GB2440793A

GB2440793A - Curtain

Info

Publication number: GB2440793A
Application number: GB0615977A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mitchell Green
Original assignee: TYRONE TEXTILES Ltd
Current assignee: TYRONE TEXTILES Ltd
Priority date: 2006-08-11
Filing date: 2006-08-11
Publication date: 2008-02-13
Also published as: GB0615977D0

Abstract

A curtain comprising a sheet of material having a front face and a rear face is described. A top edge 3 of the material is folded over to form an upper band of material 1 adjacent to the rear face, and is secured to the sheet of material along a line 5 to form a tube 7 which extends continuously across the curtain and is open at each end. The tube 7 is formed in the folded-over material with a plurality of apertures 11 spaced along the length of the tube 7 and dimensioned to receive a curtain rod or wire 13. The spacing between the apertures 11 may be 100mm. A curtain rod or wire 13 can be threaded in and out if the tube 7 using adjacent apertures 11 to obtain a uniform pleat (figure 3). Alternatively, the rod 13 can be passed entirely though the tube 7 to obtain a gathered effect (figure 4).

Description

* 2440793

CURTAIN

This invention relates to a curtain which may be pleated or gathered according to the wish of the user, and more particularly but not exclusively relates to a net or a lace curtain.

Net and lace curtains are generally hung in one of two ways. Either the top of the curtain is folded over and stitched to form a continuous pocket or tube through which a rod or wire can be inserted for hanging the curtain, or alternatively a plurality of apertures can be formed through the upper region of the curtain and the rod or wire can be inserted through the holes alternately from the rear and from the front of the curtain. The use of a continuous pocket gives rise in use to a gathered curtain, while the use of through-holes gives more of a pleated effect, but through-holes have the disadvantage that the rod or wire can be seen where it is at the front of the curtain. A pleated effect can also be obtained with the use of a separate header tape, but a separate header tape adds significantly to the cost of the curtain.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a curtain which is readily adaptable to both gathered and pleated effects.

According to the present invention there is provided a curtain comprising a sheet of material having a front face and a rear face, wherein a top edge of the material is folded over to form a band of material adjacent to the rear face and is secured to the sheet of material along a line to form a tube which extends continuously across the curtain and is open at each end, and wherein the tube is formed in the foldedover material with a plurality of apertures spaced along the length of the tube and dimensioned to receive elongate support means for the curtain.

The band may be secured to the remainder of the curtain along a line intermediate the top of the curtain and the first-mentioned line, for example so as to narrow the tube and space the same from the top of the curtain.

The band may be secured to the remainder of the curtain by stitching.

The apertures may be oval or circular.

The apertures may be substantially equally spaced along the length of the tube, for example by about 100 mm.

The apertures may be positioned along a line closer to the top of the tube than the bottom, for example so as to maintain a substantially constant curtain length regardless of whether the curtain is gathered or pleated.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective front view of part of an upper region of one embodiment of a curtain according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a rear view of part of the curtain shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the curtain of Figures 1 and 2 installed with a pleated effect; and Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the curtain of Figures 1 and 2 installed with a gathered effect.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2 a curtain, especially a net of lace curtain, is made of a sheet of material which has a front face and a rear face and is folded over at the top of the curtain to form an upper band I in which the top edge 3 of the curtain material is adjacent to the rear face and behind the front surface and is secured to the sheet of material, for example by stitching, along a line 5 substantially parallel to the top of the formed curtain to form a pocket or tube 7 which extends the entire width of the curtain and is open at each end.

The folded-over material is also secured to the sheet of material by a further line 9 of stitching which is provided between the top of the formed curtain and the first line 5 of stitching to narrow the width of the tube 7 and space the same from the top edge of the formed curtain, but without closing the ends of the tube.

Spaced along the rear face of the tube 7 are a plurality of apertures 11 which are ideally oval in shape with the elongate direction of the oval extending in the elongate direction of the tube. The apertures 11 may have other shapes if desired, for example circular. The spacing between adjacent apertures 11 is substantially equal and is chosen to give a desired uniform pleated effect in use.

The spacing between adjacent apertures 11 is conveniently about 100 mm. The apertures 11 may be positioned at any convenient location between the lines 5 and 9 of stitching, but are ideally either positioned along a line substantially mid-way between the two lines of stitching or along a tine somewhat closer to the upper line 9 of stitching in order that the length of the curtain is substantially unchanged regardless of whether the curtain is used with a gathered or a pleated effect. The apertures 11 may either be formed during manufacture of the curtain material or may be formed subsequently and one of the manufacturing steps of the individual curtain.

As shown in Figure 3 a curtain wire or rod 13 can be threaded in and out of the tube 7 using adjacent apertures 11 to obtain a uniform pleat without the need for a header tape or any other means for obtaining a pleated effect and without the rod 13 being visible from the front of the curtain. Thus the use of the tube 7 and the apertures 11 provides a particularly economical way of providing an aesthetically pleasing pleated effect.

As shown in Figure 4 a curtain rod 13 can alternatively be passed entirely through the tube 7 so as to obtain a conventional gathered effect without the need for any further manufacturing steps. a

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A curtain comprising a sheet of material having a front face and a rear face, wherein a top edge of the material is folded over to form a band of material adjacent to the rear face and is secured to the sheet of material along a line to form a tube which extends continuously across the curtain and is open at each end, and wherein the tube is formed in the folded-over material with a plurality of apertures spaced along the length of the tube and dimensioned to receive elongate support means for the curtain.

2. A curtain as claimed in claim 1, wherein the band is secured to the remainder of the curtain along a line intermediate the top of the curtain and the first-mentioned line. * *

:*::: 15 3. A curtain as claimed in claim 2, wherein the band is secured to the * *, remainder of the curtain along a line intermediate the top of the curtain and the first-mentioned line so as to narrow the tube and space the same from the top of the curtain.

***.** * * 4. A curtain as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the band is secured to the remainder of the curtain by stitching.

5. A curtain as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apertures are oval.

6. A curtain as claimed in any one of claims I to 4, wherein the apertures are circular.

7. A curtain as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apertures are substantially equally spaced along the length of the tube.

8. A curtain as claimed in claim 7, wherein the apertures are spaced by substantially 100 mm.

9. A curtain as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apertures are positioned along a line closer to the top of the tube than the bottom.

10. A curtain as claimed in claim 9, wherein the apertures are positioned so as to maintain a substantially constant curtain length regardless of whether the curtain is gathered or pleated. ***. * ** * S S

11. A curtain substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings. S...

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