Fire retardant fabric

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Solution Overview

Problem

Residential fires caused by mattresses and bedding pose a significant risk due to the ignition of flammable materials, leading to fatalities and property damage, necessitating the development of flame-resistant fabrics that can effectively prevent such incidents.

Innovation Solution

A fire-retardant fabric is created with a spandex core and a spiral-wound sheath of fire-retardant rayon fibers, which is stretchable and conforms to 16 CFR 1633 test standards, providing enhanced safety and resilience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If flammable materials are used in mattresses and bedding, then comfort and cost are improved, but fire safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire safetyVSAvoidfabric flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite yarn structure combining spandex core with fire-retardant rayon sheath. This composite construction integrates the flame-resistant properties of rayon with the elastic characteristics of spandex, achieving both fire safety and fabric flexibility simultaneously. The sheath material acts as a protective layer that maintains structural integrity during flame exposure while the core provides stretchability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If fire-retardant fabrics are used to prevent fires, then fire safety is improved, but fabric stretchability and comfort deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire resistanceVSAvoidfabric stretchability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes a core-spun yarn configuration where the spandex core is nested within the fire-retardant rayon sheath. This nested structure allows the elastic core to provide stretchability while being protected and constrained by the flame-resistant outer layer. The core-spun architecture enables the inner material to confer its properties through the outer protective layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the yarn are assigned different functional properties: the core region provides elasticity and stretchability, while the sheath region provides fire resistance and structural stability. This spatial differentiation of material properties allows the fabric to exhibit both stretchability and fire retardancy simultaneously in different locations of the same yarn structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional flame-resistant materials are used, then fire safety is improved, but fabric durability under flame exposure deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflame resistanceVSAvoidstructural integrity during flame exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The fire-retardant rayon sheath acts as a sacrificial protective layer that degrades preferentially during flame exposure, protecting the spandex core from direct thermal damage. The sheath material is designed to withstand flame conditions longer than traditional flame-resistant materials, maintaining structural integrity when the outer protective layer begins to degrade.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS20230127723A1Fire retardant fabric

Publication Date: 2023.04.27 PRECISION TEXTILES LLC

AI summary

A fabric includes a yarn having a core and a sheath. The core is composed of spandex. The sheath includes a plurality of fire-retardant fibers which are spun around the core in a spiral manner. The fabric does not include any glass.