# US 7,743,885 B2 · Load bearing system, and an article including such load bearing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,743,885 B2 - Document ID: US7743885B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/452,318 - Filed: 2006-06-14 - Published: 2007-09-13 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-09 - Assignees: Arc'teryx Equipment Inc. - Inventors: Ian Martin; Thomas Walker Clarke Fayle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743885B2 ## CPC - A45F 3/12: Shoulder-pads - D03D 15/587: adhesive; fusible - D03D 25/00: Woven fabrics not otherwise provided for - A62B 35/0025: {Details and accessories} - Y10T 442/102: Woven scrim - A45F: TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY - D03D: WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS - A62B: DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING (valves specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; life-saving devices, apparatus or methods specially adapted for use in water B63C9/00; divers' equipment B63C11/00; specially adopted for use with aircraft, e.g. parachutes, ejector seats, {B64D17/00, B64D25/10}; rescue devices peculiar to mining E21F11/00) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A load bearing system including a load-bearing textile strap, including an article, such as a backpack or a climbing harness, that includes such load bearing system. The strap includes at least one woven portion and at least one non-woven portion. The woven portion has warp yarns extending along a longitudinal direction of the strap interlaced with at least one weft yarn, the woven portion having a first width. In the non-woven portion the warp yarns are spread transversely so that the non-woven portion has a second width greater than the first width of the woven portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A load bearing system comprising: a load-bearing textile strap; said strap comprising a woven portion having warp yarns extending along a longitudinal direction of the strap interlaced with at least one weft yarn, said woven portion of the strap having a first width; said strap having a non-woven portion, said non-woven portion of the strap comprising only at least a portion of the warp yarns; in said non-woven portion of the strap, said warp yarns being transversely spread over a second width greater than said first width of the woven portion; said warp yarns being maintained transversely spread by: adhesive bonding, or being attached to a support surface with stitches. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said warp yarns of said non-woven portion of the strap are maintained transversely spread by adhesive bonding. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said warp yarns of said non-woven portion of the strap are maintained transversely spread by being adhesively bonded to a support surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A load bearing system according to claim 2, wherein: said warp yarns of said non-woven portion of the strap are maintained transversely spread by being adhesively bonded with a film of glue. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said warp yarns of said non-woven portion of the strap are maintained transversely spread by being attached to a support surface with stitches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said non-woven portion of the strap is an end portion of the strap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said non-woven portion of the strap is an intermediate portion of the strap, between two woven portions of the strap, said intermediate portion of the strap having warp yarns extending along a longitudinal direction of the strap interlaced with at least one weft yarn. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said non-woven portion of the strap is encased in a flexible casing. ### Claim 9 A load bearing system comprising: a load-bearing textile strap; said strap comprising a woven portion having warp yarns extending along a longitudinal direction of the strap interlaced with at least one weft yarn, said woven portion of the strap having a first width; said strap having a non-woven portion, said non-woven portion of the strap comprising only at least a portion of the warp yarns; in said non-woven portion of the strap, said warp yarns are spread transversely over a second width greater than said first width of the woven portion; a cushioning pad positioned adjacent said non-woven portion of the strap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A load bearing system according to claim 9, wherein: said cushioning pad is adhesively bonded to the non-woven portion of the strap. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said non-woven portion of the strap includes no weft yarn extending from said woven portion of the strap. ### Claim 12 A load bearing system comprising: a load-bearing textile strap; said strap comprising a woven portion having warp yarns extending along a longitudinal direction of the strap interlaced with at least one weft yarn, said woven portion of the strap having a first width; said strap having a non-woven portion, said non-woven portion of the strap comprising only at least a portion of the warp yarns; in said non-woven portion of the strap, said warp yarns are spread transversely over a second width greater than said first width of the woven portion; said load-bearing strap comprises a strap of a climbing harness. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said load-bearing strap comprises a shoulder strap of a backpack. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said load-bearing strap comprises a waist belt of a backpack. ### Claim 15 A climbing harness comprising: at least one of a waist belt and a pair of leg loops; at least one of the waist belt and the pair of leg loops comprising a load-bearing textile strap; said strap comprising a woven portion having warp yarns extending along a longitudinal direction of the strap interlaced with at least one weft yarn, said woven portion of the strap having a first width; said strap having a non-woven portion, said non-woven portion of the strap comprising only at least a portion of the warp yarns; in said non-woven portion of the strap, said warp yarns are spread transversely over a second width greater than said first width of the woven portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A climbing harness according to claim 15, wherein: the climbing harness comprises said waist belt, said waist belt comprising said load-bearing textile strap. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A climbing harness according to claim 15, wherein: the climbing harness comprises said pair of leg loops, each of said leg loops comprises a load-bearing strap according to claim 15. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said comprising only at least a portion of the warp yarns in said non-woven system consists of all or fewer than all said warp yarns extend through said non-woven portion of the strap; and none of the at least one weft yarn extends within said non-woven portion of the strap. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: said warp yarns of the strap extend continuously along both said woven portion and said non-woven portion of the strap. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A load bearing system according to claim 1, wherein: each of pluralities of adjacent pairs of said warp yarns are spaced apart in said non-woven portion of the strap greater than in the woven portion of the strap. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A method of making the load bearing system according to claim 1, said method comprising: weaving an upstream portion of the strap by interlacing said at least one weft yarn with said warp yarns; interrupting said weaving by discontinuing said interlacing of said at least one weft yarn to thereby create said non-woven portion of said strap. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A method according to claim 21, said method further comprising: after said interrupting said weaving, resuming said weaving to create a downstream portion of the strap. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A method of making the load bearing system according to claim 1, said method comprising: removing every one of at least one weft yarn along a portion of an initially continuously woven strap to produce said non-woven portion of said load-bearing textile strap. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) A method according to claim 21, said method further comprising: spreading apart adjacent pairs of said warp yarns in said non-woven portion of the strap; and securing said adjacent pairs of warp yarns in a spread-apart configuration. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A method according to claim 24, wherein: said securing said adjacent pairs of warp yarns in a spread-apart configuration comprises stitching said spread-apart warp yarns to a support surface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) A method according to claim 24, wherein: said securing said adjacent pairs of warp yarns in a spread-apart configuration comprises adhesively bonding said spread-apart warp yarns to a support surface. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, said method further comprising: spreading apart adjacent pairs of said warp yarns in said non-woven portion of the strap; and securing said adjacent pairs of warp yarns in a spread-apart configuration. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A method according to claim 27, wherein: said securing said adjacent pairs of warp yarns in a spread-apart configuration comprises stitching said spread-apart warp yarns to a support surface. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) A method according to claim 27, wherein: said securing said adjacent pairs of warp yarns in a spread-apart configuration comprises adhesively bonding said spread-apart warp yarns to a support surface. ### Claim 30 A load bearing system comprising: a load-bearing textile strap comprising warp yarns and at least one weft yarn; said strap comprising a woven portion, said woven portion comprising a plurality of adjacent pairs of warp yarns extending along a longitudinal direction of the strap interlaced with said at least one weft yarn; said strap further comprising a non-woven portion, said non-woven portion of the strap comprising no weft yarn; in said non-woven portion of the strap, of said plurality of adjacent pairs of warp yarns being transversely spread apart to provide the non-woven portion of the strap with an increased width relative to a width of the woven portion of the strap; said plurality of adjacent pairs of warp yarns being maintained transversely spread apart by: adhesive bonding, or being attached to a support surface with stitches.