Waterproof Garment with Invisible Barrier Seam

Abstract

A waterproof invisible barrier seam is formed between two fabric laminates, an outer shell fabric laminate and an inner lining fabric laminate. The seam includes an invisible seam tape that forms a hydrostatic barrier within the seam. The design of the seam allows the formation of an effective hydrostatic barrier along the seams of a soft shell garment, while retaining flexibility, stretch, aesthetic appearance, and reversibility.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a garment containing an invisible barrier fabric seam, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing an outer garment comprising a plurality of outer garment pieces joined by one or more seams, an inner garment comprising a plurality of inner garment pieces joined by one or more seams, and a hydrophobic polymer membrane joined by one or more seams;   assembling the inner garment inside of the outer garment to form a composite garment with the hydrophobic polymer membrane disposed between the inner garment and the outer garment, and edges of at least a portion of the seams disposed between the inner garment and the outer garment; and   applying heat and/or pressure to the composite garment to fuse the composite garment together over its surface area to provide a laminated garment with a continuous hydrophobic barrier across the one or more seams of the hydrophobic polymer membrane.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of applying heat and/or pressure includes inflating an interior of the garment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising filling the interior with heated air or steam. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a seam tape comprising an adhesive layer and a further hydrophobic polymer membrane layer; and
 attaching the seam tape to at least one seam of the one or more seams of the hydrophobic polymer membrane using heat or ultrasound energy, whereby the adhesive layer of the seam tape adheres to the hydrophobic polymer membrane layer to provide a continuous hydrophobic barrier across the at least one seam.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the assembling step, at least one seam of the inner garment and at least one seam of the outer garment are aligned. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the assembling step, at least one seam of the inner garment and at least one seam of the outer garment are offset.