EP2705183B1 - Rigging sail comprising reinforcing textile threads - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rigging sail, in particular a mainsail, comprising at least one reinforcing textile yarn.

On a sailboat, the mainsail is generally the lowest sail of the mainmast and the largest when fully deployed. For a long time, this sail was made by a taffeta made of polyester yarn. Recently, particularly in the field of competition rigging, it has been proposed to replace taffeta with lighter, stronger and more efficient complexes for transmitting wind propulsion efforts. These complexes are typically in the form of a membrane including two plastic films, which are laminated to each other, trapping between them a reinforcing grid. This grid consists of a set of son, arranged in a regular pattern, such as a rhombus or a square, which, by repetition, defines the entire grid. That is to say that the grid is a two-dimensional assembly son, often a weave, which can be associated with a rectilinear main direction and another rectilinear direction, for example perpendicular to the previous, both belonging to the plane of the grid. This structure gives the grid a tear resistance and, more generally, an ability to mechanically strengthen the two contiguous films of the complex, with properties that are not generally identical in all directions of the plane, but which are pre-established relative to to the aforementioned main direction, depending on the pattern of the grid.

Insofar as, within a sail, in particular a mainsail, the service constraints are established along curved stress lines, which generally connect in pairs the vertices and / or the edges of the sail. veil, the aforementioned grid is solicited, within the complex, in directions that change with respect to the main direction of the grid, with local risks of damage to the complex. To reinforce the complex, it is known to add thereto, interposed between the two films, a plurality of individual reinforcing threads, which are respectively oriented, within the complex, along predetermined lines of effort so that, in use, the stresses to which the sail is subjected are essentially, or almost exclusively, supported by these reinforcing threads, which are dimensioned accordingly to perpetuate the mechanical strength of the sail, while the other layers constituting the sail, that is, to say both films and the grid, can then be dimensioned, in terms of mechanical strength, minimally: the overall weight of the sail is reduced. In practice, the individual reinforcing threads generally used are aramid, carbon or polyester.

That being said, the use of these individual reinforcing threads induces practical problems. Indeed, given their considerable thickness compared to the thicknesses of the other constituents of the complex, these threads create significant relief discontinuities: in the long term, these discontinuities are delamination primers of the complex, as well as zones of wear of the complex by friction with the wind. These drawbacks are even more pronounced in the vertices of the sail, where the end parts of a large number of these threads are concentrated and superimposed, if necessary leaving free spaces, not occupied by the films or by glue of the complex. The life of the sail is then limited.

Similar technical considerations are found for rigging sails other than the mainsail, or even for other types of wind-blown sails, such as flight sails which are, among others, kite-surfing sails, paragliding, etc., when seeking to strengthen such inflatable sails by individual son oriented reinforcement.

To circumvent the disadvantages explained above with regard to the individual reinforcing threads, WO-A-94/11185 proposed to replace these individual son by strips which each consist of a plurality of parallel monofilaments, which, in a matrix linking them together, are arranged in a single layer whose thickness is equal to the diameter, typically less than 20 microns, monofilaments. The sail obtained thus includes several of these strips so that the monofilaments of each of them extend in respective directions which are inclined relative to each other: within the complex constituting this sail, the intercrossing density of monofilaments are increased. This solution is attractive on paper, but is particularly difficult to implement because it requires the manufacture, including pultrusion, the strips detailed above, having a thickness of a single monofilament. In addition, this solution requires that each band occupies the entire extent of the complex thus representing a part of the total thickness of the complex whose flexibility is degraded: therefore, it is necessary to provide as many bands as of directions of stress lines to strengthen, without actually being able to continuously strengthen a line of effort with a curved profile.

Moreover, in a field away from inflatable sails, EP-A-0 625 417 discloses a reinforcing thread which includes sheath, within which filaments run in a powder. The aerated structure of this powder is used to give great flexibility to the wire. In practice, this reinforcing thread can not be used within a laminated outer film complex.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide individual reinforcing son, which, while ensuring an effective oriented reinforcing effect for an inflatable sail, does not limit the life, especially without inducing premature wear.

The subject of the invention is a sail of rigging, as defined in claim 1.

One of the ideas underlying the invention is not to use individual reinforcing son whose cross section is round or close to a circle, but to use reinforcing son that can be described as flat or flattened. Thus, the reinforcement yarn according to the invention has an oblong cross section, that is to say a longer than wide cross section, whose width, in other words the thickness of the yarn when the latter is considered within the rigging sail according to the invention is less than 0.06 times its length, that is to say 0.06 times the width of the wire when the latter is considered within the rigging sail, being understood that the length of the aforementioned wire corresponds to the dimension of this wire in its longitudinal direction within the rigging sail. Thanks to their flat conformation, the individual reinforcing threads according to the invention do not induce significant variation in the total thickness of the rigging sail, in the sense that the small variation of this thickness, in the zones where extends at least one of these son, is accommodated by the rest of the rigging sail, in particular by the two plastic films of the rigging sail according to the invention, without risk of delamination between these films. The flat threads also have the advantage of giving the rigging sail a great flexibility, while avoiding stiffening it locally. In addition, the external relief of the rigging sail, resulting from the presence of the flat reinforcing son, is very little pronounced or almost nonexistent, which creates very little or almost no resistance by friction for the wind . Moreover, even in the areas of the rigging sail where are stacked two or more flat reinforcing son, for example the tops of the rigging sail according to the invention, the cumulative thickness of the constituents of the rigging sail remains moderate: thus, the cohesion between the various reinforcing son and the grid is maintained without discontinuity of material by the two laminated films of the rigging sail according to the invention.

In practice, various methods of manufacturing a reinforcing thread according to the invention, as well as various manufacturing processes of the rigging sail incorporating such reinforcement son are conceivable by the specialists of the field, without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is the same for the materials constituting the various components of the rigging sail, including the materials constituting his reinforcing son.

Additional advantageous features of the reinforcing textile yarn and / or the rigging sail according to the invention, taken individually or in any technically possible combination, are specified in claims 2 to 16.

The invention also relates to a rig as defined in claim 17.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un voilier équipé d'un gréement conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective éclatée, montrant les constituants de la zone de voile cerclée II sur la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une coupe schématique selon le plan III de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique, à plus grande échelle, de la zone cerclée IV sur la figure 3 ; et
• la figure 5 est une section schématique partielle de la voile, à l'état assemblé, de la figure 2.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and with reference to the drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a sailboat equipped with a rig according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective exploded view, showing the constituents of the circled sail area II on the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is a schematic section according to plan III of the figure 2 ;
• the figure 4 is a schematic view, on a larger scale, of the circled area IV on the figure 3 ; and
• the figure 5 is a partial schematic section of the sail, in the assembled state, of the figure 2 .

On the figure 1 is represented a sailboat 1 whose rigging 2 comprises, inter alia, a mainsail 3 connected to a mast 4 belonging to the rig 2, typically by ropes not shown on the figure 1 .

As shown very schematically on the figure 2 , the mainsail 3 consists of a tissue complex, corresponding to the superposition of several layers joined together. In practice, it will be noted that the mainsail 3 can be made of a single piece of complex or, more frequently, the mainsail consists of several coupons complex, individually shaped flat and assembled to each other to form jointly the mainsail. As clearly visible on the figure 2 the mainsail complex 3 comprises at least four superimposed layers, namely two opposing films 5 and 6 constituting the two opposite faces of the mainsail, as well as, between these films 5 and 6, a grid 7 and a layer 8 consisting of a plurality of individual wires, which are three in number the example shown in figure 2 , being respectively referenced 81, 82 and 83. On the figure 2 , we denote Z, the rectilinear direction corresponding to the thickness of the complex of the mainsail 3: thus, succeed in this direction Z of superposition, the film 5, the grid 7, the layer 8 of the son 81, 82 and 83, and the film 6. In the assembled state of the mainsail complex 3, while this complex is lying flat on a flat surface, the various constituent layers of the complex extend generally in a plane perpendicular to the direction Z.

Of course, in service, that is to say when the mainsail 3 is inflated by the wind for the purpose of propulsion of the boat 1, the complex generally has a three-dimensional geometry, more or less domed shape.

The films 5 and 6 are made of plastic material, being noted that, in practice, the same plastic is used for both films. By way of non-limiting example, the above-mentioned plastics material is polyester, advantageously treated to resist ultraviolet: it may especially be polyethylene terephthalate (PET), optionally mixed with a fluoropolymer of the PVDF type, such as than polyvinylidene fluoride. Also by way of non-limiting example, the thickness of each film 5, 6 is typically of the order of ten micrometers, for example between 5 and 50 microns.

The gate 7 comprises, or as in the embodiment considered in the figures, consists of an assembly of rectilinear son 71 arranged relative to each other by repeating, regularly in the plane of the grid 7, a predetermined basic pattern. Thus, in the exemplary embodiment considered on the figure 2 this motif consists of a rhombus completed with one of its diagonals. In other words, by regular repetition of the aforementioned pattern, in the two directions defined by the plane of the grid 7, the whole of this grid is obtained. Thus, the various wires 71 constituting the grid 7 are positioned relative to one another according to a pre-established geometry, both in relative orientation and in relative spacing in the plane of the grid.

By way of non-limiting example, the son 71 are made of polyester, aramid, carbon, etc. Moreover, within the same grid 7, son 71 made of different respective materials and with different respective titles can be mixed.

According to a preferred embodiment, the threads 71 of the grid 7 are interwoven in the manner of a fabric with some of the threads acting as weft threads, while the other threads act as warp threads. As a variant, the wires 71 do not intersect, but are superimposed, being distributed in at least two superimposed layers. Where appropriate, the threads 71 are, at their intersections or at their crossings, glued or soldered to each other. As a detailed example, the reader can consult the document EP-A-1 111 114 .

The thickness of the grid 7 is equal to the thickness of the wires 71 for the most part of this grid, except in the quasi-point areas where at least two of the wires 71 intersect or intersect, overlapping in the direction Z, areas in which the thickness of the grid 7 is locally increased at most as many times as the number of son 71 overlapping. By way of non-limiting example, the thickness of the wires 71, and thus the thickness of the grid 7, except for the overlap areas of several wires 71, may be of the order of a hundred or a few hundred micrometers. , or even more, depending in particular on the title of the threads.

Within the complex of the mainsail 3, the function of the grid 7 is to mechanically strengthen the contiguous films 5 and 6, typically by increasing the resistance of the complex to tearing. More generally, as explained in the introductory part of this document, the intercrossing of the wires 71 give the grid 7 mechanical strength properties, which are different in the direction in the plane of the grid, depending on the geometry of the pattern elementary of this interlacing.

Unlike the wires 71 of the grid 7, the wires 81, 82 and 83 of the layer 8 are individual wires, in the sense that, before assembly of the mainsail complex 3, these wires 81, 82 and 83 are mechanically independent of each other. Within the complex of mainsail 3, the son 81, 82 and 83 have the function of reinforcing this complex, being oriented along predetermined lines of effort and, in particular, curved stress lines: thus, each of the wires 81, 82 and 83 extends in length, in the plane of the mainsail complex 3, in a proper longitudinal direction X81, X82, X83, where appropriate curved, as shown in FIG. figure 2 . In a manner known per se, each of these wires 81, 82, 83 thus follows, along its longitudinal direction X81, X82, X83, a prefixed path, along which it has been predetermined, in particular by ad hoc prior calculations, that significant constraints will apply to the mainsail complex 3 when the mainsail is in service, especially at a given pace. Thus, as explained in the introductory part of this document, the stresses applied to the mainsail complex 3 are then supported, essentially or almost entirely, by one or more of the wires 81, 82 and 83. which are sized accordingly. The advantage is then that the other constituents of the complex, that are the films 5 and 6 and the grid 7, can be dimensioned, in terms of mechanical strength, minimally, which, among other things, decreases the overall weight of the mainsail 3. As a non-limitative example, least some of the aforementioned lines of effort connect two to two the tops of the mainsail 3, curved in the plane of the complex of this mainsail.

Subsequently, we will describe in more detail, especially with regard to Figures 3 to 5 , the thread 82, it being understood that the following considerations apply to the other threads 81 and 83 of the layer 8. Of course, it is understood that, in practice, the total number of reinforcing threads, similar to the threads 81, 82 and 83, within the mainsail complex 3 is generally much larger than three.

Thus, the wire 82 comprises, or, as in the example considered here, consists of an assembly body 820 which extends in length in the direction X82, being substantially centered on an axis geometrically materializing the direction X82.

As clearly visible on the figure 3 , the wire 82 does not have, in cross section to its longitudinal direction X82, a circular profile or even close to a circle, as might be expected for a reinforcing textile yarn traditionally used in the field concerned here. In contrast, the cross-section of the overall body 820 of the wire 82, ie its section in a geometric plane perpendicular to its longitudinal direction X82, has an oblong shape, that is to say a shape significantly longer than wide. Considering the wire 82 according to its overall volume, this amounts to saying that the body 820 has a width significantly greater than its thickness, it being agreed that the thickness of the wire is its dimension considered in the Z direction while its width is its dimension which, in the plane of the mainsail complex 3, is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X82. So, on the figure 3 we note ℓ the length of the oblong whole body 820 section of the wire 82, while we note e the width of this oblong section, respectively with reference to the width and thickness of the wire 82. Of course, by definition, the width ℓ of the wire 82 is significantly smaller than the corresponding dimension of the films 5 and 6, so that, in the assembled state of the complex constituting the mainsail 3, the wire does not cover the whole of the surface opposite each of the films 5 and 6, but, on the contrary, covers only a limited fraction, which ensures a good flexibility to the complex.

Thus, the wire 82 may be described as flat or flattened wire, which, for the purposes of this document, consists in providing that the ratio e / ℓ between its thickness and its width, that is to say the ratio between the maximum width and the length of the oblong section of its overall body 820 is less than 0.06, or preferably less than 0.05.

In practice, the flat or flattened shape of the overall body 820 of the wire 82 is related to the constitution of this overall body. Indeed, as shown schematically on the figure 4 , the body 820 is not a single piece, but results from the agglutination of a large number of elementary filaments 821: each of these filaments 821 can be individually dissociated from others and, in this sense, can be called monofilament. Individually, it can be considered that each of these filaments 821 has, in cross-section along the axis X82, a substantially circular section, with a diameter of the order of ten micrometers, in particular between 3 and 30 microns. When considering these filaments 821 in the agglutinated state within the assembly body 820, these filaments 821 are arranged relative to each other to give this overall body 820 the oblong section described above, being noted that several hundreds or even one or a few thousand filaments, in other words at least two hundred, or even at least one thousand filaments, are thus agglutinated to form the overall body 820. As a result, the thickness e of the overall body 820 is greater than 50 microns, being in particular of the order of one-tenth of a millimeter, which is to say that, in the direction Z, several filaments 821, in particular one or even several tens of filaments 821 succeed each other over the thickness 820. More precise quantitative examples will be given at the very end of this description.

According to preferred embodiments, the filaments 821 are made either of an organic material, in particular aramid, polyamide, polyester, especially aromatic polyester, such as VECTRAN (registered trademark), or polyethylene, especially polyethylene high density (HDPE) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), such as PENTEX (registered trademark), or a mineral material, especially carbon or glass.

According to the embodiment shown on the Figures 3 and 4 , the assembly body 820 of the wire 82 is glued, core and, advantageously, externally. More precisely, as shown schematically on the figure 4 , adhesive is provided interposed between the filaments 821, thereby forming a binder 822 of cohesion between these filaments. In addition, a coating material is advantageously provided wrapping around the filaments 821 located at the periphery of the overall body 820, so as to form a coating sheath 823 of this body 820. Although, as a variant not shown, only the binder 822 is actually present, this binder 822 and the sheath 823 are advantageously associated, being, in practice, constituted by the same constitutive adhesive, in particular applied by sizing, more generally by coating.

The binder 822 and the sheath 823 help to hold the filaments 821 in place in the overall body 820. In addition, the binder 822 has the specific function of limiting or even preventing water infiltration by capillary action in the body. body 820. As for the sheath 823, it specifically has the additional function of facilitating the use of the wire 82, in particular by allowing its winding and / or improving its physico-chemical integration within the complex of the mainsail 3, as discussed later.

The coating material or materials used to form the binder 822 and the sheath 823 are advantageously based on a polymer, in particular based on acrylic, polyurethane or polyethylene. Specific references of usable glues are given at the very end of the description.

Because of the presence of the binder 822 and, advantageously, the sheath 823, the overall body 820 has a part of its mass of the coating material constituting this binder and, if appropriate, this sheath. It is thus possible to define a coating ratio of the overall body 820, which is defined as a hundred times the ratio between, on the one hand, the difference between the title of the coated wire and the title of the uncoated wire, and, d on the other hand, the title of the uncoated wire. In practice, this coating rate is between 5 and 100%. It is preferably less than 50%, for reasons related in particular to the final weight of the mainsail complex 3.

In practice, various geometries are possible for the cross section of the overall body 820, provided that these geometries have an oblong contour. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated schematically in the figure 3 the outline of the cross section of the assembly body 820 has two substantially flat opposed segments 820A and 820B, between which the width of its contour is defined, that is, the thickness e of the overall body 820. This amounts to say that the segments 820A and 820B extend substantially perpendicular to the direction Z, being separated from the distance e. The respective ends of these flat segments 820A and 820B are connected in pairs by two opposed segments 820C and 820D of the transverse contour of the assembly body 820, these segments 820C and 820D being convex, in particular by continuously connecting the flat segments 820A and 820B. . Of course, the segments 820A and 820B are not strictly flat, in the sense that they are defined by a succession of filaments 821 located at the periphery of the overall body 820, where appropriate covered by a portion of the sheath. 823. This embodiment has the advantage that the thickness e of the overall body 820 has a substantially constant value over most of the width of this body, especially without having, in the direction of the width of the body 820 , a local maximum value. This amounts to saying that the flat or flattened shape according to the invention is thus optimized.

That being said, as a variant not shown, the oblong contour of the cross section of the assembly body 820 can correspond substantially to an ellipse or, more generally, to a substantially elliptical contour, which is centered on an axis that geometrically embodies the direction X82 and whose minor axis extends in the direction Z. In this case, the ratio between the maximum width and the maximum length of this contour corresponds to the ratio between the small radius and the large radius of the elliptical shape.

More generally, other geometries than those mentioned above are conceivable for the transverse oblong contour of the overall body 820.

According to an advantageous aspect, in the case where the filaments 821 are aramid, the ratio between the title of the wire 82 and the width ℓ of its overall body 820 is provided less than a predetermined value. This amounts, for a given yarn, to provide a thickness e of the overall body 820 sufficiently small so that the filaments 821 of this body are distributed over a large width ℓ . Thus, the aforementioned ratio is advantageously less than 1000 (thousand), by expressing the title of the overall body 820 uncoated in dTex and expressing its width ℓ , that is to say the length of its oblong contour in millimeters.

As mentioned above, various methods can be envisaged to manufacture the wire 82.

By way of example, one of these processes consists of starting from a pre-existing wire with a substantially circular cross-section, and then subjecting it to one or more flattening operations, accompanied, where appropriate, by coating operations, in particular sizing, in order to result in the structure of the wire 82 presented in detail above. With regard to sizing, the reader may, by way of a detailed example, refer to the document US-2010/0089017 . Alternatively, the wire 82 may be manufactured directly from the filaments 821, including arranging them relative to each other to obtain the structure described above. In all cases, a flattened or flat wire is advantageously capable of being wound and stored for later use, in particular for manufacturing the mainsail complex 3.

Similarly, the manufacture of the mainsail complex 3, that is to say the assembly of the films 5 and 6, the grid 7 and the son 81, 82 and 83, can be achieved by various methods. By way of example, from the film 5, the grid 7, coming for example from a coil, is deposited on it successively, and the wires 81, 82 and 83, the latter being obtained in particular by cutting from a coil of wire as the one mentioned in the previous paragraph, then the film 6 is reported on the semi-complex thus formed, in order to obtain the complete complex.

As an alternative, the grid 7 and the son 81, 82 and 83 are initially pre-positioned between the films 5 and 6, before constraining the joining of these films, in particular by creating a depression between them. The films 5 and 6 are held together by any appropriate means, especially by gluing, the glue can be made externally or be integrated with one and / or the other of the films. Advantageously, this glue effectively binds to sheath 823.

In any case, at the end of the manufacturing process, the mainsail complex 3 has the schematic configuration of the figure 5 , with, among others, the wires 71 of the grid 7 and the wire 82 trapped between the films 5 and 6. This schematic representation of the figure 5 illustrates that the presence of the wire 82 does not induce significant relief discontinuity for the complex, particularly compared to the son 71 of the grid 7. In particular, even though the method of manufacturing the grid 7 and / or the method of making the complex would tend to ovalize the cross section of the son 71, slightly crushing the latter in the Z direction, the oblong contour of the cross section of the wire 82 is clearly distinct from the cross section of the son 71, in the sense that, with respective substantially identical titles for the son 71 and for the son 82, the thickness e of the overall body 820 of the wire 82 is advantageously at least two times smaller than that of the son 71 of the grid 7 in the direction Z.

Note that, given the flattened or flat shape that son 81, 82 or 83 before assembly to the rest of the mainsail complex 3, their maximum thickness e, in other words the maximum width of their transverse contour oblong, is not modified during the manufacture of the complex, except in marginal proportions, not significant vis-à-vis the dimensions of the overall body 820, especially vis-à-vis the ratio e / ℓ . In addition, as mentioned above, several of the son 81, 82 and 83 can partially be superimposed in the direction Z: such a superposition results from the drawing of the lines of effort respectively along which run these son. This is typically the case at the tops of the mainsail 3.

• Par exemple, le complexe de la grand-voile 3 peut inclure au moins une couche supplémentaire, sous la forme d'un taffetas, correspondant à un tissu polyester, par exemple de 40 à 90 g/m² ; en pratique, cette couche additionnelle de taffetas est soit interposée entre les films 5 et 6, en une position d'interposition indifférente vis-à-vis de la grille 7 et de la couche de fils de renfort 8, soit être rapportée en surcouche à l'un et/ou l'autre des films 5 et 6 ; dans tous les cas, cette ou ces couches additionnelles de taffetas alourdissent le complexe de la grand-voile 3, mais lui confèrent une esthétique plus traditionnelle, c'est-à-dire une esthétique rappelant les grands-voiles constituées exclusivement d'un tel tissu polyester ;
• Aux sommets de la grand-voile 3, des pièces de tissu additionnelles peuvent rapportées de manière superposée au complexe, à des fins de renfort local ;
• Bien entendu, d'autres voiles de gréement que la grand-voile 3, comme un spinnaker ou un gennaker, peuvent être réalisées en un complexe tel que décrit jusqu'ici ; et/ou
• Les fils individuels de renfort orienté décrits jusqu'ici, tels que les fils 81, 82 et 83, peuvent être intégrés à d'autres voiles gonflables que des voiles de gréement, dans le sens où de telles voiles gonflables permettent, sous l'action du vent ou d'un gaz, de produire un effet de traction ou de sustentation vis-à-vis d'un corps relié à la voile gonflable ; en particulier, sont avantageusement concernées les voiles de vol, telles que les voiles de parapente, de kite-surf, de deltaplane, de cerf-volant, de parachute, de ballon d'aérostat, etc.

Before presenting specific examples of embodiments below, it will be noted that various arrangements and variants to the complex of the mainsail 3, in particular to the reinforcing threads 81, 82, 83, are conceivable:

• For example, the complex of the mainsail 3 may include at least one additional layer, in the form of a taffeta, corresponding to a polyester fabric, for example from 40 to 90 g / m ² ; in practice, this additional layer of taffeta is either interposed between the films 5 and 6, in a position of indifferent interposition vis-à-vis the grid 7 and the layer of reinforcing son 8, or be reported in overlay to Mon and / or the other of films 5 and 6; in any case, this or these additional layers of taffeta weigh down the complex of the mainsail 3, but give it a more traditional aesthetic, that is to say, an aesthetic reminiscent of the mainsails constituted exclusively of such polyester fabric;
• At the tops of the mainsail 3, additional pieces of fabric may be superimposed on the complex for local reinforcement purposes;
• Of course, other rigging sails than the mainsail 3, such as a spinnaker or a gennaker, can be made in a complex as described so far; and or
• The individual son of oriented reinforcement described so far, such as son 81, 82 and 83, can be integrated with other inflatable sails that rigging sails, in the sense that such inflatable sails allow, under the action wind or gas, to produce a pulling effect or levitation vis-à-vis a body connected to the inflatable sail; in particular, flight sails, such as paragliding, kite-surfing, hang gliding, kite flying, parachute, aerostat balloon, etc., are advantageously affected.

Examples of realization

• Example 1 : reinforcing thread 81, 82, 83, which includes 2000 filaments made of aramid, more precisely KEVLAR (registered trademark), which has a title of 3300 dTex, which is coated with 30% of an adhesive acrylic, such as the adhesive marketed under the reference "UCECOAT DW 3134" from CYTEC, and which has a width ℓ equal to 4 mm and a maximum thickness e equal to 0.1 mm.
  With the aid of a TABER stiffness meter, it is measured that this thread has a stiffness of 8.8 TABER stiffness units, ie 0.8 TSU (for "Taber Stiffness Units", corresponding to reference units). being carried out on test pieces of three wires 3 cm long and with a deflection angle of 15%. This measurement reflects a great flexibility for the yarn of Example 1, in particular by comparison with a yarn having the same constituents but substantially round section, whose stiffness was measured at 56.6 TABER stiffness units, or 5 TSU.
• Example 2 : reinforcing thread 81, 82, 83, which includes 1000 filaments of aramid, which has a title of 1 680 dTex, which is coated with 30% of a polyester-polyurethane type glue, such as glue sold under the reference "PRIMAL NW-1845K Of the company ROHM-AND-HAAS, and which has a width ℓ equal to 2.7 mm and a maximum thickness e equal to 0.1 mm.
• Example 3 : reinforcing thread 81, 82, 83, which comprises polyester filaments, more specifically VECTRAN (registered trademark), which has a title of 2530 dTex, which is coated with 21% of an acrylic glue, such as the adhesive marketed under the reference "PRIMAL E 941P" of the company ROHM-AND-HAAS and which has a width ℓ equal to 2.7 mm and a thickness e equal to 0.16 mm.
• Example 4 : reinforcing thread 81, 82, 83, which comprises carbon filaments, which has a title of 8 200dTex, which is coated with 25% of a polyether-polyurethane glue, such as the glue marketed under the reference " IMPRANIL LP RSC 4002 "from the company BAYER, and which has a width ℓ equal to 5 mm and a thickness e equal to 0.18 mm.

Claims (17)

1. Rigging sail (3) comprising two films of plastics material (5, 6) which are laminated to one another,

   - between the two films of plastics material (5, 6) there are interposed, in a superposition direction (Z) defined by the thickness of the films, both:

   ∘ a reinforcing mesh (7) which has a pre-established pattern of repetition; and

   ∘ at least one individual textile reinforcing thread (81, 82, 83) which is oriented along a predetermined force line, characterised in that the or each textile reinforcing thread (81, 82, 83) comprising:

   • a plurality of filaments (821) which are joined to form an elongate unitary body (820), and

   • a binder (822) for cohesion between at least some of the filaments (821) of the unitary body (820), which binder is constituted by an adhesive,

   - in cross-section, the unitary body (820) has an oblong contour of which the ratio between its maximum width (e), which corresponds to a thickness of the unitary body, and its maximum length (ℓ), which corresponds to a width of the unitary body, is less than 0.06, a plurality of filaments (821) following one another over the thickness of the unitary body,

   - the or each textile reinforcing thread (81, 82, 83) is arranged so that, in cross-section, the width (e) of the oblong contour of its unitary body (820) extends in the superposition direction (Z), and

   - the or each reinforcing thread (81, 82, 83) covers only a limited fraction of the facing surface of each of the two films (5, 6).
2. Rigging sail (3) according to claim 1, characterised in that the thickness of the unitary body (820) is greater than 50 µm.
3. Rigging sail (3) according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that one or more tens of filaments (821) follow one another over the thickness of the unitary body (820).
4. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the or each textile reinforcing thread (81, 82, 83) further comprises a sheath (823) for covering the unitary body (820).
5. Rigging sail (3) according to claim 4, characterised in that the sheath (823) is constituted by an adhesive which is identical to the adhesive constituting the binder (822).
6. Rigging sail (3) according to either claim 4 or claim 5, characterised in that the adhesive constituting the binder (822) and/or an adhesive constituting the sheath (823) are each polymer-based, especially acrylic-, polyurethane- or polyethylene-based.
7. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the oblong contour of the unitary body (820) has two substantially flat opposite segments (820A, 820B) between which the width (e) of the contour is defined.
8. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filaments (821) are made of an organic material, especially of aramid, polyamide, polyester or polyethylene, or of a mineral material, especially of carbon or glass.
9. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a degree of coating of a thread is defined as one hundred times the ratio between, on the one hand, the difference between the titre of the coated thread and the titre of the uncoated thread and, on the other hand, the titre of the uncoated thread, the degree of coating of the unitary body (820) being between 5 and 100%, preferably between 5 and 50%.
10. Rigging sail (3) according to claim 9, characterised in that the filaments (821) are made of aramid, the unitary body (820) has a ratio between, on the one hand, its titre expressed in dTex and, on the other hand, the maximum length (ℓ) of its oblong contour, expressed in millimetres, the value of which is less than 1000.
11. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by a plurality of textile reinforcing threads (81, 82, 83), at least two of which are partially superposed in the superposition direction (Z), each textile reinforcing thread running along one of the predetermined force lines.
12. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each force line is curved.
13. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the reinforcing mesh (7) is constituted substantially of threads (71) the titre of which is substantially identical to that of the unitary body (820) of the or each textile reinforcing thread (81, 82, 83), the width (e) of the oblong contour of the unitary body (820) is at least twice as small as the corresponding dimension of the threads (71) of the reinforcing mesh (7) in the superposition direction (Z).
14. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the threads (71) of the mesh (7) are interlaced in the manner of a woven fabric, with some of the threads (71) acting as weft threads while the other threads (71) act as warp threads, the threads (71) of the mesh (7) being adhesively bonded or welded to one another at their points of interlacement.
15. Rigging sail (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the threads (71) of the mesh (7) are superposed by being distributed in at least two superposed layers, the threads (71) of the mesh (7) being adhesively bonded or welded to one another at their crossing points.
16. Rigging sail (3) according to either claim 14 or claim 15, characterised in that the thickness of the mesh (7) is equal to the thickness of the threads (71) for the major part of the mesh (7), except in almost point-like zones where at least two of the threads (71) of the mesh (7) interlace or cross while overlapping in the superposition direction (Z), in which zones the thickness of the mesh (7) is increased locally at the maximum by as many times as the number of threads (71) overlap.
17. Rigging, characterised in that it comprises a mainsail (3) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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