EP0041905B1 - Method of and device for adhesively securing a flexible and impervious material to a lampshade frame - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Method for adhesively securing a flexible and impervious material (7, 7') to a lampshade frame, formed by at least a lower circle (8) and an upper circle (9) connected by reinforcements (10), characterized in that perforations (14, 17, 17', 26, 40, 41) are made in the said flexible and impervious material (7, 7') in areas corresponding to the parts of this material (7, 7') to be fixed to the circles (8, 9) of the frame and in that one spreads on the outside of this material (7, 7') stretched over the frame, an adhesive which acts by capillarity, through the perforations (14, 17, 17', 26, 40, 41) previously formed, in order to fix the flexible and impervious material (7, 7') on each circle (8, 9) of the frame.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for fixing by gluing a flexible and impermeable material to a lampshade carcass, and it also relates to several embodiments of a device specially intended for the preparation of said material flexible and waterproof, for the implementation of this bonding method.

This invention therefore relates to the lighting industry and, more precisely, to the field of manufacturing lamps, the lampshades of which are made of flexible synthetic or plastic materials (except polyethylene), supported by a carcass which is formed by at least a lower circle and an upper circle, linked together by a number of reinforcements. The term “circle” here designates an element closed on itself, which is not necessarily round but can have a polygonal shape, and which moreover is not necessarily contained in a horizontal plane but can have a wavy or "in festoons".

The main difficulty encountered in making this kind of lampshade consists in correctly stretching and fixing the flexible materials used on the carcass. A method is known which consists of moistening materials in hot water, placing them in an oven, projecting hot air by ventilation before or during assembly on the carcass to make them more flexible and more extensible. to make them more easily fit the shape of the carcass. The materials are then consus, stapled or glued with a solvent glue by rolling the material around the lower circle and the upper circle. These are very long and complicated operations requiring extensive staff training and consuming a lot of heat energy.

Also known, from FR-A-2 367 983 and FR-A-2 404 798, in the name of the Applicant, is a process making it possible to mechanically stretch different materials on carcasses of lampshades of very diverse shapes, without humidify them hot or cold, without steaming them, without blowing out hot pulsed air, very quickly and economically. This process already overcomes the drawbacks mentioned above, and it allows the fixing by gluing of permeable materials on the circles of the frame.

A problem remains, however, for the application of this process, or other processes of the same kind, to tensioning followed by fixing by gluing in the case of flexible synthetic or waterproof plastic materials, for example with decorations. constituting an imitation of animal skins or pigs' bladders. The object of the present invention is to provide a method making the attachment of these materials as easy as for permeable materials.

To this end, the subject of the invention is essentially a process for the fixing by gluing of a flexible and impermeable material to a lampshade carcass, formed by at least one lower circle and one upper circle, process in which makes perforations in said flexible and impermeable material, on zones corresponding to the parts of this material to be fixed on the circles of the carcass, and an adhesive which acts by capillarity is deposited on the outside of this material stretched over the carcass through the previously formed perforations, to fix the flexible and impermeable material on each circle of the carcass.

This process is therefore essentially characterized by the formation of perforations in the bonding zones, in order to allow the migration, by capillary action, of a very fluid adhesive, for example a cyanoacrylate adhesive, deposited externally after tensioning of the material on the carcass. . After gluing, the excess material, which is used to tension it, is cut flush with the lower and upper circles of the carcass.

In addition to its simplicity and the resulting economy, this process has the advantage of making it possible to obtain a perfect finish of the lampshade, after removal of the excess of the material as indicated above, without it is necessary, as in the case of sewn or stapled lampshades, to hide the seam or staples by one or more braids.

According to a first embodiment of the method according to the invention, the flexible and impermeable material is shaped and stretched over the lampshade carcass before the perforations are made, and said perforations are formed on the tensioned material. , following the carcass circles.

The device for implementing this process generally consists of a tool or a motorized device provided with means allowing close perforations to be made on areas of the flexible and impermeable material corresponding to the parts to be fixed by bonding to the circles of the lampshade carcass.

• -d'une simple roue dentée, ou
• -d'une roue comportant, à sa périphérie, deux séries d'aiguilles dirigées radialement, ou encore
• -d'une roue comportant une seule série d'aiguilles, ainsi qu'un épaulement de guidage.

This device can be constituted, for a manual implementation of the method, by a tool having a handle connected to a part carrying an axis, on which is mounted, free in rotation, a wheel provided, at its periphery, with means capable of make perforations in the flexible and waterproof material. This tool can thus be equipped, for making perforations:

• -a simple gear, or
• -a wheel comprising, at its periphery, two series of radially directed needles, or alternatively
• - a wheel comprising a single series needles, as well as a guide shoulder.

In each case, the operator need only follow the circles of the carcass with the tool wheel, pressing on the outside of the material stretched over it, to obtain the desired perforations.

The process can also be partially mechanized, while retaining the same principle, by using for its implementation a portable device with a motor capable of rotating a support on the periphery of which are mounted, free in rotation on their axes, a series of toothed or needle wheels. A variant of this device is a portable device with a motor capable of rotating a screw wheel, with multiple threads. In both cases, the operator holds the device by its motor forming a handle, and guides the device in a way to follow the circles of the frame with the wheel or wheels, in order to make the perforations by means of this or these wheels.

According to a second embodiment of the method according to the invention, the flexible and impermeable material is perforated before it is shaped and in tension on the lampshade carcass, the areas of the perforations correspond to the parts coming into contact or near the carcass circles, when the material is tensioned. This produces a "pre-perforation" of the material, before placing it on the carcass. Advantageously, the perforations are in this case carried out at the same time as the cutting of the panel of flexible and impermeable material corresponding to all or part of the lampshade, so that no additional manufacturing step is necessary. . For this purpose, the device for implementing the method can be constituted by a cookie cutter, known per se for cutting panels of material corresponding to all or part of the lampshade, and provided with 'elements provided with needles which perform the perforations simultaneously with the cutting of a panel of material.

The invention also includes any lampshade, consisting of a flexible and impermeable material and of a carcass formed by at least one lower circle and one upper circle, connected by reinforcements, and produced, as regards the fixing by bonding of the material on said circles, by the process defined above.

In any case, the invention will be clearly understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting examples, some embodiments of this device for fixing by gluing of a flexible and impermeable material on a lampshade carcass, and illustrating the process implemented by this device:

• Figure 2 est une vue de côté, avec coupe partielle suivant la ligne 2-2, du dispositif selon la figure 1;
• Figure 3 illustre l'utilisation de l'outil représenté aux figures 1 et 2;
• Figure 4 constitue un détail de la figure 3, et montre les perforations obtenues au moyen de l'outil des figures 1 et 2;
• Figure 5 est une vue de dessus montrant une deuxième forme de réalisation du dispositif objet de l'invention, toujours constitué par un outil à manche, mais avec une roue à aiguilles;
• Figure 6 est une vue de côté, avec coupe partielle suivant la ligne 6-6, du dispositif selon la figure 5;
• Figure 7 est une vue en coupe transversale de la roue à aiguilles, suivant la ligne 7-7 de figure 6, illustrant une variante du dispositif considéré;
• Figure 8 est une vue de détail du même genre que la figure 4, et montrant les perforations obtenues au moyen de l'outil de la figure 5;
• Figure 9 est une vue similaire à figure 8, et montrant les perforations obtenues dans le cas de la variante de cet outil illustrée par la figure 7;
• Figure 10 représente, vue de côté, une autre forme de réalisation du dispositif objet de l'invention, équipée d'un moteur et d'une série de roues dentées;
• Figure 11 est une vue en coupe faite suivant la ligne 11-11 de figure 10, c'est-à-dire passant par la série de roues dentées;
• Figure 12 représente partiellement, et en perspective, une autre forme de réalisation du dispositif objet de l'invention, équipée d'un moteur et d'une roue à vis;
• Figure 13 est une vue de détail, analogue aux figures 4, 8 et 9, et montrant les perforations obtenues au moyen du dispositif de la figure 12;
• Figure 14 représente encore une autre forme de réalisation du dispositif objet de l'invention, avec roues dentées, vue de côté en cours d'utilisation;
• Figure 15 est une vue de détail, analogue aux figures 4, 8, 9 et 13, et montrant les perforations obtenues au moyen du dispositif de la figure 14;
• Figure 16 est une vue de face représentant une dernière forme de réalisation du dispositif objet de l'invention, comprenant un emporte-pièce complété par des rangées d'aiguilles;
• Figure 17 est une vue en coupe transversale, suivant la ligne 17-17, du dispositif de la figure 16;
• Figure 18 représente, vue de face, un panneau d'abat-jour découpé et perforé au moyen du dispositif selon les figures 16 et 17.

Figure 1 is a top view showing a first embodiment of this device, consisting of a handle tool with toothed wheel;

• Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section along line 2-2, of the device according to Figure 1;
• Figure 3 illustrates the use of the tool shown in Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a detail of Figure 3, and shows the perforations obtained using the tool of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 5 is a top view showing a second embodiment of the device object of the invention, still consisting of a handle tool, but with a needle wheel;
• Figure 6 is a side view, partly in section along line 6-6, of the device according to Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the needle wheel, taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6, illustrating a variant of the device under consideration;
• Figure 8 is a detail view of the same kind as Figure 4, and showing the perforations obtained by means of the tool of Figure 5;
• Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, and showing the perforations obtained in the case of the variant of this tool illustrated in Figure 7;
• 10 shows, side view, another embodiment of the device object of the invention, equipped with a motor and a series of toothed wheels;
• Figure 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of Figure 10, that is to say passing through the series of toothed wheels;
• Figure 12 partially shows, and in perspective, another embodiment of the device object of the invention, equipped with a motor and a screw wheel;
• Figure 13 is a detail view, similar to Figures 4, 8 and 9, and showing the perforations obtained by means of the device of Figure 12;
• Figure 14 shows yet another embodiment of the device object of the invention, with cogwheels, side view during use;
• Figure 15 is a detail view, similar to Figures 4, 8, 9 and 13, and showing the perforations obtained by means of the device of Figure 14;
• Figure 16 is a front view showing a last embodiment of the device object of the invention, comprising a cookie cutter completed by rows of needles;
• Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view along line 17-17 of the device of Figure 16;
• 18 shows, front view, a lampshade panel cut and perforated by means of the device according to Figures 16 and 17.

In a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the device according to the invention consists of a tool designated as a whole by the reference 1, having a handle 2 extended by a rod 3, at the end of which a yoke-shaped part 4 carries an axis 5, on which is mounted, free in rotation, a toothed wheel 6. The ends of the two branches of the part 4 are rounded, so as not to injure the various materials. The toothed wheel 6 is preferably made of hardened steel, with particularly sharp teeth.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tool 1 is used for fixing a flexible and impermeable material 7 to a lampshade carcass formed by a lower circle 8 and an upper circle 9, connected together by a certain number of reinforcements 10. The material 7 is stretched over this carcass, for example by means of a belt 11 which blocks, in the groove of a pulley 12, an excess of this material, protruding beyond the circle lower 8.

The operator moves the tool 1 by following the circles of the carcass, for example as illustrated in FIG. 3 by following the "scalloped" shape of the lower circle 8, this by pressing on the external face of the material 7 and by giving tool 1 a back-and-forth movement along arrow 13. One thus obtains, by the action of the toothed wheel 6, perforations 14 of material 7, along the lower circle 8, as shown Figure 4, said perforations 14 having the form of slots.

In a second embodiment, represented in FIGS. 5 and 6, the device is also constituted by a tool 1 having a handle 2 extended by a rod 3, at the end of which a part in the form of a yoke 4 carries an axis 5, on which is mounted, free to rotate, a wheel 6 '. As before, the ends of the two branches of part 4 are rounded, so as not to injure the different materials. The wheel 6 'here comprises at its periphery two series of needles 15 of hardened steel, directed radially, and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width of the wire or the like constituting the lower circle 8 of the carcass.

FIG. 7 shows a variant, in which the wheel 6 "has only one series of needles 15 ', the second series of needles being replaced by a shoulder 16.

The use of the tool 1 'according to FIGS. 5 and 6 is similar to that of the tool 1 illustrated by FIG. 3, and it makes it possible to obtain, on the material 7, along the lower 8 and upper circles. 9 of the carcass, perforations 17, as shown in FIG. 8, produced by the needles 15 and being in the form of two rows of small parallel holes. In the case of using a tool with a 6 "wheel according to FIG. 7, a single row of perforations 17 ′ is obtained in the form of small holes, as shown in FIG. 9, the shoulder 16 making it possible to ensure good guiding of the 6 "wheel along the carcass circles.

In a third embodiment, shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the device comprises an electric or pneumatic motor 18, forming a handle and connected to a stirrup 19 serving as a bearing for an axis 20, coupled to the motor 18. The axis 20 supports two parallel discs 21, connected at their periphery by a series of axes 22, on each of which is mounted, free in rotation, a toothed wheel 23. The device thus comprises a series of toothed wheels 23, identical to the single toothed wheel of the tool according to Figures 1 and 2; in a variant not shown, the two discs 21 can also support a series of needle wheels, identical to the single wheel of the tool according to FIGS. 5 to 7. In addition, the caliper 19 carries, in the extension of the axis 20 and opposite the motor 18, a ball 24 serving as a handle.

To use the device according to FIGS. 10 and 11, the operator need only grasp, for example with the right hand, the motor 18 serving as the first handle, and with the left hand the ball 24 constituting a second handle. Holding this device with two hands allows both to guide the discs 21 along the circles of the frame, and to exert a certain effort to achieve the perforation of the material, the result obtained being of the same kind than that shown in Figure 4 or Figure 8.

A fourth embodiment, shown in Figure 12, further comprises an electric or pneumatic motor 18 ¹ , driving an axis 20 '. This axis 20 ′ carries, here, a screw wheel 25, with multiple threads, for example three or four in number. This wheel 25 is made of hardened steel, its teeth being particularly sharp. During its use, this arrangement must be kept in such a way that its center line is in line with the circle of the carcass. The perforations obtained 26 have the form of inclined slots, as shown in FIG. 13.

In a fifth embodiment, shown in FIG. 14, the device essentially comprises two arms 27 and 28, articulated on a pivot axis 29. The end of the arms 27 and 28 ends in the form of a yoke, as indicated respectively in 30 and 31, and carries a gear wheel mounted freely in rotation, respectively 32 and 33, made of hardened steel with a particularly sharp toothing. In use, the lampshade carcass is positioned with its axis 34 parallel to the pivot axis 29 of the arms 27 and 28, the two circles 8 and 9 being opposite the respective toothed wheels 32 and 33 For the lower circle 8 having a scalloped or wavy shape, the width of the corresponding toothed wheel 32 is provided greater than the maximum height of the undulations of said circle. The two toothed wheels 32 and 33 rest on the lampshade by exerting a certain pressure necessary for the penetration of the teeth in the material 7, and the perforation of this material 7 throughout the circles 8 and 9 of the carcass is obtained by the rotation, controlled manually or mechanically, of the lampshade around its axis 34. Figure 15 shows the drawing of the perforations obtained, in the form of slots all parallel.

The five embodiments described so far, with reference to Figures 1 to 15, allow the perforation of a material 7, flexible and waterproof, already stretched on a lampshade carcass, of any shape or size, for the production of small or medium series. After the perforation has been carried out, the material 7 is fixed to the lower 8 and upper 9 circles (see FIG. 3) is preferably ensured by the deposition of a very fluid cyanoacrylate adhesive, which acts by capillarity through this material 7, and makes it possible to achieve in a few seconds the fixing of the material 7 to the carcass, which is made either of metal covered or not with a plastic paint, a lacquer or an epoxy paint, or entirely of plastic. Finally, the excess material 7 is detached, flush with the lower circle 8 and the upper circle 9 on which the bonding has just been carried out, using a cutting tool.

For the production of large series, the method according to the invention can be implemented differently, by a sixth embodiment of the device, represented in FIGS. 16 and 17. The device comprises in this case a conventional cookie cutter 35, in form of frame with curved sharp edges, allowing to cut a panel of material 7 '(see Figure 18) corresponding to all or part of a lampshade, the shape and dimension of the panel 7' being of course defined depending on the shade to be produced. According to the invention, the frame 35 carries two bars 36 and 37, which connect two of its opposite sides, and which themselves each carry several rows of needles, respectively 38 and 39, all these needles having their points turned by the same side as the sharp edges of the frame 35.

As shown in FIG. 18, when the panel 7 ′ is cut, the rows of needles 38 and 39 produce simultaneously on this panel 7 ′, two perforation zones, 40 and 41 respectively, the position of which must correspond to the 'location of the upper and lower circles of the carcass.

As is obvious, and as already follows from the above, the invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this device for fixing by gluing a flexible and impermeable material on a carcass of felling day which have been described above, by way of examples; it embraces, on the contrary, all the variants intended for the implementation of the same process, allowing the making of lampshades of all shapes and all dimensions.

Claims (16)

1. Method for adhesively securing a flexible and impervious material (7, 7') to a lampshade frame, formed by at least a lower circle (8) and an upper circle (9) connected by reinforcements (10), characterised in that perforations (14, 17, 17', 26, 40, 41 ) are made in the said flexible and impervious material (7, 7') in areas corresponding to the parts of this material (7, 7') to be fixed to the circles (8, 9) of the frame and in that one spreads on the outside of this material (7, 7') stretched over the frame, an adhesive which acts by capillarity, through the perforations (14, 17, 17', 26,40,41) previously formed, in order to fix the flexible and impervious material (7, 7') on each circle (8, 9) of the frame.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the flexible and impervious material (7) is shaped and stretched over the lampshade frame before the perforations (14, 17, 17', 26) are produced and in that said perforations are formed on the material (7) under tension, following the circles (8, 9) of the frame.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the flexible and impervious material (7') is perforated before it is shaped and placed under tension on the lampshade frame, the areas of the perforations (40, 41) corresponding to the parts coming into contact or into the vicinity of the circles (8, 9) of the frame, at the time of tensioning of the material (7').

4. Method according to claim 3, characterised in that the perforations (40, 41) are produced at the same time as the cutting-out of the panels of flexible and impervious material (7') corresponding to all or part of the lampshade.

5. Device intended for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterised in that it is constituted by a tool (1, 1', 35) or an apparatus comprising a motor (18, 18') provided by means (6, 6', 6", 23, 25, 32, 33, 38, 39) making it possible to produce perforations very close to each other in areas of the flexible and impervious material (7, 7') corresponding to the parts to be adhesively secured to the circles (8, 9) of the lampshade frame.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that it is constituted by a tool (1, 1') comprising a handle (2) connected to a part (4) supporting a spindle (5), on which a wheel (6, 6', 6") is mounted to rotate freely and which is provided on its periphery with means able to produce perforations (14, 17, 17') in the flexible and impervious material (7).

7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the tool (1) is equipped with a toothed wheel (6), for producing perforations (14).

8. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the tool (1') is equipped with a wheel (6') comprising on its periphery two series of needles (15) directed radially.

9. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the tool (1) is equipped with a wheel (6") comprising a single series of needles (15'), as well as a guide shoulder (16).

10. Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that the part (4) of the tool (1, 1') supporting the spindle (5) on which the wheel (6, 6', 6") is mounted, is in the form of a clevis, the ends of its two sides being rounded.

11. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that it is constituted by a portable apparatus with a motor (18) able to provide the rotary drive for a support (21), mounted on the periphery of which is a series of toothed wheels (23) or wheels comprising needles, which are free to rotate on their spindles (22).

12. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that it also comprises, on the side of the series of wheels (23) remote from the motor (18) serving as a first handle, a ball (24) serving as a second handle.

13. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that it is constituted by a portable apparatus with a motor (18') able to provide the rotary drive for a wheel comprising a screw (25), with multiple threads.

14. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that it comprises two arms (27, 28) pivoted on an axis (29) and each supporting a toothed wheel (32, 33) mounted to rotate freely and able to rest on the lampshade thus exerting pressure, the perforation of the flexible and impervious material (7) along the circles (8, 9) of the frame being obtained by the rotation of the lampshade about its axis (34), parallel to the pivot axis (29) of the said arms (27, 28).

15. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that it is constituted by a punch (35), known per se for cutting-out panels of material (7') corresponding to all or part of the lampshade and provided with members (36, 37) provided with needles (38, 39) which produce the perforations (40, 41) at the same time as the cutting-out of a panel of material (7').

16. Lampshade constituted by a flexible and impervious material (7, 7') and a frame formed by at least one lower circle (8) and an upper circle (9) connected by reinforcements (10), characterised in that it is produced, as regards the securing of the material (7, 7') by adhesion to said circles (8, 9), by the method according to one of claims 1 to 4.

Images