Header tape for curtains and the like

Abstract: A header tape 2 for curtains or the like has loops for a hook and loop fastener woven at discrete, spaced apart regions 6. The loops 10 are formed from the warp threads 9. The back of the tape 2 is coated only in the regions 6, for fixing the loops 10, so that the intervening regions 11 remain flexible for gathering. Gathering cords 3, 4, 5 are of a material which will not be adhered to by the adhesive.

Description: The present invention relates to a header tape for curtains and the like. Header tapes are attached to the upper edge of a curtain, or other hanging material, to receive hooks for hanging the curtain and to form pleats in the curtain or gather it. To form a pleat or a gather, parallel cords run through the length of the tape and, with the tape attached to a curtain, are pulled through from one end to bunch up the body of the tape. The cords are incorporated in the tape in the warp direction during the weaving of the tape, and have a substantially greater diameter than the warp threads. Hook and loop fasteners have been used in systems for hanging curtains. In one such system, described in EP-A-612,493, a strip of loop material is attached to the top of the curtain. The curtain hooks, for hanging the curtain from a rail, have a plate-like surface with hooks moulded on it for engagement with the loops of the header tape. These systems are particularly useful for industrial purposes when curtains are to be removed frequently or with the minimum of effort. However, one drawback is the need for a gather tape in addition to the strip of loop material. FR-A-2 685 926 shows a gather tape into which the loops, of a hook and loop fastener system, have been woven into the tape during manufacture of the tape. The loops are formed using a weft yarn, which is passed over bars which extend in the warp direction. Regions of loops are formed, spaced apart along the length of the tape. Also the regions may be staggered across the width of the tape. Similarly, EP-A-645 112 describes a header tape in which loop regions are formed at spaced apart areas along the tape by warp threads. In EP-A-583 081 a fabric having intermittent hook or loop regions is coated on its reverse face with adhesive to prevent pulling of the hooks or loops in use. A first aspect of the present invention provides a header tape for a curtain or the like, having a plurality of loops for a hook and loop fastener woven into the tape, wherein the loops are formed in discrete regions which are spaced apart at regular intervals along the tape and by a thread running in the warp direction characterised in that the tape is coated with an adhesive only at the loop regions to prevent pulling of the loops in use. By forming the loop from a thread running in the warp direction, the loop adopts a higher profile, ie it stands more proud, than a loop formed by a thread running in the weft direction. The regions where the loops are fixed by adhesive, etc., tend to be relatively stiff. By forming the loops in discrete regions, and treating only the regions of the loops, the regions between the loops remain relatively flexible and can be gathered up with ease. Preferably one or more gather cords are woven into the tape. Very preferably, the material of the cord and the main body of the tape are different. By forming the body of the tape with a first material which has an affinity for the adhesive or coating, and the cord of a second material which does not, it is possible to coat the loop regions without bonding the cord to the body of the tape - hence the cord can still be drawn easily through the tape. The cord may have a surface coating which will not adhere to the coating for fixing the loops. The invention will be further described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a header tape forming a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows the tape of Figure 1 gathered; Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 illustrates a method of weaving loops using a warp thread, and Figure 5 illustrates a method of coating a tape. Figure 1 shows a curtain header tape 2 woven on a needle loom for making tapes. The tape has cords 3, 4, 5 which extend along its length and can move freely relative to the body of the tape 2, for gathering it. Regions 6 of loops are formed at spaced apart intervals along the tape. Each region 6 extends across substantially the full width of the tape between the outer cords 3, 5 and is interrupted at the centre cord 4. The loops of the loop regions 6 are formed from threads 9 running in the warp direction. Figure 4 shows a detail of a tape section, with a cord 3 at one edge 7. Warp threads 9 are formed into loops 10 by passing the threads laterally backwards and forwards across bars 10 which extends in the warp direction, from the region of the loom batten. Successive loops on a thread 9 are formed one after the other in the warp direction, and are spaced part by a few picks or groups of weft threads 12. The tape, in Figure 4, is moving in the direction of the arrow A. To provide non-loop regions 11, the thread 9 is not moved laterally across the bar 10 but continues on as a warp thread. After weaving, the back of the tape, at the loop regions 6, is coated with an adhesive coating to fix the warp threads 9 relative to the weft threads 12, to prevent pulling of the warp threads 9 in use. Preferably the material of the warp and weft threads is nylon, and the tape is coated with an adhesive such as a synthetic resin. The cord 3, 4, 5 is of polyester, and an adhesive which will adhere to nylon, but not to polyester, is chosen. Figure 5 illustrates schematically a spray system for coating the back of the tape, the spray 14 being operated as the loop regions 6 pass above it. The spray can coat the full width of the tape without fear of bonding the polyester cords 3, 4, 5 in place. The coating may be applied to the back of the tape at the loop regions in other ways, for example using a roller. Figure 2 shows the tape 2 with the cords 3, 4, 5 pulled through to gather or bunch the tape at the non-loop regions 11. The loop regions 6 occupy only part of the tape length between the gathers 11. They are positioned so that they will be a predetermined spacing apart, typically 4 to 12 cm. centre to centre, in the gathered tape. This makes it easier to locate the cooperating curtain hangers or hooks at regular intervals along the gathered tape In Figure 3, the tape 2' has loop regions 6' formed only on one half of the tape, a selvedge region 15 also being shown.

Claims: A header tape for a curtain or the like, having a plurality of loops (10) for a hook and loop fastener woven into the tape (2), wherein the loops (10) are formed in discrete regions (6) which are spaced apart at regular intervals along the tape (2) and by a thread (9) running in the warp direction characterised in that the tape is coated with an adhesive only at the loop regions (6) to prevent pulling of the loops (10) in use. A header tape as claimed in claim 1, having a plurality of spaced apart regions which are to be gathered to form a pleat or the like, and wherein the loop regions extend along the tape for only a part of the length between the gathered regions, whereby when the tape is gathered, the loop regions are spaced apart along the tape. A header tape as claimed in claim 2, wherein a gathering cord runs through the tape and is formed of a material which is not adhered to by the adhesive. A header tape as claimed in claim 3, wherein the warp and weft threads are of nylon and the gathering cord (3, 4, 5) is of polyester material.

Inventors: GRINO CESAR CASAS, HASEGAWA TAKASHI, IBAN SANTIAGO E ROSA, SANCHE MIGUEL FERRERO, YAMAMOTO TORU, GRINO, CESAR CASAS, HASEGAWA, TAKASHI, IBAN, SANTIAGO E. ROSA, SANCHE, MIGUEL FERRERO, YAMAMOTO, TORU
Applicants: MURTRA IND, YKK EUROP LTD, INDUSTRIAS MURTRA S.A., YKK EUROPE LIMITED
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A47H13
IPC codes: A47H13, D03D1, D03D27