Cut, slash and/or abrasion resistant protective fabric and lightweight shaped knit garment made therefrom having improved appearance and cut resistance

Abstract

A cut, slash and/or abrasion resistant shaped knit garment having both high cut resistance and preferably light fabric weight, a cut resistance of at least 4, preferably at least 5 (as measured by ASTM-F1790-97) and preferably a fabric weight of no more than 27.9 ounces/square yard (OPSY).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention[0001]The present invention relates to a lightweight protective fabric that is cut, slash and / or abrasion resistant, and garments made therefrom.2. Discussion of the Background[0002]In many industries and professions there is a need for protective wear that is cut and / or abrasion resistant, yet lightweight and comfortable for the wearer. From maintenance workers crawling through HVAC ventilation shafts to weekend warriors participating in various sporting events, many individuals need protection from cuts and scrapes as they go about their daily activities.[0003]Typical examples of previous garments and modular systems are disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2004 / 0199983 to Gillen; U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,392 to Crye; U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,024 to Graves; U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,509 to Bowen; U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,745 to Alger; U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,288 to Kibbee; U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,056 to Riley; U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,270 to Ost; U.S. Pat. No. 5,894...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method to prepare a cut, slash and / or abrasion resistant garment or covering that is able to provide a satisfactory level of cut, slash and / or abrasion resistance protection to the wearer, able to resist damage, is light-weight, comfortable, able to permit airflow therethrough, and able to permit the escape of excess water vapor from the skin of the wearer.

[0012]These and other objects of the present invention can be provided by a shaped knit garment, wherein the entire garment comprises at least one cut, slash and / or abrasion resistant yarn, wherein the shaped knit fabric panel has a cut resistance of at least 4, preferably at least 5 (as measured by ASTM-F1790-97) and preferably a fabric weight of no more than 27.9 ounces / square yard (OPSY), wherein the garment is prepared using one or more shaped knit fabric panels which are joined using one or more cut, slash and / or abrasion resistant composite yarns, to provide the seams with the same cut, slash and / or abrasion resistance as the shaped knit fabric panels of the garment.

Problems solved by technology

However, these and other known such garments suffer from numerous disadvantages.

The garments are often unable to provide a satisfactory level of protection to a wearer of the garment, are easily damaged, are unwieldy and uncomfortable to the wearer, do not permit airflow therethrough, do not permit the escape of excess water vapor from the skin of the wearer, and often require the use of specialized over- or undergarments.

Previous protective wear in the glass industry suffers from a variety of drawbacks, such as insufficient coverage of the wearer, the presence of metal grommets or other attachment devices which can scratch the surfaces of softer glass, inability to stretch in all directions, and often insufficient cut resistance or weak spots in the areas of seams.

An additional difficulty in preparing cut, slash and abrasion resistant fabrics and garments, is that in order to achieve sufficient cut and slash protection using high-performance fibers, the garments typically end up being too bulky, too heavy, and are difficult to put together, as the fabric cannot be readily cut to necessary size and shape without taking a high toll on the cutting apparatus.

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