Energy absorbing webbings
AssigneeYKK Corporation of America
InventorsJohn E. Jennings, Timothy M. Russell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tear-away energy absorbing webbing (10) is a one-piece webbing. The tear-away energy absorbing webbing (10) has a top layer load-bearing web (12) and a bottom layer load-bearing web (24). An energy absorbing portion (38) of the webbing has binder yarns (36) interlaced with the top and bottom layer load-bearing webs (12, 14). A sufficiently high load force applied to the webbing breaks the binder yarns (36) and tears apart the top and bottom layer load-bearing webs (12, 14). The energy absorbing portion (38) absorbs energy as it tears apart. The top and bottom layer load-bearing webs (12, 14) support the load force when the shock absorbing portion is torn apart.
Claims27
A shock absorbing fabric structure, comprising:
- (a) a first web having a left first web end and a right first web end;
- (b) a second web having a left second web end and a right second web end;
- (c) a plurality of binder members connecting portions of the first web and the second web to form an energy absorbing portion, the binder members configured to fail upon application of a predetermined tensile load to the shock absorbing fabric structure;
- wherein the first web and the second web are folded and twisted relative to each other such that the left first web end and the right second web end are positioned with respect to each other to form a first shock absorbing fabric structure end and the right first web end and the left second web end are positioned with respect to each other to form a second shock absorbing fabric structure end;
- and
- whereby the binder members are configured to allow, upon application of the predetermined tensile load to the first shock absorbing fabric structure end and the second shock absorbing fabric structure end, at least part of the first web of the energy absorbing portion to separate from the second web of the energy absorbing portion thereby absorbing at least some shock associated with the predetermined tensile load.
A shock absorbing fabric structure, comprising:
- (a) a top layer web having yarns and having a left first web end and a right first web end;
- (b) a bottom layer web having yarns and having a left second web end and a right second web end;
- (c) a plurality of binder yarns connecting portions of the top and bottom layer webs to form an energy absorbing portion, the binder yarns configured to fail upon application of a predetermined tensile load to the shock absorbing fabric structure;
- (d) the top and bottom layer webs and the binder yarns formed together as a one-piece webbing;
- (e) the left first web end of the top layer web and the right second web end of the bottom layer web being positioned with respect to each other to form a first shock absorbing fabric structure end;
- (f) the left second web end of the bottom layer web and the right first web end of the top layer web being positioned with respect to each other to form a second shock absorbing fabric structure end;
- and
- (g) whereby the binder yarns are configured to allow, upon application of the predetermined tensile load to the first shock absorbing fabric structure end and the second shock absorbing fabric structure end, at least part of the top layer web of the energy absorbing portion to separate from the bottom layer web of the energy absorbing portion thereby absorbing at least some shock associated with the predetermined tensile load.
A tear-away shock absorbing fabric structure, comprising:
- a first web having a left first web end and a right first web end;
- a second web having a left second web end and a right second web end;
- and
- a plurality of binder members connecting the first and second webs together at an energy absorbing portion of the tear-away shock absorbing fabric structure;
- wherein the first web and the second web are folded and twisted relative to each other such that the left first web end of the first web is connected to the right second web end of the second web and the right first web end of the first web is connected to the left web second end of the second web.
A tear-away shock absorbing fabric structure, comprising:
- a top side web having a left first web end and a right first web end;
- a bottom side web having a left second web end and a right second web end;
- an exchange portion where a portion of the yarns of the top side web exchanges with a portion of the yarns of the bottom side web;
- and
- binder members connecting the top and bottom side webs together at an energy absorbing portion of the tear-away shock absorbing fabric structure;
- the left first web end of the top side web connected to the right second web end of the bottom side web;
- and
- the left second web end of the bottom side web connected to the right first web end of the top side web.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.