GB2211751A - Three-dimensional fabric-covered article - Google Patents

Abstract

A three-dimensional article such as a soft toy includes a covering formed from a bonded polyolefin fibre sheet material. The article may have a stuffing material such as kapok and/or may be formed around a relatively rigid frame.

Description

THREE-DIMENSIONAL ARTICLE This invention relates to three-dimensional articles such as stuffed soft toys.

Soft toys such as toy animals are traditionally made from a suitable fabric covering material cut to shape and sewn to form an envelope, pocket or pouch having an opening for subsequent insertion of a soft stuffing material such as kapok. The opening is then sewn to retain the stuffing material therein.

One disadvantage of traditional fabric materials is that they tend to coarsen in use, with accumulated dirt and grime and also in view of the generally rough treatment they receive at the hands of babies or young children. A further disadvantage is that, where it is desired to form a soft toy from a printed material, traditional woven fabrics do not accept print in an aesthetically pleasing way, particularly where the design is detailed or, in contrast, contains large areas of solid, bright colour which are eye-catching.

This is because the overall appearance of the printed design is to a large extent determined by the dimensions of the weave and, clearly, a robust material with relatively coarse threads will not readily display such a pattern to good effect. In any event, traditional fabrics can be printed satisfactorily only by the silk screen technique which is expensive for the printing of many different designs in large numbers, particularly where the printed substrate is of fairly small size.

Yet a further disadvantage of using traditional fabrics is that the raw edges tend to fray and therefore require either to be treated to prevent fraying or to be turned to the inside of the article.

The object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional article such as a soft toy which does not have the disadvantages associated with the use of traditional covering materials.

According to the invention, a three-dimensional article includes a covering comprising a bonded polyolefin fibre sheet material.

It has surprisingly been found not only that bonded polyolefin fibre sheet materials, which are superficially similar to paper, have a degree of resilience in two dimensions, thus rendering them suitable for forming three-dimensional articles, but also that their texture softens on repeated handling, without any apparent loss of strength. Such materials further have a smooth surface and are ideal for printing, by any known printing technique, either detailed designs with no loss of integrity or design detail or designs which include relatively large areas of solid colour, with excellent display of the brightness of the colour. Such materials may also satisfactorily be sewn with conventional sewing machines, or alternatively stitched by hand.

Furthermore, such materials do not fray at the edges so that no special techniques are required to prevent fraying and also, if desired, the marginal edge of the seam, or the seam allowance, can be allowed to remain exposed externally of the article.

Bonded polyolefin fibre sheet materials are formed by spinning continuous strands of fine, interconnected fibres -and bonding them together with the aid of heat and pressure. After bonding, the material provides a good printing or coating surface, a high opacity and a high strength: weight ratio. Such material is commercially available in various grades and weights under the name TYVEK (Registered Trade Mark). However, hitherto, its use has not been proposed for three-dimensional applications. It is preferred to use polyethylene-based materials.

By a "three-dimensional" article in this specification is meant an article which is constrained to a shape having three dimensions and an element of concavity or two-dimensional out-of-plane deformation is implied for the sheet material or for at least one piece thereof in the covering of the article.

This deformation is generally attained by tensioning the material around a stuffing or filling material but may alternatively be attained by the use of a frame of relatively rigid material.

Articles according to the invention may be made by existing techniques and buttons, artificial hair or the like may be sewn or otherwise attached externally, or noise-generating devices may be incorporated.

Although the invention is particularly appropriate for toys and in particular for soft toys, it may also be appropriate for other articles of domestic, industrial or commercial utility and which demand that at least one piece of the covering thereof be formed with a two-dimensional out-of-plane deformation.

Claims (6)

1. A three-dimensional article including a covering comprising a bonded polyolefin fibre sheet material.

2. An article according to Claim 1, the article including a soft stuffing or filling material around which the sheet material is tensioned.

3. An article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, the article including a rigid frame.

4. An article according to any preceding claim, in which the polyolefin comprises polyethylene.

5. An article according to any preceding claim, in which the article has external decorative features attached thereto.

6. An article having a covering, in which at least one piece or section of the covering is formed with an out-of-plane deformation and comprises a bonded polyolefin fibre sheet material.