Abstract:
A fabric for providing reinforcement and the like which is made from a two dimensional flat fabric which included woven and unwoven portions that allow the fabric to be folded to create a three dimensional structure without the need for cutting and darting.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a woven substrate which is formed into a three dimensional article by thermoforming or other means suitable for purpose.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Fiber reinforced composite structures enjoy the benefit of being lightweight while providing mechanical advantages such as strength. However, in many applications, molded plastic, wood or metal structures are preferred due to the cost involved, since they are relatively easy to fabricate. Often times however, articles, such as package or storing crates, are prone to damage due to the rough handling involved or are limited in their stacking ability due to weight and strength considerations. While fiber reinforced composite structures would be more desirable, the expense involved in making a somewhat complex three dimensional (3D) structure is a consideration.  
           [0003]    This is because composite structures start off typically with a woven flat substrate of fibers. The substrate then has to be shaped into the form of the article which is then coated with a resin and thermoformed or cured in the desired shape. This may be readily done for relatively flat or smooth surfaces. However, for angled surfaces such as at the junction of the sides, corners and bottoms of a box or crate, cutting or darting is required. This is somewhat labor intensive and adds to the cost of manufacture. For things typically considered to be inexpensive, for example a packaging crate, the added expense may outweigh the benefits of it being reinforced.  
           [0004]    While woven 3D structures may be woven by specialized machines, the expense involved is considerable and rarely is it desirable to have a weaving machine dedicated to creating a simple structure.  
           [0005]    Accordingly, while woven fiber reinforced articles are desirable in many applications to replace comparable plastic, wood or metal structures, there exists a need to reduce the cost involved in the method of their manufacture. By doing so it may also allow for their relative mass production and wide spread application.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is therefore a principal object of the invention to minimize or eliminate the need to cut and dart woven reinforcing fabrics for 3D structures.  
           [0007]    It is a further object as part of this to simplify the manufacture of such structures and reduce the labor requirement.  
           [0008]    A yet further object of the invention is to avoid the need for special weaving equipment to create 3D structures.  
           [0009]    A still further object is to provide for a method of creating a woven reinforcing fabric which may be readily adapted to create a wide variety of different 3D structures.  
           [0010]    These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the present invention. The present invention is directed toward providing a specially designed fabric suitable as the reinforcement for a 3D composite structure. The fiber reinforcement is one that may be woven on conventional weaving machinery. It starts off as a woven 2D structure that is then formed into a 3D structure, particularly one having deep draws. To provide for this, the reinforcing fabric is woven in a manner that, in portions of the weave, the warp and weft or fill fibers are laid on each other and do not interlock. In this portion the fibers can move independently and slide past one another when the fabric is drawn or folded into shape. If the portion is a rectangular or square shape, it can be collapsed in such a manner that both the warp and weft fibers fold upon themselves and each other to align in an unidirectional manner which creates a corner which acts as a compression column in the final structure. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    Thus by the present invention its objects and advantages will be realized the description of which should be taken and in conjunction with the drawings wherein:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 illustrates the construction of a flat 2D woven fabric incorporating the teachings of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2A- 2 D illustrates the sequence of folding or drawing down the fabric to produce deep draws.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 illustrates a 2D fabric having multiple areas where warp and weft fibers are not interwoven to create a complex structure upon folding or drawing down.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a 3D structure formed from the fabric shown in FIG. 3. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    Turning now more particularly to the drawings, like parts will be similarly numbered. In FIG. 1, there is shown a flat 2D woven reinforcement fabric  10  which illustrates the present invention. The fabric  10  may be woven using any conventional textile pattern such as plain, satin, twill, etc. or any other pattern suitable for this purpose. The fiber used can be any fiber that can be woven, synthetic or natural, including for example fibers made from glass, Kevlar®, carbon, nylon, rayon, polyester, cotton, etc. and may be woven on conventional weaving equipment.  
         [0017]    In FIG. 1, the warp fibers are shown in direction A with the weft fibers in direction B. For purposes of this illustration the fabric  10  has been divided into regions  12  through  28  divided along fold lines  30 - 36 . In regions  12 - 18  and  22 - 28  the fibers are woven in a conventional fashion with the warp fibers intersecting with the weft fibers. In region  20  these fibers do not interlock, in other words the weft fibers float beneath the warp fibers. In region  20  the fibers can therefore move independent of one another.  
         [0018]    Once the fabric  10  is constructed, it can then be formed into the desired shape. If it is to act as a reinforcing structure, the fabric can be impregnated with the desired material or resin and then formed or thermoformed into shape. Alternatively, co-mingled tows consisting of a structural fiber and a thermoplastic resin could be woven to produce a preform which is then thermoformed.  
         [0019]    Turning now to FIGS.  2 A- 2 D, shown in FIG. 2A is the flat 2D woven fabric  10 . The fabric  10  is then folded along fold lines  30  and  32  which are parallel to the warp fibers, as shown in FIG. 2B. The fabric  10  is then folded along fold lines  32  and  36  which are parallel to the weft fibers and perpendicular to the warp fibers, as shown in FIG. 2C. In this process since the warp and weft fiber in region  20  are not interlocked, they slide past one another and ultimately accumulate in corner  38  as shown in FIG. 2D. The fibers in corner  38  are now unidirectional and can act as a compression column and increase the strength of the structure being formed. The foregoing can be done automatically by thermoforming equipment having the desired shaped mold, or by other means suitable for this purpose; then the structure heat set or cured.  
         [0020]    The foregoing advantageously avoids the need for cutting or darting, thereby reducing the amount of labor required and the ultimate cost of the article. The present invention allows for the increased automation of the fabrication and therefore broadens the applications for which reinforced structures may be used.  
         [0021]    Turning now briefly to FIG. 3 there is shown a flat woven 2D fabric  110 . Fabric  110  illustrates a plurality of regions  120  wherein in the woven structure, the warp fibers merely lay on the weft fibers. With such a fabric  110 , it may be folded and shaped into a complex reinforced structure  130  as shown in FIG. 4. Of course other shapes can be created by varying the size and location of the regions where the warp and weft fibers do not interlock.  
         [0022]    Thus by the present invention its objects and advantages are realized and although a preferred embodiment has been disclosed and described in detail herein, its scope should not be limited thereby rather its scope should be determined by that of the appended claims.