US 7,598,187 B2
	Reinforcing mat having thermally fused stitching
Colin J. Hallam, Phenix City, Ala. (US); Derrell M. Winowich, Phenix City, Ala. (US); and Louis Kevin Horne, Opelika, Ala. (US)
Assigned to The Garland Company, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio (US)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/112,783.
Application 11/112783 is a continuation of application No. 10/240155, filed on Sep. 27, 2002, abandoned.
Application 10/240155 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US01/21508, filed on Jul. 09, 2001, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/216607, filed on Jul. 07, 2000.
Prior Publication US 2005/0197025 A1, Sep. 08, 2005
Int. Cl. D04H 3/05 (2006.01); D04H 1/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 442—367  [442/361; 442/364; 428/296.7]

18 Claims

1. A mat for reinforcing composite materials comprising a plurality of first and second sets of fibers, each of said first and second set of fibers include a plurality of fibers, glass ravings or combinations thereof, said plurality of said first set of fibers laid as a ply in spaced apart parallel relationship in a direction of construction, said plurality of said second set of fibers laid as a ply in spaced apart parallel relationship in a direction non-parallel to said direction of construction wherein said plurality of said second set of fibers has a position relative to said plurality of said first set of fibers to form a plurality of interstices, and a filament at least partially knitted into a plurality of said interstices to provide stability to said plurality of said first and second set of fibers, said filament encircling a plurality of said fibers in one of said first sets of fibers and a plurality of fibers in one of said second set of fibers at said interstices of said first and second set of fibers so as to at least partially secure said plurality of fibers together at said interstices, said filament including an outer surface having a lower melting point than said plurality of said first and second set of fibers, said filament thermally fused together at overlapping regions of said filament at said interstices to form a plurality of closed loops about a plurality of fibers in each of said first and second set of fibers, said plurality of fibers of said first and second set of fibers being in a non-melted state relative to one another, at least a portion of said fibers are not bonded with said filament.