EP4729676A1

EP4729676A1 - Conductive fabric with honeycomb structure for antistatic applications and related production process

Info

Publication number: EP4729676A1
Application number: EP25204270.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Regaldo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2024-10-18
Filing date: 2025-09-24
Publication date: 2026-04-22

Abstract

A conductive fabric with a honeycomb structure is described, comprising a synthetic fibre base and a plurality of conductive threads woven into the base in a hexagonal configuration, a honeycomb structure on one side of the fabric, and a capture structure on the opposite side that is designed to capture electrostatic charges and discharge them onto the honeycomb structure, thus forming a closed circuit that allows uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in all directions; the fabric has an electrical resistivity in the order of 10^-9 Ω in all directions and limited air permeability, and is made of polyester with stainless steel conductive threads and has a weight between 350 and 400 g/m². A process for producing such fabric is also described.

Description

The present invention relates to a conductive fabric with a honeycomb structure for antistatic applications, and to its related production process.
Industrial technical fabrics have numerous applications in various sectors, including safety clothing and the production of piping and filters for environments subject to explosive atmospheres. In particular, antistatic and conductive fabrics play a crucial role in preventing potentially dangerous electrostatic charge buildup.
Currently, these fabrics are mainly produced on flat looms, creating canvases composed of conductive yarns alternating with synthetic yarns in the warp and weft. This structure forms a gridlike network capable of capturing and discharging electrical charges. However, the plain weave has mechanical limitations, being nondeformable in both directions and exhibiting zero elongation, especially when using yarns covered with steel filaments in the warp.
The canvas production process also requires a greater investment in raw materials than circular loom production, resulting in longer setup times and lower productivity. The beam preparation operations require flat weaving mills to purchase particularly large batches of yarn and limit production flexibility.
There is therefore a need for a conductive fabric that overcomes one or more of these problems, offering improved antistatic performance, greater production flexibility and optimized mechanical properties for industrial applications.
Document KR-A-102 666 412 disclose a fabric according to the preamble of Claim 1.
Object of the present invention is solving the aforementioned prior art problems by providing a conductive fabric with a honeycomb structure for antistatic applications which comprises: a synthetic fibre base; and a plurality of conductive threads woven into the synthetic fibre base in a hexagonal configuration, forming a honeycomb structure on one side of the fabric, and a capture structure on the opposite side that is designed to capture electrostatic charges and discharge them onto the honeycomb structure, thus forming a closed circuit that allows uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in all directions of the fabric.
This honeycomb configuration provides a uniform distribution of conductive properties across the entire surface of the fabric, significantly improving the effectiveness of electrostatic dissipation compared to traditional fabrics with a checkered structure.
The fabric can be made on a circular loom.
The use of a circular loom allows for greater production flexibility and faster setup times than the flat looms traditionally used for this type of fabric. Circular fabrics guarantee mechanical characteristics such as elongation and flexibility that are completely absent in traditional orthogonal and/or woven fabrics.
The synthetic fibre base can be made of polyester.
The use of polyester as the base fibre gives the fabric excellent mechanical and resistance properties, making it particularly suitable for heavy-duty industrial applications.
The conductive wires are made of stainless steel.
The use of stainless steel wires ensures high electrical conductivity while maintaining the biocompatibility of the fabric, making it suitable for food contact applications.
The fabric has an electrical resistivity in the order of 10^-9 Ω in all directions.
This extremely low resistivity value ensures excellent dissipation of electrostatic charges, making the fabric particularly effective for use in environments with potentially explosive atmospheres.
The fabric has a weight between 350 and 400 g/m².
This weight range makes the fabric robust enough for industrial applications, while maintaining good handling and flexibility.
The fabric has limited air permeability.
The low air permeability makes the fabric particularly suitable for the production of filter sleeves and other industrial filtration devices, improving the efficiency of capturing fine dust.
The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will become apparent from the following description, are achieved with a conductive honeycomb-structured fabric for antistatic applications and its related manufacturing process as described in the respective independent claims. Preferred embodiments and nontrivial variations of the present invention form the subject of the dependent claims.
It is understood that all attached claims form an integral part of this specification.
The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments, provided by way of example and not by way of limitation, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an exemplary photograph of an interlock fabric with longitudinal conductive bars according to the prior art,
Figure 2 is an exemplary photograph of a Piqué variant with horizontal conductive thread according to the prior art;
Figure 3 is an exemplary photograph of a basic honeycomb structure fabric according to the present invention;
Figure 4 is an exemplary photograph of a contrast weave with non-conductive yarns according to the present invention, where white represents the conductive yarn; and
Figure 5 is an exemplary photograph of the hexagonally woven conductive yarn fabric of the present invention.

With reference to the Figures, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and described. It will be immediately obvious that countless variations and modifications (for example, relating to shape, dimensions, various colours, and parts with equivalent functionality) may be made to the description without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated in the appended claims.
The present invention relates to a conductive fabric with a honeycomb structure for antistatic applications. The fabric comprises a synthetic fibre base and a plurality of conductive threads woven into the synthetic fibre base in a hexagonal configuration. This honeycomb structure forms a closed loop that allows for the uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in every direction of the fabric. This configuration provides a uniform distribution of conductive properties across the entire surface of the fabric, ensuring effective dissipation of electrostatic charges.
Additionally, the fabric can be made on a circular loom, offering greater production flexibility and faster set-up times with smaller runs than the flat looms traditionally used for this type of fabric.
The synthetic fibre base is polyester, giving the fabric excellent mechanical properties and strength, making it particularly suitable for heavy-duty industrial applications. The conductive threads are preferably stainless steel, ensuring high electrical conductivity while maintaining the fabric's biocompatibility, making it suitable for food contact applications.
The fabric has an electrical resistivity in the order of 10^-9 Ω in all directions, ensuring excellent dissipation of electrostatic charges.
Furthermore, the fabric can weigh between 350 and 400 g/m², making it robust enough for industrial applications while maintaining good handling and flexibility.
Finally, the fabric can have limited air permeability, making it particularly suitable for the manufacture of filter hoses and other industrial filtration devices.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, two initial prototypes of developed conductive fabrics are illustrated. The first prototype is an interlock fabric with horizontal conductive bands. The interlock fabric may comprise a synthetic fibre base, such as polyester, and a plurality of conductive threads woven into the synthetic fibre base in a banded configuration. This banded configuration can provide a uniform distribution of conductive properties across the entire surface of the fabric, ensuring effective dissipation of electrostatic charges.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the hexagonal honeycomb structure of the conductive fabric is illustrated. The hexagonal honeycomb structure can be formed by a plurality of conductive threads woven into the synthetic fibre base in a hexagonal configuration. This hexagonal configuration can form a closed circuit that allows for uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in every direction of the fabric, regardless of the cutting direction. In some cases, the fabric can have an electrical resistivity on the order of 10^-9 Ω in all directions, ensuring excellent dissipation of electrostatic charges. Furthermore, the hexagonal honeycomb structure offers good flexibility and low breathability to the fabric, making it suitable for use in applications such as bag filters or industrial coatings. The open weave allows the fabric to be lightweight while maintaining its antistatic effectiveness. The hexagonal shape is known for its structural stability and ability to distribute weight and stress evenly. This gives the fabric greater mechanical strength, making it durable even in demanding industrial environments. In short, hexagonal-stitched fabric is an excellent choice for antistatic protection due to its geometry that facilitates the dissipation of charges, the presence of conductive fibres, and its durability.
Referring to Figure 5, the final prototype of the honeycomb-structured conductive fabric is illustrated. The fabric features a uniform surface characterized by a repeating hexagonal pattern. This hexagonal structure is formed by the integration of conductive fibres within the fabric's weave. The fabric appears light in colour, likely white or off-white, with the hexagonal pattern visible as subtle variations in texture on the surface. The hexagonal structure creates a network of interconnected cells that is consistent across the entire visible area of the fabric. This design allows for a uniform distribution of conductive properties throughout the material. The fabric structure combines the flexibility of the fabric with the electrical conductivity provided by the hexagonal pattern, enabling applications in static dissipation or electromagnetic shielding. The uniform nature of the pattern suggests that the conductive properties would be consistent regardless of how the fabric is cut or shaped.
The invention relates to a conductive fabric with a honeycomb structure, comprising:

a synthetic fibre base; and
a plurality of conductive threads woven into the base in a hexagonal configuration,

wherein the woven conductive threads form a honeycomb structure on one side of the fabric, and a capture structure on the opposite side that is designed to capture electrostatic charges and discharge them onto the honeycomb structure, thus forming a closed circuit that allows uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in all directions; and
wherein the fabric has an electrical resistivity in the order of 10^-9 Ω in all directions and low air permeability.

The invention further relates to a process for producing a conductive fabric with a honeycomb structure, comprising the steps of:

providing a synthetic fibre base; and
weaving a plurality of conductive threads into the synthetic fibre base, the weaving of the conductive threads being performed in a hexagonal configuration, forming a honeycomb structure on one side of the fabric, and a capture structure on the opposite side that captures electrostatic charges and discharges them onto the honeycomb structure, wherein the honeycomb structure forms a closed circuit that allows for uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in every direction of the fabric;

^-9

The fabric is made with a conductive thread woven into the fabric weave in a hexagonal pattern. This conductive thread is preferably made of stainless steel, which provides excellent electrical conductivity and maintains the fabric biocompatibility. The conductive thread is woven along the fabric weave in a hexagonal pattern, creating an effective conductive network that reduces the risk of sudden discharges. This conductive network forms a closed circuit that allows for the uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in every direction of the fabric, regardless of the cutting direction. This honeycomb structure provides uniform distribution of conductive properties across the entire surface of the fabric, ensuring significantly improved electrostatic dissipation efficiency compared to traditional fabrics with a grid structure.
The fabric is made with a synthetic fibre base, such as polyester. This synthetic fibre base provides the fabric with excellent mechanical properties and strength, making it particularly suitable for heavy-duty industrial applications. Furthermore, the synthetic fibre base can be white or off-white, providing visual contrast with the conductive thread and highlighting the fabric hexagonal structure.
The fabric has an electrical resistivity in the order of 10^-9 Ω in all directions, ensuring excellent dissipation of electrostatic charges. This low electrical resistance allows charges to flow rapidly and disperse safely, making the fabric particularly suitable for electrostatic-sensitive environments, such as industrial (ATEX) environments such as filtration chimneys.
The fabric weighs between 350 and 400 g/m², making it robust enough for industrial applications, while maintaining good handling and flexibility.
Furthermore, the fabric has limited air permeability, making it particularly suitable for the production of filter hoses and other industrial filtration devices. The hexagonal shape is known for its structural stability and ability to evenly distribute weight and stress. This gives the fabric greater mechanical strength, making it durable even in demanding industrial environments. In short, hexagonal-stitched fabric is an excellent choice for antistatic protection thanks to its geometry, which facilitates charge dissipation, the presence of conductive fibres, and its durability.
Conductive fabric is made using stainless steel wire as a conductive element. This stainless steel wire is woven into the fabric weave in a hexagonal pattern, creating an effective conductive network that reduces the risk of sudden discharges. This conductive network forms a closed loop that allows for uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in every direction of the fabric, regardless of the cutting direction. Stainless steel is known for its excellent conductive properties and corrosion resistance, making it an ideal material for use in conductive fabrics.
The fabric is made of 100% polyester fibre with embedded stainless steel wire. This polyester fibre provides the fabric with excellent mechanical properties and strength, making it particularly suitable for heavy-duty industrial applications. Furthermore, the polyester fibre can be white or off-white, providing visual contrast with the conductive wire and highlighting the fabric hexagonal structure.
The fabric weighs between 350 and 400 g/m². This weight provides the fabric with sufficient strength for industrial applications, while maintaining good handling and flexibility. Furthermore, the fabric may have limited air permeability, making it particularly suitable for the production of filter hoses and other industrial filtration devices.
In terms of electrical properties, the fabric has a resistivity in the order of 10^-9 Ω for the hexagonal pattern. This low electrical resistance allows charges to flow rapidly and disperse safely, making the fabric particularly suitable for electrostatic-sensitive environments, such as industrial (ATEX) environments such as filtration chimneys.
Conductive fabric may have limited air permeability. This makes it particularly suitable for the production of filter bags for industrial applications, such as in grain and cement industries and in dusty environments. The fabric limited air permeability allows for effective filtering of airborne particles while maintaining adequate air circulation through the fabric.
Conductive fabric undergoes a purging process to make it suitable for use in the food industry. This process removes any residues or contaminants present in the fabric, ensuring its safety for use in contact with food. This feature can further expand the fabric's potential applications, making it suitable not only for industrial applications, but also for applications in the food industry.
The conductive fabric is OEKO-TEX^® certified. This certification certifies the fabric absence of harmful substances, ensuring its safety for use in a variety of applications. OEKO-TEX^® certification can be an additional indicator of the quality and safety of conductive fabric, making it a reliable choice for applications where user safety and health are paramount.

Claims

1. Conductive fabric with a honeycomb structure, comprising:

- a synthetic fibre base; and

- a plurality of conductive threads woven into the base in a hexagonal configuration,

characterized in that the woven conductive threads form a honeycomb structure on one side of the fabric, and a capture structure on the opposite side that is designed to capture electrostatic charges and discharge them onto the honeycomb structure, thus forming a closed circuit that allows uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in all directions;

wherein the fabric has an electrical resistivity in the order of 10^-9 Ω in all directions and low air permeability.

2. Conductive fabric according to claim 1, wherein the synthetic fibre base is made of polyester.

3. Conductive fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conductive threads are made of stainless steel.

4. Conductive fabric according to any of the preceding claims, having a weight between 350 and 400 g/m².

5. Process for producing a conductive fabric with a honeycomb structure, comprising the steps of:

- providing a synthetic fibre base; and

- weaving a plurality of conductive threads into the synthetic fibre base, the weaving of the conductive threads being performed in a hexagonal configuration, forming a honeycomb structure on one side of the fabric, and a capture structure on the opposite side that captures electrostatic charges and discharges them onto the honeycomb structure, wherein the honeycomb structure forms a closed circuit that allows for uniform dissipation of electrostatic charges in every direction of the fabric;

wherein the fabric produced has an electrical resistivity in the order of 10^-9 Ω in all directions and limited air permeability.

6. Process according to claim 5, wherein the synthetic fibre base is made of polyester.

7. Process according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the conductive threads are made of stainless steel.

9. Process according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the fabric produced has a weight between 350 and 400 g/m².

10. Process according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the conductive threads are woven on a circular loom.