Patent Description:
United States Patent Application Publication <CIT> relates to fire retardant and heat resistant yarns, fabrics, and other fibrous blends, which incorporate one or more fire retardant and heat resistant strands comprising oxidized polyacrylonitrile and one or more strengthening filaments such as metallic filaments (e.g., stainless steel), high strength ceramic filaments, or high strength polymer filaments.

United States Patent Application Publication <CIT> relates to a cut-resistant glove, which is formed of a composite yam comprising a core and a covering layer formed by wrapping a covering fiber around the core, the core being composed of a metal thin wire and an attending yarn comprising a filament yarn, the surface of which is coated with a rubber or a resin.

The invention is defined in the independent claim, to which reference should now be made. Specific embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

It should be understood at the outset that although illustrative implementations of one or more embodiments are illustrated below, the disclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, but may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

Embodiments of the disclosure include cut-resistant yarns and cut-resistant cloth. Standards for cut resistance may be defined and enforced by standards bodies or government agencies. From time to time these standards may be revised to raise the standard in order to reduce injuries or other accidents, for example in response to analysis of accident statistics and/or in response to improved technologies. The cut-resistant yarns described herein are comprised of a combination of different techniques for achieving increased resistance to cutting. The use of a combination of techniques rather than simply using one technique may promote achieving a plurality of at least partly antagonistic objectives and/or to balance the properties of a given design.

Referring now to <FIG>, a cut-resistant glove <NUM> is described. The cut-resistant glove <NUM> may be manufactured from a cut-resistant cloth <NUM>. The cut-resistant cloth can be made using cut-resistant yarns described further hereinafter.

Referring now to <FIG>, a pair of cut-resistant sleeves <NUM> is described. The cut resistant sleeves <NUM> may be manufactured from the cut-resistant cloth <NUM>. The cut-resistant cloth <NUM> can be made using cut-resistant yarns described further hereinafter. It will be appreciated that while a cut-resistant glove <NUM> and cut-resistant sleeves <NUM> have been illustrated and described above, the teachings of this patent application about how to make cut-resistant cloth from a cut-resistant yarn disclosed herein can be applied to other garments and articles that are desirably cut-resistant and formed from cut-resistant cloth made from the cut-resistant yarn disclosed herein.

Referring now to <FIG>, the cut-resistant cloth <NUM> is described further. The cut-resistant cloth <NUM> may be manufactured in any suitable way. The cut-resistant cloth <NUM> may be woven, knitted, or felted. In some contexts, the cut-resistant cloth <NUM> may be referred to as a cut-resistant fabric or as a cut-resistant textile. In an embodiment, the cut-resistant cloth <NUM> is formed, at least in part, from a first cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the cut-resistant cloth <NUM> may be a knitted cloth. <FIG> shows a front side of the cut-resistant cloth <NUM>, and <FIG> shows a back side of the cut-resistant cloth <NUM>. It is understood that the cut-resistant cloth can be formed with different kinds of knitting techniques. The cut-resistant cloth can be formed using non-knitting techniques, such as using weaving or felting techniques.

Turning now to <FIG>, details of a first cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM> are described (not according to the present invention). The first cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM> is formed from a core-spun yarn <NUM>, a covering yarn <NUM>, and a covering layer <NUM> wound over the core-spun yarn <NUM> and the covering yarn <NUM>. Further details of the core-spun yarn <NUM> and of the covering yarn <NUM> are described hereinafter. The core-spun yarn <NUM> and the covering yarn <NUM> may be laid out straight (i.e., not wound about each other, not twisted about each other) and then secured together by the covering layer <NUM> that winds around the yarns <NUM>, <NUM> to form the first cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM>. Alternatively, the first cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM> may be formed by wrapping one of the yarns <NUM>, <NUM> about the other yarn, and then winding the covering layer <NUM> about the combination of yarns <NUM>, <NUM>. Alternatively, the yarns <NUM>, <NUM> are both twisted about each other, and then the covering layer <NUM> is wound about the combination of yarns <NUM>, <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, further details of the core-spun yarn <NUM> are described. In an embodiment, the core-spun yarn <NUM> is composed of a first cut-resistant core filament <NUM> and a plurality of staple fibers <NUM> spun over the first cut-resistant core filament <NUM>. The staple fibers <NUM> may be fibers that are inherently relatively short or may be formed by cutting long fibers into shorter, staple-length fibers. In an embodiment, the staple fibers <NUM> comprise polyester, PE series-polyester, polyethylene, high performance polyethylene (HPPE), high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), regenerated cellulose, fire retardant regenerated cellulose, polyimide, para-aramid, or polyacrylonitrile (PAN), or a combination thereof.

In an embodiment, the first cut-resistant core filament <NUM> may comprise basalt material, steel material, steel alloy material, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, however, the first cut-resistant core filament <NUM> may comprise different material not including basalt, steel, or steel alloy material. As is understood by those of skill in the art, basalt filaments or basalt fibers may be manufactured from crushed basalt, melting the crushed basalt, and extruding the molten basalt through nozzles to produce continuous filaments of basalt fiber. It will be appreciated that the basalt filaments or basalt fibers may have a relatively small admixture of other substances or materials and yet retain the desired cut-resistant properties. In an embodiment, the core-spun yarn <NUM> comprises two or more first cut-resistant core filaments <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, a second core-spun yarn <NUM> is described. In an embodiment, the second core-spun yarn <NUM> is substantially similar to core-spun yarn <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>, with the addition of a second covering layer <NUM> wound over the combination of the first cut-resistant core filament <NUM> and the staple fibers <NUM>. The second covering layer <NUM> may comprise polyester, PE series-polyester, polyethylene, high performance polyethylene (HPPE), high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), regenerated cellulose, fire retardant regenerated cellulose, polyimide, para-aramid, or polyacrylonitrile (PAN), or a combination thereof. Not according to the invention, the second core-spun yarn <NUM> may be combined with the covering yarn <NUM> and wrapped with the covering layer <NUM> to form the cut-resistant composite yarn. In an embodiment, the second core-spun yarn <NUM> comprises two or more first cut-resistant core filaments <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, further details of the covering yarn <NUM> are described. In an embodiment, the covering yarn <NUM> comprises a second cut-resistant core filament <NUM> and a third covering layer <NUM>. The third covering layer <NUM> may comprise polyester, PE series-polyester, polyethylene, high performance polyethylene (HPPE), high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), regenerated cellulose, fire retardant regenerated cellulose, polyimide, para-aramid, or polyacrylonitrile (PAN), or a combination thereof. The second cut-resistant core filament <NUM> may comprise basalt material, steel material, steel alloy material, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, however, the second cut-resistant core filament <NUM> may comprise different material not including basalt, steel, or steel alloy material. The third covering layer <NUM> may be wrapped around the second cut-resistant core filament <NUM>. In an embodiment, the covering yarn <NUM> may comprise two or more second cut-resistant core filaments <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, a second covering yarn <NUM> is described. The second covering yarn is substantially similar to the covering yarn <NUM> described above with reference to <FIG>, with the addition of a fourth covering layer <NUM> wrapped around the second cut-resistant core filament <NUM>. The fourth covering layer <NUM> and the third covering layer <NUM> may be wound in opposite senses. The fourth covering layer <NUM> and the third covering layer <NUM> may be wound at the same time over the second cut-resistant core filament <NUM>, where the covering layers <NUM>, <NUM> may be inter-wound. Alternatively, the third covering layer <NUM> may be wound first and the fourth covering layer <NUM> wound second and over the third covering layer <NUM>. The fourth covering layer <NUM> may comprise polyester, PE series-polyester, polyethylene, high performance polyethylene (HPPE), high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), regenerated cellulose, fire retardant regenerated cellulose, polyimide, para-aramid, or polyacrylonitrile (PAN), or a combination thereof. The material that is used to make the third covering layer <NUM> may be different from the material used to make the fourth covering layer <NUM> or the covering layers <NUM>, <NUM> may be made from the same material. In an embodiment, the second covering yarn <NUM> may comprise two or more second cut-resistant core filaments <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, a cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM> according to the invention is described. The cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM> according to the invention is substantially similar to the first cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM>, with the provision that the second cut-resistant composite yarn structure <NUM> comprises two core-spun yarns <NUM>, a core-spun yarn 135a and a core-spun yarn 135b. It will be appreciated the present disclosure contemplates other cut-resistant yarn structures composed of two or more core-spun yarns <NUM>, <NUM> and one or more covering yarns <NUM>, <NUM> wrapped with the covering layer <NUM>.

While various embodiments in accordance with the principles disclosed herein have been shown and described above, modifications thereof may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the claims. The embodiments described herein are representative only and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations, combinations, and modifications are possible and are within the scope of the disclosure. Alternative embodiments that result from combining, integrating, and/or omitting features of the embodiment(s) are also within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above, but is defined by the claims. Furthermore, any advantages and features described above may relate to specific embodiments, but shall not limit the application of such issued claims to processes and structures accomplishing any or all of the above advantages or having any or all of the above features.

Use of broader terms such as "comprises," "includes," and "having" should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as "consisting of," "consisting essentially of," and "comprised substantially of. " Use of the terms "optionally," "may," "might," "possibly," and the like with respect to any element of an embodiment means that the element is not required, or alternatively, the element is required, both alternatives being within the scope of the embodiment(s). Also, references to examples are merely provided for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to be exclusive.

While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the scope defined in the claims. The present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is not to be limited to the details given herein. For example, the various elements or components may be combined or integrated in another system or certain features may be omitted or not implemented.

Claim 1:
A cut-resistant composite yarn structure (<NUM>), comprising:
a first core-spun yarn (135a) comprising a first cut-resistant core filament (<NUM>) and first staple fibers (<NUM>) spun over the first cut-resistant core filament (<NUM>);
a covering yarn (<NUM>) comprising a second cut-resistant core filament (<NUM>) and a first covering layer (<NUM>) wound over the second cut-resistant core filament (<NUM>), where the first covering layer (<NUM>) comprises a first filament;
a second core-spun yarn (135b) comprising a third cut-resistant core filament (<NUM>) and second staple fibers (<NUM>) spun over the third cut-resistant core filament (<NUM>); and
a second covering layer (<NUM>) wound over the first core-spun yarn (135a), the second core-spun yarn (135b), and the covering yarn (<NUM>), where the second covering layer (<NUM>) comprises a second filament.