US 2010/0108244 A1 · Enhanced Thickness Fabric and Method of Making Same

Abstract

The present invention provides thickened fabrics and reinforcements for use as a spacer or reinforcement for a matrix system. The fabric includes in a first embodiment a woven fabric comprising weft and warp yarns containing glass fibers. A portion of the weft yarns are undulated into a sinusoidal path forming a generally “C” shaped bridge between adjacent warp yarns which results in an increased thickness for the fabric. The fabric is coated with a polymeric resin or bonding agent, for substantially binding the weft yarns in the undulated condition. This invention also includes methods for making such fabric by increasing the thickness of a woven or non-woven material by such methods as applying tension to warp yarns having opposite twists during weaving operations, or using unbalanced yarns, for example.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method of making a corrosion-resistant fabric having increased thickness comprising:

(a) providing an open woven layer including warp yarns interwoven with weft yarns, wherein said warp yarns comprise adjacent warp yarns twisted together, and wherein at least a pair of said adjacent warp yarns are provided with alternating directions of twist;
(b) applying a tensile force to said pair of said adjacent warp yarns wherein said pair of said adjacent warp yarns are mechanically manipulated to at least partially untwist and apply torque on each weft yarn, causing said each weft yarn to become undulated in a generally “C” shaped configuration between said pair of said adjacent warp yarns, causing an increased thickness of the fabric as measured from the high point and the low point of the sinusoidal profile of the weft yarn;
and
(c) a bonding agent in the form of a polymeric coating disposed over at least portions of said pair of adjacent warp yarns and at least portions of said each weft yarn so as to retain said generally “C” shaped configuration.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Enhanced Thickness Fabric and Method of Making Same

Life of this patent

Enhanced Thickness Fabric and Method of Making Same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10