Abrasion resistant cords and ropes

Abstract

The abrasion resistance of organic fiber based ropes and cords is increased by a outer woven cover of tapes of high molecular weight and more preferably ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

1 . A covering device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties, said covering device comprising a braided construction of at least one layer of a uniaxially oriented UHMWPE unitary tape having a continuous and coherent structure. 
     
     
         2 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties, said device comprising at least one interior cord surrounded by an exterior covering, said exterior covering comprising a braided construction of at least one layer of a uniaxially oriented UHMWPE unitary tape having a continuous and coherent structure. 
     
     
         3 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 2  wherein the core has a density greater than water (1 gm/cc) and the cord-like device has a density less than water (1 gm/cc). 
     
     
         4 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 2  wherein the interior cord comprises a plurality of reinforcing structure selected from the group consisting of fibers and tapes defining one or more strands, ropes, cables, wires, coils or laces and the braid is woven tightly to reduce the diameter of inner cord to a smaller diameter than the initial diameter thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 2  wherein the braid substantially compresses transversely the core of the cord-like device and increases the abrasion resistance by a factor of at least about 1.4. 
     
     
         6 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 2  wherein the braid substantially compresses transversely the core of the cord-like device and increases the abrasion resistance by a factor of at least about 5. 
     
     
         7 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 5  wherein the weight fraction of the braid is less than about 10% of the entire cord-like device. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 2  wherein the interior cord comprises bundles of fibers and the UHMWPE unitary tape that forms the braid is impregnated with lubricating oil to reduce the internal abrasion between the bundles of fibers in the interior cord. 
     
     
         11 . A cord like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties, said device comprising a braided construction of cord-like device members according to  claim 2 , wherein the UHMWPE tape that forms the braid of each member of the cord like devices of  claim 2  is impregnated with lubricating oil to reduce the surface abrasion between the crossing members of the braid construction and the internal abrasion between the bundles of fibers in the interior core of each member. 
     
     
         12 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 3  wherein the interior cord comprises bundles of fibers and the UHMWPE unitary tape that forms the braid is impregnated with lubricating oil to reduce the internal abrasion between the bundles of fibers in the interior cord. 
     
     
         13 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according any of  claim 2 , wherein the UHMWPE has a molecular weight greater than 3 millions. 
     
     
         14 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 2  wherein;
 a) the interior cord comprises a reinforcing structure selected from the group consisting parallel, braided, twisted fibers, woven fibers and tapes, the fiber and tapes are high strength multifilament fibers or tapes, 
 b) said fibers or tapes being formed of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, aromatic polyamide, and aromatic copolyester. 
 
     
     
         15 . A cord-like device having enhanced abrasion resistance properties according to  claim 2  wherein the interior cord is an electric or an electronic component. 
     
     
         16 . A laminate structure comprised of one or more layers of a thermoplastic sheet that is covered by a braided construction of at least one layer of a uniaxially oriented UHMWPE unitary tape having a continuous and coherent structure. 
     
     
         17 . A laminate structure according to  claim 16  wherein the UHMWPE has a molecular weight greater than 3 million. 
     
     
         18 . A laminate structure according to  claim 16  wherein the thermoplastic sheet is uniaxially oriented UHMWPE unitary tape having a continuous and coherent structure. 
     
     
         19 . A laminate structure according to  claim 18  wherein the UHMWPE has a molecular weight greater than 3 million. 
     
     
         20 . A cord-like device according to  claim 2  wherein the interior cord comprises a plurality of uniaxially oriented UHMWPE unitary tapes having a continuous and coherent structure.