Patent ID: 7781040

Claim:
An insulating composite tubular assembly comprising: a) a tubular core of fluid conducting flexible material having an external curved surface; b) a first set of a plurality of superimposed substantially coextensive strips of material, which first set is thin and flexible enough to bend to substantially conform to the curved external surface of said core; c) a flexible first sheet substantially around said strips to confine said strips together in a superimposed relation; d) a second set of a plurality of superimposed substantially coextensive strips of material, which second set is thin and flexible enough to bend to substantially conform to the curved external surface of said core; e) a second flexible sheet separate from said first sheet substantially around said second set of strips to confine said strips in said second set together in a superimposed relation, which said second sheet is in at least partially non-bonding contact with said first sheet to provide limited sliding relative movement therebetween upon the flexing of said tubular core; and f) at least one void-generating layer comprising: i) at least one void-generating structural element disposed about the second flexible sheet; and ii) an insulating layer disposed about the at least one void-generating structural element such that one or more insulating voids are established between the second flexible sheet and the insulating layer.