Textile sleeve having elastomeric coating with indicator markings therein and method of construction thereof

Abstract

A protective textile sleeve for providing protection to an elongate member contained therein and method of construction thereof are provided. The sleeve has a wall formed of interlaced yarn(s) and a coating of elastomeric material bonded to an outer surface of the wall. The coating has an indicia therein to provide a viewer viewing an outer surface of the coating with information, wherein the indicia extends radially inwardly into the outer surface of the coating to provide the indicia with depth so as to avoid being easily worn away.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective textile sleeve for providing protection to an elongate member contained therein, comprising:
 a wall formed of at least one interlaced yarn, said wall having an outer surface and an inner surface bounding a central cavity sized for receipt of the elongate member and extending along a central axis between opposite ends;   a coating of elastomeric material bonded to said outer surface of said wall, said coating having a thickness and an exposed outer surface; and   indicia extending radially inwardly into said exposed outer surface of said coating toward said longitudinal axis to provide said indicia with a depth.   
     
     
         2 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said indicia does not extend through said thickness of said coating. 
     
     
         3 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said depth of said indicia is less than said thickness of said coating. 
     
     
         4 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 3 , wherein said depth of said indicia is between about 25-75 percent of said thickness of said coating. 
     
     
         5 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 3 , wherein said depth of said indicia is greater than 50 percent of said thickness of said coating. 
     
     
         6 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said elastomeric material is a silicone-based material. 
     
     
         7 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one yarn is interlaced via being woven, braided or knitted. 
     
     
         8 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said wall is a circumferentially continuous, seamless wall. 
     
     
         9 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said wall has opposite inner and outer edges extending generally parallel to the central, longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 9 , wherein said opposite inner and outer edges are biased into overlapping relation with one another. 
     
     
         11 . A method of constructing a textile protective sleeve, comprising:
 interlacing yarn to form a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface extending between opposite ends;   bonding a generally uniform thickness of a coating of elastomeric material to the outer surface; and   forming an indicia extending inwardly into an outer surface of the coating to provide the indicia with a depth.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including forming the depth of the indicia to be less than the thickness of the coating. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further including forming the depth of the indicia to be between about 25-75 percent of the thickness of the coating. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further including providing the elastomeric material as a silicone-based material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further including interlacing the yarn via one of a weaving, braiding or knitting process. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further including forming the indicia with a laser. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further including forming the wall as a circumferentially continuous, seamless wall. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further including forming the wall having opposite inner and outer edges extending generally parallel to the central, longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . The protective textile sleeve of  claim 18 , further including biasing the opposite inner and outer edges into overlapping relation with one another.