wt %), including any and all ranges and subranges therein. The fibers of the second population have a denier of 4.0 to 10.0 denier (e.g., 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 10.0), including any and all ranges and subranges therein. The fibers of the second population have a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm (e.g., 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, or 105 mm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

The material of the fibers of the first and second populations are independently selected. In some embodiments, the fibers of the first population are the same material as the fibers of the second population. In other embodiments, the fibers of the first population are a different material than the fibers of the second population. In particular embodiments, the fibers of the first and second populations comprise polyethylene.

In some embodiments, the flap fiber mixture comprises siliconized fibers. The term “siliconized” means that the fiber is coated with a silicon-comprising composition (e.g., a silicone). Siliconization techniques are well known in the art, and are described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,422. The silicon-comprising composition may be applied using any method known in the art, e.g., spraying, mixing, dipping, padding, etc. The silicon-comprising (e.g., silicone) composition, which may include an organosiloxane or polysiloxane, bonds to an exterior portion of the fiber. In some embodiments, the silicone coating is a polysiloxane such as a methylhydrogenpolysiloxane, modified methylhydrogenpolysiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane, or amino modified dimethylpolysiloxane. As is known in the art, the silicon-comprising composition may be applied directly to the fiber, or may be diluted with a solvent as a solution or emulsion, e.g. an aqueous emulsion of a polysiloxane, prior to application. Following treatment, the coating may be dried and/or cured. As is known in the art, a catalyst may be used to accelerate the curing of the silicon-comprising composition (e.g., polysiloxane containing Si—H bonds) and, for convenience, may be added to a silicon-comprising composition emulsion, with the resultant combination being used to treat the synthetic fiber. Suitable catalysts include iron, cobalt, manganese, lead, zinc, and tin salts of carboxylic acids such as acetates, octanoates, naphthenates and oleates. In some embodiments, following siliconization, the fiber may be dried to remove residual solvent and then optionally heated to between 65° and 200° C. to cure.

In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of the first population are non-siliconized fibers. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of the first population are siliconized fibers. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of the first population comprise both siliconized and non-siliconized fibers.

In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of the second population are non-siliconized fibers. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of the second population are siliconized fibers. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of the second population comprise both siliconized and non-siliconized fibers.

In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of both the first and second populations comprise non-siliconized fibers. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of both the first and second populations comprise siliconized fibers. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers of both the first and second populations comprise both siliconized and non-siliconized fibers.

In some embodiments, 0 to 100 wt % of each of the first and second fiber populations are siliconized fibers (with the respective weight percentages of each population being selected independently), for example, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 wt %, including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 20 to 95 wt %, 25 to 90 wt %, 30 to 90 wt %, 40 to 85 wt %, 51 to 90 wt %, etc.).

Generally speaking, fibers, such as those of the first and second populations, may be crimped or uncrimped. Various crimps, including spiral and standard (e.g., planar) crimp, are known in the art. Unless otherwise specified, fiber lengths, throughout this application, are pre-crimp measurements (i.e., the length measurement of a fiber before it is crimped, if said fiber has a crimp).

In some embodiments, the fibers of the first population of synthetic fibers comprise fibers having a standard or spring-like (e.g., helical) crimp. In particular embodiments, the fibers of the first population of synthetic fibers comprise fibers having a standard crimp.

In some embodiments, the fibers of the second population of synthetic fibers comprise fibers having a standard or spring-like (e.g., helical) crimp. In particular embodiments, the fibers of the second population of synthetic fibers comprise fibers having a spring-like (e.g., helical) crimp.

Durable water repellant (DWR) treatments are well known in the art, and provide water repellent properties to treated components. Persons having ordinary skill in the art are familiar with a variety of DWR treatments, any of which may optionally be used on fibers (e.g., on fibers of the first or second populations) in connection with the present invention. In some embodiments, fibers used in the inventive insulation (which may be referred to as DWR-treated fibers or water repellant fibers) have been treated with a polymer solution of zirconium acetate, which can impart durable water repellant properties while minimizing and/or avoiding negative effects on fiber performance. In some embodiments, fibers treated with a durable water repellant are treated with a water-repellant, bacterial-resistant, low friction cured zirconium acetate finish, such that the fibers have improved driability following washing and enhanced handle and resistance to clumping. An example of a zirconium acetate solution that may be used as a DWR treatment in connection with the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,594. In some embodiments, the fiber treated with a durable water repellant is treated in a wet bath or dry spraying process. In some embodiments, the treatment comprises a surface energy modification technique, which, as is known in the art, may include, e.g., plasma treatment. Such treatments or processes are explained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,869,922, 5,262,208, 5,895,558, 6,416,633, 7,510,632, 8,309,033, and 8,298,627.

In some embodiments, synthetic fibers of the first and/or second populations comprise particles or material that is different from the synthetic material that the synthetic fiber is primarily comprised of. In some embodiments, synthetic fibers of the first and/or second populations comprise up to 15 wt % of particles or material that is different from the synthetic material that the synthetic fiber is primarily comprised of. For example, in some embodiments, the synthetic fibers comprise 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 11.0, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, 12.0, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.7, 12.8, 12.9, 13.0, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5, 13.6, 13.7, 13.8, 13.9, 14.0, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8, 14.9, or 15.0 wt % of particles or material different from the synthetic material that the synthetic fiber is primarily comprised of, including any and all ranges and subranges therein. In some embodiments, said particles or material is comprised within (e.g., encapsulated within) a polymer matrix that represents the synthetic material of which the synthetic fiber is primarily comprised. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers in the fiber mixture comprise aerogel fiber, as described in International Application Publication No. WO/2017/087511. In some embodiments, the synthetic fibers in the fiber mixture comprise microcapsules, as described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/586,507.

In addition to the bicomponent fibers and optionally the first and second populations of synthetic fibers, the flap fiber mixture also comprises 5 to 40 wt % synthetic binder fibers (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, or 40 wt %), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 10 to 30 wt %). Generally speaking, the binder fibers having a bonding temperature lower than the softening temperature of other synthetic polymeric fibers present in the flap fiber mixture.

In some embodiments, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature of less than or equal to 200° C. In some embodiments, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature of 50 to 200° C., including any and all ranges and subranges therein. In some embodiments, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature of 80° C. to 150° C. In some embodiments, the binder fibers have a bonding temperature of 100° C. to 125° C.

In some embodiments, the binder fibers comprise low-melt polyester fibers.

In some embodiments, the binder fibers are bicomponent fibers comprising an exterior and interior (commonly known in the art as a sheath and core), wherein the exterior comprises a material having a lower melting point than the interior.

The inventive insulation, in some embodiments, has been heat treated so as to melt all or a portion of the binder fibers, thereby forming a thermally bonded insulation. Persons having ordinary skill in the art will understand that, in such embodiments, although “binder fibers” are recited in the fiber mixture, said fibers may be wholly or partially melted fibers, as opposed to binder fibers in their original, pre-heat treatment form.

The binder fibers have a denier of 1.5 to 4.0 denier (e.g., 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, or 4.0 denier), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

The binder fibers have a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm (e.g., 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, or 105 mm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

As discussed above, the composition of the flap fiber mixture makes the flaps of embodiments of the inventive insulation reactive to an external stimulus. The flap fiber mixture is thus the composition of flaps within the insulation (e.g., of flaps 4 depicted in insulation 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2).

In some embodiments, the non-flap portion(s) of the insulation (e.g., non-flap portion 6 depicted in insulation 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2) comprises a different fiber mixture than the flap fiber mixture (e.g., a fiber mixture corresponding to the flap fiber mixture, but excluding the reactive bicomponent fibers discussed above, or even an entirely different fiber mixture). Such embodiments may be formed, for example, using a pre-determined pattern for laying the fibers making up the insulation. In other embodiments, the non-flap portions comprise a non-flap fiber mixture that is the same as the flap fiber mixture.

In some embodiments, the inventive insulation is non-woven.

In some embodiments, the inventive insulation comprises a single non-woven web. In other embodiments, the inventive insulation comprises two or more (e.g., 2, 3, 4, etc.) non-woven webs, which are layered. Where a single nonwoven web is used in the insulation, the insulation may be referred to as a non-layered insulation. Where a plurality (i.e., 2 or more) of nonwoven webs are used, the insulation may be referred to as a layered insulation. Embodiments of the inventive insulation may also be referred to as batting.

In some embodiments, the flap fiber mixture and/or non-flap portion fiber mixture additionally comprises other synthetic and/or natural fibers. For example, in some embodiments, the fiber mixture comprises one or more members selected from wool, cotton, tencel, kapok (cotton-like fluff obtained from seeds of a Kapok tree, which may optionally be further processed before use), flax, animal hair, silk, and down (e.g., duck or goose down).

In some embodiments, the insulation has a thickness of 4 to 30 mm (e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30 mm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

In some embodiments, the insulation has a density of 3.0 to 12.0 kg/m³ (e.g., 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, 11.0, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, or 12.0 kg/m³), including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

Embodiments of the inventive insulation have a first surface parallel to a second surface. For example, the entire top view of insulation 10 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of the first surface. The second surface of insulation 10 is not visible, as it is parallel to the first surface, and in contact with a table on which insulation 10 is placed.

In some embodiments, the first surface and/or the second surface of the insulation comprises a cross-linked resin. This is the case where, for instance, a cross-linker solution comprising a cross-linker compound has been applied to the first and/or second surface. In various embodiments, the resin is a cross-linked (e.g., via heat treatment) version of the cross-linker solution. In some embodiments, the cross-linked resin comprises a cross-linker that is a cross-linked acrylate (co)polymer. In some embodiments, the cross-linker solution and/or the cross-linker compound display softness and hydrophobicity. In some embodiments, the cross-linker compound has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 0° C.

In some embodiments, the inventive insulation has a weight of 25 to 200 gsm (e.g., 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, or 200 gsm), including any and all ranges and subranges therein (e.g., 25 to 100 gsm, 40 to 100 gsm, etc.).

In some embodiments, the inventive insulation has good drape (the insulation hangs under its own weight). An insulation's drape can have a significant bearing on qualities such as comfort and aesthetics of an article within which the insulation may be used. In some embodiments, the insulation has a drape of 1.5 cm to 5.0 cm (e.g., 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, or 5.0 cm) including any and all ranges and subranges therein, as measured in accordance with Method ASTM D1388.

In some embodiments, the insulation is in, or is suitable for providing in sheet form (e.g., suitable for use as a rolled good) and has not been shredded.

In a second aspect, the invention provides an article comprising the inventive insulation according to the first aspect of the invention. Non-limiting examples of such articles include, for example, footwear, outerwear (e.g. outerwear garments such as jackets, pants, etc.), clothing (e.g., socks, under garments, apparel), pillows, pads, sleeping bags, bedding (e.g., quilts, comforters), tents, etc.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a non-exclusive method of making the inventive insulation according to the first aspect of the invention (or an article according to the second aspect of the invention), said method comprising:

• • forming an intermediate insulation from a fiber mixture, said intermediate insulation comprising a plurality of flap areas that comprise the flap fiber mixture discussed in accordance with the first aspect of the invention;
  • heating the intermediate insulation in excess of the bonding temperature of the binder fibers in the flap fiber mixture; and
  • forming a plurality of flaps (e.g., via slits) in the intermediate insulation, thereby creating a plurality of reactive flaps.

In some embodiments, the insulation is nonwoven insulation comprising one or more nonwoven web layers. Where the insulation comprises more than one nonwoven web, the inventive method comprises layering the nonwoven web layers.

Said heating can be performed, for example, using one or more heating cycles in a standard textile thermal bonding oven.

In some embodiments, the one or more nonwoven web layers comprise, in both the flap areas and also non-flap areas, the flap fiber mixture.

In some embodiments, the method additionally comprises (e.g., after said heating), applying to the first surface and/or the second surface of the intermediate batting insulation structure a resin (e.g., a cross-linked resin as discussed above) Resin-treating one or both of the surfaces of the insulation can help to increase stability and integrity of the intermediate batting so as to improve durability and help make the material durable enough to withstand downstream processing in slit cutting process.

In some embodiments, the flaps are formed by forming slits, e.g., via cutting. In some embodiments, cutting comprising manual cutting or laser-cutting using a laser cutting machine. Laser cutting machines conducive toward use in the textile field are well known to persons having ordinary skill in the art.

In some non-limiting embodiments, the invention is as described in one of the following clauses:

Clause 1. Insulation having a plurality of reactive flaps therein, such that the insulation comprises the flaps and also non-flap portions, wherein said reactive flaps comprise a flap fiber mixture that comprises:

• • 20-80 wt % bicomponent fibers having a core and a sheath, said fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 8.0 denier, and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm, wherein said bicomponent fibers are reactive to an external stimulus, and have a first configuration in an unactivated state and a second configuration in an activated state, and wherein the bicomponent fibers can reversibly transform between the unactivated and activated states;
  • 5-40 wt % synthetic binder fibers having a denier of 1.5 to 4.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm;
  • 0-75 wt % of a first population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of less than 2.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm; and
  • 0-75 wt % of a second population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of 4.0 to 10.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm.

Clause 2. The insulation according to clause 1, wherein said insulation is non-woven.

Clause 3. The insulation according to clause 1 or clause 2, wherein the fibers of the first population of synthetic fibers are siliconized.

Clause 4. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 3, wherein the fibers of the second population of synthetic fibers are siliconized.

Clause 5. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 4, wherein the fibers of the first population of synthetic fibers have a standard crimp.

Clause 6. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 5, wherein the fibers of the second population of synthetic fibers have a spring-like crimp.

Clause 7. The insulation according to clause 6, wherein the fibers of the second population of synthetic fibers have a helical crimp.

Clause 8. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 7, wherein the non-flap portions of the insulation comprise a non-flap fiber mixture that is the same as the flap fiber mixture (the insulation is made of the same fiber mixture, for both flap and non-flap portions).

Clause 9. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 8, wherein the bicomponent fibers comprise 20 to 50 wt % core material and 50 to 80 wt % sheath material.

Clause 10. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 9, wherein the core of the bicomponent fibers comprises a non-hygroscopic core material and the sheath of the bicomponent fibers comprises a hygroscopic sheath material.

Clause 11. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 10, wherein the core of the bicomponent fibers comprises polypropylene and the sheath comprises nylon.

Clause 12. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 11, wherein the bicomponent fibers comprise 20 to 40 wt % core material and 60 to 80 wt % sheath material.

Clause 13. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 12, wherein the core of the bicomponent fibers is an off-center core.

Clause 14. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 13, wherein the second configuration has increased twist as compared to the first configuration.

Clause 15. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 14, wherein the bicomponent fibers have a helical crimp.

Clause 16. The insulation according to clause 15, wherein the first configuration is a helix and the second configuration is a helix with relatively decreased radius and pitch as compared to the first configuration.

Clause 17. The insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 16, wherein the flap fiber mixture comprises:

• • 40-80 wt % of the bicomponent fibers;
  • 10-40 wt % of the synthetic binder fibers; and
  • 5-50 wt % of the first population of synthetic fibers, wherein said first population of synthetic fibers are siliconized and have a denier of less than 1.5 denier.

Clause 18. An article comprising the insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 17.

Clause 19. The article according to clause 18, wherein said article is selected from footwear, outerwear, clothing, sleeping bags, tents, and bedding.

Clause 20. A method of making the insulation according to any one of clauses 1 to 17, said method comprising:

• • forming an intermediate insulation from a fiber mixture, said intermediate insulation comprising a plurality of flap areas that comprise the flap fiber mixture;
  • heating the intermediate insulation in excess of the bonding temperature of the binder fibers in the flap fiber mixture; and
  • forming a plurality of flaps in the intermediate insulation, thereby creating a plurality of reactive flaps.

Clause 21. The method according to clause 20, wherein said forming a plurality of flaps in the intermediate insulation comprises laser-cutting flaps in the intermediate insulation.

EXAMPLES

The invention will now be illustrated, but not limited, by reference to the specific embodiment described in the following example.

Example 1

An embodiment of the inventive insulation is made as follows:

A fiber mixture is prepared by mixing:

• • 20% 2.2 Denier×51 MM Low Melt Binder Fiber
  • 60% 2.0 Denier×51 MM Bicomponent Adaptive Fiber—Nylon/Polypropylene
  • 20% 1.4 Denier×51 MM Siliconized Fiber w/Standard Crimp
    After being mixed/blended, the fiber mixture is then processed into web form on a traditional carding machine to form a nonwoven web. The web is then sent through a cross-lapper in order to obtain the desired weight and thickness. The cross-lapped webbing is then thermally bonded and is subsequently sprayed with a resin solution. C-shaped slits are cut into the material, thereby forming flaps. The final insulation embodiment is depicted in FIG. 1.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”), “contain” (and any form contain, such as “contains” and “containing”), and any other grammatical variant thereof, are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a method or article that “comprises”, “has”, “includes” or “contains” one or more steps or elements possesses those one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps or elements. Likewise, a step of a method or an element of an article that “comprises”, “has”, “includes” or “contains” one or more features possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features.

As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “has,” “including,” “containing,” and other grammatical variants thereof encompass the terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.”

The phrase “consisting essentially of” or grammatical variants thereof when used herein are to be taken as specifying the stated features, integers, steps or components but do not preclude the addition of one or more additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof but only if the additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed compositions or methods.

All publications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference herein as though fully set forth.

Subject matter incorporated by reference is not considered to be an alternative to any claim limitations, unless otherwise explicitly indicated.

Where one or more ranges are referred to throughout this specification, each range is intended to be a shorthand format for presenting information, where the range is understood to encompass each discrete point within the range as if the same were fully set forth herein.

While several aspects and embodiments of the present invention have been described and depicted herein, alternative aspects and embodiments may be affected by those skilled in the art to accomplish the same objectives. Accordingly, this disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover all such further and alternative aspects and embodiments as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Insulation having a plurality of reactive flaps therein, such that the insulation comprises the flaps and also non-flap portions, wherein said reactive flaps comprise a flap fiber mixture that comprises:

20-80 wt % bicomponent fibers having a core and a sheath, said fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 8.0 denier, and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm, wherein said bicomponent fibers are reactive to an external stimulus, and have a first configuration in an unactivated state and a second configuration in an activated state, and wherein the bicomponent fibers can reversibly transform between the unactivated and activated states;

5-40 wt % synthetic binder fibers having a denier of 1.5 to 4.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm;

0-75 wt % of a first population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of less than 2.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm; and

0-75 wt % of a second population of synthetic fibers, being synthetic polymeric fibers having a denier of 4.0 to 10.0 denier and a staple cut length of 38 to 105 mm.

2. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein said insulation is non-woven.

3. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the fibers of the first population of synthetic fibers are siliconized.

4. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the fibers of the second population of synthetic fibers are siliconized.

5. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the fibers of the first population of synthetic fibers have a standard crimp.

6. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the fibers of the second population of synthetic fibers have a spring-like crimp.

7. The insulation according to claim 6, wherein the fibers of the second population of synthetic fibers have a helical crimp.

8. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the non-flap portions of the insulation comprise a non-flap fiber mixture that is the same as the flap fiber mixture.

9. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the bicomponent fibers comprise 20 to 50 wt % core material and 50 to 80 wt % sheath material.

10. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the core of the bicomponent fibers comprises a non-hygroscopic core material and the sheath of the bicomponent fibers comprises a hygroscopic sheath material.

11. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the core of the bicomponent fibers comprises polypropylene and the sheath comprises nylon.

12. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the bicomponent fibers comprise 20 to 40 wt % core material and 60 to 80 wt % sheath material.

13. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the core of the bicomponent fibers is an off-center core.

14. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the second configuration has increased twist as compared to the first configuration.

15. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the bicomponent fibers have a helical crimp.

16. The insulation according to claim 15, wherein the first configuration is a helix and the second configuration is a helix with relatively decreased radius and pitch as compared to the first configuration.

17. The insulation according to claim 1, wherein the flap fiber mixture comprises:

40-80 wt % of the bicomponent fibers;

10-40 wt % of the synthetic binder fibers; and

5-50 wt % of the first population of synthetic fibers, wherein said first population of synthetic fibers are siliconized and have a denier of less than 1.5 denier.

18. An article comprising the insulation according to claim 1.

19. The article according to claim 18, wherein said article is selected from footwear, outerwear, clothing, sleeping bags, and bedding.

20. A method of making the insulation according to claim 1, said method comprising:

forming an intermediate insulation from a fiber mixture, said intermediate insulation comprising a plurality of flap areas that comprise the flap fiber mixture;

heating the intermediate insulation in excess of the bonding temperature of the binder fibers in the flap fiber mixture; and

forming a plurality of flaps in the intermediate insulation, thereby creating a plurality of reactive flaps.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said forming a plurality of flaps in the intermediate insulation comprises laser-cutting flaps in the intermediate insulation.