US Patent 7517024 Post-assembly tension adjustment in elastomeric material applications

An arrangement for enabling post-assembly tension adjustment in an elastomeric material application. The arrangement can have a frame structure and a panel of elastomeric material, such as elastomeric mesh, retained to span from a first side to a second side of the frame structure in tension. A tension adjustment assembly enables a post-assembly, selective deflection of the panel of elastomeric material and thus the tension in the panel of elastomeric material. The tension adjustment assembly can, for example, employ a selectively inflatable bladder, an extension and retraction arrangement with a biasing portion, a pivoting member, a laterally slidable member, a roller with a non-concentric pivot axis a deflection member with a tip portion disposed to an outer surface side of the panel of elastomeric material, or a deflection member slidable on an inclined surface in relation to the panel of elastomeric material.