Abstract: The present invention provides load leveling and impact energy absorption webbing comprising warp yarn. If the webbing is used in seat belts, the webbing provides load leveling behavior from about 450 pounds (about 2,000 Newtons) to about 1,800 pounds (about 8,000 Newtons) in vehicle collision. The yarn has a force-displacement profile such that: (a) when the yarn is subjected to an initial barrier stress of from about 0.2 gram/denier to less than or equal to about 1.4 grams/denier, the yarn elongates to less than 3 percent and the initial modulus ranges from about 20 grams/denier to about 150 grams/denier; (b) upon subjecting the yarn to greater than the initial barrier stress and less than or equal to 1.8 grams/denier, the yarn elongates further to at least about 10 percent and the energy absorbed from 0 to the elongation at 1.8 grams/denier is at least about 0.0008 Joule/denier.cndot.meter; and (c) upon subjecting the yarn to greater than 1.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 18, 1997
Date of Patent:
November 3, 1998
Assignee:
Alliedsignal Inc.
Inventors:
Weiming Tang, Frank Mares, Robert Clark Morgan