Fabric structure with cellular construction

Abstract

A fabric structure (1) having a cellular construction. The fabric structure comprises at least one base layer (6) consisting of warp threads (10), at least one top layer (7) consisting of warp threads (11) and weft threads (2) placed in between, wherein the fabric structure (1) is formed by a multiplicity of three-dimensional cells (3, 9) and the height (8) of each individual cell (3, 9) is defined by the spacing (8) between two warp threads (10, 11), located above the other in height direction z, in adjacent layers (6, 7), the length (12) of the cell (3, 9) is defined by the spacing (12) between two warp threads (10) or (11) adjacent in the weft direction x, in one layer (6, 7) and the width (13, 14) of a cell (3, 9) is defined by the extent (13) of the weft thread course in the warp direction y and/or the spacing (14) between the two weft threads (2) that are opposite in the warp direction y and adjacent to the particular cell (9). According to the invention, each weft thread (2) extends at least regionally in the fabric structure (1) in a dimensionally stable and three-dimensional manner and winds in the weft direction x about this axis (4) an imaginary, three-dimensional elongate hollow body, extending through the cells (3), having any desired end face (5). The weft threads (2) intersect the warp threads (10, 11) such that the weft threads (2) and warp threads (10, 11) retain one another and the fabric structure (1) is self-supporting.

Claims

1. A fabric structure having a cellular construction comprising, at least one base layer of warp threads, at least one cover layer of warp threads and weft threads interposed therebetween, said cellular construction including a multitude of three-dimensional cells, each having a height, a length and a width dimension, wherein the height is defined by the distance between two superposed warp threads in an adjacent layer in a height direction z, the length defined by the distance between two, in a weft direction x adjacent warp threads or adjacent layer, and the width defined by the expansion of the weft thread course in warp direction y and/or, by the distance between two, in warp direction y, opposite weft threads and adjacent to each cell, wherein at least area-wise, each weft thread extends form-stable three-dimensional along the weft direction x winding around an axis that extends each through a row of cells and defines an three-dimensional elongated hollow body having a variable-shaped end face, said hollow body extends through the row of cells and wherein the weft threads are crossed with each other in such a way that the weft threads and the warp threads hold each other and renders the fabric structure self supporting.

2. The fabric structure according to claim 1, further comprising one or more additional cover layers and wherein weft threads are interposed between each of the more than one additional cover layers, and wherein the cells are between each of the layers.

3. The fabric structure of claim 1, wherein the, in weft direction x form-stable three-dimensional extending, weft thread is wound around the three-dimensional hollow body in a spiral manner so as to define a plain cylindrical shaped hollow body.

4. The fabric structure of claim 1, wherein the, in weft direction x form-stable three-dimensional extending, weft thread is wound around the three-dimensional hollow body in a zigzag manner so as to define a prismatic shaped hollow body with a triangular end face.

5. The fabric structure of claim 1, wherein additional form-stable three-dimensional threads that are wound around an axis along the warp direction y defining the three-dimensional elongated hollow body extending through the cells with a variable shaped end face, are weaved in warp direction y.

6. The fabric structure of claim 1, wherein form-stable three-dimensional extending weft threads and/or form-stable three-dimensional threads are disposed in warp direction y at various orientations within one of the layers.

7. The fabric structure of claim 1, wherein additionally stretched and/or profiled threads of variable form are weaved in warp direction y and/or in weft direction x.

8. The fabric structure of claim 7, wherein the profiled threads have a two-dimensional triangular or trapeze shape.

9. The fabric structure of claim 7, wherein the profiled threads are tied-up by the warp threads of the base layer and the cover layer and/or layers adjacent to each other and thus effect the distance between the base layer and the cover layer and/or between two adjacent cover layers.

10. The fabric structure of claim 9, wherein all threads have defined cross sectional shapes.

11. The fabric structure of claim 10, wherein the shapes are circular, triangular or rectangular.

12. The fabric structure of claim 9, wherein the threads are of metal or plastic.

13. The fabric structure of claim 9, wherein all threads are wire and/or yarn.

14. The fabric structure of claim 13, wherein the yarn is a fiber yarn or a yarn in the form of filaments.

15. The fabric structure of claim 1, wherein the rows of cells oriented in weft direction x are arranged with or without weft threads.

16. The fabric structure of claim 2, wherein the rows of cells oriented in weft direction x, along the warp direction y and/or, if there are several cover layers, along the height direction z are alternately arranged.

17. The fabric structure of claim 1, wherein the cell measurements along the warp direction y and/or the weft direction x and/orif there are more than one cover layervaries along the height direction z.

18. A method of using the fabric structure of claim 1, comprising incorporating a finished structure within a light weight construction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Further details, features and advantages of the present invention follow from the description below of examples of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is shown:

(2) FIG. 1a: a side view of a schematically illustrated fabric structure according to the present invention along the weft direction x,

(3) FIG. 1b: a side view of the fabric structure along the warp direction y,

(4) FIG. 1c: a top view of the fabric structure,

(5) FIG. 1d: a perspective view of the fabric structure and

(6) FIG. 2: profiled threads having trapezoidal- and triangular profile, prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) The drawings in FIGS. 1a to 1d represent only one of the possible arrangements for the reinforcement material. FIG. 1a shows a side view of a schematically illustrated fabric structure 1 along the weft direction x. The weft thread 2 is a so-called spiral wire 2. As FIG. 1a shows in combination with the side view of FIG. 1b along the warp direction y, this weft thread extends three-dimensional form-stable and winds itself along the weft direction x around an axis 4 extending in weft direction x and through each row of cells 3. Thereby, the weft thread 2 encloses around this axis 4 an imaginary three-dimensional elongated hollow body with a circular-shaped end face 5 around which the form-stable, three-dimensional weft thread winds in a spiral manner in the weft direction x.

(8) In addition, FIGS. 1a and 1b show in the side views of the fabric structure 1 in weft direction x and in warp direction y, a base layer 6 and a cover layer 7 between which several form-stable spiral-shaped weft threads 2 are weaved in. The fabric structure 1 is constructed in cellular manner. According to FIG. 1b, besides cells 3, through which a weft thread 2 extends, there are cells 9 through which no weft thread extends. The height 8 of each single cell 3, 9 is defined by the distance 8 between two, in height direction z superposed warp threads 10, 11 of the adjacent layers 6 and 7.

(9) FIG. 1c shows a top view onto the fabric structure 1, wherein in this top view the warp threads 11 of the cover layer 7 and the weft threads 2 are crossed. The combination view of FIGS. 1c and 1b shows that the fabric structure 1 is constructed of a multitude of three-dimensional cells 3, 9. FIG. 1c shows the length 12 of cells 3, 9 as the distance 12 between two in weft direction x adjacent warp threads 11 of a layer 7, in this case, the cover layer 7. But as length 12 of cells 3, 9 also counts the distance 14 between two, in weft direction x adjacent warp threads 10 of the base layer 6 (not shown in FIG. 1c, compare FIG. 1b).

(10) Compared to this, FIGS. 1b and 1c show that in case of cells 3 with weft thread 2, the width 13 of these cells 3 are each defined through the expansion 13 of the weft thread course in warp direction y. In case of cells 9 without the weft thread 2, the width 14 of a cell 9 results from the distance 14 of a cell 9 by each, the distance 14 between two, in warp direction y oppositely positioned and adjacent to cell 9, weft threads 2.

(11) The distances 8 between the layers 6, 7 or between the warp threads 10, 11 as well as the number and arrangement of weft threads 2 can be varied any which way. According to the schematically illustrated embodiment in FIGS. 1a to 1c, the warp threads 10, 11 and also the weft threads 2 are formed as wires 2.

(12) FIG. 1d shows a perspective, schematic view in all three spatial directions x, y, z of the fabric structure 1 in accordance with the present invention having a cellular construction. Shown are the weft threads 2 which cross with the warp threads 11 of cover layer 7, thereby forming cells 3, 9.

(13) In addition to the spiral wires, stretched threads extending straight and profiled threads 15, 16 known from the prior art, or wires, for example with trapezoidal profile 15 or triangular profile 16 as shown in FIG. 2, can be processed. The single wires can be combined locally in different ways. A subsequent reshaping of the structures to single or multiple bent structures can be also realized.