Nonwoven flexible composites

• US 10,106,925 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Air Cruisers Company LLC (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Air Cruisers Company LLC (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Duggal, Deepak, Jeffers, Mark, Swierkocki, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/707,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20180002862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/16 using fibres of substantial or continuous length non-woven fabrics per se D04H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/02 Inflatable articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0854 in the form of a non-woven mat
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2275/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0067 non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/08 Tubular products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/02 on fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/26 Polymeric coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2270/00 Resin or rubber layer containing a blend of at least two different polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/54 Yield strength; Tensile strength
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/718 Weight, e.g. weight per square meter
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7242 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/00 Clothing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2571/00 Protective equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2597/00 Tubular articles, e.g. hoses, pipes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/26 using curing agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/302 comprising aromatic vinyl (co)polymers, e.g. styrenic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/304 comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/306 : comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 : comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/34 : comprising polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 : comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 : Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/06 : characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer mechanically connected, e.g. by needling to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/10 : characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer reinforced with filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2027/145 : Inflatable ramps
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2231/52 : Fibre reinforced plastics materials
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 7/08 : Inflatable inflatable water sports boards B63B32/51; inflatable canoes, kayaks or the like being inflatable or having inflatable parts B63B34/22
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2009/042 : inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/04 : Life-rafts
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/1255 : inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/14 : Inflatable escape chutes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/18 : Flotation gear aircraft alighting gear B64C
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/58 : by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives in combination with needling D04H1/488
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/125 : Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/128 : Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/0011 : using non-woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/04 : with macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/06 : with polyvinylchloride or its copolymerisation products surface treatment or foaming for floor coverings D06N7/0007
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/123 : with polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/125 : with polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/14 : with polyurethanes

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for using nonwoven materials for evacuation slides, life rafts, life vests, and other life-saving inflatable devices. The nonwoven materials have a substrate layer with continuous filaments formed in various directions.

Claims

1. An inflatable evacuation slide, life raft, life vest, or other life-saving inflatable device, comprising:

a flexible composite material, comprising

a substrate of nonwoven material comprising a plurality of filaments;

wherein the flexible composite material is a high-strength lightweight material with a weight of about 8 ounces per square yard or less.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate of nonwoven material comprises multiple layers.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the filaments are filaments that are unidirectional or multidirectional.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the filaments comprise a random orientation.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate of nonwoven material comprises a customized fabric comprising filaments laid in particular directions of the expected stress to be experienced by the device to be manufactured.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a tubular structure comprising a hoop direction and a longitudinal direction, wherein there are more filaments in the hoop direction than in the longitudinal direction.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises one or more miter seam locations, wherein there are more filaments at the miter seam location than at other areas of the device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises tubular structures of varying diameters, wherein structures comprising larger diameters comprise more nonwoven filaments than structures comprising smaller diameters.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filaments are formed by spun bonding, wet bonding or dry bonding.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven raw material comprises staple fibers, filament fibers, or a combination thereof.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven material is formed by felting, adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, stitch bonding, needle punching, hydro-entanglement, or spin laying.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein a seam is formed via application of hot air, radio frequency, ultrasonic welding, adhesive bonding, thermal welding, or any combination thereof.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate of nonwoven material comprises a non-inflatable part of the device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the substrate of nonwoven material comprises floor material of a life raft, an evacuation slide, a girt material of an evacuation slide, or a handle or accessory patch of a life raft or evacuation slide.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the filaments are continuous or non-continuous in length.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the filaments are non-continuous filaments with a random orientation filament layout.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the filaments comprise one or more single strands positioned according to load exhibited on the structure.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising one or more additional strands positioned on top of the one or more single strands.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a gas barrier layer.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises a gas barrier polymer coating.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises a gas barrier polymer film.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or any combination thereof.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises a thickness between about 0.5 mil to about 2 mil.

24. A non-airholding feature on an evacuation slide, life raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable device, the non-airholding feature comprising:

a flexible composite material, comprising

a substrate of nonwoven material comprising a plurality of filaments;

wherein the flexible composite material is a high-strength lightweight material with a weight of about 8 ounces per square yard or less.

25. The feature of claim 24, wherein the flexible composite material is adhered to the emergency device.

26. The feature of claim 24, wherein the non-airholding feature comprises a life raft floor, an evacuation slide surface, a girt, a handle, a patch, or an accessory.

27. The feature of claim 24, further comprising a coating or film on one or both surfaces of the flexible composite material that comprises polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or any combination thereof.

28. A method for manufacturing an inflatable evacuation slide, raft, life vest, or other life-saving inflatable device, comprising:

providing or obtaining a flexible composite material of claim 24,

forming the composite material of claim 24 into a tubular structure.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising applying a floor or other accessory to the tubular structure.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the floor or other accessory comprises the composite material of claim 24.

31. A method for manufacturing an inflatable evacuation slide, raft, life vest, or other life-saving inflatable device, comprising:

forming an evacuation slide, raft, life vest, or other life-saving inflatable device; and

applying the composite material of claim 24 to the device as a floor or other accessory.