Parachute buffer material

Abstract

In one aspect, parachute buffer materials are described herein. In some embodiments, parachute buffer materials described herein comprise a fabric formed from a plurality of fibers and a coating disposed on at least one outer surface of the fabric. The fibers have an inner component formed from a thermoplastic material and an outer component formed from a non-thermoplastic material. In some cases, the fabric is a woven fabric. Additionally, the coating can comprise or contain a silicone along with, or without, other functional components. Moreover, materials described herein can be used to form various structures for parachute buffering applications, and the coatings of materials described herein can enhance the materials' buffering performance.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A parachute buffer material comprising:
 a fabric formed from a plurality of fibers, the fibers having an inner filament fiber component formed from a thermoplastic material and an outer staple fiber component formed from a non-thermoplastic material; and   a coating disposed on at least one outer surface of the fabric, the coating comprising a silicone.   
     
     
         2 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the inner component is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of a nylon, a polyester, and a polyolefin. 
     
     
         3 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the outer staple fiber component is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of cotton, linen, rayon, acrylic, and an aramid. 
     
     
         4 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the outer component is formed from cotton. 
     
     
         5 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the inner component is a monofilament thread. 
     
     
         6 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the inner component comprises a plurality of monofilament threads. 
     
     
         7 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the outer component is spun around the inner component. 
     
     
         8 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the inner filament fiber component forms between about 10 wt.-% and about 70 wt.-% of the total weight of the fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the inner filament fiber component forms between about 30 wt.-% and about 50 wt.-% of the total weight of the fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the outer staple fiber component forms between about 20 wt.-% and about 80 wt.-% of the total weight of the fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the outer staple fiber component forms between about 40 wt.-% and about 70 wt.-% of the total weight of the fibers. 
     
     
         12 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is woven. 
     
     
         13 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 12 , wherein the fabric is plain woven. 
     
     
         14 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the coating further comprises a silicone polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the coating further comprises a wax or blend of waxes. 
     
     
         16 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the coating further comprises an acrylic polymer and/or a polyurethane polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the coating further comprises an anti-wicking agent. 
     
     
         18 . The parachute buffer material of  claim 1 , wherein the coating further comprises an antimicrobial agent.