HIGH SPEED THREE-DIMENSIONAL WEAVING METHOD AND MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(22) Filed: Mar 23, 2001 A method and machine for high Speed formation of a 7 three-dimensional woven fiber Structure having at least two (51) Int. Cl.' ..................................................... DoD 41/00 warp yarn Systems having approximately Zero crimp and at (52) U.S. Cl. ......................................... 139/11; 139/DIG. 1 least three filling yarns having approximately Zero crimp, (58) Field of Search ................................. 139/11, DIG. 1, wherein the warp and filling yarns are non-interlacing with 139/383 R each other, and are Secured as an integral fabric via at least one vertical or Z yarn System and the warp yarn Systems (56) References Cited provided to be positioned via harness frames. The 3-D U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS woven fabric of the present invention is fabricated on a 3-D : weaving machine having rapier filling insertion that pro 4,019,954 : 4/1977 Holman et al. ........................ 139/20 vides filling yarn insertions in unique shed openings in Series 5,085,252 : 2/1992 Mohamed et al. ..................... 139/22 to produce a complete filling insertion cycle for every E. E. N.S. m. E movement of z-direction yarn harnesses. 5,399,418 * 3/1995 Hartmanns et al. ... 428/218 5,449,025 * 9/1995 Weinberg ............................... 139/11 13 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets