Dedicated seam tape and dedicated accessory fabric for inflatable devices

Abstract

Air- or gas-holding fabrics and improvements to welded seam tapes used to join multiple fabric panels and/or to join accessories to one or more fabric panels. Specifically disclosed is a joining system and method for securing air- or gas-holding panels to one another and/or to joining accessories to one or more panels without causing damage due to overheating the seam area. This disclosure has been found particularly useful with improved lightweight fabrics that would otherwise be more susceptible to damage during welding processes. The disclosed seam tapes and accessory fabrics find particular use in connection with inflatable devices, but may be used in other applications. This disclosure relates to a dedicated seam tape or dedicated accessory fabric that (a) utilizes specialized coatings with a lower melt temperature compared to coatings that are used on inflatable fabric material and/or (b) is manufactured from material that has not been treated to have substantial reflective properties.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.