Bedding article with material to absorb/desorb moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the article and method of making an article

Abstract

A bedding article has a fabric having a substrate having a surface area. The fabric has a polymeric material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor that results in a catalytic action to actively cool the substrate or fabric. The material covers about 40% to about 70% of the surface area of the substrate and as present on the substrate is present at 0.5 to 1.0 grams per square meter.

1 . A bedding article, comprising:
 a fabric having a substrate having a surface area, the fabric having thereon a material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric is present so as to cover about 40% to about 70% of the surface area of the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric is present so as to cover a portion of the substrate at about 40% to about 70% of the surface area of the portion of the substrate and wherein a different portion of the substrate has the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric present so as to cover the different portion of the substrate at about 40% to about 70%, but at a different coverage percentage than the first portion of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric as dried on the substrate is about 0.5 to about 1.0 grams per square meter (gsm). 
     
     
         5 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric is a combination of one or more elastomeric styrenic block copolymer that is optionally functionalized with functional groups different from sulfonic acid or sulfonated ester functional groups, and one or more sulfonated block copolymer. 
     
     
         6 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric is a phase change material. 
     
     
         7 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the bedding article is one of a mattress pad, a mattress topper, a pillow, a pillow cover, a pillow case, a bed sheet, a comforter and a comforter cover. 
     
     
         8 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric is present as a plurality of discrete elements on the fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the discrete elements have a snowflake shape. 
     
     
         10 . The bedding article of  claim 9  wherein a center portion of the snowflake is formed so as to have the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric. 
     
     
         11 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the discrete elements have a propeller shape. 
     
     
         12 . The bedding article of  claim 11  wherein a center portion of the propeller is formed so as to have the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric. 
     
     
         13 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the material that absorbs and desorbs moisture and/or moisture vapor to actively cool the substrate or fabric is present on the substrate in a continuous pattern. 
     
     
         14 . The bedding article of  claim 13  wherein the continuous pattern is a straight continuous pattern. 
     
     
         15 . The bedding article of  claim 13  wherein the continuous pattern is a curvilinear continuous pattern. 
     
     
         16 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the substrate comprises a hydrophobic synthetic. 
     
     
         17 . The bedding article of  claim 16  wherein the substrate comprises one or a combination of one or more of nylon, polyester, and polypropylene. 
     
     
         18 . The bedding article of  claim 16  wherein the substrate is a blend that includes a natural material. 
     
     
         19 . The bedding article of  claim 18  wherein the natural material comprises one or a combination of one or more of cotton, wool and silk. 
     
     
         20 . The bedding article of  claim 1  wherein the substrate comprises a blend of a hydrophobic synthetic material and a natural material, the hydrophobic material present at at least 50% by weight of the substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The bedding article of  claim 20  wherein the hydrophobic synthetic material is present at about 60% by weight of the substrate.