Patent Publication Number: US-6336493-B1

Title: Pleated wall covering and method of making same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/144,150, filed Jul. 16, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to wall coverings and, more particularly, to a pleated acoustical wall covering and the methods of production and installation of such pleated acoustical wall covering. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Many devices have been proposed for hanging large sections of fabric for both decorative and sound proofing purposes along the walls of theaters, concert halls and the like. Typically, such devices comprise hanging brackets including pleat forming bends at equally spaced intervals wherein a planar fabric material is wrapped around the bends during installation to produce a pleated appearance to the installed fabric. Examples of such pleating brackets and methods of installation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,785,426 and 4,342,356, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     While such pleating brackets have assisted greatly in the formation of pleats during installation, they suffer from several disadvantages. Such brackets are generally bulky and extend a considerable distance outwardly from the wall. Additionally, portions of the brackets are typically visible after the fabric has been installed, thereby detracting from the finished appearance of the final installation. More particularly, conventional pleating brackets have failed to facilitate the installation of decorative trim or facia strips which provide a finished appearance to the wall covering system. Such facia strips are difficult to install against the plurality of bends in traditional pleating brackets. 
     Moreover, the prior art pleating brackets require considerable time and skill in wrapping the planar fabric material around the pleat forming bends. As may be readily appreciated, this is a time consuming process which requires experienced personnel having considerable skill and practice. Failure to properly wrap the fabric material over the brackets often results in non-parallel or skewed pleats thereby presenting an unattractive appearance. 
     In apparent recognition of some of the aforementioned shortcomings of various pleat forming brackets, U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,531, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses support strips having flat surfaces for engaging the wall covering material. However, given the lack of a bracket structure having pleat forming bends for guiding the planar fabric material, great skill is required in order to form uniform and parallel pleats along the entire height and width of a wall to be covered. Even more so than with the aforementioned prior art pleating brackets, skilled installation personnel are required to devote a considerable amount of time and effort to the proper installation, and particularly to the pleat formation, of the wall covering material. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a wall covering system which eliminates the need for traditional pleating brackets while providing a structure which facilitates rapid installation and produces an aesthetically pleasing appearance. There is a further need for a material for use within such a wall covering system that does not require brackets having pleat forming bends. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an acoustical wall covering system including a pleated material fixed between upper and lower mounting strips, or nailers, which extend substantially horizontally and are supported by a wall. The pleated material includes a plurality of pleats extending longitudinally in a substantially vertical direction between the upper and lower mounting strips and permanently fixed along longitudinally extending and continuous securing lines. The securing lines are oriented in a plane extending substantially parallel to the wall. Planar connecting, or overlapping, panels are positioned intermediate adjacent securing lines and are disposed parallel to the wall. The pleats are formed by first and second pleat panels extending outwardly from adjacent the wall. The first and second pleat panels are joined by the securing line at one end and define an apex at an opposing end. 
     Upper and lower portions of each pleat are fixed to upper and lower planar mounting surfaces of the upper and lower mounting strips respectively. The apex of each pleat adjacent the upper and lower portions thereof are fixed to the mounting strips such that the first and second pleat panels are folded essentially flat in substantially parallel and partially overlapping relation with adjacent connecting panels. As such, a substantially planar surface is defined over which planar mounting surfaces of upper and lower facia strips are mounted for covering the upper and lower mounting strips. The apex of each pleat extends outwardly in spaced relation to the wall as the pleat extends towards a centerline between the upper and lower portions. 
     The method of producing the pleated material of the present invention comprises the steps of providing a supply source of planar fabric material, providing a pleating die downstream from the supply source, providing a securing device downstream from the pleating die, and providing a take-up device downstream from the securing device. The planar material is pulled from the supply source through the pleating die where a plurality of pleats are formed longitudinally therein in a simultaneous manner. The pleating die may comprise one of many different structures or combinations thereof, including a plurality of rods, bars or wheels for producing the pleats within the fabric. 
     Next, the newly pleated material is pulled through the securing device where the pleats are permanently and simultaneously fixed along longitudinally extending and continuous securing lines. The securing lines may be formed by numerous means including sewing, adhesive application, or ultrasonic welding. The pleats are folded flat against an adjacent connecting panel and the newly produced pleated material is then supplied to the take-up device, preferably a collection roll. Once the collection roll has acquired sufficient pleated material, it may be transported to a job site for installation. 
     During installation, the pleated material is unrolled from the collection roll in a length approximately equal to the height of the portion of the wall to be covered. The pleats are arranged in a vertically extending manner wherein the top edge of the material is fixed, preferably by nailing or stapling, to the upper mounting strip. The installer then ensures that the pleats extend substantially vertical plumb before fixing the bottom edge of the material to the lower mounting strip. Excess material is trimmed, and the upper and lower facia strips are fixed to the upper and lower mounting strips to provide a finished appearance to the wall covering system. 
     Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a wall covering system and method of installation which minimizes the time and expense of installation. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide such a wall covering system and method of installation by which an attractive pleated appearance is created in the wall covering material. 
     It is still yet another object of the invention to provide a wall covering system including a material having pleats permanently fixed therein along their longitudinal length thereby eliminating the need to form pleats upon installation. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide such a wall covering system which eliminates the need for traditional pleating brackets. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a wall covering support structure which supports the wall covering material in substantially planar relation to the wall which is covered. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of producing a wall covering material having a plurality of permanently fixed pleats. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide such a method wherein the plurality of pleats are formed simultaneously and then secured simultaneously along a plurality of securing lines. 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the wall covering system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the wall covering system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic view, with partial cutaway, of the apparatus of the present invention for producing the pleated wall covering material as utilized in the wall covering system of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to FIGS. 1-3, a vertically extending wall  10  supporting the acoustical wall covering system  12  of the present invention is illustrated. A major portion of the wall  10  is covered by a permanently pleated flexible material  14  manufactured in accordance with the method of production of the present invention and installed in accordance with the method of installation of the present invention. 
     The pleated material  14  includes a plurality of pleats  16  extending between top and bottom edges  18  and  20 . The pleated material  14  is preferably comprised of a flexible fabric, such as a fabric manufactured from polyester fibers, and most preferably comprises a fabric manufactured from Avora™ FR fibers. The pleats  16  are secured along continuous securing lines  22  (FIG. 3) which extend uninterrupted between the top and bottom edges  18  and  20 . The pleats  16  include upper and lower portions  24  and  26  adjacent the top and bottom edges  18  and  20  and are centered along a substantially horizontally extending center axis  28 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, each pleat  16  is formed by first and second pleat panels  30  and  32  connected at a first, or inner, end by one of the securing lines  22  and joined at an opposing second, or outer, end by an apex  34 . Adjacent pleats  16  are joined by connecting, or overlapping, panels  36  extending substantially parallel to the wall  10  between successive securing lines  22 . The top and bottom edges  18  and  20  of the pleated material  14  are secured to upper and lower planar mounting surfaces  37  and  39  of upper and lower mounting strips  38  and  40 . 
     The upper and lower mounting strips  38  and  40  are secured to the wall  10  (FIG. 2) in substantially parallel relation, wherein the lower mounting strip  40  is positioned below the upper mounting strip  38 . The mounting strips  38  and  40  preferably comprise traditional wood nailers. Staples  42  are preferably utilized to secure the material  14  to the mounting strips  38  and  40  while nails  44  are preferably used to fix the mounting strips  38  and  40  to the wall  10 . Sound insulation  46  may extend between the upper and lower mounting strips  38  and  40  as may be required for a particular installation. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, the upper and lower portions  24  and  26  of the pleats  16  are secured to the upper and lower mounting strips  38  and  40  such that the first and second pleat panels  30  and  32  overlie adjacent connecting panels  36 . The first and second pleat panels  30  and  32  define the apex  34  which is secured substantially flat in proximity with the upper and lower mounting strips  38  and  40  at the upper and lower portions  24  and  26  of the pleat  16 . Moreover, the upper and lower portions  24  and  26  of each first and second pleat panel  30  and  32  is disposed substantially parallel with, and partially overlaps, adjacent connecting panels  36 . The apex  34  extends outwardly away from the wall  10  as the pleats  16  extend from the upper and lower portions  24  and  26  toward the center axis  28  disposed intermediate the upper and lower portions  24  and  26 . The apex  34  is symmetrically disposed between the first and second pleat panels  30  and  32  along the full length of each pleat  16  between the upper and lower portions  24  and  26 . 
     The securing lines  22  may comprise any conventional securing means, including stitching, adhesive or ultrasonic welding. However, it should be appreciated that equivalent bonding means may be readily substituted therefor. The securing lines  22  extend in a plane substantially parallel to the wall  10 . Upper and lower facia strips  48  and  50  may be attached by fasteners, such as staples  49 , over each of the upper and lower mounting strips  38  and  40  to provide an aesthetically pleasing finished appearance. Moreover, planar mounting surfaces  45  and  47  of the upper and lower facia strips  48  and  50  cooperate with the essentially flat surfaces defined by the upper and lower portions  24  and  26  of the pleats  16  and adjacent connecting panels  36  (FIG.  3 ). 
     Turning now to FIG. 6, the method of producing the pleated material  14  of the present invention comprises providing a source  51  of planar material  52  and then passing the planar material  52  through a pleating device  54 . The source  50  of planar material  52  preferably comprises a conventional roll stand while the pleating device  54  preferably comprises a die for forming the longitudinally extending pleats  16  within the material  50 . The pleating device  54  may comprise a series of rods, bars or wheels for forming the pleats  16  within the material  50 , although similar structures may be readily substituted therefor. 
     The newly pleated material  56  then travels downstream to a securing device  58  which permanently fixes the pleats  16  within the final pleated material  14 . The securing device  58  includes a plurality of fixing elements  60  for simultaneously fixing the plurality of pleats  16  through securing lines  22  extending longitudinally along the entire length of the material  14 . The securing device  58  may produce securing lines  22  comprising stitches, adhesive or ultrasonic welds. Ultrasonic welding is the preferred method of forming the securing lines  22  wherein the fibers of the material  14  are molecularly bonded together. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 6, the planar material  52  reduces in width as the pleats  16  are formed. For example, a planar material  52  having a width of approximately 54 inches forms a final pleated material  14  having a width of approximately 39 inches. Once the final wall covering material  14  is produced, the pleats  16  are preferably folded flat against adjacent connecting panels  36  and the material  14  is then wrapped around a take-up, or collection, roll  62  which then may be delivered to the job site for installation within the wall covering system  12  of the present invention. 
     Installation of the wall covering system  12  of the present invention typically begins by installing the upper and lower mounting strips  38  and  40  in the desired locations on the wall  10  by inserting nails  44  therethrough. Next the pleated material  14  is unwrapped from the take-up roll  62  and cut to the desired length, i.e., approximately the height between the upper and lower mounting strips  38  and  40 . The top edge of the pleated material  14  is then fixed along the upper mounting strip  38 . The material  14  is then stretched down to the lower mounting strip  40  where the bottom edge is fixed in place, after ensuring that all the pleats  16  are disposed in substantially parallel vertical relation to each other, i.e., vertical plumb. Thereafter, the facia strips  48  and  50  are installed over the pleated material  14  and secured to the mounting strips  38  and  40 . 
     If desired, it may not be necessary to provide an upper facia strip  48  in a room or hall having a high wall  10 , as the upper mounting strip  38  may not be readily observable by a person standing below. 
     While the process and product herein described constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise process and product, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.