Annular-pleated circular braid

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure can be used to implement a braided cover comprising a plurality of left handed fibers and a plurality of right-handed fibers braided into a hollow tube of fabric. Such a braided cover may be adapted to form a plurality of annular ridges and annular valleys along the longitudinal length of the braided cover when compressed from an extended length to a compressed length.

Accordingly, I claim: 
     
       1. A tube comprising a plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers braided to form a channel inside the tube and adapted to longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length
 in response to a longitudinal extension force, wherein: 
 a) the tube is adapted to, when contracting from its extended length to its compressed length, compress into a plurality of annular pleats, each annular pleat comprising an annular ridge and an annular valley and having an inner diameter which is greater at the annular ridge than at the annular valley; and 
 b) for each annular pleat, the annular ridge from that annular pleat and the annular valley from that annular pleat are both centered around a longitudinal axis of the channel inside the tube; 
 wherein the tube is adapted to compress compresses into the plurality of annular pleats based on as a result of the plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers being heat set into a configuration comprising the plurality of annular pleats; and 
 wherein each annular ridge from the plurality of annular pleats comprises a plurality of areas melted in the pleated configuration. 
 
     
     
       2. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality left-handed and right-handed fibers define a first pitch angle between about 5 to 20 degrees when the tube is at the compressed length. 
     
     
       3. The tube of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality left-handed and right-handed fibers define a second pitch angle of about 30 degrees when the tube is at the extended length. 
     
     
       4. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the extended length is at least four times the compressed length. 
     
     
       5. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises a middle cover disposed in the channel inside the tube. 
     
     
       6. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is adapted to compress further compresses into the plurality of annular pleats based on, for each annular pleat from the plurality of annular pleats, as a result of a polymer material being bonded to the annular ridge of that annular pleat. 
     
     
       7. The tube of  claim 1 , wherein the fibers from the plurality of left-handed fibers and the plurality of right-handed fibers are yarns. 
     
     
       8. A tube comprising a braided fabric comprising a plurality of right and left handed fibers formed into a circular braid defining an interior channel, wherein the braided fabric is adapted to:
 a) longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length in response to a longitudinal extension force; 
 b) compress from the extended length to the compressed length in response to a longitudinal compression force; and 
 c) form a plurality of repeating annular pleats when at the compressed length; 
 wherein the braided fabric is adapted to form forms the plurality of repeating annular pleats based on as a result of being heat set into a configuration comprising the plurality of annular pleats; and 
 wherein each pleat from the plurality of repeating annular pleats comprises an annular ridge, and wherein the fibers comprised by the braided tube are melted at the annular ridges from the plurality of repeating annular pleats. 
 
     
     
       9. The tube of  claim 8 , wherein the braided fabric is adapted to form further forms the plurality of repeating annular pleats based on as a results of a polymer material bonded to the braided fabric. 
     
     
       10. The braided tube of  claim 9 , wherein:
 a) each annular pleat from the plurality of repeating annular pleats comprises an annular ridge; and 
 b) the polymer material is bonded to the annular ridges from the plurality of annular pleats. 
 
     
     
       11. A tube comprising:
 a) a tube shaped cover comprising a plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers braided to form a channel inside the tube shaped cover and adapted to longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length in response to a longitudinal extension force; 
 b) a pleat forming means for forming a plurality of annular pleats along a length of the tube shaped outer cover when it contracts from the extended length to the compressed length, wherein:
 i) each annular pleat from the plurality of annular pleats comprises an annular ridge and an annular valley and has an inner diameter which is greater at its annular ridge than at its annular valley; and 
 ii) for each annular pleat, the annular ridge from that annular pleat and the annular valley from that annular pleat are both centered around a longitudinal axis of the channel inside the tube shaped cover; 
 
 wherein the pleat forming means is the plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers, the plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers having been heat set into a configuration comprising the plurality of annular pleats; and 
 wherein the plurality of left-handed and the plurality of right-handed fibers comprise melted portions. 
 
     
     
       12. The tube of  claim 11 , wherein the pleat forming means comprises a polymer material bonded to the plurality of annular pleats. 
     
     
       13. The tube of  claim 12 , wherein the polymer material comprises a polymer material bonded to the annular ridges from the plurality of annular pleats. 
     
     
       14. The tube of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of areas melted in the pleated configuration are melted sufficiently to make the yarns resistant to sliding past one another. 
     
     
       15. The tube of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a) the yarns comprise individual yarns, each of the individual yarns comprising a plurality of filaments; and 
 b) the yarns in the plurality of areas melted in the pleated configuration are partially bonded, with the bonding primarily being between filaments within individual yarns. 
 
     
     
       16. A tube comprising a plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers braided to form a channel inside the tube and adapted to longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length
 in response to a longitudinal extension force, wherein: 
 a) the tube is adapted to, when contracting from its extended length to its compressed length, compress into a plurality of annular pleats, each annular pleat comprising an annular ridge and an annular valley and having an inner diameter which is greater at the annular ridge than at the annular valley; and 
 b) for each annular pleat, the annular ridge from that annular pleat and the annular valley from that annular pleat are both centered around a longitudinal axis of the channel inside the tube; 
 wherein the tube is adapted to compress compresses into the plurality of annular pleats based on, for each annular pleat from the plurality of annular pleats, as a result of a polymer material being bonded to the annular ridge of that each annular pleat. 
 
     
     
       17. A tube comprising a braided fabric comprising a plurality of right and left handed fibers formed into a circular braid defining an interior channel, wherein the braided fabric is adapted to:
 a) longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length in response to a longitudinal extension force; 
 b) compress from the extended length to the compressed length in response to a longitudinal compression force; and 
 c) form a plurality of repeating annular pleats when at the compressed length; 
 wherein the braided fabric is adapted to form forms the plurality of repeating annular pleats based on as a result of a polymer material bonded to the braided fabric. 
 
     
     
       18. The braided tube of  claim 17 , wherein:
 a) each annular pleat from the plurality of repeating annular pleats comprises an annular ridge; and 
 b) the polymer material is bonded to the annular ridges from the plurality of annular pleats. 
 
     
     
       19. A tube comprising:
 a) a tube shaped cover comprising a plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers braided to form a channel inside the tube shaped cover and adapted to longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length in response to a longitudinal extension force; 
 b) a pleat forming means for forming a plurality of annular pleats along a length of the tube shaped outer cover when it contracts from the extended length to the compressed length, wherein:
 i) each annular pleat from the plurality of annular pleats comprises an annular ridge and an annular valley and has an inner diameter which is greater at its annular ridge than at its annular valley; and 
 ii) for each annular pleat, the annular ridge from that annular pleat and the annular valley from that annular pleat are both centered around a longitudinal axis of the channel inside the tube shaped cover; 
 
 wherein the pleat forming means comprises a polymer material bonded to the plurality of annular pleats. 
 
     
     
       20. The tube of  claim 19 , wherein the polymer material comprises a polymer material bonded to the annular ridges from the plurality of annular pleats. 
     
     
       21. A bungee cord adapted to longitudinally extend from a retracted length to a stretched length in response to a longitudinal extension force, the bungee cord comprising:
 a tube-shaped outer cover made of a fabric that folds when the bungee cord transitions to the retracted length, wherein the fabric of the tube-shaped outer cover is braided and comprises a plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers braided to form a channel inside the outer cover, and wherein the outer cover is adapted to longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length in response to the longitudinal extension force;   an inner elastic core positioned within the outer cover;   a first hook end coupled to the outer cover and the inner elastic core at a first end of the bungee cord; and   a second hook end coupled to the outer cover and the inner elastic core at a second end of the bungee cord,   wherein the outer cover at the compressed length defines a plurality of annular pleats and each annular pleat provides an annular ridge and an annular valley, and   wherein the plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers are heat set into a configuration that forms the plurality of annular pleats.    
     
     
       22. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the stretched length is at least three times the retracted length.  
     
     
       23. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the stretched length is at least four times the retracted length.  
     
     
       24. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the stretched length is at least six times the retracted length.  
     
     
       25. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the inner elastic core comprises an elastic hose defining an interior channel.  
     
     
       26. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the inner elastic core comprises a solid elastic cord.  
     
     
       27. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the inner elastic core comprises a plurality of elastic cords.  
     
     
       28. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the fabric of the tube-shaped outer cover is woven and adapted to longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length in response to the longitudinal extension force.  
     
     
       29. The bungee cord of claim 28, wherein the tube-shaped outer cover crumples when transitioned to the compressed length.  
     
     
       30. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the plurality of annular pleats are further defined by bonding a polymer to the left-handed and right-handed fibers at each annular ridge.  
     
     
       31. The bungee cord of claim 21, wherein the plurality left-handed and right-handed fibers define a first pitch angle between about 5 to 20 degrees when the outer cover is at the compressed length.  
     
     
       32. The bungee cord of claim 21, further comprising a middle cover interposing the outer cover and the inner elastic core.  
     
     
       33. The bungee cord of claim 21, further comprising a lubricant interposing the outer cover and the inner elastic core.  
     
     
       34. A bungee cord adapted to longitudinally extend from a retracted length to a stretched length in response to a longitudinal extension force, the bungee cord comprising:
 a tube-shaped outer cover made of a woven fabric that folds and crumples to form a plurality of annular pleats when the bungee cord transitions to the retracted length;   an inner elastic core positioned within the outer cover;   a first hook end coupled to the outer cover and the inner elastic core at a first end of the bungee cord; and   a second hook end coupled to the outer cover and the inner elastic core at a second end of the bungee cord,   wherein the plurality of annular pleats are heat set into a configuration that forms the plurality of annular pleats.    
     
     
       35. A bungee cord adapted to longitudinally extend from a retracted length to a stretched length in response to a longitudinal extension force, the bungee cord comprising:
 a tube-shaped outer cover made of a braided fabric comprising a plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers braided to form an inner channel, and wherein the outer cover is adapted to longitudinally extend from a compressed length to an extended length in response to the longitudinal extension force;   an inner elastic core positioned within the inner channel;   a first hook end coupled to the outer cover and the inner elastic core at a first end of the bungee cord; and   a second hook end coupled to the outer cover and the inner elastic core at a second end of the bungee cord,   wherein the outer cover at the compressed length defines a plurality of annular pleats and each annular pleat provides an annular ridge and an annular valley, and   wherein the plurality of annular pleats are defined by bonding a polymer to the left-handed and right-handed fibers at each annular ridge.    
     
     
       36. The bungee cord of claim 35, wherein the plurality of left-handed and right-handed fibers are further heat set into a configuration that forms the plurality of annular pleats.