Shock-absorbing carrying strap

Abstract

A carrying strap and method of making wherein the strap is adapted to support a load and includes a flexible webbing material and a spring element that dissipates and attenuates the shocks and vibrations caused by bouncing of the load as it is carried. One embodiment of the carrying strap includes (1) an elongate length of flexible webbing material and (2) a spring element including a resilient material positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the flexible webbing material such that each of the resilient material and the section of flexible webbing material has a corrugated profile. In response to the load causing a shock force on the carrying strap, the spring element expands and contracts to absorb, attenuate, and/or dissipate the shock force caused by bouncing of the load as it is carried.

1 . A carrying strap having opposed terminal ends, at least one of which is adapted to be attached to a load such that the carrying strap may be used to carry the load, comprising: 
 a length of flexible material; and    a spring element including a resilient material positioned adjacent to a portion of the length of flexible material such that each of the resilient material and the section of the length of flexible material has a corrugated profile that expands when a load is applied to the strap.    
   
   
       2 . The carrying strap of  claim 1 , in which the resilient material is overmolded onto the section of flexible material.  
   
   
       3 . The carrying strap of  claim 1 , in which the spring element is sewn or glued onto the section of flexible material.  
   
   
       4 . The carrying strap of  claim 1 , in which the spring element is slidable along the length of the flexible material.  
   
   
       5 . The carrying strap of  claim 1 , in which the corrugated profile of the section of flexible material and the corrugated profile of the resilient material have substantially equal periodicities and are in phase with one another.  
   
   
       6 . The carrying strap of  claim 1 , in which the flexible material is selected from a group consisting essentially of nylon, polypropylene, leather, synthetic leather, canvas-like fabrics, rubber, natural rubber, polyester, microfiber-based materials, EPDM, Hypalon®, neoprene, elastic polyester, polyurethane, SBR, silicone, Viton®, flexible thermoplastics, and fabric-backed vinyl plastic.  
   
   
       7 . The carrying strap of  claim 1 , in which the resilient material is selected from a group consisting essentially of a thermoplastic material, rubber, natural rubber, a flexible resin compound, a decorative material or fabric, and another moldable material.  
   
   
       8 . The carrying strap of  claim 1 , in which the spring element includes an upper surface and a lower surface, each of which includes a wavy pattern that forms a corrugated profile.  
   
   
       9 . The carrying strap of  claim 1 , in which the spring element includes at least one resilient material rib disposed generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the carrying strap.  
   
   
       10 . A carrying strap, comprising: 
 a length of flexible webbing material having a longitudinal axis and a corrugated portion, the corrugated portion including multiple webbing material waves disposed along the longitudinal axis; and    a resilient material positioned adjacent to the webbing material waves such that each of the resilient material and the corrugated portion has a corrugated shape.    
   
   
       11 . The carrying strap of  claim 10 , in which the resilient material forms at least one resilient material rib disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       12 . The carrying strap of  claim 11 , in which the resilient material rib extends along substantially all of the webbing material waves.  
   
   
       13 . The carrying strap of  claim 11 , in which the spring element includes first and second resilient material ribs on opposite sides of the flexible webbing material.  
   
   
       14 . The carrying strap of  claim 10 , in which the resilient material is overmolded onto the corrugated portion.  
   
   
       15 . The carrying strap of  claim 10 , in which the spring element is slidable along the length of the elongate flexible webbing material.  
   
   
       16 . The carrying strap of  claim 10 , in which the flexible webbing material is selected from a group consisting essentially of nylon, polypropylene, leather, synthetic leather, canvas-like fabrics, rubber, natural rubber, polyester, microfiber-based materials, EPDM, Hypalon®, neoprene, elastic polyester, polyurethane, SBR, silicone, Viton®, flexible thermoplastics, and fabric-backed vinyl plastic.  
   
   
       17 . The carrying strap of  claim 10 , in which the resilient material is selected from a group consisting essentially of a thermoplastic material, rubber, natural rubber, a flexible resin compound, a decorative material or fabric, and another moldable material.  
   
   
       18 . The carrying strap of  claim 10 , in which the spring element includes an upper surface and a lower surface, each of which include a corrugated portion.  
   
   
       19 . A carrying strap, comprising: 
 a length of flexible webbing material having opposed upper and lower surfaces with a section of the webbing material having a corrugated structure formed by alternating ridges and grooves in each of the upper and lower surfaces, the grooves in the upper surface being in phase with the ridges in the lower surface and the grooves in the lower surface being in phase with the ridges in the upper surface; and    a spring element including a resilient material positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the corrugated structure of the flexible webbing material, the spring element having a corrugated profile formed by alternating ridges and grooves that are generally in phase with the alternating ridges and grooves of the corrugated structure of the flexible webbing material so that the spring element and the corrugated structure of the flexible webbing material flatten in response to application of a tensile bounce load, thereby attenuating the impact of the load.    
   
   
       20 . The carrying strap of  claim 19 , in which the spring element further includes a rib disposed longitudinally along the length of the flexible webbing material.  
   
   
       21 . The carrying strap of  claim 19 , in which the flexible webbing material is selected from a group consisting essentially of nylon, polypropylene, leather, synthetic leather, canvas-like fabrics, rubber, natural rubber, polyester, microfiber-based materials, EPDM, hypalon®, neoprene, elastic polyester, polyurethane, SBR, silicone, Viton®, flexible thermoplastics, and fabric-backed vinyl plastic.  
   
   
       22 . The carrying strap of  claim 19 , in which the resilient material is selected from a group consisting essentially of a thermoplastic material, rubber, natural rubber, a flexible resin compound, a decorative material or fabric, and another moldable material.  
   
   
       23 . The carrying strap of  claim 19 , in which the resilient material is overmolded onto the corrugated structure.  
   
   
       24 . The carrying strap of  claim 19 , in which the spring element is slidable along the length of the flexible webbing material.  
   
   
       25 . A method of forming a carrying strap, comprising: 
 clamping a portion of an elongate length of flexible webbing material to form a webbing material portion having a corrugated profile that extends longitudinally along the webbing material portion; and    overmolding a resilient material onto at least a portion of the webbing material portion to form a composite spring element having a corrugated profile that generally follows the corrugated profile of the webbing material portion.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , in which a portion of the flexible webbing material includes pores through which the resilient material wicks during the overmolding process to anchor the spring element on the portion of the flexible webbing material.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , in which a portion of the flexible webbing material includes perforations through which the resilient material wicks during the overmolding process to anchor the spring element on the portion of the flexible webbing material.  
   
   
       28 . A method of forming a carrying strap from a length of flexible webbing material comprising: 
 forming a section of the flexible webbing material into a corrugated profile; and    overmolding a resilient material onto the section to form a composite spring element having a corrugated profile that generally follows the corrugated profile of the flexible webbing material portion.