Patent 8435617 was granted and assigned to W. L. Gore & Associates on May, 2013 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A stitchless seam between a first panel having a functional layer and a second panel having a functional layer is provided. The seam system is formed via a discontinuous fused stitchless seam which connects a first panel to a second panel. A reinforcement may be used to strengthen the discontinuous fused stitchless seam connecting the first panel to the second panel, allowing formation of a liquid-impervious stitchless seam system. A method for forming the system is also provided.