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 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.

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 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 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 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 disclosure describes puncture-resistant fabric layers comprising woven fabrics with unique, densely-woven structures. For example, such a fabric layer ca comprise 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 a plurality of fill yarns and a plurality of warp yarns, wherein the weight per unit length of the fill yarns is less than the weight per unit length of the warp yarns. Such constructions can, in some embodiments, consist essentially of high tenacity fibers having a tensile breaking strength of at least about 10 g/Denier. Such high cover, small fill yarn constructions enable the disclosed fabrics to be woven to have a decreased overall weight per unit surface area and an improved tensile balance, when compared to known high cover factor, densely woven fabric constructions.

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 variety of methods of improving the dyeability and printability of fabrics comprising or consisting essentially of high tenacity fibers having a tensile breaking strength of at least about 10 g/Denier are disclosed. Such methods can result in fabrics, yarns, and/or fiber bundles having an improved ability to be dyed and/or printed with a printed pattern (e.g., a camouflage pattern), when compared to typical high tenacity fiber-based fabrics known in the prior art. The fabrics can have dyeability characteristics enabling them to be dyed with a variety of commercially relevant fabric dyes, such that the fabrics, after exposure to the dyes, are characterized by an essentially visually uniform dyed color density. In one embodiment, a dyeable fiber bundle, which can be utilized to form dyeable yarns and fabrics, which comprises at least about 5% of high tenacity fibers having a tensile breaking strength of at least about 10 g/Denier is disclosed.

Abstract: A variety of embodiments of layered and laminated fabric systems, each, preferably, including a puncture-resistant layer are disclosed. The puncture-resistant layer(s) of the layered systems can, in some embodiments, comprise or consist essentially of high tenacity fibers having a tensile breaking strength of at least about 10 g/Denier. The puncture-resistant layer(s) can be combined with one or more additional layers providing one or more desirable attributes of an article of apparel for use in, for example, rugged outerwear (e.g., dyeability, printability, soft hand, breatheability, abrasion resistance, etc.). The puncture-resistant layers can comprise fabrics or non fabrics and, when comprising a fabric, can comprise a woven or non-woven fabric (e.g., felts and knitted fabrics).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to fabrics, preferably woven fabrics, the fabrics including therein a fabric layer having at least one fiber of a first type and at least one fiber that is different from the first type. In preferred embodiments, the fiber of the first type comprises a high performance fiber having a tensile strength of at least about 10 g/Denier and a fiber of the second type comprises a natural or synthetic fiber having a tensile strength less than 10 g/Denier and most preferably, less than about 8 g/Denier. In especially preferred embodiments, the non-performance fiber type can be characterized by one or more desirable attributes, for example, dyability, spinnability, abrasion resistance, breathability, softness, hand fill, etc., which attributes are desired to be imparted to the overall fabric.

Abstract: The invention is directed to fabric-based inserts and layers for use with tires in order to provide an improved level of puncture resistance to the tire. Disclosed embodiments of the invention include tire anti-puncture layers including puncture-resistant layers that comprise a single or multiple layers of fabric. Preferably, for low cost and low abrasion, the puncture-resistant layers comprise fibers having a tensile strength or tenacity of less than about 15 g/denier. In some preferred constructions, especially where the puncture-resistant layer comprises a single layer of fabric, the puncture-resistant layer comprises a high cover factor, tightly woven fabric, for example having a round packed cover factor of at least about 40% of full in the warp direction and at least about 65% of full in the fill direction.

Abstract: A laminate is disclosed for high strength, low weight gas enclosure applications such as aerostats or airships. The laminate is formed of at least one woven fabric layer with an aggregate strength greater than 10 grams per denier. The yarns in the fabric have sufficient twist to provide the desired tensile conversion but less than the amount of twist that would produce unsatisfactory flex fatigue. The fabric has a yarn to fabric strength ratio sufficient to impart tear resistance to the fabric, but less than the coarseness ratio at which flex fatigue performance is unsatisfactory, and the fabric has the minimal number of crossing points among the woven yarns that will impart sufficient integrity for the fabric to be manufactured into the laminate. A gas barrier material is then laminated to the fabric layer.

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: 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).