Composite and methods of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12385175-B2
Application number	US-202318446725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2023
Priority date	Nov 24, 2020
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

Described is a composite made from a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or a knitted face fabric and a non-woven fabric. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric is needle punched such that fibers protrude into the non-woven fabric. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric has a first polymer having a first melting point and a second polymer having a second melting point being higher than the first melting point. The nonwoven backing material comprises a third polymer having a third melting point and a fourth polymer having a fourth melting point being higher than the third melting point. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric is further bonded to the nonwoven backing material applying heat to at least partially melt or soften the first polymer and the third polymer such that they bond together.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composite comprising:
a) a woven fabric having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein:
i. the woven fabric is needle punched such that fibers protrude from the first surface of the woven fabric; and
ii. the woven fabric comprises a first polymer having a first melting point and a second polymer having a second melting point being higher than the first melting point;

b) a nonwoven backing material comprising fibers, wherein the nonwoven backing material has a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the nonwoven backing material comprises a third polymer having a third melting point and a fourth polymer having a fourth melting point being higher than the third melting point;
wherein the fibers protruding from the first surface of the woven fabric are embedded in the nonwoven backing material between the first surface and the opposing second surface of the nonwoven backing material and are interlocked with the fibers of the nonwoven backing material; and
wherein the woven fabric is further bonded to the nonwoven backing material by compressing and applying heat to at least partially melt or soften the first polymer and the third polymer such that they bond together.

2. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the first polymer, second polymer, third polymer, and fourth polymer each independently comprises polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamides, polyurethane, polylactic acid, acetal, co-polyester, co-polyamide, polystyrene, modacrylic, or a combination thereof.

3. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are present in a multi-component fiber.

4. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the third polymer and the fourth polymer are present in a multi-component fiber.

5. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the first polymer is from about 110° C. to about 250° C.

6. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the second polymer is from about 130° C. to about 450° C.

7. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the third polymer is from about 110° C. to about 250° C.

8. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the fourth polymer is from about 130° C. to about 450° C.

9. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the second polymer is at least 20° C. higher than the melting point of the first polymer.

10. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the melting point of the fourth polymer is at least 20° C. higher than the melting point of the third polymer.

11. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the woven fabric comprises from about 10 wt % to about 40 wt % of the first polymer, and from about 90 wt % to about 60 wt % of the second polymer.

12. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven backing material comprises from about 20 wt % to about 60 wt % of the third polymer, and from about 80 wt % to about 40 wt % of the fourth polymer.

13. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite has a dry delamination strength at an interface between the woven fabric and the nonwoven backing material of at least 2 lbs/inch as measured by ASTM D3936.

14. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite has a dry delamination strength at an interface between the woven fabric and the nonwoven backing material of at least 10 lbs/inch as measured by ASTM D3936.

15. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite has a three dimensional shape.

16. A composite comprising:
a) a knitted face fabric having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein:
i. the knitted face fabric is needle punched such that fibers protrude from the first surface of the knitted face fabric; and
ii. the knitted face fabric comprises a first polymer having a first melting point and a second polymer having a second melting point being higher than the first melting point;

b) a nonwoven backing material comprising fibers, wherein the nonwoven backing material has a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the nonwoven backing material comprises a third polymer having a third melting point and a fourth polymer having a fourth melting point being higher than the third melting point;
wherein the fibers protruding from the first surface of the knitted face fabric are embedded in the nonwoven backing material between the first surface and the opposing second surface of the nonwoven backing material and are interlocked with the fibers of the nonwoven backing material; and
wherein the knitted face fabric is further bonded to the nonwoven backing material by compressing and applying heat to at least partially melt or soften the first polymer and the third polymer such that they bond together.

17. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the first polymer, second polymer, third polymer, and fourth polymer each independently comprises polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamides, polyurethane, polylactic acid, acetal, co-polyester, co-polyamide, polystyrene, modacrylic, or a combination thereof.

18. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are present in a multi-component fiber.

19. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the third polymer and the fourth polymer are present in a multi-component fiber.

20. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the melting point of the second polymer is at least 20° C. higher than the melting point of the first polymer.

21. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the melting point of the fourth polymer is at least 20° C. higher than the melting point of the third polymer.

22. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the knitted face fabric comprises from about 10 wt % to about 40 wt % of the first polymer, and from about 90 wt % to about 60 wt % of the second polymer.

23. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the nonwoven backing material comprises from about 20 wt % to about 60 wt % of the third polymer, and from about 80 wt % to about 40 wt % of the fourth polymer.

24. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the composite has a dry delamination strength at an interface between the knitted face fabric and the nonwoven backing material of at least 2 lbs/inch as measured by ASTM D3936.

25. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the composite has a dry delamination strength at an interface between the knitted face fabric and the nonwoven backing material of at least 10 lbs/inch as measured by ASTM D3936.

26. The composite of claim 16 , wherein the composite has a three dimensional shape.

27. A composite comprising:
a) a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or a knitted face fabric having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein:
i. the woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric is needle punched such that fibers protrude from the first surface of the woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric; and
ii. the woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric comprises a first polymer having a first melting point and a second polymer having a second melting point being higher than the first melting point;

b) a nonwoven backing material comprising fibers, wherein the nonwoven backing material has a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the nonwoven backing material comprises a third polymer having a third melting point and a fourth polymer having a fourth melting point being higher than the third melting point;
wherein the fibers

Assignees

• Columbia Insurance Co

Inventors

• Burns James T
• Odum Thomas
• Bass Derek S

Classifications

• D04H1/542

  Adhesive fibres · CPC title

• D04H1/485

  in combination with weld-bonding · CPC title

• B32B2250/02

  2 layers · CPC title

• B32B2307/308

  Heat stability · CPC title

• B32B2262/00

  Composition or structural features of fibres which form a fibrous or filamentary layer or are present as additives · CPC title