Improved flexible strap

Improved flexible belt technology field

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved belt of flexible material, particularly an improved belt of flexible material for use in respirators.

Background technique

[0002] The self-control breathing apparatus (SCBA) equipment includes a back plate (or back frame) on which a cylinder of breathable gas is installed. The gas cylinder is fixed to a back plate using a flexible gas cylinder fixing belt, which is connected to the back plate and tightened around the gas cylinder. Typically, two flexible shoulder straps are each connected to the upper part of the backboard at its first end and to the lower part of the backboard at its second end. The flexible waist belt (or belt) is also connected to the back plate. This enables the harness to be carried on the back of the user.

[0003] For the above-mentioned respirator used by firefighters, because the equipment must be able to withstand high temperatures, it is very important that the fixed waist belt and shoulder strap of the gas cylinder be fire-resistant.

[0004] The known belts used are woven from Kaylor (RTM) or Nomex (RTM) fibers. This kind of belt is fire-resistant in nature, but because of the high cost of Kevlar or Nomex materials, the belt is relatively expensive. Belts produced from the above materials must also be sealed at their edges to prevent wear. However, because of the fire-resistant properties of these fibers, it is impossible to heat seal their ends. Therefore, the ends of the belt must be folded twice and stitched together. This will result in additional manufacturing costs and time.

Summary of the invention

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an elongated flexible material belt for use in a respirator, the belt comprising a center liner provided with a refractory layer on a first surface and a second surface bottom. Preferably, the refractory layer is a coating layer. The center substrate is preferably a textile. The belt can be manufactured cheaper and easier, and the refractory layer allows the belt to be used in a high temperature environment. In a particularly preferred structure, the refractory layer is non-slip. The use of non-slip materials means that the belt can grip adjacent objects.

[0006] In one embodiment, the refractory layer is rubber. The rubber can be synthetic rubber, butyl/1 green synthetic rubber mixture, silicone rubber or flexible polyvinyl chloride. The refractory layer may have antioxidant additives to improve fire resistance characteristics. The thickness of the refractory layer can be between 0.3 to 1 mm.

[0007] The textile material may be polyamide, such as nylon. The thickness of the textile may be between 0.5 to 1.5 mm. Woven textiles include warp yarns and weft yarns. Preferably, the belt is formed such that the warp yarns of the textile extend in the elongation direction of the belt to provide strength.

[0008] The present invention also includes a gas cylinder fixing belt, or shoulder strap, or waist belt for a harness of a respirator, the harness including a belt according to any one of the descriptions herein.

[0009] The present invention also includes a respirator having a belt according to any of the descriptions herein.

[0010] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a belt of flexible material for use in a respirator harness, the method comprising applying a refractory layer to a first surface and a second surface of a textile. Preferably, the refractory layer is provided as a coating layer. The refractory layer can be non-slip. Under heating and/or pressurizing conditions, the refractory layer can be applied to textiles

Objects on the first surface and the second surface.

[0011] In one embodiment, the belt is formed with a knitted textile having warp yarns and weft yarns. Preferably, the belt is formed so that the warp yarns extend in the elongation direction of the belt.

[0012] The present invention may include any combination of the features and/or limitations mentioned herein, unless the combination of these features is mutually exclusive.

Description of the drawings

[0013] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings by way of example only, in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 schematically shows a strip of elongated flexible material according to the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 schematically shows the AA section of FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 3 schematically shows a method of manufacturing a belt according to the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 4 schematically shows a piece of material from which many tapes can be cut; and

[0018] FIG. 5 schematically shows a number of straps used on a harness for a respirator.

Detailed ways

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an elongated flexible belt 10 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the belt 10 has a layered structure. The layered structure includes a woven textile 12 with coating layers 14, 16 of fire-resistant non-slip material on the first and second surfaces.

[0020] In this embodiment, the textile is woven with polyamide fibers such as nylon. The braided nylon is 1000 denier and has a thickness of approximately 1.25 mm. The fire-resistant anti-skid material layers 14, 16 are fire-resistant butyl/purchased synthetic rubber mixtures. The addition of antioxidant additives improves the fire resistance of the anti-skid layer 14.16. Each of the anti-slip layers has a thickness of approximately 0.7 mm.

[0021] With regard to FIG. 3, a piece of flexible layered material 20 used to produce the belt 10 is manufactured by calendering a butyl/1 blue synthetic rubber mixture onto both sides of a woven nylon sheet 12. This is achieved by heating the synthetic rubber mixture and continuously pouring it onto the two surfaces of the woven nylon sheet 12, while sending the woven nylon sheet through two counter-rotating rollers 102.104. The pressure of the roller 102.104 causes a layer of synthetic rubber compound to bond to each side of the nylon woven sheet. Then, the woven nylon sheet 12 coated with the elastomer layers 14, 16 on each side is sent through a second set of counter-rotating rollers 106.108 to apply further pressure to the layered material. This manufacturing method results in the layered structure of Figure 2.

[0022] The woven nylon textile 12 has a textured surface, and under the action of pressure and heat, an elastomer mixture is applied to the first and second surfaces. This makes it difficult to separate the layers in the layered structure.

[0023] Referring now to FIG. 4, the flexible material sheet 20 manufactured by the above-described process is cut into a series of elongated bands 22. In order to obtain the best strength, the sheet 20 is cut parallel to the direction of extension of the warp yarns of the woven fabric. Then, the belt 22 can be cut to a desired length to form the belt 10. Because the rubber layer 14.16 prevents the woven nylon textile 10 from being worn, it is not necessary to seal the ends or edges of the belt 10.

[0024] The belt 10 can be manufactured quickly, easily, and inexpensively. Woven nylon textile 12 is a relatively inexpensive material but is not fire resistant. The fire-resistant rubber layers 14, 16 protect the woven nylon central part 12 and ensure that the entire belt is fire-resistant. The strength of the belt 10 is provided by weaving the nylon textile material 12. In particular, the warp yarns extending in the direction in which the belt extends provide the strength of the belt 10. The strap 10 is also slightly elastic, which is particularly useful for certain applications that require the strap to secure objects under tension.

[0025] In this embodiment, each side of the belt 10 has a non-slip surface, the non-slip surface is made of artificial rubber

Adhesive layers 14, 16 are provided. This means that the belt 10 has a relatively high coefficient of friction and therefore exhibits the ability to hold objects.

[0026] FIG. 5 shows the belt 10 used on the harness 30 for a respirator that is worn on the back of the user. The belt 10 is used as a shoulder belt 32, a waist belt 34, and a cylinder fixing belt 36 (the cylinder is not shown).

[0027] The non-slip rubber layers 14, 16 of the shoulder and waist belts 32, 34 enable the belt to grip the user's clothing. This means that the user wearing the harness will feel that the harness is held securely and tightly on his/her body. In particular, it is possible to obtain the safety feeling of the harness resting on the user without excessively tightening the shoulder belt and the waist belt 32.34, and therefore it is not necessary to restrict the wearer's activities too much.

[0028] The non-slip rubber layers 14, 16 of the gas cylinder fixing belt 36 allow the belt to grip the gas cylinder loaded on the carrier 30 firmly. This suppresses rotation that would put unnecessary pressure on the connection between the gas cylinder and the reduction valve 38, which is connected to the reduction valve. By convention, in order to suppress the rotation of the cylinder, a separate rubber pad is provided. Therefore, the use of the gas cylinder fixing belt 36 with the non-slip coating layer eliminates the need for a separate rubber pad, thereby reducing both the cost of the equipment and the time for assembly.

[0029] As described above, the fire-resistant layers 14, 16 of the woven nylon textile 12 make the belt 10 fire-resistant. This means that they can be used on respirators that are used by firefighters and the like in high temperature environments.