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US 8,484,940 B2Granted
Composite elastomeric yarns and fabric
AssigneeThe Quantum Group, Inc.
InventorJeffrey W. Bruner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to composite elastomeric yarns and fabrics, to methods of making same, and to articles in which such yarns and fabrics are used. The composite yarns of the present invention comprise a elastomeric core, an elastomeric thermoplastic sheath disposed about the core and, preferably, fibers mechanically anchored in the sheath. The composite fabrics of the present invention comprise the composite yarns of the present invention and conventional fibers arranged to form a fabric.
Claims9
A method of making a composite fabric comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing fibers;
- (b) providing composite elastomeric yarns comprising an elastomeric core component and an elastomeric thermoplastic sheath component disposed about the core component wherein a melting point temperature of the sheath component is at least about 10° C. lower than a melting point temperature of the core component;
- (c) forming a composite yarn arrangement by disposing the fibers about the sheath component of the composite elastomeric yarns by spinning or twisting;
- (d) heating the composite yarns to a temperature so as to soften or at least tackify at least a portion of the sheath component of the composite elastomeric yarns to facilitate an anchoring of at least a portion of the fibers in at least a portion of the sheath component of the composite elastomeric yarns;
- (e) cooling the composite yarn arrangement of fibers and composite elastomeric yarns to anchor at least a portion of the fibers in at least a portion of the sheath component of the composite elastomeric yarns;
- and
- (f) forming the composite fabric by weaving, knitting, braiding, or felting the composite elastomeric yarns and fibers.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.