David L Bland

US Patent:

8007616, Aug 30, 2011

Filed:

Jan 26, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/698324

Inventors:

Gregory K. Jones - Lebanon OH, US
David G. Bland - Mason OH, US
Thomas G. Mushaben - Cincinnati OH, US
Nicole A. Gerwe - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Clopay Plastic Products Company, Inc. - Mason OH

International Classification:

B32B 38/00
B29C 53/00
B29C 55/00

US Classification:

156229, 15624424, 15624427

Abstract:

Breathable materials comprise a fabric layer and a polymer film layer thereon, the polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler, wherein the breathable material has undergone a physical manipulation to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m24 hr, and wherein the breathable material has a first length dimension and a first width dimension before said physical manipulation and a second length dimension and a second width dimension after said physical manipulation, wherein the second length dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first length dimension and the second width dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first width dimension. Methods of making a breathable material comprise forming a polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler; bonding the polymer film layer to a fabric layer to form a laminate; and applying a physical manipulation to the laminate to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the resulting breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m224 hr; wherein the breathable material has a first length dimension and a first width dimension before said physical manipulation and a second length dimension and a second width dimension after said physical manipulation, wherein the second length dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first length dimension and the second width dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first width dimension.