Polysiloxane coated fabrics for use in air-holding vehicle restraint systems

• US 6,641,686 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradford Coatings, Llc
• Original Assignee: Bradford Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Veiga, Manuel J., Satin, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SELLS, JAMES D
• Application Number:
  US09/809,757
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 156/73.1, 156/82, 156/272.2, 280/728.1, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/743.1, 442/71, 442/81, 442/157
• US Class Current: 156/73.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/128 with silicon polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/14 with polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/183 the layers are one next to the other
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/186 one of the layers is on one surface of the fibrous web and the other layer is on the other surface of the fibrous web
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/124 Air bags
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1362 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile containing [e.g., web, net, woven, knitted, mesh, nonwoven, matted, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1366 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile is sandwiched between two distinct layers of material unlike the textile, fabric, cloth, or pile layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1379 Contains vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1383 Vapor or gas barrier, polymer derived from vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride, or polymer containing a vinyl alcohol unit is sandwiched between layers [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/19 Sheets or webs edge spliced or joined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2066 Different coatings or impregnations on opposite faces of the fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2098 At least two coatings or impregnations of different chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2139 Coating or impregnation specified as porous or permeable to a specific substance [e.g., water vapor, air, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2738 Coating or impregnation intended to function as an adhesive to solid surfaces subsequently associated therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2803 Polymeric coating or impregnation from a silane or siloxane not specified as lubricant or water repellent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2861 : Coated or impregnated synthetic organic fiber fabric

Abstract

The invention is directed to coating a knit, woven, or non-woven textile substrate with adhesive polyurethane layer and then with an elastomeric polysiloxane layer and to then form an air curtain or air bag therefrom with superior air-holding and superior heat resistance.

Claims

1. A method of coating a textile substrate for an air-holding vehicle restraint system, which comprises:

a) coating an adhesive polyurethane to a surface of a textile substrate and drying at elevated temperature to form a first coating layer; and

b) coating an elastomeric polysiloxane to the polyurethane coating layer and drying at elevated temperature to form a second coating layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the textile substrate is a fabric constructed from synthetic fibers.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the synthetic fibers are polyamides or polyesters.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the textile substrate is selected from the group consisting of knitted, woven, and non-woven fabrics.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the textile substrate is a woven nylon.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive polyurethane of the first coating layer is selected from the group consisting of aromatic or aliphatic polyester or polyether polyurethanes.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first coating layer has a coating weight of from about 0.3 ounces/sq. yd. to about 1.5 ounces/sq. yd.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the coating weight is 0.5 ounces/sq. yd.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second coating layer of polysiloxane has a coating weight of from about 0.5 ounces per sq. yd to about 5 ounces/ sq. yd.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the coating weight of the polysiloxane layer is about 1.2 ounces per sq. yd.

11. The method of claim 1 and including coating an adhesive polyurethane to the other surface of said textile substrate and drying at elevated temperature to form a coating on the other surface of said textile substrate.

12. The method of claim 1 and including coating an elastomeric polysiloxane to the other surface of said textile substrate and drying at elevated temperature to form a coating on the other surface of said textile substrate.

13. A method of forming an air-holding restraint system for a vehicle, which comprises:

a) coating an adhesive polyurethane to a surface of a first textile substrate to form a first coating layer;

b) coating an elastomeric polysiloxane to the first coating layer to form a second coating layer;

c) repeating coating steps a) and b) on a surface of a second textile substrate;

d) sealing the first and second coated textile substrates together by radio frequency sealing, hot air sealing or ultrasonic heat sealing.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the air-holding restraint system is an air bag.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the air-holding restraint system is an air curtain.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the textile substrate is a fabric constructed from synthetic fibers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the synthetic fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyamides and polyesters.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said textile substrates are selected from the group consisting of knitted, woven and non-woven fabrics.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the textile substrates are woven nylon.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the adhesive polyurethane first coating layer is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic or aromatic polyester and polyether polyurethanes.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the first coating layer has a coating weight of from about 0.3 ounces per sq. yd to about 1.5 ounces per sq. yd.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the coating weight is about 0.5 ounces per sq. yd.

23. The method of claim 13 wherein the second coating layer has a coating weight of from about 0.5 ounces/sq. yd. to about 5.0 ounces/sq. yd.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the second coating layer has a coating weight of about 1.2 ounces/sq. yd.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein the other surface of each of said textile substrates is coated with an adhesive polyurethane.

26. The method of claim 13 wherein the other surface of each of said textile substrates is coated with a polysiloxane.

27. The method of claim 13 wherein the sealing is effected by radio frequency sealing at from about 10 to about 80 megahertz.