Joint-free continuous ropes and belts

Abstract

Provided is a joint-free continuous rope and belt having a one rope section, a belt section, and a transition section arranged between the rope section and the belt section. A diameter of the rope section is smaller than a width of the belt section, and the rope section, the belt section and the transition section are continuously woven from the same strands to form an integrated structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated rope and belt, comprising:
 a rope section having a rope width and comprising:
 a plurality of warp strands disposed along a longitudinal axis defined by the rope; 
 a weft strand disposed along a latitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the weft strand intertwined with at least one half of the plurality of warp strands; and 
   a belt section having a belt width and comprising the plurality of warp strands, the belt width is greater than the rope width.   
     
     
         2 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transition section comprising the plurality of warp strands and the weft strand intertwined with the at least one half of the plurality of warp strands in a plurality of rounds of intertwines, wherein the transition section has a first width at a first round of the plurality of rounds of intertwines and a second width at a second round of the plurality of rounds of intertwines, wherein the first width is different from the second width.   
     
     
         3 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 2 , wherein the first width of the transition section and the second width of the transition section are greater than the rope width and smaller than the belt width. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 2 , wherein the transition section has a transition length that is greater than the rope width. 
     
     
         5 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 4 , wherein the transition length is greater than the belt width. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 4 , wherein the transition length is at least five (5) times of the rope width. 
     
     
         7 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 2 , wherein the transition section has a first height at the first round and the second height at the second round, wherein the first height is different from the second height. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second rope section having a second rope width and comprising the plurality of warp strands, wherein the rope section is disposed at a first end of the belt section, wherein the second rope section is disposed at a second end of the belt section opposing the first end of the belt section.   
     
     
         9 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 8 , wherein the rope width is equal to the second rope width. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , wherein the weft strand is intertwined with each warp strand of the plurality of warp strands. 
     
     
         11 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , wherein the weft strand is disposed between two adjacent warp strands, wherein the two adjacent warp strands are in two layers in a height direction of the rope perpendicular to a width direction defining the rope width and the longitudinal axis in the rope section, wherein the two adjacent warp strands are in a single layer in the height direction. 
     
     
         12 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , wherein the belt section is configured to be sewn to a cloth. 
     
     
         13 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , wherein the rope section further comprises a hole along the latitudinal axis. 
     
     
         14 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the belt section along the latitudinal axis is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         15 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , wherein forming the rope section comprises:
 (1) preparing 26 warp strands to form a cylindrical array, wherein 14 of the 26 warp strands are inner warp strands forming a 3×4 array, and 12 of the 26 warp strands are outer warp strands disposed around the 3×4 array on an outer side of the inner warp strands;
 wherein bi represents each of the inner warp strands, “i” being a natural number between 1 to 12; 
 wherein b 1 , b 2 , b 3 , and b 4  are in an upper layer, b 5 , b 6 , b 7 , b 8  are in a middle layer, and b 9 , b 10 , b 11 , b 12  are in a lower layer; 
 wherein aj represents each of the outer warp strands, “j” being a natural number between 1 to 14; 
 wherein a 1  is disposed to a left side of b 5  as a starting point, and a 2 , a 3 , a 4 , . . . a 14  are disposed counterclockwise on the outer side of the inner warp strands; 
   (2) intertwining a weft strand around the plurality of warp strands in a stepped shape in at least two directions in the cross section of the cylindrical array;
 wherein the weft strand starts from above a leftmost warp strand a 1  of the middle layer, circles around a 1  for half a circle, then goes through below b 5 , b 6  before going above b 7 , b 8 , then curves down from a rightmost warp strand a 8  and circles around a 8  for a full circle before going through below a leftmost warp strand a 14  of the upper layer, then curves up to circle around a 14  for a full circle, then winding across b 1 , b 2 , and b 3  for half a circle each before going through above b 4 , then above a 9  and circling a 9  for a full circle before entering a next layer, then goes through below a rightmost warp strand a 10  after circling for a full circle, then extends to below a 6  of the lower layer in the cross section of the cylindrical array, then circles around a 10  for half a circle before extending up until reaching a 11  of the top layer in the cross section of the cylindrical array, then winds across a 4 , a 13 , a 2  for half a circle each before extending towards the right, then winds across b 9 , b 10 , b 11  of the lower layer, then passes by below b 12 , a 7 , then circles around a 7  for a full circle before extending to below a 5  and circling around a 5  for half a circle, then extends to above a 12  of the upper layer, circling around a 12  for half a circle before extending to below a 3 , circling around a 3  for half a circle, and finally passing by below a 1 , such that the weft strand is continuously woven within the cross section; and 
   (3) repeating the process described in (2) until the cylindrical array extends to a set length in a longitudinal direction to form the rope section with an expected length.   
     
     
         16 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 2 , wherein forming the transition section comprises
 (1) gradually refactoring the 26 warp strands of the cylindrical array to form a linear array;
 wherein the outer warp strands a 1 , a 2 , a 14 , a 3 , a 13  and inner warp strands b 5 , b 1 , b 9  extend from a center line of the cross section of the cylindrical array to a left side of the cross section, and the outer warp strands a 8 , a 9 , a 7 , a 10 , a 6  and inner warp strands b 8 , b 4 , b 12  extend from the center line of the cross section to a right side of the cross section; 
 wherein a 1  is disposed on the leftmost side, a 8  is disposed on the rightmost side, and a 12 , a 11 , a 4 , a 5  and b 2 , b 3 , b 10 , b 11  moves towards the center line directly; 
   (2) during the process described in (1), weaving the warp strands near the center line of the cross section;
 wherein the weft strand is configured to extend from a first side of the linear array to a second side of the linear array, and while the outer warp strands a 1  and a 2 , a 14  and a 3 , a 13  and a 4 , a 12  and a 5 , a 11  and a 6 , a 10  and a 7 , a 9  and a 8  each intertwine together, intertwining a pair of the inner warp strands in between every other pair of the outer warp strands, which starts with intertwining b 5  and b 9  in between a 1  and a 2 , a 14  and a 3  until a last pair of inner warp strands intertwines in to gradually form a single-layer tissue fabric with the inner warp strands and outer warp strands; 
 wherein every time the warp strands intertwines, the weft strand intertwines along the center line of the cross section including weaving the weft strand to the second side from the first side, then weaving the weft strand back to the first side; and 
   (3) repeating the process described in (2) until the 26 warp strands completely forms a linear cylinder to form the transition section.   
     
     
         17 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , wherein forming the belt section comprises:
 (1) forming 26 warp strands into a linear array;   (2) intertwining the 26 warp strands along the center line of the linear array;   wherein the weft strand is configured to extend from a first side of the linear array to a second side of the linear array, and while the outer warp strands a 1  and a 2 , a 14  and a 3 , a and a 4 , a 12  and a 5 , a 11  and a 6 , a 10  and a 7 , a 9  and a 8  each intertwine together, intertwining a pair of the inner warp strands in between every other pair of the outer warp strands, which starts with intertwining b 5  and b 9  in between a 1  and a 2 , a 14  and a 3  until a last pair of inner warp strands intertwines in to gradually form a single-layer tissue fabric with the inner warp strands and outer warp strands;   wherein every time the warp strands intertwines, the weft strand intertwines along the center line of the cross section including weaving the weft strand to the second side from the first side, then weaving the weft strand back to the first side; and   (3) repeating the process described in (2) until a belt section with a set length is formed.   
     
     
         18 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 17 , wherein after the weft strand is weaved to the first side, one or more overlock strands are introduced to form a coil before the weft strand is weaved back to the first side. 
     
     
         19 . The integrated rope and belt of  claim 1 , wherein the strands are chemical fiber strands including tows, double-threaded strands, multi-threaded strands, or double-twisted strands; wherein the chemical fiber comprises polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, aramid fibers, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . A transition section between a rope section and a belt section, comprising:
 a plurality of warp strands disposed along a longitudinal axis defined by the belt; and   a weft strand disposed along a latitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;   wherein the weft strand is intertwined with at least one half of the plurality of warp strands in a plurality of rounds of intertwines.