摘要:
A personal equipment suspension system with active support to the lumbar region includes a belt to surround the user's waist and a frame supported on the belt with a resilient membrane of synthetic elastomeric crystalline material in tension on the frame to be interposed between the belt and the user. The frame includes spaced ends and the membrane is a lattice in tension between the spaced ends. In one embodiment, the system is a support belt. In another, it is load bearing such as a backpack configuration. In another, it includes stanchions to support a body armor vest.
摘要:
An apparatus for forming molded edges on opposite sides of a load bearing surface including a stretching assembly integrated into a molding assembly. The stretching assembly may include localized fabric clamps that leave the center region of the fabric free (e.g. not clamped) through the process. The clamps may be arranged so that once extended to stretch the fabric, the fabric is held by the clamps in the appropriate position for molding. The fabric may be held so that opposed edges terminate in the mold cavities. The mold parts may cooperatively define two spaced apart mold cavities, and may include a mold pocket to provide space to store excess fabric. The fabric may be held against the surface of the mold cavity during the molding process, for example, using hold-down pins and special gate configurations. The molding apparatus may include an alternative stretching assembly configured to provide different amounts of stretch to different portions of the fabric blank. The alternative stretching assembly may include additional intermediate clamps.
摘要:
The present invention provides a load bearing surface assembly having an oriented, molded load bearing surface intersecured with a relatively rigid orienting member. The characteristics of the orienting member are selected such that the orienting member provides a rigid edge member for holding the load bearing surface during the orienting process and/or for mounting the load bearing surface to a support structure. In one embodiment, the load bearing surface includes a pair of orienting members mounted to opposed edges of the load bearing surface. The load bearing surface may be integrally molded into a unitary construction with the orienting member(s). The present invention also provides methods for manufacturing a load bearing surface having an orienting member and a load bearing surface assembly with a load bearing surface and an orienting member.
摘要:
An elastomeric load bearing surface includes an integral attachment mechanism, wherein portions of the load bearing surface attach to each other to secure the load bearing surface to a support structure. In one embodiment, a molded elastomeric strip includes a tab that wraps around a support structure frame member, and a receptacle that receives and retains the first portion. The load bearing surface may be formed from a plurality of molded elastomeric strips, each having a tab extending around the frame member and an opening receiving the tab. The strips may be oriented to reduce creep by aligning the crystalline structure of the elastomer in one direction.
摘要:
An attachment structure for a load bearing fabric. The attachment structure includes interfitted inner and outer rings. The outer ring includes a fabric leg 74 carrying a load bearing fabric. The inner ring defines a channel receiving the fabric leg 74. The inner ring and outer ring are configured to stretch the fabric upon insertion of the fabric leg 74 into the channel. The present invention also provides a method for securing a load bearing fabric to a support structure, generally including the steps of (a) providing an outer ring having fabric leg 74, (b) attaching a section of load bearing fabric to the fabric leg 74, (c) providing an inner ring having a channel adapted to receive the leg of the outer ring and (d) installing the outer ring to the inner ring by inserting the leg into the channel, the insertion forcing the fabric down into the channel and stretching the fabric to the desired tension.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for manufacturing load bearing fabric structures in which the peripheral edge of the load bearing fabric terminates with the mold cavity. The apparatus includes a stretching assembly for stretching the fabric, a fabric retaining assembly for holding the fabric in the stretched condition and a mold assembly for molding the frame about the periphery of the fabric. The method includes the steps of gripping the peripheral edge of the fabric in a stretching assembly, activating the stretching assembly to stretch the fabric in a location adjacent to the mold assembly, clamping the stretched fabric against a face of the mold assembly, releasing the peripheral edge of the fabric from the stretching assembly, moving the stretching assembly from the path of the mold assembly, closing the mold assembly on the fabric with the peripheral edge of the fabric terminating in the mold cavity and injecting molten material into the mold cavity to form the frame directly on the peripheral edge of the fabric.
摘要:
An elastomeric load bearing surface with different load support characteristics in different directions. In one embodiment, the surface includes an elastomeric membrane that is oriented in only a single direction, for example, by compression or stretching. In another embodiment, the surface includes mechanical structures, such as connectors, variations in thickness and apertures, that vary the load support characteristics in different directions. In another aspect, the present invention provides a multilayer load bearing surface in which the layers cooperate to provide a controlled force/deflection profile that is variable in different regions of the surface. In one embodiment, the upper layer includes a plurality of loosely connected nodes and a lower layer having a plurality of resilient elements that separately support each node.
摘要:
A load bearing assembly includes a molded plastic retainer that supports a load bearing surface over an opening defined by a frame. The molded plastic retainer includes a first portion attached to the frame, a second portion attached to the load bearing surface, and at least one elastic connector integrally molded with the retainer. The elastic connector is oriented such that it includes a crystalline structure having a greater degree of alignment in one direction than in other directions.
摘要:
An attachment structure for a load bearing fabric. The attachment structure includes interfitted inner and outer rings. The outer ring includes a fabric leg 74 carrying a load bearing fabric. The inner ring defines a channel receiving the fabric leg 74. The inner ring and outer ring are configured to stretch the fabric upon insertion of the fabric leg 74 into the channel. The present invention also provides a method for securing a load bearing fabric to a support structure, generally including the steps of (a) providing an outer ring having fabric leg 74, (b) attaching a section of load bearing fabric to the fabric leg 74, (c) providing an inner ring having a channel adapted to receive the leg of the outer ring and (d) installing the outer ring to the inner ring by inserting the leg into the channel, the insertion forcing the fabric down into the channel and stretching the fabric to the desired tension.
摘要:
A bolster is moveably mounted on a seat back with a bolster adjustment mechanism adapted to adjust and control the support provided by the bolster. Preferably, the bolster adjustment mechanism is mounted on the back side of the seat back, and preferably includes a positioning member between adjacent ribs in order to form a stop limit or positioning element when contacted by the ribs. The positioning member can be a variety of structures, such as structures of different dimensions, hardnesses or compressibility.