PROTECTIVE PADDING UTILIZING SUPERELASTIC THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACER FABRIC COMPRISING SHAPE MEMORY MATERIALS (SMM)
Protective padding comprising: a spacer fabric comprising a first fabric layer, a second fabric layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said first fabric layer and said second fabric layer; wherein at least one of said first fabric layer, said second fabric layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.
1 . Protective padding comprising:
a spacer fabric comprising a first fabric layer, a second fabric layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said first fabric layer and said second fabric layer;
wherein at least one of said first fabric layer, said second fabric layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.
2 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is superelastic.
3 . Protective padding according to claim 2 wherein said shape memory material is Nitinol.
4 . Protective padding according to claim 2 wherein said shape memory material is a titanium near-beta alloy.
5 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.
6 . Protective padding according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material and wherein at least one of said first fabric layer and said second fabric layer do not comprise a shape memory material.
7 . Protective padding according to claim 5 wherein wherein said first fabric layer, said second fabric layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments all comprise a shape memory material.
8 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is engineered to have a martensitic state between 0 degrees C. and 90 degrees C.
9 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein the shape memory material is engineered to oscillate between phase transformations so as to maximize its peak dampening characteristics and storage modulus.
10 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein said protective padding is contoured so as to provide increased support to specific regions of a wearer's anatomy.
11 . Protective padding according to claim 10 wherein said contouring is achieved by shape-setting said protective padding using a heating source.
12 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein voids in said spacer fabric are filled with a material.
13 . Protective padding according to claim 12 wherein said material is a gel.
14 . Protective padding according to claim 12 wherein said material comprises a polymer capable of transitioning between a solid state and a viscous state due to loading and unloading of said shoe insole.
15 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein said shape memory material is coated with silver to impart antibacterial and antifungal properties to said shape memory material.
16 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein said spacer fabric is disposed between an outer surface and an inner surface.
17 . Protective padding according to claim 16 wherein said outer surface comprises the shell of a helmet, and said inner surface comprises a harness for attaching the shell of the helmet to the head of a wearer.
18 . Protective padding according to claim 16 wherein said outer surface comprises a hard plastic.
19 . Protective padding according to claim 16 wherein said inner surface comprises a soft material.
20 . Protective padding according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said spacer fabric is coated with a polymer.
21 . Protective padding according to claim 20 wherein said polymer is Teflon.
22 . Protective padding according to claim 20 wherein said entire spacer fabric is coated with said polymer.
23 . Protective padding according to claim 20 wherein only selected portions of said spacer fabric are coated with said polymer.
24 . Protective padding according to claim 20 wherein said polymer coating is applied to the SMM wire before the SMM wire is knit into the spacer fabric construct.
25 . Protective padding comprising:
an outer surface;
an inner surface; and
a spacer fabric disposed between said outer surface and said inner surface, said spacer fabric comprising a first layer, a second layer, and a plurality of interconnecting filaments extending between said first layer and said second layer;
wherein at least one of said first layer, said second layer and said plurality of interconnecting filaments comprise a shape memory material.