Woven fiber reinforcement material

Abstract

A woven fiber reinforcement material and method of making includes a plurality of fiber bundles extending generally parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction and spaced laterally from one another by at least 1/32 of an inch. The fiber bundles are selected from non-elastic fibers. A first transverse thread extends in a continuous serpentine pattern on a first side of the plurality of fiber bundles. A second transverse thread extends in a continuous serpentine pattern on a second side of the plurality of fiber bundles and a pair of connecting threads diagonally cross the first and second transverse threads and secure the first and second transverse threads to the fiber bundles at a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations.

Claims

1. A method of making a rigidified fiber reinforcement material, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of longitudinal fiber bundles extending generally parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction and spaced laterally from one another by at least 1/32 of an inch, said plurality of longitudinal fiber bundles being made from individual strands of fibers bundled together and selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, poly-parapheneylene tetraphthalamide, para-aramid nylon, aromatic polyamide and combinations thereof; knitting a transverse fiber bundle extending in a continuous serpentine pattern across each of said plurality of longitudinal fiber bundles only on a first side of said plurality of longitudinal fiber bundles with a plurality of pairs of connecting threads, each of said pairs of connecting threads corresponding to each one of said plurality of longitudinal fiber bundles, each of said plurality of pairs of connecting threads including a first thread diagonally crossing the transverse fiber bundle at each crossover point where said transverse fiber bundle crosses over said longitudinal fiber bundle and being repeatedly interlaced with a second thread of the pair of threads on opposite sides of the longitudinal fiber bundles in an alternating manner on opposite sides of each crossover point for securing said transverse fiber bundle to a respective one of said plurality of longitudinal fiber bundles at each crossover point at a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations to form a knitted material; coating said knitted material in epoxy; and curing the epoxy to rigidify the knitted material to form the rigidified fiber reinforcement material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transverse fiber bundle is selected from the group consisting of nylon, nylon blend, polyester, polypropylene, nomex, cotton, carbon fibers, poly parapheneylene tetraphthalamide, para-aramid nylon, aramid fiber, aromatic polyamide, and combinations thereof.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carbon fiber bundle reinforcement material according to the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 is an illustration of a weave used in making a carbon fiber bundle reinforcement material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

(4) FIGS. 3 and 3A are cross-sectional views taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, illustrating the weave used in making a carbon fiber bundle reinforcement material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

(6) With reference to FIG. 1, a portion of a carbon fiber reinforcement material 10 is shown. The material 10 comprises a plurality of longitudinal fiber bundles 100, transverse threads 105a, 105b and connecting threads 110a, 110b. The longitudinal fiber bundles 100 can be carbon fibers. The material 10 can be woven as illustrated in FIGS. 2-3. The weave can be a circular knit pattern that is known to be used to made elastic waistbands. A weaving machine such as, for example, the Jakob Mueller Rashelina RD3 may be set up to automate the weave to make the material 10.

(7) In the weave pattern shown in FIG. 1, the longitudinal fiber bundles 100 are provided in parallel to one another with the transverse threads 105a, 105b provided in a continuously serpentine pattern with one serpentine thread pattern 105a on a first side of the longitudinal fiber bundles 100 and a second serpentine thread pattern 105b overlaying a second side of the longitudinal fiber bundles 100 in identical fashion. The connecting threads 110a, 110b include two threads 110a, 110b for each longitudinal fiber bundle 100 with each connecting thread 110a diagonally crossing the transverse threads 105a as they cross over the longitudinal fiber bundles 100, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The connecting threads 110a continually cross over the transverse threads 105a on a single side of the woven material 10 while the connecting threads 110b continually cross over the transverse threads 105b on the opposite side of the woven material 10. In between each transverse thread 105a, 105b, the connecting threads 110a, 110b from each side of the woven material 10 cross over each other, as illustrated in the cross-section of FIGS. 3 and 3A, and return to diagonally cross over the subsequent transverse thread 105a, 105b. The weave pattern has finished edges on each side and can be made much more easily than prior art weave patterns which require long narrow strips to be cut from wide sheets. Other weave patterns for elastic waistbands may be used such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,551,994; 5,882,749; 4,786,549; and 4,631,932. The woven material 10 is rigid in the longitudinal direction and in contrast, the elastic waistband is elastic (stretchable) in the longitudinal direction. The woven material 10 can be provided with open spaces 115 in the weave which allows an adhesive to flow through the woven material 10 when the material 10 is applied to a structure.

(8) The woven material 10 can be rigidified. In some embodiments the material is rigidified and cut into strips that are from abut 7 feet to about 12 feet in length. Such lengths are useful for applying the material 10 to basement walls. The rigidification of fiber material includes coating the material in epoxy that is procured as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,846,537; 6,746,741; and 6,692,595, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. The application of a material to repair a crack in a basement wall are described in the above mentioned patents and is applicable to the woven material 10 described herein.

(9) In some embodiments, the longitudinal fibers 100 and transverse threads 105a. 105b may be spaced anywhere from over 1 inch apart to less than 1/32 inches apart so long as the open spacing 115 is sufficient to allow adhesive to flow between the fibers bundles 100 and transverse threads 105a, 105b. The material 10 has a roughened surface exposed or produced upon removal of a cover sheet applied during the rigidification process. In some embodiments, the longitudinal fibers 100 are made of pre-cured carbon, although any material providing flexibility and tensional strength may be used. Moreover, longitudinal fibers 100 and transverse threads 105a, 105b may be of different materials. For example, longitudinal fibers 100 may be Kevlar or bundles of Kevlar and transverse threads 105a, 105b may be a nylon or a nylon blend. Other examples of longitudinal fibers 100 include carbon fibers, poly-parapheneylene tetraphthalamide, para-aramid nylon, aramid fiber, aromatic polyamide, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, longitudinal fibers can be in bundles or individual fibers. Other examples of transverse threads 105a, 105b can include nylon, polyester, polypropylene, nomex, cotton, carbon fibers, poly-parapheneylene tetraphthalamide, para-aramid nylon, aramid fiber, aromatic polyamide, and combinations thereof.

(10) As discussed herein, to provide a strong bond between the rigidified fiber woven material 10, it is important to have the surface of the rigidified fiber woven material 10 clean and roughed. In order to keep the surface clean and provide a roughened surface, a flexible cover sheet of impermeable sheet or film comprising textile, nylon, a polymeric or plastic material is applied on one or both surfaces of the woven material using a rigidifying adhesive material.

(11) At the job site, the cover sheet prevents dirt, grease and other debris from coming into contact with the woven material 10. Immediately prior to use, the cover sheet(s) is (are) removed, or more accurately peeled away, from the surface of the material 10 leaving exposed a clean roughened surface. This roughened surface is a result of at least two factors, individually or in combination. First, the textured surface of the cover sheet causes an impression to be formed in the adhesive material on the surface as it cures. Second, as the cover sheet is removed from the material 10, some of the adhesive material remains adhered to the cover sheet and breaks away from the material 10.

(12) The embodiments and examples described herein are exemplary and not intended to be limiting in describing the full scope of devices, apparatus, systems, and methods of the present disclosure. Equivalent changes, modifications and variations of the embodiments, materials, compositions and methods can be made within the scope of the present disclosure, with substantially similar results. All patents discussed herein are incorporated by reference.