Moldable webbing

Abstract

A woven fabric that is characterized by retaining its shape once formed and that includes monofilament filling yarns that are disposed in at least two separate plies, ground yarns that weave alternatively over and under respective monofilament yarns, stuffer yarns that extend in the direction between monofilament filling yarns of respective plies and binder yarns that extend between monofilament filling yarns of respective plies. Also disclosed is a method of forming a woven fabric into a permanent shape.

1 . A woven fabric that is characterized by retaining its shape once formed, said woven fabric comprising:
 mono-filament filling yarns that are disposed in at least two separate plies;   ground yarns that weave alternatively over and under respective mono-filament filling yarns;   stuffer yarns that extend in a direction between mono-filament filling yarns of respective plies;   and binder yarns that extend between mono-filament filling yarns of respective plies.   
   
   
       2 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein said mono-filament filling yarns comprise a continuous single mono-filament. 
   
   
       3 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein said mono-filament filling yarns are selected from the group that includes nylon, polyester and polypropylene. 
   
   
       4 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein said mono-filament filling yarn has a yarn size in a range between 14 and 10,000 denier. 
   
   
       5 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein the density of said mono-filament filling yarn is in a range of 5-100 yarns per inch. 
   
   
       6 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein said stuffer yarns are also mono-filament yarns so as to enable shape retention in both warp and weft directions. 
   
   
       7 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein said mono-filament filling yarns have a diameter of at least 0.002 inch. 
   
   
       8 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein said ground yarns are a 20/2 spun polyester. 
   
   
       9 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein said binder yarns are a 20/2 spun polyester. 
   
   
       10 . The woven fabric of  claim 1  wherein the density of said monofilament filling yarn is in a range of 10-20 yarns per inch. 
   
   
       11 . A method of forming a woven fabric into a predetermined shape, comprising the steps of:
 providing a woven fabric that includes a mono-filament filling yarn that is disposed in separate plies;   weaving a ground yarn alternatively over and under respective mono-filament filling yarns;   forming the fabric into the predetermined shape;   and applying heat to the thus formed fabric at a temperature of at least 150° F. for at least 5 minutes.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  including providing a monofilament filling yarn of polypropylene and applying heat for at least 4 hours. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  including providing a monofilament filling yarn of nylon or polyester and applying heat to the thus formed fabric at a temperature of at least 250° F. for at least 5 minutes. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11  including forming the fabric over a core and applying the heat to permanently shape the fabric. 
   
   
       15 . A woven single or multiple ply fabric comprising warp yarns, binder yarns and monofilament filling yarns and that is moldable in the filling direction. 
   
   
       16 . The fabric of  claim 15  wherein the range of denier of the filling yarns is between 14 denier and 10,000 denier. 
   
   
       17 . The fabric of  claim 15  wherein the monofilament yarns are from a class of manmade synthetic yarns. 
   
   
       18 . The fabric of  claim 15  wherein the warp yarns have a minimum yarn size of 50,000 yards per pound. 
   
   
       19 . The fabric of  claim 15  wherein the binder yarns have a minimum yarn size of 50,000 yards per pound. 
   
   
       20 . The fabric of  claim 15  wherein the picks across the width have a range of 5 per linear inch to 100 per linear inch. 
   
   
       21 . The fabric of  claim 15  wherein the minimum density of the mono filament filling yard is between 5 picks per linear inch using a monofilament yarn having yarn size of 14 denier to 100 picks per inch using a monofilament yarn having a yarn size of 10,000 denier. 
   
   
       22 . The fabric of  claim 15  wherein the warp yarns have a minimum density of 144 ends per linear inch having a minimum yarn size of 50,000 yards per pound. 
   
   
       23 . A fabric comprised of at least warp yarns and monofilament filling yarns in at least two plies and wherein it has the capability to be woven flat and subsequently molded in the filling direction to retain its molded shape. 
   
   
       24 . The fabric of  claim 23  wherein it has the capability to be unmolded into its original flat configuration. 
   
   
       25 . The fabric of  claim 23  wherein it has the capability to be woven flat and subsequently molded into multiple folds in the filling direction. 
   
   
       26 . The fabric of  claim 23  wherein molded in multiple folds in the filling direction has the capability to be unmolded into its original flat configuration. 
   
   
       27 . The fabric of  claim 23  wherein it has the capability to be molded in the filling direction with one or multiple folds and to retain the desired shape with the addition of heat. 
   
   
       28 . The fabric of  claim 27  wherein the exposure to a minimum range of temperature of 250° F. for 8 hours or 300° F. for 5 minutes.