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US 7,854,017 B2Granted
Protective garments that provide thermal protection
AssigneeSouthern Mills, Inc.
InventorMichael Andrew Laton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermally protective fabric includes a composition of inherently flame resistant fibers, and interstices having insulating pockets of air, wherein at least some of the air is incorporated into the interstices through a mechanical working process.
Claims39
A method for forming a thermally protective fabric comprising:
- pre-forming a fabric from inherently flame resistant fibers;
- positioning the pre-formed fabric a distance from an impact surface;
- and
- mechanically working the pre-formed fabric by propelling the pre-formed fabric across the distance and against the impact surface to increase the thermal protection of the pre-formed fabric without a corresponding increase in the weight per square yard of the pre-formed fabric.
1 more element
A method of reducing the flexural rigidity of a thermally protective garment, the method comprising:
- pre-forming a fabric from inherently flame resistant fibers;
- positioning the pre-formed fabric a distance from an impact surface;
- mechanically working the pre-formed fabric by propelling the pre-formed fabric across the distance and against the impact surface to increase the thermal protection of the pre-formed fabric without a corresponding increase in the weight per square yard of the pre-formed fabric;
- and
- constructing a thermally protective garment comprising the pre-formed fabric, the thermally protective garment having reduced flexural rigidity.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.