GB1592435A

GB1592435A - Strip form element for attaching covering material to a support

Info

Publication number: GB1592435A
Application number: GB1032/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Oke Heyde & Tillner V D
Current assignee: Oke Heyde & Tillner V D
Priority date: 1977-01-18
Filing date: 1978-01-11
Publication date: 1981-07-08
Also published as: AT352525B; DE7701279U1; DE2743786C2; JPS5395753A; FR2377545B1; DK24078A; NL7800625A; ES233317U; ATA24278A; SE7800280L; FR2377545A1; DE2743786B1; BE862874A; ES233317Y

Description

(54) A STRIP FORM ELEMENT FOR ATTACHING COVERING MATERIAL TO A SUPPORT (71) We, OKE VON DER HEYDE & BR< TILINER GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG trading as OKE VON DER HEYDE & BR< TILLNER GmbH & Co. KG, a company of the Federal Republic of Germany of Hansaring 7, 4531 Lotte, Federal Republic of Germany do hereby declare the inven tion for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement : The present invention relates to a strip form element for attaching covering material to a support and concerns more particularly, but not exclusively, a longitudinally flexible, resilient plastics strip form element for attaching covering material backed with foamed material to a frame member of a piece of furniture.

When covering material, for example fabric, backed with foamed material is attached by means of staples to a support, particularly in the manufacture of upholstered furniture or beds, the staples have to be covered so that an imitation or decorative seam is formed along the line of the staples. Advantageously, the seam is profiled by forming a groove in the frame member, which may be composed of chipboard or wood, along the line of the seam, into which groove the covering is introduced, and then attached, by means of the staples driven into the frame member along the floor of the groove.

The production of such a groove represents a very labour-intensive and hence expensive operation, particularly when it is required to impose a curved profile on the seam to be produced. In addition. the frame member is weakened by the groove, so that the frame member has to be made correspondingly thicker in order to ensure the necessary strength allowing for the groove which leads to increased material costs. Finally, the grooves, which may be milled with a rectangular cross-section, must be produced with different widths depending upon the particular thickness of the covering material backed with foamed material which is to be used, and this has a further disadvantageous affect on the production costs.

The present invention provides a longitudinally flexible, resilient strip form element, extruded in one piece from a plastics material, for attaching covering material, more particularly, but not exclusively, covering material backed with foamed material, to a support, more particularly, but not exclusively, a frame member of a piece of furniture comprising a flat base web whose underside is to be attached flat against the support and inwardly curving, longitudinally extending flanges upstanding from the base web at or towards its longitudinal edges, said flanges having freeend inner arcuate portions which define between them a wedge-shaped gap for covering material to be attached along the base web, which free-end inner arcuate portions of the flanges end a short distance above the base web and substantially cover over the base web between said flanges in the free state of the flanges.

An extruded plastics strip form element in accordance with the present invention is cheap to produce and is readily attached to the support by staples, for example, ordinary upholstery staples, ready for use, along the line of the decorative or imitation seam which is to be produced in the covering material, the staples being shot into the marginal regions of the base web by means of a conventional staple gun. Because of the resilience of the strip, these marginal regions are easily accessible to the mouth of the staple gun which is forced into the gap between the free-end inner arcuate portions of the flanges. In addition, the longitudinal flexibility of the strip renders it possible to attach it easily to a curved support along which a decorative seam is to be produced.A support in the form of a chipboard or wooden furniture frame member is not weakened by the attachment to it of the strip as is the case where a groove is cut in the support, so that the support can be made of correspondingly thinner material which is favourable to cost.

Then the covering material, backed with foamed material, is inserted into the gap between the free-end inner acuate portions of the flanges and the covering material is attached by means of a line of staples shot into the base web along the line of the required seam, likewise with a conventional staple gun, in the course of which the freeend inner arcuate portions are resiliently deformed outwards to make room for the covering material and the staple gun. After the shooting operation and removal of the mouth of the staple gun from between the flanges, their frce-end inner arcuate portions reform inwards so as to comprcss the seam and cover the staples shot through the base web along the line of the seam thus gripping the covering material backed with foamed material along the line of the seam.

Because of the resilience of the free-end inner arcuate portions of the flanges, a large range of different thicknesses of the foamedbacked covering material can be received in the gap which is formed between them, so that the manufacturer can process foamed-backed covering material in a range of thickneses using one appropriately designed strip form element in accordance with the invention.

Further features and advantages of tlle invention are apparent from the claims and the following description of specific embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and given by way of example and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of an extruded plastics strip form element in accordance with the invention attached to a support prior to the attachment of covering material to the strip; Fig. 2 shows the strip form element of Fig. 1 with foamed-backed covering material attached thereto; and Figs. 3 and 4 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively but illustrating a further embodiment of extruded plastics strip form element in accordance with the invention.

With reference now to the accompanying drawings, suitable plastics materials with the necessary mechanical strength and deformability and with the necessary resilience to recover their cross-sectional shape so as to perform satisfactorily when extruded into a strip form element in accordance with the invention are, for example, polyethylene or soft polyvinyl chloride, but other materials may be considered, together with methods of production other than extrusion. The plastics strip form elements illustrated in the drawings are designated as a whole by 1 or 1'. As a result of the selection of the material to compose the strip, the strip 1 or 1' is longitudinally flexible or bendable and its cross-sectional shape is resilient to a high degree.The strip 1 or 1' comprises a plane base web 2 which is intended for location with its flat under side, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, secured against a support 3 in the form of a chipboard panel or wooden board constituting a frame member cf a piece of furniture, by means of staples 4 which are shot in an outwardly inclined direction into the inner marginal regions of the base web 2. Upstanding from the base web 2 at its longitudinal edges are inwardly curving flanges 5 which turn through an angle of substantially 1800 and which, in the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2, have the same height h, measured from their crowns to the upper surface of the base web 2.The free-end inner arcuate portions 6 of the flanges 5 end, in the free state of the strip 1 illustrated in Fig. 1, at a short distance above the base web 2 and the flanges 5 then substantially cover over the web 2 but nevertheless the flanges 5 do leave between them a narrow, wedge-shaped gap 7 which tapers to a width dimension of about the thickness of the flanges towards the web 2 for the insertion of a fold covering material 9 backed with a layer of foamed material 8, for example, a shaped or cut-out piece of such material, as shown in Fig. 2.

During the introduction of the covering material 9, together with its backing layer of foamed material 8, into the gap 7, and during the stapling process in which the mouth of a staple gun is inserted into the gap 7, the free-end inner arcuate portions 6 of the flanges 5 are resiliently deformed outwards although, in the example illustrated this outward deformation is limited in each case by a longitudinally extending inner stop flange 10 which branches from the portion 6 on its side remote from the gap 7 and which is directed towards the junction of the flange 5 of the portion 6 with the base web 2 at an angle of about 30 with respect to the base web when the strip is free of any foamed-backed covering material. Thus each stop flange 10 is planar and is formed on an inner arcuate portion 6 along a line spaced from the inner longitudinal edge 11 of the portion 6.

In this case, the marginal inner end regions 12 of the arcuate portions 6 form an easily deformable lip, while the thickened regions 13 at the roots of the stop flanges 10 on the arcuate portions 6 are comparatively stiff. The stop flanges 10 due to their oblique position lodge with their free edges in the corners between the base web 2 and the flanges 5 when the covering is inserted.

In Fig. 2, the profile strip 1 is illustrated in the state in which the covering material 9 together with the layer of foamed mat erial 8 is attached by means of a line of staples 14 shot through the base web 2 along the line of the seam. The arcuate portions 6, which are at first deformed outwards during the process of introducing and attaching the foamed-backed covering material 9 have moved back inwards as a result of their resilience, on removal of the mouth of the staple gun from the gap 7 and grip a portion 15 of the covering material 9 together with the foamed material 8 between them, so that the line of staples 14 is covered and an imitation or decorative seam 16 is formed in the covering material 9 to the outside of the upholstery.The marginal regions 12 of the portions 6 remain deformed outwards in the inner region of the gap 7 immediately adjacent the base web 2 as a result of their comparative flexibility to receive an increased amount or thickness of covering material 8, 9, while the thickened regions 13 which are comparatively stiff are propped or supported by the stop flanges 10, which engage in the corners between the base web 2 and the flanges 5, at a lesser spacing so that the staples 14 are covered and hidden from view. In this connection, the stop flanges 10 represent an additional security means which ensures that the inner arcuate portions 6 cannot, under any circumstances, be deformed too far outwards in their central region corresponding to the region 13, which would otherwise lead to the attachment staples 14 becoming visible.At the same time, the covering material 8, 9 is firmly gripped along a seam formed between the regions 13.

The strip 1' shown in Figs. 3 and 4 functions in much the same manner as the strip 1 and differs from it only in that, measured from their crowns to the upper surface of the base web 2, the flange 5' has a height h1 which is less than the height h of the flange 5 so that an asymmetrical profile or cross-sectional shape results. The strip 1' serves to secure two pieces 17 and 18 of covering material 9, which may possibly have different decoration, apparently at the seam 16, each to the suport 3 and each with an undelying layer of foamed material 8.In order, in fact, to secure the pieces of fabric 17 and 18 and the backing layer of foamed material 8 to the support 3 by means of the staples 14, the pieces of fabric 17 and 18 are placed flat, one above the other in overlapping relationship over the strip 1', the piece of fabric 18 being positioned reversely on the piece of fabric 17.

Then the attachment of both pieces of fabric 17 and 18 together with the layer of foamed material 8 is effected in the manner explained with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

Then the reversed piece of fabric 18, resting on the piece of fabric 17, is folded over, from left to right, in Fig. 4, to its position as illustrated in Fig. 4 so that only the piece of fabric 17 rests on the flange 5 while the piece of fabric 17 and two layers of the piece of fabric 18 rest on the flange 5'. This difference in the number of superimposed layers of fabric on the two flanges respectively is compensated for by their difference in height so that the exposed surfaces of the pieces of fabric 17 and 18 extend in the same plane. Different thicknesses in adjacent covering materials or pieces of fabric can be correspondingly compensated for by flanges 5, 5' of unequal heights.

Apart from this, it will be understood that, with long-haired covering material 9, for example mohair, the use of the backing layer of foamed material 8 may possibly be dispensed with.

The base web 2 in either construction may be extended transversely at one or both of its longitudnal edges to the outer side or sides of the flanges 5 to provide an exposed marginal edge portion or portions of the base web for receiving the staples 14 if desired.

WHAT OWE CLAIM IS: 1. A longitudinally flexible, resilient strip form element, extruded in one piece from a plastics material, for attaching covering material, more particularly, but not exclusively, covering material backed with foamed material, to a support, more particularly, but not exclusively, a frame member of a piece of furniture comprising a flat base web whose underside is to be attached flat against the support and inwardly curving, longitudinally extending flanges upstanding from the base web at or towards its longitudinal edges, said flanges having free-end inner arcuate portions which define between them a wedge-shaped gap for covering material to be attached along the base web, which free-end inner arcuate portions of the flanges end a short distance above the base web and substantially cover over the base web between said flanges in the free state of the flanges.

2. A strip form element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner arcuate portions of the flanges carry stops for limiting the outward deformation of the flanges to enlarge said gap.

3. A strip form element as claimed in claim 2 wherein the stops are formed by longitudinally extending stop flanges one of which branches from each of said inner arcuate portions on its side remote from said gap.

4. A strip form element as claimed in claim 3 wherein each stop flange is formed on the inner arcuate portion along a line spaced from the inner longitudinal edge of the portion, the marginal inner end region of the arcuate portion forming an easily

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Claims

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erial 8 is attached by means of a line of staples 14 shot through the base web 2 along the line of the seam. The arcuate portions 6, which are at first deformed outwards during the process of introducing and attaching the foamed-backed covering material 9 have moved back inwards as a result of their resilience, on removal of the mouth of the staple gun from the gap 7 and grip a portion 15 of the covering material 9 together with the foamed material 8 between them, so that the line of staples 14 is covered and an imitation or decorative seam 16 is formed in the covering material 9 to the outside of the upholstery.The marginal regions 12 of the portions 6 remain deformed outwards in the inner region of the gap 7 immediately adjacent the base web 2 as a result of their comparative flexibility to receive an increased amount or thickness of covering material 8, 9, while the thickened regions 13 which are comparatively stiff are propped or supported by the stop flanges 10, which engage in the corners between the base web 2 and the flanges 5, at a lesser spacing so that the staples 14 are covered and hidden from view. In this connection, the stop flanges 10 represent an additional security means which ensures that the inner arcuate portions 6 cannot, under any circumstances, be deformed too far outwards in their central region corresponding to the region 13, which would otherwise lead to the attachment staples 14 becoming visible.At the same time, the covering material 8, 9 is firmly gripped along a seam formed between the regions 13.

The strip 1' shown in Figs. 3 and 4 functions in much the same manner as the strip 1 and differs from it only in that, measured from their crowns to the upper surface of the base web 2, the flange 5' has a height h1 which is less than the height h of the flange 5 so that an asymmetrical profile or cross-sectional shape results. The strip 1' serves to secure two pieces 17 and 18 of covering material 9, which may possibly have different decoration, apparently at the seam 16, each to the suport 3 and each with an undelying layer of foamed material 8.In order, in fact, to secure the pieces of fabric 17 and 18 and the backing layer of foamed material 8 to the support 3 by means of the staples 14, the pieces of fabric

17 and 18 are placed flat, one above the other in overlapping relationship over the strip 1', the piece of fabric 18 being positioned reversely on the piece of fabric 17.

Then the attachment of both pieces of fabric

17 and 18 together with the layer of foamed material 8 is effected in the manner explained with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

Then the reversed piece of fabric 18, resting on the piece of fabric 17, is folded over, from left to right, in Fig. 4, to its position as illustrated in Fig. 4 so that only the piece of fabric 17 rests on the flange 5 while the piece of fabric 17 and two layers of the piece of fabric 18 rest on the flange 5'. This difference in the number of superimposed layers of fabric on the two flanges respectively is compensated for by their difference in height so that the exposed surfaces of the pieces of fabric 17 and 18 extend in the same plane. Different thicknesses in adjacent covering materials or pieces of fabric can be correspondingly compensated for by flanges 5, 5' of unequal heights.

Apart from this, it will be understood that, with long-haired covering material 9, for example mohair, the use of the backing layer of foamed material 8 may possibly be dispensed with.

The base web 2 in either construction may be extended transversely at one or both of its longitudnal edges to the outer side or sides of the flanges 5 to provide an exposed marginal edge portion or portions of the base web for receiving the staples 14 if desired.

WHAT OWE CLAIM IS: 1. A longitudinally flexible, resilient strip form element, extruded in one piece from a plastics material, for attaching covering material, more particularly, but not exclusively, covering material backed with foamed material, to a support, more particularly, but not exclusively, a frame member of a piece of furniture comprising a flat base web whose underside is to be attached flat against the support and inwardly curving, longitudinally extending flanges upstanding from the base web at or towards its longitudinal edges, said flanges having free-end inner arcuate portions which define between them a wedge-shaped gap for covering material to be attached along the base web, which free-end inner arcuate portions of the flanges end a short distance above the base web and substantially cover over the base web between said flanges in the free state of the flanges.
2. A strip form element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner arcuate portions of the flanges carry stops for limiting the outward deformation of the flanges to enlarge said gap.
3. A strip form element as claimed in claim 2 wherein the stops are formed by longitudinally extending stop flanges one of which branches from each of said inner arcuate portions on its side remote from said gap.
4. A strip form element as claimed in claim 3 wherein each stop flange is formed on the inner arcuate portion along a line spaced from the inner longitudinal edge of the portion, the marginal inner end region of the arcuate portion forming an easily

deformable lip.
5. A strip form element as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein the stop flanges each have an oblique position directed at an angle with respect to the base web, and towards the junction of its inwardly curving flange with the base web.
6. A strip form element as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said inwardly curving flanges extend to equal heights above the upper surface of the base web.
7. A strip form element as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said in -wardly curving flanges extend to unequal heights above the upper surface of the base web.
8. A strip form element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
9. A strip form element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.
10. A piece of furniture composed of a frame and covering material at least in part covering the frame and formed with a seam incorporating a strip form element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
11. A piece of furniture composed of a frame and covering material at least in part covering the frame and formed with a seam incorporating a longitudinally flexible, resilient strip form element, extruded in one piece from a plastics material, incorporating a flat base web attached to the frame, and longitudinally extending, inwardly curving flanges upstanding from the base web, said flanges having free-end inner arcuate portions defining between them a wedgeshaped gap receiving the covering material which is attached along the base web between the flanges.
12. A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 11 wherein the free-end inner arcuate portions each carry a stop flange branching therefrom along a line spaced from its inner longitudinal edge on the side thereof re -mote from said gap, the stop flange being directed at an angle to the base web and having its edge remote from the gap lodged in a corner of the strip defined at the junction of its inwardly curving flange with the base web.
13. A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 10 wherein the seam is formed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.
14. A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 10 wherein the seam is formed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.