Heat curable composite textile
AssigneeSaprex, LLC
InventorRobert Jacque Goulet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat curable, circular knitted fabric includes reinforcing and meltable resin fibers that can be cured to form a more rigid material form. In one embodiment, the fabric includes a core spun yarn, wherein the core may be made from glass, carbon, basalt, aramid or metal. The wrap surrounding the core may include resin type fibers such as Poly(p-phenylene sulfide) PPS, Polyetherimide (PEI), Polyether ether ketone (PEEK), Polysulfone (PES), Polyphthalamide (PPA), nylon, polyester, or polypropylene.
Claims23
An insulated exhaust component, the component comprising:
- a hollow tubular member;
- a rigid, heat resistant, and non-flammable cover positioned around at least a portion of the hollow tubular member, wherein the cover comprises:
- a composite textile knitted sleeve formed from core spun yarn, wherein said core spun yarn includes a core made from a first material and a meltable wrap disposed about said core, wherein at least a first portion of said meltable wrap is made from a second material, wherein said second material has a melting point of at least 250° F.;
- and
- sleeve reinforcing fibers knitted together with the core spun yarn to form the knitted sleeve;
- and
- wherein the cover is formed by heating the knitted sleeve placed around the component to cause the meltable wrap to at least partially melt around the hollow tubular member.
A method of manufacturing an insulated exhaust component, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a hollow tubular member;
- forming a rigid, heat resistant, and non-flammable cover positioned around at least a portion of the hollow tubular member, wherein forming the cover further comprises:
- providing core spun yarn having a core made from a first material and a meltable wrap disposed about said core, where at least a first portion of said meltable wrap is made from a second material, wherein said second material has a melting point of at least 250° F.;
- providing sleeve reinforcing fibers;
- forming a knitted sleeve by knitting said core spun yarn and said sleeve reinforcing fibers together into a circular knit structure;
- cutting said knitted sleeve into a desired shape;
- wrapping and covering said hollow tubular member with said knitted sleeve;
- heating said hollow tubular member wrapped in said knitted sleeve until said meltable wrap is at least partially melted;
- and
- allowing said hollow tubular member and said knitted sleeve to cool, so that said meltable wrap hardens and said knitted sleeve maintains its shape about said hollow tubular member to form the rigid, heat resistant, and non-flammable cover.
A method of manufacturing an insulated exhaust component, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a hollow tubular member;
- forming a rigid, heat resistant, and non-flammable cover positioned around at least a portion of the hollow tubular member, wherein forming the cover further comprises:
- providing core spun yarn having a core made from a first material and a meltable wrap disposed about said core, where at least a first portion of said meltable wrap is made from a second material;
- providing sleeve reinforcing fibers;
- forming a protective composite textile by knitting said core spun and said sleeve reinforcing fibers together;
- cutting said protective composite textile into a desired shape;
- placing said protective textile into a mold;
- heating said protective composite textile until said meltable wrap becomes at least partially melted;
- allowing said protective composite textile to cool, so that said meltable wrap hardens and said protective composite textile maintains the shape of said mold to form a molded knitted sleeve;
- and
- attaching said molded knitted sleeve to said hollow tubular member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.