Improvements in or relating to a supportive textile

Abstract

A method of constructing a supportive textile comprises the steps of providing at least one structural support component in the form of a textile element including a fabric strip folded about a plastics core, the textile element further including an adhesive tape adhered to an outer surface of the textile element so as to present an adhesive layer facing outwardly from an outer surface of the textile element. The or each structural support component is located in a correspondingly shaped aperture formed in a jig so that the adhesive layer Is exposed. A textile carrier element is positioned relative to the or each structural support component so as to cover the adhesive layer on the or each structural support component in a predetermined configuration. Heat and pressure are applied to the aligned textile carrier element and the one or more structural support component so as to adhere the textile carrier element to the or each structural support component. The adhered textile carrier element and structural support component are formed into a supportive textile.

1 . A method of constructing a supportive textile comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one structural support component in the form of a textile element including a fabric strip folded about a plastics core, the textile element further including an adhesive tape adhered to an outer surface of the textile element so as to present an adhesive layer facing outwardly from an outer surface of the textile element;   locating the or each structural support component in a correspondingly shaped aperture formed in a jig so that the adhesive layer is exposed;   positioning a textile carrier element relative to the or each structural support component so as to cover the adhesive layer on the or each structural support component in a predetermined configuration;   applying heat and pressure to the aligned textile carrier element and the one or more structural support component so as to adhere the textile carrier element to the or each structural support component; and   forming the adhered textile carrier element and structural support component into a supportive textile.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the adhesive layer is a heat activated polyurethane adhesive layer. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein a removable backing layer is provided on the adhesive layer, the method further comprising the step of removing the backing layer before positioning the textile carrier element in alignment with the structural support component. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein the removeable backing layer is a layer of polypropylene. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the jig includes a positioning member, wherein the or each correspondingly shaped apertures are formed in the positioning member. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the or each correspondingly shaped aperture is either:
 a cut out formed as a window through the positioning member; or 
 a recess formed in the positioning member. 
 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the positioning member is a heat resistant sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the positioning member includes a plurality of receiving apertures wherein the receiving apertures all have the same shape, or have different shapes to each other or a mixture of the same and different shapes. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the positioning member further includes one or more position indicators positioned relative to the plurality of receiving apertures to aid in positioning the textile carrier element in alignment with the or each structural support component. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of forming the adhered textile carrier element and structural support component into a supportive textile includes forming the textile carrier element itself into a textile. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of forming the adhered textile carrier element and structural support component in to a supportive textile includes securing the adhered textile carrier and structural support component to a textile. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric strip folded about the plastics core includes a fabric strip having a plush surface and a plastics coating applied to the plush surface so that at least surface yarns of the plush surface are embedded in the plastics coating and form a composite structure at a juncture between the plastics coating and the plush surface, wherein the fabric strip is folded about the plastics coating so as to sandwich the plastics coating between the plush surface and an opposing surface of the fabric strip. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the fabric strip is a woven structure including a pair of ribs protruding from the fabric strip on opposite sides of the plush surface, the plastics coating being applied to the plush surface, between the ribs, so that warp yarns of the plush surface are embedded in the plastics coating in the composite structure, and wherein the fabric strip further includes a pair of ribs protruding from the opposing surface of the fabric strip, the fabric strip being folded so as to align the ribs protruding from the opposing surface in face to face contact with the ribs protruding from the fabric strip on opposite sides of the plush surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the plastics core comprises a thermoplastic material or a thermosetting plastics material. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a textile element for use as a structural support component in a garment, the method comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing a fabric strip having a plush surface;   (ii) applying a plastics coating to the plush surface of the fabric strip so that the plastics coating penetrates the plush surface;   (iii) allowing the plastics coating to rigidify so as to embed at least surface yarns of the plush surface in the plastics coating and thereby form a composite structure at a juncture between the plastics coating and the plush surface; and   (iv) folding the fabric strip about the plastics coating before allowing the plastics coating to rigidify so as to sandwich the plastics coating between the plush surface and an opposing surface of the fabric strip,   wherein a multi-ply adhesive tape is applied simultaneously with one or more of the above steps of the method to an outer surface of the fabric strip, the tape having first and second layers of adhesive on opposing sides of a barrier layer, with the first layer of adhesive in face to face contact with the outer surface of the fabric strip so that the adhesive tape is secured to and extends longitudinally along an outer surface of the fabric strip once it is folded about the plastics coating with the second layer of adhesive facing outwardly from the outer surface of the fabric strip.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein each of the first and second adhesive layers is a heat-activated polyurethane adhesive and the barrier layer is a layer of polyurethane, wherein the polyurethane barrier layer has a higher melting point than the polyurethane adhesive. 
     
     
         19 . The method of forming a textile element according to  claim 17  wherein the multi-ply adhesive tape further includes a removable backing layer on an outer surface of the second layer of adhesive. 
     
     
         20 . The method of forming a textile element according to  claim 19  wherein the removable backing layer is a layer of polypropylene. 
     
     
         21 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A textile element for use as a structural support component in a garment, the textile element comprising:
 a fabric strip having a plush surface and a plastics coating applied to the plush surface so that at least surface yarns of the plush surface are embedded in the plastics coating and form a composite structure at a juncture between the plastics coating and the plush surface, wherein the fabric strip is folded about the plastics coating so as to sandwich the plastics coating between   the plush surface and an opposing surface of the fabric strip, and the textile element further including an adhesive tape adhered to an outer surface of the fabric strip so as to present an adhesive layer facing outwardly from the outer surface of the fabric strip.   
     
     
         25 . The textile element according to  claim 24  wherein the adhesive tape is a multi-ply adhesive tape having first and second layers of adhesive on opposing sides of a barrier layer, wherein the first layer of adhesive is adhered in face to face contact with the outer surface of the textile element and the second layer of adhesive faces outwardly from the fabric strip. 
     
     
         26 . The textile element according to  claim 25  wherein each of the first and second adhesive layers is a heat-activated polyurethane adhesive and the barrier layer is a layer of polyurethane, wherein the polyurethane barrier layer has a higher melting point than the polyurethane adhesive. 
     
     
         27 . The textile element according to  claim 25  wherein the multi-ply adhesive tape further includes a removable backing layer on an outer surface of the second layer of adhesive. 
     
     
         28 . The textile element according to  claim 27  wherein the removable backing layer is a layer of polypropylene. 
     
     
         29 - 59 . (canceled)