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A textile fabric has at least one raised surface incorporating multicomponent fibers formed of at least a first material and a second material disposed in side-by-side relationship. The first material and the second material exhibit differential thermal elongation, which causes the multicomponent fi

A textile fabric has at least one raised surface incorporating multicomponent fibers formed of at least a first material and a second material disposed in side-by-side relationship. The first material and the second material exhibit differential thermal elongation, which causes the multicomponent fibers to bend or curl and reversibly recover in response to changes in temperature, thereby adjusting insulation performance of the textile fabric in response to ambient conditions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Textile fabric comprising: at least one raised surface upon a base, the raised surface incorporating multicomponent fibers formed of at least a first material and a second material disposed in side-by-side relationship, the first material and the second material exhibiting differential thermal el

1. Textile fabric comprising: at least one raised surface upon a base, the raised surface incorporating multicomponent fibers formed of at least a first material and a second material disposed in side-by-side relationship, the first material and the second material exhibiting differential thermal elongation to cause the multicomponent fibers to bend and/or curl,the multicomponent fibers being configured to bend and/or curl relative to the base, toward a relatively reduced loft of the raised surface, in response to increasing ambient temperature, andunbend and/or uncurl relative to the base, toward a relatively increased loft of the raised surface, in response to decreasing ambient temperature,thereby reversibly adjusting insulation performance of the textile fabric in response to ambient temperature conditions. 2. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein the multicomponent fibers comprise extruded fiber components. 3. The textile fabric of claim 2, wherein the multicomponent fibers comprise a pair of co-extruded fiber components. 4. The textile fabric of claim 1, wherein the first material and the second material exhibit differential thermal elongation in response to changes in ambient temperature over a predetermined range of temperature. 5. The textile fabric of claim 4, wherein the predetermined range of temperature is 32° F. to 120° F. 6. The textile fabric of claim 5, wherein the predetermined range of temperature is 50° F. to 100° F. 7. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the at least one raised surface is finished in a form selected from the group consisting of: fleece, velour, shearling, pile, and loop terry. 8. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the textile fabric comprises a knit construction selected from the group consisting of: circular knit construction, single face knit construction, double face knit construction, weft knit construction, and warp knit construction. 9. The textile fabric according to claim 1, comprising a pile fabric having woven or double needle bar Rachel warp knit construction. 10. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the multicomponent fibers comprise bi-component and/or tri-component fibers. 11. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the first material is a first polymer, and wherein the second material is a second polymer relatively compatible with the first polymer. 12. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the first material is a first polymer, and wherein the second material is a second polymer relatively non-compatible with the first polymer. 13. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second materials comprises a thermoplastic polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyester, polyurethane, and nylon. 14. The textile fabric according to claim 13, wherein the first material is nylon and the second material is polyester. 15. The textile fabric according to 13, wherein the multicomponent fibers further comprise a third material disposed between the first and second materials, wherein the third material is relatively more compatible with each of the first and second materials than the first and second materials are with each other. 16. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the first and second materials include complementary interlocking surface features adapted to inhibit separation of the first and second materials. 17. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein said textile fabric has a technical face formed by a stitch yarn and a technical back formed by a loop and/or pile yarn, said loop and/or pile yarn comprising the multicomponent fibers. 18. The textile fabric according to claim 17, wherein the stitch yarn comprises elastomeric yarn for enhanced stretch and shape recovery. 19. The textile fabric according to claim 18, wherein the elastomeric yarn is spandex. 20. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the differential thermal elongation of the first and second materials is substantially reversible with low hysteresis. 21. The textile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment to insulation performance of the textile fabric is substantially reversible with relatively low hysteresis. 22. A temperature responsive textile fabric garment, comprising: a knit thermal fabric having at least a first raised surface upon a base, towards the wearer's skin, formed of one or more yarns made of multicomponent fibers comprising a first fiber component and a second fiber component arranged in a side-by-side configuration,said first and second fiber components having relatively different thermal properties to cause the multicomponent fibers to bend and/or curl,the multicomponent fibers being configured to bend and/or curl relative to the base, toward a relatively reduced loft of the raised surface, in response to increasing ambient temperature, and to unbend and/or uncurl relative to the base, toward a relatively increased loft of the raised surface, in response to decreasing ambient temperature,thereby reversibly adjusting insulation performance of the textile fabric in response to ambient temperature conditions. 23. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the knit thermal fabric has an inner surface, towards the wearer's skin, including one or more regions of raised loop and/or pile yarn. 24. The textile fabric garment according to claim 23, wherein the raised loop and/or pile yarn exhibits changes in bulk of between about 5% to about 50% over a temperature range of between about 32° F. and about 120° F. 25. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the multicomponent fibers exhibit changes in cross-sectional area from between about 5% to about 50% over a temperature range of between about 32° F. and about 120° F. 26. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the first and second fiber components comprises a copolymer. 27. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the first and second fiber components comprises a block polymer. 28. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the first and second fiber components are secured together with physical anchoring. 29. The textile fabric garment according to claim 28, wherein the first and second fiber components include complementary interlocking surface features adapted to inhibit separation of the first and second materials. 30. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the multicomponent fibers comprise bi-component and/or tri-component fibers. 31. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the first fiber component comprises a first polymer, and wherein the second fiber component comprises a second polymer relatively compatible with the first polymer. 32. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the first fiber component comprises a first polymer, and wherein the second fiber component comprises a second polymer relatively non-compatible with the first polymer. 33. The textile fabric garment according to claim 32, wherein the first polymer is polyester and the second polymer is nylon. 34. The textile fabric garment according to claim 32, wherein the multicomponent fibers further comprise a third polymer disposed between the first and second fiber components, wherein the third polymer is relatively compatible with each of the first and second polymers. 35. The textile fabric garment according to claim 32, wherein the multicomponent fibers further comprise an additive physically anchoring the first and second fiber components together. 36. The textile fabric garment according to claim 35, wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of: silicate, zeolite, and titanium dioxide. 37. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the first or second fiber components defines a serrated surface. 38. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the multicomponent fibers define one or more serrated surfaces. 39. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the multicomponent fibers have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. 40. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein both of the first and second fiber components have a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. 41. The textile fabric garment according to claim 22, wherein the knit thermal fabric further comprises a second raised surface, opposite the first raised surface, including one or more regions of raised loop and/or pile yarn. 42. The textile fabric garment according to claim 41, wherein the second raised surface comprises one or more yarns made of multicomponent fibers. 43. A method of forming a temperature sensitive textile fabric element for use in an engineered thermal fabric garment, the method comprising: forming a continuous web of yarn and/or fibers including one or more multicomponent fibers;finishing at least a first surface of the continuous web to form one or more regions of loop and/or pile yarn having a predetermined pile height upon a base, and comprising the one or more multicomponent fibers, said multicomponent fibers formed of at least a first material and a second material disposed in side-by-side relationship, the first material and the second material exhibiting differential thermal elongation to cause the multicomponent fibers to bend and/or curl, the multicomponent fibers being configured to bend and/or curl relative to the base, toward a relatively reduced loft of the regions of loop and/or pile yarn, in response to increasing ambient temperature, and to unbend and/or uncurl relative to the base, toward a relatively increased loft of the regions of loop and/or pile yarn in response to decreasing ambient temperature, thereby reversibly adjusting insulation performance of the textile fabric in response to ambient temperature conditions. 44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising finishing a second surface of the continuous web to form one or more other regions of loop and/or pile yarn comprising the multicomponent fibers. 45. The method according to claim 43, wherein forming the continuous web of yarn and/or fiber comprises combining yarn and/or fibers by use of electronic needle and/or sinker selection. 46. The method according to claim 43, wherein finishing at least the first surface of the continuous web to form the one or more regions of loop and/or pile yarn having the predetermined pile height comprises forming loops at the technical back of the textile fabric element. 47. The method according to claim 43, wherein forming the continuous web of yarn and/or fibers comprises combining yarn and/or fibers, including the one or more multicomponent fibers, by tubular circular knitting. 48. The method according to claim 43, wherein forming the continuous web of yarn and/or fibers comprises combining yarn and/or fibers, including the one or more multicomponent fibers, by reverse plating. 49. The method according to claim 48, wherein finishing at least the first surface further comprises finishing the first surface to form a single face fleece. 50. The method according to claim 49, further comprising finishing a second surface of the continuous web to form a double face fleece. 51. The method according to claim 43, wherein forming the continuous web of yarn and/or fibers comprises combining yarn and/or fibers, including the one or more multicomponent fibers, by plating. 52. The method according to claim 43, wherein forming the continuous web of yarn and/or fibers comprises combining yarn and/or fibers, including the one or more multicomponent fibers, by regular plating; and wherein finishing the first surface further comprises finishing the first surface to form a single face fleece. 53. The method according to claim 43, wherein forming a continuous web of yarn and/or fibers comprises combining yarn and/or fibers, including the one or more multicomponent fibers, by warp knitting. 54. The method according to claim 43, wherein the step of forming the continuous web of yarn and/or fibers comprises double needle bar warp knitting. 55. The method according to claim 43, wherein the step of forming the continuous web of yarn and/or fibers comprises Raschel warp knitting. 56. The method according to claim 55, further comprising cutting an interconnecting pile, thereby forming a single face cut pile fabric. 57. The method according to claim 56, further comprising raising yarns forming a technical face of the cut pile fabric, thereby forming a double face fabric. 58. The method according to claim 43, wherein the step of forming the continuous web of yarn and/or fibers comprises sliver knitting. 59. The method according to claim 43, wherein finishing at least the first surface of the continuous web to form one or more regions of loop and/or pile yarn having the predetermined pile height comprises raising the first surface. 60. The method according the claim 59, further comprising raising a second surface, opposite the first surface, of the continuous web. 61. The method according to claim 43, further comprising cutting the loops of the one or more regions of loop and/or pile yarn. 62. The method according to claim 61, further comprising finishing the cut loops to a common pile height. 63. The method according to claim 43, wherein the first material and the second material exhibit differential thermal elongation in response to changes in temperature over a predetermined range of temperature. 64. The method according to claim 63, wherein the predetermined range of temperature in 32° F. to 120° F. 65. The method according to claim 64, wherein the predetermined range of temperature in 50° F. and about 100° F. 66. The method according to claim 43, further comprising combining the first material and the second material to form the one or more multicomponent fibers. 67. The method according to claim 66, wherein combining the first material and the second material includes co-extruding the first and second materials. 68. The method according to claim 66, wherein the first and second materials are relatively non-compatible polymers, and wherein combining the first material and the second material comprises co-extruding the first and second materials with a third material such that the third material is disposed between the first and second materials in the multicomponent fiber. 69. The method according to claim 68, wherein the third material is relatively compatible with each of the first and second materials. 70. The method according to claim 66, wherein combining the first material and the second material comprises physically anchoring the first material to the second material. 71. The method according to claim 70, wherein physically anchoring the first material to the second material comprises adding an additive to one or both the first and second materials, wherein the additive is operable to bridge between the first and second materials physically or chemically. 72. The method according to claim 71, wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of: silicate, zeolite, and titanium dioxide. 73. The method according to claim 43, wherein at least one of the first and second materials is selected from the group consisting of: polyester, polyurethane, and nylon. 74. The method according to claim 43, wherein the one or more regions of loop and/or pile yarn exhibit changes in bulk from between about 5% and about 50% over a temperature range of between about 50° F. and about 100° F. 75. The method according to claim 43, wherein the one or more multicomponent fibers exhibit changes in cross-sectional area from between about 5% and about 50% over a temperature range of between about 50° F. and about 100° F.