Seamless silhouette with engineered insulation property

Abstract

Certain embodiments according to the invention provide seamless insulation articles suitable for a wide variety of uses (e.g., garments, footwear, home textile articles, etc.). In accordance with certain embodiments, the seamless insulation article includes a knit base comprising a first yarn and a second yarn incorporated into a continuous web defined by the first yarn and the second yarn in a predetermined pattern to form a plurality of three-dimensional surfaces. The plurality of three-dimensional surfaces define at least two discrete regions having different contrasting insulative capacities arranged in the predetermined pattern, in which the at least two discrete regions comprise a first discrete region and a second discrete region. The first discrete region comprises a first insulative capacity, the second discrete region comprises a second insulative capacity, and the second insulative capacity is greater than the first insulative capacity.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A seamless insulation article, comprising:
 a knit base comprising a first yarn; and   a second yarn incorporated into a continuous web defined by the first yarn and the second yarn in a predetermined pattern to form a plurality of three-dimensional surfaces,   wherein the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces defines at least two discrete regions having different contrasting insulative capacities arranged in the predetermined pattern, said at least two discrete regions comprising a first discrete region and a second discrete region, and   wherein the first discrete region comprises a first insulative capacity, the second discrete region comprises a second insulative capacity, and the second insulative capacity is greater than the first insulative capacity.   
     
     
         2 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces defines a plurality of air channels therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein the seamless insulation article comprises an outer surface and a skin surface, the outer surface comprises a smooth topography, and the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces is disposed on the skin surface and defines a three-dimensional topography. 
     
     
         4 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces comprises at least a first group of three-dimensional surfaces and a second group of three-dimensional surfaces, the second group of three-dimensional surfaces comprises a height from about 1 mm to about 20 mm, and the second group of three-dimensional surfaces is taller than the first group of three-dimensional surfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 4 , wherein the first discrete region comprises the first group of three-dimensional surfaces, and the second discrete region comprises the second group of three-dimensional surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces comprises at least one of a bubble, a pile, a pillar, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces comprises at least one of a circular bubble, an elliptical bubble, a square bubble, a rectangular bubble, irregularly-shaped bubble, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pattern corresponds to selected body region insulative requirements. 
     
     
         9 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first discrete region and the second discrete region correspond to at least one of a spinal cord area, back area, an upper back area, a lower back area, a neck area, a knee back area, a chest front area, a breast area, an abdominal area, an armpit area, an arm area, an elbow front area, a sacrum dimple area, a groin area, a thigh area, a shin area, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first yarn and the second yarn comprise at least one of a synthetic fiber, a natural fiber, a regenerated fiber, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first yarn and the second yarn comprise at least one of a multifilament yarn, a spun fiber yarn, a monofilament yarn, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one elastomeric yarn. 
     
     
         13 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , wherein the first yarn comprises a first shrinkage and the second yarn comprises a second shrinkage being different from the first shrinkage to define a differential relative shrinkage between the first yarn and the second yarn when exposed to heat. 
     
     
         14 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one smart yarn, said at least one smart yarn comprising at least one of a ceramic, a synthetic material, a phase change material, a biomimetric material, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The seamless insulation article according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a softener, an antimicrobial treatment, a wicking treatment, a soil release treatment, a water repellent, an oil repellent, a fire retardant, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A method for making a seamless insulation article, comprising:
 combining a first yarn and a second yarn in a continuous web in a predetermined pattern; and   finishing at least one surface of the continuous web to form a plurality of three-dimensional surfaces,   wherein the plurality of three-dimensional surfaces define at least two discrete regions having different contrasting insulative capacity arranged in the predetermined pattern, said at least two discrete regions comprising a first discrete region and a second discrete region, and   wherein the first discrete region comprises a first insulative capacity, the second discrete region comprises a second insulative capacity, and the second insulative capacity is greater than the first insulative capacity.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein combining a first yarn and a second yarn in a continuous web in a predetermined pattern comprises at least one of tubular circular knitting, plaiting, reverse plaiting, warp knitting, weaving, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein combining a first yarn and a second yarn in a continuous web in a predetermined pattern further comprises incorporating at least one smart yarn into the continuous web, said at least one smart yarn comprising at least one of a ceramic, a synthetic material, a phase change material, a biomimetric material, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 designing the predetermined pattern;   laminating the seamless insulated article with a second article; and   removing the seamless insulated article from the continuous web according to the predetermined pattern.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein designing the predetermined pattern comprises designing the predetermined pattern for use in at least one of a jacket, a shirt, a pair of pants, a pair of shorts, a glove, a mitt, a sock, a shoe, a shoe insert, a blanket, a mattress cover, a mattress ticking, or any combination thereof.