MULTILAYERED, BRAIDED TUBULAR SLEEVE AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF

Abstract

A multilayered tubular sleeve including a braided tubular inner wall extending about a central axis between opposite first and second inner end portions and a braided tubular outer wall extending about the central axis between opposite first and second outer end portions. The first inner end portion is bonded to the first outer end portion by a first bond joint, and the second inner end portion is bonded to the second outer end portion by a second bond joint, with the inner wall being detached from the outer wall over a length extending between the first and second bond joints.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates generally to textile sleeves for protecting elongate members, and more particularly to multilayered, braided tubular sleeves.

2. Related Art

It is known to contain elongate members, such as wires, wire harnesses, cables and conduits of various types in braided sleeves to provide protection to the elongate members against impact and abrasion, fluid and thermal affects. In applications where high impact resistance is needed to prevent damage to the sleeve and the contents therein, both wrappable and circumferentially continuous, tubular sleeves are known. Wrappable sleeves require secondary features to secure them about the elongate member being protected, such as clamps, straps, tapes and the like, and thus, additional labor and time is required during assembly, thereby increasing the cost of assembly. Further, having to keep the secondary features in stock is costly. Further yet, the secondary feature presents a possibility of coming undone during use, thereby potentially risking direct exposure of the elongate member to environmental effects. In addition, wrappable sleeves typically have a non-uniform thickness with opposite edges being overlapped, and thus, the outer envelop of the sleeve has an increased thickness region that can prevent it from being used in tight areas, or otherwise make assembly difficult. Another drawback to wrappable sleeves is the need to keep different sizes in stock for different diameter applications, and this further increases inventory and cost.

With regard to circumferentially continuous, tubular sleeves, in order to provide the desired impact resistance, it is generally necessary to form the wall being relatively thick, and thus, taking away from the ability to use the sleeve in relatively tight spaces. Where high impact resistance is needed, challenges exist in making a wall thick enough to provide the desired impact resistance, while at the same time remaining high flexible to enable the sleeve to be routed around sharp corners and over meandering paths.

Accordingly, what is needed is a sleeve that provides enhanced protection to an elongate member contained therein, particularly against impact, abrasion and contamination, is flexible, is easy to assemble, is economical in manufacture and assembly, and exhibits a long and useful life.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention provides a multilayered tubular sleeve including a braided tubular inner wall extending about a central axis between opposite first and second inner end portions. The sleeve has a braided tubular outer wall extending about the central axis between opposite first and second outer end portions. The first inner end portion is bonded to the first outer end portion by a first bond joint, and the second inner end portion is bonded to the second outer end portion by a second bond joint, with the inner wall being substantially detached from the outer wall over a length extending between the first and second bond joints.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, at least one of the braided tubular inner wall and the braided tubular outer wall is braided with heat-settable yarns, the heat-settable yarns being heat-set to bias the at least one braided tubular inner wall and the braided tubular outer wall into a cylindrical tube.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each of the braided tubular inner wall and the braided tubular outer wall is braided with heat-settable yarns, the heat-settable yarns being heat-set to bias the braided tubular inner wall and the braided tubular outer wall into a cylindrical tube.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the braided tubular inner wall and the braided tubular outer wall are braided including different colored yarns from one another, with one of the color signifying a function, such as electrical (high voltage) wiring.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first inner end is heat-fused to the first outer end, and the second inner end is heat-fused to the second outer end.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the inner wall is entirely detached from the outer wall over the entirety of the length extending between the opposite first and second inner ends and the opposite first and second outer ends, thereby allowing the inner and outer walls to expand and contract independently from one another and to move relative to one another, thereby increasing the impact resistance strength of the wall.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, one of the braided tubular inner wall and the braided tubular outer wall can be braided with 100% recycled material yarns, and the other of the braided tubular inner wall and the braided tubular outer wall can be braided with 100% virgin material yarns.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the multilayered tubular can include a braided tubular intermediate wall extending about a central axis between an open first intermediate end portion and an opposite open second intermediate end portion, with the tubular intermediate wall being substantially detached from the tubular inner and outer walls over a length extending between the first and second bond joints.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a multilayered tubular sleeve consists of a braided tubular inner wall extending about a central axis between opposite first and second inner end portions and a braided tubular outer wall extending about the central axis between opposite first and second outer end portions. The first inner end portion is bonded to the first outer end portion by a first bond joint, and the second inner end portion is bonded to the second outer end portion by a second bond joint, with the inner wall being substantially detached from the outer wall over a length extending between the first and second bond joints.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method of constructing a multilayered tubular sleeve includes: braiding a tubular inner wall extending about a central axis between opposite first and second inner ends; braiding a tubular outer wall over the tubular inner wall in an overbraiding operation, with the tubular outer wall extending about the central axis between opposite first and second outer ends; bonding the first inner end to the first outer end, and bonding the second inner end to the second outer end; and leaving the inner wall detached from the outer wall over a length L extending between the opposite first and second inner ends and the opposite first and second outer ends.

The method can further include bonding the first inner end to the first outer end in a hot cutting operation, and bonding the second inner end to the second outer end in a hot cutting operation.

The method can further include heat-forming at least one of the tubular outer wall and the tubular inner wall in a heat-rounding process to maintain the wall in a cylindrical tube shape.

The method can further include bonding the first inner end to the first outer end in a hot cutting operation, and bonding the second inner end to the second outer end in a hot cutting operation.

The method can further include braiding a tubular intermediate wall about the tubular inner wall in an overbraiding operation prior to overbraiding the tubular outer wall, with the tubular intermediate wall extending between an open first intermediate end portion and an opposite open second intermediate end portion, and bonding the first intermediate end portion to the inner end portion and the first outer end portion with the first bond joint, and bonding the second intermediate end portion to the second inner end portion and the outer end portion with the second bond joint, and leaving the tubular intermediate wall detached from the tubular inner wall and the tubular outer wall over a length extending between the first and second bond joints.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, features and advantages will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments and best mode, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a tubular, multilayered braided sleeve shown in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure disposed about an elongate member to be protected;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the tubular, multilayered braided sleeve taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a tubular, multilayered braided sleeve constructed in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring in more detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a multilayered, braided protective tubular sleeve, referred to hereafter as sleeve 10, constructed in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure. In FIG. 1, the sleeve 10 is shown disposed about an elongate member 12 to be protected. The sleeve 10 has an elongate, multilayered, braided wall 14 having a circumferentially continuous, tubular outer wall 14a and a circumferentially continuous, tubular inner wall 14b bounding an inner cavity 16 extending along a central longitudinal axis 18 between opposite open ends 19, 20. It is to be understood that by being circumferentially continuous and tubular, that the outer and inner walls 14a, 14b do not have lengthwise extending free side edges, but rather are seamless such that the wall 14 cannot be unwrapped or opened along its length. The outer wall 14a extends about the central axis 18 between opposite first and second outer ends 24a, 24b and the inner wall 14b extends about the central axis 18 between opposite first and second inner ends 26a, 26b. The first inner end 26a or a first inner end portion (“portion” hereafter is intended to span a distance including the immediate first and second ends 26a, 26b, as well as a distance spanning a length extending from the first and second ends 26a, 26b along the central longitudinal axis 18 of the sleeve 10 between about 0.1-25 mm) is bonded to the first outer end 24a or a first outer end portion by a first bond joint 22a, and the second inner end 26b or a second inner end portion is bonded to the second outer end 24b or a second outer end portion by a second bond joint 22b. The first and second bond joints 22a, 22b, in accordance with one non-limiting aspect, can extend circumferentially about the wall 14, and further yet, can extend about the entirety of the circumference of the wall 14. The inner wall 14b is entirely detached from the outer wall 14a over a length L extending between the first bond joint 22a and the opposite second bond joint 22b, thereby allowing the inner wall 14b and the outer wall 14a to move, expand and contract, independently from one another. The ability of the inner wall 14b and the outer wall 14a to expand and contract independently from one another increases the flexibility of the sleeve 10, and also increases the impact resistance strength of the wall 14 by allowing the outer and inner walls 14a, 14b to move relative to one another and better absorb an impact force. The outer wall 14a can be overbraided about the inner wall 14b, wherein each wall 14a, 14b can have the same or substantially the same diameter, thereby minimizing the profile of the sleeve 10 for tight space applications, or different diameters, as desired.

At least one of the braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a is braided with heat-settable, also referred to as heat-formable, yarns. The heat-settable yarns are subsequently heat-set to bias and maintain the at least one braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a into a cylindrical tube, thereby simplifying assembly of the sleeve 10 over the elongate member 12. In accordance with one non-limitation aspect, the braided tubular inner wall 14b is braided with heat-settable yarns that are subsequently heat-set, and the braided tubular outer wall 14a is braided with non-heat-settable yarns, wherein the heat-set yarns of the inner wall 14b bias and maintain the braided tubular outer wall 14a into a cylindrical tube, also referred to as tubular shape. In accordance with another non-limitation aspect, each of the braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a is braided in their entirety with heat-settable yarns, with the heat-settable yarns being heat-set to bias and maintain the braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a in a cylindrical tubular shape, thereby maximizing the tubular crush strength of the sleeve 10. The heat-settable and non-heat-settable yarns can be provided as multifilaments and/or monofilaments, with the heat-settable yarns being provided of at least one or more of PET, nylon, PP, PE, PPS, and PEEK yarns. The denier of the multifilament yarns can range from 50 to 10000. It has been found that relatively bulky multifilaments provide the increased loft to further facilitate dampening impact forces, while also enhancing flexibility of the sleeve 10. The number of yarn ends can be adjusted as desired for the intended application. It is contemplated herein that the denier (multifilaments) and/or diameter (monofilaments) of the yarns used to braid the outer wall 14a can be different from the denier and/or diameter used to braid the inner wall 14b, as desired.

In accordance with one aspect, the first inner end 26a or end portion is heat-fused to the first outer end 24a or end portion to form the first bond joint 22a, and the second inner end 26b or end portion is heat-fused to the second outer end 24b or end portion to form the second bond joint 22b. The heat-fusing can be performed in a cutting operation used to cut the wall 14 of the sleeve 10 to the desired length. A hot wire cutter can be used to perform the hot cutting operation. To maximize the strength of the circumferentially extending bond joints 22a, 22b, the outer and inner walls 14a, 14b can both be formed having heat-settable/heat-fusible yarns, and further yet, can both be formed entirely of heat-settable yarns/heat-fusible yarns, thereby maximizing the amount of fused material forming the first and second bond joints 22a, 22a.

The braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a can be braided including different colored yarns from one another. As such, different colored yarns can be used to signify different functions, such as, for example, the color of one wall, such as the outer wall 14a, can be colored to signify high voltage to alert a person viewing the sleeve 10 by providing the wall 14a having orange yarns, while the other wall, such as the inner wall 14b can be formed of a standard, lower cost black color yarns or otherwise, thereby maximizing the cost effectiveness of making the sleeve 10.

In accordance with another aspect, one of the braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a can be braided at least in part with 100% recycled material yarns, and the other of the braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a can be braided at least in part with 100% virgin material yarns. Further, the entirety of one of the braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a can be braided with 100% recycled material yarns, and the entirety of the braided tubular inner wall 14b and the braided tubular outer wall 14a can be braided with 100% virgin material yarns.

In accordance with another aspect, a method of constructing a multilayered tubular sleeve 10 includes: braiding a tubular inner wall 14b extending about a central axis 18 between opposite first and second inner ends 26a, 26b; and braiding a tubular outer wall 14a over the tubular inner wall 14b in an overbraiding operation, with the tubular outer wall 14a extending about the central axis 18 between opposite first and second outer ends 24a, 24b; and bonding the first inner end 26a to the first outer end 24a with a first bond joint 22a, and bonding the second inner end 26b to the second outer end 24b with a second bond joint 22b, and leaving the inner wall 14b detached from the outer wall 14a over a length L extending between the first bond joint 22a and the second bond joint 22b.

The method can further include bonding the first inner end portion 26a to the first outer end portion 24a in a hot cutting operation, and bonding the second inner end portion 26b to the second outer end portion 24b in a hot cutting operation.

The method can further include heat-forming at least one or both of the tubular outer wall 14a and the tubular inner wall 14b in a heat-rounding, also referred to as heat-forming or heat-shaping, process to maintain the wall 14 in a cylindrical tube shape.

The method can further include bonding the first inner end portion 26a to the first outer end portion 24a in a hot cutting operation, and bonding the second inner end portion 26b to the second outer end portion 24b in a hot cutting operation.

The method can further include braiding the tubular inner wall 14b and the tubular outer wall 14a including different colored yarns from one another, with the different colored yarns representing different types of protection from one another.

In FIG. 3, another embodiment of a multilayered, braided protective tubular sleeve, referred to hereafter as sleeve 110, constructed in accordance with the disclosure is shown, wherein the same reference numerals, offset by a factor of 100, are used to identify like features.

The sleeve 110 has an elongate, multilayered, braided wall 114 having a circumferentially continuous, tubular outer wall 114a, a circumferentially continuous, tubular inner wall 114b bounding an inner cavity 116, and at least one circumferentially continuous, tubular intermediate wall 114c, extending along a central longitudinal axis 118 between opposite open ends 119, 120. It is to be understood that by being circumferentially continuous and tubular, that the outer, inner, and intermediate walls 114a, 114b, 114c do not have lengthwise extending free side edges, but rather are seamless such that the wall 114 cannot be unwrapped or opened along its length. The outer wall 114a extends about the central axis 118 between opposite first and second outer ends 124a, 124b, the inner wall 114b extends about the central axis 118 between opposite first and second inner ends 126a, 126b, and the at least one, and shown, by way of example and without limitation as a single intermediate wall 114c, extends about the central axis 118 between opposite first and second intermediate ends 128a, 128b. The first inner end 126a is bonded to the first outer end 124a and to the first intermediate end 128a along a circumferentially extending bond joint 122a, and the second inner end 126b is bonded to the second outer end 124b and to the second intermediate end 128b along a circumferentially extending bond joint 122b. The inner wall 114b, the outer wall 114a, and the intermediate wall 114c are entirely detached from one another over a length L extending between the bond joints 122a, 122b, thereby allowing the inner wall 114b, the outer wall 114a, and the intermediate wall 114c to slide axially and expand and contract independently from one another. The ability to slide axially and expand and contract independently from one another increases the impact resistance strength of the wall 114 by allowing the walls 114a, 114b, 114c to move and shift relative to one another and better absorb an impact force. The intermediate wall 114c can be overbraided about the inner wall 114b, and the outer wall 114a can be overbraided about the intermediate wall 114c, wherein each wall 114a, 114b, 114c can be braided having the same or substantially the same diameter. However, to facilitate increasing impact resistance and flexibility, the diameter of the intermediate wall 114c can be overbraided having a slightly greater diameter than the inner wall 114b, and the outer wall 114a can be overbraided having a slightly greater diameter than the intermediate wall 114c, thereby providing a slight gap between the respective walls 114a, 114b, 114c to allow for relative movement between the walls 114a, 114b, 114c during impact and during bending.

In accordance with another aspect, a method of constructing a multilayered tubular sleeve 10, 110 includes: braiding a tubular inner wall 14b, 114b extending about a central axis 18, 118 between opposite first and second inner ends 26a, 26b; 126a, 126b; and braiding a tubular outer wall 14a, 114b over the tubular inner wall 14b, 114b in an overbraiding operation, with the tubular outer wall 14a, 114a extending about the central axis 18, 118 between opposite first and second outer ends 24a, 24b; 124a, 124b, and bonding the first inner end 26a, 126a to the first outer end 24a, 124a at a first bond joint 22a, 122a, and bonding the second inner end 26b, 126b to the second outer end 24b, 124b at a second bond joint 22b, 122b, and leaving the inner wall 14b, 114b entirely detached from the outer wall 14a, 114a over a length L extending between the bond joints 22a, 122a; 22b, 122b.

The method can further include bonding the first inner end 26a, 126a to the first outer end 24a, 124a in a hot cutting operation, and bonding the second inner end 26b, 126b to the second outer end 24b, 124b in a hot cutting operation.

The method can further include heat-forming at least one or both of the tubular outer wall 14a, 114a and the tubular inner wall 14b, 114b in a heat-rounding process to maintain the wall 14, 114 in a cylindrical tube shape.

The method can further include bonding the first inner end 26a, 126a to the first outer end 24a, 124a in a hot cutting operation, and bonding the second inner end 26b, 126b to the second outer end 24b, 124b in a hot cutting operation.

The method can further include braiding at least one, and shown as a single tubular intermediate wall 114c over the tubular inner wall 114b in an overbraiding operation, with the tubular intermediate wall 114c extending about the central axis 118 between opposite first and second intermediate ends 128a, 128b; and bonding the first inner end 126a, the first outer end 124a, and the first intermediate end 128a to one another at a first bond joint 122a, and bonding the second inner end 126b, the second outer end 124b, and the second intermediate end 128b to one another at a second bond joint 122b, and leaving the inner wall 114b, the outer wall 114a, and the intermediate wall 114c entirely detached from one another over a length L extending between the first and second bond joints 122a, 122b.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is contemplated that all features of all claims and of all embodiments can be combined with each other, so long as such combinations would not contradict one another. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. A multilayered tubular sleeve, comprising: a braided tubular inner wall extending about a central axis between an open first inner end portion and an opposite open second inner end portion; anda braided tubular outer wall extending about the central axis between an open first outer end portion and an opposite open second outer end portion, said first inner end portion being bonded to said first outer end portion by a first bond joint, and said second inner end portion being bonded to said second outer end portion by a second bond joint, with said inner wall being substantially detached from said outer wall over a length extending between said first and second bond joints.

2. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 1, wherein at least one of said braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall is braided with heat-settable yarns, said heat-settable yarns being heat-set to bias said at least one braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall into a cylindrical tube.

3. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 2, wherein each of said braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall is braided with heat-settable yarns, said heat-settable yarns being heat-set to bias said braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall into a cylindrical tube.

4. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 3, wherein each of said braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall is braided entirely with heat-settable yarns, said heat-settable yarns being heat-set to bias said braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall into a cylindrical tube.

5. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 2, wherein said braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall are braided including different colored yarns from one another.

6. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 1, wherein said first bond joint is a first heat-fused weld joint, and said second bond joint is a second heat-fused weld joint.

7. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 6, wherein said braided tubular inner wall is entirely detached from said braided tubular outer wall over the entirety of the length extending between said first and second heat-fused weld joints.

8. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 7, wherein said first and second heat-fused weld joints are circumferentially continuous.

9. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 1, wherein at least one of said braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall is braided with 100% recycled material yarns.

10. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 1, further a braided tubular intermediate wall extending about a central axis between an open first intermediate end portion and an opposite open second intermediate end portion, with said tubular intermediate wall being substantially detached from said tubular inner and outer walls over a length extending between said first and second bond joints.

11. A multilayered tubular sleeve, consisting of: a braided tubular inner wall extending about a central axis between an open first inner end portion and an opposite open second inner end portion; anda braided tubular outer wall extending about the central axis between an open first outer end portion and an opposite open second outer end portion, said first inner end portion being bonded to said first outer end portion by a first bond joint, and said second inner end portion being bonded to said second outer end portion by a second bond joint, with said inner wall being substantially detached from said outer wall over a length extending between said first and second bond joints.

12. The multilayered tubular sleeve of claim 11, wherein at least one of said braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall is braided with heat-settable yarns, said heat-settable yarns being heat-set to bias said at least one braided tubular inner wall and said braided tubular outer wall into a cylindrical tube.

13. A method of constructing a multilayered tubular sleeve, comprising: braiding a tubular inner wall extending about a central axis between a first inner end portion and an opposite second inner end portion;braiding a tubular outer wall over the tubular inner wall in an overbraiding operation, with the tubular outer wall extending about the central axis between a first outer end portion and an opposite second outer end portion; andbonding the first inner end portion to the first outer end portion with a first bond joint, and bonding the second inner end portion to the second outer end portion with a second bond joint, and leaving the inner wall detached from the outer wall over a length extending between the first and second bond joints.

14. The method of claim 13, further including forming the first bond joint and the second bond joint in a hot cutting operation.

15. The method of claim 14, further including using a hot wire cutter to perform the hot cutting operation.

16. The method of claim 14, further including heat-forming heat-settable yarns of the tubular outer wall and the tubular inner wall in a heat-rounding process to maintain the tubular outer wall and the tubular inner wall in a cylindrical tubular shape.

17. The method of claim 13, further including heat-forming heat-settable yarns of at least one of the tubular outer wall and the tubular inner wall in a heat-rounding process to maintain the tubular outer wall and the tubular inner wall in a cylindrical tubular shape.

18. The method of claim 17, further including heat-forming heat-settable yarns of the tubular outer wall and the tubular inner wall in a heat-rounding process.

19. The method of claim 13, further including braiding a tubular intermediate wall about the tubular inner wall in an overbraiding operation prior to overbraiding the tubular outer wall, with the tubular intermediate wall extending between an open first intermediate end portion and an opposite open second intermediate end portion, and bonding the first intermediate end portion to the inner end portion and the first outer end portion with the first bond joint, and bonding the second intermediate end portion to the second inner end portion and the outer end portion with the second bond joint, and leaving the tubular intermediate wall detached from the tubular inner wall and the tubular outer wall over a length extending between the first and second bond joints.

20. The method of claim 13, further including braiding the tubular inner wall and the tubular outer wall including different colored yarns from one another.