Patent ID: 7300691

Claim:
A multi-layer composite construction, the composite construction comprising: a mat structure comprising a plurality of monoaxially drawn interwoven tape elements, said interwoven tape elements comprising a base layer of a strain oriented olefin polymer disposed between covering layers of a heat fusible olefin polymer, wherein said covering layers are characterized by a softening temperature below that of the base layer to permit fusion bonding upon application of heat; a multiplicity of embedded non-olefin fiber elements extending in anchored relation across the thickness dimension of the mat structure such that at least a portion of the fiber elements project outwardly from the mat structure and the projecting portions define at least a partial surface covering across a first side of the mat structure and at least a partial surface covering across a second side of the mat structure; a substrate layer disposed in layered relation to the mat structure in contacting, bonding relation with said first side of the mat structure such that at least a percentage of said portion of fiber elements projecting outwardly from the mat structure is at least partially embedded into a surface portion of the substrate layer; and at least one covering layer comprising a plurality of monoaxially drawn interwoven tape elements disposed across a second side of the mat structure facing away from the substrate layer such that said at least one covering layer defines an encapsulating barrier layer over the mat structure to substantially cover portions of the non-olefin fiber elements projecting outwardly from the second side of the mat structure, said interwoven tape elements comprising a base layer of a strain oriented olefin polymer disposed between covering layers of a heat fusible olefin polymer, wherein said covering layers are characterized by a softening temperature below that of the base layer to permit fusion bonding upon application of heat.