US 12,344,966 B2
Method of making an elongated enclosed pathway
Stacey Brown, LaGrange, GA (US); and Steven L. Bedingfield, LaGrange, GA (US)
Assigned to Milliken & Company, Spartanburg, SC (US)
Filed by Milliken & Company, Spartanburg, SC (US)
Filed on May 21, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/670,130.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/505,444, filed on Jun. 1, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0401250 A1, Dec. 5, 2024
Int. Cl. B32B 1/08 (2006.01); B32B 5/02 (2006.01); B32B 27/12 (2006.01); B32B 27/32 (2006.01); B32B 37/24 (2006.01); D03D 1/02 (2006.01); D03D 3/02 (2006.01); D03D 13/00 (2006.01); D03D 15/283 (2021.01); D03D 15/49 (2021.01); F16L 11/08 (2006.01); F16L 11/04 (2006.01)
CPC D03D 1/02 (2013.01) [B32B 1/08 (2013.01); B32B 5/024 (2013.01); B32B 27/12 (2013.01); B32B 27/32 (2013.01); B32B 37/24 (2013.01); D03D 3/02 (2013.01); D03D 13/004 (2013.01); D03D 15/283 (2021.01); D03D 15/49 (2021.01); F16L 11/085 (2013.01); B32B 2262/0276 (2013.01); B32B 2305/188 (2013.01); B32B 2307/54 (2013.01); B32B 2307/7242 (2013.01); B32B 2307/7376 (2023.05); B32B 2323/04 (2013.01); B32B 2367/00 (2013.01); B32B 2571/00 (2013.01); B32B 2597/00 (2013.01); D10B 2331/04 (2013.01); D10B 2505/00 (2013.01); F16L 2011/047 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process of forming an elongated enclosed pathway comprising:
forming an inner structure comprising at least one inflatable tube, wherein the inflatable tube has a wall thickness of less than about 0.5 mm;
forming an outer structure comprising a narrow woven cylinder, wherein the narrow woven cylinder comprises a circumference, a diameter, and a length and comprises a plurality of warp yarns, a plurality of weft yarns, and at least one catch yarn, wherein the narrow woven cylinder comprises a knitted catch area running along the length of the tube, wherein the weft yarns have a repeating stitch pattern comprising a knit stitch with a catch yarn, stitching with the warp yarns in a counterclockwise direction around the circumference, a knit stitch with a catch yarn, and stitching with the warp yarns in a clockwise direction around the circumference;
wherein the forming of the narrow woven cylinder is concurrent with inserting the at least one inflatable tube into the narrow woven cylinder and wherein the narrow woven cylinder is woven around the at least one inflatable tube;
wherein the inflatable tube alone has an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm, wherein the inflatable tube alone has an air permeability of greater than about 100 cfm, and the narrow woven cylinder together with an inflatable tube located inside the narrow woven cylinder has an air permeability of less than about 1 cfm.