GB2404669A

GB2404669A - Multilayer woven textile structure with tunnels between layers

Info

Publication number: GB2404669A
Application number: GB0317887A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Xiaogang Chen; Hongxia Zhang
Original assignee: University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST); University of Manchester
Current assignee: University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST); University of Manchester
Priority date: 2003-07-31
Filing date: 2003-07-31
Publication date: 2005-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 2023-07-31
Also published as: GB0317887D0; GB2404669B

Abstract

A textile structure is woven with at least three interwoven layers 11,12,13 and tunnels 14,15 formed between the respective pairs of layers 11,12 and 12,13 so that the tunnels extend at an angle to each other. The tunnels may be expanded by a material such as foam or may contain resistance heating wires or may be impregnated with a resin which is then cured. End uses include thermal blankets, protective sportswear and limb protectors, automobile body panels and aeronautics and aerospace.

Description

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2404669

WOVEN TEXTILE STRUCTURE

The present invention relates to a woven textile structure.

In an attempt to provide textile structures having a wider range of physical and other properties than conventional textiles, such as increased energy absorption to weight ratio, woven textile structures have been produced which are composed of two textile layers joined so as to define tunnels extending between the two layers. The tunnels can be opened with various means, which causes the textile structure to expand and assume a form in which it exhibits the desired properties.

Typically, a textile can be manufactured of any desired length (i.e. its dimension in the warp direction) however its width (i.e. its dimension in the weft direction) is limited by the width of the loom used (e.g. 2-3m). Applications for laminated woven textile structures having tunnels extending in the weft direction have thus been severely limited by the fact that tunnels are limited in length to the width of the loom upon which the structures are produced. In order to increase the utility of such textiles structures have been produced with tunnels extending in directions that are offset from the weft direction however these materials have found only limited application.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved woven textile structures.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a woven textile structure comprising at least first, second and third woven textile layers, the first and second layers interwoven at a plurality of predetermined locations separated by at least one gap where the layers are not interwoven, the at least one gap defining at least a first tunnel extending in a first direction between said first and second layers, and said second and third layers interwoven at a plurality of predetermined locations separated by at least one gap where the layers are not interwoven, the at least one §£ip defining at least a second tunnel extending in a second direction between said second and third layers, wherein the first direction is angularly offset with respect to the second direction.

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The provision of mutually offset tunnels between at least three textile layers provides a series of textile structures which can exhibit a wider range of physical properties than those currently available. In this way structures can be designed to possess the specific physical properties needed for a particular purpose.

Preferably the first tunnel has a first width and the second tunnel has a second width which is greater than the first width. At least one of the first and second tunnels may have a constant width throughout its length.

At least one of the first and second tunnels may be filled with a substance so as to expand the or each tunnel. The substance is preferably expansible. The substance may be a fluid, a solid or a foam. In the case of the substance being a foam, the foam preferably hardens after expansion.

In one preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention at least one electrically conducting wire is located within the at least one of the first and second tunnels.

The textile structure may be at least in part impregnated with a resin, which preferably hardens by curing.

The structure may comprise more than three woven textile layers.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure la is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a woven textile structure according to the present invention before expansion;

Figure lb is a perspective view of the woven textile structure of figure la after expansion; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a woven textile structure according to the present invention with tunnels extending in directions which are mutually orthogonal.

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Referring now to figures la and lb, the woven textile structure 1 comprises first, second and third woven textile layers 2, 3, 4 interconnected at locations 5, 6 by interweaving the layers 2, 3, 4.

The first series of interwoven locations 5 run parallel to a first direction denoted by arrow A. The gaps between the locations define a first set of tunnels 7 extending in the first direction A between the first and second layers 2, 3. The second series of interwoven locations 6 run parallel to a second direction denoted by arrow B, the gaps therebetween defining a second set of tunnels 8 extending in the second direction B between the second and third layers 3, 4. As can be seen from figures la and lb, direction A is angularly offset with respect to direction B.

A foam 9 is injected into the tunnels 7, 8 and is activated so as to expand and cause the tunnels 7, 8 to expand so that the structure 1 assumes its final expanded form as shown in figure lb. The foam 9 can be of a type which hardens after expansion.

Figure 2 shows a woven textile structure 10 according to the present invention. This structure 10 comprises three textile layers 11, 12, 13 which are interwoven at their corner regions (shown hatched). The upper and middle layers 11, 12 are further interwoven so as to define a first tunnel 14 extending between the upper and middle layers 11, 12, and the middle and lower layers 12, 13 are further interwoven to define a second tunnel 15 extending between the middle and lower layers 12, 13. The first and second tunnels 14, 15 extend in mutually orthogonal directions.

The exemplary structures illustrated in the figures are all manufactured using a conventional loom which is computer-controlled using purpose-written CAD/CAM software. The arrangement of tunnels is first designed using the CAD/CAM software and then converted into a weaving pattern. The software is then used to convert the pattern to a set of weaving instructions to control the loom. The textile layers are woven and interwoven in accordance with the instructions so as to define the tunnels between the interwoven areas.

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Although simpler structures car) be produced using dobby looms, the most preferred loom to produce textile structures in accordance with the present invention is the Jacquard loom due to its ability to control the movement of high numbers of warp ends individually. Jacquard looms can be used to control between a few hundred and two and a half thousand warp ends in combination with several sets of weft yams. A Jacquard loom controlled using the bespoke CAD/CAM software thus provides a flexible system by which a very large number of different structures can be produced.

It will be understood that numerous modifications can be made to the embodiment of the invention described above without departing from the underlying inventive concept and that these modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. For example the textile layers can be woven into any type of weave pattern from any suitable textile fibre, filament or yarn. Furthermore, any number of layers of textile material can be interwoven and any combination of tunnels can be formed so as to provide a structure having the desired physical properties to suit a particular application. The tunnels can extend over the full width and/or length of the textile or can extend over only a portion of the full width and/or length of the textile structure as desired. It is envisaged that structures can be provided in which some or all of the tunnels can be expanded in some way or, alternatively, the tunnels may remain essentially flat. It is anticipated that by locating at least one electrically conducting wire within each unexpanded tunnel in a textile, the textile could function as a thermal blanket. The present invention enables lightweight materials to be produced which can be used to convey any desirable fluid, such as a liquid or air.

Structures in accordance with the present invention can be produced which have a high capacity for energy absoiption, low weight and sizeable volume. Such materials are of general importance and may find application in aerospace and aeronautics.

Structures in accordance with the present invention can be produced which can be used for impact protection, e.g. in limb protectors, protective sportswear and automobile body panels where a high impact resistance to weight ratio is desirable. Other potential applications of the present invention include sound-proofing and insulation.

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The continuous natuie of Ihe fibres ensures the final structure offers no unevenness in terms of its strength.

By controlling the size and relative orientation of the tunnels between each textile layer, and the nature and amount of the expandable substance located within the tunnels, the strength, volume and energy absorbency of the structure can be customized to suit a particular application.

The present invention enables different size tunnels to be formed between the same or different layers of a textile structure. Moreover, it is possible to provide tunnels in different directions between the same or different textile layers. The tunnels may be formed of any desirable width and the width of any given tunnel may vary along its length.

A textile in accordance with the present invention can be 'frozen' in an expanded state by pulling apart the outermost layers of the textile so as to open-up the tunnels and then impregnating the textile with a suitable resin which, following curing, hardens so as to fixed the textile in the expanded state.

It will be understood that N textile layers may be used to provide N-l layers of tunnels.

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Claims

1. A woven textile structure comprising at least first, second and third woven textile layers, the first and second layers interwoven at a plurality of predetermined locations separated by at least one gap where the layers are not interwoven, the at least one gap defining at least a first tunnel extending in a first direction between said first and second layers, and said second and third layers interwoven at a plurality of predetermined locations separated by at least one gap where the layers are not interwoven, the at least one gap defining at least a second tunnel extending in a second direction between said second and third layers, wherein the first direction is angularly offset with respect to the second direction.

2. A woven textile structure according to claim 1, wherein the first tunnel has a first width and the second tunnel has a second width which is greater than the first width.

3. A woven textile structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the first and second tunnels has a constant width throughout its length.

4. A woven textile structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein at least one of the first and second tunnels is filled with a substance so as to expand the or each tunnel.

5. A woven textile structure according to claim 4, wherein the substance is expansible.

6. A woven textile structure according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the substance is a fluid, a solid or a foam.

7. A woven textile structure according to claim 6, wherein the foam hardens after expansion.

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o. A woven textile structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein at least one electrically conducting wire is located within at least one of the first and second tunnels.

9. A woven textile structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the textile structure is at least in part impregnated with a resin.

10. A woven textile structure according to claim 9, wherein the resin is hardened by curing.

11. A woven textile structure according to any preceding claim, wherein the structure comprises more than three woven textile layers.

12. A woven textile structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.