FORNASIER, Claudio (Via Cal Nova 7, Vidor, 31020, IT)
CLAIMS
1. A fire resistant fabric comprising at least one first layer of heat resistant aramid fibre threads, characterised in that said aramid fibre threads of said first layer are of discontinuous type, said first layer also comprising threads comprising modacrylic fibres, said fabric comprising at least one second layer formed from a mixture of viscose fibre threads and modacrylic fibre threads, said first and second layer being superposed and joined together discretely over their entire surface. 2. A fabric as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said threads of said first layer comprising modacrylic fibres also comprise threads of para-aramid fibres.
3. A fabric as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first and second layer are joined together by ties.
4. A fabric as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first and second layer are joined together during weaving.
5. A fabric as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first and second layer are joined together by substantially equidistant ties.
6. A fabric as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ties are formed from the viscose fibre threads of the second layer, which bind the aramid fibre threads of the first layer.
7. A fabric as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first layer comprises: threads of aramid fibres in a percentage between 26 and 36% and threads formed from a mixture of modacrylic fibres and para-aramid fibres in a percentage between 19 and 29%; the second layer comprising said viscose fibres in a percentage between 29 and 39% and said modacrylic fibres in a percentage between 6 and 16%; all percentages being indicated by weight on the total fabric weight.
8. A fabric as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the modacrylic fibres of the first and of the second layer are treated with flame retardant products. |
FIRE-PROOF FABRIC
The present invention relates to a fire resistant fabric.
Fire resistant fabrics are known to be currently used in numerous fields, ranging from the civil protection sector (for example as fabrics for producing working clothes for firemen) to the sports sector (for example as fabric for producing clothes for drivers of racing cars or motorcycles or for mechanics assisting them).
Fabrics of the stated type are currently produced from continuous and/or discontinuous aramid fibres. Continuous aramid fibres enable products of excellent quality to be produced, much appreciated especially in the protective sports clothing sector because of their high fire resistance and their bright appearance; however these (continuous aramid fibres) are no longer commercially available. Instead, discontinuous fibres are commercially available, however their resultant products do not present the brightness characteristic.
The technical aim, of the present invention is therefore to provide a fire resistant fabric which, although presenting excellent fire resistant characteristics (comparable to those of traditional fabrics), does not require the use of continuous aramid fibres, while still presenting a bright appearance comparable to the fabrics produced from continuous aramid fibres.
The technical aim, together with these and further objects, are attained according to the present invention by a fire resistant fabric in accordance with claim 1.
Other characteristics of the present invention are defined in the subsequent claims.
Advantageously, the fabric of the invention presents a layer formed from viscose and modacrylic fibre threads which is able to maintain the contacting flame localized; in other words it has been found that when a flame strikes this layer in a certain region, the region directly struck by the flame tends to blacken, however the flame does not propagate along the fabric (this surface is advantageously positioned outwards in flame resistant clothing).
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the fire resistant fabric of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fire resistant fabric according to the invention; and
Figure 2 is a cross-section through the fire resistant fabric of Figure 1. With reference to said figures, these show a fire resistant fabric indicated overall by the reference numeral 1.
The fabric 1 comprises a first layer 2 formed from threads of heat resistant aramid fibres; in particular, the threads of the first layer consist of threads of discontinuous aramid fibres. In addition, the first layer also comprises threads comprising modacrylic fibres; these threads are preferably formed from a mixture of modacrylic fibres and discontinuous para-aramid fibres.
The fabric also comprises a second layer 3 formed from a mixture of viscose fibre threads and modacrylic fibre threads (these fibres also present good heat resistance).
The first and second layer 2, 3 are superposed and joined together discretely over their entire surface.
In particular, the first and second layer 2, 3 are joined together during weaving by ties which are substantially equidistant; preferably the ties are made from the viscose fibre threads, which bind the aramid fibre threads.
The first layer of fabric comprises (this layer is intended to face the interior in articles of clothing):
- threads of discontinuous aramid fibres in a percentage between 26 and 36%, of 2/90 NM count;
- threads formed from a mixture of modacrylic fibres and para-aramid fibres, of NM1/25 count (in the proportions of 50% modacrylate and 50% of para-aramid fibres) for a total percentage between 19 and 29% (in practice 12% of modacrylate and 12% of para-aramid fibres); the second layer of fabric comprises:
- viscose fibres of 110 decitex in a percentage between 29 and 39%;
- modacrylic fibres of NM1/50 count in a percentage between 6 and 16%; where all percentages are indicated by weight on the total fabric weight.
In a preferred embodiment, the modacrylic fibres (of the first and of the second layer) are treated with flame retardant products of type known in this sector.
The fabric obtained presents excellent fire resistant characteristics, with the second layer 3 (made of viscose fibres and modacrylic fibres, to face the outside when the articles of clothing are produced) presenting a shiny appearance. In addition the layer made of viscose and modacrylic fibre threads is able to maintain the contacting flame localized (i.e. it prevents the flame from propagating along the fabric).
An embodiment of a fabric according to the invention will now be described.
EXAMPLE
The fabric of this example is obtained by forming the first layer from a mixture of discontinuous aramid fibre threads and threads of modacrylic fibres and para-aramid fibres.
The discontinuous aramid fibre threads are contained in a weight percentage on the total fabric of 31%; the discontinuous aramid fibre threads consist of the product FIBRE ARAMIDICHE DISCONTINUE of NM 2/90 count marketed by the FiI Man Made Group.
The modacrylic fibre and para-aramid fibre threads are also marketed by the FiI Man Made Group; these consist of threads containing 50% of modacrylic fibres and 50% of para-aramid fibres of NM 1/25 count; the percentage of these fibres on the total fabric weight is 12% of modacrylic fibres and 12% of para-aramid fibres.
The second layer is formed by weaving the viscose fibre threads and the modacrylic. fibre threads, where the viscose fibre threads form 34% and the modacrylic fibre threads form 11% on the total fabric weight; the viscose fibre threads consist of the product VISCOSA FIBRE CONTINUA of 110 decitex count marketed by Enka, and the modacrylic fibre threads consist of the product Protex M. of NM 1/50 count (consisting of 100% modacrylic) marketed by the FiI Man Made Group.
The modacrylic fibres are treated with flame retardant products of known type. The first and second layer 2, 3 are produced simultaneously during weaving, they are then superposed and are bound together at regular
intervals during weaving (in particular, the viscose fibre threads are bound to the aramid fibre threads).
The structure obtained presents excellent fire resistant characteristics while at the same time it does not separate because of the presence of the ties distributed over the entire fabric surface.
It has been found in practice that the fire resistant fabric of the invention is particularly advantageous because it is produced from materials easily obtained commercially.
The fire resistant fabric conceived in this manner is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.
In practice the materials used and the dimensions can be chosen at will according to requirements and to the state of the art.