Patent EA-001283-B1 (EA)
Title: Puncture, pierce and cut resistant fabric
Inventor: KIM YOUNG HWA
IPC: A41D31/00
Filed: 1997-01-22
Abstract: 1. A fabric comprised of a plurality of platelets arranged in a sheet, each platelet having a tab depending from each edge of each platelet so that the tabs of each adjacent platelet slidably interconnect. 2. A fabric comprised of:  (a) a plurality of platelets arranged in a sheet, each platelet having a tab depending from each edge of each platelet so that the tabs of each adjacent platelet slidably interconnect; and  (b) a rivet inserted into each aperture, which aperture is formed by the interconnected tabs of adjacent platelets, to form a flexible array having its entire surface area covered by platelets and rivets. 3. The fabric of claim 2, wherein the base of the platelet is planer. 4. The fabric of any preceding claim, wherein the tab extends from the edge of the platelet in the same plane as the base of the platelet. 5. The fabric of claim 4, wherein the distal end of the arm of the tab terminates in an arc extending away from the plane of the base of the platelet. 6. The fabric of claim 5, wherein the arc of the tab depends from the top of the base of the platelet and is aligned with the tab. 7. The fabric of any preceding claim, wherein the width of the tab is less than the length of the edge of the base of the platelet. 8. The fabric of any preceding claim, wherein the base of the platelet is a polygon having equal sides such as having four equal sides. 9. The fabric of any preceding claim, wherein the platelets are arranged in an array wherein each platelet having its top upward is connected to adjacent platelets having its bottom upward. 10. The fabric of claim 9, wherein the tabs of each adjacent platelet are interconnected by mating the opposing hooks of the adjacent platelets. 11. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the intersection of adjacent edges of the base of the platelet is a concave arc. 12 The fabric of claim 10, wherein the reverse tab portion is of a length that when the fabric is fully compressed, the reverse tab portions of adjacent platelets overlap, whereby the platelets are restrained from moving at an angle to its planar base to a degree that the platelets become uncoupled. 13. The fabric of any preceding claim, wherein the portion of the hook which reverses back towards the edge of the base of the platelet is of a length that i s less than the length of the arm of the tab, whereby the platelets are free to slidably move relative to one another in a direction away from each other. 14. The fabric of any preceding claim, wherein the radius of the hooks is large enough to allow the hooks of two adjacent platelets to move in an arc relative to each other. 15. The fabric of claim 14, wherein the edges of the tab are free of faces depending therefrom at an angle to the plane of the platelet base, whereby the platelets are free to slidably move transversely relative to one another. 16. The fabric of any claim 2 to15, wherein a plurality of rivets are inserted perpendicular to the plane of the fabric through each of the apertures formed by the opposing edges of the interconnected tabs and the edges of the platelets to form a flexible array having its entire surface area covered by platelets and rivets. 17. The fabric of claim 16, wherein each rivet comprises a pin with truncated cone heads affixed to each end of the pin, whereby the pins are locked into the fabric array. 18. The fabric of claim 17, wherein the cross-section of the pins is less than the cross-section of the aperture when the fabric is fully compressed, whereby the rivets are moveable at right angles to the plane of the fabric. 19. The fabric of claim 17, wherein the surface of the truncated cone ends of the rivet distal from the pin cover the aperture when the fabric is fully stretched regardless of the location of the pin in the aperture. 20. The fabric of any preceding claim, wherein the platelet is formed of a thin walled sheet from the group consisting of a metal, metal alloy, plastic, and ceramic having a thickness sufficient to resist a specified piercing or cutting force. 21. The fabric of any claim 2 to 20, wherein the platelets and the rivets are all identical. 22. The fabric of any claim 2 to 21, wherein the rivet is formed of material from the group consisting of a metal, metal alloy, plastic, and ceramic. 23. The fabric of any claim 3 to22, wherein the top of the base of the platelet has a head axially aligned with the center of the base of the platelet. 24. The fabric of claim 23, wherein the head is shaped in the form of a pyramid with its top truncated, each face of the head defined by an inverted truncated cone for mating engagement with the truncated cones of adjacent rivets. 25. The fabric of any claim 3 to 24, wherein the bottom of the base of the platelet has a plug axially aligned with the center of the base of the platelet. 26. The fabric of claim 25, wherein the plug is shaped in the form of a pyramid with its top truncated, each face of the plug defined by an inverted truncated cone for mating engagement with the truncated cones of adjacent rivets. 27. The fabric of any claim 2 to 26, wherein each rivet comprises a pin with square plate heads affixed to each end of the pin. 28. The fabric of any claim 3 to 27, wherein the intersection of adjacent edges of the base of the platelet is a straight edge between the tabs. 29. The fabric of any claim 17 to 28, wherein the pin of the rivet is round or square. 30. The fabric of any preceding claim, wherein the fabric is sandwiched between upper and lower layers of material. 31. The fabric of claim 30, wherein the material of at least one of the layers is an elastomeric polymer. 32. The fabric of claim 31, wherein the elastomeric encased fabric is formed into medical apparel. 33. A method of fabricating a puncture and cut resistant composite glove comprising the steps of:  (a) forming an inner glove of a fluid barrier material;  (b) placing a fabric over the inner glove, the fabric comprising: (i) a plurality of identical polygonal platelets having equal sides, (ii) each platelet having a tab depending from each edge of each platelet in the same plane as the main body of the platelet with the end of the tab distal from the base of the platelet terminating in a hook extending away from the plane of the platelet base, (iii) the identical platelets arranged in an array with the top of every other platelet in both rows and columns rotated so that the bottom of the platelet is up, (iv) the hooks of the tabs of each adjacent platelet interconnected, (v) with rivets inserted, perpendicular to the fabric through the apertures formed by the edges of the interconnected tabs, and (vi) each rivet capped at its end, the surface of the cap of a size that will cover the aperture when the fabric is fully stretched regardless of the location of the pin in the aperture; and  (c) placing an outer glove over the fabric. 34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of affixing the fabric at selected points to the inner and outer glove. 35. The method of claim 33 or 34, further comprising the step of applying a lubricant to the fabric. 36. A method of fabricating body armor to resist a piercing projectile and a cutting force, comprising the steps of:  (a) forming a garment of fabric, and  (b) placing the garment over the body to be protected. 37. The method of fabricating body armor to resist a piercing projectile and a cutting force of claim 36, comprising the additional step of:  (a) calculating the maximum force to be resisted;  (b) choosing the material of the fabric as a function of the maximum force; and  (c) calculating the dimensions of the platelets and rivets of the fabric as a function of the maximum force and the material to be used.