Milliken Research Corporation

Milliken + Co

Deering Milliken Research Corporation

Michael W Gilpatrick

Willy De Meyer

Charles E Willbanks

Walter Engels

Richard V Gregory

Louis W Adams, Jr

Charles A Wethington

William S Parks

Jeffery E Bacon

Carroll L Pack

Novel thermoplastic pipes which can withstand extremely high internally generated and/or applied pressures for utilization within, primarily, high pressure underground liquid and gas transport systems are provided. Such pipes are improvements over standard metal (i.e., steel, lead, and the like) pipes due to construction costs, shipping costs, implementation costs (particularly underground), modulus strength allowances to compensate for underground movements (i.e., earthquakes and tremors), non-rusting characteristics, and ease in manufacture. Such pipes are preferably reinforced with specific fabric articles which permit a lower thickness of plastic to be utilized than is generally required to withstand high pressure situations. A one-step, potentially on-site production method, is also contemplated within this invention.

Method of on-site production of novel textile reinforced thermoplastic or thermoset pipes

A lightweight airbag cushion for deployment in opposing relation to a vehicle occupant is provided. In one embodiment, the cushion is formed from a body of wound yarn which has an enhanced elongation to break. The body includes an interior, a face portion for contact with the occupant and a rear portion including an inlet port for the introduction of an inflation medium. The body is formed by the continuous winding of yarn around a mandrel such that the yarn is spread across the face and is disposed preferentially across the back in the area surrounding the inlet port so as to provide added strength in that region.

Yarn, airbag and method

A strong lightweight airbag cushion for deployment in opposing relation to a vehicle occupant and the method of making same. The cushion is formed from a body of wound yarn. The body includes an interior, a face portion for contact with the occupant and a rear portion including an inlet port for the introduction of an inflation medium. The body is formed by the continuous winding of yarn around a mandrel such that the yarn is spread across the face and is disposed preferentially across the back in the area surrounding the inlet port so as to provide added strength in the region adjacent the port that is located at a radial distance greater than the radius of said port. This is accomplished by shifting or shogging the yarn supplying mechanism relative to the cushion mandrel.

Airbag structure

Novel thermoplastic pipes which can withstand internally generated and/or applied pressures for utilization within, primarily, underground liquid and gas transport systems are provided. Such pipes are improvements over standard metal (i.e., steel, lead, and the like) pipes due to construction costs, shipping costs, implementation costs (particularly underground), flexibility (and thus modulus strength allowances) to compensate for underground movements (i.e., earthquakes and tremors), non-rusting characteristics, reduced crack propagation possibilities, and ease in manufacture. Such pipes are preferably reinforced with specific textile reinforcement materials that permit a lower thickness of plastic to be utilized than is generally required to withstand high pressure situations and also serve to prevent propagation of any cracks which may develop within the thermoplastic or thermoset materials. Such pipes exhibit an elongation at break in relation to that provided by the textile reinforcement and not with regard to the same type of elongation at break characteristic for the thermoplastic or thermoset composition.

Textile reinforced thermoplastic or thermoset pipes

The weft threads ( ) of a textile product ( ) run at an angle of at least approximately 70 degrees with respect to its warp threads ( ) and the weft threads ( ) protrude, by a piece, beyond the outermost warp threads ( &prime;), on at least one side of the strip-shaped textile product ( ) in a strip-shaped textile product ( ), consisting, in particular, of filaments, threads, or a yarn, for use as a reinforcement layer for hoses, tubes, pressure containers, and similar hollow objects. Alternately or in addition, the warp threads ( ) are formed thinner than the remaining warp threads ( ) in at least one boundary area (R) of the textile product ( ).

Ribbon-like textile product and method for producing a body reinforced with said textile product

Strip-shaped textile product and method for the production of an object reinforced with the textile product

A strong lightweight airbag cushion for deployment in opposing relation to a vehicle occupant is provided. The cushion is formed from a body of wound yarn. The body includes an interior, a face portion for contact with the occupant and a rear portion including an inlet port for the introduction of an inflation medium. The body is formed by the continuous winding of yarn around a mandrel such that the yarn is spread across the face and is disposed preferentially across the back in the area surrounding the inlet port so as to provide added strength in that region.

The weft threads ( ) of a textile product ( ) run at an angle of at least approximately 70 degrees with respect to its warp threads ( ) and the weft threads ( ) protrude, by a piece, beyond the outermost warp threads ( ), on at least one side of the strip-shaped textile product ( ) in a strip-shaped textile product ( ), consisting, in particular, of filaments, threads, or a yarn, for use as a reinforcement layer for hoses, tubes, pressure containers, and similar hollow objects. Alternately or in addition, the warp threads ( ) are formed thinner than the remaining warp threads ( ) in at least one boundary area (R) of the textile product ( ).

Novel thermoplastic pipes which can withstand internally generated and/or applied pressures for utilization within, primarily, underground liquid and gas transport systems are provided. Such pipes are improvements over standard metal (i.e., steel, lead, and the like) pipes due to construction costs, shipping costs, implementation costs (particularly underground), flexibility (and thus modulus strength allowances) to compensate for underground movements (i.e., earthquakes and tremors), non-rusting characteristics, reduced crack propagation possibilities, and ease in manufacture. Such pipes are preferably reinforced with specific textile reinforcement materials that permit a lower thickness of plastic to be utilized than is generally required to withstand high pressure situations and also serve to prevent propagation of any cracks which may develop within the thermoplastic or thermoset materials. Such pipes exhibit an elongation at break in relation to that provided by the textile reinforcement and not with regard to the same type of elongation at break characteristic for the thermoplastic or thermoset composition. Furthermore, a leakage or burst detection system and a heating method to ensure non-freezing of transported materials within such pipes is also contemplated within this invention.

Thermoplastic or thermoset pipes including conductive textile reinforcements for heating and leak detection purposes

An improved assembly for alternating twist in yarn, utilizing a pair of air jets in which compressed air is supplied producing a vortex that causes the yarn passing therethrough to experience a torque about the yarn's longitudinal axis. This apparatus is used to provide an alternating twist to fill yarn as the yarn is being fed into the loom. The twisting unit operates by imparting &ldquo;s&rdquo; twist for a certain period of time while the yarn is in linear motion, followed by imparting a &ldquo;z&rdquo; twist for another certain period of time, in repeating fashion. The net twist in the yarn so treated is zero. Preferably, the twisting of the fill yarn is coordinated with the loom so that the twist direction is reversed prior to each successive filling insertion. This method produces a woven product that contains no yarn regions having an area of zero twist commonly found in weaves produced by alternate twist yarn, because the twist reversal occurs during a time when no filling is being inserted, and occurs spatially outside of the boundaries of the woven cloth.

Method and apparatus for imparting and alternating twist and weaving a multi-ply yarn in continuous motion

A female fabric for use in a hook and loop connecting arrangement in which a plurality of spaced substantially parallel yarns having loops projecting from and integral therewith are held in spaced relationship by a suitable adhesive material.

Female connector fabric

Method to produce a female fabric for use in a hook and loop connection in which the maximum number of loops are produced on the loop surface which engages the hooks of the mating hook fabric. The method includes mounting the reed at an obtuse angle to the loopy yarn used to cause the loops extending outwardly from the loopy yarn to be combed upwardly as it exits from the reed.

Method to produce looped fabric with upstanding loops

An electrically conductive textile fabric in which the electrical conductivity may be made to vary in a pattern configuration, and a method for manufacturing such fabric. A textile fabric is coated with an electrically conductive polymeric coating, and the coating is selectively removed in those areas in which a reduced electrical conductivity is desired. The removal may be achieved by means of high velocity water jets, sculpturing, or other means.

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Chesnee, SC, United States of America

Michael W Gilpatrick