Net for forming an elastic support in furniture

A net for supporting upholstery in furniture. The net include a plurality of longitudinal and transverse cords arranged perpendicularly relative to each other and forming a plurality of cross-over points. A molded synthetic connecting member is bonded to the transverse and longitudinal cords at their cross-over points and completely encloses both cords in the region of their cross-over points.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a net, in particular a stretched or elastic net 
for camping furniture, such as chairs or beds. The net of the invention 
includes longitudinal and transverse cords which are perpendicularly 
arranged relative to each other. These longitudinal and transverse cords 
are made out of synthetic filaments or fibers and include connecting 
members at their cross-over points. 
The supporting nets of this type when used in furniture are provided at 
their cross-over points generally with steel clamps or staples. These 
steel clamps or staples are generally mounted on the cross-over points of 
a longitudinal and transverse cord by means of a clamp or stapling gun. 
Such a steel clamp or staple connection has many drawbacks. For example, 
such a connection is difficult to be precisely installed because of the 
way the clamp or stapling gun is handled. An imprecise connection, 
however, reduced the elasticity of the net. Furthermore, it is quite time 
consuming to install the clamps or staples for such a net. In addition 
thereto it is necesary to check each connection after it has been 
installed which is quite time consuming. The production of such nets by 
means of a clamp or stapling gun is therefore quite costly. 
In addition thereto, it is well known that such nets, in particular when 
they are used as an elastic support for camping furniture, have only a 
short useful life because the steel clamps are very rapidly destroyed by 
corrosion. Furthermore, the upholstering or similar seating surfaces are 
frequently damaged by the steel clamp or staples of the supporting net. 
Also the frequent use of the net may cause an abrasion of the cords by the 
steel clamps or staples at the cross-over points. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a principal object of this invention to provide a net of the 
aforedescribed type wherein all the aforedescribed drawbacks have been 
eliminated or ameliorated. The supporting net of this invention utilizes 
at the cross-over points of the longitudinal and transverse cords a 
connecting member made out of molded plastic material which cover and/or 
encloses completely the cross-over point. 
The connecting member of this invention is a molded synthetic body which 
can be rapidly formed by means of two half molds and is affixed and/or 
bonded to the cords at the cross-over points of the longitudinal and 
transverse cords with a high degree of reliability and in a simple manner. 
The costs for producing and affixing the connecting members is reduced and 
the time spent for checking the cross-over points after the connecting 
members have been affixed thereto is shortened. Due to the fact that the 
molded connecting member is made out of a liquid synthetic and 
thermoplastic material which is bonded during its formation to the 
crossing cords causes the resultant connection to be much more intimate 
after the synthetic material has cooled and therefore the connection is 
stronger and can be subjected to heavier loads without the danger of a 
malfunctioning occuring due to corrosion or a damaging of the upholstery 
or the cords. 
The invention also contemplates a prestretching of the longitudinal and 
transverse cords prior to the application of the connecting member to the 
cross-over points. Such a prestretching reduces the cross sectional area 
of the cords. The cords are stretched preferably 2 to 5% lengthwise. After 
the connecting member has been applied, the prestretching tension of the 
cords is removed and a strong mutual pressure results between the cords 
and the cooled connecting body, which in turn results in an increase in 
cross sectional area of the cords as they return to their originally 
unstretched length and a contraction of the connecting member. Due to this 
prestretching the resistance against slideable displacements of the 
crossing cords is considerably increased (for example twofold) as compared 
to a connecting member that is merely molded on to unstretched crossing 
cords.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In the drawing the longitudinal cord is designated with the reference 
number 1 and the transverse cord is designated with the reference number 
2. Only portions of these cords are depicted in order to illustrated a 
typical cross-over point. At such a typical cross-over point of cords 1 
and 2 there is provided a connecting member 3 which has a molded body made 
out of synthetic material. Thus, the cords 1 and 2 together with the 
molded body 3 are made out of thermoplastic material. Illustratively, the 
molded body 3 and the longitudinal cord 1 can be made out of polyethylene, 
whereas the transverse cord 2 is made out of polyamide. It is conventional 
to use different synthetic materials having differing elasticity, 
respectively, differing mechanical properties, for supporting nets in 
particular for supporting nets in furniture. The transverse cords 2 are 
formed by three braided strands 4, 5, 6 (see FIG. 3). Each strand is 
formed by a plurality of fine filaments. The longitudinal cord 1 is 
similarly formed by means of three braided strands. Each strand can, for 
example, be composed of about 16 filaments, each of which has a diameter 
of about 0.3 mm. 
The molded synthetic body 3 has a middle region 7 from which two short 
shanks 8 extend for receiving the longitudinal cord 1. Two longer shanks 9 
extend perpendicularly relative to the shanks 8 and are adapted to receive 
the transverse cord 2. The shanks 8 and 9 have a round rod-like shape. 
These shanks are rounded at their free ends and firmly grip the strands of 
each cord. The middle region 7 of the molded body of the connecting member 
3 firmly grips the cords 1 and 2 at their cross-over point. 
The molded body of the connecting member 3 has longer shanks 9 in order to 
take into account the fact that the transverse cord 2, which is made out 
of polyamide, has less adhesion with the body of the connecting member 3, 
which is made out of polyethylene then the longitudinal cord 1, which is 
also made out of polyethylene. 
Thus, the body of the connecting member 3 can be more easily bonded in the 
region of its contacting surfaces with the longitudinal cord 1, which also 
is made out of polyethylene. The plastic material of the body of the 
connecting member 3 assumes, in the region in which it contacts the 
longitudinal and transverse cords 1 and 2, the shapes of the respective 
cords. Thus, the plastic material enters into the grooves and assumes the 
shapes of the ridges formed by the braided strands 4, 5, 6, of the 
illustrated example of a three strand cord 1, 2. This intimate bond 
between the molded body of the connecting member 3 with the cords 1 and 2, 
as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, makes for a very strong connection at 
the cross-over points of the supporting net for furniture. 
Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to a 
plurality of preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be expressly 
understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a 
plurality of preferred embodiments, but is capable of numerous 
modifications within the scope of the appended claims.