Bi-directional and multi-axial fabrics and fabric composites

• US 6,841,492 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bhatnagar, Ashok, Parrish, Elizabeth Stroud
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Terrel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Piziali, Andrew T
• Application Number:
  US10/179,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20030228815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 281/40, 428/911, 442/134, 442/135, 442/181, 442/239, 442/246, 442/255, 442/261, 442/286, 442/290, 442/210, 442/301, 442/304, 442/182, 442/206, 442/207, 442/209, 2/25
• US Class Current: 442/135
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0052 Antiballistic fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 11/00 Double or multi-ply fabrics not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 13/006 With additional leno yarn
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/283 synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/41 with specific twist
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/56 elastic
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 15/573 Tensile strength
• 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 2201/02 Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/28 Cellulose esters or ethers, e.g. cellulose acetate
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2211/02 Wool
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/02 polyolefins
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/021 polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/06 polymers of unsaturated alcohols, e.g. polyvinyl alcohol, or of their acetals or ketals
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/10 polymers of unsaturated nitriles, e.g. polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene cyanide
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/02 polyamides D10B2331/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/021 aromatic polyamides, e.g. aramides
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/04 polyesters, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET]
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2331/10 polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/063 high strength
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02412 : including several arrays of unbent yarn, e.g. multiaxial fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/02 : Reinforcing materials; Prepregs
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/0478 : Fibre- or fabric-reinforced layers in combination with plastics layers
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/0485 : all the layers being only fibre- or fabric-reinforced layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 139/01 : Bias fabric digest
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/911 : Penetration resistant layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2615 : Coating or impregnation is resistant to penetration by solid implements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2623 : Ballistic resistant
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2861 : Coated or impregnated synthetic organic fiber fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/30 : Woven fabric [i.e., woven strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3008 : Woven fabric has an elastic quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3203 : Multi-planar warp layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3211 : Multi-planar weft layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3228 : Materials differ
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3236 : Including inorganic strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3244 : Including natural strand material [e.g., cotton, wool, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3252 : Including synthetic polymeric strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/326 : Including synthetic polymeric strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3268 : Including natural strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3276 : Including polyamide strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3285 : Including polyester strand material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3472 : Woven fabric including an additional woven fabric layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3528 : Three or more fabric layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3602 : Three or more distinct layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/365 : At least one layer is a preformed synthetic polymeric film or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3854 : Woven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3886 : Olefin polymer or copolymer sheet or film [e.g., polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-butylene copolymer, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3976 : Including strand which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous composition, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/40 : Knit fabric [i.e., knit strand or strip material]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/413 : Including an elastic strand
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/456 : Including additional strand inserted within knit fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/488 : Including an additional knit fabric layer

Abstract

Bi-directional and multi-axial fabrics, fabric composites, ballistically resistant assemblies thereof, and the methods by which they are made. The fabrics are comprised of sets of strong, substantially parallel, unidirectional yarns lying in parallel planes, one above the other, with the direction of the yarns in a given plane rotated at an angle to the direction of the yarns in adjacent planes; and one or more sets of yarns having lower strength and higher elongation interleaved with the strong yarns. The fabrics of the invention provide superior ballistic effectiveness compared to ordinary woven and knitted fabrics but retain the ease of manufacture on conventional looms and knitting machines.

Claims

1. A woven fabric comprising:

a) a first set of continuous filament unidirectional yarns lying in a first plane;

b) a second set of continuous filament unidirectional yarns lying in a second plane above said first plane and arranged transversely to said first set of yarns;

c) a third set of yarns arranged transversely to said first set of yarns and interlaced with said first set of yarns, each yarn of the third set lying above some and below the remaining yarns of said first set;

d) a fourth set of yarns arranged transversely to said second set and said third set of yarns and interlaced with said second and thirds sets of yarns, each yarn of the fourth set lying above some and below the remaining yarns of said second and third sets of yarns;

wherein each of said first and second sets of yarns have tenacity'"'"'s equal to or greater than about 15 g/d, initial tensile moduli equal to or greater than about 400 g/d and energies-to-break equal to or greater than about 22 J/g as measured by ASTM D2256; and

wherein each of said first and second sets of yarns, in proportion to the yarns comprising each of said third and fourth sets of yarns have at least twice the breaking strength, and half the elongation to break.

2. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the yarns of said first and second sets are each selected independently from the group consisting of continuous filament highly oriented high molecular weight polyolefins, aramids, polybenzazoles and blends thereof.

3. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the yarns of said first and second sets of yarns are each selected independently from the group consisting of continuous filament highly oriented high molecular weight polyethylene, poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide, poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide), poly(benzobisoxazole, poly(benzobisthiazole), poly(benzobisimidazole) and blends thereof.

4. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the yarns of said third and fourth sets are each selected independently from the group consisting of polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, polyolefin, polyacrylonitrile, polyurethane, cellulose acetate, cotton, wool, and copolymers and blends thereof.

5. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the yarns of at least one of said third and fourth sets of yarns is comprised of an elastomeric fiber.

6. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the yarns of at least one of said third and fourth sets of yarns is comprised of staple fibers.

7. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the yarns of each of said first and second sets of yarns, in proportion to the yarns comprising each of said third and fourth sets of yarns, have at least three times the breaking strength, and one-third the elongation to break.

8. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the yarns of each of said first and second sets of yarns, in proportion to the yarns comprising each of said third and fourth sets of yarns, have at least three times the breaking strength, and one-tenth the elongation to break.

9. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the spacing of each of said first, second, third, and fourth sets of yarns is independently from about 5 ends/in (1.97 ends/cm) to about 50 ends/in (19.7 ends/cm).

10. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein the spacing of each of said first second, third, and fourth sets of yarns is independently from about 8 ends/in (3.15 ends/cm) to about 20 ends/in (7.87 ends/cm).

11. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said woven fabric has been calendered.

12. A fabric composite comprising a woven fabric having the characteristics as recited in claim 1 embedded in a matrix selected from the group consisting of an elastomeric matrix having an initial tensile modulus less than about 6,000 psi (41.3 MPa) and a rigid matrix having an initial tensile modulus at least about 300,000 psi (2068 MPa) as measured by ASTM D638.

13. The fabric composite of claim 12, wherein said matrix is a rigid matrix having an initial tensile modulus of at least about 300,000 psi (2068 MPa) as measured by ASTM D638, and wherein coated on at least a portion of one surface of said fabric composite is an elastomeric material having an initial tensile modulus less than about 6,000 psi (41.3 MPa) as measured by ASTM D638.

14. The fabric composite of claim 12, wherein the fabric is calendered.

15. The fabric composite of claim 14, wherein a plastic film bonded to at least a portion of one of the surfaces of said fabric composite.

16. The fabric composite of claim 14, wherein an elastomer is coated on at least a portion of at least one surface of said fabric, said elastomer having an initial tensile modulus equal to or less than about 6,000 psi (41.3 MPa), as measured by ASTM D638;

and a plastic film is bonded to at least a portion of said elastomer coated surface.

17. A fabric composite comprising a calendered woven fabric having the characteristics as recited in claim 11 with a plastic film bonded to at least a portion of at least one of said fabric surfaces.

18. A ballistically resistant article comprised of a plurality of fabric sheets plied together in a stacked array, wherein at least a majority of said fabric sheets are a woven fabric having the characteristics as recited in claim 1.

19. The ballistically resistant article of claim 18, wherein the fabric has been calendered.

20. The ballistically resistant article of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of said fabric sheets are fabric composite sheets embedded in a matrix selected from the group consisting of an elastomeric matrix having an initial tensile modulus less than about 6,000 psi (41.3 MPa) and a rigid matrix having an initial tensile modulus at least about 300,000 psi (2068 MPa), as measured by ASTM D638.

21. The ballistically resistant article of claim 20, wherein the matrix is a rigid matrix having an initial tensile modulus at least about 300,000 psi (2068 MPa), as measured by ASTM D638, and coated on at least a portion of one surface of said fabric composite sheets is an elastomeric material having an initial tensile modulus less than about 6,000 psi (41.3 MPa), as measured by ASTM D638.

22. The ballistically resistant article of claim 16 or 21 additionally comprising a hard face member selected from the group consisting of a metal, a ceramic, a glass, a metal filled composite, a ceramic filled composite or a glass filled composite.

23. A method of producing a ballistically resistant article comprising the steps of:

weaving a fabric with the characteristics as recited in claim 1; and

plying sheets of said fabric in a stacked array.

24. A method of producing a ballistically resistant article comprising the steps of:

weaving a fabric with the characteristics as recited in claim 11; and

plying sheets of said fabric in a stacked array.

25. The method recited in claim 23 or 24 additionally comprising the step of joining said fabric sheets together by joining means.

26. A method of producing a ballistically resistant article comprising the steps of:

a) weaving a fabric with the characteristics as recited in claim 11;

b) embedding the fabric in a matrix selected from the group consisting of an elastomer having an initial tensile modulus less than about 6,000 psi (41.3 MPa) and a rigid resin having an initial tensile modulus at least 300,000 psi (2068 MPa), as measured by ASTM D638, to produce a fabric composite;

d) plying sheets of said fabric composite in a stacked array; and

e) bonding and curing said sheets of said fabric composite together to form a unitary article.

27. A method as recited in claim 26 additionally including the step of bonding a plastic sheet to at least a portion of one surface of said fabric composite prior to plying sheets of said fabric composite in stacked array.

28. A method of producing a ballistically resistant article comprising the steps of:

a) weaving a fabric with the characteristics as recited in claim 11;

b) bonding a plastic film to at least a portion of at least one of said fabric surfaces to produce a fabric composite;

c) plying sheets of said fabric composite in a stacked array; and

d) bonding said sheets of said fabric composite together to form a unitary article.

29. A method of producing a ballistically resistant article comprising the steps of:

a) weaving a fabric with the characteristics as recited in claim 11;

b) embedding the fabric in a matrix consisting essentially of a rigid resin having an initial tensile modulus at least about 300,000 psi (2068 MPa), as measured by ASTM D638, to produce a fabric composite;

b) applying to the surface of said fabric composite an elastomeric material having a tensile modulus less than about 6000 psi (41.3 MPa), as measured by ASTM D638, to produce an elastomeric coated fabric composite;

c) plying sheets of said elastomeric coated fabric composite in a stacked array; and

d) bonding and curing said sheets of said elastomeric coated fabric composite together to form a unitary article.