Blister fabrics with internal connecting elements

Abstract

A blister fabric of a knit or woven construction may be needle punched to produce internal connections of filaments or fibers from yarns extending into, and/or between, the yarns of an adjacent layer. Interconnections of fibers among separate layers are produced by needles which enter a first layer and then carry fibers from the first layer to a second adjacent layer within the blister of the fabric. Such interconnected fibers which bridge or span multiple layers in the fabric serve to strengthen the blister fabric, making the fabric more resistant to abrasive forces.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fabric comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of interconnected base zones, said base zones having a single layer, and    (b) a plurality of blister zones positioned among said base zones, said blister zones comprising at least the following: 
 i) a lower base layer comprised of yarn, said yarn being comprised of a plurality of bundled fibers; and,  
 ii) an upper blister layer comprised of yarn, said yarn being comprised of a plurality of bundled fibers; and  
   (c) connecting fibers extending between said lower base layer and said upper blister layer.    
     
     
         2 . The fabric of  claim 1  wherein said fabric further comprises a warp direction and a weft direction, said warp direction being oriented generally perpendicular to said weft direction, wherein said base zones extend lengthwise along said warp and said weft directions, said base zones being connected in a grid, said blister zones being positioned within said grid.  
     
     
         3 . A woven fabric comprising: 
 (a) at least two interconnected base zones, said base zones having a single woven layer; and    (b) a plurality of blister zones positioned among said base zones, said blister zones further comprising: 
 (i) a lower base layer comprised of woven yarn, said woven yarn being comprised of a first plurality of fibers; and,  
 (ii) an upper blister layer comprised of woven yarn, said woven yarn being comprised of a second plurality of fibers; and  
   (c) connecting fibers extending between said lower base layer and said upper blister layer, said connecting fibers having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end being positioned within said lower base layer and said second end being positioned within said upper blister layer.    
     
     
         4 . The woven fabric of  claim 3  wherein said woven fabric consists essentially of a two ply fabric, said two plies comprising said lower base layer said upper blister layer, wherein said woven fabric provides between about 9,000 and about 65,000 first and second connecting fiber ends per square inch of woven fabric.  
     
     
         5 . The woven fabric of  claim 4  wherein said woven fabric provides greater than about 24,000 first and second connecting fiber ends per square inch of woven fabric.  
     
     
         6 . The woven fabric of  claim 5  wherein said fabric provides about 4×10 4  first and second connecting fiber ends per square inch of fabric.  
     
     
         7 . The fabric of  claim 4  wherein said woven fabric is capable of achieving a Taber snag testing rating according to SAE J 948 of greater than 3.  
     
     
         8 . The fabric of  claim 3  wherein the number of connecting fiber ends per yarn inch is greater than about 100.  
     
     
         9 . The fabric of  claim 8  wherein the number of connecting fiber ends per yarn inch in said fabric is at least about 4×10 2 .  
     
     
         10 . The fabric of  claim 3  wherein the number of connecting fiber ends per filament inch in said fabric is at least about 0.3.  
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a needled, woven fabric comprising: 
 (a) providing a plurality of interconnected base zones, said base zones having a single woven layer; and    (b) providing a plurality of blister zones positioned among said base zones, said blister zones further comprising: 
 (i) a lower base layer comprised of a first woven yarn, said first woven yarn having a first plurality of fibers; and  
 (ii) an upper blister layer comprised of a second woven yarn, said second woven yarn having of a second plurality of fibers;  
   (c) pushing needles into said blister zone of said woven fabric; and    (d) displacing fibers from one of said layers to another of said layers.    
     
     
         12 . A method of making a multi-layered fabric wherein the fabric provides blister zones upon the fabric, said method comprising: 
 (a) providing a plurality of base zones, said base zones being at least partially interconnected and wherein said base zones have a single layer, and    (b) providing at least one blister zone positioned among said base zones, said blister zone comprising: 
 i) a lower base layer comprised of a first yarn, said first yarn being comprised of a plurality of bundled fibers; and,  
 ii) an upper blister layer comprised of a second yarn, said second yarn being comprised of a plurality of bundled fibers; and  
   (c) applying needles to said blister zone,    (d) displacing fibers from one of said lower base layer or upper blister layer to the other of said layers, said displaced fibers being defined as connecting fibers having a first end and a second end, and    (e) forming a fabric comprising in part said connecting fibers, said connecting fibers being held at said first end within said lower base layer and at said second end within said upper blister layer.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  in which said fabric is moved in a machine direction during manufacture of the fabric, further wherein during the applying step (c), said needles are moved in said machine direction, such that relative motion of said needle to said fabric is minimized while the needle engages the fabric.