Textile sleeve with non-abrasive wall and method of construction thereof

Abstract

A textile sleeve for routing and protecting an elongate member has a textile wall having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The inner surface bounds a cavity sized for receipt of the elongate member. The textile wall is formed of first monofilaments and second monofilaments interlaced with one another. The first monofilaments are a homopolymer material and the second monofilaments are a copolymer material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A textile sleeve for routing and protecting an elongate member, comprising:
 a textile wall having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends, said inner surface being configured to bound a cavity sized for receipt of the elongate member, said textile wall being formed of first monofilaments and second monofilaments interlaced with one another, wherein said first monofilaments are a homopolymer material and said second monofilaments are a copolymer material, said copolymer material including between 5-40 percent by weight of resin material with excellent sliding characteristics.   
     
     
         2 . The textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said first monofilaments are PET or PA. 
     
     
         3 . The textile sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein said first monofilaments have a first diameter and said second filaments have a second diameter, said second diameter being equal to or greater than said first diameter. 
     
     
         4 . The textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said copolymer material includes between 60-95 percent by weight PET or PA. 
     
     
         5 . The textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said first monofilaments and second monofilaments are woven with one another. 
     
     
         6 . The textile sleeve of any one of  claim 5 , wherein said first monofilaments and said second monofilaments extend generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis as warp yarns. 
     
     
         7 . The textile sleeve of any one of  claim 6 , wherein said first monofilaments and said second monofilaments extend generally transverse to the central longitudinal axis as weft yarns. 
     
     
         8 . The textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said first monofilaments and said second monofilaments are braided with one another. 
     
     
         9 . The textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said textile wall extends widthwise between opposite edges wrapped about the central longitudinal axis to bound the elongate member within the cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The textile sleeve of  claim 9 , wherein at least some of said first monofilaments are heat-set to bias said wall into a self-wrapping tubular configuration with said opposite edges being biased in overlapping relation with one another. 
     
     
         11 . The textile sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said textile wall is circumferentially continuous. 
     
     
         12 . A textile sleeve for routing and protecting an elongate member, comprising:
 a textile wall having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends, said inner surface being configured to bound a cavity sized for receipt of the elongate member, said textile wall being formed of first monofilaments and second monofilaments interlaced with one another, wherein said first monofilaments are a homopolymer material and said second monofilaments are a copolymer material, said copolymer material including resin material with excellent sliding characteristics, wherein said first monofilaments have a first diameter and said second monofilaments have a second diameter, said second diameter being greater than said first diameter.   
     
     
         13 . The textile sleeve of  claim 12 , wherein said first monofilaments are PET or PA. 
     
     
         14 . The textile sleeve of  claim 12 , wherein said copolymer material includes between 60-95 percent by weight of PET or PA. 
     
     
         15 . The textile sleeve of  claim 12 , wherein said first monofilaments and said second monofilaments extend generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis as warp yarns and wherein said first monofilaments and said second monofilaments extend generally transverse to the to the central longitudinal axis as weft yarns. 
     
     
         16 . The textile sleeve of  claim 12 , wherein said first monofilaments and said second monofilaments are braided with one another. 
     
     
         17 . A textile sleeve for routing and protecting an elongate member, consisting of:
 a textile wall having an inner surface and an opposite outer surface extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends, said inner surface being configured to bound a cavity sized for receipt of the elongate member, said textile wall being formed of first monofilaments and second monofilaments interlaced with one another, wherein said first monofilaments are a homopolymer material and said second monofilaments are a copolymer material, said copolymer material including between 5-40 percent by weight of resin material with excellent sliding characteristics.   
     
     
         18 . The textile sleeve of  claim 17 , wherein said copolymer material includes between 80-90 percent by weight PE or PA. 
     
     
         19 . The textile sleeve of  claim 17 , wherein said first monofilaments have a first diameter and said second filaments have a second diameter, said second diameter being greater than said first diameter. 
     
     
         20 . The textile sleeve of  claim 17 , wherein said first monofilaments are PET or PA.