# US 2014/0196596 A1 · Rope having a low-friction strand > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196596 A1 - Document ID: US20140196596A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/155,317 - Filed: 2014-01-14 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-14 - Assignees: Actuant Corporation - Applicants: Actuant Corporation - Inventors: Luis S. Padilla; Philip Samuel Bull; Randy S. Longerich; Aaron M. Vodnick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196596A1 ## CPC - D07B 1/04: with a core of fibres or filaments arranged parallel to the centre line - D04C 1/12: Cords, lines, or tows - D07B 1/025: {comprising high modulus, or high tenacity, polymer filaments or fibres, e.g. liquid-crystal polymers} - D07B 2201/1012: characterised by their internal structure - D07B 2201/1014: characterised by being laid or braided from several sub-ropes or sub-cables, e.g. hawsers - D07B 2201/102: including a core - D07B 2201/1024: Structures that change the cross-sectional shape - D07B 2201/1096: braided - D07B 2201/2036: characterised by the use of different wires or filaments - D07B 2201/2044: comprising polymers - D07B 2201/2055: comprising filaments or fibers - D07B 2201/2057: resulting in a twisted structure - D07B 2201/2066: characterised by the materials used - D07B 2201/2067: characterised by the elongation or tension behaviour - D07B 2205/2014: High performance polyolefins, e.g. Dyneema or Spectra - D07B 2205/2042: High performance polyesters, e.g. Vectran - D07B 2205/205: Aramides - D07B 2205/2064: Polyurethane resins - D07B 2205/2071: Fluor resins - D07B 2401/207: internally - D07B: ROPES OR CABLES IN GENERAL (joining ropes or cables to one another or to other objects B65H69/00, F16G11/00; {mountaineering ropes A63B29/02}; mechanical finishing or dressing of ropes D02J; {braiding D04C}; decorative ropes or cords D04D; suspension cables for bridges E01D19/16; specially adapted for driving, or for being driven by, pulleys or other gearing elements F16G9/00; electric cables or joints insofar as electrical aspects are essential H01B, H01R) - D04C: BRAIDING OR MANUFACTURE OF LACE, INCLUDING BOBBIN-NET OR CARBONISED LACE; BRAIDING MACHINES; BRAID; LACE (machines for making soles from strips of material A43D29/00; cane working B27J1/00) ## Abstract A rope and a method of constructing the rope. The rope may be of 12×12 braided construction and include a core for its length. The rope includes a plurality of primary strands, and each of the primary strands includes a plurality of fibers which may be made of a high-friction material. The rope also includes a secondary strand surrounded by the plurality of primary strands. The secondary strand includes a plurality of fibers which may be made of a low-friction material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rope comprising: a plurality of primary strands each including a plurality of fibers comprising a high-friction material, the plurality of primary strands defining an outer surface and a longitudinal center passageway of the rope; and a secondary strand disposed within the longitudinal center passageway of the rope and including a plurality of structurally stable fibers, the material of the plurality of fibers of the secondary strand including a non-flowable, low-friction material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein the low-friction material is configured to remain in the longitudinal center passageway of the rope and does not creep or flow to the outer surface of the rope. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein the secondary strand is separated from the outer surface by at least one of the plurality of primary strands at all positions along a length of the rope. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein the low-friction material includes one of low-friction ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, modified polytetrafluoroethylene, fluorinated ethylenepropylene, ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene, and a perfluoroalkoxy polymer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein the low-friction material has a strength lower than the high-friction material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein the high-friction material has a strength higher than the low-friction material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein the high-friction material includes one of a recrystallized high modulus polyethylene, a liquid crystal polymer, a gel-spun polyethylene, an aramid, a para-aramid, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and a nylon. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary strands forms a braid around the secondary strand. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein the entire secondary strand includes the non-flowable, low-friction material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The rope of claim 1, wherein each of the primary strands are free of low-friction fibers. ### Claim 11 A rope comprising: a plurality of outer strands together defining an outermost surface of the rope and a longitudinally-extending center passageway of the rope, the plurality of outer strands each including a plurality of fibers, the plurality of fibers including a high-friction material defining a first coefficient of friction with itself; a core strand disposed within the longitudinally-extending center passageway of the rope and separated from the outermost surface by at least one of the plurality of outer strands at all positions along a length of the rope, the core strand including a plurality of structurally stable fibers, the plurality of structurally stable fibers including a non-flowable, low-friction material defining a second coefficient of friction with the high-friction material, the second coefficient of friction being less than the first coefficient of friction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The rope of claim 11, wherein the core strand is disposed within the longitudinally-extending center passageway over the length of the rope. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The rope of claim 11, wherein the low-friction material includes one of low-friction ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, modified polytetrafluoroethylene, fluorinated ethylenepropylene, ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene, ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene, and a perfluoroalkoxy polymer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The rope of claim 11, wherein the low-friction material has a strength lower than the high-friction material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The rope of claim 11, wherein the high-friction material includes one of a recrystallized high modulus polyethylene, a liquid crystal polymer, a gel-spun polyethylene, an aramid, a para-aramid, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and a nylon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The rope of claim 11, wherein the high-friction material has a strength higher than the low-friction material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The rope of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of outer strands has a first diameter, and wherein the core strand has a second diameter at most one-third of the first diameter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The rope of claim 11, wherein the plurality of outer strands forms a braid around the core strand. ### Claim 19 A rope comprising: twelve outer strands together defining a longitudinally-extending center passageway of the rope, the twelve outer strands being braided in a single braid pattern, each of the twelve outer strands including twelve sub-strands braided in a single braid pattern, and each of the sub-strands including a plurality of synthetic fibers; and a core strand disposed in the longitudinally-extending center passageway over the length of the rope, the core strand including a plurality of fibers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The rope of claim 19, wherein the plurality of synthetic fibers of the twelve outer strands include a high-friction material defining a first coefficient of friction with itself, and wherein the plurality of fibers of the core strand includes a low-friction material defining a second coefficient of friction with the high-friction material, the second coefficient of friction being less than the first coefficient of friction. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The rope of claim 20, wherein the high-friction material has a strength higher than the low-friction material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The rope of claim 20, wherein the plurality of fibers of the core strand include a non-flowable, low-friction material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The rope of claim 22, wherein the low-friction material has a strength lower than the high-friction material. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The rope of claim 22, wherein the entire core strand is formed of the non-flowable, low-friction material.