Laminates, Bladders, and Garments Including Laminates and Bladders

Abstract

Garments include one or more fluid-filled bladder chambers for providing thermal insulation to a wearer. The bladder chamber(s) may be convertible between a deflated condition and an inflated condition. The bladder chamber(s) may be integrally formed with the fabric forming the garment, e.g., with the bladder chamber(s) defined between an exterior laminated component (e.g., formed from a fabric layer and a film layer) and an interior component (e.g., including at least a film layer). The film layers are selectively fixed together, e.g., at a perimeter bond and/or one or more internal bonded regions, to form fluid-tight bladder chamber portions within the overall garment structure. The garments may be equipped with a pump (for adding air to the garment bladder chamber(s)) and/or a release system (for removing air from the garment bladder chamber(s)). In this manner, a wearer can change the garment between the deflated condition and the inflated condition.

1 . A bladder structure for a washable and reusable garment, the bladder structure comprising:
 an interior component formed from a first laminate structure, the first laminate structure comprising: (i) a first knit fabric having a double jersey knit structure, and (ii) a first film having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a thickness of less than 120 micron, wherein the first film includes at least one fluid impervious layer chosen from a polyurethane layer and a thermoplastic polyurethane layer, wherein the outer surface of the first film is bonded to the first knit fabric; and   an exterior component formed from a second laminate structure, the second laminate structure comprising: (i) a second knit fabric having a double jersey knit structure, and (ii) a second film having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a thickness of less than 120 micron, wherein the second film includes at least one fluid impervious layer chosen from a polyurethane layer and a thermoplastic polyurethane layer, wherein the outer surface of the second film is bonded to the second knit fabric,   wherein the inner surface of the first film is bonded to the inner surface of the second film at an outer perimeter seam, the outer perimeter seam at least partially defining an inflatable bladder chamber between the inner surface of the first film and the inner surface of the second film, wherein the inner surface of the first film is joined to the inner surface of the second film at a plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions, and   wherein the bladder structure includes:   a first zone including a first portion of the plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions arranged in a first distribution, and   a second zone including a second portion of the plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions arranged in a second distribution, wherein the second distribution differs from the first distribution.   
     
     
         2 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein when the bladder chamber is inflated to a maximum thickness: (i) the first zone has a first average thickness extending from an outer face of the interior component to an outer face of the exterior component, (ii) the second zone has a second average thickness extending from the outer face of the interior component to the outer face of the exterior component, and (iii) the first average thickness differs from the second average thickness. 
     
     
         3 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein in the first distribution, two adjacent spaced apart internal bonded regions have a first spacing distance, wherein in the second distribution, two adjacent spaced apart internal bonded regions have a second spacing distance, and wherein the first spacing distance differs from the second spacing distance. 
     
     
         4 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein in the first distribution, an average spacing between adjacent spaced apart internal bonded regions comprises a first average spacing distance, wherein in the second distribution, an average spacing between two adjacent spaced apart internal bonded regions have a second average spacing distance, and wherein the first average spacing distance differs from the second average spacing distance. 
     
     
         5 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of the plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions define a bonded region size of at least 50 mm 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The bladder structure according to  claim 5 , wherein at least 90% of the plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions define a bonded region size of less than 700 mm 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first knit fabric and the second knit fabric has a basis weight of at least 20 grams per square meter and less than 120 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         8 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first knit fabric and the second knit fabric is formed from yarn having a linear mass density of at least 10 denier and less than 100 denier. 
     
     
         9 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the double jersey knit structures forming each of the first knit fabric and the second knit fabric are formed with drawn textured yarn. 
     
     
         10 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 90% of the plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions have a curved perimeter shape and define a bonded region size of at least 50 mm 2  and less than 700 mm 2 , wherein each of the first knit fabric and the second knit fabric has a basis weight of at least 20 grams per square meter and less than 120 grams per square meter, wherein each of the first knit fabric and the second knit fabric is formed from yarn having a linear mass density of at least 10 denier and less than 100 denier, and wherein the double jersey knit structures forming each of the first knit fabric and the second knit fabric are formed with drawn textured yarn. 
     
     
         11 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of each of the first film and the second film is at least 40 micron and less than 100 micron, and wherein each of the first film and the second film is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane material. 
     
     
         12 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the first film comprises a first layer and a second layer joined together, wherein the first layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane material that forms the inner surface of the first film, wherein the second layer is bonded to the first knit fabric and is formed from a polyurethane material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material, and wherein the first layer is bonded with the second layer on an opposite side of the second layer from the first knit fabric. 
     
     
         13 . The bladder structure according to  claim 12 , wherein the first layer is between 20 micron and 50 micron thick, and wherein the second layer is between 20 micron and 50 micron thick. 
     
     
         14 . The bladder structure according to  claim 12 , wherein the second film comprises a third layer and a fourth layer joined together, wherein the third layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane material that forms the inner surface of the second film, wherein the fourth layer is bonded to the second knit fabric and is formed from a polyurethane material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material, and wherein the third layer is bonded with the fourth layer on an opposite side of the fourth layer from the second knit fabric. 
     
     
         15 . The bladder structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the second film comprises a first layer and a second layer joined together, wherein the first layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane material that forms the inner surface of the second film, wherein the second layer is bonded to the second knit fabric and is formed from a polyurethane material or a thermoplastic polyurethane material, and wherein the first layer is bonded with the second layer on an opposite side of the second layer from the second knit fabric. 
     
     
         16 . A bladder structure for a washable and reusable garment, the bladder structure comprising:
 an interior component formed from a first laminate structure, the first laminate structure comprising: (i) a first knit fabric, and (ii) a first film having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a thickness of less than 120 micron, wherein the first film includes at least one fluid impervious layer chosen from a polyurethane layer and a thermoplastic polyurethane layer, wherein the outer surface of the first film is bonded to the first knit fabric; and   an exterior component formed from a second laminate structure, the second laminate structure comprising: (i) a second knit fabric, and (ii) a second film having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a thickness of less than 120 micron, wherein the second film includes at least one fluid impervious layer chosen from a polyurethane layer and a thermoplastic polyurethane layer, wherein the outer surface of the second film is bonded to the second knit fabric,   wherein the inner surface of the first film is bonded to the inner surface of the second film at an outer perimeter seam, the outer perimeter seam at least partially defining an inflatable bladder chamber between the inner surface of the first film and the inner surface of the second film, wherein the inner surface of the first film is joined to the inner surface of the second film at a plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions.   
     
     
         17 . The bladder structure according to  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions includes plural rows of internal bonded regions, and wherein when the inflatable bladder chamber is placed in an inflated condition, elongated rows of gas are formed between adjacent rows of internal bonded regions. 
     
     
         18 . The bladder structure according to  claim 17 , wherein two adjacent internal bonded regions within a first row of internal bonded regions have a first bond-to-bond spacing distance, and wherein one of the two adjacent internal bonded regions of the first row is spaced from a corresponding closest adjacent internal bonded regions of a second row located adjacent to the first row by a first row-to-row spacing distance. 
     
     
         19 . The bladder structure according to  claim 18 , wherein the first bond-to-bond spacing distance is at least 25% less than the first row-to-row spacing distance. 
     
     
         20 . The bladder structure according to  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of spaced apart internal bonded regions includes plural rows of internal bonded regions and plural columns of internal bonded regions, and wherein when the inflatable bladder chamber is placed in an inflated condition, elongated rows of gas are formed between adjacent rows of internal bonded regions and elongated columns of gas are formed between adjacent columns of internal bonded regions.