Abrasion-resistant sheet material
View Patent ↗An abrasion-resistant skirt material for use with air cushion vehicles having at least one air chamber. The sheet material comprises a fabric base comprising yarns of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. A bonding layer, comprising a thermoplastic material is bonded to the fabric base, and an outer layer, comprising a rubber compound is bonded to the bonding layer.
1. An abrasion-resistant skirt material for use with air cushion vehicles having at least one air chamber, said sheet material comprising:
(a) a woven fabric base, comprising yarns of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene;
(b) a bonding layer, comprising a thermoplastic material bonded to the fabric base; and
(c) an outer layer, comprising a rubber compound bonded to the bonding layer.
2. The skirt material of claim 1 wherein the rubber compound is selected from the group of compounds consisting of natural rubber and styrene butadiene; natural rubber and polybutadiene; and natural rubber, styrene butadiene, and styrene polybutadiene.
3. The skirt material of claim 2 wherein the outer layer is between 5 mils and 50 mils thick.
4. The skirt material of claim 3 wherein the outer layer is about 30 mils thick.
5. The skirt material of claim 1 wherein the base fabric is coated on each side with the bonding layer and the durable rubber compound.
6. The abrasion-resistant skirt of claim 1 wherein the inner fabric base weighs between about 5 and 11 ounces per square yard, comprises between about 17 ends and 35 ends per inch in both the warp and fill directions, and wherein each of the warp and fill ends are between about 650 and 1200 denier.
7. The abrasion-resistant skirt of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic material is formed of an olefin polymer or copolymer having a melting point less than about 140 degrees C.
8. The abrasion-resistant skirt of claim 7 wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, and combinations thereof.
9. The skirt material of claim 1 wherein when tested in accordance with the Taber Abrasion Resistance Test (H-18 Wheel and 1000 g load) retains at least about 98 percent of its original weight after 5,000 abrasion cycles.
10. The skirt material skirt assembly of claim 1 wherein when tested in accordance with the Taber Abrasion Resistance Test (H-18 Wheel and 1000 g load) retains at least about 95 percent of its original weight after 10,000 abrasion cycles.
11. The skirt material of claim 1 wherein when tested in accordance with the Taber Abrasion Resistance Test (H-18 Wheel and 1000 g load) retains at least about 90 percent of its original weight after 40,000 abrasion cycles.
12. The skirt material of claim 2 wherein the rubber compound comprises about 80 percent by weight natural rubber and about 20 percent by weight styrene butadiene.
13. The skirt material of claim 2 wherein the rubber compound comprises About 75 percent natural rubber and about 25 percent polybutadiene.
14. The skirt material of claim 2 wherein the rubber compound comprises about 66 percent natural rubber, 14 percent styrene butadiene, and 20 percent polybutadiene.
15. A lightweight, abrasion-resistant sheet material, comprising:
(a) a woven fabric base, comprising yarns of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene;
(b) a bonding layer, comprising a thermoplastic material bonded to the fabric base; and
(c) an outer layer, comprising a rubber compound bonded to the bonding layer.
16. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 15 wherein the rubber compound is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber and styrene butadiene; natural rubber and polybutadiene; and natural rubber. styrene butadiene, and polybutadiene.
17. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 15 wherein the outer layer is between about 5 mils and 50 mils thick.
18. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 17 wherein the outer layer is about 30 mils thick.
19. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 15 wherein the fabric base is coated on each side with the bonding layer and the durable rubber layer.
20. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 15 wherein the fabric base weighs between about 5 and 11 ounces per square yard, comprises between about 17 ends and 35 ends per inch in both the warp and fill directions, and wherein each of the warp and fill ends are between about 650 and 1200 denier.
21. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 15 wherein the thermoplastic material is formed of an olefin polymer or copolynier having a melting point less than about 140 degrees C.
22. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 21 wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, and combinations thereof.
23. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 16 wherein the rubber compound comprises about 75 percent natural rubber and 25 percent polybutadiene.
24. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 16 wherein the rubber compound comprises about 66 percent natural rubber, 14 percent styrene butadiene, and 20 percent polybutadiene.
25. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 16 wherein the rubber compound comprises about 80 percent by weight natural rubber and about 20 percent hy weight styrene butadiene.
26. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 15 which, when tested in accordance with the Taber Abrasion Resistance Test (H-18 Wheel and 1000 g load) retains at least about 98 percent of its original weight after 5.000 abrasion cycles.
27. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 15 which, when tested in accordance with the Taber Abrasion Resistance Test (11-18 Wheel and 1000 g load) retains at least about 95 percent of its original weight after 10,000 abrasion cycles.
28. The abrasion-resistant sheet material of claim 15 which, when tested in accordance with the Taber Abrasion Resistance Test (11-18 Wheel and 1000 g load) retains at least about 90 percent of its original weight after 40,000 abrasion cycles.