Reinforced Flame Resistant Fabrics

Abstract

Described are flame resistant fabrics having a warp direction, a weft direction, and a fabric weight. The flame resistant fabrics may include warp direction yarns and weft direction yarns, where the warp direction yarns include warp body yarns having a fiber blend of a wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers and at least 60 wt. % cellulosic fibers; and the weft direction yarns include weft body yarns having a fiber blend of a wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers and at least 60 wt. % cellulosic fibers and weft reinforcement yarns having a fiber blend of 30 wt. % to 100 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers. The fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns may comprise at least two times the wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the fiber blend of the weft body yarns.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A flame resistant fabric having a warp direction, a weft direction, and a fabric weight, the flame resistant fabric comprising warp direction yarns and weft direction yarns, wherein:
 a. the warp direction yarns comprise warp body yarns having a fiber blend comprising a wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers and at least 60 wt. % cellulosic fibers; and   b. the weft direction yarns comprise:
 i. weft body yarns having a fiber blend comprising a wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers and at least 60 wt. % cellulosic fibers; and 
 ii. weft reinforcement yarns having a fiber blend comprising 30 wt. % to 100 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers, wherein the fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns comprises at least two times the wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the fiber blend of the weft body yarns, 
   wherein the weft direction yarns comprise a total wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers and wherein, when a fabric tear strength in the weft direction of the flame resistant fabric and a fabric tear strength in a weft direction of a comparative flame resistant fabric (i) having substantially the same fabric weight, (ii) formed of the warp body yarns and the weft body yarns, and (iii) devoid of the weft reinforcement yarns was measured in Newtons and pursuant to ISO 13937-2, a strength percentage increase in fabric tear strength in the weft direction of the flame resistant fabric over the fabric tear strength in the weft direction of the comparative flame resistant fabric was greater than a fiber percentage increase of the total wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the weft direction yarns of the flame resistant fabric over the wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the weft body yarns of the comparative flame resistant fabric, and   wherein the flame resistant fabric has a char length of less than 100 millimeters when tested pursuant to ISO 15025:2000.   
     
     
         2 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns further comprises cellulosic fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 2 , wherein the fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns comprises 40-60 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers and 40-60 wt. % cellulosic fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the warp direction yarns further comprise warp reinforcement yarns. 
     
     
         5 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 4 , wherein the warp reinforcement yarns have a fiber blend and wherein the fiber blend of the warp reinforcement yarns and the fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns are identical. 
     
     
         6 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 4 , wherein the warp reinforcement yarns have a fiber blend comprising 30 wt. % to 100 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers and wherein the fiber blend of the warp reinforcement yarns comprises at least two times the wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the fiber blend of the warp body yarns. 
     
     
         7 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber blend of the warp body yarns and the fiber blend of the weft body yarns each comprises at least 70 wt. % cellulosic fibers and less than 30 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 7 , wherein the fiber blend of the warp body yarns and the fiber blend of the weft body yarns each comprises at least 80 wt. % cellulosic fibers and less than 20 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns comprises at least three times the wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the fiber blend of the weft body yarns. 
     
     
         10 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 9 , wherein the fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns comprises at least four times the wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the fiber blend of the weft body yarns. 
     
     
         11 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric weight is between 5-10 osy, inclusive. 
     
     
         12 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 1 , wherein between 1 to 20 weft body yarns are provided between adjacent weft reinforcement yarns. 
     
     
         13 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 1 , further comprising an overall fiber blend, wherein the overall fiber blend comprises 70-90 wt. % cellulosic fibers and 10-30 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber blend of the warp body yarns and the fiber blend of the weft body yarns are different. 
     
     
         15 . A flame resistant fabric having a warp direction, a weft direction, and a fabric fiber blend, the flame resistant fabric comprising warp direction yarns and weft direction yarns, wherein:
 a. the warp direction yarns comprise:
 i. warp body yarns having a fiber blend comprising a wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers and at least 60 wt. % cellulosic fibers; and 
 ii. warp reinforcement yarns having a fiber blend comprising 40-60 wt. % cellulosic fibers and 40-60 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers, wherein the fiber blend of the warp reinforcement yarns comprises at least three times the wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the fiber blend of the warp body yarns; and 
   b. the weft direction yarns comprise:
 i. weft body yarns having a fiber blend comprising a wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers and at least 60 wt. % cellulosic fibers; and 
 ii. weft reinforcement yarns having a fiber blend comprising 40-60 wt. % cellulosic fibers and 40-60 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers, wherein the fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns comprises at least three times the wt. % of non-FR synthetic fibers in the fiber blend of the weft body yarns. 
   
     
     
         16 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the fiber blend of the warp reinforcement yarns and the fiber blend of the weft reinforcement yarns are identical. 
     
     
         17 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the fiber blend of the warp body yarns and the fiber blend of the weft body yarns are different. 
     
     
         18 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the fiber blend of the warp body yarns and the fiber blend of the weft body yarns each comprises at least 70 wt. % cellulosic fibers and less than 30 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 18 , wherein the fiber blend of the warp body yarns and the fiber blend of the weft body yarns each comprises at least 80 wt. % cellulosic fibers and less than 20 wt. % non-FR synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         20 . The flame resistant fabric of  claim 15 , wherein the flame resistant fabric comprises a fabric weight between 5-10 osy, inclusive.