Patent Application
20150374150
This disclosure relates to table skirt for covering show tables.
In exhibitions, conferences, events, tradeshows, and other show-related businesses, exhibitors and vendors often use table skirts to cover and dress show tables to improve overall aesthetics and make use of the spaces covered by the table top and the table skirts. Due to the nature of tradeshow businesses, such table skirts can experience repetitive setup and removal and maintenance, which can be inefficient. Table skirts can be slow to deploy in a large event or tradeshow (e.g., in an event or tradeshow having hundreds of tables).
This disclosure presents a table skirt for efficient deployment and collection by use of an attachment strip enabling quick attachment and removal. The table skirt includes a fabric material having a top side and the bottom side. The bottom side is opposite and parallel to the top side. An attachment strip pleats the fabric material by overlapping part of the top side onto itself to create a curve shape of the bottom side. The attachment strip includes a protective layer, a film of adhesives, and a carrier. The carrier is secured to the pleated top side of the fabric material by a thread or a layer of adhesives.
In one specific aspect, the fabric material further includes a mesh of durable fibers that are resistant to a cleansing detergent.
In another specific aspect, the fabric material is fire resistant and abides by at least one of CA 117, BS 5815-1 2005, BS 5852:2006, BS 7175, CRIB 5, IMO A563, and NFPA 701 standards. In some instances, the fabric material includes polyester.
In yet another specific aspect, the fabric material is cross-linked. For example, the fabric material includes cellulose molecules having strengthened hydrogen bonds.
In one specific aspect, the protective layer includes silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene.
In another specific aspect, the film of adhesives and the layer of adhesives may include one of water-based synthetic lattices, Kathleen/vinyl acetate, the click pressure-sensitive tape, solvent-based single-component polyurethane, synthetic rubber, and hot glue.
In yet another specific aspect, the carrier includes high-density polyethylene fibers.
In one specific aspect, the thread has a weight of about 4 to 8 ounce. In some embodiments, the thread further includes polyester or para-aramid synthetic fibers.
In another specific aspect, the thread is stitched at the width of the protective layer to hold the attachment strip onto the fabric material.
In a second general aspect, a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned table skirt can include cutting a fabric material having a top side and bottom side opposite and parallel to the top side. An attachment strip is aligned adjacent the top side. The attachment strip includes a carrier. The top side of the fabric material is then pleated. The pleated top side is further secured with the carrier.
In one specific aspect, securing the pleated top side with the carrier further includes stitching a thread through the fabric material and the carrier or applying a layer of adhesives between the carrier and the pleated top side.
In another specific aspect, the method includes treating the fabric material with a mineral-based barrier.
In yet another specific aspect the method includes treating the fabric material with mono-basic acid chlorides.
In one specific aspect, the method further includes applying a film of adhesives onto the carrier. A protective layer is further applied onto the film of adhesives. In some embodiments, the carrier, the film of adhesives, and the protective layer may be pre-assembled as a complete attachment strip prior to be secured onto the fabric material.
In another specific aspect, the carrier includes high-density polyethylene fibers.
Other aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are part of this disclosure and which illustrate, by way of example, principles of the disclosure.
Like elements are labeled with like reference numerals.
This disclosure presents a table skirt and its production method for efficient deployment and recycling in conventions, conferences, or other public events. The table skirt is washable, fire resistant and wrinkle resistant and enables easy and fast installation and removal. Specifically, the table skirt uses an attachment strip sewn to a fabric material for maintaining an aesthetically pleasant shape having a skirt pattern. The attachment strip enables quick attachment to a show table and easy peel-off removal. In some instances, the table skirt is disposable. In other instances, the table skirt is reusable.
When installed, the table skirt 120 hangs from the table top, apron, or side edges and covers the space under the table 105. The skirt 120 can be secured onto a horizontal side surface 140 at the side edge of the top of the table 105. The table skirt 120 includes a horizontal attachment strip 130 for adherence to the surface 140. The table skirt 120 may be adhered to the surface 140 starting anywhere of the perimeter of the top of the table 105, such as a center location as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the length of the folded top side 210 and the bottom side 220 is a predetermined standard value. In some other embodiments, the length can be tailored to a particular show table 105. The length may equal to a full circumference of the show table 105. In other examples, the length equals to half of the full circumference. In some other examples, the length equals to a side of the show table 105. In some other examples, the length is greater than the full circumference such that the table skirt 120 can wrap around the full circumference and overlap a portion to itself.
The fabric material 205 is made of a mesh of durable fibers that are resistant to a cleansing detergent, such as sodium carbonate, sodium triphosphate, zeolites, chlorophyll, tannins, humic acids, linear alkylbenzenezulfonates, and stain-removing enzymes. For example, the durable fibers can be wool, flax, cotton, nylon, or other materials forming long strands. In general, the fabric material 205 is a textile of a network of the durable fibers formed by weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, or pressing the durable fibers together. The fabric material 205 may generally be any fabric, cloth, or textile containing the durable fibers, including animal textiles (e.g., hair, fur, skin, silk), plant textiles (e.g., grass, rush, hemp, sisal), mineral textiles (e.g., basalt fiber, glass fiber, metal fiber), and synthetic textiles (e.g., polyester, aramid, acrylic, nylon, spandex, polylactide, etc.).
The fabric material 205 is generally fire resistant and abides by at least one of BS 5815-1 2005, BS 5852:2006, BS 7175, CRIB 5, IMO A563, and NFPA 701 standards. For example, the fabric material 205 can include polyester and is inherently flame retardant. In some implementations, the fabric material 205 is treated with flame-retarding chemicals (e.g., a mineral based barrier) to increase flame resistance. In addition, the fabric material 205 may be treated by crosslinking to achieve a wrinkle-free effect. For example, the fabric material 205 includes a polymer (e.g., polyester, nylon, etc.) that can be joined together chemically (i.e., crosslinking by treating with mono-based acid chlorides). The crosslinking process strengthens hydrogen bonds in the cellulose molecules of the polymer. Therefore the fabric material 205 having the crosslinked polymer can be resistant to wrinkling. The washable, fire-resistant, and wrinkle-resistant fabric material 205 is further finished into the table skirt 120 shown in
The table skirt 120 further includes the attachment strips 130. A detailed view of the attachment strip 130 is illustrated in
The carrier 301 is a layer of tear resistant material that can form a strong bond with the film of adhesives 310. In some embodiments, the carrier 301 includes high-density polyethylene fibers. The film of adhesives 310 can include water-based synthetic lattices, ethylene/vinyl acetate, acrylic pressure-sensitive tape, solvent-based single-component polyurethane, synthetic rubber, hot glue, among others. In some implementations, the film of adhesives 310 may include touch fasteners that have small hooks for engaging other fabric surfaces. The protective layer 320 is a layer of release medium to protect the film of adhesives 310 from adhering to other substances. In some implementations, the protective layer 320 includes silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene.
The thread 305 has a weight of about 4 to 8 ounces. In some embodiments, the thread 305 can have a weight between 5 to 7 ounces. In some other embodiments, the thread 305 can have a weight of about 6 ounces. The thread 305 can be made of polyester or para-aramid synthetic fibers. For example, the thread 305 is made of polyester or para-aramid fibers for its strength, high elastic modulus, high tenacity, low creep, low elongation at break, and other strength related properties. The thread 305 provides a lightweight, reliable, and secure connection between the carrier 301 and the fabric material 205. The film of adhesives 310 holds the carrier 301 to the horizontal side surface 140 and overcomes the weight of the table skirt 120. Excessive removal forces (e.g., tear forces provided by a human) can efficiently remove the table skirt 120 by breaking the adhesion between the side surface 140 and the attachment strip 130 without leaving adhesives residual.
Although
In some embodiments, the thread 305 is stitched into the attachment strip 130 at the width of the protective layer 320, such that both the protective layer 320 and the carrier 301 are secured to the fabric material 205. During deployment, the protective layer 320 may be torn away from the thread 305 without breaking the thread 305 and expose the film of adhesives 310.
At step 420, the fabric material is cut into a predetermined width, such as about 30″ to 40″. The cut may include sonically slitting that melts the fabric at the cutting edge such that not further hemming procedure is required. The width is between a top side and a bottom side opposite and parallel to the top side. In some embodiments, cutting the fabric material includes sonically slitting. For example, when the predetermined width is about 30″, the original 128″ wide fabric material may be sonically slit into 4 pieces, each having a 30″ width with a loss of 8″. In other examples, the complete 128″ may be utilized fully when each width is of a different predetermined value. In another example, a smaller width of fabric material is loomed for a width of approximately 121″-124″ to avoid excessive cutoff.
At step 430, a horizontal attachment strip is aligned adjacent and parallel to the top side of the fabric material. The attachment stripped is aligned adjacent the top side. The attachment strip includes a carrier that can be secured to the fabric material and can receive a film of bonding adhesives. For example, a film of adhesives is applied onto the carrier; and a protective film further covers the film of adhesives for protection until deployment. In some implementations, the carrier includes high-density polyethylene fibers. The film of adhesives includes one of water-based synthetic lattices, ethylene/vinyl acetate, acrylic pressure-sensitive tape, solvent-based single-component polyurethane, synthetic rubber, and hot glue. The protective film can include silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene.
At step 440, the top side is pleated (e.g., overlapping part of itself, or folded onto part of itself) with a thread stitching through the attachment strip and the fabric material to create a curve shape of the bottom side. For example, at an even interval, part of the top side is overlapped onto itself to result in a length matching the length of the bottom side. The fabric material now presents a rectangular shape. In some implementations, the top side has been designed to be curved so as to form a straight line after the overlapping procedure. The thread holds the fabric material into the rectangular shape formed from overlapping or folding part of the top side of the cut fabric material. In some implementations, a vertical attachment strip similar to the horizontal strip is also stitched to the fabric material adjacent the laterals of the rectangular shape. The stitched attachment strips can hold the table skirt securely to the show table and can allow for quick removal after use.
In some embodiments, the attachment strip is glued onto the pleated top side of the fabric material. For example, instead of stitching, a layer of adhesives is applied between the attachment strip and top side of the fabric material. The layer of adhesives can cure to permanently hold the attachment strip to the pleated top side. The layer of adhesives can provide reasonable bonding capacity to hold the attachment strip during handling, installation, removal, and secure the table skirt on the table. In other embodiments, both adhesives and threads may be used to secure the attachment strip onto the pleated top side.
At step 450, the pleated fabric material is hot knifed into pieces having a predetermined length. The hot knife cutting also separates the attachment strip of each fabric piece. In some embodiments, the predetermined length is about 4.27 m or 14′. Other predetermined length values are possible, such as 4.12 m or 13′6″.
In the foregoing description of certain embodiments, specific terminology has been chosen for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes other technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose.
In this specification, the word “comprising” is to be understood in its “open” sense, that is, in the sense of “including”, and thus not limited to its “closed” sense, that is the sense of “consisting only of”. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words “comprise”, “comprised” and “comprises” where they appear. In addition, the foregoing describes some embodiments of the disclosure, and alterations, modifications, additions and/or changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments, the embodiments being illustrative and not restrictive.
Furthermore, the disclosure is not to be limited to the illustrated implementations, but to the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Also, the various embodiments described above may be implemented in conjunction with other embodiments, e.g., aspects of one embodiment may be combined with aspects of another embodiment to realize yet other embodiments. Further, each independent feature or component of any given assembly may constitute an additional embodiment.
