WO2015117195A1

WO2015117195A1 - Coated textile and anti-blister sock

Info

Publication number: WO2015117195A1
Application number: PCT/AU2015/000070
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vladislav LIBESON
Original assignee: Hunting Lady Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2014-02-07
Filing date: 2015-02-09
Publication date: 2015-08-13
Also published as: WO2015117195A9

Abstract

An anti-blister sock (30) formed by a stretchable woven or knitted textile (20) having an interweave or integration of fibres, the textile having first (12) and second opposite surfaces which correspond to a sock inner surface (32) and a sock outer surface (34) respectively, the textile including silicone (22) applied to the first surface (12) and the silicone (22) being cured, the silicone (22) being applied and cured in such a manner that the fibres of the textile (20) are at least partially coated and the textile is porous.

Description

Title of Invention

COATED TEXTILE AND ANTI-BLISTER SOCK Technical Field

[1] The invention relates to a textile or fabric which has properties pcji]shift moisture from one side of the fabric to an opposite side. In particular, the invention relates an anti-blister blister sock, formed of such a textile or fabric, having properties to reduce or prevent the formation of blisters on a wearer's feet.

Background of Invention

[2] Textiles have naturally low friction properties when worn next to skin allowing them to move freely against skin. This movement of shear or rubbing forces can irritate skin to a degree that starts to wear away a top surface of the dermal layer and can cause bleeding or blisters. Moisture on the surface of the fabric further exacerbates this condition by further increasing friction between the textile and skin but not to the extent where movement is eliminated altogether. .

[3] Textiles that form garments will often be exposed to sweat that is produced by the person wearing the garment. Sweat that accumulates in a garment, such as by absorption, can result in numerous disadvantages such as making the garment cling to the skin of the wearer, while it can also make the garment heavy and unsightly. Accordingly, in some circumstances it is desirable to remove moisture from the textile, or at least shift moisture from an inner facing surface of the textile to the opposite and outer facing surface, for the comfort of the person wearing the garment this is particularly the case in garments that are worn during exercise and that are exposed to large amounts of sweat.

[4] An example of textiles that are exposed to moisture are where the textiles are used to form socks and where the moisture is sweat that emanates from the wearer's feet. Shearing or rubbing forces in the wearing of socks can cause blisters or wounds to form in the feet of the wearer, causing mild to extreme discomfort. In contrast to garments intended for wear on the torso or limbs, the above-described disadvantages of clinging, heaviness and unsightliness are generally less concerning with respect to the textile of socks which are usually covered by an article of outer footwear. Moreover, socks will typically cling to the foot regardless of the presence of moisture due to the nature of the article being one which is intended to be a close and snug fit to the wearer's foot. Socks are also often elasticised to enhance the fit to a foot. However, there can nevertheless be slight movement between the inner surface of the sock and the facing skin surface that can result in blisters or wounds and this can occur regardless of the moisture content in the sock.

[5] Blister formation, for example on the heels or soles of one's feet, is a highly uncomfortable and painful condition which many, if not most, people would have experienced at one time or another. In addition to blister pain being potentially debilitating to the point where a sufferer's walking or running is affected, blisters which are left untreated have the potential to become infected and require more comprehensive medical treatment.

[6] The causes of foot blister formation are varied and can also depend on an individual's skin-type, for example those with softer skin may have a higher propensity for blister formation than those with harder or calloused feet. However, irrespective of skin-type, blister formation is most commonly attributed to the presence of at least one of three physical factors, being moisture, chafing and heat. Of course, all three of these factors are commonly present at the interface between a sock and the skin of the foot which therefore leads to blisters being most commonly suffered on one's feet. In circumstances where running or walking is prolonged or intensified, for example during athletic activities or hiking, the risk of foot blister formation is significantly increased due to larger sweat excretion/accumulation as well as increased friction which also results in increased heat formation.

[7] One approach that can be used to shift or remove moisture from a textile is by the mechanism of wicking, whereby capillary action in the textile draws moisture along or through the textile. By this mechanism, the surface area of the moisture is increased and that allows for faster evaporation of the moisture from the textile. Where this mechanism results in the moisture moving through the textile, it has the added advantage that the moisture is shifted away from the body of the garment wearer, so that the comfort of the wearer is improved as compared the moisture remaining on the inner surface of the textile.

[8] However, adoption of wicking as a mechanism for shifting moisture can be undesirable in some circumstances. For example, where the textile forms a garment such as an athletics singlet, the textile wicking properties may transfer moisture slowly and thus the singlet remains uncomfortable to wear when the wearer is sweaty. When the textile forms a sock, in addition to the above disadvantage, the relatively slow moisture transfer increases the risk of blister formation. Furthermore, the flexibility and movement of a textile that has wicking properties may be compromised due to moisture movement through the textile.

[9] The Applicant has recognised that a textile with improved moisture movement capacity or characteristics and/or a textile which generates little or no movement against skin could be desirable, particularly if the other characteristics of the textile remain largely unchanged, or alternatively are improved.

[10] While it will be appreciated that a textile with the above-described improvements may provide advantages when formed into a garment such as a shirt, singlet or legwear, the Applicant has also recognised that the properties of the textile they have developed can advantageously provide an improved anti-blister sock which addresses at least some or all of the above-described problems with blister formation occurring at the sock/skin interface. Therefore, while the invention can extend to fabrics or textiles that are used for garments other than socks, the focus of the specification hereinafter is principally in relation to anti-blister socks.

[1 1] The above discussion is included in this specification solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any or all of the matters discussed formed part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

[12] Before the invention is described in greater detail below, it is useful to provide an explanation of some of the terms that will be used to define the invention hereinafter. In this respect, "anti-blister sock" will be appreciated as an article of footwear having features intended to reduce the likelihood of foot blister formation. In some circumstances, an anti-blister sock may prevent blister occurrence altogether. In other circumstances, the extent of blister formation may be reduced as compared to blister formation when wearing a conventional sock. In certain applications, an anti- blister sock may mitigate the discomfort experienced due to an existing blister.

[13] Furthermore, terms such as "inner" and "outer" will be appreciated in the context of a sock such that an "inner surface" will be understood as the surface intended to face the skin of a wearer's foot and the "outer surface" will be understood as the surface of the sock intended to face away from the wearer's foot. It will be also appreciated that, in most cases, the wearer will cover the "outer surface" of the sock with a shoe or an additional sock and a shoe.

Summary of Invention

[14] In one form of the present invention there is provided an anti-blister sock formed by a stretchable woven or knitted textile having an interweave of fibres, the textile having first and second opposite surfaces which correspond to a sock inner surface and a sock outer surface respectively, the textile including silicone applied to the first surface and the silicone being cured, the silicone being applied and cured in such a manner that the fibres of the textile are at least partially coated and the textile is porous.

[15] For reasons which will be discussed in greater detail below, the form of the invention described above can advantageously address one or more of the three previously discussed causes of blister formation by, firstly, facilitating the passage of moisture away from a wearer's foot, secondly, by reducing chafing on the skin and, thirdly, by reducing heat generation at the surface of the skin. For a better understanding of the present invention, the mechanisms to achieve these advantages will now be discussed in further detail.

[16] In the present invention, the passage of moisture from one side of the textile to the other is advantageously facilitated by virtue of the silicone coating being applied and cured in a manner that the textile remains porous. That is, the textile before application of the silicone coating will be a porous textile because of it being a stretchable woven or knitted textile and the application of the silicone coating does not disturb that porosity. The application of the silicone might have an effect on the porosity of the textile, such as to reduce the size of the pores, but despite this (if it occurs), the textile remains porous.

[17] In addition, the silicone coating can advantageously promote evaporation of the moisture, particularly if the silicone is hydrophobic. The promotion of evaporation is by the silicone causing the moisture to spread across the surface of the textile once it has moved through the textile and thus increase the surface area it occupies. If the silicone is hydrophobic, the speed at which the movement through textile occurs can be increased over non-hydrophobic silicone and the spreading effect of the moisture across the textile surface can also be increased. These characteristics both can improve the dissipation of moisture from the garment. In this respect, an inner surface of an anti-blister sock that is coated with a hydrophobic silicone substrate will cooperate with the outer, non-hydrophobic, surface to facilitate the passage of moisture in an outward direction, away from the wearer's skin and thus mitigating one of the major causes of blister formation. The moisture might then be absorbed in the sock or footwear that the wearer would normally wear with the anti-blister sock.

[18] Turning now to the second of the above-described causes of blister formation, an anti-blister sock according to the present invention may alleviate rubbing or chafing at the interface between the skin of the wearer's feet and the inner surface of the anti-blister sock. In this respect, the silicone substrate present on the inner surface of the anti-blister sock provides a relatively high-friction surface capable of 'gripping' or 'sticking' to the skin of the foot such that chafing is reduced when compared to a conventional sock or, in some cases, may be prevented entirely. In use, the outer surface of the anti-blister sock will therefore become the 'sliding' surface which shifts relative to the wearer's shoe or to a second sock worn on top of the anti-blister sock. Accordingly, the varying coefficients of friction between the inner and outer surfaces advantageously displaces the chafing movement from the skin/skin interface to the sock/sock or the sock/shoe interface, thereby mitigating another of the major causes of blister formation. [19] Turning to the third and final of the above-described causes of blister formation, the above-described reduction in chafing provided by the present invention may also provide a significant reduction in the heat generated by friction at the skin/sock interface. In this regard, the present invention can thereby address the third of the major causes of blister formation.

[20] In an alternative application of a textile developed by the applicant the surface of the textile applied with the silicone substrate may form the outer surface of a garment and therefore the wearer's skin is in contact with the opposite, possibly low-friction, surface of the textile. In such applications, the Applicant foresees the manufacture of sports singlets and T-shirts, both long and short sleeved, shorts, pants jackets and especially undergarments. Headwear could also be included in the range of garments which are manufactured. Liners for heavy garments could also be included in the range.

[21] Of course, It will be appreciated that a textile developed by the applicant can have a very wide scope for use and is not just restricted to the use in the sporting field. The invention could also extend to non-sporting garments that are worn in conditions promoting sweat, such as outdoor workers, workers working in hot and/or humid environments (scientists working for example in elevated temperature environments), workers working in highly physical jobs - nurses, musicians, bar staff etc.

[22] The textile which has been developed by the Applicant and which can form an anti-blister sock according to the invention can be made from a natural fibre such as a wool or cotton, or it can be a synthetic textile. The textile can be up to 300 gram per square meter (gsm), although a more likely range would be from 55gsm to 190gsm.

[23] The textile is a stretchable textile. The textile can be naturally stretchable or can include stretchable fibres interweaved or integrated with substantially non- stretch able fibres to impart stretch to the textile.

[24] The textile has first and second opposite surfaces and silicone is applied to one of the surfaces and for the purposes of this discussion, it is the first surface to which silicone is applied. Once the silicone has been applied to the first surface, it is then cured to at least partially coat the fibres of the textile. That partial coating must be applied in a manner to leave the textile porous. In this respect, prior to application of the silicone, the base fabric of the textile is porous and the application of silicone does not destroy that porosity, but rather maintains the porosity. The porosity might be affected by the application of silicone, so that the base fabric is less porous than prior to the application of silicone, but the textile remains porous nonetheless. Alternatively, there may be no change in the level of porosity of the textile or in fact, the porosity might increase.

[25] The silicone may be any suitable type of silicone or silicone formulation. The silicone is preferably hydrophobic. Examples of suitable silicone or silicone formulations include any type of resinous silicone compound including but not limited to polydimethylsiloxane.

[26] The silicone can be applied as a single coat or as multiple coatings to the first surface.

[27] The application of the silicone to the first surface of the garment can be made in any suitable manner. Suitable forms of application include, screen printing, calendar print, rotary print and spraying, although this is not an exhaustive list.

[28] The textile for forming an anti-blister sock can be made first and then the anti-blister sock formed from that textile. Alternatively, the sock can be made from the base fabric and the silicone applied to the base fabric as formed into the shape of a sock. The former method is less complex.

[29] The silicone may be cured by in any suitable manner such as by heat or air drying. For example, a two pack silicone will cross link in ambient air. Where heat is employed, the heat can be applied for a period of between 30 seconds to 5 minutes and at a temperature of between 120°C and 160°C. An oven or furnace can be used for this purpose, while air drying can be conducted in the open. Other methods of curing include irradiation, such as IR and UV. [30] In some uses of a textile developed by the applicant, the In cases of garments other than socks, for example shirts, singlets or shorts, the second surface can be the surface that is in contact against the skin of the wearer, or is adjacent the skin. The pores in the textile enable moisture that is exposed or applied to the second surface to pass through the second surface and into contact with the first surface due to the capillary forces which shift moisture from the damper, inner, second surface to the outer, dryer first surface which has been applied with the silicone substrate. As discussed above, the outward passage of moisture toward the surface of the garment having the silicone substrate encourages evaporation due to the tendency of moisture to bead on the surface of the silicone substrate and spread out over a wider area. By way of clarification, this mechanism is distinguished from the behaviour of moisture in an anti-blister sock of the present invention in that moisture in an anti-blister sock will also move in an outward direction away from the wearer's foot however, in this case, movement will occur from the inner surface of the textile having the silicone substrate to the dryer, second surface on the outside of the anti-blister sock.

[31] Still referring to garments other than anti-blister socks, the second surface of the textile might be separated from direct contact with the skin by an intermediate garment or textile layer, and this could for example be adhesive strapping which is commonly applied to sportsmen and women for dealing with sports injuries. The intermediate garment or textile layer could alternatively be a sports compression garment used to enhance performance and to encourage muscle recovery. Other garments could alternatively be positioned between the skin of the wearer and textile garment of the invention and what is to be understood from this discussion is that direct contact with the skin of the wearer is not essential for the operation of the invention as it related to a garment.

[32] The fibres that form part of the first surface are at least partially coated with silicone, and the coating is preferably hydrophobic. The silicone coating tends to promote moisture movement. In instances where moisture is applied to the second surface, for example a garment in which the second side is the inside of the garment, the silicone coating on the first surface of the textile (the outside of the garment) tends to promote movement of moisture in an outwards direction, away from the wearer's skin, from the second surface to the first surface. In addition, upon the moisture reaching the first surface, the silicone layer tends to cause the moisture to bead at a microscopic level, or to form small or tiny microscopic droplets which are more easily evaporated. This mechanism is greatest when the silicone is hydrophobic. Therefore, the combination of the pores and the silicone coating, allow moisture to be removed from the second side of the textile.

[33] An anti-blister sock according to the invention requires that the fibres of the textile be at least partially coated with silicone. Thus, the partial coating can be a portion of the circumference of the fibres, so that where the coating is applied, a portion of the circumference is coated and an adjoining portion, taken at the same position along the fibre remains uncoated. Alternatively, the coating can be fully about the circumference but only partially along the full length of the fibres. Thus, lengthwise of the fibre, the coating can be intermittent. Alternatively still, there can be a combination of the two arrangements discussed above.

[34] The coating is not required to be uniform, although the coating can be uniform if the method of application of the silicone to the first surface facilitates this. Thus, the thickness of the coating can vary within acceptable limits and the density of the coating can also vary.

Brief Description of Drawings

[35] Figure 1 is a magnified view of a textile substrate.

[36] Figure 2 is a magnified view of the textile substrate shown in Figure 1 after coating with a silicone substrate.

[37] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an anti-blister sock according to an embodiment of the present invention with a partial cut-away to illustrate an inner surface of the anti-blister sock.

[38] Figure 4 is a view of the anti-blister sock of Figure 3 having being partially fitted onto a wearer's foot.

[39] Figure 5 is a view of the anti-blister sock of Figure 4 after fitting onto a wearer's foot. Detailed Description

[40] Illustrated in Figure 1 is a textile substrate 10 suitable for use in the manufacture of a composite textile with improved moisture transfer properties and with increased friction levels. As shown in Figure 1 , the weave of the textile substrate 10 is such that the textile substrate 10 is porous and therefore capable of facilitating moisture transfer there through.

[41] Figure 2 illustrates the textile substrate 10 after application of a silicone substrate to thereby form a composite textile 20 with improved moisture transfer and increased frictional properties. The composite textile 20 may thus be used in the manufacture of a garment with improved friction function and moisture transfer properties, for example an anti-blister sock.

[42] Figure 3 illustrates an anti-blister sock 30 formed by the composite textile 20 of Figure 2. The anti-blister sock 30 includes an inner surface 32 and an opposite outer surface 34. The inner surface 32 corresponds to the surface of the composite textile 20 that has been applied with the silicone substrate and thus the inner surface 32 provides a high-grip and hydrophobic surface to resist chafing against the skin of wearer's feet. In contrast, the outer surface 34 corresponds to the surface of the composite textile 20 which has not been applied with the silicone substrate and is therefore a relatively low-friction or smooth surface which is capable of freely sliding against the inside of a wearer's shoe or, alternatively, against a second sock worn on top of anti-blister sock 30. As discussed earlier, this arrangement advantageously reduces or eliminates friction or rubbing at the sock/skin interface during activities such as walking or running and transfers the rubbing movement to the interface between the outer surface 34 and the inner surface of either a second sock located outside the anti-blister sock 30 or, alternatively, the interface between the outer surface 34 and the inside of the wearer's shoe. The composite textile 20 can be a stretch textile so that the anti-blister sock 30 shrinks onto the foot 40 of the wearer and increases the level of grip against the skin of wearer's feet.

[43] Figure 4 illustrates the fitting of anti-blister sock 30 onto a wearer's foot 40. Owing to the high-grip inner surface 32 of the anti-blister sock 30, in most cases the anti-blister sock 30 may not be readily fitted in the same manner as a conventional sock, i.e. via a sliding motion onto the foot 40. As illustrated in in Figure 4, it may therefore be preferable for a wearer to put anti-blister sock 30 onto the foot 40 via a 'rolling' motion from a partially rolled initial state to an unrolled, fully extended, final state in which the anti-blister sock 30fits onto the foot 40 in the conventional sense, as illustrated in Figure 5.

[44] In many cases, the fully-fitted anti-blister sock 30 shown in Figure 5 will be worn underneath a second sock which may be of the conventional variety (not shown). As noted above, this arrangement advantageously enables rubbing movement to occur between the outer layer 34 and the inner layer of the conventional sock thereby reducing or eliminating rubbing occurring between the skin of the foot 40 and the inner surface 32 of the anti-blister sock 30. Moreover, the presence of an outer, conventional, sock surrounding the anti-blister sock 30 may tend to absorb moisture from the outer surface 34 during the outward moisture passage from the hydrophobic inner surface 32 (in contact with the wearer's skin) to the non- hydrophobic outer surface 34. In this regard, the subsequent absorption of moisture from the outer surface 34 to a conventional-type sock worn over the anti-blister sock 30 may reduce the level of moisture saturation on the outer surface 34 thereby aiding in the passage of outward moisture movement from the inner surface 32 to the outer surface 34, due to wicking.

[45] In alternative applications of the composite textile 20, the composite textile 20 may be formed into a garment intended for wear on the torso, head or legs. In these applications, the inner surface of the garment can be the second surface and outer surface of the garment can be the first surface to which the silicone coating is applied, so that when the garment is worn, the skin of the wearer is not in direct contact with the silicone coating.

[46] Moreover, because the garment is stretchable, the garment can fit closely against the skin surface, so that any moisture that is produced by the wearer is readily able to be shifted from the second surface to the first surface for evaporation.

[47] The textile can be formed into a garment that includes other characteristics suitable for the activity the garment is made for. For example, if the garment is one that is to be worn during exercise, it can be formed of a compression material that can be used to enhance athletic performance and to improve muscle recovery

[48] In an alternative embodiment of a textile with improved moisture transfer properties a silicone layer can be applied to the second surface as well as the first surface. In such an embodiment, the inner surface of silicone substrate may advantageously prevent the pooling of sweat beads at the skin/garment interface whilst the outer surface of silicone substrate may facilitate evaporation and dispersion of moisture in the manner previously discussed herein.

[49] The invention described herein is susceptible to variations, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described and it is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations, modifications and/or additions which fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Example

[50] An example of preparing a coated textile follows.

[51 ] A screen mesh of any suitable count ranging from 120T to 10T is employed on a machine that is able to apply either a single coat or multiple coats of silicone that can be of various formulations and viscosity as long as it is hydrophobic. Silicone is poured onto the mesh and is pushed through the mesh via a squeegee to the base stretch textile substrate forming a uniform coating that partially encases and partially absorbs into the textile fiber.

[52] The textile substrate that is coated is preferably 60 gsm or lighter. The heavier the textile substrate, the greater the quantity of silicone that needs to be applied and absorbed.

[53] The screen mesh is needed to create a uniform coating that is even and lays down a consistent quantity of silicone on the textile substrate.

[54] The mesh also helps in creating a coated textile that is porous. This occurs because when the squeegee pushes the silicone through the mesh, the individual strands that make up the mesh help to separate the portions of the silicone as applied to the textile substrate.

[55] The silicone can create a hydrophobic coating. The coating is hydrophobic, but is not required to be overly hydrophobic as other chemical coatings can be. In alternative applications of the above-described textile where the silicone substrate is orientated on the outer side of a garment, for example an athletics singlet, the lack of an overly hydrophobic coating advantageously allows moisture easier passage from the skin of the wearer to the outer, silicone coated, surface of the textile substrate for subsequent evaporation.

[56] A stretch textile substrate will tend to bring the hydrophobic textile substrate surface closer to the skin of the wearer due to the stretch of the textile. Again, in applications where the silicone substrate is on the outside of a garment, when the skin sweats, the hydrophobic silicone is not in direct contact with the skin. Advantageously, before the sweat combines into larger groups, it can instead evaporate quickly off the hydrophobic silicone.

[57] Again, with reference to applications of the above described textile in which the silicone substrate is orientated on the outer side of a garment other than an anti- blister sock, a partial coating of one side of the textile substrate, being the side not intended to be in contact with the skin of the wearer, can provide a more comfortable feel against the wearer's skin, by having the non-coated side to be worn against the skin. Moreover, a garment made from such a textile may provide a moisture barrier from weather wet outer garments.

[0057] Variations or alternatives to the above example include that the mesh can have a further pattern applied to it, while it is also possible to calendar, gravure and spray print the silicone on to the textile substrate.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows

1 . An anti-blister sock formed by a stretchable woven or knitted textile having an interweave or integration of fibres, the textile having first and second opposite surfaces which correspond to a sock inner surface and a sock outer surface respectively, the textile including silicone applied to the first surface and the silicone being cured, the silicone being applied and cured in such a manner that the fibres of the textile are at least partially coated and the textile is porous.

2. An anti-blister sock according to claim 1 , wherein the silicone is hydrophobic.

3. An anti-blister sock according to claim 1 or 2, the textile being made from a natural fibre.

4. An anti-blister sock according to claim 3, the textile being a wool or cotton.

5. An anti-blister sock according to claim 3, the textile being a synthetic textile.

6. An anti-blister sock according to any one of claims 1 to 5, having a weight of up to 300 grams per square meter (gsm).

7. An anti-blister sock according to claim 6, having a weight of from 40gsm to 100gsm.

8. An anti-blister sock according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the textile being a stretchable textile.

9. An anti-blister sock according to claim 8, the textile being naturally stretchable or including stretchable fibres interweaved with substantially non-stretchable fibres to impart stretch to the textile.

10. An anti-blister sock according to any one of claims 1 to 9, silicone being applied as a single coat or as multiple coatings to the first surface.

1 1 . An anti-blister sock according to any one of claims 1 to 9, application of the silicone to the first surface being by screen printing, calendar print or spraying. An anti-blister sock according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , the silicone being cured by heat or air drying or UV.