Patent Grant
10914023
The subject disclosure relates to fabrics, and more particularly, to an attachable fabric assembly.
Fabrics are known to cover a wide variety of components. Such components may include interior support structure and/or framework of furniture, planar surfaces such as walls, interior of vehicles including vehicle seats, other fabrics, and a wide variety of other components. To achieve a desired appearance and/or durability, such fabrics are often attached to the components. Depending upon the component, the attachment means may vary. Such attachment means may be expensive, complicated or awkward to achieve, and time consuming to accomplish.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop improvements in fabric attachment techniques for a wide range of applications.
A fabric assembly according to one, non-limiting, embodiment includes a knitted fabric and a filament. The knitted fabric is adapted to move between a stretched state extended along a direction of an applied force, and a relaxed state. The filament is disposed in the knitted fabric, and includes a plurality of loops longitudinally spaced apart from one-another. Each loop of the plurality of loops are adapted to project outward from the knitted fabric when in the stretched state, and substantially retract into the knitted fabric when in the relaxed state.
Additionally to the foregoing embodiment, the fabric assembly includes a component including a plurality of hooks projecting outward from the component for engaging the plurality of loops when in the stretched state and thus cinching the component to the knitted fabric when in the relaxed state.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the filament and the plurality of hooks are electrically conductive.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the cinching occurs along a direction that is substantially normal to the elongated filament and direction of the applied force.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the knitted fabric is more compliant than the filament.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the filament is one of a mono-filament and a braided cable.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the knitted fabric is a double knitted fabric.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, at least one loop of the plurality of loops are looped about a knit yarn of the knitted fabric to fix a location of the at least one loop.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the fabric assembly includes a plurality of buttons, wherein each button of the plurality of button is attached to a respective loop of the plurality of loops.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the knitted fabric is fusible.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the filament is fusible.
A fabric assembly adapted to engage a component according to another, non-limiting, embodiment includes a knitted fabric, a filament having a plurality of attachment elements, and a plurality of mating elements. The knitted fabric has a stretched state along a first direction, and a relaxed state. The filament is woven into the knitted fabric. Each attachment element of the plurality of attachment elements are adapted to project outward from the knitted fabric when in one of the stretched state and the relaxed state, and retract into the knitted fabric when in the other of the stretched state and the relaxed state. The plurality of mating elements are attached to, and projecting outward from, the component. Each mating element of the plurality of mating elements is adapted to engage a respective one of the plurality of attachment elements when the plurality of attachment elements are projecting outward from the knitted fabric. Once attached, the plurality of attachments elements may be retracted into the knitted fabric, thereby cinching the knitted fabric to the component.
Additionally to the foregoing embodiment, the knitted fabric includes a surface, the plurality of attachment elements project outward from the surface, the filament extends along a second direction that is substantially normal to the first direction, and the plurality of attachment elements retract when the knitted fabric moves from the stretched state to the relaxed state.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the knitted fabric includes an edge, the filament extends along the edge, the plurality of attachment elements project outward from the edge when in the relaxed state and are retracted into the knitted fabric when in the stretched state.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the plurality of loops are generally coplanar to the knitted fabric.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the plurality of attachment elements include hooks.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the plurality of attachment elements include loops, and the plurality of mating elements include hooks.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the plurality of attachment elements include posts.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the plurality of attachment elements include buttons.
In the alternative or additionally thereto, in the foregoing embodiment, the plurality of attachment elements include clips.
The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages of the disclosure are readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of example only, in the following detailed description, the detailed description referring to the drawings in which:
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
Referring to
The fabric assembly 20 may include a fabric 24, and an attachment arrangement 26 carried between the component 22 and the fabric 24. In
In one embodiment, the fabric 24 may be a double woven, or knitted, fabric including first and second layers 34, 36 of respective woven, or knitted, yarns, or threads, 38, 40. The yarns 38 may each extend longitudinally in a side-by-side fashion. Similarly, the yarns 40 may each extend longitudinally in a side-by-side fashion, such that the yarns 38 are substantially parallel to the yarns 40.
The elongated filament 28 may extend longitudinally across, and may traverse the yarns 38, 40. In one embodiment, the filament may be disposed substantially normal to the yarns 38, 40. In at least the example of the attachment elements 32 being loops, at least one loop of the plurality of loops 32 may be looped about a respective yarn 40 of the second layer 36. By looping the filament 28 about selected yarns 40, the plurality of loops 32 may generally be fixed at a desired location with respect to the fabric 24. The filament 28 may be a mono-filament or braided cable, may be made of plastic, composite, or metal, and is less compliant (i.e., stretchable) than the fabric 24.
During attachment of the fabric 24 to the component 22, the knitted fabric 24 may be initially in a relaxed, or un-stretched, state, see
With the knitted fabric 24 in the stretched state and the loops 32 extended (i.e., hyperextended), the fabric 24 may be placed, or pressed, against the component 22 causing the mating elements, or hooks, 30 to attach to the extended loops 32. Once attached, the force (see arrows 42), which generally co-extends with the yarns 38, 40, may be released causing the knitted fabric 24 to return to the relaxed state of
In one embodiment, the attachment and mating elements 32, 30 of the attachment arrangement 26 may be electrically conductive forming a circuit for any variety of applications (e.g., heating a seat). In another embodiment, the knitted fabric may be fusible. If fusible, and after cinching, the knitted fabric 24 may be steamed to promote fusion and thereby strengthen the fabric assembly 20 forming a coherent sheet that inhibits unraveling of the knitted yarns 38, 40. Similarly, the filament 28 may be made of a fusible material capable of being fused to the surrounding fabric 24.
Referring to
Referring to
When the knitted fabric 24″ is stretched along the direction of the exerted force 42″ (see
Advantages and benefits of the present disclosure include the ability to easily and simply cinch a fabric to another component. Other advantages include the ability to integrate an electrical connection as part of the cinching operation.
While the above disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from its scope. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but will include all embodiments falling within the scope thereof.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7428772 | Rock | Sep 2008 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20190203392 A1 | Jul 2019 | US |
