Seat belt webbing double faced with ribs

Abstract

A webbing for seat belts having a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with a plurality of weft yarns which are inserted through a shed in the warp yarns is provided. The warp yarns include a first group and a second group, with the second group of warp yarns having a higher density across a portion of the width of the shed than the warp yarns of the first group. At least some of the warp yarns in the second group are separated from one another by the warp yarns of the first group. The webbing has two faces and is flexible from a first, generally flat position to a second, flexed position. When the webbing is in the generally flat position, the first and second groups of warp yarns on one fabric face define a generally smooth surface. When the webbing is in the second, flexed position in which a first portion of the one fabric face is separated from a second portion of the one fabric face by a transition area, and the first portion is positioned generally at an angle α of less than 180° from the second portion of the one fabric face, at least a portion of the second group of warp yarns in the transition area protrude at least partially from the generally smooth surface to define a plurality of ribs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.