Sail membrane

• US 20090320733A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dimension-Polyant GmbH (Sioen Family)
• Original Assignee: Dimension-Polyant GmbH (Sioen Family)
• Inventors: Stein, Uwe, Schillings, Heiner
• Granted Patent: US 8,459,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/102.29
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/20 All layers being fibrous or filamentary
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/02 on fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0253 Polyolefin fibres vinyl or acrylic copolymers B32B2262/0223 or B32B2262/0246
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0261 Polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0276 Polyester fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/72 Density
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7242 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/73 Hydrophobic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/12 Ships
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• 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: B63H 9/067 Sails characterised by their construction or manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: D06C 15/00 Calendering, pressing, ironing, glossing or glazing textile fabrics for making patterns or designs D06C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06C 23/04 by shrinking, embossing, moiréing, or crêping
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/256 containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/705 Embossing; Calendering; Pressing
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/08 Processes in which the treating agent is applied in powder or granular form adhesives for multi-layer textile fabrics D06M17/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/16 Processes for the non-uniform application of treating agents, e.g. one-sided treatment; Differential treatment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1023 : Surface deformation only [e.g., embossing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1039 : Surface deformation only of sandwich or lamina [e.g., embossed panels]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24372 : Particulate matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24471 : Crackled, crazed or slit

Abstract

Sail membrane preferably made of a woven fabric of synthetic fibers, with said membrane having a microroughness in the form of parallelly extending grooves arranged so as to achieve a density of 5 to 25 grooves/mm deposited on or integrated into said membrane surface.

Claims

1. A sail membrane preferably made of a woven fabric of synthetic fibers, characterized in that said membrane has a microroughness in the form of parallelly extending grooves arranged so as to achieve a density of 5 to 25 grooves/mm deposited on or integrated into said membrane surface.

2. The sail membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that the grooves, measured from valley bottom to top of crest, have a height amounting to 25 to 75% of the groove spacing from crest to crest, preferably 40 to 60% of the groove spacing.

3. The sail membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that said membrane has 8 to 20 grooves/mm.

4. The sail membrane made of a woven fabric of synthetic fibers according to claim 1, characterized in that the grooves are arranged at an angle of 30 to 60°

, preferably of approximately 45°

in relation to the extension of the warp yarns.

5. The sail membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that the grooves are generated by calendering.

6. The sail membrane according to claim 1, with grooves deposited on or integrated into both membrane sides.

7. The sail membrane according to claim 1, characterized by a rectangular or diamond-shaped pattern of intersecting sets or families of grooves.

8. The sail membrane according to claim 7, characterized in that the intersecting grooves have an intersection angle of between 80°

and 120°

.

9. The sail membrane according to claim 1, characterized by hydrophobization, preferably achieved by means of perfluoropolyalkylene and/or a nanoparticle coating.

10. The sail membrane according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of a laminate comprising a textile material for load absorption and sheets.

16. A sail manufactured from the sail membrane of claim 1, in particular sails generating propulsion as a result of the flow-induced differential pressure existing between the leeward and windward side of the sail.

11. A method for manufacturing of a sail membrane comprising the steps:

Providing a gray cloth consisting of synthetic fibers,

if thought expedient, dyeing and/or finishing the gray cloth and

calendering the gray cloth at a pressure of at least 50 N/mm, preferably 100 to 600 N/mm, by means of a corrugated roll to emboss parallelly extending grooves into the woven fabric structure on at least one side.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that a laminate of gray cloth and sheets is manufactured prior to the calendering step.

13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the woven fabric is calendered on both sides.

14. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the woven fabric is subjected to a water vapor treatment at a temperature of up to 110°

C. prior to the calendering step.

15. The method according to one of the claim 11, characterized in that the woven fabric is hydrophobized prior to calendering.

17. A method for manufacturing a sail membrane comprising the steps:

Providing sheets,

calendering the sheets on at least one side at a pressure of at least 50 N/mm, preferably 100 to 600 N/mm, by means of a corrugated roll to emboss parallelly extending grooves into the woven fabric structure,

Placing yarns on one of the calendered sheets, and

Laminating the composite comprising sheets and yarns arranged between the sheets.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the corrugated roll is heated up to a temperature below the softening point of the sail membrane material having the lowest melting point.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that the roll temperature is about 10°

C. lower than the softening point.