Tapes for curtains or blinds

Abstract: A curtain or blind tape is provided which comprises a length of tape 15 and a pull cord 14, the cord 14 having a length accumulated within or adjacent the tape which length is substantially greater than the length of the tape. A preferred ratio of cord length to tape length is 5:1. The cord is preferably held temporarily in a zig zag formation by means of floating fibres 16. Other floating fibres 18 retain the cord against the tape, even after it has been pulled out to its full length, for example for use with an Austrian blind.

Description: The invention relates to a curtain or blind tape, for example a tape which is intended to extend vertically to provide an Austrian blind or ruching effect. Such tapes are provided with loops at spaced apart intervals. Once the tapes have been sewn to the curtains or blinds in a vertical position, and the curtains or blinds have been hung, a separate pull cord is attached to the lower most loop of each tape, is then threaded through each of the other spaced apart loops, and then passes over a pulley or similar bearing at the top of the curtain or blind. All the cords of each curtain or blind are then taken over another pulley or similar bearing at one side of the associated window frame, by pulling these cords downwards, simultaneously, selected parts of the curtain or blind are bunched up in the vertical direction, to provide the Austrian blind or ruching effect. Clearly, the pull cord has to be substantially longer than the associated tape. The tape has only to extend from the top of the curtain or blind to the bottom whereas the cord has to continue on beyond the top of the curtain or blind, over two pulleys or like bearings, and down the side of the window frame. Consequently the cord has to be provided separately, but it is time consuming and something of a nuisance, to have to thread the cord through the various loops. GB-A-2,225,927, from which the preamble of claim 1 is known, describes a curtain tape having a chain stitched cord which is laid into the tape and associated with it subsequent to weaving of the tape. Having such a laid-in cord provided in this manner, produces a number of drawbacks. Firstly, an extra manufacturing step is required. Secondly, the cord would tend to float around during the extra manufacturing step and could easily become caught in a sewing machine. If inadvertently the tape was started from the wrong end, the chain stitch would not function. WO-A-8804906 describes a pull-up window drapery with a plurality of vertically extending tapes having pull cords which are incorporated into the tapes during a manufacturing process. However, these tapes cannot be easily divided into shorter lengths for accommodating different sizes of drapery. This is because the pull cord is, as explained above, much longer than the tape and each time the cord is cut a calculation will need to be made as to how much cord is needed for the cut section to function correctly. Furthermore, prior to attaching the tapes to a window drapery the cord, because of its length, is susceptible to snagging. I have now discovered that it is possible to manufacture a tape for a venetian blind or the like, having an integral pull cord, and which solves, or alleviates to some extent, the problems of the prior art. Accordingly, the invention provides a curtain or blind tape comprising a first length of tape and a second length of pull cord associated to the tape, the second length being greater than the first length, the tape being provided with means for temporarily holding the cord against the tape in an accumulated form, characterised in that these means for temporarily holding the cord against the tape realise the accumulation itself of the cord against the tape as the tape is woven. The ratio of the second length to the first length may be in the range 3:1 to 7:1. A preferred ratio is 5:1. The cord may be accumulated by laying it across the tape in a zig zag fashion. Preferably, the means for temporarily holding the cord against the tape in an accumulated form permit the cord to be fully extended for example, for use with Austrian blinds. Preferably, the means for temporarily holding the cord against the tape in an accumulated form comprise fibres which float over looped ends of the cord, such that the looped ends can be pulled free of the floating fibres. However, alternative means, such as weak adhesive or weak stitching, may be used. Preferably, means are provided at spaced intervals, to retain the cord adjacent to the tape, after the cord has been fully extended. The retaining means may comprise fibres which permanently float over the cord. The fibres may float over the cord from one edge of the tape to the other. Preferably all the components of the tape, including the cord are assembled into their finished position in a single weaving operation, during which the accumulation of the cord also takes place. By way of example, specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a length of tape according to the prior art; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a length of tape according to one embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 shows a further embodiment. Figure 1 shows a length of known tape 10, in which one of the warp threads 11 is caused to form a loop 12 at spaced apart intervals. Once the tape has been sewn into position, extending vertically, on a curtain, a separate pull cord 13 can be knotted to the lowermost loop 12, and then be threaded through each of the other spaced apart loops 12. A vertical pull on the cord 13 will then cause the tape 10, and the part of the curtain attached thereto, to bunch up vertically to provide an Austrian blind or ruching effect. In order to control the cord 13 conveniently, it has to pass over a bearing at the top of the curtain, along the top of the window frame, over another bearing, and then down the side of the window frame to a securing point. The cord 13 thus has to be substantially longer than the tape 10, and until we made our invention, the cord 13 necessarily had to be provided separately from the tape 10, and then laboriously threaded up later, by hand. With the embodiment of our invention shown in Figure 2, a pull cord 14 is laid across the tape 15, in a zig zag fashion, as the tape 15 is woven. The weaving machine provides floating warp fibre 16, at each edge of the tape, which float over the looped ends 17 of the cord 14. The tape can then be sold in ready cut lengths, and each length of tape, accumulated therein, sufficient pull cord to carry out the necessary function. Floating weft fibres 18 are also provided during the weaving process. These fibres 18 float from one edge of the tape to the other, and thus pass permanently over the cord 14. In use, the lower end 19 of the cord 14 is knotted to the lowermost floating weft fibres 18 and at the upper end 20 of the cord 14 is simply gently pulled. Since there is no permanent interlocking between the looped ends 17 and the fibres 16, since the loops pass underneath the fibres 16, then looped ends 17 pull out from underneath the fibres 16, and so the cord 14 readily extends to its full length. A length of cord which is five times that of the length of tape can readily be accumulated within the length of the tape. Because the weft fibres 18 permanently float over the cord 14, the cord 14, even when extended to its full length, is held against the tape 15 at spaced apart intervals, the fibres 18 acting in a similar manner to the loops 12 of the prior art. Thus, once the cord 14 has been extended to its full length, the tape can be used in exactly the same manner as the prior art tape. However, the laborious procedure of threading the cord 13 through the loops 12 is avoided completely. The entire product can be constructed in a single weaving operation, from lengths of fibre. It is not necessary to form the cord 14 into an accumulated form before it is associated with the tape. The accumulation of the cord can take place as the tape is woven. Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment in which the zig zagging of the cord 14 takes a slightly different form. Doubled up portions 21 extend across the tape, linked at one end by single portions 22 so that the accumulated cord has a shape which resembles a plurality of abutting U-shapes. As with the Figure 2 embodiment, floating warp fibres 16 are provided, which pass over the doubled up portions 21 to retain them in position temporarily. Floating weft fibres 18 extend permanently over the cord to retain it in position against the tape, even when the cord has been extended to its full length. If desired, a conventional ruching or pleating cord 22 may be woven into the tape longitudinally.

Claims: A curtain tape or blind tape comprising a first length of tape (15) and a second length of pull cord (14) associated to the tape (15), the second length being greater than the first length, the tape (15) being provided with means (16) for temporarily holding the cord (14) against the tape (15) in an accumulated form, characterised in that these means (16) for temporarily holding the cord (14) against the tape (15) realise the accumulation itself of the cord (14) against the tape (15) as the tape is woven. A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in Claim 1, in which the ratio of second length to the first length is in the range 3:1 to 7:1. A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in Claim 2, in which the ratio is 5:1. A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the cord is accumulated by laying it across the tape in a zig zag fashion. A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the means for temporarily holding the cord (14) against the tape (15) in an accumulated form permits the cord (14) to be fully extended, for example, for use with Austrian blinds. A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in Claim 5, in which the means for temporarily holding the cord (14) against the tape (15) in an accumulated form comprise fibres (16) which float over looped ends (17) of the cord (14), such that the looped ends (17) can be pulled free of the floating fibres (16). A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in Claim 5, in which the means for temporarily holding the cord (14) against the tape (15) comprise weak adhesive or weak stitching. A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which means are provided, at spaced apart intervals, to retain the cord (14) adjacent to the tape (15) after the cord (14) has been fully extended. A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in Claim 8, in which the means to retain the cord (14) adjacent to the tape (15) after the cord (14) has been fully extended comprises fibres (18) which permanently float over the cord (14). A curtain tape or blind tape as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which all the components of the curtain or blind tape, including the cord (14), are assembled into their finished position in a single weaving operation, during which the accumulation of the cord (14) also takes place.

Inventors: TILTSCHER OTTOKAR, TILTSCHER, OTTOKAR
Applicants: TILTSCHER OTTOKAR, TILTSCHER, OTTOKAR
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A47H5
IPC codes: A47H5