Window blinds, textile fabrics and the manufacture thereof

Abstract

 A fabric (10) is produced, preferably by knitting, with a series of first strips (12) of a first textile thread alternating with a series of second strips (14) of a second textile thread. The first strips (12) are relatively stiff and opaque and the second strips (14) are of a more flexible diaphanous material. The first textile thread consists of a filament of plastics material coated with molten synthetic plastics material to which staple fibres such as wool, cotton or acrylic are adhered. The fabric (10) after production is heat treated to cause the first strips to stiffen. The fabric can be used to produce vertical blinds, folding blinds, folding doors, etc.

Description

[0001] THIS INVENTION relates generally to window blinds and to textile fabrics and to the manufacture thereof.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] Vertical blinds consisting of a series of vertical strips or slats mounted on an overhead track for rotational movement about respective vertical axes are well known. The slats can be rotated between a closed position, in which their edges overlap one another to cover the window opening in which the blind is mounted, and an open position in which they lie in spaced parallel planes with gaps between them.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0003] One object of the invention is to provide a vertical blind which is of novel construction and which blind has, as a result of its novel construction, pleasing aesthetic aspects.

[0004] Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel textile fabric which can be used in the production of vertical blinds and can also be used in the production of other articles of commerce.

[0005] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of producing a textile fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a vertical window blind comprising a plurality of first vertical strips which are of a relatively stiff, opaque fabric joined to one another by a plurality of second vertical strips of more flexible, diaphanous material, the second strips alternating with the first strips and joining the first strips to one another, and means for mounting each first strip for rotation about a respective vertical axis.

[0007] The first strips can be knitted, woven or otherwise produced using a textile thread manufactured by coating a filament of synthetic plastics material with molten synthetic plastic material and causing textile fibres to adhere to the molten coating, the strips being heat treated after production to cause stiffening thereof.

[0008] Said mounting means can comprise a plurality of mounting elements each secured to one of said first strips and serving to mount each first strip in a vertical position for rotation about a respective vertical axis. Said elements can themselves be movable along a mounting track thereby to permit the blind to be drawn in folded form on one side of a window or door opening.

[0009] The first and second strips can be of substantially the same width as one another, the arrangement being such that when the first strips are all lying in substantially the same vertical plane, the longer edges thereof overlap whereby the blind is devoid of any slits between the first strips. In an alternative form, the second strips are slightly less than twice as wide as the first strips and the first and second strips are connected together in such manner that when the first strips are lying in parallel, spaced planes, each second strip joins a front vertical edge of one first strip to the rear vertical edge of an adjacent first strip. In this form, when the blind is 'closed' so that all the first strips lie in approximately the same vertical plane, one face of the closed blind is constituted by a composite layer of overlapping first strips covered by a layer of second strips.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a textile fabric comprising a plurality of first strips which are relatively stiff and opaque and which are joined to one another by a plurality of second strips which are more flexible and are diaphanous, the first and second strips having been produced using different textile threads and the textile fabric having been heat and/or chemically treated to cause the first strips to stiffen.

[0011] The first strips can be knitted, woven or otherwise produced using a textile thread manufactured by coating a filament of synthetic plastics material with molten synthetic plastics material and causing textile fibres to adhere to the molten coating, the strips being heat treated after production to cause stiffening thereof.

[0012] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a fabric suitable for use as a window blind which method comprises knitting or weaving a plurality of opaque first strips using a first textile thread, and a plurality of second, diaphanous strips using a second, different textile thread, the first and second strips alternating with one another and the first thread being of a nature such that by chemical and/or heat treatment it can be stiffened while the second thread is such that it is unaffected by the treatment which stiffens the first thread, and heat and/or chemically treating the fabric to cause said first strips to stiffen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0013] For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a window blind in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a partial section on the line II-II of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a similar section but showing the blind in a different condition, and

Figure 4 illustrates a further form of blind in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, the blind illustrated is generally designated 10 and comprises a series of vertical strips 12 of relatively stiff, opaque material joined to, and alternating with, a plurality of strips 14 which are of thinner, diaphanous material. It will be understood that the strips 12, while referred to herein as being opaque, are produced from textile fibres. Their nature is such that, while it is impossible to see through them, some light does pass through them when they are brightly illuminated. For example, some sunlight passes through during the day and some artificial lighting at night. The strips 14 are described herein as being diaphanous. They can be of the type of material which is referred to as 'net' or 'lace' curtaining and can also be of the open mesh type of fabric which is often referred to as 'sunfilter'. A characteristic of the strip 14 is that it is possible to see through it even if it partly obscures the view or renders it indistinct.

[0015] The strips 12 and 14 can be produced on commercially available knitting machines such as the 'Raschel' and 'CoWeknit' machines. The machine must be capable of producing the strips 12 from one type of textile thread and the strips 14 from another type of textile thread. The two types of thread are, of course, knitted together where the strips 12, 14 join one another but, apart from these marginal zones, the two different textile threads are not mixed.

[0016] Two possible methods of knitting can be used. In one form the 'warp' threads are in a series of groups, alternate groups consisting of said one type of textile thread and the intervening groups consisting of said another type of textile thread. The 'weft' thread can be light and of a type not affected by the heat or chemical treatment to which the knitted fabric is subsequently subjected. The first and second strips thus extending longitudinally of the fabric. In the second method the 'warp' threads are all of a textile thread which is not affected by the subsequent treatment, and knitting proceeds using alternately said one and said other types of textile thread whereby said first and second strips are knitted in bands around the fabric.

[0017] The terms 'warp' and 'weft' are conventionally used in knitting terminology but do not have the same connotation as they do in weaving.

[0018] The nature of the thread from which the strips 14 are produced is not of great importance provided that the strips are such that they can be seen through. The strips 12 are preferably knitted using a textile thread which comprises a core or filament of synthetic plastics material which, during manufacture of the thread, was coated with molten synthetic plastics material to which textile filaments were caused to adhere. This type of thread can be made on a machine of the type which is known as a 'Bobtex' machine.

[0019] One specific form of thread comprises a polyester filament which constitutes the core, a suitable thermoplastic polymer (or mixture of polymers) coating the core filament, and acrylic fibres held captive by the polymer which coats the filament.

[0020] The fabric produced by the knitting machine is heat treated. A suitable heat treatment makes use of a 'stenter' or tenter' type of apparatus which heats the fabric to about 170°C for between 1 1/2 and 2 minutes. A standard four chamber tenter with a fabric speed of 10 metres per minute gives a suitable dwell time. The heat treatment has the effect of causing the strips 12 to stiffen while the strips 14 remain unaffected. The treated strips 12 have qualities and characteristics akin to the material which is conventionally used in the manufacture of vertical blinds.

[0021] If the nature of the thread used to produce the strips 12 requires it, the strips can be chemically treated to stiffen them.

[0022] It is also possible to weave the fabric. The warp threads can be in groups, alternate groups being of said one textile thread and intervening groups being of said another textile thread. A light weft which is not affected by the subsequent heat and/or chemical treatment is used. Alternatively, the warp threads can be of a light material not affected by the subsequent treatment and the weft used can alternately be of said one thread and said another thread so that the strips 12 and 14 are alternately woven.

[0023] Reverting now to Figure 1, reference numeral 16 designates a conventional vertical blind track and reference numerals 18 designate vertical blind mounting structures which suspend the strips 12 from the track 16. Each strip 12 is capable of rotation about the vertical axis of its respective mounting structure 18.

[0024] Conventionally the vertical strips of a vertical blind are rotated about the axis of their mounting structures 18 by means of a drive rod which extends from one end of the track 16 to the other. The drive rod is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and can be rotated in either direction by pulling on an endless control cord. The control cord conventionally has a series of equally spaced beads along the length thereof and is passed around a wheel. The wheel has sockets in its periphery for receiving the beads. The rod is co-axial with, and fast in rotation with, the wheel. By pulling the cord in one direction or the other the wheel and rod are rotated.

[0025] The rod itself has protruding splines which extend axially of the rod. Each mounting structure includes gearing e.g. bevel gearing which is driven when the rod is rotated and which converts the rotation of the rod about a horizontal axis into rotation of each structure 18 about a vertical axis.

[0026] A further control cord is provided for shifting the structures 18 along the track 16. This control cord extends along the track and has fast therewith an element which is secured to the leading structure 18. When the strips are to be moved apart, said element propels the leading structure 18 along the track 16 away from the remainder. The first structure 18 carries with it a finger which has a detent on the trailing end thereof.

[0027] This detent engages the next structure 18 and starts that one moving when the first structure 18 is at the correct spacing from the next structure 18, and so on. When the strips are to be moved together, said element pulls the leading structure back against the others.

[0028] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the blind in a fully open condition across the window or door in which condition the strips 14 all lie in the same vertical plane and the strips 12 all lie parallel to one another and at right angles to the strips 14. A person looking at the blind in this condition sees only the edges of the strips 12 and the view through the blind is thus largely unobstructed as the strips 14 constitute the major area of the blind.

[0029] Figure 3 illustrates an intermediate position that the strips 12 pass through while being turned in the same direction as one another ie anti-clockwise so that they all lie in approximately the same plane. When the strips 12 are all in approximately the same plane, the edges thereof overlap one another and thus the blind is 'closed' in the sense that the entire area thereof is constituted by the opaque strips 12. The strips 14 lie against the strips 12 and thus have a purely decorative function. It will be understood that alternate strips 12 do not have one of the strips 14 in front of them. If it is desired that, in the closed condition of the blind, each strip 12 be covered by a strip 14, then the arrangement of Figure 4 can be employed. In this each strip 14 is slightly less than twice the width of each strip 12. The strips 14 extend, as illustrated, from the front edge of one strip 12 to the rear edge of the adjacent strip 12. When the strips 12 are turned, from the position illustrated in Figure 4 through the position illustrated in Figure 3 to the position in which the strips 12 all lie in approximately the same plane with their edges overlapping, each strip 12 is covered by a strip 14.

[0030] It is possible, if desired, to make one face of each strip 12 a different colour to the other face or to put different pictures on each face. The nature of the material of the strips 12 is such that it can be printed.

[0031] The fabric can be produced in a form in which the strips 14 are much narrower than the strips 12. In this form the strips 14 serve as hinges which connect the stiff strips 12 to one another. Such a fabric, if hung from an upper edge with the strips 12 horizontal and provided with suitable pull cords, can act in a manner similar to a folding blind. Alternatively, if hung from a track with the strips 12 vertical, the fabric forms a folding door or a collapsible room divider.

Claims

1. A window blind comprising a plurality of first vertical strips which are of a relatively stiff, opaque fabric joined to one another by a plurality of second vertical strips of more flexible, diaphanous material, the second strips alternating with the first strips and joining the first strips to one another, and means for mounting each first strip for rotation about a respective vertical axis.

2. A blind as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first strips are produced using a textile thread manufactured by coating a filament of synthetic plastics material with molten synthetic plastic material and causing textile filaments to adhere to the molten coating, the strips being heat treated after production to cause stiffening thereof.

3. A blind as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said mounting means comprises a plurality of mounting elements each secured to one of said first strips and serving to mount each first strip in a vertical position for rotation about a respective vertical axis.

4. A blind according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first and second strips are of substantially the same width as one another, the arrangement being such that when the first strips are all lying in substantially the same vertical plane, the longer edges thereof overlap whereby the blind is devoid of any slits between the first strips.

5. A blind according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the second strips are slightly less than twice as wide as the first strips and the first and second strips are connected together in such manner that when the first strips are lying in parallel, spaced planes, each second strip joins a front vertical edge of one first strip to the rear vertical edge of an adjacent first strip.

6. A textile fabric comprising a plurality of first strips which are relatively stiff and opaque and which are joined to one another by a plurality of second strips which are more flexible and are diaphanous, the first and second strips having been produced using different textile threads and the textile fabric having been heat and/or chemically treated to cause the first strips to stiffen.

7. A fabric according to claim 6, wherein said first strips are produced using a textile thread manufactured by coating a filament of synthetic plastics material with molten synthetic plastics material and causing textile filaments to adhere to the molten coating, the strips being heat treated after production to cause stiffening thereof.

8. A method of producing a fabric suitable for use as a window blind which method comprises knitting or weaving a plurality of opaque first strips using a first textile thread, and a plurality of second, diaphanous strips using a second, different textile thread, the first and second strips alternating with one another and the first thread being of a nature such that by chemical and/or heat treatment it can be stiffened while the second thread is such that it is unaffected by the treatment which stiffens the first thread, and heat and/or chemically treating the fabric to cause said first strips to stiffen.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, in which the fabric is knitted with the strips extending longitudinally of the fabric.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the fabric is knitted with the strips extending in bands around the fabric.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, in which the fabric is woven with the strips extending in the weft direction.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8, in which the fabric is woven with the strips extending in the warp direction.

Drawing