Patents Assigned to Warwick Mills, Inc.
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Patent number: 8186276Abstract: Embodiments of entrapment systems and apparatuses are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In one embodiment, an entrapment apparatus is provided. This entrapment apparatus comprises a casing and a piece of multilayered fabric packed into the casing. The piece of multilayered fabric, when deployed, is configured to wrap around a person having an explosive device and configured to contain packed metal projectiles from an explosion of the explosive device.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2009Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignees: Raytheon Company, Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventors: Thomas A. Olden, Robert P. Johnson, Charles A. Howland
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Publication number: 20110296979Abstract: An assembly useful for constructing concealable, flexible, lightweight protective body armor includes a flexible support layer to which is bonded a mosaic of rigid, adjacent tiles having a high bending performance, such as type 5 titanium alloy, which includes 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium by weight. The inner support layer can include woven para-aramid and/or STF-treated Kevlar™. The tiles can have interlocking and/or thickened edges. An additional backing layer can include para-aramid and/or carbon nanofiber embedded UHMWPE UD-laminate. An inner layer can have high moisture transport, anti-microbial properties, and low friction. An outer layer can be shaped with anatomical features to hide the armor. The assembly can be flame resistant. Assemblies with 2 mm thick tiles and total thickness less than 5 mm can provide V50 protection against 9 mm FMJ projectiles at more than 1000 feet/second, and can also protect against knife and spike assaults at 65 Joules force.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2011Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventor: Charles A. Howland
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Publication number: 20110271825Abstract: A non-lethal, sabot-deployed blast shield mitigates a suicide bomber by wrapping around the bomber and positioning a plurality of protective layers over an explosive device to absorb emitted heat, shock waves, and projectiles if the device is detonated. Stand-offs such as inflatable beams or pillows provide break-away zones between the protective layers, allowing some layers to expand to a point of failure and absorb the maximum possible energy. Inner layers absorb shock waves and heat. One or more outer layers resist projectile penetration. Protective layers can be positioned on opposing sides of a suspect in case two explosive devices are present. Shields can deploy with sufficient energy to knock down a bomber. In embodiments, a plurality of shields can be applied without interference therebetween. In some embodiments, a round shield includes bolas which spread the shield in flight in a cast-net dynamic and wrap around the suspect for shield attachment.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2011Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventor: Charles A. Howland
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Patent number: 7963075Abstract: An inflatable barrier system for a doorway or other opening comprising a front side envelope of rectangular front elevation and dog bone shaped horizontal plane cross section, inflatable with gas and fillable with a hardening foam, combined with an inflatable back side array of tubular air beams configured with self sealant, both connected to a source of gas for inflating the fabric envelope and the back side array of tubular air beams. The front side envelope is configured for frontal resistance to predetermined levels of push, cut, puncture, flame, chemical, and ballistic attack. The system is used as a method for closing a doorway to such attacks by erecting and inflating the system within the opening such that the edges on either side of the opening are gripped between the lobes of the respective ends of the dog bone profile of the front side envelope.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2006Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventor: Charles A Howland
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Publication number: 20110123757Abstract: A fabric for use in chemical and biological (CB) protective garments includes at least one felt layer having from 25% to 100% carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers as a breathable physical barrier against toxic chemical droplets and/or pathogens. The felt layers are cleaned and consolidated into a mechanically competent sheet which can form adhesive seams having lapshear greater than the sheet itself. An additional supporting layer can be included. The supporting layer can be a wicking layer which is permeable with a chlorinated or otherwise chemically active solution to establish a reactive chemical barrier, the solution being dispensed on demand from a portable container. Embodiments include a second layer of CNT or of another backing fabric, sandwiching the wicking layer therebetween. Impermeable fluoropolymer seams can divide the fabric into a plurality of CNT/wicking cells. A layer of activated charcoal and/or halamine-forming hydantoin can be included for persistent reactive chemical protection.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2011Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: WARWICK MILLS INC.Inventor: Charles A. Howland
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Publication number: 20110023697Abstract: A flexible armor system adaptable to a garment suitable for extremity protection uses a planar array of polygon-shaped solid elements which detach upon projectile impact and combine their mass with the projectile for reduced velocity and increased impact area. The solid elements are bonded between an elastic strike-side spall cover and a high tensile strength flexible backer layer, and are further supported by a substantial fiber pack. In embodiments, the solid elements are ceramic, and are commutated but remain essentially intact after the projectile impact. Edge bars can cover junctures between solid elements, and center buttons can cover intersections between the junctures. Edge bars and center buttons can also be ceramic. The ceramic parts can include titanium backing layers. After formation, ceramic cores can be compressed upon cooling by an outer ceramic layer having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion, the outer layer being formed by glazing or doping.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2010Publication date: February 3, 2011Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventor: Charles A. Howland
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Patent number: 7874239Abstract: A flexible armor system adaptable to a garment suitable for extremity protection uses planar, polygon-shaped solid elements made of ceramic cores wrapped in high strength fabric and arranged with rotable edge and intersection protection as a flexible mosaic array which is bonded between an elastic strike side spall cover and a high tensile strength flexible backer layer, further supported by a substantial fiber pack. A progressive mode of localized system failure during a ballistic strike includes: a projectile penetrating the spall cover, fracturing the ceramic core of a wrapped SE while being partially deformed; the deformed projectile accelerating the fractured but still wrapped solid element before it so as to free the solid element from the array and drive it through the flexible backer as a combined mass at a reduced velocity into the fiber pack.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2007Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventor: Charles A Howland
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Publication number: 20110002739Abstract: A durable, quickly deployable temporary floating breakwater (FBW) can protect areas in austere locations. A plurality of inflatable modules is encapsulated within a common cover, which holds the modules together and in some embodiments supports a causeway thereupon. A separate floating causeway can be included. Embodiments include a semi-permeable “sloping beach” section which causes waves to break before reaching the FBW. A bed of wave-energy-absorbing synthetic kelp can be attached to the sloping beach. The beach and/or kelp can include low-surface-energy fibers and films, such as olefins and polypropylenes, to remove oil from the water in case of an oil spill or accident. In embodiments, the FBW can be temporarily sunk to avoid extremely high seas, ice, and/or other surface hazards. The FBW is lightweight, can be quickly and compactly stowed, and in some embodiments can be transported and deployed from the deck of an LCU 1610.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2010Publication date: January 6, 2011Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventor: Charles A. Howland
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Patent number: 7799563Abstract: Methods and structures are disclosed where carrier fiber is used to enable the assembly of two and three dimensional structures of autologous tissue. Tissue is harvested from the donor, integrated with a carrier fiber, and assembled into complex forms rapidly. The structures can be tailored to the requirements of a specific medical procedure. The tissue is kept live and viable during extracorporeal assembly and the finished structure is emplaced in the donor's body. The use of a carrier fiber leader for pre-threading integration and assembly machines facilitates machine set up, drawing of the tissue into the process, and rapid integration and assembly of the multi-dimensional structures. Assembly can include providing tissue and fiber leaders extending from the structure for attaching the structure in place. The carrier fiber either is bio-absorbed as new tissue forms, or forms a bio-compatible substructure for the patient's native tissue.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2004Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventors: Charles A. Howland, Virginia Houston-Howland, Jennifer K. White
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Patent number: 7758710Abstract: A method for joining fabrics, particularly high strength fabrics such as airship hull fabrics, including the steps of: measuring selected parameters of two fabric layers to be joined and the adhesive and any tape or other materials intended to be included in the joint; calculating therefrom an optimal value of a quality control parameter of an ideal joint, such as joint thickness, specific gravity or opacity; assembling the two fabric layers and other materials in the desired order; and applying heat and pressure to the assemblage until the selected quality control parameter of the joint, such as joint thickness, specific gravity or opacity, is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2007Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventor: Charles A Howland
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Patent number: 7514378Abstract: A composite fabric, multi-layer protective panel alternative to an exclusively fine denier, continuous filament yarn protective fabric, multi-layer protective panel. Fabric layers consist of warp and fill sheets of continuous filament yarn of relatively higher denier at a relatively lower cover factor that have their yarns interlocked in a woven pattern by overlapping warp and fill sheets of staple yarns of relatively lower denier, thus raising effective cover factor. Staple yarns have a conspicuous amount of hairiness for greater yarn stability. Ballistic performance is enhanced by depositing a molten mass of fiber material and protruding staple fiber filament ends on a striking projectile upon impact on outer layers, and transporting the additional mass into the panel with a higher coefficient of friction.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2005Date of Patent: April 7, 2009Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventor: Charles A Howland
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Publication number: 20080160855Abstract: A flexible, penetration resistant structure has a solids layer with a pattern of intersecting gap lines with critical gap cross section geometry, a flexible fiber or fabric layer backing, and a critical bonding layer attaching the solids layer to the flexible backing layer; where the gap geometry upon impact by a select penetrator type causes a controlled response and distributes impact energy in the structure, placing elements of the solids layer adjacent to the impact point mainly in vertical and lateral compression, the bonding layer mainly in shear, the fabric layer beneath the point of impact mainly in bending pressure, and the fibers within the fabric layer, particular those fibers perpendicular to the axis of the gap segment impacted, mainly in tension; and where the applicable class of penetrators is loosely defined as within a certain range of striking energy per unit area of penetrator contact area cross section.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2004Publication date: July 3, 2008Applicant: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventor: Charles A. Howland
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Patent number: 7393588Abstract: A flexible, penetration resistant structure has a solids layer with a pattern of intersecting gap lines with critical gap cross section geometry, a flexible fiber or fabric layer backing, and a critical bonding layer attaching the solids layer to the flexible backing layer; where the gap geometry upon impact by a select penetrator type causes a controlled response and distributes impact energy in the structure, placing elements of the solids layer adjacent to the impact point mainly in vertical and lateral compression, the bonding layer mainly in shear, the fabric layer beneath the point of impact mainly in bending pressure, and the fibers within the fabric layer, particular those fibers perpendicular to the axis of the gap segment impacted, mainly in tension; and where the applicable class of penetrators is loosely defined as within a certain range of striking energy per unit area of penetrator contact area cross section.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2004Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventor: Charles A. Howland
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Publication number: 20080104735Abstract: A flexible armor system adaptable to a garment suitable for extremity protection uses planar, polygon-shaped solid elements made of ceramic cores wrapped in high strength fabric and arranged with rotable edge and intersection protection as a flexible mosaic array which is bonded between an elastic strike side spall cover and a high tensile strength flexible backer layer, further supported by a substantial fiber pack. A progressive mode of localized system failure during a ballistic strike includes: a projectile penetrating the spall cover, fracturing the ceramic core of a wrapped SE while being partially deformed; the deformed projectile accelerating the fractured but still wrapped solid element before it so as to free the solid element from the array and drive it through the flexible backer as a combined mass at a reduced velocity into the fiber pack.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2007Publication date: May 8, 2008Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventor: Charles A. Howland
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Publication number: 20070137787Abstract: A method for joining fabrics, particularly high strength fabrics such as airship hull fabrics, including the steps of: measuring selected parameters of two fabric layers to be joined and the adhesive and any tape or other materials intended to be included in the joint; calculating therefrom an optimal value of a quality control parameter of an ideal joint, such as joint thickness, specific gravity or opacity; assembling the two fabric layers and other materials in the desired order; and applying heat and pressure to the assemblage until the selected quality control parameter of the joint, such as joint thickness, specific gravity or opacity, is satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2007Publication date: June 21, 2007Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventor: Charles Howland
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Publication number: 20070113486Abstract: An inflatable barrier system for a doorway or other opening comprising a front side envelope of rectangular front elevation and dog bone shaped horizontal plane cross section, inflatable with gas and fillable with a hardening foam, combined with an inflatable back side array of tubular air beams configured with self sealant, both connected to a source of gas for inflating the fabric envelope and the back side array of tubular air beams. The front side envelope is configured for frontal resistance to predetermined levels of push, cut, puncture, flame, chemical and ballistic attack. The system is used as a method for closing a doorway to such attacks by erecting and inflating the system within the opening such that the edges on either side of the opening are gripped between the lobes of the respective ends of the dog bone profile of the front side envelope.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2006Publication date: May 24, 2007Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventor: Charles Howland
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Patent number: 7192498Abstract: A method for joining fabrics, particularly high strength fabrics such as airship hull fabrics, including the steps of: measuring selected parameters of two fabric layers to be joined and the adhesive and any tape or other materials intended to be included in the joint; calculating therefrom an optimal value of a quality control parameter of an ideal joint, such as joint thickness, specific gravity or opacity; assembling the two fabric layers and other materials in the desired order; and applying heat and pressure to the assemblage until the selected quality control parameter of the joint, such as joint thickness, specific gravity or opacity, is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2004Date of Patent: March 20, 2007Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventor: Charles A Howland
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Publication number: 20060084336Abstract: A flexible laminate for airship or gas enclosure applications, having a load bearing woven fabric core layer of high strength, low twist yarns, an interior side gas barrier layer, a yarn to fabric strength ratio of between about 1.36 and 1.8, a limited yarn twist, and a yarn height to width ratio of between about 1:2 and 1:7. There is an interior side gas barrier layer on one side of the load bearing layer preferably consisting of polyurethane and an exterior side layer on the other side of the load bearing layer which includes in sequence a first layer of polyurethane, a layer of film, a second layer of polyurethane, and an outermost layer of polymeric material. The laminated structure preferably has a gas transmission rate of not more than about 30 cubic centimeters in 24 hours through a one meter square area at a one atmosphere pressure differential.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2005Publication date: April 20, 2006Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventors: Charles Howland, W. Bebber, Gregory Williams
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Publication number: 20060068158Abstract: A fabric system for producing at least a woven fabric of controlled modulus or elongation in the MD or warp axis, has a core layer which is the main structural element, and may have one or more woven cover fabrics adhesively bonded with an off axis configuration to one or both sides of the core layer. In a preferred embodiment the core fabric is covered with at least one off axis fabric on both sides. The cover fabrics may also have resin or film top layers laminated or coated on their outside surfaces, for mechanical performance or UV protection or both.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2005Publication date: March 30, 2006Applicant: WARWICK MILLS, INC.Inventor: Charles Howland
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Patent number: 7007308Abstract: A system of manufacturing to incorporate protective materials with high cut and puncture resistance into standard safety and apparel products including gloves, to create a highly effective and low cost system of producing safety garments while preserving the characteristics of the original garment. This includes attaching a cut and puncture resistant protective liner or multiple liners to the inside or outside of or within a garment such as a glove by means of adhesives or stitching. The liner may be a protective liner with cut resistance greater than 450 lbs per inch/thickness and/or puncture resistance greater than 50 lbs per inch/thickness depending on the application requirement for protection and dexterity.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2003Date of Patent: March 7, 2006Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc.Inventors: Charles A. Howland, Mark A. Hannigan