(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,668,868 B2 Howland Et Al
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USOO6668868B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,668,868 B2 Howland et al. 45) Date of Patent: Dec. 30,9 2003 (54) WOVEN FABRIC CONSTRUCTIONS 4,868,040 A * 9/1989 Hallal et al. ................ 442/234 HAVING HIGH COVER FACTORS AND FILL 4,965,919 A 10/1990 Fujita et al. YARNS WITH A WEIGHT PER UNIT 5,198.280 A * 3/1993 Harpell et al. .............. 428/102 5,308.689 A 5/1994 Shinkai et al. LENGTH LESS THAN THE WEIGHT PER 5,343,796 A * 9/1994 Cordova et al. ........... 89/36.02 UNIT LENGTH OF WARP YARNS OF THE 5,4719062 as A 12/1995 Bachner, Jr. et al. FABRIC 5,565,264 A 10/1996 Howland 5,785,779 A 7/1998 McGee et al. (75) Inventors: Charles A. Howland, Temple, NH 5,837.623 A 11/1998 Howland (US); Mark Hannigan, Wakefield, MA 5,976,996 A 11/1999 Howland (US) 6,266,818 B1 7/2001. Howland (73) Assignee: Warwick Mills, Inc, New Ipswich, NH FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS (US) DE 521,174 3/1931 (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this DE 200 53923104 647 U1 11/19313/2000 patent is extended or adjusted under 35 EP O 569 891 A1 5/1993 EP O 962 562 A1 8/1999 This patent is Subject to a terminal dis- JP 5-5276 1/1993 claimer. JP 9-105059 4/1997 WO WO 01/29299 A3 4/2001 (21) Appl. No.: 09/943,752 * cited by examiner (22) Filed: Aug. 30, 2001 O O Primary Examiner John J. Calvert (65) Prior Publication Data ASSistant Examiner Robert H Muromoto, Jr. US 2002/0124904 A1 Sep. 12, 2002 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Maine & Asmus Related U.S. Application Data (57) ABSTRACT (60) givisional application No. 60/229.242, filed on Aug. 30, Puncture-resistant fabric layerS Such as a fabric layer with a high cover factor woven fabric having a fill yarn cover factor (51) Int. Cl. .................................................. F41H 1/02 of at least about 75% of full and a warp yarn cover factor of (52) U.S. Cl. ............................. 139/383 R; 139/DIG. 1; at least about 100% of full formed of fill yarns and warp 2/2.5; 442/205 yarns, wherein the weight per unit length of the fill yarns is (58) Field of Search ......................... 2/2.5; 139/DIG. 1, less than the weight per unit length of the warp yarns. Some 139/383 R; 442/205 embodiments have high tenacity fibers having a tensile breaking Strength of at least about 10 g/Denier. Techniques (56) References Cited for forming light weight yarns with high tenacity fibers for the Small fill yarns and/or warp yarns. The high cover factor, U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS Small fill yarn-constructed woven fabrics can have natural 1,382,718 A 6/1921 Egerton and/or Synthetic fibers with a tensile breaking Strength leSS 1,656,832 A 1/1928 Schäfer than about 10 g/Denier. 1,672,008 A 6/1928 Stilattesi 4.737,401. A * 4/1988 Harpell et al. .............. 442/187 51 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 1 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 2 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 OS O CS. C SR58OOOOO O YNOOOOOOOOO SE333. SO S5 333OOON.O. OYOOOOOYre 3 SSRRRSSSS. SS SSCO SS O 3. 99.9999OSS666E333 s OOOOOOSYSS SS232 3 BSC952RSSS5 29C993OOOOOOOOO SSSS6S.FOOOOOOOO 3. 99 g 3836 55 CO cy) U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 3 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 S U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 4 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 5 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 6 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 s U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 7 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 N & - 92 PUNCTURE-RESISTAN LAYER 80 S (HUHNH MCROPOROUS 86 MEMBRANE WEARER 84 104 F.G. 6A 1 OO 92 PUNCTURE-RESISTAN Sl LAYER 82 90 \ S. MHHHHHHHIW C 7 MCROPOROUS LNER/SHELL WEARER MEMBRANE LAYER 104. 84 102 F.G. 6B U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 8 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 PUNCTURE-RESISTANT L NERSELL LAYER 92 102 82 MHH V 7 MCROPOROUS WEARER 86 MEMBRANE 104. LiNER/SHELL 84 LAYER 112 F.G. 6C U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 2003 Sheet 9 of 9 US 6,668,868 B2 92 PUNCTURESISTANT 120 LNER/SHELL 82 an AYER 02 WEARER 04 F.G. 7A 92 LNER/SHELL PUNCTURE-RESISTANT AYER 130 AYER 102 82 WEARER LNER/SHELL 104. LAYER 112 F.G. 7B US 6,668,868 B2 1 2 WOVEN FABRIC CONSTRUCTIONS high Strength materials have not been typically employed for HAVING HIGH COVER FACTORS AND FILL fabricating articles of clothing for use as rugged outerwear YARNS WITH A WEIGHT PER UNIT or Sportswear, for example, for use in clothing and other LENGTH LESS THAN THE WEIGHT PER articles of apparel designed for activities Such as hiking, UNIT LENGTH OF WARP YARNS OF THE hunting, fishing, gardening, participation in contact Sports, FABRIC etc. There are a variety of reasons why puncture-resistant RELATED APPLICATIONS materials constructed from the above-mentioned high This non-provisional application claims the benefit under Strength materials in forms in which they are typically Title 35, U.S.C. S119(e) of co-pending U.S. provisional available have not been typically employed in fabrication of application Ser. No. 60/229,242, filed, Aug. 30, 2000, incor rugged outerwear and other vestments designed and pro porated herein by reference. duced for use as casual, Sporting, or outdoor outerwear. To begin with, each of the above-mentioned materials tends to FIELD OF THE INVENTION be difficult or essentially impossible to dye, color, or print The present invention is directed to woven fabrics that are 15 effectively, thereby substantially limiting the color and densely woven to have high warp yarn and fill yarn cover design options of the articles of apparel constructed from Such materials. In addition, the above-mentioned materials, factors and that include fill yarns having a weight per unit while having Outstanding tensile Strength characteristics, length less than the weight per unit length of warp yarns of often have relatively poor abrasion resistance, which is the woven fabric, and more specifically, to the use of Such undesirable in articles of clothing designed for use as rugged fabrics as puncture-resistant layers in the construction of outerwear or Sportswear. Also, filaments of Such materials Sportswear and rugged outerwear. can be difficult to form into Small diameter, light weight BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION yarns. Typical yarn sizes commercially available greatly exceed the Size and weight of commercially available yarns A wide variety of natural and Synthetic fabrics are known 25 formed of natural or Synthetic non-high tenacity materials, in the prior art for constructing Sportswear, rugged thereby limiting the ability to form lightweight woven outerwear, protective clothing, etc. (for example, gloves, fabrics and articles of apparel from Such commercially aprons, chaps, pants, boots, gators, Shirts, jackets, coats, available high tenacity yarns. Finally, the above-mentioned Socks, Shoes, undergarments, Vests, waders, hats, gauntlets, high tenacity materials tend to be very expensive and more etc.). Typically, vestments designed for use as rugged out difficult to proceSS and weave into fabrics having character erwear have been constructed of relatively loosely-woven istics desirable or Suitable for use as rugged outerwear (with fabrics made from natural and/or Synthetic fibers having a the notable exception of high puncture, cut, and tear relatively low strength or tenacity (for example, cotton, resistance) than the more typically employed natural and/or polyesters, polyacrylics, polypropelene, etc.), with each Synthetic materials mentioned above having a lower tensile fiber having a tensile Strength or tenacity of less than about 35 Strength. 8 grams g/Denier (gpd)), more typically less than about 5 There remains a need in the art to provide fabrics, fabric gpd, and in Some cases below about 3 gpd. While Such Systems, and yarns/fiber bundles useful and economical for materials can have a variety of beneficial properties, for constructing rugged outerwear and recreational articles of example, dyeability, breathability, lightness, comfort, and in apparel having a higher degree of puncture, tear and cut Some instances, abrasion-resistance, Such low-strength, low 40 resistance than typically available, which puncture, tear and cover materials typically have poor puncture, tear, and cut cut resistance is useful to prevent against injury to a wearer resistance. Although the fabric design has a great deal to do due to typically-encountered assaults while participating in with the performance of the materials. use of outerwear, for example, exposure to thorns, Snake In addition, a variety of high-strength materials for pro bite, Sharp branches, etc., while also maintaining certain, or ducing yarns and fabrics have also been employed in the 45 essentially all, of the desirable properties of currently prior art for applications involving ballistic armor, employed non-high tenacity fiber-based fabrics, for industrial, military, or law enforcement protective gear, and example, dyability, printability, comfort, abrasion resistance, the like to provide enhanced puncture, cut, and tear resis low cost, Softness, quietness, breathability, light weight, etc. tance. Such materials have typically been fabricated from The present disclosure describes inventive fabrics, fabric continuous filament yarns consisting of filaments of poly 50 constructions, and fabric Systems, which can, in certain meric materials having a tensile Strength or tenacity greater embodiments include one or more high tenacity fiber types, than about 10 g/Denier, and more typically greater than 15 providing enhanced puncture, cut, and/or tear resistance, g/Denier (referred to hereinafter as “high strength,” “high while also retaining Some or all of the desirable aesthetic, tensile Strength,” “high tenacity,” or “performance' materi comfort, and wearability characteristics of conventional als or fibers).