GB2472974A

GB2472974A - Multi-layer fabric with arched salient yarns for attachment

Info

Publication number: GB2472974A
Application number: GB0914180A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Sidney Taylor; Paul Martin Shenton
Original assignee: BOWMER BOND
Current assignee: BOWMER BOND
Priority date: 2009-08-13
Filing date: 2009-08-13
Publication date: 2011-03-02
Also published as: WO2011018670A2; GB0914180D0; WO2011018670A3

Abstract

A fabric 2 is laminated or coated with a pliant (especially plastic) material 3. The fabric 2 has additional arches, strips or loops of material 4, 5 attached thereto, allowing something to be received between the fabric 2 and the additional material 4, 5. The points of attachment 11-14 of each end of the salient yarns 4, 5 are remote from each other on the base fabric 2. The salient yarns 4, 5 are preferably interwoven into or bonded to the woven polyester or nylon base fabric 2. The twill woven base fabric 2 is preferably coated and impregnated, or heat laminated with thermoplastic polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) 3. The textile is used in a tent, awning or vehicle cover.

Description

Fabrics The invention relates to fabrics such as coated fabrics and in particular, though not exclusively, to woven fabrics or textiles with pliable or plastically deformable coatings such as a plastics substance.

Coverings or tilts for shelters such as tents, marquees or awnings, or for the bodywork/frames of vehicles or trailers, require a means of attaching the covering to a frame. Such means may include eyes, holes, loops or other openings formed in or upon the covering and through which ropes or ties may be threaded and tied to a frame to attach the covering to the frame.

Forming a hole through the material of a covering for this purpose is usually undesirable in that the hole may be vulnerable to tearing and simply renders the shelter less effective as such. An example of a loop or opening, as an alternative to a hole, is a strip of material, such as a plastic material, with terminal ends bonded to a surface of the cover at locations spaced by an amount less than the length of the strip such that the strip parts between the bonded ends stands proud of the cover surface and therebetween defines an "eye" through-opening dimensioned to receive a connector such as a rope or tie or the like. The rope or tie, once threaded through the through-opening, may then be tied or bound to a frame to attach the cover to the frame.

The manufacture of these through-openings is labour-intensive and costly -each bonded strip must be appropriately positioned and individually bonded to the cover material. The integrity of the bonded strip is vulnerable to the strength of the bond at the bonded ends of the strip -this requires suitable bonding agent and strip ends of suitable size to provide a sufficiently large bonding surface/interface. The strip is typically made from material cut from a larger sheet into a suitable strip shape, and is vulnerable to tearing and difficult to repair.

The present invention aims to provide an alternative which may be used to try to address these deficiencies.

At its most general, the invention exploits the use of a yarn(s) bound or integrated into a fabric at certain separated parts of the fabric, but separate or free of the fabric structure between those bound parts to extend along or across the fabric between the bound parts to define a through-opening between the yarn and the fabric. The invention may provide a fabric accordingly, a method of manufacturing such a fabric, a coated fabric including the fabric bonded to a pliant coating, an attachment strip including the fabric (coated or otherwise) or a cover including the fabric. Binding or integrating the yarn(s) into a fabric obviates the need for adhesion of strips to covering sheets to form through-openings.

A reference to yarn herein includes a reference to a collection of filaments or fibres, and/or a filament (e.g. uncollected) such as a monofilament, and/or a fibrillated yarn, and/or a fine metal cable, filament or wire (e.g. having a diameter less than about 0.5mm).

In a first of its aspects, the invention may provide a coated fabric comprising a fabric bonded to a coating of pliant material and one or more salient yarns which arch from the fabric being joined to (e.g. continuous with) the fabric at arch ends and separate from the fabric between arch ends to span over the fabric to form therebetween a through-opening dimensioned to receive a connector for connecting the fabric to an article.

The through-opening may comprise a plurality of adjacent salient yarns, e.g. side-by-side. The salient yarn(s) may be free and independent of other salient yarns defining a through-opening in common. Alternatively, the plurality of salient yarns may be bound together in a weave structure to collectively define a salient woven strip or band. For example, the plurality of salient yarns may be neighbouring warp yarns woven in common with a plurality of weft yarns unique to those salient yarns. Thus, a salient woven strip, which arches over (re-integrates with) a base strip of fabric or textile, may be provided.

In this way, a through-opening may be provided as part of a fabric structure providing the strength and durability inherent in fabrics without the need for bonded strip ends on cover material to form through-openings.

Most preferably, the salient yarn(s) are bonded to the coating.

Preferably, the fabric includes a plurality of salient yarns (e.g. from 25 to 50) each defining separate arches arranged in close parallel adjacency in register to collectively define at least one collective through-opening. The coating may be a plastics material such as PVC and may be a thermoplastic material bonded to the fabric by a heating process or applied in liquid form and cured with heat.

The fabric may be a woven textile. The salient yarn(s) may be yarns woven into the fabric at their arch ends. The salient yarn(s) may he woven into the woven structure of the textile of the fabric. Neighbouring salient yarns may be arranged as successive woven yarns which may be neighbouring warp yarns of the fabric or may be periodically arranged as warp yarns separated by one of more intervening warp yarns of the fabric which are not salient yarns.

The coated fabric may comprise multiple separate through-openings spaced along the fabric and each incorporating at least one respective salient yarn formed from a common (e.g. single) yarn. Thus, each salient yarn may periodically "emerge" or "float" from the fabric and each time define (singly or collectively with other salient yarns) a through-opening where it emerges to become salient. The common yarn may be woven into the fabric between successive of the multiple through-openings.

This adds considerable strength to the through-openings and enables multiple through-openings to be provided during the same continuous manufacturing (e.g. weaving) process.

The multiple separate through-openings may be disposed upon the same side of the fabric, though through-openings may be provided on opposite sides of the fabric and they may share common salient yarns. The side of the fabric, when a woven textile, from which the through-opening presents is determined by the side of the warp yarns from which the salient yarn "floats" from the fabric to become salient.

Preferably only one side of the fabric is coated with the coating. That side may be used as a bonding surface with which to bond the fabric partly or as a whole to e.g. a cover sheet.

One or more through-openings may be disposed on a side of the fabric not wholly coated with the coating. Thus, the fabric may have a side dedicated to through-openings but no coating, and a side dedicated to coating. Parts of a side of the fabric containing through-openings may be coated at least in part if desired.

The salient yarn(s) may be yarns bonded to the coating at their arch ends, and preferably at parts of the yarn between successive through-openings defined by the same yarn(s) . This extended bonding greatly assists in strengthening the through-openings in resisting the salient yarn arches from being "pulled" outwardly of the fabric by a transverse force.

The coating may comprise a thermoplastic material, and may be bonded to the fabric by a heating operation which heats it and the fabric in the process or may be applied in liquid form and then cured using heat. The salient yarn(s) may have a thermal shrinkage rate less than that of the non-salient yarns of the fabric.

A thermal shrinkage rate may be defined as a percentage reduction in a unit length of a yarn subjected to a predetermined temperature.

A relevant predetermined temperature is preferably the temperature related to the curing of a thermoplastic coating applied to the fabric. The use of differential shrinkage rates as between salient and non-salient yarns of the fabric provides a means of causing salient yarns to stand "proud" of the fabric, once coated and cured. However, this may be achieved naturally during a process of weaving the fabric, when the fabric in question is a woven textile, by virtue of the fact that both parts of a salient yarn between arch ends are permitted to follow a more "direct" route whereas woven yarns within the fabric between arch ends are made to "travel" further (i.e. over and under weft yarns) in covering the same linear distance between arch ends along the fabric. That is to say the length of a portion of any yarn located between arch ends may be made substantially common to all yarns located there (or forming part of a through-opening) whether the yarn in question is salient between the arch ends or is woven into the fabric between those arch ends.

The fabric may be a textile woven using first yarns having a first thermal shrinkage rate into which are woven one or more second yarns providing the salient yarns and having a second thermal shrinkage rate less than the first thermal shrinkage rate. Thermal processing of the fabric, such as is required to bond a thermo-plastic coating to it, preferably requires exposing the fabric to a temperature which induces differential shrinkage as between the first yarns of the fabric and the salient yarns.

The fabric may be an elongate band or strip along which successive through-openings are arrayed. The strip may be an attachment strip for attaching to e.g. a cover sheet or material. Attachment of the attachment strip may be by bonding the thermoplastic coating to a cover sheet by a heating process or by any suitable welding of the coating to the cover sheet, such as would be readily apparent to one of skill in the art.

The fabric may be an elongate band or strip and salient yarns may be provided by yarns (e.g. warp yarns in a textile) which extend along the elongate axis of the fabric. The through-openings may present an opening accessible in a direction transverse to the elongate axis of the band or strip.

If the fabric is a woven textile, any weave may be used. The fabric may be an elongated band or strip of textile. The fabric may be, for example, woven with a twill (e.g. 2/2) weave in which salient yarns are provided by successive alternate warp yarns such that the fabric between the arch ends and over which the salient yarns span comprises a 2/2 weave. In this way, a base fabric with a 2/2 weave may accommodate salient yarns between neighbouring 2/2-weave yarns. This 2/2 weave base-fabric structure has been found to be particularly effective in allowing space to accommodate salient yarns without jeopardising strength in the weave. The 2/2 weave also allows sufficient space/gaps to allow coating material to impregnate the weave when applied to coat the fabric. The weave structure provides good porosity in this regard, without being so porous as to allow a coating (.e.g. liquid) to "soak through" the fabric from one side to the other. In this way, a well-bonded coating may be limited to one side of the fabric.

The accommodated salient yarns may be woven into the 2/2 weave so as to define with it a twill weave where interwoven.

The twill weave may be 2/2 weave. The fabric may be an elongate band or strip of textile and may be woven such that warp yarns extent along the elongate axis of the fabric.

In a second of its aspects, the invention may provide a method of manufacturing a fabric including: providing yarns; weaving the yarns according to a weave method including floating a portion of one or more yarns (e.g. floating warp) from the fabric while simultaneously not floating adjacent yarns (e.g. warp) of the fabric such that floated yarns span over the woven fabric between span ends at which the floated yarns is woven into the fabric; wherein the length of the portion of floated yarns between span ends matches the length of a portion of unfloated yarns(s) woven between points of the fabric separated by a distance matching the distance between span ends. In this way, floating yarns are caused to stand proud (e.g. be salient) of the woven fabric.

The fabric referred to in any aspect of the invention may be provided in this way.

The method may include subsequently coating the fabric with a coating, such as a plastics or pliable coating. The method may include coating the fabric according to the invention in its fifth aspect. The weave method may be a 2/2 weave method. This has the porosity and space advantages discussed above. If produced on a needle loom, the weave is preferably made with double weft insertion (e.g. using a single pick arm) . This produces a weave distinct from weaves produced with multiple (e.g. twin) double weft insertion requiring the use of multiple pick arms in a needle loom. This enhances simplicity of weave and reduces cost. An established method of weaving according to double weft insertion may be employed such as would be readily apparent to the skilled person.

In a third of its aspects, the invention may provide a method of manufacturing a coated fabric including providThg a fabric having a first thermal shrinkage rate and one or more yarns having a second thermal shrinkage rate less than the first thermal shrinkage rate, wherein the yarn(s) span over the fabric between span ends at which the yarn(s) are joined to the fabric, the method including applying a coating to a surface of the fabric by a thermal coating process to cause the fabric between span ends to shrink relative to the yarn(s) therebetween thereby to cause a yarn span to form an arch defining a through-opening dimensioned to receive a connector for connecting the fabric to an article. The fabric provided accordThg to the third aspect may be manufactured according to the second aspect.

The method may include providing the fabric in the form of a woven textile. The method may include providing the fabric with the yarns woven into the fabric at their span ends. The method accordThg to any of the first and second aspects of the invention may include providing the fabric with multiple separate spans spaced along the fabric and each incorporating at least one common (e.g.single) yarn.

The common yarn may be woven into the fabric between successive of the multiple spans. The method may include providing the fabric with the multiple separate spans disposed upon the same side of the fabric. The method may include coating only one side of the fabric.

The method may include applying the coating only on a side of the fabric other than the side upon which one or more through-openings are disposed. The method may include bonding the yarn spans or salient yarns to the coating at their span/arch ends.

The method may include coating the fabric with a thermoplastic material.

The method may include providing the fabric is an elongate band or strip along which successive spans are arrayed. The method may include providing the fabric is an elongate band or strip and the spans are provided by yarns which extent along the elongate axis of the fabric. The method may include providing spans arranged to produce through-openings accessible in a direction transverse to the elongate axis of the band or strip.

The method may include providing the fabric as a textile (e.g. woven with a twill weave) in which yarns providing the span(s) are provided by successive alternate warp yarns. For example, this may be such that the fabric between the span ends and over which the yarns span comprises a 2/2 weave. The twill weave may be a 2/2 weave. The method may include providing the fabric as an elongate band or strip, and may be a textile woven such that warp yarns extent along the elongate axis of the fabric.

In a fourth of its aspects, the invention may provide a tilt, awning or cover (e.g. for a vehicle) comprising a cover sheet including a coated fabric according to the invention in its first aspect in which the through-openings are presented outwardly from a surface of the cover sheet.

The tilt, awning or cover may include a connector received within one, some or each of the through-openings. The connector means may comprise a hook, loop, strap or band dimensioned to pass through the through-opening and to attach to an article thereby to attach the tilt, awning or cover to a member of a frame (e.g. tent, marquee or other shelter) or to the bodywork of a vehicle.

The invention may be sold in unassembled form and in a further of its aspects may provide a kit of parts for a tilt, awning or cover for a vehicle or tent or the like, according to the invention in its third aspect comprising the cover sheet and one or more connectors.

In yet another aspect, the invention may provide a vehicle, tent or marquee (or other shelter) comprising a tilt, awning or cover as described above.

In a fifth aspect, the invention may provide an apparatus (and corresponding method) for applying a liquid thermoplastic coating to one side of a fabric strip (e.g. textile) . The liquid-coated fabric may thus be prepared for subsequent heat-treatment to cure the liquid coating. The coating method may be applied to any strip of fabric according to the invention in any aspect described above.

The coating apparatus may comprise a fluid bath within which is disposed a roller presenting a cylindrical outer surface revolvable about a roller axle which coincides with the axis of cylindrical symmetry of the roller outer surface. The radius of curvature (R) of the roller outer surface may be centred upon the roller axle. The roller may be disposed to extend partially within the cavity of the fluid bath to such an extent that the cylindrical surface may be partially immersed (e.g. along the length (L) of the roller) within any liquid thermoplastic coating material held within the fluid bath in sufficient quantity.

The roller may be disposed underneath a strip of un-coated fabric such that the separation between the axis of the roller and the opposing underside surface of the fabric strip substantially matches the radius of the roller. In this way, the fabric strip may be arranged to tangentially skim the roller surface in the manner of an osculation.

The apparatus may include motion means to move the fabric strip in a direction parallel to its (e.g. taught) length at a linear speed (V) . The speed may be between 3 and 10 metres per minute, such as 6, 7 or 8 metres per minute, of therebetween.

The apparatus may be arranged to concurrently revolve the roller about its cylindrical axis at an angular velocity (u) Preferably, the angular velocity is controlled such that the instantaneous speed of the outer cylindrical surface substantially matches the linear speed (V) of the fabric in both magnitude and direction at closest approach therebetween.

Thus, the condition u=V/R is preferably maintained. The apparatus may be arranged such that quantities of a coating liquid disposed in the liquid bath may be picked-up by a roller surface part as it emerges from the coating within the bath during roller rotation. The apparatus may be operable to raise coating liquid from the fluid bath by action of roller rotation to bring the fluid into contact with a side of the fabric strip. The apparatus may be arranged to transfer coating fluid form the roller to the instantaneously opposing surface parts of the moving fabric in the manner of an appulse.

The apparatus may include a linear scraper blade or bar disposed in parallel adjacency to the roller surface between the fluid bath and the fabric strip at the side of the roller which is arranged to rise out from the fluid bath when the roller revolves. The scraper blade preferably presents a nearmost surface to the roller uniformly spaced therefrom by between about 0.5mm and 4mm (preferably between about 2mm and 3mm) . The scraper blade is preferably arranged to scrape excess coating liquid from the rising surface of the roller.

The cylindrical length (L) of the roller preferably is preferably no greater than the breadth (X) of the fabric strip to be coated by it (e.g. L X) . Most preferably, substantially L = X, and the extreme ends of the roller are simultaneously in register with the edges of the strip to be coated. Most preferably, the roller is arranged relative to the strip such that no part of the roller surface used for transferring fluid extends beyond/under a strip edge.

The apparatus may include a scraper slot provided in a scraper plate positioned downstream from the roller relative to the linear motion of the fabric strip. The apparatus is preferably arranged to cause strip material, coated with liquid thermoplastic coating material, to traverse from the roller to the scraper plate and pass into the scraper slot. The long axis (N) of the scraper slot is preferably substantially equal in length to the breadth (X) of the fabric strip it is arranged to receive. It is preferably disposed parallel to cylindrical surface of the surface of the roller and preferably also the plane of fabric strip between it and the roller.

Non-limiting examples of embodiments of the invention shall now be described, for illustrative purposes only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates an attachment strip comprising a plurality of arches defined by salient yarns providing through-openings; Figure 2 illustrates a side-view of the attachment strip of Figure 1 through a through-opening; Figures 3, 8 and 9 schematically illustrate processes of heat-treating a thermo-plastic coating and a textile in order to produce a coated fabric attachment strip as is illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 4 schematically illustrates side views of an un-treated and un-coated woven textile and a heat-treated and coated fabric subsequent to thermal shrinkage induced by the coating process illustrated schematically in Figure 3; Figure 5 schematically illustrates a portion of an attachment strip illustrated in Figure 1 through the through-openings of which are threaded attachment devices; Figure 6 schematically illustrates a frame for a vehicle tilt, or for a marquee, or for an awning or other shelter, to which a cover sheet is attached using attachment strips; Figure 7 presents a closer view of the arrangement illustrated in Figure 5; Figure 8 schematically illustrates a process of coating a textile strip with a liquid thermo-plastic coating and heat-treating the textile in order to produce a coated fabric attachment strip as is illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 9 schematically illustrates the process of coating a textile strip with a liquid thermo-plastic coating for heat-treating in order to produce a coated fabric attachment strip as is illustrated in Figure 1.

In the following, like referenced symbols refer to like articles.

Figure 1 illustrates an attachment strip (1) comprising a coated fabric including a fabric strip (2) bonded to a coating (3) of pliant material and a plurality of salient yarns (4) which arch from the fabric and re-connect and are interwoven with (i.e. are joined) to the fabric at arch ends (11, 12; 13, 14) and are separated from the fabric between the arch ends so as to span over the fabric to form therebetween a through-opening (9, 10) dimensioned to receive a connector for connecting the fabric to an article.

The fabric strip (2) comprises a woven textile strip woven according to a 2/2 weave with warp yarns extending along the elongate axis of the strip.

Warp yarns of a first type are woven according to a 2/2 twill weave in all regions (6, 7) of the fabric strip except a central elongate band region (8) extending along the middle of the strip along the elongate axis of the strip. Within this central band of fabric, the yarns of the first type are woven accordThg to a 2/2 weave. Within the 2/2 weave of the central band (8) is inter-woven a plurality of yarns of a second type accordThg to a 2/2 weave structured such that the combination of the 2/2 weave of the yarns of the first type and the 2/2 weave of the inter-woven yarns of the second type collectively define a 2/2 twill weave where inter-woven.

The yarns of the second type share the same length as the yarns of the first type. Within and along the length o the fabric strip (2) each of the plurality of the yarns of the second type is woven such as to periodically float or span over a multitude of weft yarns of the fabric (e.g. considerably more weft yarns than the warp yarn in question would float over according to the weave pattern by which it is elsewhere/otherwise woven into the fabric) Each salient yarn floats/spans over a predetermined number of weft yarns numbering between about 5 and 50, (e.g. 14) depending on the size of the through-opening desired.

As a result, floating yarns of the second type are permitted to arch from the body of the fabric to each produce a salient yarns (4, 5) which is joined to the body of the fabric at arch ends (11, 12; 13, 14) and is separated from the body of the fabric between arch ends so as to span over the fabric to form a through-opening (9, 10) dimensioned to receive a connector for connecting the fabric to an article. In this way, each yarn of the second type, by periodically floating out of the 2/2 twill weave of which it forms a part, provides a multitude of yarn arches. The through-openings are defined by the arches in co-operation with the rest of the fabric as illustrated in Figure 1 (see also Figures 5 and 7) . The number of such through-openings, the dimension of the/each through-opening and the spacing or array of successive such through-openings is determined by the number of arches provided by a salient yarn, positioning of arch ends, and the spacing between successive arches provided by a given salient yarn.

The fabric strip (2) of the attachment strip comprises thirty yarns of the second type arranged in parallel succession as warp yarns. Each yarn of the second type, where woven is separated from a neighbouring such warp yarn of the second type by a warp yarn of the first type (except for those regions of the fabric strip from which the salient yarn floats) Figure 2 schematically illustrates a side-view of the woven nature of the fabric strip (2), the interweaving of a given salient yarn and the relation of the yarns of the fabric (2) to the coating layer (3) The fabric strip (2) is coated (3) on one side of the strip.

The coated strip does not present any salient yarns or through-openings. Weft yarns (18) and inter-woven warp yarns (iSA, 15C, 16, 17) are embedded into the material of the coating layer (3) at those regions of the weave where a warp yarn is disposed between a weft yarns and the coating material (3) . In this way, the fabric strip (2) is bonded to the coating layer (3) . Yarns of the first type (16, 17) are woven according to a 2/2 weave whereby each warp yarn extends "over" two successive weft yarns and extends "under" the next two successive weft yarns. Inter-woven within this weave is a yarn of the second type (iSA, 15C) which is also inter-woven according to a 2/2 weave staggered relative to the weave of the yarns of the first type by one weft yarn so as to define collectively with the yarns of the first type a 2/2 twill weave. According to this weave, a given yarn of the second type successively extends "over" then "under" pairs of weft yarns(18) except at specified locations where the yarn is caused to extend "over" twelve successive weft yarns (6 weft yarn pairs) . This defines a yarn arch (15B) which re-enters the fabric weave (15A, 15C) to resume the 2/2 weave pattern defining a twill weave with the yarns of the first type. The salient yarn arch defined by the salient yarn (15B) thereby defines a through-opening (9) between itself and the fabric surface (2) over which it spans.

The coating layer (3) is a thermo-plastic material such as PVC bonded to the fabric strip (2) according to a thermal bonding procedure schematically illustrated in Figure 3(a) or applied as a liquid then cured with heat as schematically illustrated in Figure 3 (b) Polyvinylchloride, or Polyvinylacetate or Polyurethane may be used as coating materials, or other suitable materials as would be readily apparent to the skilled person.

Yarns of the fabric strip (2) of the first type (16, 17) are selected to have a thermal shrinkage rate of a first value, whereas yarns of the second type (15A, 15B, 15C) are selected to have a thermal shrinkage rate having a value which is less than the shrinkage rate of yarns of the first type. In manufacture, the fabric strip (2) is comprised of a base fabric woven from yarns of the first type into which are woven yarns of the second type in the manner described above with reference to Figure 2. Accordingly, yarns of the second type span over the fabric defined by yarns of the first type between span ends (11, 12) at which the yarns of the second type are joined to the fabric woven from yarns of the first type. These spans (20) are not woven into the weave or the fabric along the length of a given span, but span over the underlying woven base fabric substantially without forming an arch (4) . Upon the application of a sufficient degree of heating does a flat yarn span (20) become increasingly salient so as to produce an increasingly salient yarn arch (4) . The application of heat necessary to bond the thermo-plastic coating (3) to the fabric strip (2) is selected to cause the yarns of the first type, defining the base fabric, to shrink to a degree greater than the shrinkage incurred by yarns of the second type defining yarn spans (20) This differential shrinkage rate causes the flat yarn spans to become more salient than otherwise and increasingly stand proud from the surface of the coated fabric strip (2) as a result of the thermal coating process as schematically illustrated in Figure 3. Differential thermal shrinkage enables increased (and controllable) saliency but is not essential in producing saliency, which occurs naturally as a result of the woven nature of un-floated yarns in the fabric strip between arch ends which draws arch ends towards each other to some extent.

The thermal coating process, illustrated in Figure 3, involves bringing together a strip of fabric (2) with a sheet or strip of thermo-plastic coating material (3), pressing the two strips together between counter-rotating rollers (21, 22) and applying heat thereat to forge a thermally-induced coating bond between the yarns of the fabric strip (2) and the material of the coating. Arrows in figure 3 indicate the direction of flow of fabric strip and coating material, and the subsequent coated fabric produced by the bonding of the two.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates, in more detail, the thermal shrinkage process whereby un-heated yarn spans (20) are formed into increasingly salient yarn arches by a thermal shrinkage process described above with reference to Figure 3. It is to be noted that the structures shown in figure 4 are purely schematic and useful for understanding. However, many more yarns (warp and weft) may typically be employed in fabricating a through-opening. The reduced number of warp and weft yarns illustrated in figure 4 aids clarity.

An un-bonded fabric strip section is illustrated in side view comprising ten yarns (18) into which are woven yarns (16, 17) of the first type in a 2/2 weave between which is woven a yarn (15) of the second type in a 2/2 weave either side of a yarn span which spans six weft yarns (18) . This section of fabric strip is not heat treated and has not undergone a shrinkage process, it extends along a longitudinal distance x comprising the ten weft yarns. Though shown flat, the un-heated span (20) typically is already salient.

Figure 4 also illustrates this portion of fabric (2) after having undergone the thermal coating process whereby the thermo-plastic coating material (3) is bonded to a face of the fabric, or applied in liquid form and cured, other than that from which the span (20) presents. This thermally treated and coated fabric contains yarns which have undergone a thermal shrinkage as a result of a thermal processing described above.

The shrinkage of yarns of the first type (16, 17) has been to such an extent that nineteen weft yarns now reside within the section of length X whereas only ten weft yarns resided within that distance prior to thermal treatment. The yarn of the second type (15) has also undergone a degree of shrinkage.

Whereas the space (x) occupied by six successive weft yarns substantially matched the length of a yarn span in the thermally un-treated fabric, the distance (y) covered by the same six weft yarns is now substantially less than the length of the thermally treated yarn of the second type (4) which spans across them. This difference in distance, caused by a difference in thermal shrinkage rates, causes the span ends to be drawn closer to one another to an extent greater than the shrinkage of the span yarn. This causes the yarn (20) defining the span to increasingly stand proud or salient of the fabric surface and define a yarn arch (4) and a through-opening between the arch and the underlying fabric surface (2) The yarns of the first type, comprising the bulk fabric of the strip (2) have a thermal shrinkage rate of about 7% to 8%, which equates to a 7% to 8% reduction in length as a result of the thermal processing described above.

The yarns of the second type possess a thermal shrinkage rate of between 1% and 2%. Generally speaking a difference in shrinkage rates between yarns of the first type and yarns of the second type is preferably in the range of 5% to 10%.

Polyester yarns or nylon yarns are suitable in this regard, although other yarns could be used.

The yarns of the first and/or second type may be yarns such that each yarn is a yarn comprised of multiple yarn sub-fibres/yarns alternatively either of the first and second type yarns may be "solid" yarns.

Preferably, between 25 and 45 yarns of the second type are employed in the parallel woven arrangement described above.

More preferably 30 to 35 yarns of the second type may be employed. Most preferably this provides a through-opening in which the multiple yarn arches defining the through-opening have a strength sufficient to resist a transverse breakage force of between 250 kilograms and 300 kilograms (e.g. 270 kilograms) each yarn of the second type preferably has a strength sufficient to resist a transverse breakage weight of between 5 and 10 kilograms (e.g. 7 kilograms) Figure 5 schematically illustrates a section of attachment strip (1) comprising a plurality of through-openings arranged in regular succession along the elongate axis of the strip. The attachment strip also includes a pair of connected loops, one connector loop being separately threaded through a given through-opening respectively. The connector loops comprise strips, such as plastic strips, one end of which possesses a locking block (51) presenting an orifice into which the other end (52) of the loop strip is receivable to be firmly held by the locking block (51) to lock the connector into a ioop configuration. The yarn arches (4) defining the through-openings are dimensioned to permit the threading there through of the body of a connector strip to permit connector ends to be joined to enclose the yarn arches and securely interconnect the attachment strip (1) to the connector loops. It is to be noted that successive yarn arches, and the through openings they define, may be arranged in close successive proximity such that any unused through-opening may serve as a "spare" in case a neighbouring through-opening fails or is found to be inappropriately positioned for the required use of the attachment strip.

The ease with which these through-openings may be manufactured according to this embodiment of the present invention, enables such redundancy or "spare" capacity to be easily built-in to the attachment strip allowing a great deal of versatility and durability in the finished product.

Figure 7 illustrates a close-up view of the attachment strip (1) of Figure 5 with a connector loop attached and two neighbouring "spare" through-openings on either side of the through-opening in use.

Figure 6 schematically illustrates a cover, awning or tilt according to another embodiment of the invention comprising a cover sheet (63) across which are bonded two separate, spaced and parallel attachment strips (1) as described above.

Connector ioops (50) are attached to respective attachment strips and are each looped around a cross-bar or spar forming part of a frame for a shelter, such as an awning, tent, marquee or bodywork of a vehicle such as a lorry. The frame comprises four frame legs (60) joined by separate parallel cross-bars or spars (61, 62) . One or each of the cross-bars (61, 62) may be slidably moveable along the top of the frame to extend or retract the cover sheet (63) by transferring the sliding movement of the sliding cross-bar to the attached cover sheet (63) via the connector loops (50) and attachment strip (1) associated with that cross-bar.

The tilt, awning or cover may be attached to vertical frame elements such as frame legs (60) in addition to, or instead of, the cross-bar attachment arrangement illustrated in Figure 6.

An advantage of providing through-openings as described above, from continuous woven salient yarns, is ease of manufacture in the weaving process and ease of assembly when used in the manufacture of a cover, etc, as described above. Coating of the fabric so woven, e.g. on a fabric side reverse to that presenting through-openings, preferably results in the bonding to the coating of those yarns employed in yarn arches. This prevents the yarns of the arch being "pulled" out of the fabric weave by a pulling force applied to yarn arch in use. This also renders successive yarn arches, associated with a common warp yarn(s), effectively independent of each other since pulling one arch will not influence another.

AccordThg to any embodiment of the invention, the through-opening(s) may be about 1cm or more wide (i.e. between arch ends measured along the fabric at an arch), or about 2cm or more, or 3cm or more, or 4 cm or more or 5cm or more wide.

When woven fabric is used, the width of the through-opening may be from about 5 to 50 successive weft yarns or at least 10, 20 or 30 or more.

Multiple parallel salient yarn arches preferably are equally dimensioned, shaped and adjacently located to collectively define a common one multi-arch through-opening.

The through-opening(s), according to any embodiment, may provide an arch capable of separating from adjacent fabric by at least 0.25cm, or at least 0.5cm or at least 1cm.

Preferably, a through-opening(s) is dimensioned to admit an end of a hand-operated connector such as a rope, string or cable tie, or the like.

Figure 8 schematically illustrates apparatus for applying a liquid thermoplastics coating (e.g. PVC) to one side of a fabric strip (e.g. textile) . The liquid-coated fabric is thus prepared for subsequent heat-treatment to cure the liquid coating. The coating method may be applied to any strip of fabric whether or not that fabric strip has through-openings as described above. Optionally, as illustrated, subsequent heat-treatment may increase saliency of salient yarns when yarns of differential thermal shrinkage rates are employed as described above.

The coating apparatus comprises a fluid bath (75) within which is disposed a roller (70) presenting a cylindrical outer surface revolvable about a roller axle (71) which coincides with the axis of cylindrical symmetry of the roller outer surface. The radius of curvature (R) of the roller outer surface is centred upon the roller axle. The roller is disposed to extend partially within the cavity of the fluid bath to such an extent that the cylindrical surface may be partially immersed, along the length (L) of the roller, within liquid thermoplastic coating material (300) held within the fluid bath (75) in sufficient quantity.

The roller is disposed underneath a taught length of un-coated strip of woven fabric (2) such that the separation between the axis of the roller and the opposing underside surface of the fabric strip (2) substantially matches the radius of the roller. In this way, the fabric strip tangentially skims the roller surface in the manner of an osculation.

The fabric strip is moved in a direction parallel to its taught length at a linear speed (V) of about seven metres per minute.

Concurrently, the roller is revolved about its cylindrical axis at an angular velocity (u) selected such that the instantaneous speed of the outer cylindrical surface matches the linear speed (V) of the fabric (2) in both magnitude and direction at closest approach therebetween. Thus, the condition u=V/P. is maintained. Coating liquid disposed on the roller surface is picked-up by a roller surface part as it emerges from the liquid (300) within the bath. The coating liquid is then raised from the fluid bath by action of roller rotation and into contact with the underside of the overlying fabric strip (2) so as to be transferred form the roller to the instantaneously opposing surface parts of the moving fabric in the manner of an appulse.

A linear scraper blade or bar (72) is disposed in parallel adjacency to the roller surface between the fluid bath and the fabric strip at the side of the roller which is arranged to rise out from the fluid bath when the roller revolves. The scraper blade presents a nearmost surface to the roller uniformly spaced therefrom by between about 0.5mm and 4mm (preferably between about 2mm and 3mm) and is arranged to scrape excess coating liquid from the rising surface of the roller. The spacing between scraper blade and roller surface may he varied according to differing properties of the coating fluid (e.g. viscosity) thereby to determine how much coating liquid remains upon the roller surface as it contacts the underside of the fabric strip to be coated.

The cylindrical length (L) of the roller preferably is no greater than the breadth (X) of the fabric strip to be coated (e.g. L �= X) . Most preferably, substantially L = X, and the extreme ends of the roller are in simultaneously in register with the edges of the strip to be coated. Most preferably, the roller is arranged relative to the strip (2) such that no part of the roller surface used for transferring fluid extends beyond/under a strip edge. These measures assist in providing an even coating to the strip underside across its breadth without overspill/overlap to the upper side of the fabric strip otherwise caused by coating liquid migrating around/over the strip edges.

A scraper slot (85) is provided in a scraper plate (80) positioned downstream from the roller (70) relative to the linear motion of the fabric strip. Strip material, coated with liquid thermoplastic coating material (300) traverses from the roller to the scraper plate and passes into the scraper slot.

The long axis (W) of the scraper slot is substantially equal in length to the breadth (X) of the fabric strip it is arranged to receive. It is also disposed in parallel to cylindrical surface of the surface of the roller and the plane of fabric strip between it and the roller. The width (Y) of the scraper slot is set to be equal to the thickness of the fabric strip (2) plus the thickness of thermoplastic coating material (300) required in order to produce the best/desired final coating finish when the coating is subsequently cured by application of heat to the fabric strip subsequent to passing through the scraper slot (85) . This choice of slot width enables prevention of "soak-through" of coating liquid through the coated fabric prior to (or during) subsequent heat curing and maintains the coating on one side of the fabric strip as a result.

For example, when polyester yarns are employed in fabricating the fabric strip (2), and when a PVC thermoplastic coating (300) s used, the curing process may be implemented by passing the liquid-coated fabric strip (2) into an oven having an air temperature of about 230CC for about 25 seconds (curing time) This has been found to produce the desired degree of curing such that the resulting cured coating of the fabric strip remains pliant without being liquid, and has the desired degree of strength. Similarly, when yarns of different thermal shrinkage rates are used, as described above, this curing regime provides a suitable degree of differential yarn shrinkage. Of course, different combination of materials may require different curing regimes which may be determined accordThg to simple trial and error as would be readily apparent to the skilled person.

it is believed, though not asserted, that thermal shrinkage in a yarn/filament made from polymer molecules may occurs as a result of yarn/filament manufacturing process whereby the polymer material is stretched. This stretching may tend to at least partially increase the orientation of polymer molecules along the axis of the filament so produced. Subsequent heating of the filament (e.g. during the curing of a thermoplastic coating) may tend to increase entropy in the filament and to some extent reverse this axial ordering/alignment. The result would be a shrinking of the filament along its length direction. Yarns are commonly characterised commercially accordThg to their thermal shrinkage rates.

It will be understood that the embodiments described above are non-limiting and are provided for illustrative purposes such that design variants and modifications such as would be readily apparent to the skilled person, are envisaged and encompassed within the scope of the invention, such as is defined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A coated fabric comprising a fabric bonded to a coating of pliant material and one or more salient yarns which arch from the fabric being joined to the fabric at arch ends and separate from the fabric between arch ends to span over the fabric to form therebetween a through-opening dimensioned to receive a connector for connecting the fabric to an article.
2. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which the fabric comprises a woven textile.
3. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which said salient yarns are yarns woven into the fabric at their arch ends.
4. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim comprising multiple separate said through-openings spaced along the fabric and each incorporating at least one respective said salient yarn formed from a common single yarn.
5. A coated fabric according to Claim 5 in which said common yarn is woven into the fabric between successive of said multiple through-openings.
6. A coated fabric according to any of claims 5 and 6 in which said multiple separate through-openings are disposed upon the same side of the fabric.
7. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which only one side of the fabric is coated with said coating.
8. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which said one or more through-openings are disposed on a side of the fabric not coated with said coating.
9. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which said salient yarns are yarns bonded to the coating at their arch ends.
10. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which said coating comprises a thermoplastic material.
11. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which said salient yarns have a thermal shrinkage rate less than that of the fabric.
12. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which said fabric is a textile woven using first yarns having a first thermal shrinkage rate into which are woven one or more second yarns providing said salient yarns and having a second thermal shrinkage rate less than the first thermal shrinkage rate.
13. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which the fabric is an elongate band or strip along which successive said through-openings are arrayed.
14. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which the fabric is an elongate band or strip and salient yarns are provided by yarns which extent along the elongate axis of the fabric.
15. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which the through-openings present an opening accessible in a direction transverse to the elongate axis of the band or strip.
16. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which said fabric is a textile woven with a twill weave in which salient yarns are provided by successive alternate warp yarns such that the fabric between said arch ends and over which said salient yarns span comprises a 2/2 weave.
17. A coated fabric according to Claim 16 in which the twill weave is a 2/2 weave.
18. A coated fabric according to any preceding claim in which the fabric is an elongate strip or band of textile woven such that warp yarns extent along the elongate axis of the strip or band.
19. A method of manufacturing a coated fabric including providing a fabric having a first thermal shrinkage rate and one or more yarns having a second thermal shrinkage rate less than the first thermal shrinkage rate, wherein the yarn(s) span over the fabric between span ends at which the yarn(s) are joined to the fabric, the method including applying a coating to a surface of the fabric by a thermal coating process to cause the fabric between span ends to shrink relative to the yarn(s) therebetween thereby to cause a yarn span to form an arch defining a through-opening dimensioned to receive a connector for connecting the fabric to an article.
20. A method according to Claim 19 including providing the fabric in the form of a woven textile.
21. A method according to any of claims 19 to 20 including providing the fabric with said yarns woven into the fabric at their span ends.
22. A method according to any of claims 19 to 21 including providing said fabric with multiple separate said spans spaced along the fabric and each incorporating at least one common yarn.
23. A method according to Claim 22 in which said common yarn is woven into the fabric between successive of said multiple spans.
24. A method according to any of claims 22 and 23 including providing said fabric with said multiple separate spans disposed upon the same side of the fabric.
25. A method according to any of claims 19 to 24 including coating only one side of the fabric.
26. A method according to any of claims 19 to 25 including applying said coating only on a side of the fabric other than the side upon which one or more through-openings are disposed.
27. A method according to any of claims 19 to 26 including bonding the salient yarns to the coating at their arch ends.
28. A method according to any of claims 19 to 27 including coating said fabric with a thermoplastic material.
29. A method according to any of claims 19 to 28 including providing the fabric is an elongate band or strip along which successive said spans are arrayed.
30. A method according to any of claims 19 to 29 including providing the fabric is an elongate band or strip and said spans are provided by yarns which extent along the elongate axis of the band or strip.
31. A method according to any of claims 19 to 30 including providing spans arranged to produce through-openings accessible in a direction transverse to the elongate axis of the band or strip.
32. A method according to any of claims 19 to 31 including providing said fabric as a textile woven with a twill weave in which yarns providing said span(s) are provided by successive alternate warp yarns such that the fabric between said span ends and over which said yarns span comprises a 2/2 weave.
33. A method according to Claim 32 in which the twill weave is a 2/2 weave.
34. A method according to any of claims 19 to 33 including providing the fabric as a band or strip of textile woven such that warp yarns extent along the elongate axis of the band or strip.
35. A method of manufacturing a fabric including: providing yarns; weaving the yarns according to a weave method including floating a portion of one or more yarns from the fabric while simultaneously not floating adjacent yarns of the fabric such that floated yarns span over the woven fabric between span ends at which the floated yarn is woven into the fabric; wherein the length of the portion of floated yarn between span ends is substantially equal to the length of the portion of un-floated yarn woven between points of the fabric separated by a distance matching the distance between span ends.
36. A method according to claim 35 including subsequently coating the fabric with a pliable coating.
37. A method according to any of claims 35 to 36 in which the weaving method is a 2/2 weave.
38. A method according to any of claims 35 to 37 in which the weave method employs double weft insertion.
39. An attachment strip including a strip of coated fabric according to any of claims 1 to 18.
40. A vehicle tilt, awning or cover comprising a cover sheet including a coated fabric according to any of claims 1 to 18 in which said through-openings are presented outwardly from a surface of the cover sheet.
41. A vehicle tilt, awning or cover according to Claim 40 including a connector means received within one, some or each of said through-openings.
42. A vehicle tilt, awning or cover according to Claim 41 in which the connector means comprises a hook, loop, strap or band dimensioned to pass through the through-opening and to attach to an article thereby to attach the tilt, awning or cover to a member of the bodywork of a vehicle.
43. A kit of parts for a vehicle tilt, awning or cover according to any of claims 40 to 42 comprising said cover sheet and one or more said connectors.
44. A vehicle comprising a vehicle tilt, awning or cover according to any of claims 40 to 42
45. A kit of parts including an attachment strip according to claim 39 and one or more said connectors.
46. A coated fabric substantially as described in any one embodiment herein with reference to, or as illustrated in, the accompanying figures.
47. A method of manufacturing a coated fabric substantially as described in any one embodiment herein with reference to, or as illustrated in, the accompanying figures.
48. A vehicle tilt, awning or cover substantially as described in any one embodiment herein with reference to, or as illustrated in, the accompanying figures.