Fire and abrasion resistant yarn

Abstract

A method and system for forming fire and abrasion resistant yarns is disclosed. The fire and abrasion resistant yarn includes a fibrous bundle spun from a blend of fire retardant fibers and non-fire retardant fibers. The fibrous bundle is wrapped and integrated with a filament comprising a fire retardant (FR) material, and which is introduced during spinning of the fibers of the fibrous bundle so as to be wrapped about and help bind the fibrous bundle. The FR filament will be selected from fire/heat resistant and abrasion resistant materials, while the fibers of the fibrous bundle can be selected from natural or synthetic fibers or filaments having additional desired properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a fire and abrasion resistant yarn, comprising:
 spinning a series of fibers to form a fibrous bundle, the series of staple fibers comprising a blend of fire retardant fibers and non-fire retardant fibers; and   introducing a fire resistant filament during spinning of the series of fibers, wherein the fire resistant filament is applied at approximately the same turns per inch as the series of fibers, and is wrapped about and substantially embedded in an outer circumference of the fibrous bundle to form the fire and abrasion resistant yarn.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the series of fibers and the fire resistant filament are spun in a first twist direction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous bundle defines a fibrous core of the yarn, and further comprising:
 plying at least one additional filament or an additional yarn to the fibrous core, and spinning the at least one additional filament or additional yarn in a second twist direction opposite the first twist direction.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the series of fibers comprise fibers including materials selected from a group comprising para-aramids, Meta-aramids, modacrylics, vectran, polybenzimidazole (PBI), polybenzoxazole (PBO), opan, acrylic, acetate, pyrotex, Teflon, kynol, rayon, wool, Tencel, nylon, polyester, cotton, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fire resistant filament comprises a material selected from a group comprising nylon, polyester, para-aramid, polypropylene, PTT, polyethylene, meta-aramid, liquid crystal polymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a mass ratio of the first filament to the spun series of fibers is between about 6% and about 83% by weight 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous bundle comprises a blend of 35% to 65% modacrylic or fibers and approximately 65% to 35% by weight of fibers selected from the group comprising cotton, rayon, wool, and/or blends thereof, and wherein the first filament comprises FR nylon. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the fire and abrasion resistant yarn comprises a ring spun yarn comprising about 25% to 45% FR nylon, about 30% to 40% modacrylic fibers, and about 25% to 35% cotton fibers by weight. 
     
     
         9 . A fire and abrasion resistant fabric knitted ow woven from the fire and abrasion resistant yarn produced according to the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The fire and abrasion resistant fabric of  claim 9 , wherein the fabric comprises a vertical flame resistance of at least approximately 25.0 seconds (after flame) and a char length of less than 4.5 inches measured according to ASTM 6413. 
     
     
         11 . The fire and abrasion resistant fabric of  claim 9  wherein the fabric comprises a thermal shrinkage of less than approximately 5% in length and less than approximately 5% in width. 
     
     
         12 . A fire and abrasion resistant yarn, comprising:
 a fibrous bundle including a series of staple fibers spun in a first direction defining a core;   a fire resistant filament introduced during spinning of the fibers forming the fibrous bundle, the fire resistant filament comprising a fire retardant material, and wherein the fire resistant filament is introduced and spun at approximately the same turns per inch as the staple fibers of the fibrous bundle, filament is wrapped about and substantially embedded within an outer circumference of the fibrous bundle.   
     
     
         13 . The fire and abrasion resistant composite yarn of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one additional filament or an additional yarn spun about the embedded fire resistant filament and fibrous bundle to form a composite yarn bundle. 
     
     
         14 . The fire and abrasion resistant composite yarn of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one additional filament is spun in a second twist direction opposite the first twist direction. 
     
     
         15 . The fire and abrasion resistant composite yarn of  claim 12 , wherein the fire resistant filament and the fibrous bundle are substantially intermingled or embedded during spinning to substantially incorporate the fire resistant filament within the fibrous bundle. 
     
     
         16 . The fire and abrasion resistant composite yarn of  claim 12 , wherein the series of fibers comprises fibers including a material selected from a group comprising para-aramids, Meta-aramids, modacrylics, vectran, acetate, acrylic, polypropylene, polybenzimidazole (PBI), polybenzoxazole (PBO), opan, pyrotex, Teflon, kynol, rayon, FR rayon, Tencel, nylon, FR nylon, polyester, cotton, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The fire and abrasion resistant yarn of  claim 12 , wherein the fire resistant filament comprises a material selected from a group comprising nylon, polyester, PTT, para-aramid, glass, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The fire and abrasion resistant yarn of  claim 12 , wherein a mass ratio of the fire resistant filament to the fibrous bundle is between about 6% and about 83% by weight. 
     
     
         19 . The fire and abrasion resistant yarn of  claim 12 , wherein the fibrous bundle comprises a blend of 35% to 65% modacrylic and 65% to 35% cotton by weight, and the first filament comprises FR nylon. 
     
     
         20 . The fire and abrasion resistant yarn of  claim 12 , comprising a blend of 30% to 45% FR nylon, 30% to 40% modacrylic, and 25% to 35% cotton by weight. 
     
     
         21 . The fire and abrasion resistant yarn of  claim 10 , wherein a fabric formed from the composite yarn is used in protective apparel for heat and abrasion protection. 
     
     
         22 . The fire resistant yarn of  claim 19 , wherein the fabric comprises woven or knitted construction. 
     
     
         23 . The yarn of  claim 22 , wherein the fabric comprises a pattern selected from a group comprising a plain pattern, a twill pattern, a basket pattern, a satin pattern, a leno pattern, a crepe pattern, a dobby pattern, a herringbone pattern, a Jacquard pattern, a pique pattern, a warp pile, and a weave configuration. 
     
     
         24 . The fire and abrasion resistant fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the fabric comprises a vertical flame resistance of at least approximately 25.0 seconds (after flame) and a char length of less than 4.5 inches measured according to ASTM 6413. 
     
     
         25 . The fire and abrasion resistant fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the fabric comprises a thermal shrinkage of less than approximately 5% in length and less than approximately 5% in width.