Flame, Heat and Electric Arc Protective Yarn and Fabric

Abstract

A flame, heat and electric arc protective yarn that can be used for knitting and weaving a single layer fabric. Both knitted and woven fabrics are for use as a single layer flame, heat and electric arc protective fabric garment or as an outer layer of a flame, heat and electric arc protective multiple layer garment or accessory for a wearer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat, flame and electric arc protective single layer fabric for use as a protective garment for a wearer, the fabric having opposing faces and comprising:
 interwoven warp and weft yarn wherein the warp and weft yarn comprises a blend of 8 to 33 wt-% Meta-aramid, poly(meta-phenyleneisophthalamide) fibers, 65 to 90 wt-% Para-aramid, poly-(p-phenylenterephtalamid) fibers, and 2 wt-% anti-static metal fibers wrapped in a carbon core polyamide sheath;   the weft yarn and the warp yarn being identical to each other and comprising the opposing faces of the fabric, wherein the fabric provides ablative thermal protection on both opposing faces of the fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio between the weft yarns and warp yarns is identical, such that the total wt-% ratio between meta-aramid and para-aramid in the weft yarns is the same as the wt-% ratio between meta-aramid and para-aramid in the warp yarns. 
     
     
         3 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the warp and weft yarns comprise identical twisted yarns. 
     
     
         4 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the warp and weft yarn are comprised of two identical staple yarns, the staple yarns having a linear mass from Nm 70/1 or 143 dtex to Nm 35/1 or 295 dtex. 
     
     
         5 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the weft yarn and the warp yarn comprise each up to 2 wt-% of antistatic fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the staple yarns are ring spun yarns. 
     
     
         7 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the composite warp and weft yarns are plied and twisted staple yarns. 
     
     
         8 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , having a specific weight from about 170 to 350 g/m2. 
     
     
         9 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , having one composite weft yarn identical to the warp yarn. 
     
     
         10 . A flame-resistant single layer fabric formed from ring spun staple yarns consisting of: 8 to 33 wt-% poly-m-phenylenisophtalamid (meta-aramid) fiber, 65 to 90 wt-% poly-p-phenylenterephtalamid (para-aramid) fiber, and 2 wt-% anti-static stainless steel fiber wrapped in a carbon core polyamide sheath with a twist from 480 to 950 turns per meter (TPM) in the Z direction. 
     
     
         11 . Process for providing a composite yarn having flame-resistance comprising:
 providing composite yarn of at least staple yarn made from para-aramid fiber, meta-aramid fiber and anti-static fiber;   feeding composite yarn into a knitting or weaving machine with no prior or established order;   knitting or weaving the fibrous structure with no concern regarding the order that the composite yarn is fed into the knitting or weaving machine.