Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A coated, bi-directional substrate design for an aircraft escape slide airbeam, where the longitudinal strength and hoop strength of the substrate and the coating applied thereto are optimized to the application. Less than 45% of the total substrate fiber content is in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and the longitudinal strength of the substrate is approximately 50% of the hoop strength. The substrate is constructed of nylon, polyester, aramid, para-aramid or liquid crystal polymer fibers, and either polyurethane coatings and adhesives or polyether polyurethane coatings and adhesives. The warp yarns are less than ½ the denier of the fill yarns and are woven in groups of 2 or more yarns to improve the tear strength of the fabric in the warp direction.

Abstract: An implantable tissue grafting medical system and material using a combination of bio-absorbable and non bio-absorbable fibers and materials such as Poly Glycolic Acid (PGA) and polyester (PET), provides a permeable mesh or weave of fibers with an initial interstice size and permeability factor suitable to initial implant requirements, and a pre-engineered bio-absorption pattern and rate that controls the gradual expansion of interstice size within the mesh or weave in one or two dimensions up to a pre-engineered maximum interstice size, consistent with the anticipated rate of tissue regeneration on the implant, while retaining a primary grid or circumferential pattern of non-absorbable fibers at the maximum interstice size for supporting the new tissue for an extended period. Various means for combining materials to obtain initial interstice size, pattern and permeability, with the desired absorption pattern and rate, and the desired end point interstice size and spacing, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A laminate fabric system including a puncture-resistant layer of high tenacity fibers, a water resistant, breathable membrane layer of a microporous or monolithic character, and a woven fabric layer, where the layers are substantially but not necessarily entirely coextensive, with interlayer connections occurring at least periodically throughout the multi-layered structure.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A protective covering system having high-flexibility and low areal density characteristics. In one aspect of the invention, the protective system includes a plurality of metallic staples or wire elements secured to multi-layer matrix including woven fibers, the layers being oriented at cross angles to provide a grid-like pattern of protective elements. In one aspect of the invention, protective elements provide a coverage area of less than 90% and as little as 40% of total surface area. In one aspect of the invention, protective elements may be mechanically secured to a matrix by a puncture and crimp process. In another, wire elements may be attached or woven into one or more matrix layers.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A protective covering system having high-flexibility and low areal density characteristics. In one aspect of the invention, the protective system includes a plurality of metallic staples or wire elements secured to multi-layer matrix including woven fibers, the layers being oriented at cross angles to provide a grid-like pattern of protective elements. In one aspect of the invention, protective elements provide a coverage area of less than 90% and as little as 40% of total surface area. In one aspect of the invention, protective elements may be mechanically secured to a matrix by a puncture and crimp process. In another, wire elements may be attached or woven into one or more matrix layers.

Abstract: A fabric system and manufacturing method for achieving higher fiber crimp in selected fibers to reduce initial fabric modulus (gain higher elongation) in the thread-line direction. The fabric system and method utilizes processing yarns of higher shrinkage than the product reinforcing yarns. The processing yarns are woven together with the reinforcing yarns in various patterns and combinations dependent on the desired fabric characteristics. The fabric is processed thermally or otherwise to impart crimp into the reinforcing yarns by the differential shrinkage of the processing yarns. By adjusting the ratio of reinforcing yarns to processing yarns, a unique set of characteristics in the fabric is created, specifically a lower modulus, higher initial elongation in the thread-line direction of the reinforcing yarn.

Abstract: A protective fabric of high penetration resistance is formed from a plurality of layered, densely woven base fabrics, each formed by tightly weaving multifilament yarns to obtain a warp yarn “density” or “cover” in excess of 100% at the center of the fill yarn, and a fill yarn density or cover preferably also in excess of 75%. The yarns themselves preferably comprise a high modulus, high breaking strength yarn of materials such as Kevlar, Spectra, or Vectran. The resultant layered fabric offers especially high penetration resistance to weapons such as ice picks and the like. Additional resistance to penetration by sharp knives is provided by interruptedly coating the base fabric with an epoxy in such a manner as to inhibit penetration while providing drapability and breathability.

Abstract: A protective fabric includes a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with a plurality of fill yarns. The denier of each of the warp and fill yarns is less than 500. The yarns are made from at least one of liquid crystal polyesters, para-aramids, and high density polyethylenes.

Abstract: Puncture-resistant fabric layers such as a fabric layer with a high cover factor woven fabric having a fill yarn cover factor of at least about 75% of full and a warp yarn cover factor of at least about 100% of full formed of fill yarns and warp yarns, wherein the weight per unit length of the fill yarns is less than the weight per unit length of the warp yarns. Some embodiments have high tenacity fibers having a tensile breaking strength of at least about 10 g/Denier. Techniques for forming light weight yarns with high tenacity fibers for the small fill yarns and/or warp yarns. The high cover factor, small fill yarn-constructed woven fabrics can have natural and/or synthetic fibers with a tensile breaking strength less than about 10 g/Denier.

Abstract: A protective fabric includes a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with a plurality of fill yarns. The denier of each of the warp and fill yarns is less than 500. The yarns are made from at least one of liquid crystal polyesters, para-aramids, and high density polyethylenes.

Abstract: A penetration resistant garment that may be comfortably worn by a user while offering protection against injury from a penetrating object, such as a water jet for example, includes a plurality of light-weight, rigid, discrete penetration resistant sections cooperating with and arranged relative to one another to provide a flexible garment. The sections may be layered in an overlapping manner to provide substantially complete coverage extending over an area of desired coverage. Also, a length of the garment may be less than a sum of the lengths of the individual sections.

Abstract: The present invention provides a puncture-resistant glove and a puncture-resistant glove liner, each suitable for protecting a hand comprising a palmar side and a dorsal side. In preferred embodiment, the glove or glove liner comprises a palmar portion designed to fit over the palmar side of the hand, the palmar portion being made of a puncture-resistant material. The glove or glove liner also comprises a dorsal portion designed to fit over at least part of the dorsal side of the hand, and optionally being made of a puncture-resistant material, the dorsal portion being sewn to the palmar portion along seams substantially located on a dorsal side of the glove.

Abstract: A penetration resistant garment that may be comfortably worn by a user while offering protection against injury from a penetrating object, such as a water jet for example, includes a plurality of light-weight, rigid, discrete penetration resistant sections (30) cooperating with and arranged relative to one another to provide a flexible garment (20). The sections (30) may be layered in an overlapping manner to provide substantially complete coverage extending over an area of desired coverage. Also, a length of the garment may be less than a sum of the lengths of the individual sections (30).

Abstract: A protective fabric of high penetration resistance is formed from a plurality of layered, densely woven base fabrics, each formed by tightly weaving multifilament yarns to obtain a warp yarn "density" or "cover" in excess of 100% at the center of the fill yarn, and a fill yarn density or cover preferably also in excess of 75%. The yarns themselves preferably comprise a high modulus, high breaking strength yarn of materials such as Kevlar, Spectra, or Vectran. The resultant layered fabric offers especially high penetration resistance to weapons such as ice picks and the like. Additional resistance to penetration by sharp knives is provided by interruptedly coating the base fabric with an epoxy in such a manner as to inhibit penetration while providing drapability and breathability.

Abstract: A protective fabric of high penetration resistance is formed from a plurality of layered, densely woven base fabrics, each formed by tightly weaving multifilament yarns to obtain a warp yarn "density" or "cover" in excess of 100% at the center of the fill yarn, and a fill yarn density or cover preferably also in excess of 75%. The yarns themselves preferably comprise a high modulus, high breaking strength yarn of materials such as Kevlar, Spectra, or Vectran. The resultant layered fabric offers especially high penetration resistance to weapons such as ice picks and the like. Additional resistance to penetration by sharp knives is provided by interruptedly coating the base fabric with an epoxy in such a manner as to inhibit penetration while providing drapability and breathability.

Abstract: A protective fabric of high penetration resistance is formed from a plurality of layered, densely woven base fabrics, each formed by tightly weaving multifilament yarns to obtain a warp yarn "density" or "cover" in excess of 100% at the center of the fill yarn, and a fill yarn density or cover preferably also in excess of 75%. The yarns themselves preferably comprise a high modulus, high breaking strength yarn of materials such as Kevlar.RTM., Spectran.RTM., or Vectran.RTM.. The resultant layered fabric offers especially high penetration resistance to weapons such as ice picks and the like. Additional resistance to penetration by sharp knives is provided by interruptedly coating the base fabric with an epoxy in such a manner as to inhibit penetration while providing drapability and breathability.