Protective multi-layered liquid retaining composite

• US 6,371,977 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TechNiche Solutions
• Original Assignee: AquaTex Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Bumbarger, Thomas H., Bumbarger, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROY DEAN
• Application Number:
  US09/408,861
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 607/96, 607/108-112, 607/114, 604/358, 604/361, 602/41, 602/56
• US Class Current: 607/108
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0056 using evaporative effect
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/065 using layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/085 using layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/245 using layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 2/06 Physical fire-barriers
• 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: B32B 7/027 Thermal properties
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/0471 Layered armour containing fibre- or fabric-reinforced layers in combination with ceramic layers F41H5/0428, with metal layers F41H5/0457
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2927 including structurally defined particulate matter

Abstract

A multi-layered composite comprising a protective layer, a retaining layer, a conductive layer and a filler layer intermediate the retainer and conductive layers. The filler layer is impregnated with liquid absorbent particles and/or fibers. An optional protective layer having specific characteristic for protection against extreme temperatures, physical impacts and the like is specifically disclosed for use in combination with the retainer, filler and conductive layers. The protective layer provides additional protection of the person from catastrophic events such as exposure of a person to fire and/or severe impact such as may be caused by gunfire.

Claims

1. A method of cooling a person by evaporation, comprising:

providing a multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite material comprising a fiberfill batting material, and hydrophilic polymeric fibers that absorb at least about 2.5 times the fiber'"'"'s weight in water;

soaking said multi-layered composite in a liquid;

employing said multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite material as a garment or a flat sheet and evaporatively cooling said person.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said garment is a shirt, vest, pant, or jacket.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said soaking occurs for a period of 2 to 5 minutes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said fibers are composed of not less than 90 weight percent of acrylonitrile and less than ten weight percent of a water-absorbing resin containing carboxyl groups;

and

have a degree of swellability of 10-300 cc/g.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said water-absorbing resin has a particle diameter of not larger than 0.5 microns at absolute dryness and is insoluble in water.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic polymeric fibers have an inner layer and an outer layer and said hydrophilic polymeric fibers are composed of not less than 90 weight percent of an acrylonitrile polymer and having disbursed therein less than ten weight percent of water-absorbing resin particles containing at least one carboxyl group represented by —

COOX, wherein X is H, NH₄ or an alkali metal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic polymeric fibers are blended with said fiberfill in a range of from about 15 percent to 75 percent with the fiberfill.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-layered liquid-retaining composite further comprises a conductive layer and a retainer layer, both of which communicate with the fiberfill batting material.

35. The method of claim 8, wherein the conductive layer is provided with a coating that is impervious to liquids, while allowing free passage of gases therethrough.

9. A method of cooling a person by evaporation, comprising:

providing a multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite material comprising;

a filler layer comprising;

a fiberfill batting material and

hydrophilic polymeric particles;

soaking said multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite in a liquid; and

employing said multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite as a garment or a flat sheet and evaporatively cooling said person.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said hydrophilic particles are capable of expanding 100 to 300 times from their original dry size to a wet size responsive to being soaked in liquid.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said hydrophilic particles have a volume when dry of between 0.1 to 2 cubic millimeters.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the fiberfill batting material comprises at least one of a woven aramid fiber or a polybenzamidazole fiber.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the multi-layered liquid-retaining composite further comprises a conductive layer and a retainer layer, both of which communicate with the fiberfill batting material.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the multi-layered liquid-retaining composite further comprises a conductive layer and a retainer layer, both of which communicate with the fiberfill batting material.

15. A method of cooling a person, comprising:

providing a multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite material comprising;

a filler layer comprising;

a fiberfill batting material and

hydrophilic polymeric particles capable of expanding 100 to 300 times from their original dry size to a wet size responsive to being soaked in liquid;

soaking said multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite in a liquid; and

employing said multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite as a garment or a flat sheet.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said hydrophilic particles have a volume when dry of between 0.1 to 2 cubic millimeters.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the fiberfill batting material comprises at least one of a woven aramid fiber or a polybenzamidazole fiber.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said filler layer further comprises:

hydrophilic polymeric fibers that absorb at least 2.5 times the fibers weight in water.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said hydrophilic polymeric fibers are polyacrylonitrile/polyacrylate fibers.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said hydrophilic polymeric fibers have diameters ranging from about 10 to 50 microns and lengths ranging from about 3 to 60 millimeters.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said fibers are comprised of absorbent gelling material and said fibers are bi-component fibers.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said fibers are bi-component fibers of the sheath/core type.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the multi-layered liquid-retaining composite further comprises a conductive layer and a retainer layer, both of which communicate with the fiberfill batting material.

24. A method of cooling a mammal by evaporation, comprising:

providing a multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite material comprising a fiberfill batting material, and hydrophilic polymeric fibers that absorb at least about 2.5 times the fiber'"'"'s weight in water;

soaking said multi-layered composite in a liquid;

employing said multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite material as a garment or a flat sheet and evaporatively cooling said mammal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said garment is a shirt, vest, pant, or jacket.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said soaking occurs for a period of 2 to 5 minutes.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said fibers are composed of not less than 90 weight percent of acrylonitrile and less than ten weight percent of a water-absorbing resin containing carboxyl groups;

and

have a degree of swellability of 10-300 cc/g.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said water-absorbing resin has a particle diameter of not larger than 0.5 microns at absolute dryness and is insoluble in water.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said hydrophilic polymeric fibers have an inner layer and an outer layer and said hydrophilic polymeric fibers are composed of not less than 90 weight percent of an acrylonitrile polymer and having disbursed therein less than ten weight percent of water-absorbing resin particles containing at least one carboxyl group represented by —

COOX, wherein X is H, NH₄ or an alkali metal.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said hydrophilic polymeric fibers are blended with said fiberfill in a range of from about 15 percent to 75 percent with the fiberfill.

31. A method of cooling a mammal by evaporation, comprising:

providing a multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite material comprising;

a filler layer comprising;

a fiberfill batting material and

hydrophilic polymeric particles;

soaking said multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite in a liquid; and

employing said multi-layered, liquid-retaining composite as a garment or a flat sheet and evaporatively cooling said mammal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said hydrophilic particles are capable of expanding 100 to 300 times from their original dry size to a wet size responsive to being soaked in liquid.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said hydrophilic particles have a volume when dry of between 0.1 to 2 cubic millimeters.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the fiberfill batting material comprises at least one of a woven aramid fiber or a polybenzamidazole fiber.