Optical fiber substrate useful as a sensor or illumination device component
First Claim
1. A scrim fabric comprising (a) at least one warp yarn set having at least two yarns and (b) at least one yarn that crosses said warp yarn set, wherein at least one of said yarns is comprised of an optical fiber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure generally pertains to a method for manufacturing a distributed optical fiber scrim comprising a functional optical fiber, the functional optical fiber scrim thus manufactured, and composites in which an optical fiber scrim is incorporated. The present disclosure describes a variety of textile scrims, particularly adhesively bonded nonwoven scrim materials, each comprising at least one optical fiber with a continuous path across at least the length or width of the fabric. Such optical fiber scrims may be useful as sensor components (for example, as a detector of breakage, strain, pressure, or torque), as illumination components (for example, in a variety of light-providing applications), or as data-distribution components, either alone or in combination with other materials, such as fabrics, films, foams, and the like.
71 Citations
35 Claims
- 1. A scrim fabric comprising (a) at least one warp yarn set having at least two yarns and (b) at least one yarn that crosses said warp yarn set, wherein at least one of said yarns is comprised of an optical fiber.
- 26. A method of making a fiber optic scrim, said method comprising manufacturing a scrim fabric by a process selected from the group consisting of adhesively bonding, thermally bonding, projectile weaving, weft-insert warp knitting, multi-axial warp knitting, stitch-bonding, and cross-plying, wherein said scrim fabric comprises (a) at least one warp yarn set having at least two yarns and (b) at least one yarn that crosses said warp yarn set, wherein at least one of said yarns is comprised of an optical fiber.
- 31. A composite having multiple components, wherein a first of said components is a scrim comprising (a) at least one warp yarn set having at least two yarns and (b) at least one yarn that crosses said warp yarn set, wherein at least one of said yarns is comprised of an optical fiber and wherein a second of said components is an energy-absorbing component selected from the group consisting of an open cell foam, a closed cell foam, a nonwoven, rubber, a gel material, and a spacer fabric.
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34. A composite having multiple components, wherein a first of said components is a scrim comprising (a) at least one warp yarn set having at least two yarns and (b) at least one yarn that crosses said warp yarn set, wherein at least one of said yarns is comprised of an optical fiber and wherein a second of said components is an stress-distributing material selected from the group consisting of metal sheets, metal panels, composites, plywood, oriented strand board, gypsum panels, cementitious panels, ceramic panels, thermoplastic panels, and thermosetting panels.
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35. A composite comprising a flexible carrier sheet to which is attached at least one optical fiber, wherein said optical fiber is positioned in a sinuous path across said flexible carrier sheet, said flexible carrier sheet being of a material selected from the group consisting of films, foils, papers, nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, and knit fabrics.
Specification