发明人：
INTSCHER-OWRANG, MARIA | COHEN, PHILIP | CHUN, YEE DO | SANG, YIZHOU | YU, SVENA, RUI XIN | TEW, WILLIAM, BENJAMIN, MONTGOMERY
摘要：
The present invention is directed to a method of making at least a portion of a garment that includes at least one three-dimensional contour. The disclosed method includes providing a fiber and solvent mixture that includes fibers and a solvent capable to causing a plurality of covalent bonds to be created between the fibers. In many embodiments, the plurality of covalent bonds form when a catalyst, such as heat, is provided to the fiber and solvent mixture. The process can be performed using, for example, either a 3D printer or mold form. The fibers used can be natural, synthetic, or a blend of natural and/or synthetic fibers. The solvent preferably includes ionic salts in water.
技术功效语段：
The present invention provides methods for making clothing items with at least one three-dimensional contour using a three-dimensional printing process. The methods involve combining a fiber and a solvent to create a mixture, which is then extruded from a 3D printer in a pre-determined pattern. The solvent is removed from the fiber after extrusion, resulting in a plurality of covalent bonds between the fibers. The methods offer a more eco-friendly and efficient process compared to traditional garment making, allowing for customization capabilities and easy transmission of garment designs. The invention also allows for the use of a mold to create the garment shape, resulting in a more precise and accurate final product.
权利要求：
We claim:
1 . A method of making at least a portion of a garment, the method comprising the following steps: providing an aqueous suspension comprising at least one type of fiber and at least one surfactant; aerating the aqueous suspension to generate a foam; providing a mold that includes a void having at least one three-dimensional contour for the clothing item and also includes at least one hole sized to permit liquid to exit the mold; drying the foam, wherein at least some of the liquid in the foam exits the mold through the at least one hole in the mold; and removing the shaped garment from the mold.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of a strength agent, a foam stabilizer, and a softener is added to the aqueous suspension.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the foam stabilizer is present in the aqueous suspension and includes at least one of sodium chloride, cellulose nanofibers, graphene oxide, flour, or talcum powder, a strength agent such as rosin, alkyl ketene dimer, alkyl succinic anhydride, chitosan, or polyamide-epichlorohydrin.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the softener is present in the aqueous suspension and includes at least one of glycerin, a-monoglyceride, sorbitol, urea, polyethylene glycol, and mannitol.
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5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold includes at least one indentation for such that at least one portion of the garment has different thickness than at least one other portion of the garment.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mold includes a plurality of indentations that provide a texture to the garment.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the void defines a first thickness at a commencement of the molding process, and a second thickness at a conclusion of the molding process, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.
8. A method of making at least a portion of a garment, the method comprising the following steps: providing at least one piece of pre-formed non-woven material; saturating the non-woven material at least one of a solvent, salt and binding agent; placing the saturated non-woven material in a mold, the mold including a void having at least one three-dimensional contour for the clothing item and at least one hole sized to permit liquid to exit the mold; drying the saturated non-woven material, wherein at least some of the liquid in the saturated non-woven material exits the mold through the at least one hole in the mold, resulting in the garment; and removing the shaped garment from the mold.
9. The method of claim 8, where in the non-woven material includes cellulosic fibers, and the solvent is comprised of at least one of: A) N-methylmorpholine N- oxide, urea with sodium hydroxide in water, B) thiourea with sodium hydroxide in water, C) zinc oxide with sodium hydroxide in water, and D) lithium chloride with dimethylacetamide.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of washing the saturated non-woven with at least one antisolvent.
11. A method of making at least a portion of a garment, the method comprising the following steps: providing a fiber solvent mixture that includes a plurality of fibers and a solvent capable to causing a plurality of covalent bonds to be created between the fibers; providing the fiber and solvent mixture to a 3D printer; providing a pre-determined design in the form of a digital file to the 3D printer such that the fiber and solvent mixture is extruded from the 3D printer in a predetermined pattern; and removing at least a portion of the solvent from the fiber and solvent mixture after the fiber and solvent mixture has been extruded from the 3D printer and the plurality of covalent bonds have formed between the fibers; wherein the pre-determined design includes at least one three-dimensional contour.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the solvent is capable of causing covalent bonds to be created between the fibers when a catalyst is provided to the fiber and solvent mixture.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing heat as the catalyst to cause a plurality of bonds to form between the fibers in the fiber and solvent mixture.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein substantially all of the fibers provided have a length between approximately about 0.1 cm and about 7.5cm.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fiber includes at least some natural fibers.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the fiber includes entirely natural fibers.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the fiber includes at least some synthetic fibers.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the fiber includes at least some synthetic fibers.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the solvent includes ionic salts in water.
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20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least a portion of a garment includes an enter garment.
21 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least a portion of a garment is attached to a second portion of a garment in a secondary operation.
22. A method of making at least a portion of a garment, the method comprising the following steps: providing a fiber and solvent mixture that includes a plurality of fibers and a solvent capable to causing covalent bonds to be created between the fibers; providing a mold form that defines at least one three-dimensional contour; providing the fiber and solvent mixture to the mold form; and removing at least a portion of the solvent from the fiber and solvent mixture while the fiber and solvent mixture is on the mold form.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the solvent is capable of causing covalent bonds to be created between the fibers when a catalyst is provided to the fiber and solvent mixture.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing heat as the catalyst to cause a plurality of bonds to form between the fibers in the fiber and solvent mixture.
25. The method of claim 22, wherein substantially all of the fibers provided have a length between approximately about 0.1 cm and about 7.5cm.
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26. The method of claim 25, wherein the fiber includes at least some natural fibers.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the fiber includes entirely natural fibers.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein the fiber includes at least some synthetic fibers.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the fiber includes all synthetic fibers.
30. The method of claim 22, wherein the solvent includes ionic salts in water.
31 . The method of claim 22, wherein the at least a portion of a garment includes an enter garment.
32. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least a portion of a garment is attached to a second portion of a garment in a secondary operation.
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