FLEXIBLE COMPOSITE SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20160023428A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Adams, Christopher Michael, Hatcher, Wesley Edward, McDaniels, Keith Joel
• Granted Patent: US 11,072,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/0072 Orienting fibers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/00 Layered product comprising an impregnated, embedded, or bonded layer wherein the layer comprises an impregnation, embedding, or binder material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 Fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/023 Two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/046 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/08 Reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/18 Fabrics, textiles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/38 Meshes, lattices or nets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/322 comprising halogenated polyolefins, e.g. PTFE
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/34 comprising polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/028 Net structure, e.g. spaced apart filaments bonded at the crossing points
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/10 : characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer reinforced with filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/12 : characterised by the relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers, e.g. the fibres or filaments being parallel or perpendicular to each other
• 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: Y10T 442/184 : Nonwoven scrim
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/197 : Including a nonwoven fabric which is not a scrim

Abstract

In various embodiments, an improved flexible-composite material is described that comprises at least one scrim constructed from at least two unidirectional tape layers bonded together and at least one woven fabric, non-woven fabric, or membrane bonded to the scrim. In various embodiments, the unidirectional tape layers comprise a plurality of parallel fiber bundles comprising monofilaments within an adhesive resin. In various embodiments, the fiber bundles are separated by gaps that can be filled in by adhesive or non-adhesive resin.

Claims

1. A flexible-composite material comprising:

at least one scrim, and at least one unidirectional tape layer bonded together;

wherein said unidirectional tape layers comprise a plurality of parallel fiber bundles comprising monofilaments in an adhesive resin.

2. The flexible-composite material of claim 1 is bonded to at least one woven fabric.

3. The flexible-composite material of claim 1 is bonded to at least one random or oriented non-woven fabric.

4. The flexible-composite material of claim 1 is bonded to at least one membrane or film.

5. The flexible-composite material of claim 1 is bonded to at least one of said scrims or between layers of one of said scrims.

6. The flexible-composite material of claim 1, wherein one woven fabric is bonded between at least one scrim, and at least one unidirectional tape layer bonded together.

7. The flexible-composite material of claim 1, wherein one membrane is bonded between at least one scrim, and at least one unidirectional tape layer bonded together.

8. The flexible-composite material of claim 2, wherein said woven fabric is any one of knits, imaginable square weave, basket weave, warp knit, and fleece.

9. The flexible-composite material of claim 1, further comprising at least one plastic film.

10. The flexible-composite material of claim 9, wherein said plastic film is any one of PET, PEN, Nylon, fluoro-polymer, and urethane.

11. The flexible-composite material of claim 9, comprising two plastic films laminated to both sides of said flexible-composite material.

12. The flexible-composite material of claim 9, wherein said plastic film is (a) disposed between said unidirectional tape layers, or (b) disposed between said woven fabric, non-woven fabric or membrane and said scrim.

13. The flexible-composite material of claim 1, further comprising at least one non-impregnated fabric, said non-impregnated fabric (a) laminated to one or both sides of said flexible-composite material, (b) disposed between said unidirectional tape layers, or (c) disposed between said woven fabric, non-woven fabric or membrane and said scrim.

14. A flexible-composite material comprising:

At least two gappy unidirectional tape layers bonded together to form a scrim;

wherein said unidirectional tape layers comprise a plurality of parallel fiber bundles comprising monofilaments in an adhesive resin, and wherein said fiber bundles are separated by gaps.

15. The flexible-composite material of claim 14, wherein said at least one scrim is bonded to at least one woven fabric.

16. The flexible-composite material of claim 14, wherein said at least one scrim is bonded to at least one random or oriented non-woven fabric.

17. The flexible-composite material of claim 14, wherein said at least one scrim is bonded to at least one membrane or film.

18. The flexible-composite material of claim 14, wherein one non-woven fabric is bonded between two of said scrims or between unidirectional tape layers within of one said scrim.

19. The flexible-composite material of claim 14, wherein one woven fabric is bonded between two of said scrims or between unidirectional tape layers within of one said scrim.

20. The flexible-composite material of claim 14, wherein one membrane is bonded between two of said scrims or between unidirectional tape layers within of one said scrim.

21. The flexible-composite material of claim 14, wherein said gaps are at least partially filled with breathable or non-breathable adhesive.

22. The flexible-composite material of claim 14, further comprising at least one plastic film.

23. The flexible-composite material of claim 22, wherein said plastic film is any one of PET, PEN, Nylon, fluoro-polymer, and urethane.

24. The flexible-composite material of claim 22, comprising two plastic films laminated to both sides of said flexible-composite material.

25. The flexible-composite material of claim 22, wherein said plastic film is (a) disposed between said unidirectional tape layers, or (b) disposed between said woven fabric, non-woven fabric or membrane and said scrim.

26. The flexible-composite material of claim 22, further comprising at least one non-impregnated fabric, said non-impregnated fabric (a) laminated to one or both sides of said flexible-composite material, (b) disposed between said unidirectional tape layers, or (c) disposed between said woven fabric, non-woven fabric or membrane and said scrim

27. A method of manufacturing a flexible-composite material, said method comprising:

providing at least two gappy unidirectional tape layers bonded together to form a scrim; and

bonding at least one woven fabric, oriented non-woven fabric, random oriented non-woven fabric, film, or membrane layer onto said at least one scrim layer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said scrim layer comprises at least two unidirectional tape layers further comprising a plurality of parallel fiber bundles comprising monofilaments in an adhesive resin, wherein said fiber bundles are separated by gaps.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of removing monofilaments from one or more of said unidirectional tape layers to create and/or to augment said gaps wherein said gaps.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said scrim layer comprises a commercially available woven or non-woven reinforcement laid scrim.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of adding a breathable or non-breathable adhesive to fill said gaps.

32. A method of manufacturing a flexible-composite material, said method comprising:

producing thin unitape layers comprising fiber bundles consisting of a plurality of monofilaments by combining said monofilaments with a polymer resin and pultruding said monofilaments through a rotary die such that said monofilaments are spread by gaps and oriented parallel to each other;

producing a scrim layer by combining at least two of said thin unitape layers; and

bonding at least one of a woven fabric, non-woven fabric, and/or membrane layer onto at least one of said scrim layers.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of removing monofilaments from one or more of said unidirectional tape layers to create and/or to augment said gaps.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of adding a breathable or non-breathable adhesive to fill said gaps.