Flame resistant thermal liner, composite fabric, and garment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9913504-B2
Application number	US-201514876165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2015
Priority date	Oct 22, 2014
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

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

• B32B2262/14

  Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials · CPC title

• B32B27/00

  Layered products comprising {a layer of} synthetic resin {(fibrous or filamentary layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/02; particulate layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/16; foamed layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/18)} · CPC title

• B32B2437/00

  Clothing · CPC title

• B32B27/06

  as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08)} · CPC title

• B32B5/02

  characterised by structural features of a {fibrous or filamentary} layer {(layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02)} · CPC title