Helical Textile Uniform Thickness via Non-Interlaced Weft

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing helical textiles for composite reinforcement suffer from fiber crimping and non-uniform thickness, which reduces their effectiveness in translating properties to the final composite structure.

Innovation Solution

A helical textile with non-interlaced warp and weft fibers, where circumferential warp fibers define a radial width from the inner to the outer diameter, and weft fibers are inserted at a predefined angle, secured by knitted chain stitches, maintaining a substantially uniform thickness across the diameter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional weaving processes are used to create helical fabrics, then the fabric structure is held together through interlacing, but fiber crimping occurs which reduces reinforcement efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereinforcement efficiencyVSAvoidfiber straightness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the traditional interlacing mechanism from the fabric construction. Instead of weaving warp and weft yarns together, the invention uses a backing material with open cells that mechanically holds the reinforcement yarns in place, eliminating fiber crimping and improving reinforcement efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a backing material as an intermediary element between the reinforcement yarns. This backing material with open cells serves as a mediator that holds the yarns in the desired configuration without causing crimping, thus preserving fiber straightness while maintaining fabric integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If woven helical fabrics are constructed with interlaced yarns, then the fabric holds together structurally, but the thickness becomes non-uniform due to crimp variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefabric structural integrityVSAvoidthickness uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the interlacing function from the fabric construction process. The backing material with open cells replaces the interlacing mechanism, providing structural integrity without the thickness variations caused by crimping at interlace points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by using a backing material with open cells that provides support only where needed, allowing the reinforcement yarns to maintain their straight configuration and uniform thickness throughout the fabric structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If warp and weft yarns are interlaced in traditional weaving, then the fabric is held together, but fiber paths become tortuous reducing composite reinforcement effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomposite reinforcement effectivenessVSAvoidfiber path complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the complex interlacing process from fabric construction. The backing material with open cells provides a simplified structure that holds yarns in straight paths, eliminating the tortuous fiber routes associated with traditional weaving and improving composite reinforcement effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2759626B1Helical textile with uniform thickness
Publication Date: 2018.10.17 CRAWFORD TEXTILE FABRICATIONS LLC
  • EP2759626B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2759626B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2759626B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A helical textile (100, 240, 260, 280, 300, 320, 350, 360, 380) with a substantially uniform thickness has circumferential warp fibers (102, 208, 210, 256, 355, 365, 390) defining a radial textile width (281) from a textile inner diameter (202, 250, 268, 368, 282, 304, 326) to a textile outer diameter (204, 252, 266, 366, 284, 302, 328). The circumferential warp fibers (102, 208, 210, 256, 355, 365, 390) extend substantially in a first fiber direction. Weft fibers (104, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 254, 262, 264, 362, 286, 287, 288, 289, 310, 312, 322, 324) are inserted in a weft region (325) between the textile inner diameter (202, 250, 268, 368, 282, 304, 326) and the textile outer diameter (204, 252, 266, 366, 284, 302, 328) extend substantially in a second fiber direction along a weft fiber axis (267, 265, 365, 366) having a predefined angle (α, β, A1, A2) with respect to a radial axis (272, 372) greater than zero degrees and less than ninety degrees. Knitted chain stitches (108) secure the weft fibers (104, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 254, 262, 264, 362, 286, 287, 288, 289, 310, 312, 322, 324) to the circumferential warp fibers (102, 208, 210, 256, 355, 365, 390), where the knitted chain stitches (108) are knitted across the weft region (325) in a third fiber direction. The circumferential warp fibers (102, 208, 210, 256, 355, 365, 390) and the weft fibers (104, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 254, 262, 264, 362, 286, 287, 288, 289, 310, 312, 322, 324) are non-interlaced, thereby forming a helical textile (100, 240, 260, 280, 300, 320, 350, 360, 380) having a substantially uniform thickness from the textile inner diameter (202, 250, 268, 368, 282, 304, 326) to the textile outer diameter (204, 252, 266, 366, 284, 302, 328).