Covered fabric comprising tubular elements

Abstract

 An improved covered or coupled fabric particularly for coverings, tensile structures, trucks, inflatable products in general, air conveyance, water containment, including a support (10) made of fabric which is spread with, or coupled to, a compact or non-compact elastomer or plastomer compound (11,12); in one or more regions the support is parted by dividing the weft and/or warp threads into two independently-woven groups (10a,10b), forming tubular elements (13) for the insertion of straps or other flexible or rigid elements, or for inflation or filling with water.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved covered or coupled fabric particularly useful for coverings, tensile structures, tent-like structures, trucks, inflatable products in general (such as dinghies, rescue rafts, lifting balloons, etc.), air conveyance (such as pipes, mines, etc.), and water containment (such as tanks, etc.).

[0002] Heavy-duty fabrics spread with plastic and non-plastic materials are extensively used in the technology of manufacturing large coverings.

[0003] This is the case in the construction of tent-like structures and tensile structures, pressure domes, truck body coverings and of other kinds of similar coverings.

[0004] For some kinds of coverings, in particular for those of truck bodies, the covered fabric is used in combination with straps, cables or other flexible elements which pass through regions thereof.

[0005] In these cases, in order to keep the straps in position so that they can best perform their functions, bands of fabric are applied onto the fabric for coverings and are laterally welded to form pockets through which the straps are then passed, or the straps are welded or stitched directly onto the fabric.

[0006] This entails an enormous amount of work.

[0007] Furthermore, strength is not optimum in the regions where the applied fabrics and the main support join.

[0008] A principal aim of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks described above in known types of fabrics for coverings and to considerably simplify manufacture thereof.

[0009] A further aim of the invention is to provide a covered or coupled fabric with tubular regions having high mechanical strength.

[0010] Another aim is to provide a covered or coupled fabric which can be manufactured with conventional equipment and facilities.

[0011] With these and other aims in view, there is provided, according to the present invention, an improved covered or coupled fabric comprising a support made of fabric spread with an elastomer or plastomer or foamed compound, characterized in that in one or more regions said support is parted by dividing the weft and/or warp threads into two independently-woven groups, forming tubes for the insertion of straps or other flexible or rigid elements, or for inflation or filling with liquids.

[0012] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of fabric according to the invention;

figure 2 is an enlarged-scale perspective partially cut-out sectional view of a detail of the fabric according to the present invention;

figure 3 is an enlarged-scale plan view of the fabric of figure 1.

[0013] With reference to figure 1, the invention is composed of a support 10 made of fabric, for example heavy-duty polyester or polyamide or polypropylene, which is covered on both faces with a spreading or coating, produced in one or more passes which form layers 11 and 12 of a foamed or non-foamed elastomer and plastomer compound.

[0014] According to the invention, in one or more regions the support 10 is parted by dividing the weft and/or warp threads into two groups 10a and 10b which are woven independently, forming tubular elements 13.

[0015] For example, if the support 10 is formed with ten weft threads and ten warp threads, in said regions it is divided into groups with five weft threads and five warp threads woven independently.

[0016] The woven groups 10a and 10b are thus spread only on one face.

[0017] Thus, in the points where the tubular elements 13 assume the normal structure of the fabric, the strength of the assembly is particularly high, since there is continuity between the threads of the double-weave regions and the two independently-woven groups.

[0018] In practice it has been observed that the intended aims of the present invention have been achieved.

[0019] The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

[0020] Thus, for example, the two independently-woven groups may have a different number of weft and warp threads.

[0021] All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

[0022] In practice, the materials employed, so long as they are compatible with the contingent use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements.

[0023] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. Improved covered or coupled fabric particularly for coverings, tensile structures, tent-like structures, trucks, inflatable products in general, air conveyance, and water containment, comprising a support (10) made of fabric spread with, or coupled to, foamed or non-foamed elastomers or plastomers (11,12), characterized in that one or more regions of said support is parted by dividing the weft and/or warp threads into two independently-woven groups (10a,10b), forming tubular elements (13) or a single tube.

2. Fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that said support (10) is made of polyester or polyamide or polypropylene or equivalent materials.

3. Fabric according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said spreading or coupling (11,12) is provided by means of foamed or non-foamed elastomers or plastomers.

4. Fabric according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said independently-woven groups (10a,10b) forming said tubular elements (12) is spread or coupled on a single outer face.

Drawing