Woven fabric having a bulging zone and method and apparatus of forming same

A process of weaving a fabric with a three dimensional bulging zone comprising the steps of

• interweaving warp and weft threads to form a fabric and including forming crossing points where the warp threads change from one side of the weft threads to the other side, while
• increasing the density of the crossing points so as to naturally impart a bulging zone in the fabric and including changing draw-off speeds among selected warp threads so as to increase the length of the selected warp threads within the bulging zone, while increasing the separation distance between adjacent warp threads within the bulging zone, and while changing the weave pattern in the bulging zone.

An apparatus adapted for weaving a fabric having a three dimensional bulging zone therein and comprising

• a creel adated to support a plurality of warp thread bobbins,
• a draw-off mechanism for individually drawing off selected lengths of warp threads from the warp bobbins,
• a jacquard head for raising and lowering the warp threads to form the weaving sheds in which weft threads may be laid, said jacquard head having a control for changing the number of threads woven and/or the weave pattern so as to permit a bulging zone to be formed in the fabric.

A fabric comprising interwoven warp and weft threads which define crossing points where the warp threads change from one side of the weft threads to the other side, and wherein the fabric has a density of the crossing points and/or a weave pattern which naturally imparts a three dimensional bulging zone in the fabric,

• wherein the fabric further comprises lengths of the warp yarns in the bulging zone which contribute to the bulging zone in the fabric, and
• wherein selected ones of the warp and weft threads include a thermally or chemically set material, to thereby form a continuous three dimensional rigid matrix in the bulging zone which is reinforced by the remaining threads.

A process of weaving a fabric with a three dimensional bulging zone comprising the steps of

• interweaving warp and weft threads to form a fabric and including forming crossing points where the warp threads change from one side of the weft threads to the other side,
• increasing the density of the crossing points by changing the number of threads and/or changing the weave pattern so as to naturally impart a bulging zone in the fabric, and
• wherein at least one of the interwoven threads is coated and/or soaked with a curable liquid plastic, and comprising the further step of shaping the bulging zone into a desired configuration and then curing the plastic.