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  Multi-directional-stretch, flame-resistant fabricUSPTO Application #: 20060105658Title: Multi-directional-stretch, flame-resistant fabric Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-directional stretch fabric that has excellent flash fire and flame resistant qualities. (end of abstract) Agent: Michael A. Leichtling The Chrysler Building - New York, NY, US Inventors: William Patz, David W. Firth USPTO Applicaton #: 20060105658 - Class: 442181000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Fabric (woven, Knitted, Or Nonwoven Textile Or Cloth, Etc.), Woven Fabric (i.e., Woven Strand Or Strip Material) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060105658. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to fabric manufacture, fabrics, and related articles. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and products having improved flash fire and flame resistance and flexibility for the wearer. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0002] It is known that various environments require specially crafted articles of clothing to protect the wearer. For example, military personnel, such as pilots, flight crews, tanker crews, special forces, aircraft carrier personnel, first responders, such as firemen, police and EMS workers, petrochemical workers, electrical linemen, etc. require clothing that protects them against flash fire and flame. Although certain protective clothing exists, this clothing is unacceptably rigid and, as such, fails to provide the wearer with the necessary flexibility or freedom of movement to allow the wearer to effectively perform necessary duties. [0003] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,527,597 and 5,694,981 disclose a fabric made of Kevlar.RTM. and poly-benzimidazole and an elastic material, such as rubber or spandex, to be used to construct garments such as a firefighters' turn-out coat. Their disclosures state that the fabric did not melt, drip, separate, or ignite upon static exposure in a 500.degree. F. oven for at least five minutes. However, what is truly needed is a multi-directional, stretchable garment that protects its wearer when subjected to flash fire or flame. [0004] Other known products either fail to be sufficiently stretchable or fire resistant or both. Thus, although there have been attempts to produce a stretchable, flash fire and flame resistant fabric, to date all have substantial shortcomings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The invention satisfies the need and avoids the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a light-weight, multi-directional stretch, flash fire and flame resistant fabric that provides both sufficient fire protection and sufficient flexibility for the wearer. In one aspect, a stretch-woven aramid fabric is disclosed that permits improved mobility and durability while at the same time exhibits superior resistance to flash fire and flame. [0006] The fabric is produced from a system of stretchable warp yarns interlaced with a pattern of stretchable filling or weft yarns on a weaving loom. The warp yarns run lengthwise in the fabric and cross at right angles to the filling yarns to produce a woven fabric. The stretchable warp and filling yarns may be of the same size or count or they may be different depending on the desired stretches and weight of the fabric that the wearer desires. [0007] The warp and filling yarns are constructed of flame resistant yarns or fibers, in one case N303 solution-dyed Nomex, and may be constructed of para-aramid or meta-aramid fibers. The amount of flame resistant yarn or fiber relative to the amount of elastomeric fiber core must be limited in order for the resultant fabric to provide adequate protection from flash fire or flame. On the other hand, the amount of elastomeric fiber core cannot be reduced to such an extent that the fabric has insufficient stretch and recovery. In one aspect, the flame resistant yarns or fibers are wrapped or spun around an elastomeric core. The yarns or fibers that are wrapped around the elastomeric core protect the core from melting or supporting a flame when the fabric is exposed to flash fire or flame. [0008] In one aspect, after weaving, the fabric is scoured and heatset to provide certain physical properties including desired stretches and recovery in both directions, weight, width and resistance to shrinkage in laundering. A topical finish to obtain moisture management or water repellency may be applied during the process to provide additional performance characteristics. In another aspect, finishes that detract from the flame resistance performance of the fabric are avoided. [0009] A stretchable, fire resistant fabric including warp and filling fibers is provided. The warp and filling fibers are constructed with an elastic core yam that is wrapped by a flash fire and flame resistant material such that the fabric is not flammable when subjected to an open flame for a variety of time frames including but not limited to 5, 10, and 12 seconds. In one aspect the elastic core yam may be wrapped by two layers of a flash fire and flame resistant material. In another aspect the elastic core yam of the invention may be limited to about 3%, 4%, and 5% (w/w). In yet another aspect of the invention, the flash fire and flame resistant material may be provided in amounts including but not limited to about 90 to about 98% (w/w). Of course, various combinations of amounts of elastic core yarn and flash fire and flame resistant material are contemplated by the invention. Spandex may be employed as an elastic core yam and para-aramid and meta-aramid material, including but not limited to a blend of Nomex.RTM. material, may be utilized as a flash fire and flame resistant material. In another aspect the fabric of the invention may stretch and recover about 20% to about 60% in each direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of illustrating an elastic core yarn wrapped with a fire resistant yarn in one direction that is wrapped with another fire resistant yarn in the opposite direction. [0011] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a plain weave. [0012] FIGS. 3A and 3B are top plan views of a fabric constructed according to the invention. [0013] FIGS. 4A and 4B are top plan views of another fabric constructed according to the invention. [0014] FIG. 5 is an elevation view of a garment constructed according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0015] As set forth above, military personnel, first responders, petrochemical workers, electrical linemen, etc. need garments that are extremely flexible and provide the requisite safety from flash fire and flame. Specifically, the invention provides a stretch-woven fabric that has good stretch and recovery, flame resistance, static dissipative properties and limited spectral reflectance in compliance with MIL-C-83429. Additionally, the material is dimensionally stable, colorfast, and pill resistant in compliance with MIL-C-29567. [0016] According to the invention, a flame resistant fiber may be wrapped around an elastomeric fiber core. Various flash fire and flame resistant materials may be employed including but not limited to aramids, polyamides with para-phenylene group linkages, polyamides with meta-phenylene group linkages, polybenzimidazole, Nomex.RTM. 450 (crystallized Nomex.RTM., Nomex.RTM. 455 (95/5 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. 460 (85/15 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. 462 (93/5/2 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM./P-140 antistat), Nomex.RTM. N330 Military grade (92/5/3 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM./P-140 antistat), Nomex.RTM. E502 (93/5/2 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM./P-140 antistat), Nomex.RTM. E510 (crystallized Nomex.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. N301 (95/5 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. N302 (93/5/2 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM./P-140 antistat), Nomex.RTM. N303 Military grade (92/5/3 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM./P-140 antistat), Nomex.RTM. N304 (77/23 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. N305 (75/23/2 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM./P-140 antistat), Nomex.RTM. N306 (84/10/6 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM./P-140 antistat), Nomex.RTM. N308 (40/60 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. N310 (50/50 blend of Nomex.RTM./Kevlar.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. E50 (Nomex.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. E50ZT (Nomex.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. 430 (crystallized Nomex.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. N104 (uncrystallized Nomex.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. N10 (Nomex.RTM.), Nomex.RTM. N102 (Nomex.RTM.), and any other materials that can be formed into fabric that meet the criteria of both stretch and recovery and flash fire and flame resistance. Antistat, such as that referred to above as P-140, may be added to a fabric material to eliminate the possibility of static discharge. [0017] Elastic materials are employed to provide the products of the invention with flexibility. According to the invention, elastic means that the material may be stretched repeatedly in different directions and still recover to very near its original length and shape. Various elastic materials may be utilized including but not limited to spandex, Lycra.RTM., rubber, long-chain synthetic polymers including polyurethane, and any other materials that have the quality of elasticity. [0018] Nomex.RTM. N302 (Military grade), which is a 93% Nomex.RTM., 5% Kevlar.RTM., and 2% P-140 antistat, may be combined with spandex to form a stretchable, flash fire and flame resistant fabric. In another embodiment, Nomex.RTM. N303 (Military grade), which is 92% Nomex.RTM., 5% Kevlar.RTM., and 3% P-140 antistat, may be combined with spandex. Nomex.RTM. N302 and N303 may be solution-dyed materials. [0019] In one aspect, a spandex material (5%) is combined with flash fire and flame resistant material (95%), such as Nomex.RTM. N303, to form a useful fabric according to the invention. In another aspect, 96% of a flash fire and flame resistant material, such as Nomex.RTM. N303, is combined with 4% spandex material, which, compared to the 5% spandex product, provides slightly improved flash fire and flame protection. In yet another aspect, 97% Nomex.RTM. N303 or another flash fire and flame resistant material may be combined with 3% spandex material to permit even greater flash fire and flame protection. In each of these examples, greater flash fire and flame resistance is achieved at the expense of less stretchability and recovery of the fabric material. Thus, the 3% spandex material has better flash fire and flame protection than the product having 5% spandex. However, the 5% spandex material provides better stretch and recovery compared to the 3% spandex material. Continue reading... Full patent description for Multi-directional-stretch, flame-resistant fabric Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Multi-directional-stretch, flame-resistant fabric patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Multi-directional-stretch, flame-resistant fabric or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Microbial resistant kraft facing for fiberglass insulation Next Patent Application: Woven face pvc floor covering Industry Class: Fabric (woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.) ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Multi-directional-stretch, flame-resistant fabric patent info. 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