Abstract:
A process for producing roller blinds includes defining a plurality of shapes for the completed roller blind in a continuous material band. The band has a uniform width and edges of the roller blind are defined between the longitudinal edges of the material band. Separating strips are defined in the material band between adjacent edges of the devices. The individual devices are removed from the continuous material band by separating the material band along the separating strips.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is concerned with a process for the manufacture of roller-blinds, jalousies, safety nets, separation nets and the like, especially as applied to motor vehicles. 
     The manufacture of the finished article is usually carried out in such a manner, that the necessary fabric blanks required for the roller-blinds or jalousies are cut out of a master sheet and are then custom fabricated. It is necessary that the roller-blinds are furnished with a firm edging, but not so firm as to interfere with the winding operation. On this account, conventional roller-blinds were usually simply cut from a master material band, which was already trimmed to the desired width of the roller-blind. A difficulty in this is that for the various widths of windows, a plurality of different master sheets must be made. Furthermore, this means that because the full width of the fabric manufacturing machine is not fully utilized, the fabric edge, which is made by the production of the master sheet, is indeed firm, yet generally not suitable for the edge of a roller-blind. This is because the edge is damaged by needle puncture or clamping during production, impaired by subsequent additions or coatings, or may even be deformed out of line. 
     In the case of roller-blinds for motor vehicle windows, an additional problem arises in that non-rectangularly shaped windows must be fitted. A mass produced edge does not permit itself to be applied to windows for vehicles. These roller-blinds were, therefore, in the course of manufacture, adapted to the required edges by sewing on the necessary periphery or binding around it. This process is a very expensive step in manufacture. 
     Beyond this, the reinforced borders form bulges on the edges when rolled up, so that for the more thickened winding diameter, more space is required. A further danger is that the master sheet does not wind up uniformly and is distorted. 
     The effort has been made, to “weld” these edges, which required the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC should no longer be used, because of the dangerous vapor developed therefrom upon burning (producing, among other things, dioxin). Another attempt has been made to substitute in this connection the better suited polyurethane, however, problems arose in weldability. 
     A further problem arose in the application of internal rods which were used for the stiffening of the beginning edge of the roller-blind and which serve also for activation or as a support for horizontal evenness. So called “pockets” were sewn into the master sheet, in which the rods could be inserted. This addition to the manufacture of the roller-blinds is extremely expensive. Further efforts included, in the case of layered master sheets, making such pockets by adhesives or again welding. Even this solution to the problem is very labor intensive, not to mention, that it is scarcely appropriate in its appearance. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a principal object of the present invention to produce roller-blinds for the multiplicity of window and section shapes of vehicles in the proper form, so that a separate custom cutting becomes superfluous. A further object in accordance with the invention is that the roller-blinds are already, at their time of manufacture, so complete that a special fabrication for this purpose is superfluous. In regard to the term “roller-blinds”, it is to be understood all rollable or gathered sheet material, which finds use as netting, closure of textile surfacing, as well as one or two sided lamination application. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. 
     The purposes will be achieved, in accord with the invention, through the features of a process for the production of roller blinds, jalousies, safety, or separation etc. The individual material is produced in a continuous band of uniform width. The running course of the band can be manipulated in a customary manner for production and further, in the case of additional processes such as coating, operates without problems. Otherwise, the material pieces correspond to the desired roller-blind shape with a corresponding rigid material edge, the latter being made during the manufacture of the material band. 
     By means of provided partitioning strips or separating rows, the individual material pieces can be removed from the running machine in a simple manner. The edge zone of the material pieces can be worked into a firm border by binding, as well as being reinforced, to enable the rods/struts to be inserted. 
     For the insertion of the rods or guides into the roller-blind surface, extending over the width and/or the length of the material piece, tubular-like pockets can be provided, which are worked in at the time of the production of the material band. Eyelets for the fastening of the holding means likewise can be worked into the edge of the material band during its manufacture. 
     The advantages of this method of production are immediately evident, in that complex custom making is dispensed with. Also, there arises no, or at least unimportant, thickening in the border region, whereby the roller-blind winds up without difficulty and with essentially lesser space requirements than is normally required for conventional roller-blinds. There is also shown, appearance-wise, a cleaner cut-off at the edges. Color differences are done away with, which otherwise appear necessarily on the edges by the inclusion of different materials for the fabrication of the roller-blind or the network. 
     Through the prolonging of the firm or reinforced side edges, fastening bands are already at hand and need not be sewed on. In particular, in the case of netting, no distortion of the net structure occurs with the netting during the fabrication of the final element. The corners can be shaped with an optional radius, without cutting losses such as are caused by trimming the edges when custom made. The individual parts are produced with substantially closer tolerances in the dimensioning. 
     Further details of the invention can be made evident with the help of the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a running strip of material of uniform width with true-to-form produced finished articles; 
     FIG. 2 shows another running strip of material, in which a plurality of rows of the finished articles are situated within the article track; 
     FIG. 3 shows a true-to-form, produced finished article, which has been taken off the production belt, in accord with FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 4 shows the finished article in accord with FIG. 3, as it was produced on the production band; 
     FIG. 5 shows a detail of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 shows a finished article with a tubular edging; 
     FIG. 7 shows a longitudinal section of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 shows a finished article with straight and curved, tube-like rod pockets; 
     FIG. 9 shows a longitudinal section of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 10 shows a production band of material in accord with FIG. 8; 
     FIGS. 11 &amp; 12 shows a detailed example of a worked in rod pocket in top view and section; and 
     FIGS. 13 &amp; 14 shows a front pocket with inserted and affixed front rod in accord with the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. It is intended that the present application include such modifications and variations. 
     The material band  1  in accord with FIG. 1 is a continuously produced band of material of uniform width. The band exhibits a production edge  11  on each side, which is made during the manufacturing process and which is firm enough to be tensioned and run through needling, gripping, or clamping or other equipment associated with production. 
     If a weaving machine is being used to make the material, obviously woven ware is produced. In this case, the warp threads run in the longitudinal direction of the material band while the weft threads run at right angles to the warp threads over the width of the material band  1 . 
     For instance, in the case of weaving the production edging  11  is made by the reversal of the weft threading. 
     If the material band  1  is set up on a knitting machine, for instance a Raschel machine, then the warp threading is in the longitudinal direction of the material band  1 . However, the warp threads, according to the patterning movement of the eye-pointed needles, are bound together and designed into a net making system. The eye-point needles are affixed to the guide bars and serve as knitting needles arranged in a needle bar. It is possible that weft threads can be brought in at cross direction to the network formed by the warp threading. Even in this case, a firm production edge  11  is made by the reverse motion of the guide rails on the edge of the article and the so formed edge netting. 
     The finished articles, in accord with the invention, can be made just as well on weaving machines as on knitting machines, according to which kind of finished articles are desired. 
     The binding techniques of the weaving machines as well as those of the knitting machines, and the materials which may be manufactured therewith are well known, so that a description of the same would be superfluous. Advantageously, synthetic thread material is employed in either endless form or as fiber yarn. 
     As FIG. 1 shows, the finished articles  2  are produced in row form; one after another in the material band. Between the finished article  2  and the production edge  11  is the edge zone  12  of the material band  1 . The band is partitioned by a separation strip  13  from the finished article  2 . Also, between the individual finished articles  2  is another separation strip  13 , in order to be able to individually take off said articles. 
     The separation strips  13  seam the finished article  2 , which is encompassed by a reinforced edge  21 , so that the shape of the finished article  2  is fully developed. 
     If the material band  1  is produced on the machine, and the subsequent additional process is ended, then, by a cutting tool which follows the separating strips, the single finished articles  2  are cut away from the material band  1  and thus individually removed. 
     Since the separating strips  13  are defined during the production of the material band  1 , the finished article is complete in its shape even as the material is being manufactured. By means of the reinforced edge  21 , the finished article  2  also simultaneously receives an edge, which is made fast in such a manner that the edge is clean cut and not frayed after its removal from the material band. 
     In order to make the finished article  2  stable and to prevent the pulling out of threads along the edge area, its edge  21  is worked up as a rim of some solidarity. This can be done either by working in a reinforcement or also by an appropriate thread binding. Reinforcement is mostly carried out by additional threads or double threads in weft or warp directions, in accordance with which edge is to be reinforced. If, in this connection, the work is with synthetic threads which exhibit a lower melting point than that of the threads used for the finished article  2 , then a reinforcement of the edge  21  can be achieved, in that these additive or strengthening threads can be melted by heat treatment, so that a sealing of this edge  21  is accomplished. 
     The surface  22  encompassed by the reinforced edge  21  of the finished article  2  is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 as a net. However, if the use of the finished article  2  is to be as a roller-blind or jalousie for the back windows in motor vehicles, then the surface  22  need not be a wide meshed net, but be made as a closed surface. In the case of rear roller-blinds, the surface  22  is worked up as a fine and relatively closed mesh in order to guard against sunshine. On the other hand, a perforated surface must be at least about 35 to 60% open for visibility therethrough. Weighing these requirements, this surface  22  will be formulated by the application of appropriate binding technologies. Since the binding techniques are known, a detailed description thereof would be superfluous. 
     Instead of a separation strip  13  between the single, sequential finished articles, it is possible to have also a separation row provided. This row is known from knitting machines. The cross over rows are bound together in such a manner that, by the pulling out of one thread running in the weft direction, the connection of the two finished articles  2  is broken. 
     In the case of warp machines, the separation lines run longitudinally, so that upon the pulling out of the so-called “pull threads”, the finished article  2  is separated from neighboring finished articles  2  or from the edge zone  12  of the material band  1  or  10  (FIG.  2 ). Cutting is not required in this operation. 
     Since, dependent on the binding, the extraction of the separating thread is not always problem free, a separating thread can also be used which performs its action through a corresponding after treatment. Thereby, the desired separation of the finished products  2 ,  20 ,  3 , and  30  from the edge zone  12  is achieved. For instance, cotton yarn is an apt material for this purpose, since it can be dissolved later by sulfuric acid. Advantageously, however, a polyvinyl alcohol yarn (PVA) can be used, which can easily be washed out by warm water. This so-called “burn-out” technique is known in another connection, so that, again, a detailed description is superfluous. 
     FIG. 3 shows as a finished article  20 , for instance, a safety net separated out of the material band  100 , in accord with FIG.  4 . For instance, these safety nets can be used for the separation of the loading space from the passenger space in van type motor vehicles. The net  20  is produced true-to-form in the material band  100  and subsequently separated away from this material band  100 . The surface of the net  20  is encompassed, in this instance, by a rim  21  reinforced by reinforcement. In the case of the reinforcement of the upper edge  26  of the finished article  20 , in the continuation of the edge  21  of the finished article  20 , fastening ribbons  23  have been worked in. The under part  20 ′ of the finished article  20  serves as the fastening. For this purpose, the under part  20 ′ is folded around a corresponding rod suitably arranged in the vehicle, whereby the reinforced lower net edge  25  is fastened to the reinforcements  24  and onto the net edge  21  with suitable means. 
     The worked in reinforcements  24  in the material surface  22 , designed as network structure, serve for the fastening of holding means such as clip-on buttons, eyelets, and the like. Eyelets of this kind for the fastening of holding means or for engaging holding means can also be worked directly into the edge  21  of the finished article  2  and  20 . 
     In order to design the edge  21  of the finished article  2  and  20  with the greatest possible stability and wear resistance, this edge can just as well have thread binding to make a firm edge, as well as being additionally reinforced. 
     Although the finished articles  2  and  20 , as described up to now, have had a net-like character, the invention can be advantageously applied to closed, i.e., non-netlike article surfacing. These product surfaces are mostly coated, whereby the textile structure of the material band manufacture is mostly covered, so that the worked-up form of the material band having separating strips is scarcely visible. In this case, the working in of the outer edge shape of the finished article makes little sense, especially on the account, that because of the coating, the cut edges do not fray. Here arises another kind of the true-to-form manufacture, in accord with the invention, which will be described in the following. Roller-blinds of this kind are especially well adapted for installation in the inside covering of sliding roof apertures and the like of motor vehicles. 
     According to the described conventional method of manufacture, employed up to now, for the reception of the rods, pockets were custom made or attached by adhesives. Whereby, for the adhesion, principally PVC materials were preferred. By means of the process of the present invention, this exceptionally time and expense consuming method of production could be avoided. The pockets for the rods were already worked into the material band. These pockets extended crossways over the surface of the material. The metal of this rod is not visible, but is fully enclosed, so that a smooth, uninterrupted roof liner is shown in the passenger space. By means of this coating and the method of working, the roller-blinds also fit in with the furnishings of the vehicle interior. 
     FIG. 6 shows such a finished article  3 , rectangular in its outer shape, which possesses on its forward edge a tube-like pocket  32  for the acceptance of the rod. In order to protect the pocket  32  against tearing by tension stress, a safety edge  34  follows a safety edge  34  along the pocket  32 . 
     Further, the two side edges  31  are reinforced and also made firm, wherein the strengthening by working-in reinforcement thread and/or binding of the thread can be carried out. FIG. 7 shows the finished article  3  from FIG. 6 in a longitudinal side view. In this case, the pocket is formed as a true-to-form tube and is not created by turning over the forward edge and custom sewing. Pockets of this kind, made directly in the material band itself and not folded over, show much less bulkiness and make a much more organically integrated fabric surface. 
     The manufacturing of this particular embodiment is done in the same manner as already described above. A plurality of such finished articles  3  or roller blind device are made dimensionally correct one after the other, in a material band of uniform width. Subsequently, the articles are separated out of the material band in accordance with the present invention. The individual finished articles  3  can be separated from the edge zone  12  of the material band  1 ,  10  by means of separation strips  13 . The finished article  3  advantageously starts with the safety edge  34  after which the tube-like pocket  32  follows. The finished article  3  ends with a separating strip  13 , at which point the next finished article  3  follows in the same manner. The finished article  3  shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is already finished and cut off from the material band. 
     Fundamentally, finished article  3  can also be laid out in a reverse direction, with the separation strip followed by the smooth surface of the finished article first. Thereafter, the tube pocket  32  follows and, if required, ends with the safety edge  34 . This safety edge  34  has a width of, for example, 3 to 5 mm and should generally be broad enough to reinforce the pocket binding even under load conditions and prevent tearing of the pocket binding. On this end, the separating strip will follow and the next finished article will begin, as has been described. 
     In FIG. 8, a similar finished article is shown. However, in this case, the rod pocket exhibits here a curvature at the beginning of the finished article  30 . 
     This curved rod pocket  33  is also made true-to-form in a material band of uniform width. Such a finished article finds application as a slide roof (“sun roof” curtain) wherein the forward part with the rod pocket fits into the curvature of the windshield section. For greater extensions of such sun roof openings, it proves practical to stiffen the sun roof curtains or undertake the fabrication of rods  32  corresponding to the arch of the vehicle roof liner. FIG. 9 shows a longitudinal section through the sun roof curtain from FIG.  8 . 
     Also these finished articles  30  are manufactured true-to-form in a material band  110  (see FIG.  10 ). The material band  110  exhibits a production edge  11 , an edge zone  12  as well as separation strips  14 , in order to remove the finished articles one by one. Where warp knit ware is concerned, the separating strips  14  can be implanted, in order to separate the finished articles  30  from the edge zone  12  of the material band by means of the pulling out or the releasing of a thread. A cutting tool is not required for this purpose. 
     If the textile material band is to be subsequently coated, then the separation strip  13  or the separation row  14  will be generally joined adhesively by means of the coating. As has been mentioned above, the working-in of the separation rows  14  or the separating strips  13  becomes superfluous. After the coating process, the usual cutting for the separation of the individual finished articles along the sides and along the safety edges  34  follows. Upon coating, care must be taken that the pockets  32  and  33  of the finished product  3  and  30  that are worked in during the manufacture of the textile band  100  and  110  are not closed by adhesive. Apart from the fact that it is necessary to adjust the viscosity of the coating means so that it does not penetrate through the textile band, it is also necessary to take measures to ensure that the textile band to be coated is, at least in the area of the pockets  32  and  33 , sufficiently thick. This can be effected in various ways. It has proven valuable to heat press the textile band to about 210° C., at least in the area of the pockets. In this way, the threads are, in effect, made thicker, so that no coating material penetrates. 
     Also, the application of textured thread material or fiber yarn for the creation of the textile band to be coated has proven itself in service. Both measures can, for safety&#39;s sake, also be combined. 
     The pockets  32  and  33  described up until now are so worked that the both pocket sides are formed as part of the material band. Upon weaving, this is done in such a manner that respectively the half of the warp for each pocket side is pulled in and, at the end of the pocket, the warp threads are again brought together, so that the textile band continues on with 100% of the warp threads. This method of production is mostly used for roller-blinds which must have an exposed surface on both sides. 
     FIG. 11 and 12 show another kind of the production method for the rod pockets. The finished article  7  exhibits a reinforced and thereby firmed-up edge  21 . Only that part of the finished article  7  is shown in which a pocket  71  has been worked in. As may be inferred from FIG. 12, the finished article  7  is throughly processed. However, in the area of the pocket  71 , a part of the warp threads  72  in the pocket area have been removed from the warp of the finished article  7 . The warp threads remaining in the article surface are bound with 100% weft inserts, while the removed threads  72  remain without a weft combination. These remaining warp threads in a non-visible area of the finished article form the one side of the pocket  71  into which the rod  40  may be inserted and so held. As is obvious from FIG. 11, the pocket  71  possesses an interruption  73  so that clips  8  are able to reach through. These clips  8  serve for retaining and guiding the rod  40  and thereby also the curtain itself within corresponding guide rails on the roof lining of the vehicle. The rod  40  and also the pocket  71  end before the reinforced edge  21  and thus do not extend themselves over the total width of the finished article. The finished article  7  is only designed as an exposed surface for the covering, for instance, of a sun roof aperture. That part of the article  7  which remains extended beyond the material pocket, serves for the covering of the section edge in the vehicle roof liner. 
     In order to be able to make the curtain fit the cross arching of the roof, the pocket  71  can possess a plurality of interruptions  73  for the penetration of the clips  8  or other securing means for the rods  40 . In order to change the structural surface of the exposed side of the finished article  7  as little as possible, only as many warp threads  72  are removed from the surface of the finished article as are necessary to secure the rod safely. In the interruption  73  of the pocket  71  as well as in the edge zone  21 , which is not reached by the pocket  71 , all warp threads remain in the surface of the finished article  7 . 
     After the individualization of the finished article, the curtain is completed by the insertion of the rods into the pockets  32  and  33 . In a preferred embodiment, the rod  4  for the front pocket  32  and  33  is particularly constructed. As may be seen in FIG. 13, this rod  4  is provided with a recessed cove  41 , which runs axially along its front side. If the rod  4  is inserted into the pocket  33 , then the safety edge  34  is pressed into this cavity  41 , whereby the pocket  33  is also partially drawn in and brought to a tension about the said curtain rod  4 . A safety part  5  is also pressed into this cavity and covers the same, whereby the safety part  5  is held therein tightly with a twine cord or a rubber gasketing  6 . Simultaneously, the safety edge  34  is made invisible. The cavity  41  exhibits on its entry side, two elastic projections  42 , which flexibly clamp in the safety part  5 , which simultaneously with the safety edge, has also pulled material into the concavity of said cavity  41 . 
     This kind of fastening of the front rod  4  can be done in straight shape (FIG. 6) or in bowed shape (FIG.  8 ). This safety part  5  is preferably a plastic part and extends itself (see FIG. 14) mushroom like over the entry to the said concavity of the cavity  41  on both sides. There is a central recess  51  by means of which an expansion compression is made possible upon insertions into the cavity  41 . In order to hold securely the safety part  5  in its clamping tension, an expansion means  6  is pressed into the central recess  51 . The safety part  5  also has also the special protective function of avoiding an abrasion or perforation through the pocket  33  on the front side. 
     The described embodiments are only examples and can, obviously, be combined in various ways. Thus, a finished article can also be produced, even in such a way that a front pocket, in accord with FIGS. 11 and 12 were produced. Pockets, as shown in the FIGS. 6 to  12  and as described, can also be incorporated in finished articles such as have been described in FIGS. 1 to  5 . The surfaces of the articles can be closed or networked, or provided with exposed finish on one or both sides. The profiling of the finished articles can be done within the limits in the edge zone  12  or in the pockets  32 ,  33  for the reception of rods  4 . 
     As described above, the stiffening and/or reinforcement of the edge  21  as well as the thread binding can be done by means of strengthening threads. In addition, the so-called adhesive threading can be applied, which have a lower melting point than the rest of the thread material. By a corresponding heat treatment, these threads melt and cause adherence in the edge  21  and  31 , so that, after the separation through cutting or removing a separating thread, these edge cannot fray. The adhesive threads can be brought in as well as reinforcement threads. Also, a plied yarn comprising normal threads and one or more adhesive threads can be applied to this edge. 
     The latter has the advantage that the edge  21  is not carried off as an edge in the finish article and is thus not differentiated from the textile surface. The plied yarn in this matter can be so brought to suitability by observing the yarn number, so that after the melting of the adhesive threads, no visible difference is recognizable. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. It is intended that the present invention include such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.