Loom for the production of a tape with visual checking elements and associated tape

The present invention relates to the field of looms for the production of a tape with visual checking elements and associated tape.

It is known that tapes can be used in various fields, among which there is the completion of the upholstery for armchairs, chairs or seats.

In this case, a tape is sewn on the border of an upholstery or covering for armchairs, chairs or seats, in such a way as to act as perimeter element. Typically, to this tape are detachably fixed some tie rods, arranged in hidden position under the armchair, the chair or the seat, in such a way as to keep the covering in stretched position.

These tie rods are usually realized in form of tape, with very reduced size with respect to the perimeter tape; these are also provided at the two ends with eyelets or mounting hooks to the tape itself.

The keeping under stretching of the covering has not only an esthetical importance (in particular regarding armchairs or chairs) but also a security importance (particularly regarding the seats designed for the use on cars).

In light of the natural trend for producing in series armchairs, chairs and seats, in order to realize the highest possible productive economy, the abovementioned coverings are realized in standard sizes and this also applies to the tie rods for the stretching of the coverings themselves. Furthermore these tie rods are always positioned in the same positions, in such a way as to ensure the homogeneity of presentation of armchairs, chairs or seats between a model and the other.

Nowadays, for allowing for fixing the tie rods always in the same position, the tapes are provided with cut visual checking elements, so that during the mounting it is possible to mount these tie rods in an easier way, reaching therefore a more precise positioning.

The visual checking elements of known kind are typically made after the production of the tape, through handmade cuts, through blades or with laser.

This kind of cut has the disadvantage of having to act at least on two different steps. Furthermore, if there are many parallel production lines, the use of laser becomes particularly expensive, owing to the cost of the laser head itself, that must be positioned on each line.

Eventually, the use of a second step of production forces the increase of the completion time of the tape, making the process not so efficient.

Document DE 197 31 260 discloses a tape for car seats having reinforced plastic element. The tape of DE 197 31 260 is not suitable to be used in a single step process of weaving due to the presence of the plastic element.

Document DE 10 2006 028 210 teaches a tape with visual checking filaments that are made floating, thus exiting and then re-entering into the structure of the tape without being tightened.

In particular with this last document, some drawbacks arise since the floating filaments can get entangled with objects during the operations made on the tape, with the risk of damaging the tape.

Furthermore, when such checking filaments maintain the same colour of the tape, there is a risk of being confused in the exact tie rods positioning.

A first purpose of the present invention is to describe a loom for the production of a tape with visual checking elements that is free from the above described disadvantages.

A second purpose of the present invention is also to describe a tape with visual checking elements that is free from the above described disadvantages.

According to the present invention, a loom is used for the production of a tape with visual checking elements as claimed in the first claim.

According to the present invention, a tape is made with visual checking elements as claimed in the sixth claim.

The invention will be now described with reference to the appended drawings, that illustrate a not restrictive example of embodiment, wherein:

• Figure 1 shows a first form of embodiment of a tape with visual checking elements according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 shows a scheme of a loom for the production of the tape of figure 1;
• Figure 3 shows a second form of embodiment of a tape with visual checking elements according to the present invention;
• Figure 4 shows a scheme of a loom for the production of the tape of figure 3;

With reference to figure 1, a tape with visual checking elements is generally designated with the reference number 1.

Tape 1 acts as perimeter element for an upholstery or covering for armchairs, sofas, chairs or seats for vehicles. In detail, it is sewn on the border of the upholstery in such a way as to act as perimeter element. Typically, to tape 1 are detachably fixed some tie rods 3, arranged in hidden position under the armchair, the chair or the seat, in such a way as to keep the upholstery in stretched position.

Tie rods 3 are usually realized in form of tape, with very reduced size with respect to the tape object of the present invention and provided at the two ends with eyelets or mounting hooks to the tape itself.

Tape 1 comprises a fabric in weft and warp (simple or double) and is optionally provided with a cord designed to close the covering. This cord typically inserted on the tape so that it can slide with respect to it in order to stretch the covering during the mounting operation.

Tape 1, in its first form of embodiment, comprises a plurality of visual checking elements 2, for allowing a visual indication of the position within which to position tie rods 3.

Each element 2 can have various shapes, as triangles, little circles, rectangles or other symbols, and is positioned on one of the two sides of tape 1 being preferably of a first colour that differs from at least a second colour of the tape. Many elements 2 can be positioned at an equal distance or at different distances among them; this depends upon the typology, shape and number of tie rods that must be fixed to tape 1.

In detail, elements 2 are tightly woven in such a way they remain visible on both faces of the tape and, at the same time, they do not substantially loosely protrude out of the surface of tape 1; this allows for not limiting the effective usefulness of elements 2 only to the case in which the tape is observed towards a face rather than towards the opposite one.

The tight weaving of elements 2 allows them to remain in the same woven tissue of the tape; in fact, elements 2 are produced during a continuous process of production of the tape from a production loom.

Thanks to the tight weaving, elements 2 lie on the same plane of the border of tape 1 in which they are woven.

Figure 2 shows a loom 10 for the production of tape 1 that differs from the ones of known kind for the presence of means 13 for the working and production of elements 2; means 13 are integrated into loom 10.

In detail, loom 10 shows as traditionally known, a station for the formation of the fabric with at least a first section 11 comprising one or more reels upon which the warp is wrapped, a second section 12 with a shed (for instance of jacquard or dobby kind) and for the formation of the weft and eventually means 13 for the production of elements 2. Means 13 are positioned in correspondence with the creation of the weft of the tape 1 and are actuated to weave the pattern of elements 2 temporarily, during the same process of weaving of tape 1, when an electronic processing unit (disclosed later on) sends them a command to produce such a pattern.

In other words, means 13 provide for making the set of elements 2, directly during the production of tape 1 and without the need of external equipments. In detail, for the production of the first form of embodiment of tape 1, means 13 provide for making a weaving of elements 2 during the process of creation of tape 1. The reciprocal distance of elements 2 is counted for instance through an hardware and/or software electronic control system 16 with which counts the number of pitches made by the loom. In detail, electronic control system 16 comprises a memory within which it is stored the sequence of the reciprocal distances of elements 2.

In this way, it is possible to store a priori within electronic control system 16 distances among many consecutive elements 2 even different among them, in such a way as to adapt the production of tape 1 to the needs of the product (seat, armchair, chair or else) to which it is destined and, in particular, to the number of the tie rods required. The changing of the destination product of tape 1 is therefore quick and is automatically managed, without structural changes on the loom upon which the tape itself is produced.

A second form of embodiment of tape 1', shown in figure 3, differs from the first because tape 1' possesses some elements 2' printed for the colouration of the fabric. These elements 2' can be printed on a sole face of tape 1' or, alternatively, on both the faces of the tape.

In the second form of embodiment of the invention here described, actually, in tape 1' elements 2' are not woven but applied without weaving or shearing operations simply through an inked pad, a tip of a writing pen imbibed with ink or equivalent pigmenting fluid so that to be coloured of a colour differing from the base colour of tape 1'.

Also for this second embodiment of the invention, elements 2' are positioned on the same plane of the tissue border of tape 1' and do not protrude from it.

As can be observed in figure 4, in this case loom 10 for the production of tape 1' differs from the one previously shown because of the presence, within means 13 of an inked marking device 13' supplied with an ink tank 13"; in detail, in this figure it is shown - schematically and clearly not limiting - a pad movable between a first and a second working position in a direction orthogonal with respect to a sliding direction A of tape 1', that is imbibed with ink.

In the first working position, marking device 13' is kept apart from tape 1', in the second working position, marking device 13' is instead pressed against tape 1' and, therefore, imprints upon it element 2'.

On the basis of a command sent by electronic control system 16, this marking device 13' is lowered in order to press against tape 1', marking therefore element 2.

The advantages of the present invention are clear in the light of the previous description; in particular tape 1, 1', allows connection to tie rods for easily and precisely cutting the coverings for armchairs, sofas, chairs or seats, because for each tie rod to be constrained to it there is a reciprocal element 2, 2', and with high productive economy; actually, the realization of elements 2, 2', is made during the step of production of the tape itself, and not later on. Therefore, there is no need of processing again tape 1, 1' once woven, with different machines. At the end of the process of creation of elements 2, 2', within loom 10, tape 1, 1', does not have to undergo other processes excepting from the installation on the covering to which it is destined. As a matter of fact, loom 10 comprises all the necessary means for the production of the finished tape, independently from the fact that the visual checking elements are woven, ink-marked or also recess-shaped. Once left loom 10, tape 1, 1', does not have to be processed anymore, it is instead directly ready for being sewn to its covering or associated upholstery.

Tape 1 produced according to the present invention is therefore provided with visual checking elements 2, 2' that do not protrude out of the surface of tape 1, 1' and, in particular, do not protrude loosely or slackly from it, remaining actually on the same plane of the tape border in which they are woven; therefore this leads to a tape that cannot entangle to any means of working further used to work and/or attach tape 1 to the product on which it will be mounted.

Finally, it is clear that to the tape and to the loom described in the present invention can be applied changes without extending out of the scope of protection of the annexed claims.