Stretchable protective fabric and protective apparel made therefrom

• US 5,221,572 A
• Filed: 09/03/1991
• Issued: 06/22/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Her Majesty The Queen As Represented By The Minister of National Defence of Her Majesty's Canadian Government
• Original Assignee: Her Majesty The Queen In Right of Canada As Represented By The Minister of National Defence
• Inventors: Meunier, Pierre P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lesmes, George F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAIMUND, CHRISTOPHER W
• Application Number:
  US07/753,936
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 428/244, 428/231, 428/265, 427/257
• US Class Current: 442/184
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 5/00 Composition of materials for coverings or clothing affording protection against harmful chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0215 Thermoplastic elastomer fibers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/3065 Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2571/02 defensive, e.g. armour plates, anti-ballistic clothing camouflage nets B32B2459/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/04 characterised by a layer being specifically extensible by reason of its structure or arrangement , e.g. by reason of the chemical nature of the fibres or 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: Y10T 442/3024 Including elastic strand or strip
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3699 Including particulate material other than fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/602 Nonwoven fabric comprises an elastic strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/659 Including an additional nonwoven fabric

Abstract

A protective fabric suitable for use in hazardous environments such as those in which nuclear, chemical and biological warfare agents or similar hazardous elements exist. In general, the protective fabric comprises a plurality of layers of air- and water-vapor-permeable, thin, stretchable fabric materials, each being treated to provide separate or combined protective functions. The protective fabric may be fashioned into articles of protective apparel suitable for applications where close-fitting and conforming garments are required and where heat-stress and bulk of material is of concern.

Claims

1. A protective fabric comprising a plurality of layers of air- and water-vapor-permeable, thin, stretchable fabric material, each of said layers being treated to provide at least one protective function, comprising 1) first layer of fabric material having a durable fluorocarbon, oil-resistant and water-repellant treatment applied thereto and 2) a second layer of the fabric material having formed thereon a broken crust of dried acrylic latex having finely ground activated charcoal dispersed therein.

2. The protective fabric of claim 1, wherein at least one of said layers of fabric materials comprises spandex fibres in the form of continuous monofilaments.

3. The protective fabric of claim 1, wherein the number of layers is two.

4. The protective fabric of claim 1, wherein the first layer is further treated with a fire-retardant.

6. An article of protective apparel manufactured from the protective fabric of claim 1.

5. A protective fabric comprising first and second adjacent layers of thin, stretchable, air- and water-vapour-permeable fabric materials, the material of said first layer having a durable fluorocarbon, oil resistant and water repellant treatment applied thereto, and the material of said second layer comprising elastomeric fibres impregnated with finely ground charcoal dispersed in an acrylic latex material.

7. A method of manufacturing a protective fabric comprising the steps of:

processing a first layer of thin, stretchable, air- and water-vapour-permeable material through a bath of a durable fluorocarbon, oil resistant and water repellant material;

curing the processed first layer with heat;

dispersing finely ground charcoal in a bath of cross-linked acrylic latex;

processing a second layer of thin, stretchable, air- and water-vapour-permeable material containing elastomeric fibres through the charcoal-latex bath;

curing the processed second layer and thereby forming a crust of dried latex on said fibres;

stretching said cured second layer to break the latex crust; and

joining said first and second layers together to form said fabric.