Designed to protect the rubber bladder from abrasive surfaces, Firestone offers neoprene protective sleeves. These rubber sleeves are slipped over the deflated bladder with the assistance of air or water as a lubricant. Not only improving life in a standard application, these protective sleeves also provide necessary support for inflating the AirPicker™ end-effector unrestrained. The protective sleeves' thickness increases the diameter of the rubber bladder as well as restricts diameter growth during inflation. The sleeve's effect on the diameter is shown in the data sheet.
