Shock absorbing fabric structures

摘要

A shock absorbing fabric structure is a one-piece webbing. The shocking absorbing fabric structure has a sheath and an elongation member inside of the sheath. The sheath and the elongation member are secured together at spaced apart connection locations and the elongation member is generally not secured to the sheath between the connection locations. Heat treatment shrinks the length of the elongation member. The sheath does not substantially shrink from heat treatment relative to the elongation member and gathers together in an accordion-like arrangement. A tensile load applied to the fabric structure stretches the elongation member and unfolds the gathered sheath. The sheath supports the tensile load when completely unfolded while the elongation member absorbs energy as it stretches or elongates.