Thermally protective composite articles, and associated methods and wetsuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433352-B2
Application number	US-202318224895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2023
Priority date	Jul 21, 2022
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A flexible, thermally-insulating composite article includes: a base layer; a plurality of teeth extending from the base layer; and grooves extending between the teeth to enable the teeth to converge. The composite article may be in the form of a pad insertable into a pocket associated with a wetsuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flexible, thermally-insulating composite article comprising:
a base layer;
a plurality of teeth extending from the base layer, the plurality of teeth comprising a carrier polymer matrix and a plurality of dispersed microspheres in the range of 5 to 24 volume percent;
grooves extending between the teeth to enable the teeth to converge; and
wherein the plurality of dispersed microspheres are solid.

2. The composite article of claim 1 , the carrier polymer matrix comprising a siloxane polymer or a polyurethane.

3. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the carrier polymer matrix is polydimethylsiloxane.

4. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dispersed microspheres are solid and hollow.

5. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dispersed microspheres comprise glass microspheres.

6. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dispersed microspheres comprise ceramic microspheres.

7. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of teeth are arranged in a symmetric grid.

8. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of teeth are in the shape of truncated square pyramids.

9. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the grooves define a concave filleted surface between adjacent teeth.

10. The composite article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dispersed microspheres are glass or ceramic microspheres; wherein the plurality of teeth are arranged in a symmetric grid and are in the shape of truncated square pyramids; and wherein the grooves define a concave filleted surface between adjacent teeth.

11. A diving suit comprising:
a suit base layer;
at least one pocket; and
at least one flexible, thermally-insulating composite pad within the at least one pocket;
wherein the at least one composite pad comprises:
a pad base layer;
a plurality of teeth extending from the pad base layer, the plurality of teeth comprising a carrier polymer matrix and a plurality of dispersed microspheres in the range of 5 to 24 volume percent;
grooves extending between the teeth to enable the teeth to converge; and
wherein the plurality of dispersed microspheres are solid.

12. The diving suit of claim 11 , wherein the suit base layer and the at least one pocket comprise neoprene.

13. The diving suit of claim 11 , the-carrier polymer matrix comprising a siloxane polymer or a polyurethane.

14. The diving suit of claim 11 , wherein the carrier polymer matrix is polydimethylsiloxane.

15. The diving suit of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of teeth are arranged in a symmetric grid and comprise truncated square pyramids.

16. The diving suit of claim 11 , wherein the grooves define a concave filleted surface between adjacent teeth.

17. A method of producing a diving suit comprising:
providing at least one flexible, thermally-insulating composite pad to at least one pocket of a diving suit precursor, wherein the diving suit precursor further comprises a diving suit base layer;
wherein the at least one composite pad comprises:
a pad base layer;
a plurality of teeth extending from the pad base layer, the plurality of teeth comprising a carrier polymer matrix and a plurality of dispersed microspheres in the range of 5 to 24 volume percent;
grooves extending between the teeth to enable the teeth to converge; and
wherein the plurality of dispersed microspheres are solid.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the carrier polymer matrix is polydimethylsiloxane having the plurality of dispersed microspheres comprised of glass or ceramic microspheres dispersed in the carrier polymer matrix.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of teeth are arranged in a symmetric grid and comprise truncated square pyramids.

Assignees

• Us Navy
• Us Gov Sec Navy

Inventors

• Kartalov Emil Paskalev
• Waldron Andrew Thomas Vesey

Classifications

• Y10T428/24479

  including variation in thickness · CPC title

• A41D31/065

  using layered materials · CPC title

• B63C11/04

  Resilient suits · CPC title

• A41D13/012 Primary

  for aquatic activities, e.g. with buoyancy aids · CPC title