Foamable yarns, textiles and articles incorporating foamable yarns, and the process of manufacturing the same
An article, such as an article of footwear includes, a textile component. The textile component includes a yarn. The yarn includes a thermoplastic material and a blowing agent with an activation condition. Upon triggering the activation condition of the blowing agent, the blowing agent introduces a plurality of cavities, i.e. cells, into the thermoplastic material, creating a multicellular foam area of the textile.
1 . A textile, comprising:
a first textile layer;
a second textile layer; and
a yarn that is inlaid between the first textile layer and the second textile layer,
the yarn comprising:
a core yarn;
a multicellular foam comprising a thermoplastic material;
wherein at least a portion of the multicellular foam is in direct contact with the core yarn and is exposed on a surface of the yarn;
wherein the multicellular foam occupies a space between the first textile layer and the second textile layer and further extends through the first textile layer, forming a plurality of raised foam structures on an outer surface of the first textile layer; and
wherein the plurality of raised foam structures are distinct in size and/or shape and/or spacing.
2 . The textile of claim 1 , wherein the multicellular foam comprises a cross-linked foam.
3 . The textile of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic polypropylene, a thermoplastic polyethylene homopolymer or copolymer, a thermoplastic polyester, a thermoplastic polyether, a thermoplastic polyamide, or any combination thereof.
4 . The textile of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises ethylene-vinyl acetate.
5 . The textile of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a cross-linking agent.
6 . The textile of claim 5 , wherein the cross-linking agent is a thermally-activated cross-linking agent.
7 . The textile of claim 1 , wherein the core yarn comprises a plurality of fibers or filaments and is a twisted multi-filament yarn or an entangled multi-filament yarn.
8 . The textile of claim 1 , wherein the multicellular foam comprises an open-celled multicellular foam.
9 . The textile of claim 1 , wherein the textile is incorporated into an article of footwear or into an article of apparel.
10 . An upper, comprising:
a textile, comprising:
a first textile layer;
a second textile layer; and
a yarn that is inlaid between the first textile layer and the second textile layer,
the yarn comprising:
a core yarn;
a multicellular foam comprising a thermoplastic material;
wherein at least a portion of the multicellular foam is in direct contact with the core yarn and is exposed on a surface of the yarn; and
wherein the multicellular foam occupies a space between the first textile layer and the second textile layer and further extends through the first textile layer, forming a plurality of raised foam structures on an outer surface of the first textile layer;
wherein the plurality of raised foam structures are distinct in size and/or shape and/or spacing.
11 . The upper of claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic polypropylene, a thermoplastic polyethylene homopolymer or copolymer, a thermoplastic polyester, a thermoplastic polyether, a thermoplastic polyamide, or any combination thereof.
12 . The upper of claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a cross-linking agent.
13 . The upper of claim 10 , wherein the core yarn comprises a plurality of fibers or filaments and is a twisted multi-filament yarn or an entangled multi-filament yarn.
14 . An article of footwear, comprising:
a textile, comprising:
a first textile layer;
a second textile layer; and
a yarn that is inlaid between the first textile layer and the second textile layer,
the yarn comprising:
a core yarn;
a multicellular foam comprising a thermoplastic material;
wherein at least a portion of the multicellular foam is in direct contact with the core yarn and is exposed on a surface of the yarn; and
wherein the multicellular foam occupies a space between the first textile layer and the second textile layer and further extends through the first textile layer, forming at least one raised foam structure on a surface of the first textile layer.
15 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the textile is a knitted textile.
16 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the multicellular foam comprises an open-celled multicellular foam.
17 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a cross-linking agent that is thermally-activated.
18 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, a thermoplastic polypropylene, a thermoplastic polyethylene homopolymer or copolymer, a thermoplastic polyester, a thermoplastic polyether, a thermoplastic polyamide, or any combination thereof.
19 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the core yarn comprises a second thermoplastic material, and the second thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane; a thermoplastic polyolefin; a thermoplastic polyester; a thermoplastic polyether, a thermoplastic polyamide; or any combination thereof.
20 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the core yarn has a deformation temperature that is at least 20 degrees Celsius greater than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material.
21 . An article of footwear, comprising:
a textile, comprising:
a first textile layer;
a second textile layer; and
a yarn that is inlaid between the first textile layer and the second textile layer,
the yarn comprising:
a core yarn;
a multicellular foam comprising a thermoplastic material;
wherein at least a portion of the multicellular foam is in direct contact with the core yarn and is exposed on a surface of the yarn; and
wherein the multicellular foam occupies a space between the first textile layer and the second textile layer and further extends through the first textile layer, forming at least one raised foam structures on a surface of the first textile layer;
wherein the thermoplastic material comprises one or more thermally-activated cross-linking agents.