Enhanced energy absorbing materials
AssigneeTex Tech Industries, Inc.
InventorsEric D. Ritter, David F. Erb, Jr., Allen L. Price
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Dense, highly stable, high performance ballistic material comprises at least one woven layer of ballistic grade fiber (preferably a stack of such layers) and at least one nonwoven layer of fabric which is entangled with the woven or unidirectional layer by needle felting. The resulting core material does not require assembly of individual woven layers during subsequent manufacture of ballistic articles and exhibits excellent ballistic performance at low areal densities and thicknesses.
Claims12
A method of making a ballistic material comprising the steps of:
- superposing at least one layer of nonwoven ballistic grade fibers on a ballistic grade woven or unidirectional fabric to form a stack, and
- subjecting the stack to mechanical entanglement, so that the nonwoven fibers are entangled in a direction substantially perpendicular to an x y plane of the woven or unidirectional fabric so that the fibers completely penetrate through all of the woven or unidirectional fabric, into the interstices of the fabric to form a monolithic core material, thereby increasing interlaminar shear strength and communication between layers during a ballistic event.
A method of making a ballistic material comprising the steps of:
- superposing at least one layer of nonwoven ballistic grade fibers selected from the group consisting of para-aramid fibers, poly(phenylene benzobisoxazole) fibers, high molecular weight polyethylene fibers or ballistic nylon fibers on a ballistic grade woven or unidirectional fabric to form a stack, and
- subjecting the stack to mechanical entanglement, so that the nonwoven fibers are entangled in a direction substantially perpendicular to an x y plane of the woven or unidirectional fabric so that the fibers completely penetrate through all of the woven or unidirectional fabric, into the interstices of the fabric to form a monolithic core material, thereby increasing interlaminar shear strength and communication between layers during a ballistic event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.