Erno Raumfahrttechnik Gmbh

Detlef Mueller-Wiesner

Joerg Hartmanns

Wolfgang Fischer

Lutz Kampmann

Hans-Guenther Reimerdes

A multi-ply three-dimensionally bonded textile fabric is provided, to be used especially in making protective space suits, protective space shielding and other protective garments or shields. The fabric is a three-dimensionally woven, knitted, netted, braided or otherwise interlocked structure of threads including organic fibers such as aramid, polyethylene and/or polytetrafluoroethylene fibers and preferably also metallic fibers such as copper, aluminum and/or stainless steel fibers. These fibers are chosen to provide protection against adverse thermal, chemical, electrical and mechanical environmental effects that may be hazardous to an astronaut, for example. The fibers are arranged substantially in respective plies, and each ply is bonded or interlocked only to respective adjacent plies over substantially the entire ply area to provide a flexible multi-ply fabric. The threads are arranged to provide a gradient or variation in characteristics or properties from an outer surface to an inner surface. For example, different types, numbers or densities of threads, or different fabric densities may be used in different plies to achieve a gradient. Such a gradient allows a single, three-dimensionally bonded multi-ply fabric to provide several different protective properties. An outside surface coating of silicone or polymers such as polytetrafluroethylene or ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene may be applied on an outer surface of the fabric to further improve its protective properties.

Growing community of inventors

Harpstedt, Germany

Detlef Mueller-Wiesner