Abstract
A safety belt webbing for a vehicle includes a woven fabric from mutually intersecting warp and weft threads. The woven fabric is at least partially configured in the weave repeat with at least 6, preferably at least 8 ends. The weave repeat per warp thread includes at least four, preferably six, intersection points with the weft threads. The intersection points are weave points resulting between the warp and the weft threads when the warp thread within the weave repeat alternates from a warp elevation to a warp depression, or vice versa. Within the weave repeat the largest warp float per warp thread is across two weft threads, and the maximum warp depression is below two weft threads. Within the weave repeat, per warp thread there is at least one warp elevation additionally to the warp float across a weft thread, and at least one warp depression below a weft thread.
Claims
1-8. (canceled)
9. A safety belt webbing for a vehicle, the safety belt webbing comprising: a woven fabric including mutually intersecting warp threads and weft threads, said woven fabric being at least partially configured with a weave repeat having at least 6 ends; a) a weave pattern per warp thread including at least four intersection points with said weft threads, said intersection points being weave points resulting between said warp thread and said weft threads where said warp thread within said weave repeat changes from a warp elevation to a warp depression, or from a warp depression to a warp elevation; and b) within said weave repeat, a largest warp float per warp thread being across two weft threads, and a maximum warp depression being below two weft threads; and c) within said weave repeat, per weft thread at least one warp elevation in addition to said warp float across one weft thread is present, and at least one warp depression below one weft thread is present.
10. The safety belt webbing according to claim 9, wherein said woven fabric is at least partially configured with said weave repeat having 8 ends, and said weave pattern per warp thread includes six intersection points with said weft threads.
11. The safety belt webbing according to claim 9, wherein a directly adjacent warp thread is offset by at least one weft thread.
12. The safety belt webbing according to claim 11, wherein said directly adjacent warp thread is offset by exactly one weft thread.
13. The safety belt webbing according to claim 9, wherein said woven fabric is configured as a combined twill including at least two twill wales in said weave repeat, and said combined twill has at least 6 ends.
14. The safety belt webbing according to claim 13, wherein said combined twill has 8 ends.
15. The safety belt webbing according to claim 13, wherein said combined twill is an even-sided or uneven-sided combined twill.
16. The safety belt webbing according to claim 13, wherein a wale direction of said combined twill along a width or a length of the safety belt webbing alternates from an S-wale to a Z-wale or from a Z-wale to an S-wale.
17. The safety belt webbing according to claim 13, wherein said woven fabric, proceeding from a basic concept of said combined twill, is rearranged by swapping a sequence of said warp threads.
18. The safety belt webbing according to claim 9, wherein said warp threads have a yarn count of between 550 dtex and 2500 dtex.
19. The safety belt webbing according to claim 9, wherein said warp threads have a yarn count of between 800 dtex and 1200 dtex.
20. The safety belt webbing according to claim 9, wherein said weft threads have a yarn count of between 280 dtex and 1400 dtex.
Description
[0030] In the figures:
[0031] FIG. 1a shows a weave diagram of a first embodiment of the invention, having an 8-end even-sided combined twill;
[0032] FIG. 1b shows the weaving mode of the first warp thread of the weave diagram from FIG. 1;
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a weave diagram of a second embodiment of the invention, having an 8-end even-sided combined twill with a changed wale sequence;
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a weave diagram of a third embodiment of the invention having an 8-end combined twill by rearranging the warp threads;
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a weave diagram of a fourth embodiment of the invention, having a 6-end combined twill;
[0036] FIG. 5 shows a weave diagram of a fifth embodiment of the invention, having an 8-end combined twill with a wale changeover and with lateral selvedges; and
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a safety belt webbing according to the invention in a restraint system of a vehicle.
[0038] FIGS. 1 to 5, in each case in a highly schematic illustration of the respective weave diagram, show different embodiments of the woven fabric 2 of part of a safety belt webbing 1 according to the invention. A weave diagram is thus the cycle at which warp threads 3 intersect weft threads 4 so as to form the woven fabric 2. In each of the weave diagrams illustrated, the weave repeat is indicated by the lateral lines in the left lower quadrant of the weave diagrams illustrated. Said weave repeat indicates how many warp and weft threads 3, 4 are required to produce the single pattern. The warp threads 3 in FIGS. 1a and 2 to 5 here run perpendicularly (thus in the longitudinal extent of the safety belt webbing 1 to be produced), whereas the weft threads 4 run horizontally (thus in the width extent of the safety belt webbing 1). Each of the small squares in the weave diagram here forms one weave point between a warp thread 3 and a weft thread 4. If the square is black there is a warp elevation, the warp thread 3 thus lying above the weft thread 4. If the square is white, there is a warp depression, the warp thread 3 lying below the weft thread 4. It is a common feature of FIGS. 1a, 2, 4 and 5 that this is an even-sided combined twill weave. FIG. 3 is a variant of a weave of this type.
[0039] When warp threads in the figures are referenced using numbers, said warp threads are numbered from left to right, beginning with 1. Weft threads are numbered from bottom to top, beginning with 1. The point of origin for counting warp threads and weft threads is likewise formed by the first, left lower square of the weave diagram.
[0040] When viewing the weave repeat of each individual warp thread 3, proceeding from the point of origin of counting, thus from the first left lower square, here thus the warp thread number 1, the weaving mode can also be described as hereunder: first 2 warp elevations, then one warp depression, one warp elevation, two warp depressions, one warp elevation, and finally one warp depression. The following abbreviation according to DIN 61 101 results for this weave diagram of the 8-end combined twill:
[00001]
[0041] where the letter K is twill, the letter Z is the wale direction, here a Z wale. This weaving mode consequently results in an even-sided combined twill, thus two fabric sides of identical appearance of the safety belt webbing with a plurality of wales (twill wales).
[0042] This weaving mode hereunder is referred to as the basic or initial concept of the combined twill, also referred to as a combined twill weave. Twill weaves are fundamentally constructed such that the warp thread directly adjacent to the first warp thread of the weave repeat, thus warp thread number 2, is offset by exactly one weft thread. In FIG. 1a this can be seen in that the warp thread number 2 has an identical weaving mode as warp thread number 1, the former in relation to the latter simply being offset “in an upward manner” by one weft thread. The same also applies to the warp thread number 3; the latter in relation to the direct neighbor thereto, the warp thread number 2, is again offset “in an upward manner” by one weft thread.
[0043] The weaving mode of the warp thread number 1 from FIG. 1a is shown in detail in FIG. 1b. The weaving pattern is repeated after the eighth weft thread 4, when viewed from the left (weave repeat). It can be very clearly seen here that the warp float is exactly two, i.e. the warp thread 3 running across exactly two weft threads 4 as a warp elevation, and likewise running below exactly two weft threads 4 as a warp depression. In addition to the two floats, further individual warp elevations and warp depressions are present. In this way, exactly two warp floats and a total of four individual warp elevations and warp depressions are present per warp thread 3 in the weave repeat. When viewed in the weave repeat for each warp thread 3, this thus results in a total of six intersection points (weave points, which are created in the transition from a warp elevation to a warp depression, or vice versa) with the weft threads 4 for such an 8-end combined twill. This is a relatively high number such that the advantages according to the invention can be particularly well implemented as a result.
[0044] FIG. 2 shows a variant of the weave diagram of FIG. 1a according to a second embodiment of the invention. Here too, this is an 8-end combined twill, only the wale sequence (2/2:1/1) has changed here. The weaving mode can be described by the following abbreviation:
[00002]
[0045] Here too, there are again two warp floats across (exactly) two weft threads per weave repeat of one warp thread 3, and there are in total four further, individual warp elevations/depressions.
[0046] A third embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. Here too, this is an 8-end combined twill. The embodiment of FIG. 1a again forms the basis for this weaving mode. Proceeding from said embodiment of FIG. 1a, the warp threads 3 are rearranged. Proceeding from the warp threads numbers 1 to 8 of the weave repeat per warp thread 3 of FIG. 1a, the warp threads 3 are swapped among one another here such that the rearranged sequence results as shown in FIG. 3 (wherein the numbers reflect the number of the original weaving mode from FIG. 1a): 1-5-2-6-3-7-4-8.
[0047] In contrast to the preceding alternatives, the fourth embodiment according to FIG. 4 shows a 6-end combined twill. This embodiment also follows the requirement according to the invention that each individual warp thread in the weave repeat has one warp float (across or below exactly 2 weft threads) and additionally individual warp elevations and warp depressions. The weaving mode for this embodiment can be described by the following abbreviation:
[00003]
[0048] Here too, there are thus exactly two warp floats and additionally a total of two individual warp elevations/warp depressions for each individual warp thread in the weave repeat.
[0049] The woven fabric from which the safety belt webbing 1 according to the invention is at least partially produced, can be described by the respective weave diagram of FIGS. 1 to 4. Combinations of weaving modes in a single safety belt webbing, as are individually illustrated in the embodiments, are conceivable. In this instance, the woven fabric of such a safety belt webbing 1 could comprise a plurality of stripes in the width extent (in the weft thread direction) of said safety belt webbing 1, wherein the weaving modes may alternate from one stripe to another. In this way, the pattern according to a first warp repeat (6 or 8 warp threads) can vary across the width of the safety belt webbing. It is also conceivable to provide a plurality of stripes of a single weaving mode. It is also conceivable that the safety belt webbing 1 also has selvedges which according to the prior art can be configured as rib weaves, hollow weaves, twill weaves or as Rukaflex® selvedges.
[0050] A fifth embodiment according to FIG. 5 shows an exemplary weave diagram for a safety belt webbing 1, comprising a woven fabric from a combined twill. The woven fabric in the width is subdivided into seven individual stripes 1 to 7. The left and right stripes 1 and 7 form the selvedges of the safety belt webbing. The latter presently have four ends. This however is not mandatory. The stripes 2 to 6 presently have eight ends. The weaving mode of the stripes 2, 4 and 6 corresponds to the weaving diagram (ground weave) as per FIG. 1a. The latter has a Z-wale. The stripes 3 and 5 differ in accordance with the wale thereof (here: S-wale). In this way, only S-wales and Z-wales alternate across the width. Particularly appealing visual fabric appearances, patterns and forms of appearance can be achieved with such an arrangement.
[0051] Using both woven fabrics mentioned here by way of example, the mentioned advantages in terms of the required mechanical characteristics and usage properties can be particularly well achieved. This is because the combined twill weaves generally score well as a result of a comparatively high number of weave points, a very high resistance to slippage, very high stability, and additionally as a consequence of the potential, enhanced counter-weave of respective directly adjacent warp threads.
[0052] A restraint system 5 for vehicle occupants, such as the present invention also relates to, is shown in FIG. 6. This comprises a safety belt which is produced from the safety belt webbing 1 according to the invention by weaving. When not in use, thus when unfastened, the safety belt webbing 1 is (in some instances) automatically wound up in a retractor 6. As a result of the configuration of the safety belt webbing 1 according to the invention, a safety belt webbing 1 which is significantly thinner in comparison to the prior art and has substantially the same mechanical characteristics and usage properties as such a known safety belt webbing can now be specified. Less material can be used as a result of the weaving mode according to the invention, but the woven fabric nevertheless does no longer lose stability. As a result, relatively good usage properties, such as fastening and wearing of the safety belt, can be achieved for the vehicle occupants. The risk of twisting in the tongue is reduced; the safety belt webbing 1 is more insensitive in relation to rubbing as a result of extraction and retraction in the retractor 6 and on the tongues and on the deflector. Finally, a thinner safety belt webbing 1 having a comparatively long service life can be specified.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0053] 1 Safety belt webbing [0054] 2 Woven fabric [0055] 3 Warp thread [0056] 4 Weft thread [0057] 5 Restraint system [0058] 6 Retractor
