Nonwoven natural silk fabric and method for producing same

Abstract

Disclosed is a sheet of nonwoven natural silk fabric, and particularly a sheet including threads and/or fibres of fibroin coated with sericin A, B and C. Also disclosed is a method for producing a nonwoven natural silk fabric, and particularly to a method including a step in which a thread of natural silk is deposited by a silkworm on a surface of a substrate.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A sheet of nonwoven natural silk textile; comprising yarns and/or fibres of fibroin coated with sericin A, sericin B and sericin C;
 said yarns or fibres comprising fibroin in a quantity between 70% and 80% and sericin A, sericin B and sericin C in a quantity between 20% and 30%, by weight with respect to the total weight of the yarn or fibre; and   
       comprising at least one protruding border located at the periphery of said sheet. 
     
     
         27 . The sheet according to  claim 26 , wherein said protruding border has a thickness between 0.1 and 100 mm and a width between 0.002 and 12.5 mm. 
     
     
         28 . The sheet according to  claim 26 , wherein the surface area occupied by said protruding border represents less than 10% of the total surface area of said sheet. 
     
     
         29 . The sheet according to  claim 26 , wherein said sheet is partially or entirely of a three-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         30 . A sheet of nonwoven natural silk textile; comprising yarns and/or fibres of fibroin coated with sericin A, sericin B and sericin C;
 said yarns or fibres comprising fibroin in a quantity between 70% and 80% and sericin A, sericin B and sericin C in a quantity between 20% and 30%, by weight with respect to the total weight of the yarn or fibre;   
       said sheet being partially or entirely of a three-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         31 . The sheet according to  claim 30 , wherein said sheet is partially or entirely of a convex shape. 
     
     
         32 . The sheet according to  claim 31 , wherein the convex shape is a polyhedron; a cone; a sphere; a partially hollowed sphere; a hemisphere; an ovoid; a dome; or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         33 . An item comprising or being formed from at least one sheet according to  claim 26 . 
     
     
         34 . An item comprising or being formed from at least one sheet according to  claim 26 , each substrate being clad or covered in whole or in part with the sheet. 
     
     
         35 . A manufacturing method of a nonwoven natural silk textile, comprising the following steps:
 (a) rearing a silkworm;   (b) taking the silkworm at a time when it secretes natural silk;   (c) depositing it on a surface of a substrate wherein:
 the surface of the substrate does not contain rough areas with size greater than 3 mm; 
 the surface of the substrate does not contain recesses with width greater than 1.5 cm; and 
 the surface and/or the substrate is configured so as to restrict the progression of the silkworm; 
   (d) waiting the time required for the desired quantity of natural silk to be deposited on the surface of the substrate, or for the silkworm to have secreted all its silk;   (e) removing the silkworm from the nonwoven natural silk textile obtained; and   (f) optionally, separating the nonwoven natural silk textile from the surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         36 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 35 , wherein the surface of the substrate is of a two-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         37 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 35 , wherein the surface of the substrate is partially or entirely of a three-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         38 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 35 , wherein the surface of the substrate is an oval; a disk; a polygon; or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         39 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 35 , wherein the surface of the substrate is a polyhedron; a cone; a sphere; a partially hollowed sphere; a hemisphere; an ovoid; a dome with a polyhedral base; or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         40 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 35 , wherein the surface of the substrate contains no rough areas and/or no recesses. 
     
     
         41 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 35 , wherein the nonwoven natural silk textile is a sheet. 
     
     
         42 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 35 , wherein the substrate is raised. 
     
     
         43 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 42 , wherein the substrate is raised by means of a tube, a column and/or a rod. 
     
     
         44 . An item comprising or being formed from at least one sheet according to  claim 30 .