Abstract:
A molding strip for fabric and wall systems has a base for securing it to a wall and at least two pairs of flexible gripping members that face each other at fabric entry slots for different fabric receiving cavities. In one embodiment, one pair of flexible gripping walls is arranged where an edge of the base and an adjacent wall or ceiling intersect and the other pair is arranged on a protruding member. The flexible gripping walls have gripping teeth to secure the fabric after insertion of fabric into a collection cavity.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is generally related to stretched fabric panels used for architectural and acoustic interior treatments and, more particularly, to molding strips used to secure the stretched fabric to a support surface such as a ceiling or wall, 
     BACKGROUND 
     Architectural fabric ceiling and wall systems have been used for several years to enhance interior acoustics and the appearance of interior spaces in homes, buildings, rooms, and the like. These systems can provide color, texture, and three-dimensional features to a ceiling or wall which cannot be duplicated by other surface treatments. Typically, these systems include a number of extruded molding strips which frame an area over which a fabric is stretched. The extruded molding strips, also referred to as track, are affixed to a support structure such as a wall or ceiling using screws, nails, adhesives, or other securing means as appropriate, and have a retaining mechanism for retaining the fabric. The area which is framed by the track can be any shape or size. After the track frames the area, the fabric is stretched over the frame and secured in the retaining mechanism. The fabric can be any material which can be held by the retaining mechanism. The fabric is often a cloth material, and the cloth may be textured or patterned with a design. 
     The retaining mechanisms which have been employed in prior art systems typically include a pair of spring biased walls which have opposing jaw members. In operation, the fabric is pushed between the jaws using a knife or other suitable flat object. The fabric accumulates in a cavity between the jaw members, and, if necessary, can be trimmed using a knife or shears at the location of the retaining mechanism after it is inserted into the cavity. Because the extruded members provide a frame for the area of interest, the procedure of stretching the fabric over the frame and stuffing the fabric into the retaining mechanism region of the frame members assures that a smooth fabric surface is presented. The framed unit is often referred to as a stretch fabric “panel”. 
     The fabric panel may be positioned over a tackable core material, such as, for example, in wall applications where it is desired to permit pictures and other objects to be hung on the wall over the fabric panel. In addition, the fabric panel may be positioned over acoustical core materials (i.e., fibrous or foam insulation) which attenuate sound, as would be needed in auditoriums or recording studios. Furthermore, electronic equipment, such as speakers, microphones, and the like, may be positioned behind the fabric panel within a mounting frame or region. 
     The choice of material used for the fabric will depend on the application. In acoustic applications, it will be desirable to use loose weave materials which will allow free passage of air between the room and the sound attenuating foam or fibrous material. This will allow, in the case of embedded speakers, sound to be projected clear and undistorted into the room from the speaker, and, in the case of using acoustical cores to deaden undesirable noise, and will prevent undesirable noise from being reflected into the room. For wall or ceiling applications which are decorative in purpose, fabrics with a tighter weave and other specific characteristics will be preferred. Cloth as well as metal wire and extruded plastic fabrics can be used. 
     The panels need not be rectangular in shape. In fact, the edges of several adjacent fabric panels can be organized in a manner which creates parallelograms, triangles, and other geometric shapes on the treated wall surface. In addition, the extruded pieces can be fashioned so as to create bevels, curves, and spaces between adjacent panels. 
     Several patents describe stretch fabric panel systems. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,631,882, 4,731,960, and 4,788,806 all to Sease; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,018,260, 4,053,008, 4,151,672, 4,161,977, 4,197,686, and 4,625,490 all to Baslow; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,117,598, 5,214,892, and 5,953,873 all to Livingston. Each of these patents is herein incorporated by reference. 
     Despite the widespread use of fabric panel systems, improvements in molding strip designs for use where two surfaces meet perpendicularly would be advantageous. Most fabric panel systems can only fit into a perpendicular edge with removal of certain sections of the wall track to be inserted. This impediment of the fabric panel systems makes the installation more difficult due to an addition of steps and the increased possibility of error in the installation. In addition, prior art stretch fabric panel systems often retain opposing jaw members in an interlocking pattern or have no jaws present at all. Accordingly, there is a need for a molding system which retains the dual ability to be applied at an edge of two perpendicularly intersecting surfaces without modifying the original design, and which possesses an inward gripping teeth formation which benefits the homeowner and professional alike. 
     SUMMARY 
     An object of the present invention is to provide molding strips for fabric wall and ceiling systems which retain the dual ability of being applied at a surface or setting at an edge where two surfaces intersect perpendicularly without the need to modify the molding strip. 
     Pursuant to this and other objects of the present invention, a fabric panel molding has a protruding portion in a longitudinal direction and a base with a wall contact surface. There are at least two separate fabric receiving cavities, each with gripping members at a fabric tuck point, such as a first and second flexible gripping wall having gripping surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, one fabric receiving cavity (also referred to as a collection cavity) is adjacent to the base while a second fabric receiving cavity is spaced away from the base by the first cavity. Each cavity includes an entry tuck point for inserting a portion of fabric material and a gripping member for gripping the inserted fabric. 
     An advantageous feature of this invention is that it can be used effectively on a wall or a ceiling surface that abuts an adjacent wall or ceiling surface that does not abut against an adjacent surface. For example, when the molding strip abuts an adjacent wall or ceiling, fabric can be tucked into a collection cavity spaced away from the base, and when the molding strip does not abut an adjacent surface, fabric can be wrapped around the strip to cover it completely and be tucked into a collection cavity adjacent the base. 
     A variety of gripping members may be employed at the tuck points which permit fabric insertion into the collection cavities. In a preferred embodiment grip members, such as these in patent in U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,873 to Livingston which is herein incorporated by reference. In this preferred embodiment, two of the pluralities of gripping teeth are formed of two separate tooth grip surfaces substantially perpendicular to a common plane. The first and second tooth grip surfaces of each of the first and second plurality of gripping teeth form a projecting point extending longitudinally along the extrusion. The other two pluralities of gripping teeth are formed of two separate tooth grip surfaces substantially parallel to a common plane. Both sets of gripping teeth are arranged such that the point of each tooth projects into a cavity between a corresponding two teeth. In the absence of a secured fabric, the teeth may mesh with the point of one tooth contacting a second tooth grip surface in a central region or being positioned only slightly away from the second tooth grip surface. The flexible gripping walls and plurality of gripping teeth are arranged such that a fabric inserted into the fabric entry slot first contacts the angled second surface of a first of the first plurality of gripping teeth, passes over the point of the first gripping tooth, which slightly deflects the first gripping wall due to the fabric passing between the point of the first gripping tooth and the second angled surface of a first of the second plurality of teeth. The teeth configuration makes it easier to move fabric into the fabric receiving cavity than to remove the fabric from the fabric receiving cavity, and thereby combats unintended dislodgement of the fabric from the fabric receiving cavity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other objects, aspects, and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional side view of a fabric panel molding according to an embodiment of the invention: 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the fabric panel molding according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of a fabric panel molding and its mirror image when a material is connected between the two moldings according to an embodiment of the invention. On the left side, a fabric material is inserted in a first collection cavity close to the base. On the right side, the fabric material is inserted into a collection cavity spaced away from the base. The left side arrangement is preferably used when the molding strip does not abut against a ceiling or side wall, while the right side arrangement is used when the molding strip abuts against a ceiling or side wall. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional, enlarged view of a material being inserted between the gripping teeth according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows the cross-section of a molding strip  8  for fabric wall and ceiling systems according to an embodiment of the invention. The molding strip  8  comprises a base  10  and a protruding portion  14  which extends from the base  10 . The base  10  is securable to a substrate such as a wall, ceiling, or other surface onto which a stretch fabric panel will be created. The protruding portion  14  contains two collection cavities,  16  and  18 . Collection cavity  16  has an entry tuck point  20  to permit insertion of material and a gripping member  24  for gripping the material after it is inserted into the collection cavity  16 . Entry tuck point  20  is located towards a protruding end  28  of protruding portion  14 . The collection cavity  18  has an entry tuck point  22 , adjacent to base  10 , and a gripping member  26 . Collection cavity  18  is positioned adjacent to the base  10  while collection cavity  16  is spaced away from said base by collection cavity  18 . 
     As shown, gripping members  24  and  26  include a plurality of fabric gripping teeth; however, alternative gripping configurations can be employed. It is preferred that the teeth in the fabric gripping regions  24  and  26  have points which are directed towards a central region on an elongated side of teeth on the opposing gripping region as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,873 to Livingston which is herein incorporated by reference. Alternative teeth arrangements including interlocking teeth as are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,117,598 and 5,214,892 to Livingston, each of which are hereby incorporated by reference, could also be used on the fabric panel molding strip  8 . Other types of gripping members may also be used 
     The longitudinal dimension of the molding strip  8  (into the paper) can be any desired length from, for example, a few inches to several feet. The height of the protruding member  14  from the base  10  can vary depending on the application. For example, in many aesthetic or acoustic applications, the protruding member can be 0.5″ to 5″ in height, and will often be 1″ to 3″ in height. If speakers or acoustic fill or board is to be placed behind the fabric, the protruding member  14  will preferably be high enough above the base to allow covering the speakers or acoustic fill or board without having to stretch over top of the speakers or acoustic board. 
     The molding strip is preferably made from extruded plastic, such as, for example, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, or polyethylene as stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,873 to Livingston. 
     The base  10  has a base wall  30  and has opposing side edges,  32  and  34 . A side wall  36  extends generally perpendicularly from base wall  30  from side edge  32 . For example, depending on the application, the side wall  36  may form an 80° to 100° angle with base wall  30 . As depicted, it forms an approximately 90° angle with base wall  30 . 
     A web member  38  preferably connects the base wall  30  to the side wall  36 . The web member  38  preferably connects to the base wall  30  at a connection point  40  between opposing side edges  32  and  34  with the collection cavities  16  and  18  positioned between the side wall  36  and the connection point  40 , and with an extending member  42  extending beyond the connection point  40 . The extending member  42  can be used to secure the molding strip to the substrate with tacks, screws, nails, glue, etc. Alternatively, screws could pass directly through the web  38  and base wall  30  into the substrate. 
     The collection cavity  18  has an entry point  22  between the side wall  36  and the base wall  30 . The collection cavity  16  has an entry point  20  between the side wall  36  and the web member  38 . Web member  38  preferably includes a protruding end  28  which protrudes in alignment with the protruding end of the side wall  36 , and the entry point  20  between the side wall  36  and the web member  38  is located between the top portion of the side wall  36  and the protruding end  28  of the web member  38 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of molding strip  8  according to  FIG. 1 . The molding strip  8  has a base  10  which is substantially flat and a protruding portion  14  which are both elongated, as shown in  FIG. 2 . A back side of the base portion  10 , the base wall  30 , is placed against a wall or other surface to which the molding strip  8  is to be attached. If the molding strip  8  is being attached to an intersection of a wall and a perpendicular surface, the back side of said base portion is attached to the wall or other surface and the side wall  36  is placed abutting against the perpendicular surface. 
       FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional side view of a fabric panel molding and its mirror image when a material  44  is stretched between the two moldings according to an embodiment of the invention. The fabric material  44  will typically be a woven cloth, and can be patterned with designs or be of a solid color, and can have rough or smooth texture, depending on the architectural requirements for the space receiving the treatment. In addition, as discussed above, in acoustic treatment applications or in applications where speakers are positioned behind the fabric material  44  it will be desirable to have a fabric material  44  which allows free passage of air to the sound attenuating materials (e.g., fibrous or foam materials). The base  10  and  10 ′ of each molding strip  8  and  8 ′ is attached to a substrate  12 . A material  44  is inserted into collection cavity  18  then wrapped around the side wall  36  and inserted in the lower tuck point, conversely, in molding strip  8 ′ which is, for example, in contact with the perpendicularly adjacent substrate  12 ′ (e.g. wall, ceiling, etc.), material  44  cannot be received by collection cavity  18 ′ due to interference by substrate  12 ′. Rather, the material  44  is inserted in the collection cavity  16 ′ to complete the connection between the molding strips  8  and  8 ′. Since the material  44  is stretched around the molding strip  8  to the collection cavity  18 , and is inserted in the collection cavity  16 ′, the decorative design of the said material is presented as complete and smooth without any harm to the material. 
       FIG. 4  shows an example of opposing gripping sections  46  and  48  with a preferred configuration for the gripping teeth on gripping member  24 . Each tooth  47  has a long side  49  and a short side  50 . The short side  50  projects approximately perpendicular or normal to the gripping section  46  or  48 , such that the point  51  of the tooth  47  is directed downward and is closer to the fabric collecting cavity  16  than the base of the long side  49 . The point  51  is directed towards a central region of the long side  49 ′ of an opposing tooth  47 ′ and serves to trap and retain fabric (not shown) between the point  51  and the long side  49 ′. In some applications it may be desirable to have the point  51  contact the long side  49 ′; however, having a small gap which is preferably smaller than the fabric to be inserted into fabric collection cavity  16  may provide for ease in stuffing the fabric into the cavity  16  between gripping sections  46  and  48 . Fabric retention can be enhanced by having a relatively sharp point  51 , as is shown in  FIG. 4 . However, the pressure fit between the point  51  and long side  49 ′ is responsible for resistance to fabric dislodgement from cavity  16 ; therefore, having rounded or squared off points can also provide to be advantageous within the practice of this invention. In the preferred embodiment, the angle created by the long side  49  and short side  50  of the tooth  47  (or by planes passing through the long side  49  and short side  50  of the tooth  47 ) ranges between 35 degrees and 55 degrees, and is most preferably 45 degrees. This provides for the creation of a small gap or cavity between the point  51  of tooth  47  and the short side  50 ″ of tooth  47 ″ in which fabric material can bunch up and be securely held.