US4686136A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laminated fabrics and fiber mats and method for their manufacture
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
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Filing: 1985-11-18
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Granted: 1987-08-11
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Expires: 2005-11-18
Abstract
Abstract A method of forming a laminated fabric which includes an inner air-laid, batt-like material comprising randomly arrayed fibers of carbon and a thermoplastic copolyvinyl sich as Vinyon is manufactured by feeding the outer shell layers on opposite sides of the batt through an ultrasonic treatment station where ultrasonic energy is applied to the material. The sonic horn engages one side of the laminate, while a patterned anvil roller from which pins extend radially in a predetermined pattern engages the other side of the material being treated. Accordingly, ultrasonic energy applied by the ultrasonic horn is concentrated at the pins, which fuses the thermoplastic fibers in the batt at the places where the pins engage. Since the shell fabrics are also thermoplastic, the columns formed through the batt due to their engagement by the pins and the ultrasonic energy are also fused to the outer shell fabrics. Accordingly, a laminate is produced in which columns extend through the batt to unite the outer shell fabrics with each other and with the batt.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward C. Homonoff
- 👤 Clarke A. Rodman
- 👤 II Broaddus L. Rutledge
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:09
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06M; D06M17/00; B; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; B29C65/083; B29C65/086; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/40; B29C66/41; B29C66/45; B29C66/70; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/80; B29C66/83; B29C66/834; B29C66/8341; B29C66/83411; D06M10/00; D06M10/02; B29C66/71; B29C66/72; B29C66/729; B29C66/7294; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81411; B29C66/81421; B29C66/81422; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24174; Y10T428/24182; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/30; Y10T442/3472; Y10T442/3528; Y10T442/3537; Y10T442/60; Y10T442/697
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A laminated fabric material comprising an outer shell fabric layer, an inner shell fabric layer, said inner and outer shell fabric layers including a heat fusible material, and an inner layer disposed between said inner and outer shell fabric layers, said inner layer comprising a nonwoven batt containing a mixture of fibers which are thermoplastic and fibers which are not thermoplastic, said batt including spaced-apart portions in which the thermoplastic fibers are fused together to form a structural component extending through the batt, the ends of said structural components being fused with the inner and outer shell fabric layers respectively while leaving the thermoplastic fibers in said batt between said structural components unfused so that the nonthermoplastic fibers between said structural components are not altered, whereby said structural components define column means interconnecting said shell fabric layers and maintaining said shell fabrics apart to substantially prevent compression of said shell fabrics into said batt in regions adjacent to said columns.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A laminated fabric material comprising an outer shell fabric layer, an inner shell fabric layer, said inner and outer shell fabric layers including a heat fusible material, and an inner layer disposed between said inner and outer shell fabric layers, said inner layer comprising a nonwoven batt containing a mixture of fibers which are thermoplastic and fibers which are not thermoplastic, said batt including spaced-apart portions in which the thermoplastic fibers are fused together to form a structural component extending through the batt, the ends of said structural components being fused with the inner and outer shell fabric layers respectively while leaving the thermoplastic fibers in said batt between said structural components unfused so that the nonthermoplastic fibers between said structural components are not altered, whereby said structural components define column means interconnecting said shell fabric layers and maintaining said shell fabrics apart to substantially prevent compression of said shell fabrics into said batt in regions adjacent to said columns.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of said structural components is substantially less than the cross-sectional area of the unfused portion of the batt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
Laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 2, wherein said structural components are pin-shaped.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
Laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 3, wherein said structural components are arranged in predetermined repeating patterns.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
Laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 4, wherein said predetermined repeating pattern is a diamond matrix.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
Laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 5, wherein the apicies of the diamond matrix patterns are aligned across the width and along the length of the fabric material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
Laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 4, wherein a fabric which does not contain thermoplastic material is bonded to at least one of inner and outer shell fabrics on the side of the latter opposite the side disposed against the batt.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
Laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fabric which does not contain thermoplastic material is bonded to at least one of inner and outer shell fabrics on the side of the latter opposite the side disposed against the batt.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
Laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the batt has a weight greater than 4 ox./yd. 2 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
190 words
Method of forming a laminated fabric material from a batt and thermoplastic shell fabric layers on opposite sides of the batt comprising the steps of preparing a nonwoven batt containing a mixture of a thermoplastic material and a material which is not thermoplastic, progressively feeding said batt in a given direction, feeding said shell fabrics in said given direction in juxtaposition to opposite sides of said batt, and heating only spaced-apart portions of said batt as it is fed in said given direction to a temperature sufficient to fuse together the thermoplastic fibers in said batt at said spaced-apart portions and to join said thermoplastic fibers at said spaced-apart portions to said shell fabrics to thereby form a structural component extending through said batt to join said shell fabrics with the spaced-apart portions of the batt, and maintain the rest of said batt other than said spaced-apart portions at a temperature less than the temperature at which said thermoplastic fibers fuse, said structural components being caused to form in sufficient quantity and size to prevent substantial compression of said shell fabrics into said batt in regions adjacent said structural components.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
190 words
Method of forming a laminated fabric material from a batt and thermoplastic shell fabric layers on opposite sides of the batt comprising the steps of preparing a nonwoven batt containing a mixture of a thermoplastic material and a material which is not thermoplastic, progressively feeding said batt in a given direction, feeding said shell fabrics in said given direction in juxtaposition to opposite sides of said batt, and heating only spaced-apart portions of said batt as it is fed in said given direction to a temperature sufficient to fuse together the thermoplastic fibers in said batt at said spaced-apart portions and to join said thermoplastic fibers at said spaced-apart portions to said shell fabrics to thereby form a structural component extending through said batt to join said shell fabrics with the spaced-apart portions of the batt, and maintain the rest of said batt other than said spaced-apart portions at a temperature less than the temperature at which said thermoplastic fibers fuse, said structural components being caused to form in sufficient quantity and size to prevent substantial compression of said shell fabrics into said batt in regions adjacent said structural components.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method of forming a laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 10, wherein said spaced-apart portions are heated by applying sonic energy to said spaced-apart portions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
Method of forming a laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 11, wherein said sonic energy is applied by feeding said batt with said shell fabrics juxtaposed on opposite sides of said batt between an ultrasonic horn and an anvil roll.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
Method of forming a laminated fabric material as claimed in claim 11, wherein said batt with said shell fabrics juxtaposed on opposite sides thereof is fed between an ultrasonic horn and a patterned anvil roll, the pattern on the anvil roll defining said spaced-apart portions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
Method of forming a laminated fabric as claimed in claim 11, wherein said batt with said shell fabrics juxtaposed on opposite sides thereof is fed between an ultrasonic horn and an anvil roll having pins arranged in a pattern thereon, said pins defining said spaced-apart portions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
Method of forming a laminated fabric as claimed in claim 10, including the step of bonding a fabric which does not contain thermoplastic material to at least one of said inner and outer shell fabric layers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-08-10 | 1991-02-09 | 1991-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-08-10 | 1995-02-09 | 1995-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-08-10 | 1999-02-09 | 1999-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |