TEXTILE CLOTHING ITEM WITH AT LEAST ONE ABRASION PROTECTION ZONE PROVIDED WITH PROTECTOR ELEMENTS AND A PROCESS FOR ITS PRODUCTION

Abstract

In a process for the production of a textile clothing item with at least one abrasion protection zone provided with protector elements, the following steps are provided: 1) Provision of a textile backing layer (1) that is expandable and is provided in the form of a tube open on both sides (1), into which a support element (2) is introduced before the application of the coating material (5), by means of which the tube (1) is pre-extended and stretched free of wrinkles in the abrasion protection zones provided. 2) Provision of a pasty, hardenable coating material (5); 3) Application of a large number of portions of the coating material (5) on a surface of the backing layer for the formation of the protector elements, whereby the portions of the coating material (5) are arranged on the surface in such a way that the portions do not overlap and only a portion of the surface of the backing layer is covered by the coating material (5). A metallic molding plate (10, 20) that contains a large number of concave form cavities (11, 21) for the formation of the protector elements (101), which are filled with the pasty coating mass (5) and which is applied, with its openings, to the tube (1) supported on the support plate (2), is used for that purpose. 4) Hardening of the coating material (5) during the application of temperature for the formation of a large number of hard protector elements on the backing layer.

Claims

1. A textile clothing item (10, 110, 120) with at least one abrasion protection zone (111, 112, 113, 121, 122, 123) provided with protector elements (12, 30), in which a large number of protector elements (12, 13) are applied at a distance from one another on a textile base (11, 21), whereby the protector elements (12, 13) consist of a polymer matrix with embedded abrasion-resistant particles, Characterized in that, At least one protection zone is designed as an abrasion protection zone (111, 112, 113, 114, 211, 212, 213), in which the textile base (11) is formed from a knitted fabric that is expandable by at least 20%, Whereby the protector elements (12, 13) are designed in a curved shape and are anchored with a broad base on the textile base (11) and taper radially outwardly, Whereby the height of the protector elements measured between one summit and the base (12, 13) amounts to 0.1 times to 0.5 times its surface diameter at the base, That the sliding angle defined as a tangential angle between one free surface of the base and an adjacent protector element is less than 45, particularly less than 30.

2. Clothing item in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, the protector elements (12, 13) are shaped as spherical segments or have a lenticular form.

3. Clothing item in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, different sizes of protector elements (12, 13) are applied, whereby at least one small protector element (13) each is arranged between adjacent larger protector elements (2).

4. Clothing item in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, the protector elements consist of boron carbide and of a hardenable polymer additive.

5. Clothing item in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, the sliding angle defined as a tangential angle between one free surface of the base and an adjacent protector element is less than 45, particularly less than 30.

6. Clothing item in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, the distance of the protector elements (12, 13) from one another in the pre-extended support condition of the textile base (11) amounts to at least 1.0 times the average surface diameter of the base (11) and, in the expanded condition, a maximum of 3.0 times the average surface diameter of the base (11).

7. Clothing item in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, the diameter of the protector elements (12, 13) of the base (11) amounts to 2 mm to 6 mm.

8. Clothing item in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, the diameter of the larger protector elements (12) of the base (11) amounts to 4 mm to 6 mm and the diameter of the smaller protector elements (13) of the base (11) amounts to 2 mm to 4 mm.

9. Process for the production of a textile clothing item (100) with at least one abrasion protection zone (110) provided with protector elements (101) in accordance with one of the preceding claims, with at least the following steps: 1) Provision of a textile backing layer (1); 2) Provision of a pasty, hardenable coating material (5); 3) Application of a large number of portions of the coating material (5) on a surface of the backing layer for the formation of the protector elements (101), whereby the portions of the coating material (5) are arranged on the surface in such a way that the portions . . . do not overlap and that only a portion of the surface of the backing layer is covered by the coating material (5); 4) Hardening of the coating material (5) for the formation of a large number of hard protector elements (101) on the backing layer; Characterized in that: a) That the textile backing layer is expandable and is provided in the form of a textile tube open on both sides (1), and that, before the application of the coating material (5), a support element (2) is introduced into the tube (1), by means of which the tube (1) is pre-extended and is stretched wrinkle-free in the abrasion protection zones provided; b) That at least one form element (10, 20), which contains a large number of concave form cavities (11, 21) for the formation of the protector elements (101), which are filled with the pasty coating mass (5), is used, and that the form element (10, 20) is, with the surface (12, 22) provided with the openings of the form cavities (11, 21), applied to the tube (1) supported with the support plate (2); c) That the coating mass (5) is hardened, and: d) That the form element (10, 20) is removed from the textile tube (1):

10. Process in accordance with claim 9, characterized by the following additional steps in the step b): b-1) Use of a flat molding plate (10) as a form element and placement of a thin auxiliary blade plate (14) on the molding plate (10), whereby the thickness of the auxiliary blade plate (14) amounts to less than one fifth of the depth of the form cavities (11) and whereby the auxiliary blade plate (14) is provided with recesses (15), the pattern of holes of which is in agreement with the opening cross-sections of the form cavities (11) on the surface (12) of the molding plate (10); b-2) Introduction of the pasty coating material (5) through the openings of the auxiliary blade plate (14) and into the form cavities (11) of the molding plate (10); b-3) Wiping of the surface of the auxiliary blade plate (14); and: b-4) Removal of the auxiliary blade plate (14) from the molding plate (10). b-5) Placement of the molding plate (10) with its surface (12) provided with the openings of the form cavities (11) onto the tube (1),

11. Process in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that, two molding plates (10) provided with an auxiliary blade plate (14) and filled in the form cavities (11) with coating mass (5) are both used, which molding plates are applied on opposing sides of the tube (1) supported with the support plate (2).

12. Process in accordance with claim 9, characterized by the following additional steps in step b): b-1) Provision of at least one form element (20) that contains a large number of concave form cavities (21) for the formation of the protector elements (101), whereby the form cavities (21) each have a broad base on the surface (22) to be oriented to the textile backing layer (1) and a tapered opening (23) on the opposing surface (24); b-2) Placement of the form element (20) with the surface (22) provided with the broad openings of the form cavities (21) on the circular knit tube (1) supported by the support element; b-3) Introduction of the pasty coating material (5) through the narrow openings (23) of the form element (20) and into the form cavities (21); b-4) Wiping of the surface (24) provided with the narrow openings (23) of the form cavities (21).

13. Process in accordance with one of the preceding claims 9 to 12, characterized in that, the textile backing layer is formed by a three-dimensional knitted fabric and the tube (1) is a circular knit tube.

14. Process in accordance with one of the preceding claims 9 to 13, characterized in that, at least the form cavities (11, 21) in the form element (10, 20) are provided with a separating agent (13) before the application of the pasty coating mass (5).

15. Process in accordance with one of the preceding claims 9 to 14, characterized in that, the tube (1) has an extensibility of at least 20% to 40%.

Description

[0046] The invention is explained in the following in further detail, with reference to the diagrams. In individual terms, the figures show the following:

[0047] FIG. 1: A clothing item with abrasion protection zones, in a perspective view;

[0048] FIG. 2: The preparation of a textile backing layer, in a perspective view;

[0049] FIG. 3-a: A molding plate in accordance with a first embodiment, in a perspective view from below;

[0050] FIG. 3-b: The molding plate in accordance with FIG. 3-a, in a cross-sectional view;

[0051] FIG. 3-c: An auxiliary blade plate, in a perspective view;

[0052] FIG. 4-a-4-f: The production of protector elements in various stages, each in a cross-sectional View;

[0053] FIG. 5-a, 5-b: A molding plate in accordance with a second embodiment from below and from above, each in a perspective view;

[0054] FIG. 5-c: The molding plate in accordance with FIG. 5-a, 5-b, in a cross-sectional view;

[0055] FIG. 6-a-6-f: The production of protector elements in various stages, each in a cross-sectional view; and:

[0056] FIG. 7: An embodiment of the molding plate in accordance with FIG. 3-b.

[0057] FIG. 8-a, 8-b: A clothing item provided with protector elements in accordance with the state of the art, in a lateral cross-sectional view;

[0058] FIG. 9-a: An unexpanded section of a clothing item in accordance with the invention, in a perspective view;

[0059] FIG. 9-b: An expanded section of the clothing item, in a lateral cross-sectional view;

[0060] FIG. 10-a-10-d The functional principle of the clothing item in accordance with following a crash, each in schematic lateral view.

[0061] FIG. 1 depicts a two-part suit 100 for bicycle racing. A first clothing item is designed as a top part 110. The particularly endangered areas are located on the shoulder, as well as laterally on the torso, in the shoulder area, an abrasion protection zone 111 is provided with specific sizes of protector elements 101. A second abrasion protection zone 112 with protector elements of medium size proceeds along the arms. In a third abrasion protection zone 113, smaller protector elements are applied to the back of the arm and to the inside of the arm, which are less endangered upon bicycling. Abrasion protection zones 114 are also designed in the area of the back and the hips.

[0062] The top part 110 is supplemented by leg units 120, on which the abrasion protection zones 121, 122, 123 are likewise provided and, specifically so, particularly on the exteriors of the legs and in the area of the buttocks.

[0063] In the combination of both clothing items 110, 120, a continuous abrasion protection zone consequently extends from the area of the lower leg through the knee and the exterior of the thigh, the pelvis, and the buttocks, up to the rear of the body and up to the shoulder.

[0064] The front of the body, on the other hand, can be kept substantially free of abrasion protection zones since, during bicycling, a fall directed precisely forward is somewhat improbable and, because of the typical posture, a lateral tilting away to one side of the body or the other occurs during a crash.

[0065] FIG. 8-a depicts, in a schematic lateral cross-sectional view, a clothing item 1 with protector elements 2 designed in accordance with the state of the art. The gap 3 between the adjacent protector elements 2 is small, so that the so-called sliding angle , at almost 90, is very large. In the ideal case, the . . . clothing item 1 protected in such a way also slides over the road surface 4 and offers a protection against abrasion injuries.

[0066] In the actual case, however, the road surface is rough and has irregularities or cracks, which are indicated in FIG. 8-b. The clothing item 1, which is known from the state of the art, remains, in this case, caught with the edges of its protector elements 2 on peaks of roughness, so that a failure of the protector elements 2 or an abrupt stoppage comes about.

[0067] A section of a clothing item 10 designed in accordance with the invention is depicted in FIG. 9-a and, specifically so, a textile section 11 in the unexpanded condition which is provided with several protector elements 12, both in the one direction, referred to as x.sub.1, x.sub.2, as well as also in the y-coordinate proceeding perpendicularly to the same. In addition to the larger protector elements 12, which are arranged, in the embodiment depicted, in a regular grid, additional smaller protector elements 13 are arranged in the center. The larger protector elements 12 have a diameter D of 3 to 6 mm. The smaller protector elements 13 have a diameter d of 2 to 4 mm. In the unexpanded condition, a grid spacing x.sub.2, which is approximately twice that of the diameter D is provided and, at the same time, the protector elements 12 have a height H, which corresponds to 0.5 to 0.1 times the diameter D. In this way, a tangent results, which is attached centrally between similar protector elements 12 and is in contact with the protector elements 12. This angle is designated as a sliding angle , which amounts to at least less than 45, preferably 30 and less.

[0068] FIG. 9-b once again depicts the fabric section 11 in the expanded condition. The grid spacing x.sub.2 of the protector elements 12 is enlarged here by at least 20%. Through the unchanged geometry of the protector elements 12 itself, the sliding angle drops because of the stretching, so that the angle is reduced just simply from the prestressing upon putting the clothing item on, and the sliding on peaks of roughness and foreign bodies is thereby improved.

[0069] FIG. 10-a to 10-c depict a sliding process similar to the representation of the state of the art in FIGS. 1-a and 1-b. At the bottom, a road surface 4 is depicted and, above that, the clothing item 10 is depicted with the protector elements 12, 13 upon a sliding movement proceeding from left to . . . right. The preferred embodiment of the clothing item 10 is depicted with at least two different size levels of protector elements 12, 13.

[0070] FIG. 10-a again corresponds to an idealized assumption in which the person crashing slides along a road surface that is smooth in relation to the protector elements 12, 13. An abrasion only thereby comes about in the contact surface between the road surface 4 and the higher protector elements 12. If individual protector elements 12 should, despite their very great hardness, be worn down upon a longer sliding path, an additional protection is achieved through the smaller protector elements 13,

[0071] FIG. 10-b depicts a representation more closely approximating the real situations. Because of the curvature of the body surface, individual protector elements are highly exposed, so that even the textile areas exposed between them are pressed onto the road surface, for which purpose an additional row of protector elements 13 with smaller size is in turn used in the preferred embodiment. Because of the slight sliding angle and the spherical segment shape of the protector elements 12 in the representation in accordance with FIG. 3-b, the middle element slides over a small rock 6 and above rough features of the road surface without the textile base coming into contact with the road surface.

[0072] A road surface with a sharp-edged crack 5 is depicted in FIG. 10-c. The middle protector element 12 is held back by the edge of the crack. As the detail FIG. 3-d depicts, an over-stretching of the fabric 11 in the area marked then occurs because of the present residual elasticity in the textile base 11, so that the original grid spacing is enlarged to a size x.sub.2. Because of its surfaces and dome-shaped formation, however, the protector element 12 does not penetrate deeply into the crack 5 and is, finally, further guided by the person sliding and by the restoration, brought about by the elastic fabric 11, back to the starting position.

[0073] A textile backing layer in the form of a circular knit tube 1 is used for the production of the protector elements 101. This is produced in the manner as known per se. For the formation of the hose 120 depicted in FIG. 1, for example, the width of the circular knit tube 1 is coordinated with the upper body circumference of the wearer. The legs can be configured through a later cutting out of the lower part of the tube.

[0074] In a circular knit tube 1 laid flatas depicted in FIG. 2, a support plate 2 is moved forward in order to create a hard base and the circular knit tube can be easy to fix. Only the entire unit of circular knit tube 1 and support plate 2 needs to be fixed, without the textile having to be stretched in any other way. In order to remain stable under the effect of heat, the support plate 2 should consist of metal or other heat-resistant material.

[0075] A molding plate 10, which is depicted schematically in FIG. 3-a, is used for the production of the many relatively small protector elements 101 in the clothing items 110, 120 depicted in FIG. 1. For the purpose of clarity, only a few form cavities 11 are depicted in enlarged form on a surface 12, both here as well as in the following figures. The diameter of the form cavities 12 actually amounts to approximately 2 to 6 mm. The depth of the form cavities 12 corresponds to approximately half diameter.

[0076] The uniformly grid-shaped arrangement of the cavities is also only to be understood as being by way of example, because it has been proven to be advantageous to provide a disordered, anisotropic distribution of the protector elements on the clothing item, in order to prevent longer cracking lines.

[0077] Furthermore, smaller cavities can also be provided with large base diameters within an arrangement of cavities. The interposing of small protector elements offers an additional protection precisely then if a fabric or knitted fabric that is locally strongly overstretched should lie free between the larger protector elements.

[0078] As the cross-sectional view of the molding plate 10 in FIG. 3-b shows, the form cavities 11 are only opened toward the surface 12. The molding plate 10 preferably consists of aluminum, which remains sufficiently stable under the influence of heat and, upon manual production, can be handled well because of its low weight.

[0079] The surface 12 of the molding plate 10 is, as shown in FIG. 7, thereby milled and lowered to the edge elevation 26 of the form cavities 11. The depth of the reduction thereby corresponds to the thickness of the auxiliary blade plate described in further detail in FIG. 3-c. With the auxiliary blade plate placed on, the surface 12 is then even with the edge elevation 26.

[0080] FIG. 3-c depicts an auxiliary blade plate 14, which has openings 15. The size and the arrangement of the openings 15 correspond to the openings of the form cavities 11 in the molding plate 10.

[0081] A first embodiment of the manufacturing process in accordance with the invention is explained in further detail by means of the sequence illustrated in FIGS. 4-a to 4-f:

[0082] In FIG. 4-a, the molding plate 10 is already prepared, since the form cavities 11 have already been treated with a separating agent 13. Furthermore, the auxiliary blade plate 14 is applied to the surface 12. In the left form cavity 11, coating mass 5 has already been moved in by means of a blade 4.

[0083] In FIG. 4-b, all form cavities 11 are filled with coating mass 5. Excess coating mass 5 is removed by means of the blade 4.

[0084] As depicted in FIG. 4-c, the auxiliary blade plate 14 is subsequently drawn upwardly by the molding plate 10.

[0085] The correspondingly prepared molding plate 10 is now, as depicted in FIG. 4-d, reversed and applied with the openings downwardly towards the circular knit tube 1. By pressing the molding plate 10 onto the circular knit tube 1, the coating mass 5 is pressed into the knitted fabric.

[0086] FIG. 4-e depicts the hardening of the coating mass 5 by means of heat treatment. The coating mass 5 pressed into the knitted fabric enters into an unlosable, solid connection with the knitted fabric.

[0087] After the hardening, the molding plate 10 of the circular knit tube 1 only needs to be removed, corresponding to FIG. 4-f. The coating mass 5 now remains in the form of solid protector elements 1001 on the textile base layer. The support plate 2 then only needs to be removed in order to conclude the production. The circular knit tube 1 is subsequently further processed into a clothing item in the known manner.

[0088] FIG. 5-a depicts an additional molding plate 20, which has form cavities 21 that are designed concave and, in particular, shaped as spherical segments and which open, at the broad base, into a first surface 22. In tile upper area of their bulges, the form cavities 21 have an additional narrow opening 23. Only a few, enlarged form cavities are also depicted in the embodiment of the molding plate 20 depicted for the sake of better representation.

[0089] FIG. 5-b depicts the opposing surface 24 of the molding plate 20 with the narrow openings 23.

[0090] The cross-sectional view in FIG. 5-c clarifies the position of the form cavities 21. A slight deviation of the ideal form of a hemisphere represented by the dotted lines arises through the openings 23.

[0091] A second embodiment of a manufacturing process in accordance with the invention upon use of the molding plate 20 is explained by means of the sequence in FIGS. 6-a to 6-c:

[0092] in FIG. 6-a, the molding plate 20 is already applied to the circular knit tube 1 supported by the support plate 2. The form cavities 21 have first been treated with a separating agent 25. The coating mass 5 is raked into the form cavities 21 by means of a blade 4 and, specifically so, starting from the surface 24 and through the narrow openings 23 in the specific upper side of the form cavities 21.

[0093] In accordance with FIG. 6-b, all form cavities 21 have been filled and excess coating mass 5 has been removed by the blade 4. The hardening of the coating mass can then be carried out through the fact that the unit is removed from a circular knit tube 1 and a molding plate 20, for example, and into a hardening oven.

[0094] As FIG. 6-c shows, the molding plate 20 is drawn out after hardening out, so that the hardened coating mass remains, in each form cavity, as a protector element 101 on the circular knit tube 1.

[0095] The present invention is not restricted in its design to the above-stated preferred embodiments. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable, which also make use of the solution depicted as well as fundamentally different designs, so that the edge elevation 26 can be configured in different ways, for example.