Energy absorbing fabric and method of manufacturing same

A fabric comprising:

• (i) a first layer comprising a first set of elongation yarns extending in a substantially warp direction and a first set of lateral yarns extending in a substantially weft direction across the fabric between the first set of elongation yarns such that the elongation yarns of the first set of elongation yarns are interwoven with one another by the first set of lateral yarns;
• (ii) a second layer comprising a second set of elongation yarns extending in the substantially warp direction and a second set of lateral yarns extending in the substantially weft direction across the fabric between the second set of elongation yarns such that the elongation yarns of the second set of elongation yarns are interwoven with one another;
• and
• (iii) a plurality of binder yarns, at least one of which is interwoven between the first layer and the second layer at various points along a length of the fabric to secure the first layer with the second layer,
• wherein at least one of the plurality of binder yarns interweaves groups of two or more lateral yarns of the first set of lateral yarns in the first layer with groups of two or more lateral yarns of the second set of lateral yarns in the second layer,
• wherein the at least one of the plurality of binder yarns exits the first layer and reenters the first layer along a plurality of first bands such that each of the first bands includes one of the groups of two or more lateral yarns of the first set of lateral yarns and such that no lateral yarns are present in the first layer between consecutive first bands of the plurality of first bands,
• wherein the at least one of the plurality of binder yarns exits the second layer and reenters the second layer along a plurality of second bands such that each of the second bands includes one of the groups of two or more lateral yarns of the second set of lateral yarns and such that no lateral yarns are present in the second layer between consecutive second bands of the plurality of second bands,
• wherein the elongation yarns have a shrinkage characteristic that is greater than a shrinkage characteristic of the binder yarns and wherein the binder yarns have a tensile strength that is greater than a tensile strength of the elongation yarns, and
• wherein the binder yarns are longer than the elongation yarns.

A method of weaving a fabric comprising:

• (i) interweaving a first set of elongation yarns with one another by a first set of lateral yarns in a substantially warp direction to form a first layer of the fabric, wherein the first set of lateral yarns extends in a substantially weft direction across the first layer between the first set of elongation yarns;
• (ii) interweaving a second set of elongation yarns with one another by a second set of lateral yarns in the substantially warp direction to form a second layer of the fabric, wherein the second set of lateral yarns extends in the substantially weft direction across the second layer between the second set of elongation yarns;
• and
• (iii) interweaving at least one binder yarn between the first layer and the second layer along a length of the fabric to secure the first layer with the second layer such that:
• the at least one binder yarn exits the first layer and reenters the first layer along a plurality of first sections, where each of the first sections includes a group of two or more lateral yarns of the first set of lateral yarns such that no lateral yarns are present in the first layer between consecutive first sections of the plurality of first sections of the first layer, and
• the at least one binder yarn exits the second layer and reenters the second layer along a plurality of second sections, where each of the second sections includes a group of two or more lateral yarns of the second set of lateral yarns such that no lateral yarns are present in the second layer between consecutive second sections of the plurality of second sections of the second layer.