Patent · US Expired

Water barrier of water-swellable clay or other abrasive material sandwiched between interconnected layers of flexible fabric sewn or needled together using a lubricant and/or a liquid adhesive

US5346566A · kind A · utility

63Cited by
12References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 16, 1992
Grant dateSep 13, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 16, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T442/667
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A multi-layer article of manufacture includes an intermediate layer of a water-swellable colloidal clay, such as bentonite, sandwiched between two layers of flexible sheet or fabric material wherein the two flexible layers of sheet or fabric material are structurally interconnected through the intermediate clay layer, such as by needle punching, after lubrication of the clay surface with a liquid, such as water, to interconnect fibers of one fabric layer to the other fabric layer at spaced locations over essentially the entire inner surface areas of both sheet or fabric material layers. In a preferred embodiment, a water-insoluble adhesive is applied to at least one of the fabric layers to lock the interconnecting fibers in place and substantially increase the structural integrity, particularly the shear strength, of the article.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.