Rope Structures and Methods

Abstract

A rope structure comprising a core component comprising core fibers combine to form a first rope structure and a first cover component comprising first cover strands comprising first cover fibers within a first matrix material. The first cover strands are arranged around at least a portion of the core component.

1 . A rope structure comprising:
 a core component comprising core fibers combine to form a first rope structure; and   a first cover component comprising first cover strands comprising first cover fibers within a first matrix material; wherein   the first cover strands are arranged around at least a portion of the core component.   
     
     
         2 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first matrix material is solidified such that the first cover strands hold a generally helical form. 
     
     
         3 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , in which the first matrix material comprises polymeric resin. 
     
     
         4 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a second cover component comprising second cover strands comprising second cover fibers within a second matrix material, where the second cover strands are arranged around at least a portion of the first cover component. 
     
     
         5 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 4 , in which the second matrix material is solidified such that the second cover strands hold a generally helical form. 
     
     
         6 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 5 , in which the second matrix material is formed of polymeric resin. 
     
     
         7 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a second cover component comprising second cover fibers combine to form a second rope structure, where the second cover component is arranged around at least a portion of the first cover component. 
     
     
         8 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate component arranged between the core component and the cover component. 
     
     
         9 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 8 , in which the intermediate component comprises a coating. 
     
     
         10 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 9 , in which the intermediate component comprises a film. 
     
     
         11 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an outer component arranged substantially around at least a portion of the cover component. 
     
     
         12 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 11 , in which the outer component comprises a coating. 
     
     
         13 . A rope structure as recited in  claim 11 , in which the outer component comprises a film. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a rope structure comprising the steps of:
 providing core fibers;   combining the core fibers to form a core component comprising a first rope structure;   providing first cover fibers;   forming at least one cover first cover strand by combining the first cover fibers with a first matrix material;   arranging the at least one first cover strand to form a cover component by arranging the first cover strands around at least a portion of the core component.   
     
     
         15 . A method of forming rope structure as recited in  claim 14 , in which the first matrix material solidifies prior to formation of the cover component. 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a rope structure as recited in  claim 14 , in which the first matrix material solidifies after formation of the cover component. 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a rope structure as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing second cover fibers;   forming at least one cover strand by combining the second cover fibers with a second matrix material;   arranging the at least one second cover strand to form a second cover component by arranging the second cover strands around at least a portion of the first cover component.   
     
     
         18 . A method of forming a rope structure as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of forming an intermediate component between the core component and the first cover component. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a rope structure as recited in  claim 18 , in which the step of forming the intermediate component comprises the step of applying a coating to the core component. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a rope structure as recited in  claim 18 , in which the step of forming the intermediate component comprises the step of arranging a film around at least a portion of the core component. 
     
     
         21 . A method of forming a rope structure as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of forming an outer component around at least a portion of the first cover component. 
     
     
         22 . A method of forming a rope structure as recited in  claim 21 , in which the step of forming the outer component comprises the step of applying a coating to the first cover component. 
     
     
         23 . A method of forming a rope structure as recited in  claim 21 , in which the step of forming the outer component comprises the step of arranging a film around at least a portion of the first cover component.