AU2012201054B2

AU2012201054B2 - Wear Indicating Webbing

Info

Publication number: AU2012201054B2
Application number: AU2012201054A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Phillip Allan Hubbard
Original assignee: Spanset Australia Ltd
Current assignee: Spanset Australia Ltd
Priority date: 2011-02-24
Filing date: 2012-02-23
Publication date: 2015-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2032-02-23
Also published as: AU2012201054A1

Abstract

Abstract A wear indicating webbing including an outer sheath, and an inner core having an appearance which visually contrasts 5 with the appearance of the outer sheath and is exposed when the outer sheath is worn or damaged, wherein exposure of a predetermined amount of the core is indicative of a minimum operable tensile strength of webbing. 31639251 (GHMatters) P85819.AU 1 23102/12

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Standard Patent Applicant(s): SpanSet Australia Ltd Invention Title: Wear Indicating Webbing The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: - 1 Wear Indicating Webbing Field of the Disclosure 5 The disclosure relates to wear indicating webbing and equipment incorporating wear indicating webbing. Background to the Disclosure 10 Webbing is a woven fabric that has application in many industries including safety equipment and automotive products. The webbing process includes weaving yarn via looms to create strips. 15 In many applications webbing is subjected to damage and/or wear. In particular, where it is used as components of safety equipment, such as in safety harnesses and lanyards, webbing is subjected to significant wear and tear such as due to 20 abrasion, cutting, twisting and exposure to the elements. This can potentially degrade the performance of the safety equipment and risk the lives of those using the equipment. In Australia, safety equipment is typically subjected to six 25 monthly inspections in accordance with Australian Safety Regulations. However, safety inspectors have no objective criteria when inspecting damage or wear of webbing products used in safety equipment. This often leads to the inspector making a subjective judgement on the continued serviceability 30 of the product. Most inspectors tend to err on the side of caution and default to an extremely conservative position by condemning the products if in any doubt. This can mean that safety equipment which may still have usable life remaining is discarded leading to wastage and unnecessary cost. 35 62809371 (GHMatters) P85819.AU.1 PETAK 6/03/15 -2 Summary Disclosed is a wear indicating webbing including: an outer sheath, and 5 an inner core having an appearance which visually contrasts with the appearance of the outer sheath and is exposed when the outer sheath is worn or damaged, wherein the outer sheath is interwoven with the core, and further wherein exposure of 50% or less of the core is 10 indicative of a minimum operable tensile strength of 15 kN of webbing. Accordingly, the visually contrasting inner core of the webbing is exposed when the outer sheath is worn or damaged. 15 The wear or damage may arise from abrasion, cutting, twisting or exposure to the elements, or a combination of these causes. In one form, the predetermined amount of the core which is exposed comprises up to 50% of the surface area. For example, 20 50% exposure of the core may correspond to all of the outer sheath being removed (e.g. by abrasion) from one side of the webbing such that all of one side of the core is exposed (i.e. 50% of the surface area of the core is exposed). The minimum operable tensile strength will depend on the application of 25 the webbing. Where the webbing is used in height safety equipment, the minimum tensile strength of the webbing is typically determined by relevant safety standards. In Australia and New Zealand, the relevant safety standard is 30 AS/NZS 1891.1 2007. That standard requires that the minimum webbing strength should be 15 kN. However, in other applications, such as for lifting and load restraint products, the minimum tensile strength may be significantly higher. Accordingly, in one form, the minimum tensile strength of the 35 webbing should be no less than 15 kN when the predetermined amount of the core is exposed. 62809371 (GHMatters) P85819.AU.1 PETAK 6/03/15 - 3 In one form, the minimum tensile strength of the webbing should be between 15 and 20 kN when the predetermined amount of the core is exposed. 5 In one form, the outer sheath is constructed of a UV light resistant material, such as polyester. The inner core may also comprise polyester. 10 In one form, the outer sheath is integrally formed with the core. The outer sheath and inner core may together form a unitary construction. The unitary construction may be formed by weaving a core, then weaving a sheath surrounding the core 15 such that the yarn of the sheath is woven into and is interconnected with the core. The core and sheath may be woven in a single operation using a loom fed with yarns for both the core and sheath. 20 The visually contrasting appearance of the inner core may comprise a different colour to that of the outer sheath. In one form, the inner core has a colour which is brighter than that of the outer sheath. 25 The visually contrasting core of the webbing may be constructed by weaving the core with yarn dyed a first colour (termed "dope dyed yarn"), then weaving the sheath around the core. The yarn of the outer sheath is dyed a second colour either prior to or after it is woven into the sheath. In the 30 latter case, after weaving the undyed yarn into the sheath, the entire webbing is treated with dye (typically in a dye bath) such that the sheath is dyed the second colour. The core either does not take up the dye of the second colour or may be slightly modified by the dye to produce a third colour 35 different to the first and second colours. An advantage of this process is that the construction of the webbing is 62809371 (GHMatters) P85819.AU.1 PETAK 6/03/15 - 4 simplified by not requiring a separate step of dyeing the sheath yarn prior to weaving the sheath. In a second aspect, disclosed is equipment including wear 5 indicating webbing as defined above. In one form, the equipment comprises safety equipment, such as a safety harness. 10 In one form, the safety equipment comprises a lanyard. In one form the equipment comprises a lifting sling. In one form the equipment comprises a load restraint. 15 In a third aspect, disclosed is a method of manufacturing a wear indicating webbing as defined above, including: weaving an inner core from pre-dyed yarn having a first colour; 20 interweaving an outer sheath around the inner core with un dyed yarn to produce a webbing product; treating the webbing product in order to dye the outer sheath a second colour without substantially altering the first colour of the core. 25 Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 30 Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the wear indicating webbing; Figure 2 is a plan view of the webbing of Figure 1 after 35 being subjected to abrasive wear. 62809371 (GHMatters) P85819.AU.1 PETAK 6/03/15 - 5 Figure 3 is a front view of a safety harness which incorporates the wear indicating webbing. Detailed Description of the Embodiments 5 Referring to Figures 1 and 2, disclosed is a wear indicating webbing 10 including an outer sheath 12 and an inner core 14. The inner core 14 visually contrasts with the outer sheath 12 by virtue of it having a contrasting colour to that of the 10 outer sheath 12. Both the inner core and the outer sheath are made from polyester yarn. The outer sheath 12 and the inner core 14 together form a unitary construction by virtue of the yarn of 15 the outer sheath 12 being interwoven with the core 14. Figure 2 illustrates a portion of the webbing 10 after having been subjected to abrasion. The abraded area is indicated generally at 16 is evidenced by the damaged, frayed and tufted 20 fibres 18 of the outer sheath 12. The abraded area 16 also includes a zone 20 of exposed core 14 which is evident from the contrasting colour of the core as compared with the colour of the sheath. Exposure of a predetermined amount of the core is indicative of a minimum operable tensile strength of the 25 webbing. In the case of Figure 2, the amount of core which is exposed is significantly less than that indicating the minimum operable tensile strength of webbing, which is 15 kN according to Australian and New Zealand Safety Standards AS/NZS 1891.1 2007. In practice, a safety inspector may elect to condemn 30 the webbing if any of the core is exposed due to damage or wear. Figure 3 illustrates a front view of a safety harness 30 which includes wear indicating webbing 10 of the present disclosure. 35 Areas where the webbing 10 may potentially be subject to abrasive wear include around the buckles 32 and in the zone 62809371 (GHMatters) P85819.AU.1 PETAK 6/03/15 - 6 between the user's legs 34. The exposure of a predetermined amount of the core of the webbing 10 in those areas would indicate to a safety inspector that the safety harness is no longer safe to use. 5 In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an 10 inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments. It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is 15 referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country. 20 Variations and modifications may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the claims. 62809371 (GHMatters) P85819.AU.1 PETAK 6/03/15

Claims

1. A wear indicating webbing including: 5 an outer sheath, and an inner core having an appearance which visually contrasts with the appearance of the outer sheath and is exposed when the outer sheath is worn or damaged, wherein the outer sheath is interwoven with the core, and 10 further wherein exposure of 50% or less of the core is indicative of a minimum operable tensile strength of 15 kN of webbing.

2. A wear indicating webbing as defined in claim 1, wherein 15 the predetermined amount of the core comprises 50% or less.

3. A wear indicating webbing as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the minimum operable tensile strength of the webbing is 15 kN. 20

4. A wear indicating webbing as defined in any preceding claim wherein the outer sheath is constructed of a UV light resistant material, preferably polyester. 25

5. A wear indicating webbing as defined in any preceding claim wherein the outer sheath is integrally formed with the core.

6. A wear indicating webbing as defined in any preceding claim wherein the inner core has a contrasting colour to that of the 30 outer sheath.

7. A wear indicating webbing as defined in any preceding claim wherein the outer sheath is interwoven with the core. 35

8 Equipment including a wear indicating webbing as defined in any preceding claim. 62809371 (GHMatters) P85819.AU.1 PETAK 6/03/15 - 8

9. Equipment as defined in claim 8 and comprising a safety harness. 5

10. A method of manufacturing a wear indicating webbing as defined in any one of claims 1 to7, including: weaving an inner core from pre-dyed yarn having a first colour; interweaving an outer sheath around the inner core with un 10 dyed yarn to produce a webbing product; treating the webbing product in order to dye the outer sheath a second colour without substantially altering the first colour of the core. 15

11. A wear indicating webbing substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. Equipment substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 62809371 (GHMatters) P85819.AU.1 PETAK 6/03/15