Patent 6984596 was granted and assigned to Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company on January, 2006 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A wire-reinforced webbing material is disclosed for use in furniture, bedding and the like. The webbing includes a flat knitted fabric comprised of substantially elastic yarns such as polyester. A plurality of reinforcement wires are integrally knitted into the fabric structure in a lengthwise direction. The wires may be thin-gauge titanium or titanium alloy wires. Elastomeric yarns or cards may also be integrally knitted into the fabric structure parallel to the reinforcement wires. The reinforcement wires and elastomeric cords combine with the knitted fabric to yield a webbing material having both a high tensile strength and a resilient responsiveness to applied external loads.