# US 11,441,706 B2 · Woven irrigation tubing, apparatus and method of making same

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- Number: US 11,441,706 B2
- Document ID: US11441706B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/536,030
- Filed: 2021-11-28
- Published: 2022-03-17
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-30
- Assignees: Delta Plastics of the South
- Applicants: Delta Plastics of the South
- Inventors: Michael Mitchell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441706B2

## CPC

- F16L 11/087: {three or more layers}
- B29C 48/0018: {combined with shaping by orienting, stretching or shrinking, e.g. film blowing (B29C48/0017 takes precedence)}
- B29C 48/0019: {combined with shaping by flattening, folding or bending}
- B29C 48/0021: {combined with joining, lining or laminating}
- B29C 48/0022: {combined with cutting}
- B29C 48/0023: {combined with printing or marking}
- B29C 48/022: {characterised by the choice of material}
- B29C 48/08: flexible, e.g. films
- B29C 48/151: Coating hollow articles
- B29C 48/21: the layers being joined at their surfaces
- B29C 48/28: Storing of extruded material, e.g. by winding up or stacking
- B29C 48/9135: {of flat articles, e.g. using specially adapted supporting means}
- B29C 48/919: {using a bath, e.g. extruding into an open bath to coagulate or cool the material}
- B29C 48/92: Measuring, controlling or regulating
- B29D 23/00: Producing tubular articles (B29D24/00 takes precedence)
- B32B 27/08: of synthetic resin
- B32B 27/12: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
- B32B 27/32: comprising polyolefins {(comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30)}
- D01D 5/426: {by cutting films}
- D03D 1/00: Woven fabrics designed to make specified articles
- D03D 3/02: Tubular fabrics
- D03D 11/00: Double or multi-ply fabrics not otherwise provided for
- D03D 15/283: synthetic polymer-based, e.g. polyamide or polyester fibres (cellulose-based artificial fibres D03D15/225)
- D03D 15/46: Flat yarns, e.g. tapes or films
- D03J 1/06: for treating fabric (cutting pile on the loom D03D39/24)
- B29C 2793/0036: Slitting
- B29C 2793/009: after shaping
- B29K 2023/0625: {LLDPE, i.e. linear low density polyethylene}
- B29K 2023/0633: {LDPE, i.e. low density polyethylene}
- B29K 2023/065: {HDPE, i.e. high density polyethylene}
- B29L 2007/007: {Narrow strips, e.g. ribbons, tapes, bands (belts B29L2029/00; tapes as carrier of sound or information B29L2017/008)}
- B29L 2007/008: {Wide strips, e.g. films, webs}
- B29L 2023/00: Tubular articles (B29L2024/00 takes precedence {; catheters B29L2031/7542})
- B32B 1/08: Tubular products
- B32B 5/024: {Woven fabric}
- B32B 2250/03: 3 layers
- B32B 2250/242: All polymers belonging to those covered by group B32B27/32
- B32B 2250/40: Symmetrical or sandwich layers, e.g. ABA, ABCBA, ABCCBA
- B32B 2255/02: on fibrous or filamentary layer
- B32B 2255/26: Polymeric coating
- B32B 2262/0253: Polyolefin fibres
- B32B 2307/71: Resistive to light or to UV
- B32B 2307/72: Density
- B32B 2307/732: Dimensional properties
- B32B 2307/75: Printability
- B32B 2323/043: HDPE, i.e. high density polyethylene
- B32B 2323/046: LDPE, i.e. low density polyethylene
- B32B 2410/00: Agriculture-related articles
- B32B 2597/00: Tubular articles, e.g. hoses, pipes
- D10B 2321/021: polyethylene
- D10B 2505/20: for civil engineering, e.g. geotextiles
- F16L 11/02: made of fibres or threads, e.g. of textile
- F16L 11/10: with reinforcements not embedded in the wall (F16L11/11 takes precedence)
- F16L 11/12: with arrangements for particular purposes, e.g. specially profiled, with protecting layer, heated, electrically conducting (F16L11/11 takes precedence)
- Y02A 40/22: Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
- D03D: WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS
- D03J: AUXILIARY WEAVING APPARATUS; WEAVERS' TOOLS; SHUTTLES
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

Woven irrigation tubing comprising a woven, extrusion coated & laminated tube formed of a high density polyethylene (HDPE) outer layer, a low density polyethylene (LDPE) middle layer and a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) inner layer. The finished tubing is treated for ultraviolet resistance. The tubing is tied off at a distal end with a proximal end connected to a pressurized irrigation source. Watering holes are created in the tubing at spaced intervals and the resulting water streams are directed into parallel plowed furrows. The tubing is completely recyclable. The tubing is formed by manufacturing tape for the woven outer tubing cover, stretching the tape along its length to strengthen it, weaving the outer layer from the tape, flattening the woven outer layer, extrusion coating each surface of the outer layer with LDPE, laminating the LLDPE inner layer to the LDPE, reversing and winding the tubing for storage and distribution.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for making woven irrigation tubing, comprising:
HDPE resin;
an extruder for said HDPE resin;
instruments to monitor pressure and flow rates for said extruder;
a flat die for said extruder suitable for forming extruded sheets of HDPE resin;
a quenching tank for cooling said extruded sheets of HDPE resin;
a slitter for slitting said extruded sheets of HDPE resin into tape;
a tentering frame machine for stretching said tape along its length to increase longitudinal tape strength of said tape;
a first winding machine and storage bobbins for winding said tape onto said storage bobbins for further processing;
loom unwind stations for positioning said wound storage bobbins prior to weaving;
a circular loom for weaving said tape stored on said storage bobbins into a continuous woven seamless tube;
a tubing flattener for flattening said woven seamless tube;
a second winding machine for winding said flattened woven seamless tube onto a master storage roll;
LDPE resin;
LLDPE film;
an extrusion coating laminating apparatus for coating a middle layer of LDPE onto upper and lower surfaces of said flattened woven seamless tube, forming upper and lower LDPE layers and for laminating an inside layer of LLDPE film onto said middle layer of LDPE, forming upper and lower LLDPE layers;
a third winding machine for winding said coated and laminated woven tubing onto a roll;
a series of support cradles for supporting linked stacks of said coated and laminated woven tube from an unwound roll that have been folded into said linked stacks of a first predetermined size so that the tube may be pulled over itself and turned inside out, forming a reversed tube; and
a fourth winding machine for winding said reversed tube onto a roll.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for making woven irrigation tubing, as described in claim 1, further comprising:
a printer for printing a logo or other information on at least one of said upper and lower LLDPE layers, forming a printed tube; and
a fifth winding machine for winding the printed tube onto a roll.

### Claim 3

A method of making woven irrigation tubing, comprising the steps of:
providing HDPE resin;
providing an extruder with a flat die;
melting said HDPE resin in said extruder, forming a melted resin;
monitoring pressure and flow of said melted resin in said extruder;
extruding said melted resin through said flat die to form an extruded sheet;
providing a quenching tank:
cooling said extruded sheet in said quenching tank;
providing a slitter;
slitting said extruded sheet in said slitter to form a tape;
providing a tentering frame machine;
stretching said tape using said tentering frame machine to increase longitudinal strength of said tape, forming a stretched tape;
providing at least one storage bobbin and a first winding machine;
winding said stretched tape onto said at least one storage bobbin;
providing at least one loom unwind station;
loading said at least one storage bobbin onto said at least one loom unwind station;
providing a circular loom;
threading said stretched tape on said at least one storage bobbin through said circular loom;
weaving said stretched tape into a continuous woven seamless tube using said circular loom;
providing a tubing flattener;
flattening said continuous woven seamless tube;
providing a second winding machine for winding said flattened woven seamless tube onto a master storage roll;
providing LDPE resin;
providing LLDPE film;
providing an extrusion coating laminating machine;
laminating a middle layer of LDPE onto upper and lower surfaces of said flattened woven seamless tube, forming upper and lower LDPE layers and laminating an inside layer of LLDPE film onto said middle layer of LDPE, forming upper and lower LLDPE layers;
providing a third winding machine;
winding said coated and laminated woven tubing onto a roll;
providing a series of support cradles;
supporting linked stacks of said coated and laminated woven tube from an unwound roll that have been folded into said linked stacks of a first predetermined size so that the tube may be pulled over itself and turned inside out, forming a reversed tube;
providing a fourth winding machine; and
winding said reversed tube onto a roll.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of making woven irrigation tubing, as described in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:
providing a printer;
printing a logo or other information on at least one of said upper and lower LLDPE layers, forming a printed tube;
providing a fifth winding machine;
winding said printed tube onto a roll.