Pointed thrust weapons protective fabric system

• US 6,233,978 B1
• Filed: 08/14/1998
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gehring Textiles Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gehring Textiles Incorporated
• Inventors: Reisfeld, Aaron, Gehring, George G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US09/134,275
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 661/69.R, 661/71, 661/90, 661/92, 661/93, 661/95, 661/96, 662/02, 664/55, 2/25, 2/66, 428/911, 89/360.5, 442/304, 442/305, 442/312, 442/313, 442/314, 442/318
• US Class Current: 66/195
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/24 Resistant to mechanical stress, e.g. pierce-proof aprons resistant to mechanical aggressions A41D13/043
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/165 with yarns stitched through one or more layers or tows, e.g. stitch-bonded fabrics layered products not united by stitch loops B32B5/22
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/063 high strength
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02412 including several arrays of unbent yarn, e.g. multiaxial fabrics

Abstract

A warp knit fabric for resisting point penetration of thrusting type weapons is provided. The fabric comprises a multiplicity of thread systems made from high performance yarns with a tenacity of 7 gram/denier. Each of the thread systems are produced by front bar guide movement having the formulation of: 1−0/n−(n+1), wherein n is the spaces traversed by the guide bar.

Claims

1. A protective fabric that resists penetration by a sharp object, said fabric comprising:

a plurality of thread systems formed of high performance yarns having a tenacity of at least 7 grams/denier, said yarns being warp knit to form a structure having a thread density of at least 7,500 threads/sq. in. wherein said thread systems are interlocked during the knitting process to prevent sliding between the threads when the sharp object is pushed into the fabric.

2. The protective fabric of claim 1 wherein said yarns system are produced by guide bar movement in accordance with the formula 1−

0/n−

(n+1).

3. The protective fabric of claim 1 wherein said yarns are made of a fabric selected from a para-amid group, an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene group and a liquid crystal polymer.

4. A method of making a protective fabric that resists penetration by a sharp object comprising:

providing a plurality of high performance yarns having a tenacity of at least 7 grams/denier; and

warp knitting said yarns to form a fabric layer having thread systems with a thread density of at least 7,500 threads/sq.in., wherein during said warp knitting the threads of the fabric layer are interlocked to resist penetration by the sharp object.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said warp knitting is performed using a guide bar movement defined by the formula 1−

o/n−

(n+1).

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said yarns are selected from the group consisting of a para-amid, an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and a liquid crystal polymer.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising calendering said fabric layer.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising laminating said fabric layer to another fabric.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising applying a resin coating to said fabric layer.