Multiple-layer Warm Wetsuit with Enhanced Elasticity

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

US 2005/0071905 disclosed a wetsuit comprising: a base fabric (12) sandwiched between an outer layer (14) and an inner layer (16) of synthetic rubber, with the outer synthetic rubber layer being dense and tough.

However, since the synthetic rubber material should be completely filled into the corrugated stripes of the base fabric (12), the wetsuit thus made may have the following disadvantages:

• • 1. The synthetic rubber, thoroughly filled into the stripes of the fabric (12), may increase the thickness of the outer layer (14), thereby reducing elasticity of the outer layer (14) and the wetsuit and causing poorer diving maneuverability.
  • 2. Since enough synthetic rubber should be provided to completely fill the apertures of the fabric textile, it may waste raw material of the synthetic rubber, namely wasting money in the production of wetsuit.

The present inventor has found the drawbacks of the conventional wetsuit and invented the present multiple-layer wetsuit with enhanced properties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-layer wetsuit comprising: a cell layer, an inner layer formed on an inner face of the cell layer, a knitted fabric layer formed on an outer face of the cell layer, and at least a coating layer coated on the outer face of the knitted fabric layer, characterized in that the knitted fabric layer includes a plurality of arc protrusions of fabric stripes protruded inwardly from a base of the knitted fabric layer to be adhered on an outer face of the cell layer, with the plurality of arc protrusions defining a plurality of voids each serving as a pneumatic spring to thereby enhance the compressibility and elasticity of the wetsuit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a sectional drawing of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged illustration showing a void V1 in the wetsuit.

FIG. 3 shows a compressed void V2 from FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an illustration showing the coating rollers for coating the protective layer on the basic laminate of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional drawing showing a multiple-layer wetsuit of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a basic laminate L of the present invention is shown. Such a basic laminate L includes: a cell layer 1 made of rubber foam materials including Neoprene, Styrene Butadiene Rubber, or natural rubber; an inner layer 2 made of fabric fibers including Nylon or polyester interwoven with elastic fiber and formed on an inner face of the cell layer 1; and a knitted fabric layer 3 made of fabric fibers of Nylon or polyester interwoven with elastic fiber including PU, and adhered on an outer face of the cell layer 1.

The basic laminate L, including cell layer 1, inner layer 2, and knitted fabric layer 3, is further coated with at least a coating layer 4 for protecting the knitted fabric layer 3. The coating layer 4 is provided to protect the knitted fabric layer 3 as being penetrated into the knitted fabric layer 3.

Other coating layers 5, 6, and 7 will be described hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the knitted fabric layer 3 includes: a plurality of arc protrusions 31 of fabric stripes protruding inwardly from a base 30 of the knitted fabric layer 3 to be adhered (by adhesive A) with an outer face of the cell layer 1, and a plurality of recesses 32 each defined among two neighboring arc protrusions 31, the base 30 of the knitted fabric layer 3, and the cell layer 1.

Each recess 32 is formed as a void having a normal volume of V1 when the wetsuit is worn normally without being compressed (FIG. 2).

However, when the wetsuit is compressed, such as being pressurized by deep water when diving, the air chamber of the recess 32 will be compressed to reduce its volume, such as V2 as shown in FIG. 3. It means that the air in the recess 32 is compressed and reduced its volume to be V2, with a volume reduction of ΔV.

(   Δ V = V ⁢ 1 - V ⁢ 2 )

Fortunately, by aid of such volume reduction, the water pressure during diving will be partially buffered or reduced by doing a pressure-volume work W, as done by the compression of air in each recess 32 in the wetsuit of the present invention.

W = P ·   Δ V

wherein P is the water pressure acting on the wetsuit when worn by a diver.

The pressure-volume work already done may consume or reduce partial force impacting upon the diver to make him or her more comfortable when diving.

Besides, the void in each recess 32 may serve as a pneumatic spring, which is compressed or released during diving movements, thereby enhancing the compressibility, elasticity or flexibility of the wetsuit. Such flexibility may allow a greater range of motion, making maneuvering easier and reducing fatigue during long dives.

By means of a coating roller set R1, R2 and R3 as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of protective coating layers L1 may be subsequently coated on the basic laminate L to form a multiple-layer wetsuit as shown in FIG. 5. The number of the coating layers are not limited in this invention.

The first coating layer 4 may be made of soft elastic material, such as elastic material of styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer added with alpha-methylstyrene. The elastic material should be made to have a proper flowability so as to be penetrated fluidically into the knitted fabric layer 3 to form a “flat” coating surface on the laminated product. When coating, the temperature may range from 175˜195° C. and coating time may last for 5˜25 seconds.

The first coating layer 4 may have a thickness range of 0.1˜0.4 mm to fill the apertures in the knitted fabric surface and to provide proper elasticity for the wetsuit.

The second coating layer 5, coated on the first layer 4, may also be made of elastic material, such as copolymer material of styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene added with Alpha-methylstyrene. During coating, the coating material should be blended with suitable solvents to be fluidically coated on the substrate surface. Alpha-methylstyrene is added to enhance the molecular bonding strength of the coating material or formulation.

The hardness of the first coating layer 4 is different from that of the second coating layer 4. The second coating layer 5 should have proper elasticity and should have anti-scratching property.

The third coating layer 6, coated on the second layer 5, may be a modifying layer for increasing the dryness, slippery and surface strength of a wetsuit.

The fourth coating layer 7, coated on the third coating layer 6, may be made of PU material, added with silicon oil or powders to increase the slippery of the wetsuit. Also, pigment or other materials may be added to reveal its color, strength, or touch feeling.

Conclusively, the present invention may allow panels or sheets of a wetsuit to be stitched by passing the stitch threads through the coating layer to be interwoven with the knitted fabric layer, thereby forming a strong stitched wetsuit product.

The elasticity, anti-scratching property and surface strength of a wetsuit may be increased.

The slippery, touch feeling and coloring may also be enhanced or revealed in this invention.

Also, this invention may well imitate a glossy skin of a conventional wetsuit, but having no defects of the conventional wetsuit.

Most importantly, the voids defined among the knitted fabric layer and the cell layer may serve as pneumatic springs for increasing elasticity or flexibility of the wetsuit for a safer and more comfortable diving as well as warm wearing due to thermal insulating effect as caused by such voids.