PROTECTIVE STRETCH COATING HAVING CONTROLLED MOISTURE PERMEABILITY AND COLOR

Abstract

A coated textile system comprising a fibrous substrate coated by an elastomer mixed with inorganic particles provides good drape and bending with very high cut resistance. The substrate can include conventional and/or high performance fibers. The elastomer includes particles of at least two sizes, and in embodiments three or more sizes, which fill in gaps between the largest particles and prevent a blade from pushing the particles aside and passing between them. The coating can be applied directly to the substrate, or pre-formed and adhered thereto. Particles can be pigmented, to impart a color to the textile. Pin holes formed by the particles and/or by mechanical manipulation can increase MVT. An elastomeric cover layer can enhance grip and/or reduce MVT. A plurality of layers of coated textile can be combined, in embodiments attached only about their perimeters, to provide even higher levels of cut resistance without sacrifice of bendability.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/949,279, filed on Jul. 24, 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/676,021, filed Jul. 26, 2012. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/174,974, filed on Jun. 12, 2015. All of these applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to fabric coatings, and more particularly, to controlled permeability protective coatings with both controlled stretch and color.

BACKGROUND

The desire to reduce cut injuries and improve cut resistance of textiles is ongoing. The advent of high performance fibers such as Kevlar, Dyneema, and other enhanced cut-protection fibers has helped the industry to reach levels of cut protection up to about 3500 g of force using the ASTM F1790-05 cut testing method. However, the amount of fiber that needs to be included in a textile to achieve this degree of cut protection has reached very high levels. Both in terms of fabric weight (g/m2) and in terms of substrate thickness, it is becoming impractical to rely solely on high performance fibers for cut protection, due to user dissatisfaction with heavy, thick materials. Also, the cost of these textiles is very high because of the high cost per kg for these advanced fibers.

As an alternative, the present inventor has previously developed (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,264) relatively thin, light, cut-resistant textiles by applying epoxy or other hard, inelastic coatings to very high cover factor woven substrates. According to this approach, the cut resistance is significantly improved when the sizes of the inorganic particles is relatively large <400 mesh, so that they can more effectively resist the forces applied by a blade. However, in some applications products produced from these coated fabrics have undesirably low drape and high bending stiffness, due to the rigidity of the inelastic coating material.

Furthermore, it was found that simply replacing the epoxy or other inelastic coating material with an elastomer greatly reduced the cut resistance of the coating, because the more flexible elastomer allowed the blade to push the ceramic particles aside and to pass between them.

Accordingly, existing cut protective fabrics are either too thick and expensive, or too stiff for many applications. What is needed therefore is a thin material with good drape and bending that has very high cut resistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A thin, coated textile system is disclosed that combines good drape and bending with very high cut resistance. The coated textile system includes at least one coating layer applied to a fibrous substrate. In embodiments, the fibrous substrate is a felt, woven, or knit. In some embodiments, the substrate includes only conventional fibers, while in other embodiments some or all of the fibers are high performance fibers such as para-aramid, LCP, fiberglass, or UHMWPE. The coating layer combines hard, cut-resistant particles of at least two sizes with a low-modulus, low cross-linked elastomer having a circular bend of less than 90 lbf to provide enhanced cut and abrasion resistance with minimal sacrifice of stretch and hand. Embodiments include particles of at least three sizes, and some embodiments include particles of at least four sizes or more. The resulting coated textile is therefore suitable for applications such as garments, for which stretch at low load is very important for comfort.

By including inorganic, cut-resistant particles of at least two different sizes that span a range of at least a factor of two in size, the cut-resistance of the larger particles is imparted to the coating, while the smaller particles fill in the spaces between the larger particles, and thereby inhibit the ability of a blade to push the larger particles aside and pass between them. In embodiments, the smaller particles represent at least 15% of the total weight of the filler particles. The invention can also be understood by realizing that the smaller particles fill in spaces that would otherwise be filled by the elastomer, so that the elastomer-filled regions between the particles are greatly reduced in size, thereby limiting the ability of the blade to push the particles out of position.

While this approach of combining inorganic filler particles of at least two sizes in the coating greatly improves the cut resistance, it has only a small effect on the bendability or “hand” of the coated textile, which is mostly determined by the macroscopic properties of the elastomer, and only secondarily by the microscopic configuration of the inorganic particles.

In embodiments, the cut-resistant particles also serve as “pigment” particles that impart a desired color to the coating. As such, the hard particles in these embodiments are sometimes referred to herein as “pigment-particles” so as to emphasize their dual role. The color of the coating system, and therefore of the coated fabric, is thereby “controlled” by an appropriate selection and density of pigment-particles. Nevertheless, it should be understood that unless otherwise required by context, the term “pigment-particle” is used herein to refer generically to the inorganic filler particles included in the elastomeric coating, whether or not the particles are pigmented.

Embodiments further provide “control” of moisture vapor transmission (“MVT”) by appropriate selection of pigment-particle size, and in embodiments also by physical manipulation of the fabric, both of which serve to generated “pin holes” in the pigment-particle layer which improve transport of moisture vapor. Embodiments provide an MVT of at least 5 grams per 100 sq cm per hour. The thickness of the coating system is also minimized in embodiments to further enhance the MVT. In other embodiments, MVT is suppressed by at least one additional coating in the coating system that does not include hard particles or pin holes.

In various embodiments, a plurality of layers of coated textile are combined to provide even higher levels of cut resistance without sacrifice of bendability. For example, two sheets of fibrous substrate, each coated with an elastomer filled with inorganic particles as described above, can be sewn or otherwise joined around their perimeter while remaining free to slide across each other everywhere else, thereby at least doubling the cut resistance while sacrificing almost no bendability as compared to a single layer.

LIST OF INCLUDED EMBODIMENTS

The following embodiments are included within the scope of the present invention:

Embodiment 1

A coated textile system, comprising a fibrous substrate and a flexible cut-resistant coating, said cut-resistant coating comprising an elastomeric binder mixed with an inorganic particle filler, said inorganic particle filler including inorganic particles of at least two sizes, wherein the particle sizes differ from each other over a range of at least a factor of two, and wherein the particles having the largest size represent no more than 85% by weight of the inorganic particle filler.

Embodiment 2

The textile system of Embodiment 1, wherein the fibrous substrate includes at least one of para-aramid, LCP, fiber glass, and UHMWPE fibers.

Embodiment 3

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the fibrous substrate is one of a felt, a knit, and a woven.

Embodiment 4

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the particle filler supplies between 5% and 80% of the mass per unit area of the textile system.

Embodiment 5

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the inorganic particle filler includes at least three sizes of inorganic particles.

Embodiment 6

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the inorganic particle filler includes at least four sizes of inorganic particles.

Embodiment 7

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the largest particles included in the inorganic particle filler provide no more than 60% of the total mass of the particle filler.

Embodiment 8

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein at least some of the particles in the particle filler impart a pigment to the textile system.

Embodiment 9

The textile system of Embodiment 8, wherein said pigment-particle layer comprises pigment particles having luminosity in a range of between 20 and 90.

Embodiment 10

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein said pigment-particle layer comprises at least two pigment particle types that differ from each other in color by at least 5 in at least one color opponent dimension when expressed in LAB color space.

Embodiment 11

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the flexible coating is penetrated by pin holes, the flexible coating having an MVT of at least 5 grams per 100 sq cm per hour.

Embodiment 12

The textile system of any Embodiment 11, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created due to puncturing of the elastomer layer by the inorganic particles in the inorganic particle filler.

Embodiment 13

The textile system of Embodiment 11, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created by nucleation post-coating conditioning of the coated textile system through mechanical stretching of the coated textile system.

Embodiment 14

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the cut-resistant coating is applied directly to the fibrous substrate.

Embodiment 15

The textile system of Embodiment 14, further comprising a primer layer applied between the fibrous substrate and the cut-resistant layer.

Embodiment 16

The textile system of any of Embodiments 1-13, wherein the cut-resistant layer is formed before application to the fibrous substrate, and is adhered to the fibrous substrate by an adhesive layer.

Embodiment 17

The textile system of Embodiment 16, wherein the adhesive layer is discontinuous.

Embodiment 18

The textile system of any preceding embodiment, further comprising an elastomeric cover layer applied on top of the cut-resistant layer, wherein the cover layer imparts at least one of enhanced grip and reduced MVT to the coated textile system.

Embodiment 19

A coated textile system comprising a fibrous substrate and a pigment-particle layer comprising an elastomer mixed with inorganic particles attached the fibrous substrate, the coated textile system having ASTM circular bend stiffness no greater than 90 lbf using a ½ diameter plunger, the coated textile system having cut resistance at least 5000 grams using the ASTM F1790-05 cut method.

Embodiment 20

The textile system of Embodiment 19, wherein the fibrous substrate includes at least one of para-aramid, LCP, fiber glass, and UHMWPE fibers.

Embodiment 21

The textile system of Embodiment 19 or 20, wherein the fibrous substrate is one of a felt, a knit, and a woven.

Embodiment 22

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-21, wherein the inorganic particles supply between 5% and 80% of the mass per unit area of the textile system.

Embodiment 23

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-22, wherein the pigment-particle layer includes at least three sizes of inorganic particle.

Embodiment 24

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-23, wherein the pigment-particle layer includes at least four sizes of inorganic particles.

Embodiment 25

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-24, wherein the largest inorganic particles included in the pigment-particle layer provide no more than 60% of the total mass of the inorganic particles.

Embodiment 26

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-25, wherein at least some of the inorganic particles in the pigment-particle layer impart a pigment to the textile system.

Embodiment 27

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-26, wherein said pigment-particle layer comprises inorganic particles having luminosities in a range of between 20 and 90.

Embodiment 28

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-27, wherein said inorganic particles include at least two particle types that differ from each other in color by at least 5 in at least one color opponent dimension when expressed in LAB color space.

Embodiment 29

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-28, wherein the pigment-particle layer is penetrated by pin holes, the coated textile system having an MVT of at least 5 grams per 100 sq cm per hour.

Embodiment 30

The textile system of Embodiment 29, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created due to puncturing of the elastomer by the inorganic particles.

Embodiment 31

The textile system of Embodiment 29 or 30, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created by nucleation post-coating conditioning of the coated textile system through mechanical stretching of the coated textile system.

Embodiment 32

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-31, wherein the pigment-particle layer is applied directly to the fibrous substrate.

Embodiment 33

The textile system of any of Embodiment 32, further comprising a primer layer applied between the fibrous substrate and the pigment-particle layer.

Embodiment 34

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-31, wherein the pigment-particle layer is formed before application to the fibrous substrate, and is adhered to the fibrous substrate by an adhesive layer.

Embodiment 35

The textile system of Embodiment 34, wherein the adhesive layer is discontinuous.

Embodiment 36

The textile system of any of embodiments 19-35, further comprising an elastomeric cover layer applied on top of the pigment-particle layer, wherein the cover layer imparts at least one of enhanced grip and reduced MVT to the coated textile system.

Embodiment 37

A coated textile system comprising at least 2 fibrous substrates, having a combined cut resistance greater than 2000 grams using the ASTM F1790-05 cut method, and at least 1 pigment-particle layer applied to at least one of the fibrous substrates, said pigment-particle layer comprising an elastomer mixed with inorganic particles, the fibrous substrates and any applied coatings separately having ASTM circular bend stiffness no greater than 90 lbf using a ½ diameter plunger.

Embodiment 38

The textile system of Embodiment 37, wherein at least one of the fibrous substrates includes at least one of para-aramid, LCP, fiber glass, and UHMWPE fibers.

Embodiment 39

The textile system of Embodiment 37 or 38, wherein at least one of the fibrous substrate is one of a felt, a knit, and a woven.

Embodiment 40

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-39, wherein the inorganic particles supply between 5% and 80% of the combined mass per unit area of the pigment-particle layer and the fibrous substrate to which it is applied.

Embodiment 41

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-40, wherein the pigment-particle layer includes at least three sizes of inorganic particle.

Embodiment 42

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-41, wherein the pigment-particle layer includes at least four sizes of inorganic particles.

Embodiment 43

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-42, wherein the largest inorganic particles included in the pigment-particle layer provide no more than 60% of the total mass of the inorganic particles.

Embodiment 44

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-43, wherein at least some of the inorganic particles in the pigment-particle layer impart a pigment to the textile system.

Embodiment 45

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-45, wherein said pigment-particle layer comprises inorganic particles having luminosities in a range of between 20 and 90.

Embodiment 46

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-46, wherein said inorganic particles include at least two particle types that differ from each other in color by at least 5 in at least one color opponent dimension when expressed in LAB color space.

Embodiment 47

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-47, wherein the pigment-particle layer is penetrated by pin holes, the pigment-particle layer together with the fibrous substrate to which it is applied having an MVT of at least 5 grams per 100 sq cm per hour.

Embodiment 48

The textile system of Embodiment 47, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created due to puncturing of the elastomer by the inorganic particles.

Embodiment 49

The textile system of Embodiment 47 or 48, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created by nucleation post-coating conditioning of the coated textile system through mechanical stretching of the coated textile system.

Embodiment 50

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-49, wherein the pigment-particle layer is applied directly to the fibrous substrate.

Embodiment 51

The textile system of Embodiment 50, further comprising a primer layer applied between the fibrous substrate and the pigment-particle layer.

Embodiment 52

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-49, wherein the pigment-particle layer is formed before application to the fibrous substrate, and is adhered to the fibrous substrate by an adhesive layer.

Embodiment 53

The textile system of Embodiment 52, wherein the adhesive layer is discontinuous.

Embodiment 54

The textile system of any of embodiments 37-53, further comprising an elastomeric cover layer, wherein the cover layer imparts at least one of enhanced grip and reduced MVT to the coated textile system.

The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a coating configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention applied directly to a fibrous substrate and having moisture vapor transport;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention in which a pre-formed coating having moisture vapor transport is attached by an adhesive to a fibrous substrate;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a coating system configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention applied directly to a substrate and including a “cover coating” that is abrasion resistant and liquid impermeable;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention in which a pre-formed coating is attached by an adhesive to a fibrous substrate and covered by a cover coating is included that is abrasion resistant and liquid impermeable; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a coated textile system according to an embodiment of the present invention that includes two coated fibrous substrates layered on top of each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A coated textile system is disclosed that is suitable for applications where flexibility is required in addition to cut resistance, and in embodiments where control of color and/or moisture vapor transport (“MVT”) is needed. The coated textile system includes a fibrous substrate that includes standard and/or high performance fibers. In embodiments, the substrate is a woven, felt, or knit substrate. The coating system includes at least one coating layer that combines a low-modulus, low cross-linked elastomer having less than 90 lbf circular bend with a filler comprising at least two sizes of hard, cut-resistant particles, where the particle sizes differ over a range of at least a factor of two, and the largest particles represent no more than 85% of the total weight of filler particles. The coated textile system thereby provides enhanced cut and abrasion resistance with minimal sacrifice of stretch and hand.

In embodiments, the cut-resistant particles also serve as “pigment” particles that impart a desired color to the coating. As such, the hard particles in these embodiments are referred to herein as “pigment-particles” so as to emphasize their dual role. It should be understood, however, that unless otherwise required by context, the term “pigment particle” is used herein to refer generically to inorganic particles used as filler in an elastomeric coating layer, whether or not the particles are pigmented. The color of the coating system in embodiments, and therefore of the coated textile, is thereby “controlled” by an appropriate selection and density of pigment-particles.

According to various embodiments of the invention, coatings may be applied directly to, or may be pre-formed and secondarily bonded to, the substrate, and may have high moisture vapor transport (“MVT”), or be liquid-tight. Low MVT and liquid-tight embodiments may be further configured with cover coatings that confer abrasion resistance and improved grip to the coated textile system while reducing MVT.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, in some high MVT coating embodiments a “direct” coating is provided, whereby a pigment-particle elastomer layer with pinholes 12 is applied “directly” via a primer layer 14 to a high stretch fibrous substrate layer 16. The primer layer 14 is configured as required by the fibrous substrate 16, and may also contain at least one type of small, hard pigment-particle.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, certain embodiments include a fibrous substrate 16 combined by secondary attachment with a pre-formed cut-resistant coating 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the pigment-particle elastomer layer with pinholes 12 is pre-cast or extruded, and is then is affixed, via a thermoplastic adhesive layer 18, to a high stretch fibrous substrate layer 16. In some embodiments, the adhesive layer 18 is discontinuous. In various embodiments, the larger inorganic particles in the elastomer layer 12 are less than 400 mesh while the smaller particles are greater than 400 mesh.

FIG. 3 illustrates a liquid tight, abrasion and grip enhanced direct coating embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a high abrasion, wash fast, liquid-tight elastomer “cover” layer 20 is applied over the pigment-particle layer 22. In turn, the pigment-particle elastomer layer is affixed directly to the high stretch fibrous substrate layer 16 via a primer layer 14 that is selected to be compatible with the fibrous substrate layer 16.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a liquid-tight, abrasion and grip enhanced secondary attachment embodiment includes a high abrasion, wash fast, liquid-tight elastomer coating layer 20 applied over a pre-cast or extruded pigment-particle elastomer layer 22. In turn, the pigment-particle elastomer layer 22 is affixed to the high stretch fibrous substrate layer 16 by a thermoplastic adhesive layer 18, which in some embodiments is discontinuous. The pigment-particle elastomer layer 22, according to various embodiments, may comprise particles that are greater than 400 mesh as well as particles that are less than 400 mesh.

Protective Performance

Cut Testing

Values of “cut resistance” presented herein refer to measurements made using an EXACTO #2 curved scalpel blade in a tensile/compression testing machine. The coating and substrate are held in a 25 mm diameter clamp ring (Satra clamp). The scalpel blades are calibrated by cutting a 13 gauge jersey knit fabric of Kevlar para aramid spun at 25/1 cc and plied and knit as 25/2 cc. The calibration value is 0.2 lbs and 0.25 lbs of puncture force as measured by averaging 7 penetrations, each with a new blade pulled randomly from a batch. This test is a modification of ASTM 4223. Note that units of “lbs” and “lbfs” are both used herein interchangeably to refer to “pounds of force” and not to mass or energy.

In addition to scalpel cut testing, reference is made herein to ANSI 105 cut testing using the ASTM 1790 cut tester. The values in grams force are for cut through of the sample after 25.4 mm of travel on this cut test.

Measurement of Stretch and Bending

Two methods for measurement of material hand are used. The first is stretch, which is quantified in terms of “load at 50%,” which is measured for the complete coated textile system, including the substrate and all applied coatings. In embodiments of the invention, the substrate is a high stretch knit or woven textile. The elongation performance of both the coating and the substrate are important, because they both contribute to the cut and abrasion resistant performance of the textile system.

Values of load at 50% referred to herein are measured using samples of coated fabric that are cut to 25 mm width as tensile specimens using the ASTM method for testing of stretch fabrics. Any preconditioning or stretch cycling of the coating materials are completed before samples are cut. Samples are run on the tensile testing machine with a 75 mm gauge length and are drawn to 50% elongation, with the load at this elongation being recorded as the value of “load at 50%.”

The second method for characterizing the hand of the coated textile system is ASTM D4032 circular bending for measurement of fabric stiffness. This test uses a fixed ring and a plunger to force a folded 4″×8″ sample through the ring. The recorded value is the peak force required to force the sample through the ring. When testing coated textile systems that include a plurality of coated substrates, mechanical interference with the plunger and ring is avoided by using a smaller plunger for this testing. All bending values reported herein are based on the use of a 12.5 mm (½″) plunger.

Elongation of the coating alone is also a metric of interest for improving bending of the coating. In embodiments, the coating elongation is between 50% and 400%, measured as elongation at break.

Low Modulus Elastomeric Resin with High Stretch

Base Elastomers

Coating formulations in embodiments of the present invention include at least one low modulus elastomer having a circular bend of less than 90 lbf. Various embodiments include urethane thermoplastics, natural rubber, nitrile rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, neoprene, and/or silicone rubber, with the lower modulus grades of these materials being preferred. In embodiments, crosslinking of the coating is kept to a minimum, so as to allow the elastomer to retain the lowest possible modulus. However, some crosslinking is allowed in certain embodiments so as to improve wash fastness and abrasion resistance.

One or more thin elastomer cover layers (0.2-3 mils thickness) having enhanced abrasion and wash fast performance are included in some embodiments so as to optimize the wash fast, abrasion, and modulus features of the system. Acrylic-based elastomers, natural rubber, nitrile, and polyurethanes are all useful as cover layers. In some embodiments, garments include both areas that are over-coated for full liquid impermeability, abrasion resistance and grip, and other areas that include only base layers and have much higher moisture transport.

Control of Color and Cut Resistance

In embodiments, at least one of the coatings is on the exterior face of the coated textile, and contains at least one type of hard, cut resistant inorganic pigment-particle that imparts some opacity and color to the fabric. In order to be acceptable to users, these coatings must have good color control. The “L a b” color system is used herein for the purpose of describing color and reflectivity. In embodiments of the present invention, these colors vary across the full a-b range of hue and across a large part of the luminosity range, from white at 85% luminosity to blacks of 25% luminosity or less.

In embodiments of the present invention, the majority of the pigmentation materials are hard inorganic particles. These materials have the dual benefit of providing good color control and providing high cut resistance. Larger particles are preferred, in some embodiments, over smaller particles for both cut resistance and color. In some of these embodiments smaller particles above 500 mesh represent less than 15% of the total weight of inorganic particles. In other embodiments, the pigmentation and cut-control filler system includes larger particles of 100-400 mesh of alumina, silicon carbide, garnet, and/or other very hard, sharp oxides or carbides. In certain of these embodiments, these larger, more cut resistant filler particles are combined with smaller, brightly colored inorganic pigment particles of more than 600 mesh.

For some embodiments involving lighter colors, a pigment-particle system of alumina-based large particles is preferred. For some other embodiments involving darker colors, a pigment-particle system of silicon carbide based particles is preferred. In general, the full range of inorganic pigment materials having useful colors, as will be familiar to those of skill in the art, is included within the scope of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention span a very wide range of total pigment-particle filler fractions. The higher the total filler volume or mass fraction, the more stiffness is seen in the coating. In embodiments where only bending stiffness is needed, and x-y stretch is not important, higher fractions of filler can be used to maximize cut resistance. In embodiments where x-y stretch and good bending with low stiffness are desired, lower fractions of total filler are used. In various embodiments, pigment-particle to elastomer percentages, by mass, range from 5% to 80%.

Embodiments include three or more well-graded pigment particle sizes, so as to optimize cut resistance by providing a uniform binder gap thickness.

Coating Application and Preconditioning

Embodiments of the present invention include only thin coatings, so as to minimize impact on the stretch of the underlying substrate. The specific examples of cut resistance criteria presented herein are based on this thin layer coating approach. Embodiments further include cover coats that are between 0.5 and 20 mils in thickness, and pigment-particle-elastomer layers that are between 1 and 10 mils in thickness.

In some embodiments, the pigment-particle coating is applied directly to the substrate, from emulsion or solvent, sometimes with use of a primer. In other embodiments the pigment-particle layer is pre-cast from liquid, or extruded from the melt. In various embodiments, the pigment-particle layer is the only coating layer applied to the substrate, while other embodiments further include cover coats and/or base primer and/or adhesive layers for attachment of the pigment-particle layer to the fibrous substrate.

In certain embodiments having larger pigment particle size ranges, there is a tendency for the larger particles to create pin holes in the elastomer component of the pigment-particle layer. For some embodiments, this controlled elastomer film perforation is desirable, because the pin holes can provide for enhanced moisture vapor transport. In combination with these large particle pinholes, the moisture transport is further increased in some embodiments by nucleation post-coating conditioning of the coating through mechanical stretching of the coated substrate, which can also improve the specific stretch. This post-coating conditioning can be implemented by garment washing, stone tumbling, roping, button roll breaking, and/or other textile conditioning methods that are well known in the art. Embodiments provide MVT values of at least 5 grams per 100 sq cm per hour.

EXAMPLES

Coating mix 1 (black):

• • 25% solid SBR rubber cement #3 in toluene=73.171% (30 parts)
  • 30% solid neoprene rubber #3 in toluene=83.333% (5 parts)
  • toluene=16.667% (1 part)
  • silicon carbide 220 mesh=19.512% (8 parts)
  • silicon carbide 600 mesh=7.317% (3 parts)
  • Monarch carbon black 280 mesh (1 part)

Coating mix 2 (no coloring added)

• • 25% solid SBR rubber cement #3 in toluene=73.171% (30 parts)
  • 30% solid natural rubber cement #3 in toluene=83.333% (5 parts)
  • toluene=16.667% (1 part)
  • silicon carbide 220 mesh=19.512% (8 parts)
  • silicon carbide 600 mesh=7.317% (3 parts)

Example 1

A Glove

• • 6 oz coating pigment-particle florescent orange layer
  • 1 oz urethane thermoplastic adhesive layer used to attach the pigment-particle layer to the fibrous substrate
  • UHMWPE-fiber glass blend fibrous substrate, 600 denier in a 13 gauge jersey knit
  • ASTM F1790-05 cut performance above 2200 g

Example 2

A Glove

• • 6 oz coating pigment-particle system florescent orange layer
  • 1 oz urethane thermoplastic adhesive shore A 60-80 layer first fibrous substrate: UHMWPE-fiber glass blend, 600 denier in a 13 gauge jersey knit
  • 1 oz urethane thermoplastic adhesive shore A 60-80 layer providing partial bonding to the second fibrous layer
  • 6 oz coating pigment-particle system layer
  • 1 oz urethane thermoplastic adhesive shore A 60-80 layer second fibrous substrate: 16 oz/yd2 Para Aramid carded cross lapped needled felt
  • ASTM F1790-05 cut performance above 4,000 g

Example 3

A Sleeve

• • first fibrous substrate: woven PET 220 d×220 d 110×70 ppi
  • 1 oz urethane thermoplastic adhesive shore A 60-80 layer
  • 6 oz coating grain-pigment system layer
  • 1 oz urethane thermoplastic adhesive shore A 60-80 as a partial bond layer to assemble the 2 fibrous substrates
  • second fibrous layer: 16 oz/yd2 Para Aramid carded cross lapped needled felt
  • ASTM F1790-05 cut performance above 5,000 g

Example 4

A Glove

• • first fibrous layer: UHMWPE-fiber glass blend 600 denier in a 13 gauge jersey knit
  • 1 oz urethane thermoplastic adhesive shore A 60-80 as a partial bond layer to attach the 2 fibrous layers
  • 6 oz coating pigment-particle layer
  • 1 oz urethane thermoplastic adhesive shore A 60-80 layer
  • second fibrous layer: 16 oz/yd2 LCP PET carded cross lapped needled felt
  • ASTM F1790-05 cut performance above 3,000 g

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. Each and every page of this submission, and all contents thereon, however characterized, identified, or numbered, is considered a substantive part of this application for all purposes, irrespective of form or placement within the application.

This specification is not intended to be exhaustive. Although the present application is shown in a limited number of forms, the scope of the invention is not limited to just these forms, but is amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. One or ordinary skill in the art should appreciate after learning the teachings related to the claimed subject matter contained in the foregoing description that many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter includes any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof, unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. In particular, the limitations presented in dependent claims below can be combined with their corresponding independent claims in any number and in any order without departing from the scope of this disclosure, unless the dependent claims are logically incompatible with each other.

Claims

1. A coated textile system, comprising:

a fibrous substrate; and

a flexible cut-resistant coating, said cut-resistant coating comprising an elastomeric binder mixed with an inorganic particle filler, said inorganic particle filler including inorganic particles of at least two sizes, wherein the particle sizes differ from each other over a range of at least a factor of two, and wherein the particles having the largest size represent no more than 85% by weight of the inorganic particle filler.

2. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the fibrous substrate includes at least one of para-aramid, LCP, fiber glass, and UHMWPE fibers.

3. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the fibrous substrate is one of a felt, a knit, and a woven.

4. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the particle filler supplies between 5% and 80% of the mass per unit area of the textile system.

5. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particle filler includes at least three sizes of inorganic particles.

6. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the inorganic particle filler includes at least four sizes of inorganic particles.

7. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the largest particles included in the inorganic particle filler provide no more than 60% of the total mass of the particle filler.

8. The textile system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the particles in the particle filler impart a pigment to the textile system.

9. The textile system of claim 8, wherein said pigment-particle layer comprises pigment particles having luminosity in a range of between 20 and 90.

10. The textile system of claim 1, wherein said pigment-particle layer comprises at least two pigment particle types that differ from each other in color by at least 5 in at least one color opponent dimension when expressed in LAB color space.

11. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the flexible coating is penetrated by pin holes, the flexible coating having an MVT of at least 5 grams per 100 sq cm per hour.

12. The textile system of claim 11, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created due to puncturing of the elastomer layer by the inorganic particles in the inorganic particle filler.

13. The textile system of claim 11, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created by nucleation post-coating conditioning of the coated textile system through mechanical stretching of the coated textile system.

14. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the cut-resistant coating is applied directly to the fibrous substrate.

15. The textile system of claim 1, further comprising a primer layer applied between the fibrous substrate and the cut-resistant layer.

16. The textile system of claim 1, wherein the cut-resistant layer is formed before application to the fibrous substrate, and is adhered to the fibrous substrate by an adhesive layer.

17. The textile system of claim 16, wherein the adhesive layer is discontinuous.

18. The textile system of claim 1, further comprising an elastomeric cover layer applied on top of the cut-resistant layer, wherein the cover layer imparts at least one of enhanced grip and reduced MVT to the coated textile system.

19. A coated textile system comprising:

a fibrous substrate; and

a pigment-particle layer comprising an elastomer mixed with inorganic particles attached the fibrous substrate,

the coated textile system having ASTM circular bend stiffness no greater than 90 lbf using a ½ diameter plunger,

the coated textile system having cut resistance at least 5000 grams using the ASTM F1790-05 cut method.

20. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the fibrous substrate includes at least one of para-aramid, LCP, fiber glass, and UHMWPE fibers.

21. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the fibrous substrate is one of a felt, a knit, and a woven.

22. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the inorganic particles supply between 5% and 80% of the mass per unit area of the textile system.

23. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the pigment-particle layer includes at least three sizes of inorganic particle.

24. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the pigment-particle layer includes at least four sizes of inorganic particles.

25. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the largest inorganic particles included in the pigment-particle layer provide no more than 60% of the total mass of the inorganic particles.

26. The textile system of claim 19, wherein at least some of the inorganic particles in the pigment-particle layer impart a pigment to the textile system.

27. The textile system of claim 26, wherein said pigment-particle layer comprises inorganic particles having luminosities in a range of between 20 and 90.

28. The textile system of claim 19, wherein said inorganic particles include at least two particle types that differ from each other in color by at least 5 in at least one color opponent dimension when expressed in LAB color space.

29. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the pigment-particle layer is penetrated by pin holes, the coated textile system having an MVT of at least 5 grams per 100 sq cm per hour.

30. The textile system of claim 29, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created due to puncturing of the elastomer by the inorganic particles.

31. The textile system of claim 29, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created by nucleation post-coating conditioning of the coated textile system through mechanical stretching of the coated textile system.

32. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the pigment-particle layer is applied directly to the fibrous substrate.

33. The textile system of claim 32, further comprising a primer layer applied between the fibrous substrate and the pigment-particle layer.

34. The textile system of claim 19, wherein the pigment-particle layer is formed before application to the fibrous substrate, and is adhered to the fibrous substrate by an adhesive layer.

35. The textile system of claim 34, wherein the adhesive layer is discontinuous.

36. The textile system of claim 19, further comprising an elastomeric cover layer applied on top of the pigment-particle layer, wherein the cover layer imparts at least one of enhanced grip and reduced MVT to the coated textile system.

37. A coated textile system comprising:

at least 2 fibrous substrates, having a combined cut resistance greater than 2000 grams using the ASTM F1790-05 cut method; and

at least 1 pigment-particle layer applied to at least one of the fibrous substrates, said pigment-particle layer comprising an elastomer mixed with inorganic particles,

the fibrous substrates and any applied coatings separately having ASTM circular bend stiffness no greater than 90 lbf using a ½ diameter plunger.

38. The textile system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the fibrous substrates includes at least one of para-aramid, LCP, fiber glass, and UHMWPE fibers.

39. The textile system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the fibrous substrate is one of a felt, a knit, and a woven.

40. The textile system of claim 37, wherein the inorganic particles supply between 5% and 80% of the combined mass per unit area of the pigment-particle layer and the fibrous substrate to which it is applied.

41. The textile system of claim 37, wherein the pigment-particle layer includes at least three sizes of inorganic particle.

42. The textile system of claim 37, wherein the pigment-particle layer includes at least four sizes of inorganic particles.

43. The textile system of claim 37, wherein the largest inorganic particles included in the pigment-particle layer provide no more than 60% of the total mass of the inorganic particles.

44. The textile system of claim 37, wherein at least some of the inorganic particles in the pigment-particle layer impart a pigment to the textile system.

45. The textile system of claim 44, wherein said pigment-particle layer comprises inorganic particles having luminosities in a range of between 20 and 90.

46. The textile system of claim 37, wherein said inorganic particles include at least two particle types that differ from each other in color by at least 5 in at least one color opponent dimension when expressed in LAB color space.

47. The textile system of claim 37, wherein the pigment-particle layer is penetrated by pin holes, the pigment-particle layer together with the fibrous substrate to which it is applied having an MVT of at least 5 grams per 100 sq cm per hour.

48. The textile system of claim 47, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created due to puncturing of the elastomer by the inorganic particles.

49. The textile system of claim 47, wherein at least some of the pin holes are created by nucleation post-coating conditioning of the coated textile system through mechanical stretching of the coated textile system.

50. The textile system of claim 37, wherein the pigment-particle layer is applied directly to the fibrous substrate.

51. The textile system of claim 50, further comprising a primer layer applied between the fibrous substrate and the pigment-particle layer.

52. The textile system of claim 37, wherein the pigment-particle layer is formed before application to the fibrous substrate, and is adhered to the fibrous substrate by an adhesive layer.

53. The textile system of claim 52, wherein the adhesive layer is discontinuous.

54. The textile system of claim 37, further comprising an elastomeric cover layer, wherein the cover layer imparts at least one of enhanced grip and reduced MVT to the coated textile system.