WO1993017161A1

WO1993017161A1 - Joinable band including plastic material and method for producing the same

Info

Publication number: WO1993017161A1
Application number: PCT/SE1993/000173
Authority: WO
Inventors: Per-Ola Lidar
Original assignee: Scandiafelt Ab
Priority date: 1992-02-28
Filing date: 1993-02-26
Publication date: 1993-09-02
Also published as: SE9200609D0

Abstract

A joinable band comprising a textile web which is provided from at least one side and through at least a part of its width with a quantity of thermoplastic material which when heat-softened will fill-out the fabric structure of the web at least partially. The edges of respective ends of the band have joining eyelets (3) which are formed in the textile web and which coact with joining eyelets similarly formed in a meeting end of the band so as to form a detachable join. In order to enable the band to be fitted easily to a machine and to provide the region of the band join with the same properties as the remainder of the band, no plastic filler is applied to the textile web joining means (3) along a region (5) whose width extension calculated from end edge and inwardly of the web corresponds at least to the extension of the eyelets (3) over that part which coacts with the eyelets (3) of the meeting web end.

Description

JOINABLE BAND INCLUDING PLASTIC MATERIAL AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

The present invention relates to a joinable band com- prised of a textile web which is provided on at least one side and over a part of its width with a quantity of plastic material which fills-out the fabric structure of the textile web at least partially as a result of being thermally softened process, wherein one end of the band includes at the terminal edge thereof joining band joining eyelets or loops which are formed in the textile web and which are active in connecting with band-joining eyelets or loops similarly provided on the other, meet¬ ing end of the web. The invention also relates to a suitable method of manufacturing the band.

Bands or belts which comprise a textile web can be filled-out with a thermoplastic material which imparts functional properties to the band, such as adapted frictional properties, adhesion, density, surface smoothness, wear strength, etc. The material may be filled-out in the fabric structure across the full width of the textile web, or solely along two longitudinally extending edges thereof for instance, so as to protect the edge margins of the textile web. Bands of this nature often have long lengths, which can cause diffi¬ culties in manufacture. When the band ends are joined together so as to obtain an endless band, difficulties are experienced in fitting the bands to the machine in which they are to be used. These difficulties can be alleviated, by making the bands joinable. It is known to provide bands with means which will enable the ends of the bands to be joined together, although difficulties are encountered in the region of the band in which the join is made, since no plastic material can be included in this region of the band. For instance, the join may be achieved by means of end-eyelets which are brought into register with one another and a locking wire in¬ serted through the channel defined by the mutually registering eyelets.

The object of the present invention is to enable a joinable band to be provided with a plastic filling and to be fitted to a machine in a simple manner, and so that the material in the region of the join can be given the same properties as the remainder of the band subse¬ quent to fitting the band to a machine.

This object is achieved by means of the present inven¬ tion, which has the characteristic features set forth in the following Claims. The invention is described in the following with reference to a number of exemplifying embodiments thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures la, lb illustrate respectively the two meeting ends of a band that has not yet been joined and a joined band .

Figures 2a, 2b are views similar to Figure 1 and show respectively a band that has not yet been joined and a joined band, said bands having been completely filled- out with plastic material.

Figures 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate a band which has not yet been joined, a fitted band, and a joined band.

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c are views similar to Figures 3a, 3b and 3c, but with the difference that the fabric structure of the entire band has been filled-out with plastic material. Figures 5a, 5b and 5c illustrate bands whose fabric structure has been completely filled-out with plastic material and which include two mutually meeting join covering flaps.

Figures 6a, 6b and 6c illustrate respective bands which have been coated on one side and where the fabric is protected by the plastic material.

Figures 7a, 7b, 7c illustrate a variant of the band shown in Figure 6 having two half-flaps instead of a single flap.

Figure la illustrates two mutually meeting ends of a joinable band. The band fabric includes two layers of transverse threads 1 and longitudinally extending threads 2. The ends of the longitudinally extending threads 2 are curved over so as to form eyelets or loops 3. When these eyelets 3 are brought into register with one another, in a conventional manner, a locking wire 24 can be passed through the eyelets 3, so as to join the band ends together and therewith form an endless band.

The band includes a thermoplastic filling material which when softened will bind with the fabric structure. The plastic material is shown in Figure 1 in the form of a layer 6, which partially fills the fabric structure but does not form a protective layer for the upper side of the textile web in Figure 1.

The thermoplastic material is softened and allowed to fill the fabric structure, although in order to be able to join the band and to leave the eyelets 3 free, the thermoplastic material must not bind to or enclose the eyelets 3. This is because the eyelets must be capable of being brought into register with one another and a locking wire 4 inserted through the eyelets. Consequent¬ ly_/ ^a given region 5 of the eyelets 3 is left void of plastic material. The regions 5 are shown in Figure la by a broken line which extends perpendicularly to the extension of the textile web and parallel with respec¬ tive end edges of the web. When the two ends of the web 2 have been brought together and the eyelets are in register with one another and the locking wire 4 has been inserted through the eyelets, the join region can be treated with a thermoplastic material such that the meeting layers 6 will be joined together to form a continuous layer 6 which extends over the region of the join and thus also over the locking wire and the eyelets 3.

When manufacturing the band, the ends.of the band can be joined together by means of the locking eyelets 3 and the locking wire 4, so as to form an endless band, and the band then placed under tension, although it will be observed that the thermoplastic material has not yet filled-out the fabric structure. The thermoplastic material is now applied to the tensioned band and sub¬ jected to heat treatment, so that the material will "run" down into the fabric structure and fill-out the structure, either completely or partially, as illustrat¬ ed in Figures la and lb. The band is tensioned during this process, in order to prevent deformation of the band. When filling-out the fabric structure with the thermoplastic material, the plastic material is prevent- ed from penetrating into or adhering to the region 5 of the eyelets 3. This can be achieved in several ways. For instance, a material which will prevent the thermoplas¬ tic material from adhering to the eyelets or entering said eyelets may be applied to this region of the band. The layer 6 will therefore extend along the entire band with the exception of a narrow region at the location of the join. The locking wire 4 is thus free and can be withdrawn from the eyelets so as to mutually separate the band ends. When the band is later fitted to a ma¬ chine, the ends of the bands are brought together and the locking wire 4 is inserted through the eyelets 3, in a conventional manner. Heat can now be applied to the fitted band so that plastic material, optionally supple¬ mented with additional plastic material, is able to fill-out the fabric structure in the join region if so required. Alternatively, the two mutually meeting ends of the layer 6 may be joined so as to obtain a continu¬ ous layer which also extends over the locking wire 4, as shown in Figure lb.

A variant of the band is illustrated in Figures 2a and

2b. In this case, the fabric structure is filled totally with the thermoplastic material and the eyelets 3 have an exposed region 5 at both ends of the band. The pro¬ cedure earlier described with reference to Figure 1 can be applied when manufacturing this variant of the band, although it is also possible to fill-out the whole of the fabric structure with thermoplastic material in the joined state of the band without leaving an exposed region 5. Instead, a cut is made through the plastic material superficially over the locking wire 4 from both sides of the band, so that the locking wire 4 can be withdrawn from the eyelets and the two ends of the band separated before fitting the band to the machine. In order to make this possible, the seam must be so tight that an insignificant amount of thermoplastic material will be present in the region of the locking wire.

Figures 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate a further variant. In this case, the thermoplastic material 6 lies in the structure of the fabric, as in the earlier cases, but does not fill the fabric completely. As will be seen from the Figures, the eyelets 3 are not affected by the plastic material to any great extent. As illustrated in Figure 3b, the ends of the band are brought together and the locking wire 4 is inserted so as to form over the region of the join a relatively wide area which lacks plastic layer 6. This region of the band is filled with a loose flap 7 which is heated so as to melt into the fabric structure and therewith complete the layer 6, as illustrated in Figure 3c.

Figure 4 illustrates a variant of the Figure 3 embodi¬ ment. In this variant, the whole of the fabric structure is filled-out with thermoplastic material in the form of the layer 6. Since the whole thickness of the fabric structure is to be filled-out after the two ends have been joined together, as shown in Figure 4a, a loose flap 7 is arranged on each side of the band. When the join has been made mechanically, these flaps are placed on respective sides of the join and then heated so that the molten plastic material will fill-out the entire fabric structure in the region of the join. The band will then have the form illustrated in Figure 4c. The flaps 7 are thus made of the same thermoplastic material as that used to fill-out the remainder of the fabric structure in the form of the layer 6.

In the case of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the whole of the fabric structure is filled with thermo¬ plastic material in the form of the layer 6, similar to the aforedescribed. The exposed eyelet region 5 is large, as will be seen from Figures 5a and 5b. Subse¬ quent to having fitted the band and to having locked the join by inserting the locking wire 4 through the eye¬ lets, it is necessary to fill-out the fabric structure in the region of the join with thermoplastic material. Accordingly, when manufacturing the band, a flap 8 has been provided at each end of the band. This flap is not melt-fused into the fabric structure, but physically hangs together with the layer 6 which is melted into the remainder of the structure. As will be seen from Figure 5b, after joining the band ends, the flaps 8 can be heat-softened and pressed down into the fabric struc¬ ture. In this way, the fabric structure in the region of the join will be entirely filled-out with plastic mate¬ rial and the band will have the appearance shown in Figure 5c.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the fabric structure is only partially filled with thermoplastic material. The eyelets 3, however, have a large exposed region 5 and after joining the band ends together with the locking wire 4 it will be necessary to fill these regions with thermoplastic material to the same extent as the remainder of the band has been filled-out. In this embodiment, the left part of the band has been provided with a flap 9 which hangs physically together with the layer 6 on this side of the band. Subsequent to joining the band ends in accordance with Figure 6b, the flap can be melted into the fabric structure, so as to obtain the band configuration shown in Figure 6c. The thermoplastic layer 6 will then extend continuously over the region of the join.

Figure 7 illustrates a variant of the Figure 6 embodi¬ ment and differs from this latter embodiment in that instead of one flap 9 on one end of the band, there are provided two flaps 10 which together cover the join region when the two ends of the band are brought togeth¬ er, in accordance with Figure 7c. Subsequent to having joined the ends of the band, there is obtained a contin- uous band which has a fully penetrating covering layer 6 in accordance with Figure 7b. It will be understood that embodiments other than the aforedescribed exemplifying embodiments are conceivable. These further embodiments primarily depend on how the free flaps are formed, and one alternative method in this regard is to apply some form of protective tape to the band-joining region and over the locking wire with the band in a tensioned state, and then heating the thermoplastic material so that the material will melt and fill-out the fabric structure with the exception of the fabric structure in the region of the join, but instead lies in the form of a loose coating over the join region. When the two ends of the band are later separated, the coating extending over the join region is cut so as to enable the coating to be parted, whereafter the locking wire is withdrawn and the fabric divided into two parts. The band is then fitted to its intended machine and the two ends of the band are brought togeth¬ er and the locking wire inserted through the eyelets. The flaps are then heated so as to fill-out the space located in the region of the join. This described em¬ bodiment of the invention can be said to be particularly suitable when the thermoplastic material, in the form of a layer, is intended to fill-out only a part of the fabric structure.

Claims

1. A joinable band comprising a textile web which is provided from at least one side and through at least a part of its width with a quantity of thermoplastic material which when heat-softened will fill-out the fabric structure of the web at least partially, wherein the edges of respective ends of the band have joining eyelets which are formed in the textile web and which coact with joining eyelets similarly formed in a meeting end of the band so as to form a detachable join, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the textile web joining means are not bonded with the thermoplastic filling material along said end edge and along a region (5) whose width extension calculated from said end edge and inwardly of the web corresponds at least to the extension of the eyelets (3) over that part which coact with the eyelets (3) of the meeting web end.

2. A joinable band according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the thermoplastic material (6) extends over said region (5) in the form of a flap (7; 8; 9; 10) which lies freely against the web (1, 2) in this region.

3. A joinable band according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the flap (7; 8; 9) has an extension which corresponds to the extension of the corresponding region (5) on the meeting end of the web.

4. A joinable band according to Claims 2 and 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the flap (8; 9; 10) is an extension of the layer (6) which fills-out the remainder of the textile web (1, 2).

5. A joinable band according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the flap (7) has the form of a covering strip which is free from thermoplas¬ tic material and the inner edge of which is applied to and fastened to the textile web subsequent to the re¬ mainder of the layer having filled-out the fabric struc¬ ture of the web to a location slightly forwards of the exposed region (5) .

6. A joinable band according to any one of the preced¬ ing Claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the thermoplastic filling has the form of a layer which covers at least one side of the band.

7. A method of manufacturing a joinable band which comprises a textile web in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the fabric structure of the web is filled-out from at least one side by heat softening thermoplastic material which extends over at least a part of the width of the web, wherein the edges of respective ends of the band have formed therein joining eyelets which are intended to coact with joining eyelets similarly formed in a meeting end of the band, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that when filling-out the textile web with thermo- plastic material, a region of the textile web is left free from thermoplastic material over a distance which extends from the end edge of the web and inwardly and which corresponds at least to the extent over which the eyelets coact with the eyelets on the meeting end of the web.

8. A method according to Claim 7, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that filling-out of the fabric struc¬ ture is terminated at a point which lies prior to said region; in that the meeting end-edges of the web are joined together with the aid of the eyelets and locking wire; in that the band is tensioned across said region on both sides of the join; in that one edge of a protec¬ tive flap is caused to adhere to the textile web, edge- to-edge with the terminating edge of the thermoplastic filling material by pressure and heat treatment, so that the flap will lie loosely over at least said region, whereafter the join is opened and the band is ready for installation in an intended machine.

9. A method according to Claim 8, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the flap is caused to extend over the regions on both sides of the join.

10. A method according to Claim 7, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that two meeting ends are joined with the aid of the joining means; in that the band is ten¬ sioned across the join; in that plastic material is filled-out across the join; and in that means which prevent the plastic material from fastening to the textile band joining means is applied over said region on and in the fabric structure, whereafter a cut is made along the join and the join is opened so as to enable the two ends of the band to be separated.