Weft-inserted warp knit fabric

Abstract

A single-ply warp knitted fabric webbing with at least one sealed selvage edge is provided. The fabric is knit with a sheathed, bi-component warp (longitudinally extending) yarn positioned at an edge of the fabric and includes a sheath formed from a low melting point polyester and a core formed of a higher melting point polyester. A fabric is formed that has superior edge stabilization at lower amperage and air pressure manufacturing values than those exhibited by yarns coated with EVA, PVC, and TPO while simultaneously possessing abrasion and cut resistance which meet or exceed current regulatory requirements.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A fabric webbing comprising a plurality of warp strands oriented generally perpendicular to a plurality of weft strands, at least one warp strand formed from at least one yarn including a core of polyester defining a first melting point and a sheath surrounding the core formed from polyester defining a second melting point, whereby the first melting point is greater than the second melting point, and whereby the at least one warp strand is positioned in a sealed selvage edge of the fabric webbing. 
     
     
         2 . The fabric webbing of  claim 1  whereby the at least one warp yarn is a bi-component warp yarn. 
     
     
         3 . The fabric webbing of  claim 1  further comprising at least one ground yarn disposed between the plurality of warp strands and the plurality of weft strands. 
     
     
         4 . The fabric webbing of  claim 3  whereby the at least one ground yarn is warp knit between the plurality of warp strands and the plurality of weft strands. 
     
     
         5 . The fabric webbing of  claim 1  whereby the core defines a melting point of at least four hundred degrees Fahrenheit (400° F.). 
     
     
         6 . The fabric webbing of  claim 1  whereby the sheath defines a melting point of at least three hundred degrees Fahrenheit (300° F.). 
     
     
         7 . The fabric webbing of  claim 1  whereby the at least one warp strand is formed by at least one hundred (100) filaments. 
     
     
         8 . The fabric webbing of  claim 7  whereby each of the at least one hundred (100) filaments define a denier weight in excess of eight hundred (800). 
     
     
         9 . A fabric webbing comprising a plurality of longitudinally oriented warp strands knitted generally perpendicular to a plurality of laterally oriented weft strands, at least one of the warp strands formed from at least one hundred (100) bi-component filaments, each filament including a core of polyester defining a first melting point and a sheath surrounding the core formed from polyester defining a second melting point, whereby the first melting point is greater than the second melting point, and whereby the at least one warp strand is positioned at a selvage edge of the fabric webbing which is ultrasonically sealed. 
     
     
         10 . The fabric webbing of  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of ground yarns, one of the plurality of ground yarns disposed between the plurality of warp strands and the plurality of weft strands. 
     
     
         11 . The fabric webbing of  claim 10  whereby the plurality of ground yarns are each warp knit between the plurality of warp strands and the plurality of weft strands. 
     
     
         12 . The fabric webbing of  claim 9  whereby the at least one warp strand is formed from one hundred and fifty (150) bi-component filaments. 
     
     
         13 . The fabric webbing of  claim 12  whereby the bi-component filaments each define a denier weight between one thousand (1000) and thirteen hundred (1300). 
     
     
         14 . The fabric webbing of  claim 9  whereby each core defines a melting point of between four hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit and four hundred sixty degrees Fahrenheit (450° F.-460° F.). 
     
     
         15 . The fabric webbing of  claim 9  whereby each sheath defines a melting point of about three hundred forty degrees Fahrenheit (340° F.). 
     
     
         16 . A method of supplementing siding with a fabric webbing comprising the steps of
 providing the fabric webbing of  claim 1 ,   passing at least one edge of the fabric webbing between a hammer member and an anvil member to seal the edge, and   positioning the fabric webbing within the siding substrate.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  whereby the step of providing a fabric webbing includes providing a plurality of ground yarns, the plurality of ground yarns disposed between the plurality of warp strands and the plurality of weft strands. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of warp knitting the plurality of ground yarns among the plurality of warp strands and the plurality of weft strands. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  whereby the step of passing at least one edge of the fabric webbing between a hammer member and an anvil member further includes passing the fabric between an ultrasonic sonotrode and a drum. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of oscillating the sonotrode thirty thousand times (30,000) per second approximately one millimeter (1.0 mm) from the fabric webbing.