Flame resistant thermal liner, composite fabric, and garment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016113340-A1
Application number	US-201514876165-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 6, 2015
Priority date	Oct 22, 2014
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flame resistant thermal liner comprising a nonwoven sheet comprising nanofibers of a synthetic polymer having an limiting oxygen index of at least 21, a mean flow pore of 10 micrometers or less, a thickness air permeability of 25 to 6000 cubic feet per min−micrometers (12 to 2880 cubic meters per square meter per min−micrometers), and an average thickness T 1 ; and a thermally stable flame resistant fabric attached to an outer surface of the nonwoven sheet, the fabric having an average thickness T 2 ; a surface of the thermally stable fabric being in contact with a surface of the nonwoven sheet; wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is less than 0.75. The invention also relates to a flame resistant composite fabric comprising the flame resistant thermal liner and a garment comprising this flame resistant composite fabric.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A flame resistant thermal liner comprising
(a) a nonwoven sheet comprising nanofibers of a synthetic polymer having an limiting oxygen index of at least 21, a mean flow pore of 10 micrometers or less, a thickness air permeability of 25 to 6000 cubic feet per min−micrometers (12 to 2880 cubic meters per square meter per min−micrometers), and an average thickness T 1 ; and (b) a thermally stable flame resistant fabric attached to an outer surface of the nonwoven sheet, the fabric having an average thickness T 2 ; a surface of the thermally stable fabric being in contact with a surface of the nonwoven sheet; wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is less than 0.75.

2 . The thermal liner of claim 1 , wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is less than 0.30.

3 . The thermal liner of claim 1 , wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is greater than 0.120.

4 . The thermal liner of claim 3 wherein, when the thermal liner is exposed to flame in accordance with ASTM D6413-99, the afterflame is no greater than 2 seconds.

5 . The thermal liner of claim 4 wherein the nonwoven sheet comprising nanofibers comprises nanofibers made from polyimide, meta-aramid, para-aramid, polybenzazole, polybenzimidazole, or mixtures thereof; and the thermally stable flame resistant fabric comprises staple fiber and/or continuous filaments made from polyimide, meta-aramid, para-aramid, polybenzazole, polybenzimidazole, or mixtures thereof.

6 . A flame resistant composite fabric system comprising an outer shell fabric and flame resistant thermal liner, the thermal liner comprising:
(a) a nonwoven sheet comprising nanofibers of a synthetic polymer having an limiting oxygen index of at least 21, a mean flow pore of 10 micrometers or less, a thickness air permeability of 25 to 6000 cubic feet per min−micrometers (12 to 2880 cubic meters per square meter per min−micrometers), and an average thickness T 1 ; and (b) a thermally stable flame resistant fabric attached to an outer surface of the nonwoven sheet, the fabric having an average thickness T 2 ; a surface of the thermally stable fabric being in contact with a surface of the nonwoven sheet; wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is less than 0.75.

7 . The flame resistant composite fabric system of claim 6 , wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is less than 0.30.

8 . The flame resistant composite fabric system of claim 6 , wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is greater than 0.120.

9 . A flame resistant protective garment comprising the composite fabric system of claim 8 .

10 . The flame resistant composite fabric system of claim 6 further comprising a moisture barrier positioned between the outer shell fabric and the thermal liner.

11 . The flame resistant composite fabric system of claim 10 , wherein the nonwoven sheet comprising nanofibers comprises nanofibers made from polyimide, meta-aramid, para-aramid, polybenzazole, polybenzimidazole, or mixtures thereof; and the thermally stable flame resistant fabric comprises staple fiber and/or continuous filaments made from polyimide, meta-aramid, para-aramid, polybenzazole, polybenzimidazole, or mixtures thereof.

12 . The flame resistant composite fabric system of claim 10 , wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is less than 0.30.

13 . The flame resistant composite fabric system of claim 10 , wherein T 1 and T 2 are selected such that the ratio of T 1 to T 2 is greater than 0.120.

14 . A flame resistant protective garment comprising the composite fabric system of claim 13 .

Assignees

• Levit Natalia V
• Young Richard Hall
• Du Pont

Inventors

• Levit Natalia V
• Young Richard Hall

Classifications

• B32B2307/3065

  Flame resistant or retardant, fire resistant or retardant · CPC title

• B32B5/022

  Non-woven fabric · CPC title

• A41D31/0027 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• B32B2305/18

  Fabrics, textiles · CPC title

• B32B2437/00

  Clothing · CPC title