Fabric tape with visual matching elements

The present invention relates to the field of tapes and in detail it is related to a fabric tape with visual matching elements.

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

In this case, a fabric 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 upholstery in stretched position.

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

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

In light of the natural trend for mass-production of 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. These tie rods are also positioned always in the same positions, in order to ensure the homogeneity of presentation of armchairs, chairs or seats between a model and the other.

Nowadays, in order to fix the tie rods always in the same position, the fabric tapes are provided with cut visual matching elements, so that during the assembly it is possible to assemble these tie rods in an easier way, reaching therefore a more precise positioning.

From EP10156321 it is known a fabric tape comprising a plurality of visual matching elements positioned on the lateral end of the tape itself; the visual matching elements are realized in a single production step by a loom (10) for the production of the tape and are realized in stretched fabric, in order to avoid that they can get entangled during the insertion in the seat in particular if they are floating.

From DE102006028210 it is known a tape comprising connecting eyelets with rigid and preferably metallic elements of a chair or seat.

DE102006028210 shows some disadvantages deriving from the fact that the connecting eyelets must be realized with a long production process, ineffective both in terms of time and of costs and are separated by a stretching element of the tape itself.

Furthermore, the visual matching elements are not perfectly associated to the position of the eyelets, with the risk of a missed insertion of the hooking element (present for example on a seat of a motor vehicle) on the eyelet itself, or of skipping an eyelet in the series during the coupling with the hooking elements.

Eventually, the distance among the visual matching elements, positioned on a first side of the tape, and the eyelets, on the contrary positioned on an opposite side, often causes the risk of confusion.

Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to describe a fabric tape with visual matching elements that is free from the above described disadvantages and that is economically advantageous to be produced.

According to the present invention, a fabric tape is made with visual matching elements as claimed in the first claim.

According to the present invention, a loom is made for the production of a fabric tape with visual matching elements as claimed in the fourteenth 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 perspective view of a tape object of the present invention in a first embodiment;
• Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the tape object of the present invention along lines II-II of figure 1;
• Figure 3 shows a second perspective view of a tape object of the present invention in a second embodiment; and
• Figure 4 shows a sectional view of the tape object of the present invention along lines IV-IV of figure 3.

With reference to figure 1, a fabric tape with visual matching elements is generally designated with the reference number 10, 10a.

Tape 10, 10a is realized in fabric and comprises a first upper side and a second lower side which extend along a plane identified by a first axis X and a second axis Y; the first axis X, for convention of representation in the appended figures, shows the axis of higher extension of the tape, or longitudinal axis.

Tape 10, 10a, both in its first and in the second embodiment, comprises a flexible stretching rope 30, positioned in correspondence to a first side 10s and substantially oriented parallely with respect to the first axis X.

More in detail, flexible stretching rope 30 passes from the first to the second side of the tape by inserting and exiting from a plurality of eyelets 30p equi-distanced among them. Substantially, once mounted, flexible stretching rope 30 identifies first and second tracts that respectively are visible alternatively on the first and second side of the tape itself.

Appropriate hooking means of the tape, not shown in the appended figures, are inserted in the eyelets that form rightly between flexible stretching rope 30 and the body of the tape, allowing then for fixing it to the body of a seat, of a chair, of an armchair or similar objects.

As a matter of fact, to the tape object of the present invention is typically constrained the covering of a seat, that must be then constrained and tensioned on the body of the seat itself. Flexible stretching rope 30 allows then for both the constraint of the lining to the body of the seat, chair or armchair, and on the other, through its tension, the stretching of the tape itself without the help of auxiliary eyelets for the insertion of hooking means.

As shown in figures 1 and 2, tape 10, 10a object of the present invention comprises also a first tubular section 40, positioned parallely with respect to axis X, within which it is positioned a first cord 50 partially visible in a plurality of sections 50s only on the first side of tape 10, 10a. Also these sections are positioned along the axis X and are positioned in correspondence to the first tracts of flexible stretching rope 30.

In particular, for allowing the visibility of these sections - which become then real markers of hooking zones or anyway visual matching elements of the exact position wherein the hooking elements must insert in the eyelets formed between flexible stretching rope 30 and the body of tape 10, 10a - are realized in a color different and possibly contrasting with respect to the one of the body of the tape object of the present invention.

In detail the first tubular section 40, if observed in direction of the second axis Y, has a distance from the edge shorter than the distance that separates it from the second edge.

In its first embodiment, tape 10 object of the present invention comprises also a plurality of visual matching elements 20, positioned on the first side and realized with a loose (or floating) fabric fibers but narrowed woven; this plurality of visual matching elements 20 is positioned in correspondence to the second side of tape 10. Thanks to the fact that they are woven in such a way as to remain tensioned, and not floating, and not protruding therefore from the remaining part of the body of tape 10 along an axis Z perpendicular with respect to both axis X and to axis Y, visual matching elements 20 do not risk to get entangled with the fibers during the use.

Also visual matching elements 20 are positioned in correspondence to sections 50s, in such a way as to be aligned with these ones along the second axis Y.

A second embodiment of tape 10a object of the present invention, shown in figures 3 and 4, differs from the one previously described because instead of visual matching elements 20 there is a second tubular section 60 arranged parallel to axis X within which there is a second cord 70, partially visible in a plurality of second sections 70s.

Second sections 70s are regularly spaced out, exactly as it happens for sections 50s of the first cord but, unlike these, second sections 70s appear, preferably, both on the first and on the second side of tape 10a, even if it is possible as alternative to make them appear on a single side.

Exactly as it happens for first cord 50, also second cord 70 is realized in a color different and contrasting with respect to the remaining part of tape 10a.

In detail second tubular section 60, if observed in direction of the second axis Y, has a distance that separates it from the second edge.

The tape object of the present invention can be produced in a single production process on a loom specifically designed or set up for its production, allowing therefore for a reduction of the production time.

Both flexible stretching rope 30 and the first, second cord 50, 70 are inserted respectively in eyelets 30s and in the first, second tubular section 40, 60 after the completion of the weaving of tape 10, 10a.

To the device previously described it can be applied variants, changes and additions obvious for a those skilled in the art, without departing from the protective scope of the present invention given by the attached claims.

As an example, the tape and second cord 70 can have the same color.