Supple penetration resistant fabric and method of making

Abstract

A puncture, pierce, and cut resistant fabric comprised of a plurality of sheets of plates arranged in a repeating pattern. A material interconnects the plates. The fabric is twistable, bendable, and flexible. It is constructed of substances that will withstand cutting, puncture, and piercing forces encountered in medical or other environments.

1 . A fabric assembly comprising: 
 a flexible substrate having a top surface; and    a plurality of continuous, non-overlapping and approximately planar and identical metal plates having substantially uniform thickness of approximately 2 to 5 mils, the plurality of metal plates each having a bottom surface affixed to the top surface of the flexible substrate and arrayed in a pattern such that a plurality of gaps are defined between adjacent affixed plates, wherein the gaps are approximately uniform in width, and wherein the gap width is approximately 2 to 5 mils.    
     
     
         2 . The fabric assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plates comprise stainless steel.  
     
     
         3 . The fabric assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially uniform thickness of the plurality of plates is no greater than 2 mils.  
     
     
         4 . The fabric assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plates are equilateral hexagons.  
     
     
         5 . The fabric assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the equilateral hexagons are identical.  
     
     
         6 . The fabric assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises non-woven polyurethane and nylon synthetic leather.  
     
     
         7 . The fabric assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plate thickness is approximately equal to the gap width.  
     
     
         8 . The fabric assembly of  claim 1 , and further comprising an adhesive layer affixing the plurality of plates to the top surface of the flexible substrate.  
     
     
         9 . The fabric assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the adhesive layer is polyurethane adhesive.  
     
     
         10 - 38 . (canceled)  
     
     
         39 . A fabric assembly comprising: 
 a flexible substrate having a top surface; and    a plurality of non-overlapping polygonal plates affixed to the top surface of the substrate, wherein the plates comprise a thermo-set composite polymer and wherein the plates have a substantially uniform thickness of approximately 5 to 20 mils, the plurality of plates arrayed in a pattern such that a plurality of gaps are defined between adjacent affixed plates, wherein the gaps are approximately uniform in width, and wherein the gap width is approximately 5 to 20 mils.    
     
     
         40 . The fabric of  claim 39 , and further comprising a reinforcing agent comprising at least one of metal oxide particles, metal particles, ceramic particles, and high strength fiber.  
     
     
         41 . The fabric assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the plates each have a maximum dimension in the range of 50 to 80 mils.  
     
     
         42 . The fabric assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the plates are identical.  
     
     
         43 . The fabric assembly of  claim 42 , wherein each plate is shaped as an equilateral hexagon.  
     
     
         44 . The fabric assembly of  claim 43 , wherein the equilateral hexagon has a diameter in the range of 50 to 80 mils.  
     
     
         45 . The fabric assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the composite polymer comprises epoxy.  
     
     
         46 . The fabric assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises a woven or knit fabric.  
     
     
         47 . The fabric assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises at least one of polyester, cotton, and nylon.  
     
     
         48 . The fabric assembly of  claim 39 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises a non-woven material.  
     
     
         49 . The fabric assembly of  claim 48 , wherein the non-woven material comprises natural or synthetic leather.  
     
     
         50 . The fabric assembly of  claim 39 , and further comprising a second flexible substrate having a second plurality of non-overlapping plates comprising a thermo-set polymeric composite containing at least one reinforcing agent affixed to a top surface of the second flexible substrate, wherein the flexible substrates are arranged in a stack, and wherein each plurality of plates is arrayed in a pattern such that a plurality of gaps are defined between adjacent affixed plates.  
     
     
         51 . The fabric assembly of  claim 50 , wherein second plurality of plates are approximately identical to the first-mentioned plurality of plates.  
     
     
         52 . The fabric assembly of  claim 50 , wherein the first-mentioned plurality of plates and the second plurality of plates are opposite facing.  
     
     
         53 . The fabric assembly of  claim 52 , and further comprising a third flexible substrate positioned between the first and second flexible substrates.  
     
     
         54 . The fabric assembly of  claim 53 , wherein at least one the first, second, and third flexible substrate comprises a woven fabric.  
     
     
         55 . The fabric assembly of  claim 54 , wherein the third flexible substrate comprises nylon.  
     
     
         56 . The fabric assembly of  claim 50 , wherein each of the second plurality of plates is an equilateral hexagon having a diameter equal or greater than 80 mils, the diameter selected to maintain flexibility and puncture-resistance of the fabric assembly.  
     
     
         57 . The fabric assembly of  claim 50 , wherein each plurality of gaps have an approximately uniform width in the range of 10 to 20 mils.  
     
     
         58 . The fabric assembly of  claim 39 , and further comprising: 
 a second flexible substrate having a second plurality of continuous, non-overlapping plates affixed to a top surface of the second flexible substrate; and    a third flexible substrate having a third plurality of continuous, non-overlapping plates affixed to a top surface of the third flexible substrate, wherein the first-mentioned, second, and third flexible substrates are arranged in a stack, and wherein each of the second and third pluralities of plates are arrayed in a pattern such that approximately linear gaps are defined between adjacent affixed plates.    
     
     
         59 . The fabric assembly of  claim 58 , wherein the first-mentioned, second, and third pluralities of plates are identical.  
     
     
         60 . The fabric assembly of  claim 58 , wherein the first-mentioned, second, and third pluralities of plates face the same direction.  
     
     
         61 . The fabric assembly of  claim 58 , wherein at least one of the first-mentioned, second, and third pluralities of plates faces opposite the other plates.  
     
     
         62 . The fabric assembly of  claim 58 , wherein one of the substrates comprises polyester or nylon, and wherein at least one of the pluralities of plates comprises epoxy resin.