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US 7,039,991 B2Granted
Vehicle safety device
AssigneeScott & Fyfe Limited
InventorsDavid Donald Phin, Stewart Alasdair Liddell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inflatable element in the form of a tension tube, and method of making same. The method involves forming a tube by a knitting process, then heatsetting the tube whilst simultaneously maintaining it under lengthwise tension. The tension in the tube is maintained during cooling of the tube. An option relaxation stage may also be included.
Claims18
A method of making a tension tube, said method comprising:
- forming a tube by a knitting process using synthetic yarn;
- heating the knitted tube to a first temperature and generally simultaneously tensioning the tube in a lengthwise direction to a first tension value to achieve a setting of the knitted tube;
- and
- after heating the knitted tube to the first temperature, heating the tube to a second temperature lower than the first temperature and generally simultaneously tensioning the tube in a lengthwise direction to a second tension value lower than the first tension value to achieve a relaxation of the knitted tube,
- whereby the strength and tension generating performance of the knitted tube when inflated is improved.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.