Ballistic Composite Materials, Ballistic Fabrics, and Methods of Making

Abstract

A method of making a composite ballistic fabric of the present invention includes weaving a first ballistic woven layer having a first weave pattern and a second ballistic woven layer having a second weave pattern to form the composite ballistic fabric. The second weave pattern can have a different weave pattern than the first weave pattern. The present invention may also be embodied as a composite ballistic fabric including a first ballistic woven layer having a first weave pattern woven to a second ballistic woven layer having a second weave pattern. The second weave pattern can have a different weave pattern than the first weave pattern.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of making a composite ballistic fabric, comprising the steps of:
 weaving a multi-layer fabric from a plurality of warp yarns and plurality of weft yarns, the double-layer fabric comprising a first layer having a first weave pattern and a second layer having a second weave pattern which is different than the first weave pattern, the first and second layers being joined to each other by picking one or more warp yarns of the second layer using a plurality of weft yarns from the first layer and/or picking one or more warp yarns of the first layer using a plurality of weft yarns from the second layer to form the composite ballistic fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is a plain weave pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second layer is a sateen weave pattern. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sateen weave pattern is a crowfoot weave. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first weave pattern is configured to distribute the impact of a projectile along force vectors differently than the second weave pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying an elastomer coating to a first side of the composite ballistic fabric. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of manufacturing the composite ballistic fabric into an article of clothing or a portion thereof without applying an elastomer coating to the composite ballistic fabric. 
     
     
         8 . A composite ballistic fabric, comprising:
 a first woven layer having a first weave pattern interconnected with a second woven layer having a second weave pattern;   wherein the second weave pattern is a different weave pattern than the first weave pattern.   
     
     
         9 . The composite ballistic fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the first woven layer has a plain weave pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The composite ballistic fabric of  claim 9 , wherein the second woven layer has a sateen weave pattern. 
     
     
         11 . The composite ballistic fabric of  claim 10 , wherein the sateen weave pattern is a crowfoot weave. 
     
     
         12 . The composite ballistic fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the first weave pattern is configured to distribute the impact of a projectile along force vectors differently than the second weave pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The composite ballistic fabric of  claim 8 , further comprising an elastomer coating disposed on a first side of the composite ballistic fabric. 
     
     
         14 . The composite ballistic fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the composite ballistic fabric does not include an elastomer coating.