GB1586217A

GB1586217A - Soft furnishing materials

Info

Publication number: GB1586217A
Application number: GB43934/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Lockwood A W
Current assignee: Lockwood A W
Priority date: 1977-10-21
Filing date: 1977-10-21
Publication date: 1981-03-18
Also published as: FR2406417B3; FR2406417A1; IT7851594A0; IT1106599B

Description

(54) SOFT FURNISHING MATERIALS (71) I, ARTHUR WILLIAM LOCKWOOD, a British subject, of The Hoe, Toweridge Lane, Upper Sands, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to pleating tapes for curtains and other soft furnishing materials.

With normal drape curtaining materials which are used in open or drawn back positions pleating is effected either in random fashion, depending on the volume of fabric used, or is controlled, for example by pins and clips of various designs. In other arrangements the top of the curtain is provided with a pleating tape which has interwoven cords which can be pulled to shorten the overall length of the tape to produce pleating.

When the cords have been pulled to produce a shortened pleated tape they are tied so as to "set" the pleats in the curtain. This method has proved popular but it is not always possible to produce a regular pleated effect and the width of the open or extended curtain is controlled by the length of the shortened tape. Thus it is not possible to produce the desired pleated effect unless the curtain is extended to the full and, similarly, when the curtain is drawn back along the pole or hanging rail the pleats disappear in the bundled fabric.

The present invention is based on my observation that these disadvantages can be substantially overcome by using a cordless pleating tape having alternating relatively rigid and relatively soft regions along its length. By this simple expedient it is possible to produce curtains with uniform pleats which can be opened or collapsed simply by sliding the curtain along its pole or hanging rail.

The present invention therefore provides a soft furnishing fabric having attached thereto a cordless pleating tape having alternating relatively rigid and relatively soft regions along its length and provided with means in said relatively soft regions for receiving means for hanging said fabric, the ratio of the length of a relatively soft region to the length of a relatively rigid region being in the range of from 1 to 3 to 3 to 4.

The present invention also provides a cordless pleating tape having alternating relatively rigid and relatively soft regions along its length and provided with means for hanging said fabric, the ratio of the length of a relatively soft region to the length of a relatively rigid region being in the range of from 1 to 3 to 3 to 4.

Although the present invention is applicable to the pleating of soft furnishing fabrics in general it will from now on, for convenience, be described with reference to its preferred application to curtains.

It will be appreciated that the terms "relatively rigid" and "relatively soft" are used herein not in an absolute sence but to distinguish the rigidities of the two types of region which contribute to the pleating effect. The relatively rigid determine the form of the pleats; the relatively soft regions themselves form the pleats and thus ensure that the pleats are evenly formed. Within this context, the rigidities of the two regions may, of course, be varied to produce different effects such, for example, as sharper welldefined pleats or softer less-defined pleats.

Thus the relatively rigid regions may be formed in various ways. For example a tape made from synthetic or natural and synthetic yarns may be fused, for example, by ultrasonic welding, at spaced apart regions along its length. Alternatively the tape may be a woven tape in which the more rigid regions are formed by the manner of weaving.

In preferred embodiments, however, the relatively rigid regions are produced by using reinforced material which is fused or bonded to the tape and/or which is inserted in pockets within the tape. Thus the tape may be made from two layers of soft fabric material such as a cellulose acetate/cotton blend and strips of reinforcing material, preferably a plastics material such as nylon, polyvinyl chloride or perspex, are sandwiched between the layers at spaced apart regions along the length of the tape. The pockets in which the reinforcing material is positioned may be formed by stitching or preferably by fusing the tape at the edges of the pockets, e.g. by ultrasonic welding.

It will be appreciated that whilst, in many embodiments, the relatively rigid regions will be regularly spaced apart along the length of the tape, in other embodiments they may be distributed in a more random manner in order to produce a desired pleating effect. For example, where the tape is provided with pockets, some pockets may be left empty so as to produce a longer region of relatively flexible material. Equally, whilst in some arrangements, the relatively rigid and relatively soft regions will be approximately equal in length, in other arrangements one may be significantly longer than the other.

The means in the relatively soft regions which are provided to receive means for hanging the curtain may be slots or holes for receiving clips, hooks or rings for attachment to a curtain rail. The positions at which the hooks, clips or rings are attached to the tape relative to the relatively rigid regions of the tape will affect the pleating pattern and various pleating effects may readily be obtained by varying the length between the clips, hooks and rings or by arranging them in uniform or random manner.

For example, in order to obtain a deep pleat, even when the curtain is in other regions fully extended and flat, two soft regions of the tape may be joined by a double prong hook, the length of which determines the width of the deep pleat.

Alternatively two adjacent hooks may be loosely joined by a linking member the length of which determines the maximum width of the deep pleat without preventing it from collapsing in neat concertina fashion when the curtain is drawn back.

In other embodiments the means in the relatively soft regions for receiving the means for hanging the curtain may be holes through which a rod, wire or rail may be passed.

Such a tape is especially useful with net curtains where the weight of the fabric is relatively low. Again the spacing of the holes and the manner of their employment may be used, if desired to produce special effects.

As usual, the tape will in general be attached to the curtain at or near the top edge thereof and will be sufficiently strong and rigid in the reinforced regions to ensure that the top edge of the curtain stands up when hung. The width and thickness of the tape may therefore be varied according to the weight or texture of the fabric or according to the length of the curtain and the required sharpness of the pleating. In general, the tape will be provided as a roll to be cut to length and stitched to the curtain, but, in some instances, for example for industrial curtaining it may be advantageous to form the curtain with the tape attached, either by bonding or by stitching.

Apart from the advantages discussed above, the curtains and other soft furnishing fabrics of the present invention may be washed or dry-cleaned without removing the cordless pleating tapes and, in addition, may readily be ironed flat afterwards. Whilst the pleating tapes are cordless, however, it will be appreciated that the curtains may be used with conventional drawing cords or, indeed, with other mechanical drawing equipment.

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a tape for use in the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates a tape of Figure 1 provided with reinforcing inserts; Figure 3 illustrates a further form of tape in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 shows a curtain constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figures 5a to Sc show the use of the curtain of Figure 4 in a simple pleating arrangement; Figures 6a to 6d illustrate the curtain of Figure 4 in a deep pleating arrangement; Figure 7 illustrates the curtain of Figure 4 in a double pleating arrangement; and Figures 8a and 8b illustrate a net curtain in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to Figure 1, tape 1 is formed from two layers of synthetic fabric material and has been ultrasonically welded along the seams 2 to form pockets 3. The tape 1 has been pierced along the seams 2 to provide slots 4 for the insertion of hooks or rings for attachment to a curtain rail.

In Figure 2 there is shown a completed tape in accordance with the present invention in which plastics reinforcing members 5 have been inserted into the pockets 3.. As shown in Figure 2, the reinforcing members 5 may be rectangular in shape as illustrated in pocket A or may have other shapes as shown in pockets B, C and D.

Figure 3 shows a further form of tape 11 in accordance with the present invention in which the relatively rigid portions 12 have been formed by interweaving the basic fabric across the width of the tape. Tape 11 is similarly provided with slots 13 for insertion of hooks or rings.

Figure 4 shows how a tape in accordance with the present invention provided with hooks 16 is attached to the top edge of curtain 17 by stitching. In typical instances the tape will be stitched at a distance of about 1/8 inch from the top edge of curtain 17.

Figures 5a to Sc illustrate how a curtain provided with the tape shown in Figure 1 may be employed to give a regular pleating arrangement. In this arrangement hooks 16 are provided at every other relatively soft portion 2 as shown more clearly in Figures 5b and 5c. As a result, the curtain will adopt the regular pleating arrangement or the tight concertina arrangement shown in Figure 5b.

Figures 6a to 6d illustrate how a curtain may be provided with the tape of Figure 1 so as to produce a simple deep pleated effect.

As shown most clearly in Figures 6b-6c adjacent hooks 16 are provided with a link member 18 which determines the maximum spacing of the hooks 16, but which, on the other hand, allows the hooks 16 to come into a closed concertina arrangement as shown in Figure 6c.

Figure 7 shows how a doubly deep pleated effect can be obtained in a similar manner.

Finally, in Figures 8a and 8b there is shown a net curtain 20 which, in accordance with the present invention, is provided with a tape 21 provided with relatively rigid regions 22 separated by relatively soft regions 23. The tape 21 is again formed from two layers of synthetic fabric material which has been ultrasonically welded in the soft portions 23 to provide pockets 24 for the insertion of reinforcing plastic strips 25. Tape 21 can readily be made by a suitable machine which feeds the plastic reinforcing strips 25 into preformed pockets 24 and it will be appreciated that the machine may be programmed so as to provide for various distribution patterns of the strips 25 into the pockets 24 in order to provide various pleating effects.

In this embodiment the soft regions 23 of the tape are provided with a series of holes 26 through which the suspending rod or wire 27 of the net curtain may pass in order to produce the assembly shown in Figure 8b. The rod or wire 27 may be passed through the upper holes, the middle holes or the lower holes, as desired or required.

For conventional curtains, the width of the tape will typically be from 1 to 3 inches, generally around 2 inches and in one preferred form of tape the relatively rigid region extends from about 1 to 1 inches along the length of the tape and the relatively soft region from about & to 3 inch. The thickness of the tape will vary according to the curtain material and in general relatively thin tapes will be used for net curtains. It will be appreciated, however, that tapes of other dimensions will be useful in certain applications of the invention.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A soft furnishing fabric having attached thereto a cordless pleating tape having alternating relatively rigid and relatively soft regions along its length and provided with means in said relatively soft regions for receiving means for hanging said fabric, the ratio of the length of a relatively soft -region to the length of a relatively rigid region being in the range of from 1 to 3 to 3 to 4.

2. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in Claim 1, which is a curtain.

3. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tape is made from synthetic or natural and synthetic yarns.

4. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in claim 3, wherein the relatively rigid regions are formed by fusing the tape at spaced apart regions along its length.

5. A soft furnsihing fabric as claimed in claim 3, wherein the relatively rigid regions are formed by interweaving additional yarn at spaced apart regions along the length of the tape.

6. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the relatively rigid regions are formed by using strips of reinforcing material.

7. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reinforcing material is fused or bonded to the tape.

8. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reinforcing material is inserted in pockets within the tape.

9. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pockets are formed by welded seams in the tape.

10. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in claim 9, wherein the seams are formed by ultrasonic welding.

11. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the tape is made from two layers of material and the strips of reinforcing material are sandwiched between said layers.

12. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the reinforcing material is a plastics material.

13. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the tape is provided with means for receiving clips, hook or rings for attachment to a curtain rail.

14. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in claim 13, wherein said means comprises holes or slots in the relatively soft regions of the tape for attachment of said clips, hooks or rings.

15. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in claim 13, wherein a linking member is provided between at least some pairs of adjacent clips, hooks or rings so as to form deep pleats in the curtain.

16. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the tape is provided with holes in the relatively soft regions for suspending the curtain from a rod, wire or rail passing through said holes.

17. A cordless pleating tape having alternating relatively rigid and relatively

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. 16 are provided at every other relatively soft portion 2 as shown more clearly in Figures 5b and 5c. As a result, the curtain will adopt the regular pleating arrangement or the tight concertina arrangement shown in Figure 5b. Figures 6a to 6d illustrate how a curtain may be provided with the tape of Figure 1 so as to produce a simple deep pleated effect. As shown most clearly in Figures 6b-6c adjacent hooks 16 are provided with a link member 18 which determines the maximum spacing of the hooks 16, but which, on the other hand, allows the hooks 16 to come into a closed concertina arrangement as shown in Figure 6c. Figure 7 shows how a doubly deep pleated effect can be obtained in a similar manner. Finally, in Figures 8a and 8b there is shown a net curtain 20 which, in accordance with the present invention, is provided with a tape 21 provided with relatively rigid regions 22 separated by relatively soft regions 23. The tape 21 is again formed from two layers of synthetic fabric material which has been ultrasonically welded in the soft portions 23 to provide pockets 24 for the insertion of reinforcing plastic strips 25. Tape 21 can readily be made by a suitable machine which feeds the plastic reinforcing strips 25 into preformed pockets 24 and it will be appreciated that the machine may be programmed so as to provide for various distribution patterns of the strips 25 into the pockets 24 in order to provide various pleating effects. In this embodiment the soft regions 23 of the tape are provided with a series of holes 26 through which the suspending rod or wire 27 of the net curtain may pass in order to produce the assembly shown in Figure 8b. The rod or wire 27 may be passed through the upper holes, the middle holes or the lower holes, as desired or required. For conventional curtains, the width of the tape will typically be from 1 to 3 inches, generally around 2 inches and in one preferred form of tape the relatively rigid region extends from about 1 to 1 inches along the length of the tape and the relatively soft region from about & to 3 inch. The thickness of the tape will vary according to the curtain material and in general relatively thin tapes will be used for net curtains. It will be appreciated, however, that tapes of other dimensions will be useful in certain applications of the invention. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A soft furnishing fabric having attached thereto a cordless pleating tape having alternating relatively rigid and relatively soft regions along its length and provided with means in said relatively soft regions for receiving means for hanging said fabric, the ratio of the length of a relatively soft -region to the length of a relatively rigid region being in the range of from 1 to 3 to 3 to 4.

2. A soft furnishing fabric as claimed in Claim 1, which is a curtain.

17. A cordless pleating tape having alternating relatively rigid and relatively

soft regions along its length and provided with means in said relatively soft regions for reciving means for hanging said fabric, the ratio of the length of a relatively soft region to the length of a relatively rigid region being in the range of from 1 to 3 to 3 to 4.

18. A cordless pleating tape as claimed in claim 17, having one or more of the features specified in any one of claims 3 to 16.

19. A method of hanging a curtain in a desired pleated fashion which comprises selecting a curtain as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 16 when appendant to claim 2, and suspending it from a conventional rod or rail, the nature and arrangement of the relatively rigid and relatively soft regions of the pleating tape and the arrangement of the means by which the curtain is suspended from the rod or rail being selected to provide the desired pleating pattern.

20. A curtain as claimed in claim 2, substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A curtain as claimed in claim 2, substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in, Figures 8a and 8b of the accompanying drawings.

22. A cordless pleating tape as claimed in claim 17, substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

23. A cordless pleating tape as claimed in claim 17, substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 8a and 8b of the accompanying drawings.