Patent Application
20150267416
The present invention relates to a device for stretching a flexible fabric to be used for covering a removable panel of a false wall such as, for example, a ceiling and a false wall. The present invention also relates to a method for covering such a panel using said device.
False walls have long been known, which are arranged parallel to one wall of the room so as to leave a residual space between the wall of said room and said fabric. This residual space, also called a velum, makes it possible to accommodate all unsightly equipment such as electrical cables, pipes, etc. These false walls, more particularly false suspended ceilings, comprise either removable panels suspended from a grid of sections advantageously made of light-alloy, or a generally opaque, flexible sheet, deformed by stretching so that the edges thereof, provided with fastening means, can be fixed to fastening wall rails fixed to the walls of the room, for example.
Removable panels degrade over time and in particular lose their original aesthetic appearance. To remedy this problem, the degraded panel(s) can be changed and the cuts and holes existing in the original panel(s) can be repeated, if necessary. This method is time-consuming especially when it is necessary to repeat the cut-outs and holes, if any, in the new panel, but also expensive because a new panel has to be bought. In addition, the degraded original panel(s) are thrown away or partially recycled, which goes against the current trend which tends to limit the volume of waste for obvious environmental reasons.
The present invention aims at overcoming the various disadvantages described above by providing a device for re-cladding enabling to re-clad in a simple, fast and especially aesthetical way removable panels of a false wall which are at least partially degraded.
In this respect, a device is provided for re-cladding a removable panel comprising an outer surface, an inner surface situated on the opposite side of the outer surface and a peripheral edge joining the outer and inner faces.
The re-cladding device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises at least two cladding sections which are fixed facing one another along two respective opposing regions of said peripheral edge, and a stretchable fabric is kept stretched along the outer face of the removable panel by means of said cladding sections.
Preferably, the cladding sections form a closed frame fixed along the entirety of said peripheral edge.
Advantageously, each cladding section is fixed to the removable panel by any suitable technique such as force fitting, gluing, nailing or even screwing.
Each cladding section advantageously comprises a core and two flanges extending substantially perpendicularly from the ends of said core.
According to a first embodiment, the fabric is in contact with the outer face of the removable panel and the peripheral edge is held clamped between said cladding sections and said removable panel.
In a second alternative embodiment, each cladding section is so fixed to the removable panel that the core and the flanges are respectively in contact with the peripheral edge and the outer and inner faces of the removable panel.
Preferably, the fabric is not in contact with the outer face of the removable panel and is fixed and stretched on the cladding sections while being supported at least on the flanges thereof in contact with the outer face of the removable panel. Advantageously, the fabric is fixed to the cladding sections by any suitable means such as glue, nails or screws.
In another preferred embodiment, each cladding section comprises at least one housing able to cooperate with a fixing clamp, with the fabric being then fixed to said cladding section while being held clamped in said housing by the fixing clamp.
In another alternative embodiment, each cladding section is a clamping section fixed to the removable panel.
According to yet another preferred embodiment, each section is associated with a clamping section fixed by any suitable means, on the flange in contact with the outer face of the removable panel.
Preferably, the clamping section comprises at least one longitudinal inner recess in the overall shape of a U extending preferably substantially parallel to the core of said cladding section, with an aperture opening on one side to the outside, and on the other side in said recess and at least one flexible lip at least partially closing said aperture.
In a fourth alternative embodiment, the clamping section comprises at least one outer flange preferably extending substantially parallel to the core of said cladding section, with an inner core originating from one of the ends of the outer flange and extending substantially perpendicularly from said outer flange, and an inner flange originating from the inner core, extending toward the outside of said cladding section parallel to the outer flange and the free end of which forms a narrow peripheral support, with the outer flange having a shoulder extending perpendicularly from the free end thereof towards the inner flange, the outer flange, a portion of the inner core, the inner flange and the shoulder defining an open recess.
Advantageously, the fabric is provided with fastening means fixed at the periphery thereof and being of the harpoon type having the shape of a hook.
According to a final preferred embodiment, the cladding section 6 and the associated clamping section 20, 30 are solid.
Other advantages and characteristics will become more apparent from the following description of several alternative embodiments, given as non-limiting examples, of a device for stretching a flexible fabric and installing a controlled mechanical ventilation of the type according to the invention, while referring to the appended drawings wherein:
Referring to
The flexible fabric 7 is advantageously stretchable and made from a sheet of a polymer material such as polyvinyl chloride, with said material having numerous qualities such as fire resistance, air- as well as dust- or moisture-tightness, maintainability, etc.
However, the first alternative embodiment of the re-cladding device 1 shown in
To remedy this drawback,
With respect to the latter means for fixing the fabric and with reference to
The fabric 7 may be manually pulled and stretched before being fixed 7.
Besides, in order to improve the aspect of the stretched fabric 7, the latter may be preheated and then stretched and finally fixed to each cladding section 6 of the removable panel 2. As a matter of fact, it should then be understood that, when the fabric 7 cools, it shrinks, which results in increasing the stretching of the fabric 7, thus guaranteeing a flawless appearance.
Thus, it should be understood that the removable panel 2 covered with a fabric 7 regains its aesthetic appearance while retaining its original properties such as fire resistance, or sound insulation, for example. In addition, since the fabric 7 is preferably made from a sheet of polymeric material such as polyvinyl chloride, the covered removable panel 2 therefore has new properties such as: maintainability, air-, dust- or moisture-tightness, and becomes easily washable.
Furthermore, it should be understood that this invention is interesting because it makes it possible to re-clad degraded removable panels 2 without having to repeat the holes and cuts which may have been made in said removable panels 2.
In a third alternative embodiment shown in
To stretch and fix the fabric 7 on each cladding section 6 as shown in
In a fourth alternative embodiment shown in
The outer flange 301, a portion of the inner core 302, the inner flange 303 and the shoulder 305 define an open recess 306 on the side opposite said inner core 302.
For this fourth alternative embodiment, the fabric 7 is provided with fastening means 31 fixed to the periphery thereof and enabling to fix said stretched fabric 7 to the clamping section 30. In order not to damage the fabric 7 and the peripheral fastening means 31 thereof, the inner vertical flange 303 and the shoulder 305 advantageously have a rounded free end.
Similarly, to facilitate the positioning of the fabric 7, the shoulder 305 may include a cut face (not shown) to facilitate the insertion of the means for fastening 31 said fabric 7 in said recess 306.
Said peripheral fastening means 31 is preferably of the harpoon type having the shape of a hook, able to cooperate with the clamping section 3 by engaging into the recess 306 thereof. Said fastening means 31 thus comprises a inner leg 311 by which it is fixed to the fabric 7 and an outer leg 312 having the shape of a seam with a rounded end folded toward said fabric 7. Said inner and outer legs 311, 312 are advantageously solid.
Once inserted into the recess 306 of the wall rail, said fastening means 31 is then supported by the shoulder 305 with the free end of its outer leg 312 and makes it possible to keep the fabric 7 stretched only where supported by said peripheral support 304.
The two alternative embodiments above also make it possible to stretch two fabrics 7 on the removable panel 2, with one of the fabrics 7 being stretched on the cladding sections 6 and the other one being stretched by the clamping sections 20. Aesthetic effects can thus be created using for example an opaque fabric 7 stretched on the cladding sections 6 and an at least partially translucent or transparent and/or at least partly perforated fabric 7 stretched by the clamping sections 20.
According to a fifth alternative embodiment shown in
Finally, according to a sixth alternative embodiment shown in
As described above, the invention will find an application to any type of degraded false walls in industrial buildings but also in private houses, desired to be easily re-clad while keeping the existing removable panels.
Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the cladding of removable panels 2 having a parallelepiped shape, but can also cover already cut or modified removable panels having various shapes or even access doors.
Eventually, the present invention is clearly not limited to the sole embodiment of this installation and, on the contrary, it encompasses all the alternative embodiments and applications thereof which follow the same principle.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 03097 | Oct 2011 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR2012/052313 | 10/11/2012 | WO | 00 |
