Loop structure, method for producing a loop structure and element

Abstract

A loop structure includes a first element having a first loop, and a second element having a second loop, the first loop interlocking with the second loop. Each of the first and second elements include a plurality of strands, wherein at least a portion of the strands are formed from a flexible material. The strands of the first and second elements are processed in a textile-like manner into one of a braided, woven, knitted, or enmeshed structure defining at least two webs spaced-apart along a longitudinal direction of the first and second elements. The strands are divided into longitudinally extending sections between the webs, the sections forming wings that connect the webs. In the first element, the wings form the first loop, and in the second element, the wings form the second loop.

Claims

1. A loop structure, comprising: a first element comprising a first loop, and a second element comprising a second loop, the first loop interlocking with the second loop; each of the first and second elements comprising a plurality of strands, wherein at least a portion of the strands are formed from a flexible material; the strands of the first and second elements processed in a textile-like manner into one of a braided, woven, knitted, or enmeshed structure defining at least two webs spaced-apart along a longitudinal direction of the first and second elements; the strands divided into longitudinally extending sections between the webs, the sections forming wings that connect the webs; and in the first element, the wings forming the first loop, and in the second element, the wings forming the second loop.

2. The loop structure according to claim 1, wherein the strands are connected together at ends of the first and second elements by being glued, welded, knotted, spliced, sewn, or fused.

3. The loop structure according to claim 1, wherein the wings are formed into a tube.

4. The loop structure according to claim 1, further comprising a transition zone between the wings and each of the webs, the strands in the transition zone crossing or connected to each other in a manner different from the textile-like manner of the webs.

5. The loop structure according to claim 1, wherein the strands comprise one or a combination of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal fibers, plastic wires, or metal wires.

6. The loop structure according to claim 1, wherein the loop structure is a link chain and each of the first and second elements consists of two webs and at least two wings.

7. A method for producing a loop structure that includes a first element comprising a plurality of first loops, and a second element comprising a plurality of second loops, the first loops interlocking with the second loops, the method comprising: forming the first and second elements from a plurality of strands, wherein at least a portion of the strands are formed from a flexible material, by processing the strands in a textile-like manner into one of a braided, woven, knitted, or enmeshed structure; in each of the first and second elements, forming webs spaced-apart along a longitudinal direction of the first and second elements; between the webs, dividing the strands into longitudinally extending sections and forming the sections into wings that connect the webs, the wings of the first element forming the first loops and the wings of the second element forming the second loops; and interlocking in the first loop and the second loop.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising severing the webs in at least one of the first or second elements to obtain individual elements in the loop structure.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first and second elements are stretched after the textile-like processing and prior to the severing.

10. The method according to claim 7, comprising connecting the strands together at ends of the first and second elements by gluing, welding, knotting, splicing, sewing, or fusing.

11. The method according to claim 7, comprising working the wings into a tube.

12. The method according to claim 7, comprising forming a transition zone between the wings and each of the webs, and crossing or connecting the strands in the transition zone to each other in a manner different from the textile-like manner of the webs.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the strands comprise one or a combination of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal fibers, plastic wires, or metal wires.

14. The method according to claim 7, comprising forming the loop structure into a link chain by separating the webs in the first and second elements.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein the processing in a textile-like manner is carried out with one of a variation braider, a 3D braider, a ribbon loom, a warp knitting machine, or a knitting machine producing narrow textiles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages of the invention are described in the following embodiments. The following is shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic view of an element of a loop structure,

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic view of a section through an additional element of a loop structure,

(4) FIG. 3a a schematic view of a section through an additional element of a loop structure,

(5) FIG. 3b a schematic view of a section through the element of the loop structure from FIG. 3a,

(6) FIG. 4 a schematic view of an additional element of a loop structure,

(7) FIG. 5a a schematic view of a section of a loop structure,

(8) FIG. 5b an additional schematic view of a section of the loop structure from FIG. 5a,

(9) FIG. 6a a schematic view of a section of an additional loop structure,

(10) FIG. 6b an additional schematic view of a section of the loop structure from FIG. 6a,

(11) FIG. 6c an additional schematic view of a section of the loop structure from FIG. 6a,

(12) FIG. 7a a schematic view of a section of an additional loop structure,

(13) FIG. 7b an additional schematic view of a section of the loop structure from FIG. 7a,

(14) FIG. 7c an additional schematic view of a section of the loop structure from FIG. 7a,

(15) FIG. 7d an additional schematic view of a section of the loop structure from FIG. 7a,

(16) FIG. 8a a schematic view of a section of an additional loop structure,

(17) FIG. 8b an additional schematic view of a section of the loop structure from FIG. 8a, and

(18) FIG. 9 a schematic view of an additional loop structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(19) Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

(20) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an element 1 of a loop structure. Thereby, the strands 2, from which element 1 is braided, are indicated at one end of the element 1. The element 1 may also be woven, knitted, enmeshed, crocheted and/or knotted. For the sake of clarity, only two of the strings 2 were provided with a reference sign. Preferably, such strands 2 are connected to each other at the ends of the element 1, such that the ends are not opened or do not become unbraided.

(21) The element 1 has two webs 3 that are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the element 1. All strands 2 of the element 1 are braided in the webs 3. Thereby, the dotted lines only show the boundaries of the individual areas of the element 1.

(22) In two wings 4 of the element 1, which connect the two webs 3 with each other, only half of the strands 2 are braided. The wings 4 thereby enclose a loop 5.

(23) In optional transition zones 6, which are arranged between the webs 3 and wings 4, strands 2, which are assigned to the individual wings 4, cross each other. However, the braiding pattern in transition zones 6 differs from the braiding pattern in webs 3. This avoids the occurrence of a hole at the point at which the web merges into the wings.

(24) In the following description of alternative exemplary embodiments, the same reference signs are used for features that, compared to other exemplary embodiments, are identical and/or at least comparable in their design and/or mode of action. To the extent that such are not described once again in detail, their designs and/or modes of action correspond to the designs and modes of action of the characteristics described above.

(25) FIG. 2 shows a cut through an element 1 with a loop 5. With the element 1 of FIG. 2, the wings 4 were braided in a tube shape. After the strands 2 at the ends of the element 1 had been connected to each other, the webs 3 were each inverted into one wing 4. In FIG. 2, the two webs 3 were inverted into different wings 4, but they can also be inverted into the same wing 4. By inverting the webs 3 into the wing, the element 1 becomes more compact and the additional friction between the web 3 and the inside of the wing 4 also increases the tensile strength of the element 1.

(26) FIG. 2 shows an additional exemplary embodiment of an element 1, with which each of the webs 3 is inverted into two wings 4. This results in a particularly symmetrical element 1.

(27) With the exemplary embodiment of an element 1 shown in FIG. 3a, the webs 3 are braided very short. To a certain extent, they are merely a crossover of the wings 4, which are each located to the left and right of the web 3.

(28) If, at that point, the free wings 4 are inverted into the wings 4, which form the loop 5, the sketch presents the element 1 shown in FIG. 3b.

(29) The element 1 of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is woven. Here as well, the web 3 is only a crossover of the wings 4.

(30) FIG. 5a shows a section of a loop structure 7 with two original elements 8. Thereby, the loop structure 7 can be continued to the left and/or to the right. The hatching of the original element 8 only serves the purpose of better recognizability.

(31) Each of the original elements 8 has a sequence of one web 3, two wings 4, one web 3, two wings 4, etc. In doing so, loops 5 are formed between the wings 4. For the sake of clarity, not all webs 3, wings 4 and loops 5 were provided with reference signs.

(32) The loops 5 of the two original elements 8 are arranged in such a manner that they always interlock alternately. Thus, a loop 5 of one of the original elements 8 always interlocks with two adjacent loops 5 of the other original element 8. Such structure can be easily braided on a variation braider, for example.

(33) In order to obtain a loop structure 7 formed as a link chain from the original elements 8 of FIG. 5a, the original elements 8 are severed at their webs 3. The result is the loop structure 7 shown in FIG. 5b, which consists of many individual elements 1, whose loops 5 interlock alternately, such that a link chain arises.

(34) After severing the webs 3, the strands can be connected to each other at the ends of the elements 1, and the webs 3 can be inverted into the wings 4.

(35) FIG. 6a shows a variant of the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 5a. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5a, the webs 3 are kept very short and additional wings 4 are provided, which additional wings form loops 5 that do not interlock with other loops 5.

(36) In order to obtain a loop structure 7 formed as a link chain, as shown in FIG. 6b, the wings 4 of the loops 5 are severed, which wings do not interlock with other loops 5.

(37) If the free wings 4 are then inverted into the tube-shaped wings 4, the link chain shown in FIG. 6c arises.

(38) FIG. 7a shows an additional exemplary embodiment of a loop structure 7. Such loop structure 7 has three original elements 8. Thereby, the webs 3 of the original elements 8 shown in FIG. 7a above and below are compared with the webs 3 of the middle original element 8.

(39) Each loop 5 of the middle original element 8 interlocks with one loop 5 each of the upper and lower original element 8, and the loops 5 of the upper and lower original element 8 interlock with two adjacent loops 5 of the middle original element 8.

(40) At that point, the webs 3 of the middle original element 8 are severed. Thereby, the middle original element 8 disaggregates into a multiple number of elements 1.

(41) On the other hand, the upper and lower original elements 8 are not severed. This results in the loop structure 7 shown in FIG. 7b. Thereby, the upper and lower elements 1 of the loop structure 7 have a multiple number of loops 5, while each of the middle elements 1 has only one loop 5.

(42) At that point, if, as shown in FIG. 7c, the upper and lower elements 1 are pulled slightly apart, it becomes apparent that the upper and lower elements 1 are connected in a zigzag-shaped manner by a multiple number of middle elements 1.

(43) If in addition, as shown in FIG. 7d, every second of the middle element 1 is removed, a loop structure 7 formed as a rope ladder is obtained.

(44) FIG. 8a shows a loop structure 7 with original elements 8, with which the strands 2 are divided into sections into three parts, such that a web 3 divides into three wings 4.

(45) After severing the webs 3 of the middle original element 8 and removing every second of the middle elements 1, the loop structure 7 shown in FIG. 8b—analogous to FIGS. 7a to 7d—is achieved. The extra loops 5 can be used, for example, to connect the loop structure 7 with other components.

(46) Finally, FIG. 9 shows an additional exemplary embodiment of a loop structure 7. This loop structure has five original elements 8, wherein a generalization to any number of original elements 8 is apparent. It is also obvious that each original element 8 can have more than the three loops 5 shown.

(47) The loops 5 of each adjacent original element 8 interlock with each other, such that a net-like structure is formed. The loop structure 7 is thus a knot-free net that can also be folded up in a manner that is highly space-saving.

(48) In this exemplary embodiment, the webs 3 of the original elements 8 are not severed. However, it is conceivable that some of the webs 3, for example the webs 3 of every second original element 8, are severed. The loop structure 7 thus remains a net, but has different properties in terms of flexibility, stretchability and mesh size compared to a loop structure 7 that is formed as a net, with which the webs 3 are not severed.

(49) This invention is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiments. In particular, a multiple number of loop structures can be produced by the varying interlocking of loops. Additional variations within the scope of the claims, just as the combination of characteristics, are possible, even if they are illustrated and described in different embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(50) 1 Element 2 Strand 3 Web 4 Wing 5 Loop 6 Transition zone 7 Loop structure 8 Original element