CN108698362A

CN108698362A - Nonwoven flexible composites

Info

Publication number: CN108698362A
Application number: CN201780014768.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: D·杜加尔; M·杰佛斯; T·W·斯威科克
Original assignee: Air Cruisers Co LLC
Current assignee: Air Cruisers Co LLC
Priority date: 2016-03-02
Filing date: 2017-03-02
Publication date: 2018-10-23
Also published as: CN117885418A; WO2017151866A1

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for using nonwoven materials for evacuation slides, life rafts, life jackets, and other life-saving, inflatable devices. The nonwoven material has a base layer with continuous filaments formed in various directions. The substrate layer then has a layer (e.g., a coating or a film or both) on one or both surfaces of the nonwoven substrate.

Description

Non-woven flexible complex

Cross reference to related applications

This application claims following priority:In " Nonwoven Flexible submitting, entitled on March 2nd, 2016 Composites ", U.S. sequence No.15/058,688 currently as United States Patent (USP) No.9,481,144 publication;In 2016 On October 5, " Nonwoven Flexible Composites " submitting, entitled, currently as United States Patent (USP) No.9, The U.S. sequence No.15/285,738 of 527,249 publications;And in " Nonwoven submitting, entitled on November 17th, 2016 The U.S. sequence No.15/354 of Flexible Composites ", 123, the wherein entire content of each is incorporated by reference into In this.

Technical field

Embodiment of the disclosure relates in general to non-woven flexible complex, have with evacuation slide, raft, life vest or its The related particular utility of its emergency flotation equipment.This equipment is typically to be formed by woven base, but the present inventor is It determines, is combined with this equipment to use nonwoven substrate that can provide improved benefit.

Background technology

Federal Aviation security legislation requires aircraft to provide withdrawing and other safety measures for passenger.These include withdrawing Slide, life raft, life vest and other life-saving inflatable formula equipment.For example, inflatable slide escape and life raft are usually by forming The component construction of the inflatable tubular structure of air beam sealed against one another.Inflatable slide escape and life raft also have non-air The feature of holding, such as patch, bottom plate, slipsurface, grit, handle and other feature.It must reach during design process Balance between intensity and weight.Material must be appropriate fire-retardant, have frictional force appropriate to allow passenger to slide, have Enough intensity tears and wears to bear high expansive force, resist, but must also aircraft gently be excessively increased enough Weight.

Evacuation slide, life raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable formula equipment and their subsidiary accessories and component are The gas-filled type article usually formed by weaving base substrate.Weave that base substrate is usually capped or lamination, to assign desired by it Air keep feature.As background, Woven fabric constructs characterized by two groups of yarns:Warp thread and weft yarn.Warp thread be raised and It lowers with generation " shed open ", and weft yarn passes through these shed opens (and be referred to as filling out yarn or choose yarn) perpendicular to warp thread.Weave base Bottom is that inflatable tubular structure assigns strength and stiffness.

However, this weaving framework introduce in the yarn " curling effect " or rise and fall because during weaving process it Alternately pass through above and below mutual.Yarn " curling " is the warp thread and weft yarn being interleaved together to generate fabric structure Heaving of the sea.It is influenced by yarn count, fabric construction and weaving pulling force related with the intensity of textile fabric.If Apply load on Woven fabric and yarn does not crimp, then full and down will face pulling force with whole intensity.However, if yarn Line is bent or curling, then initial load will be consumed in the yarn for stretching bending, and then uploads.Therefore, woven construction Use can cause " low-intensity material ".Curling effect can also influence fiber volume fraction, this eventually leads to fabric folding In mechanical performance.The specific features that may be compromised are stretching and compression property.

It is cylindrical inflatable pipe when Woven fabric is used for inflatable structure, and particularly as used for shape is generated When shape structure, inflatable structure is in three directions through loaded.First, there are circumferential stress or circumference stresses, are tangent line The normal stress in direction.Second, there are axial stresses, are parallel to the normal stress of cylindrical symmetry axis.There is radial answer in third Power, the stress on coplanar with the axis of symmetry but direction perpendicular to the axis of symmetry.The thin section of inflatable fabric will usually have There is insignificant radial stress.However, circumference stress is typically twice of axially/longitudinally stress.Its actual effect is and length Direction is compared, and inflatable pipe (such as evacuation slide or life raft pipe) is subjected to the stress more than twice on circumferential direction.Fig. 3 is illustrated The two stress and the example for how being subjected to along tubular structure the two stress.However, currently used for inflatable tubulose The woven base of structure is to utilize the yarn configuration with same or similar intensity on circumferential direction and axially/longitudinally both directions 's.This may increase unnecessary and undesirable weight to overall structure.

During another challenge that may be presented by the use of woven base is happened at the coating of substrate.It is empty between yarn 12 Gap 10 can generate high and low point, cause to challenge during coating procedure.This is commonly known as peak-to-valley effect, and by Fig. 1 is illustrated.In order to make these fabrics " air holding " or there is " gas shield " property, laminated coating 14 to be placed on each other Top on, until realizing desired thickness.Final Topcoating 16 can be applied in keeps feature so that air is presented.This A little laminated coatings 14 are undesirable, because this increases the weight and cost of this fabric.Therefore, knitting for gas-filled type article The improvement of object is desired.

Supatex fabric is the material made of combined fiber by processing by chemistry, machinery, heat or solvent. The term be usually used to refer in manufacturing of weaving generation neither it is woven nor braiding textile-like material.It is non-to knit The use of producing material material be normally limited to medical industry (for operation dress and surgical drage), filtering industry (be used for various types of filterings, Including coffee & tea packet, vacuum bag etc.), geotextile industry (be used for base stabilization agent, erosion control material, sand and landfill Field lining) and other industries of all kinds (such as carpet lining, it is used for diaper or feminine hygiene articles, impregnated wipe, For sail peculiar to vessel, it is used for parachute, for knapsack or as the cotton-wool in cotton-wadded quilt or bedding).However, non-woven material Not yet it is used in combination with inflatable lifesaving appliance as described herein.For these purposes this is showed using non-woven material The settled unique challenge of inventor.

Invention content

The embodiment of invention as described herein is thus provided for using for evacuation slide, life raft, life vest With the system and method for the non-woven material of other life-saving inflatable formula equipment.Described non-woven material can be also used for these The accessory or component that the non-air of equipment is kept, the slipsurface of such as evacuation slide, grit, handle, raft bottom plate, patch or appoint What other feature.For example, in some other examples, it can be in evacuation slide, life raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatables The feature that non-air is kept is provided in formula equipment, the feature that non-air is kept includes:Flexible composite, flexible composite packet Include the substrate of the non-woven material comprising multiple filaments;Adhesive or inorganic agent (primer) for combining filament;And One surface of the substrate of non-woven material or the coating on two surfaces or film or both;Wherein flexible composite is that have At least about high intensity light material of the tensile strength of 100 pounds of per inch and weight every about 8 ounces of square yard or more, Middle flexible composite is adhered to emergency set.

There is non-woven material basal layer, basal layer to have the filament laid in various directions.Then basal layer is applied It covers or applies and be used as coating or film on one or both sides.Coating can be liquid form, and be applied to material.Coating can To be any one of adhesive, inorganic agent, resin or other materials described herein.Film can be applied to the layer of material Or solid (on-liquid) sheet material.In some cases, film can be provided on coating.Coating or film or both coating and film are together It can referred to collectively herein as " layer ".It can be with applied layer, to make material have the characteristics that air holding so that it is material Gas shield is provided.In some other examples, can with applied layer, to assign the certain ornamentings of material (finish) or feel, Such as smooth slipsurface, coarse life raft bottom plate or other any desired features or ornamenting, such as improve seam Adhesiveness or wearability.Layer can provide anti-wear protection and also assign higher adhesion strength.In one example, layer can be with It is polymer.In one example, layer can be polyurethane.In some other examples, layer can be polyethylene, poly- third Alkene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVOH), gathers inclined two chloroethene at polyamide Alkene (PVDC), makrolon (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC).Cambial other potential layers are possible, and And it is considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

Adhesive or inorganic agent are particularly useful when material/filament is cross-linked to each other.This can lead to high filament To the adhering to of adhesive, the adhering to of high filament to filament, the adhering to of high adhesive to coating, high adhesive to laminated film Adhere to, the adhering to of high filament to coating, the adherency of high filament to laminated film.Illustrative adhesive or Inorganic agent includes but not limited to solvent base or water base cross-linked polyurethane.The other polymerizations that may be used as inorganic agent have been listed above Object.

In one example, inflatable evacuation slide, life raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable formula equipment are provided, Including:Flexible composite, flexible composite include the substrate of the non-woven material comprising multiple filaments;For combining filament Adhesive or inorganic agent;And non-woven material substrate a surface or two surfaces on gas shield polymer Layer;Wherein flexible composite is that have at least about tensile strength of 100 pounds of per inch and every about 8 ounces of square yard or more The high intensity light material of low weight, wherein flexible composite are adhered to its own to form tubular structure, or by Adhere to another material.

In some instances, the substrate of non-woven material includes multiple layers.Gas shield polymer can be coating or film Or both.Used specific gas shield polymer can be polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, poly- terephthaldehyde Sour glycol ester (PET), polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), makrolon (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC).Gas shield polymeric layer can have close to about 2 in about 0.5 Mill Thickness between you.

In some instances, the substrate of non-woven material includes the non-inflatable part of equipment.It is rescued for example, it can be formed The baseboard material of raw raft or evacuation slide, the grit material of evacuation slide or the handle or accessory of life raft or evacuation slide Patch.

The filament of non-woven material can be discrete or continuous in length.The filament of non-woven material can be It is unidirectional or multidirectional.They may be at the filament layout of random orientation or other random orientations.They can be basis The load shown in structure and the one or more sub-threads positioned.They can be located at the top of one or more sub-threads One or more in portion adds stock.The substrate of non-woven material can be the fabric of customization, and the fabric of customization is included in will The filament laid on the specific direction for the expection stress being subjected to by equipment to be manufactured.Equipment can be include circumferential direction and vertical To the tubular structure in direction, wherein existing than filaments more in a longitudinal direction on circumferential direction.If there are one equipment tools Or multiple mitre positions, then there may be the filaments more than at other regions of equipment at mitre position.Equipment May include the tubular structure of different-diameter, wherein including more than the structure comprising small diameter comprising larger-diameter structure Non-woven filament.

Example further relates to a kind of for manufacturing inflatable evacuation slide, raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable formula equipment Method, including:Flexible composite is provided or obtains, flexible composite includes the substrate of non-woven material;In non-woven material Apply first layer at least one surface of the substrate of material;Material is formed as into tubular structure;And by bottom plate or other accessories It is applied to tubular structure.

Description of the drawings

Fig. 1 shows the side schematic view of woven prior art material.

Fig. 2A shows the side schematic view of non-woven material, and the non-woven material is thin in adhesive matrix with being embedded in Silk, the adhesive matrix are coated on both sides with layer.

Fig. 2 B show the side schematic view of non-woven material, and the non-woven material is thin in adhesive matrix with being embedded in Silk, and be laminated with layer on both sides.

Fig. 3 shows the side schematic view for the various stress that diagram is subjected to by inflatable tubular element.

Fig. 4 is showing along the side schematic view that a kind of potential filament of tubular element is placed.

Fig. 5 is showing along the schematic diagram that the potential filament of mitre is placed.

Fig. 6 is showing along the schematic diagram that the potential filament of tapered tubular structure is placed.

Fig. 7 A show the filament laid with 0 ° of angle.Fig. 7 B show the filament laid with 90 ° of angles.Fig. 7 C show with 0 ° of angle and The filament that 90 ° of angles are laid.Fig. 7 D show the filament laid with 45° angle.Fig. 7 E show the filament laid with 30 ° of angles.Fig. 7 F are shown The filament being superimposed with 0 °, 90 °, 30 ° and 45° angle.

Fig. 8 shows the filament laid with random orientation.

Fig. 9 shows the single filament positioned in different orientation according to load/power.

Figure 10 shows the multiply filament according to expected high force direction positioning.

Figure 11 shows an example of the continuous filament laid in substrate.

Figure 12 shows an example of the discontinuous filament laid in substrate.

Figure 13 shows an example of the discrete random filament laid in substrate.

Figure 14 shows an example of the evacuation slide that can be manufactured using non-woven material described herein.

Specific implementation mode

The embodiment of the present invention provides the substrate with the minimum flexible composite 20 to zero " curling effect ".This is usually Can be referred to as " low curling ", and the term be used to refer to without wind or weave in other ways fiber together or The material of filament.Material can have with the device-dependent particular utility of life-saving inflatable formula, but their purposes is without being limited thereto. Example includes evacuation slide, life raft, life vest, inflatable sanctuary or combinations thereof.Described material can be used for being formed The air holding part of these equipment, but they can be also used for being formed the other parts of equipment, the bottom plate of such as life raft, The handle etc. of the bottom plate of evacuation slide, the grit of evacuation slide, evacuation slide.

Straight, non-(or low) curling filament and/or yarn show into the full and down of pulling force with whole intensity.By with Flat surface can be presented in flat supatex fabric 20 made of certain straight filaments 22 for being orientated lay, without by knitting Make the above-mentioned peak-to-valley effect that fabric is subjected to.It has been found that flat surface can also be non-porous at least to a certain extent 's.This layer that requirement may be caused thinner.(this is it is usually because in the case of woven fabrics, coating 14 needs to fill by peak The hole generated with paddy, as shown in Figure 1.In the case of flat supatex fabric 20 as illustrated in Figure 2, these peak and valleys are not In the presence of.)

Fig. 2A shows the filament 22 laid straight in adhesive 24.The configuration also has any in nonwoven substrate First layer 26 on side and the second layer 28.Fig. 2 B show the filament 22 laid straight in adhesive 24.The configuration also has The layer 28 of the layer 26 and coating of coating or film or both on the either side of nonwoven substrate or film or both.Herein further Provide the more details about the certain material that can be used.

In addition, nonwoven substrate can be more stronger than conventionally used woven base.This can similarly result in make it is this Substrate-air is kept and the thinner layer of requirement.The inventors have discovered that examples described herein can be less using about 50% material, this can lead to the material of therefore light about 50% completion.Therefore, it compared with woven base, is knitted using non- The flat base made can substantially reduce the weight of layer.In fact, in some instances, can require minimum to no layer.

Although embodiment described herein lays particular emphasis on life-saving inflatable formula article, such as evacuation slide, evacuation slide/raft, Life raft, emergent floating drum, emergent floating system and lifebuoy, but it is to be understood that the disclosure is equally applicable to other classes and knits Object equipment, including but not limited to inflatable/non-inflatable purification sanctuary, inflatable/non-inflatable sanctuary, inflatable/non- Inflatable military affairs sanctuary, ship bait, inflatable military target and inflated spatial formula application.

The non-woven material used in the disclosure may include any number of material.Example include staple fiber or Filament may include cotton or other natural materials.Other examples include filament fiber comprising synthetic material.It can be with this The open a type of non-woven material being used in combination is the non-woven material of the lamination mixture for carbon and polymer filaments. In one example, material is the laminate reinforced, (also referred to as single by the one or more one-way tapes for being laminated to polymer film Band) it is formed.Filament or monofilament material can be carbon in embedded polymer substrate or extend chain polyethylene or liquid crystal polymer.Material Material can be inorganic silicon.Material can be monofilament aramid fiber.Material can be nylon.Material can be polyester.Material can be cotton. Material can be ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) filament.Material can be incorporated to boron and/or ceramics.Material can be usual For canvas and/or the material of kite.Material can be any combination in the above option.Additional example is special by the U.S. Sharp No.5,333,568 descriptions, entire contents can be considered useful herein.Other materials are possible, and are considered at this In the range of application.The type of used filament can be optimized depending on particular device to be fabricated.Show at some In example, used filament can have the diameter for reaching about 5 times smaller than the conventional stock or line for weaving material.In addition, by The possible increased intensity due to configuration because of the disclosure, therefore supatex fabric can be the conventional woven for gas-filled type article About the 1/3 of the thickness of fabric.

Since final material described herein is designed to and be must endure as hyperoncotic inflatable structure and is combined It uses, therefore used material must be designed to bear this pressure.As background, current slide, lifeboat and rescue Raw clothing fabric must satisfy the FAA requirements listed under technical standard order appropriate (TSO).TSO provides these emergency evacuations The minimum performance standards (MPS) that product must satisfy.Current weaving inflatable air keep fabric have about 8.0 ounces/ The average completion fabric weight of square yard (oz/sq yard).(it is substrate to be typically decomposed into 50% (4.0 ounce per square yard) Weight, and 50% (4.0 ounce per square yard) is coating and/or laminated film weight.) these inflatable fabrics must also meet The minimum tensile strength of 190 pounds per inch (lbs/inch) (for slide and life raft) and 210 pounds per inch (for life vest). These are the current requirements set by supervision department (such as FAA).However, it is believed that, existing concept can also have Have 100 pounds per inch, 120 pounds per inch, 130 pounds per inch, 140 pounds per inch, 150 pounds per inch, 160 pounds per inch, 170 pounds/English Purposes is found on the material of very little, 180 pounds per inch or the tensile strength of any integer therebetween.

In general, more than one piece fabric (plate) is joined together, to form tubular structure.Therefore, intensity requirement is not limited only to lead Body fabric (part of inflatable pipe), and abutment joint region is also requirement.When continuing to make gas keep long in pipe Between, seam must be sealed together (method combined via thermal weld or adhesive), so that it prevents from leaking.This seam It must satisfy the minimum shear strength of 170 pounds per inch (in room temperature) and 40 pounds per inch (high temperature at 140 °F).This seam must There must be the peel strength of 5 pounds per inch (slide and life raft) and 10 pounds per inch (life vest).The requirement summarized herein is Current requirement;It is modified in order to meet in future or by different prisons it should be appreciated that material described in the disclosure can have The various features of other requirements of pipe mechanism sets.The inflatable product of safety also needs to meet Hi-pot test (also referred to as superpressure Test) it requires, wherein equipment must endure as highly expanded pressure and cause any damage without abutment joint integrality.For example, slide is wanted Ask twice at least one minute that maximum operating pressure is born in the case where not failing.Depending on pipe diameter and for the slide and The maximum operating pressure of foundation, circumference stress/load/power (it is the larger stress in two stress being subjected to by seam) can be with Variation.For example, the pipe of the 24 " diameters with 3.5psi maximum operating pressures will be subjected to the circumference stress of about 84 pounds per inch.

As discussed above, existing supatex fabric is main described in commercially available and existing technical literature For inexpensive item of merchandise, filter, johnny, amenities etc..These fabrics are lower cost materials, wherein it is necessary and The intensity realized keeps off the intensity to being subjected to required by the inflatable product for security application of big pressure loading.It is existing Inflatable non-woven material any bar in TSO intensity requirements listed above is unsatisfactory under desired weight.This meaning It, in order to reach desired intensity, material will need very heavy, so that they will be difficult to be stored in, to reduce weight be that it is main On the vehicles of consideration.In contrast, under desired low weight, the non-woven material being currently available will not have institute It is required that intensity.Therefore, the present inventor has been described as follows non-woven material, the non-woven material have allow they The intensity used in safety inflatable application described herein, while also there is desired low weight.

Therefore, used nonwoven substrate is the filament and polymeric layer using specialist works and manufactured height work The nonwoven substrate of journey, to keep realizing highest intensity on fabric in the inflatable air for life-saving inflatable formula equipment To weight ratio.In some specific examples, material realizes fabric tensile strength below:For slide and life raft, up to or More than about 190 pounds per inch;And for life vest, up to or more than about 210 pounds per inch.In some other examples In, material realizes the fabric tensile strength for being up to about 100 pounds per inch.In some other examples, material is realized up to big The fabric tensile strength of about 120 pounds per inch.In some other examples, material realization is up to about knitting for 130 pounds per inch Object tensile strength.In some other examples, material realizes the fabric tensile strength for being up to about 140 pounds per inch.Other Some examples in, material, which is realized, is up to about the fabric tensile strengths of 150 pounds per inch.In some other examples, material Realize the fabric tensile strength for being up to about 160 pounds per inch.In some other examples, material realization is up to about 170 The fabric tensile strength of pounds per inch.In some other examples, material realizes the fabric tension for being up to about 180 pounds per inch Intensity.In some specific examples, material realize up to or more than about 175 pounds per inch (in room temperature) and 40 pounds per inch ( 140 °F) shear strength.In some specific examples, about 5 pounds per inch (slide and lifesaving are realized up to or be more than to material Raft) and 10 pounds per inch (life vest) seam peel strength.In some specific examples, material can bear 2 times of maximum behaviour Make the TSO superpressures requirement of pressure.

Even if not manufactured or being designed as material yet when non-woven material is used for mattress to bear described herein The bulbs of pressure type.The stressing of these materials is low cost.Therefore, non-woven air cushion material is not usually by having height The random staple fiber of intensity is made.It will cause using by the bulbs of pressure required by aircraft regulation on camping mattress The mattress of low cost splits.For clarity, these mattress have about 100 pounds of per inch or smaller stretching strong Degree, explosion (burst) intensity every about the weight of 16 ounces of square yard or bigger and less than about 5psi.They do not have yet It is designed to (such as -40 °F until 160 °F) work in extreme temperature conditions.

Exemplary test data is provided compared with the present situation of the fabric with low-intensity and the weaving coating of high weight, uses Techniques described herein can provide inflatable structure of the intensity with about 190/4=47.5 to weight ratio.Compared to it Under, the weaving compound usually intensity with about 190/8=23.75 is to weight ratio (minimum).Other non-woven intensity counterweights The example of amount includes but not limited to 190/7,190/6,190/5,190/4,190/3 and 190/2 or any arrangement of its score. (these examples provide the tensile strength and every square yard about 2 ounces to about 7 ounces of weight of 190 pounds of per inch).

Other than laying filament in bonded substrate or paper, it is multiple that flexible non-weaving can also be manufactured using other technologies Object is closed as net.Described non-woven material can manufacture in any number of ways.They can use mechanical means, add Hot means, sailor's section or combinations thereof manufacture.It can manufacture non-woven used in the disclosure and appended claims Some specific examples of the mode of object include but not limited to felt, adhesive combine, weaving lay (spin laying), comb, Spin knot (spun bonding), wet-laying filament, suture or stitch binding, needle point method or needle thorn, calendering, using high injection pressure Water entanglement, and/or hot-air combination or thermal.The filament of fiber can be by spinning knot, wet combination, dry-mate connection or any other Method appropriate manufactures.

If Fig. 2A is illustrated, using elastomer polymer matrix or combine adhesive 24 can be equably embedding by monofilament 22 Enter in adhesive matrix.In some other examples, filament can be pre-deposited, to become to be laid in paper substrates " sticky filament ".Paper can be lifted off of, and generated filament can be clipped in the middle by the layer of polymer film.It is thin with weaving Silk to lay filament with which on the contrary, can help the above description for solving the problems, such as to be generated by woven product.Alternatively, should Solution provides flat substrate.Substrate can form the reinforcement material being located between the upper layer of polymeric layer and lower layer. As described in more detail below, filament can be laid with various configurations, in order to provide the engineering for desired purposes Filament place.Filament can be continuous or discrete or any combination thereof.Filament can all have identical straight Diameter, or the filament of various diameters can be used.The layer of monofilament can be single layer or multiple layers.

When non-woven material is used for canvas and kite, the polymer film that above-mentioned configuration uses is typically wheat drawing (Mylar).Filament is placed in resin, and the top layer of wheat drawing and bottom are positioned on the either side of filament.Material quilt Hot-pressing processing so that individual component can be merged and be curing together by heat and pressure.

However, it has been found by the present inventors that being drawn using wheat as polymer film for being fixed to for manufacturing life-saving inflatable The adhesive of formula equipment or in other ways be not optimal for manufacturing the adhesive of life-saving inflatable formula equipment and being used together 's.Even if when using cross-linked binder come when assisting, the wheat as low-surface-energy substrate draw will not adhere well to filament, Coating and/or film, thus filament and coating and/or film can be caused when being under the ordinance load of Aerated safety product Layering and stripping.Alternatively, the material of the disclosure uses layer of polyurethane on the one or both sides of substrate/structure of non-woven base 26,28.The other examples of layer include but not limited to polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), ethylene-vinyl acetate Ester (EVOH), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polyamide, polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA) or Any other suitable polymer, or combinations thereof.Fig. 2A and Fig. 2 B, which are provided, illustrates the configuration with layer on the both sides of substrate Schematic diagram.It should be appreciated that layer can also be applied only to the side or surface of substrate.It was unexpectedly found that by with poly- Urethane (or other) layer replaces the wheat membrane, non-woven material to be optimally used for life-saving inflatable formula equipment described herein.

Polyurethane is formed by the reaction of following two components:Isocyanate component and polyol component.Polyurethane is usual It is high molecular weight polymers, there is extensive property due to being widely formulated variation.The poly- ammonia that can be used in combination with the disclosure The exemplary variations and type of ester include but not limited to:

Aromatics or aliphatic polyurethane;

(thermoplastic polyurethane is the polymer that can be melted and recombinate to thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU);They are elasticity and height Spend flexible), (heat-curable urethane is the polymer that cannot be melted and recombinate to thermosetting base polyurethane, and usually compares thermoplastic Property polyurethane is more durable);

Polyester TPU has high resistance to oil and chemicals, and provides excellent wearability;

Polyether TPU, proportion are slightly below polyester and polycaprolactone grade, and provide low temperature flexibility, good wearability and Resilience, resistance to microbiological attack are torn, and provides good hydrolytic resistance so as to fit in the application for needing consideration water;And

Polycaprolactone TPU, with polyester base TPU intrinsic toughness and resistance, in conjunction with cryogenic property and relatively high resistance to It is water-disintegrable.

In addition, not needed with adhesive/resin, coating and the film on non-woven flexible complex described herein It is limited to polyurethane material.Polyurethane can be substituted or the other examples polymeric layer that is used in combination with polyurethane includes but unlimited In polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVOH), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polyamide, polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA) or any other suitable polymer or combinations thereof.

In one example, layer can be with the thickness of about 0.5 Mill to about 5 Mills.In another example, layer can With the thickness with about 0.5 Mill to about 2 Mills.In another example, layer of polyurethane can be with the thickness of about 1 Mill Degree.

During manufacture, other than being installed on film, adhesive can also be applied on filament.This can be into one Step assists material to adhere to its own or adhere to other materials part, for manufacturing desired shape.

In addition, being considered being combined with layer of polyurethane by the adhesive that the present assignee uses, so that material becomes being crosslinked And it will not be from the entirety of its own material being layered, a piece of or monolithic in other ways single construction.It has been found that A successful exemplary adhesive is the adhesive based on isocyanates.The other adhesives that can be used include but not limited to Those listed above.

If filament additionally be coated with adhesive (other than polyurethane or other adhesives or replace polyurethane or Other adhesives), this can further help described combination/crosslinking.For example, with being coated or being laminated on filament ground bottom Polyurethane film be used together the adhesive based on isocyanates the reinforcing specially designed for high stress purposes can be provided Material.The adhesive based on isocyanates can be added during forming substrate;Adhesive based on isocyanates may be used as Adhesive in outer material side;And/or the adhesive treatment agent based on isocyanates can be used.If material be soldered and Do not use specific adhesive, then can be incorporated to during forming substrate adhesion adhesive based on isocyanates with/ Or apply the adhesive treatment agent based on isocyanates in the seam that will be welded.

In the stretching, tearing and puncture property for determining fabric, filament orientation can play the part of important function.In an example In, the material area that more filaments are loaded with than other materials region can be provided.Embodiment of the disclosure provides various filaments It is orientated, may include in the connector or seam crossing of mitered, at diameter change (being tapered for fabric) and/or circumference stress is opposite Different filament thickness and/or filament density at extension position.

For example, referring now to the orientation of the flexible complex plate/substrate formed for evacuation slide, relatively high load It is generated by the air pressure of the tube swelling for making to form air beam.Alternatively, life raft bottom plate, withdraw slipsurface, handle It also is subjected to high pressure with the feature of other accessories or non-air holding in equipment.These top loads are also required to be maintained, with Just the holding structure rigidity under the weight of passenger under the weight of slide and during use.Across pipe diameter (in circumferential direction On 32) load usually it is bigger than the load in the length of pipe or longitudinal direction 34.This is illustratively illustrated by Fig. 3.By Be not subjected to balancing load in the pipe for forming the air beam on evacuation slide, thus can be by Fabric Design to be manufactured with it is another It is stronger on the opposite direction in one direction.Therefore, there is also described herein the filament of various engineering orientations.The filament of engineering is orientated Can the structure of inflatable lifesaving wherein be commonly subjected at heavily stressed some regions provide enhancing intensity.For example, can be It will wherein be subjected to providing more filaments or the filament region of reinforcement on the pipe of higher stress.These filaments can be identical or different Direction on.

For example, as illustrated in figure 4, it can provide and be equivalent to two on axially/longitudinally direction 34 on circumferential direction 32 Filament 22 again.In some other examples, 1.5 times of filament, the filament of three times, four times of filament can be provided or appointed What its desired intensive parameter.

In the example shown in Fig. 5, more filament can be done up or stacked at mitered or joint location 36.Show in Fig. 6 In the example gone out, the larger-diameter pipe for being loaded with more filament can be designed.In this example, exist in larger diameter portion The tapered segment 38 of the evacuation slide of more filaments is loaded at 40.These options allow to change and customize filament orientation so that They are most strong in desired position, while most light possibility material is still maintained at other positions.

In addition, when non-woven material is used for canvas and kite, used filament is unidirectional filament.Even if in order to carry Use multiple basal layers, each substrate itself that there is the filament on the same direction for the filament of different directions.In contrast, originally Inventor has determined that the filament for placing multiple directions on a single plate can increase the intensity of generated product.

For example, each plate can be customized to that there is desired specific filament to be orientated.They can be unidirectional or more To or any combination thereof.For woven cloth, filament is always relative to each other at an angle of 90.Fig. 7 A are illustrated as the filament at 0 ° of angle. The filament of Fig. 7 B diagrams at an angle of 90.Fig. 7 C diagrams are with 0 ° of angle and 90 ° of filaments angle superposition or interweaved.This be weaving material only One possible outcome.However, using non-woven material, other combinations are also possible.Filament can with 0 °, 25 °, 30 °, 45 °, 60 °, 90 ° or any desired of angle is orientated.Filament can be laid with desired any orientation.Only schemed by Fig. 7 D- Fig. 7 F A small amount of example is shown.Fig. 7 D are illustrated as the filament of 45° angle.Fig. 7 E are illustrated as the filament at 30 ° of angles.Fig. 7 F illustrating superpositions are on each other Filament ground bottom combination, to provide the material of the combination with angled filament.In this example, it is illustrated that 0 °, 90 °, 30 ° and 45° angle, but it is to be understood that other combinations are also possible, and are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

It positions/takes in order to provide the filament for customizing or being engineered in addition to providing the multiple filaments that can be stacked relative to each other Except, the single continuous filament of multiple angles can also be laid into.Fig. 8 illustrates an example.In this example, exist and carry For filament 22a, 22b, 22c of three different angles on a single substrate.The example can be referred to as random orientation filament.

In another example, it can provide and be positioned according to by the anticipated load/power shown on inflatable product Single filament/yarn.In fig.9, it is illustrated that single filament 22 winds on 42, bends to second direction 44 in a first direction On, it then bends in third direction 46.This is only an example.Other directions can be provided.Additional (one or more) Filament/yarn 22 can also be positioned on the top of the first filament/yarn 22.One example is shown by Figure 10.Show at this In example, filament is reinforced on the direction of expected most high-tensile strength.

Used filament can be continuous fiber as shown in figure 11.Used filament can be as shown in figure 12 Discontinuous filament.Used filament can be discrete random filament as shown in fig. 13 that.

Additionally or in the alternative, the sheet material of multiple reinforcements of monofilament material can be used between polymeric layer.In a reality It applies in example, the sheet material that about two be oriented in different directions reinforce to about ten may be used as between polymeric layer Reinforcement material.For example, two or more section of filament or substrate can be with mutually positioning in 90 °, to help to provide the material of reinforcing Material.For example, single section of filament or substrate can have the filament extended relative to each other with different angle, to help to provide The material of reinforcing.Other options are possible, and are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

Figure 14 diagrams can use an example of the evacuation slide 50 of the non-woven material making of the disclosure.Slide 50 wraps Include slipsurface 52, air keeps pipe 54, grit 56, handle 55 and accessory patch 60.Non-woven material needle described herein The manufacture of pipe 54 is kept to air.It should also be understood that slipsurface 52 or any other surface can be by similar non-woven materials It is made.The same or analogous technology of mode that the end of 54 material of pipe is bonded to each other is kept using with air, slipsurface 52 can Pipe 54 is kept to be incorporated into air.It is, for example, possible to use the adhesive based on isocyanates.In some other examples, Alternative adhesive described herein can be used.In some other examples, various forms of welding skills can be used Art.

In the case where not departing from the disclosure or the scope of the following claims and spirit, can to it is being described above and Structures and methods shown in the accompanying drawings are changed and modified, add and delete.

Claims

1. a kind of inflatable evacuation slide, slide/raft, life raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable formula equipment, including:

Flexible composite, including:

The substrate of non-woven material including multiple filaments;

For the adhesive or inorganic agent in conjunction with the filament;And

The layer of gas shield polymer on a surface of the substrate of non-woven material or two surfaces;

The wherein described flexible composite is that have at least about tensile strength of 100 pounds of per inch and every about 8 big belly of square yard The high intensity light material of department or lower weight;

The wherein described flexible composite is adhered to its own to form tubular structure, or is adhered to another material.

2. the substrate of equipment according to claim 1, wherein non-woven material includes multiple layers.

3. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas shield polymer includes coating or film Or both.

4. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gas shield polymer include polyurethane, Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVOH), Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), makrolon (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

5. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein described adhesive or inorganic agent include being based on isocyanide The adhesive or inorganic agent of acid esters.

6. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the multiple filament includes multiple laying straight Fiber.

7. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the layer of the gas shield polymer includes applying To the polyurethane of the both sides of the substrate of non-woven material.

8. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, the wherein substrate of non-woven material include described set Standby inflatable part.

9. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, the wherein substrate of non-woven material include described set Standby non-inflatable part.

10. the substrate of equipment according to claim 9, wherein non-woven material includes:Life raft, evacuation slide Baseboard material;The grit material of evacuation slide;Or life raft, the handle of evacuation slide or slide/raft or accessory patch.

11. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims further includes seam, the seam includes abutment joint, takes Seam or carvel joint.

12. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filament present with minimum curling or The flat surfaces of peak and valley.

13. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filament is discrete in length.

14. equipment according to claim 13, wherein discrete filament includes the filament layout of random orientation.

15. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filament is continuous in length.

16. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filament includes according to over the structure The load shown and the one or more sub-threads positioned.

17. equipment according to claim 16 further includes one be located on the top of one or more of sub-threads Or multiple additional stocks.

18. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filament is unidirectional or multidirectional filament.

19. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filament includes random orientation.

20. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, the wherein substrate of non-woven material include customization Fabric, the fabric of the customization is included in the specific direction upper berth for the expection stress that will be subjected to by the equipment to be manufactured The filament put.

21. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the equipment includes tubular structure, the tubulose Structure includes circumferential direction and longitudinal direction, wherein existing on the circumferential direction much thinner than in the longitudinal direction Silk.

22. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the equipment includes one or more mitres Position, wherein there is the filament more than at other regions of the equipment at the mitre position.

23. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the equipment includes the tubulose knot of different-diameter Structure, wherein the structure comprising larger diameter includes the non-woven filament more than the structure comprising smaller diameter.

24. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the multiple filament by spin knot, wet combination or Dry-mate connection is formed.

25. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein non-woven raw material include staple fiber, it is thin Silk fiber or combinations thereof.

26. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the non-woven material passes through felt, adhesive In conjunction with, thermal, stitch binding, needle thorn, water entanglement or weaving lay and formed.

27. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein seam via hot-air, radio frequency, ultrasonic welding, Adhesive in conjunction with, thermal weld application and formed.

28. equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the layer of the gas shield polymer is included in About 0.5 Mill is to the thickness between about 2 Mills.

29. a kind of non-air in evacuation slide, slide/raft, life raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable formula equipment is kept Feature, the feature that the non-air is kept includes:

Flexible composite, including:

The substrate of non-woven material including multiple filaments;

For the adhesive or inorganic agent in conjunction with the filament;And

Coating or film on a surface of the substrate of non-woven material or two surfaces or both;

The wherein described flexible composite is that have at least about tensile strength of 100 pounds of per inch and every about 8 big belly of square yard The high intensity light material of department or lower weight.

30. feature according to claim 29, wherein the flexible composite is adhered to emergency set.

31. feature according to claim 29, wherein the feature that the non-air is kept includes life raft bottom plate, withdraws cunning Terraced surface, grit, handle, patch or accessory.

32. feature according to claim 29, wherein the coating or film include polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamides Amine, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), makrolon (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

33. a kind of side for manufacturing inflatable evacuation slide, slide/raft, raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable formula equipment Method, including:

Flexible composite is provided or obtains, the flexible composite includes the substrate of non-woven material;

Apply first layer at least one surface of the substrate of non-woven material;

The material is formed as into tubular structure.

34. further including according to the method for claim 33, that bottom plate or other accessories are applied to the tubular structure.

35. according to the method for claim 34, wherein the bottom plate or other accessories include according to claim 1 Composite material.

36. a kind of side for manufacturing inflatable evacuation slide, slide/raft, raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable formula equipment Method, including:

Form evacuation slide, slide/raft, raft, life vest or other life-saving inflatable formula equipment;And

Composite material according to claim 1 is applied to the equipment as bottom plate or other accessories.