(19) |
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(11) |
EP 0 474 300 B1 |
(12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
(45) |
Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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23.02.1994 Bulletin 1994/08 |
(22) |
Date of filing: 03.09.1991 |
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(54) |
Insulating fluid-absorbing filling made of polyester/polyacryl
Isolierendes fluidabsorbierendes Polstermaterial aus Polyester/Polyacryl
Rembourrage en polyester/polyacryl isolant et absorbant les fluides
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(84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE CH DE DK FR GB LI NL SE |
(30) |
Priority: |
05.09.1990 NL 9001951
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(43) |
Date of publication of application: |
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11.03.1992 Bulletin 1992/11 |
(73) |
Proprietor: van den Hurk, R.A. |
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NL-5683 KZ Best (NL) |
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(72) |
Inventor: |
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- van den Hurk, R.A.
NL-5683 KZ Best (NL)
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(74) |
Representative: Timmermans, Anthonius C.Th., Ir. |
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European Patent Attorneys
Octrooibureau Zuid
P.O. Box 2287 5600 CG Eindhoven 5600 CG Eindhoven (NL) |
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The invention concerns a mixture which is suitable for use as a filling-material
for quilts, sleeping bags and pillows.
[0002] Usual filling-materials are, for example, of natural origin. One such natural raw
material is down, which is, in principle, obtained from all water-fowl; in practice,
however, consumption is almost exclusively limited to down from geese and/or duck.
Also of natural origin is wool, which is obtained from sheep.
[0003] In addition to these substances are filling-materials of mineral origin, which are
principally derived from the polyester and polyamide families. The crude synthetic
raw material is processed into fibers, which can in turn be converted into a fleece
using a carding machine. Such fibers can either be solid or hollow. Hollow fibers
are naturally more supple than solid fibers but are nevertheless usually siliconised
in order to increase their suppleness.
[0004] Even though the known filling-materials, as far as insulating capacity and suppleness
are concerned, are suited, in principle, to use as filling-material in quilts, they
all lack to some extent the capacity to sufficiently absorb moisture during a relatively
short time-interval. As a result, such filling-materials are unsuitable for many applications.
Such a filling-material is known from the document EP-A-0.028 373 which discloses
a mixture of a fiber-material and a synthetic material.
[0005] The purpose of the invention is the provision of a filling-mixture which is suitable
for use as a filling-material in (among other things) winter gloves, winter boots,
insulating sport, leisure and professional wear and is particularly suitable for use
as a filling-material in quilts, sleeping bags, underblankets, mattress-covers and
pillows. The said filling-material possesses, on the one hand, a sufficient moisture-absorbing
and moisture-regulating capacity and, on the other hand, a sufficient suppleness and
elasticity.
[0006] In addition to a synthetic material containing at least one constituent of the polyester
and polyamide families, such a filling-material contains, according to the invention,
a fiber-material with composite fibers. These fibers comprise a core which is, weather
or not, provided with channels and which is surrounded by a moisture absorbing mantle.
[0007] In selecting filling-materials which may, in principle, be suited to use in quilts
(among other things), special attention is paid to the structure of the filling- matter.
Natural materials, which consist in practice of a horn-like substance, are naturally
provided with a thin layer of fat.
[0008] Before application as the filling-material in quilts can occur, a large portion of
this fat is first washed away. A certain portion should be retained, however, so as
to ensure sufficient suppleness and to prevent the material from becoming brittle.
Because of this very fact that a portion of the fat remains behind in the filling,
the absorbing capacity is rendered insufficient to allow application in quilts. Moreover,
it transpired that the time required by the natural filling-material to absorb moisture
was too long; after extensive testing, it was therefore concluded that natural materials
are not suitable for application as filling-materials in a quilt.
[0009] As has already been mentioned, it is known that materials from the polyester and
polyamide families are utterly lacking in absorbing capacity, especially if they have
been siliconised.
[0010] It is also known that the human being (in particular) loses up to 500 cc of fluid
at night, this being due to changes in the metabolism during sleep and, among other
things, regulation of body-temperature. It appeared that the quilt in particular played
an important role in controlling the ambience during sleep, but also seemed that the
filling-materials known up to now could not contribute sufficiently to this process.
On warm summer nights in particular, and especially in countries with a maritime climate
and a higher air- humidity, the quilt begins to feel sweaty rather quickly. To make
matters worse, this is not the only factor which severly disrupts comfort - as a result
of increased temperature, the body is put under extra strain to release still more
moisture, which, because of poor (or, indeed, totally absent) exhalation by the quilt,
does not effect the desired reduction in body-temperature. The body keeps producing
sweat, and yet the desired cooling is not, in general, satisfactorily achieved, especially
under the circumstances described above.
[0011] It now appears that (mostly synthetic) fiber-materials exist whose fibers comprise
a core surrounded by a moisture absorbing mantle, the core weather or not being provided
with channels. Fluid is absorbed into the core via capillary action in the channels.
Such materials are used as clothing stuffs - in particular for the clothing worn by
sportsmen and exercisers.
[0012] In practice, however, it appeared that such a fiber-material is totally unsuitable
as a filling in, for example, a quilt because its suppleness and elasticity were too
low. Despite the fact that the components of the mixture according to the invention,
namely the fiber-material and the synthetic material (comprising at least one member
of the polyesters and polyamides), each possess properties which, it would seem, exclude
either of them from application as a filling-material, it nevertheless appeared that
a mixture of the fiber-material and the synthetic material could yield the desired
results.
[0013] In particular, mixtures characterised by a ratio of fiber-material to synthetic material
in the range 40:60 to 20:80 (by volume) were found to be very suitable.
[0014] In this manner, it appeared that a filling-material could be realised which had improved
insulation properties, these properties being due to the fact that the quantity of
air present in the material was not affected by skin-moisture, thus ensuring that
the filling-material remained airy to the touch and that the quilt contained a sufficient
quantity of fresh air. It eventually transpired that the filling-weight could be reduced,
thereby further increasing comfort during sleep. Above all, it appeared that perspired
moisture was well absorbed into the mixture and, more importantly, that this absorption
occurred quickly. In practice, the filling-mixture was found to lend itself well to
washing and drying. Finally, it transpired that, as a result of the less humid ambience
in the quilt in particular, the quantity of excrement from the human dust-mite (which
has an affinity for such an environment and reproduces rapidly in it) was present
in only very minute quantities in the filling-mixture according to the invention.
This implies a reduced risk for quite a large group of people who are allergic to
this excrement.
[0015] For economic reasons and because of functional considerations in attaining the qualities
discussed above, the ideal mixture-ratio appeared to be in the region of 30:70.
[0016] The synthetic fiber-material can be manufactured from acrylic fibre, preferably from
polyacrylonitrile.
[0017] For example, the fibre which is now being marketed under the name "Dunova" could
be used forthis purpose.
[0018] In the case of a filling-mixture for quilts, for example, a mixture-ratio of polyester/polyamide
and "Dunova" in the range 60:40 to 80:20 is found, in practice, to demonstrate the
said properties excellently.
[0019] In particular, application of the mixture according to the invention should be sought
in situations whereby both a good insulation of body-warmth and a good humidity-regulation
are demanded.
1. Mixture of a fiber-material and a synthetic material whereby the fibers of the
former comprise a core surrounded by a moisture absorbing mantle, the said core weather
or not being provided with channels, and the synthetic material contains at least
one constituent of the family of polyester and polyamide.
2. Mixture according to claim 1 for which the mixture-ratio (by volume) of fiber-material
to synthetic material lies in the range 40:60 to 20:80.
3. Mixture according to claim 2 for which the mixture-ratio is around 30:70.
4. Mixture according to one of the claims 1 to 3 in which the fiber-material is synthetic
and manufactured from acrylic material.
5. Mixture according to claim 4 in which the fiber-material is made from polyacrylonitrile.
6. Mixture according to claim 4 or 5 in which "Dunova" is the fiber-material.
7. Use of the mixture according to one of the claims 1 to 6 as a filling-material.
8. Use of the filling-material, according to claim 7, in pillows, sleeping bags, quilts,
underblankets and mattress-covers.
9. Quilt filling-material which comprises a mixture according to one of the claims
1 to 6.
10. Pillow filling-material which comprises a mixture according to one of the claims
1 to 6.
11. Sleeping bag filling-material which comprises a mixture according to one of the
claims 1 to 6.
12. Filling-material for winter gloves, winter boots, insulating sport, leisure and
professional wear, which material comprises a mixture according to one of the claims
1 to 6.
1. Mischung mit einem Faserstoff, dessen Fasern einen, wohl oder nicht, mit Kanälen
versehenen Kern enthalten, welcher Kern ist umgeben von einem Feuchtigkeit absorbierenden
Mantel, und mit einem synthetischen Stoff, enthaltend mindestens einen Stoff aus der
Gruppe von Polyester und Polyamide.
2. Mischung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Volumen/Mischungsverhältnis
von Faserstoff gegen synthetischen Stoff in dem Verhältnisgebiet zwischen 40:60 und
20:80 liegt.
3. Mischung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Mischungsverhältnis etwa
30:70 ist.
4. Mischung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Faserstoff
synthetisch ist und aus Acryl gefertigt ist.
5. Mischung nach Anspruch 4,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Faserstoff aus Polyacrylnitril gefertigt ist.
6. Mischung nach Anspruch 4 oder 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Faserstoff "Dunova"
ist.
7. Verwendung der Mischung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6 als Füllungsmaterial.
8. Verwendung nach Anspruch 7 des Füllungsmateriales für Kopfkissen, Schlafsacken,
Deckbetten, Unterdecken und Abdeckungen für Matratzen.
9. Deckbettfüllungsmaterial, enthaltend eine Mischung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis
6.
10. Kopfkissenfüllungsnmaterial, enthaltend eine Mischung nach einem der Ansprüche
1 bis 6.
11. Schlafsackfüllungsmaterial, enthaltend eine Mischung nach einem der Ansprüche
1 bis 6.
12. Füllungsstoff für Winterhandschuhe, Winterstiefel, isolierende Sport-, Freizeit-
und Berufskleidung, enthaltend eine Mischung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6.
1. Mélange d'un tissu de fibres, dont les fibres contiennent un noyau pourvu de canaux
ou non, lequel noyau étant entouré d'une enveloppe absorbant les fluides, et d'un
tissu synthétique contenant au moins un tissu appartenant au groupe du polyester et
du polyamide.
2. Mélange selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la proportion de volume/de mélange
entre le tissu de fibres et le tissu synthétique se situe dans le domaine de proportion
entre 40:60 et 20:80.
3. Mélange selon la revendication 2, dans lequel la proportion de mélange se situe
autour de 30:70.
4. Mélange selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans lequel le tissu de
fibres est synthétique et réalisé en acrylique.
5. Mélange selon la revendication 4, dans lequel le tissu de fibres est réalise en
polyacrylique-nitrile.
6. Mélange selon la revendication 4 ou 5, dans lequel le tissu de fibres est du "Dunova".
7. Utilisation du mélange selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 6 comme du
rembourrage.
8. Utilisation selon la revendication 7 du rembourrage pour oreillers, sacs de couchage,
couettes, couvertures de dessous, et couvre-sommiers.
9. Rembourrage de couettes contenant un mélange selon l'une quelconque des revendications
1 à 6.
10. Rembourrage d'oreillers contenant un mélange selon l'une quelconque des revendications
1 à 6.
11. Rembourrage de sacs de couchage, contenant un mélange selon l'une quelconque des
revendications 1 à 6.
12. Rembourrage de gants et de bottes d'hiver, de vêtements de sport, de loisir et
de travail isolants, contenant un mélange selon l'une quelconque des revendications
1 à 6.