Synthetic yarn having a multi-yarn effect
Synthetic yarns are formed from polymer materials which preferably are self-twisted to give a multi-yarn effect. The yarns are used to form woven panels for use in furniture. The single strand yarns have the appearance of multiple strands, while saving on the heating and twisting involved with handling multiple strands.
The invention relates to the field of furniture constructed with synthetic woven material. More particularly, the invention relates to synthetic wicker yarns, woven panels made from such yarns, and furniture constructed from such panels. The invention also relates to methods for forming the yarns, panels, and furniture.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONNatural wicker has been used for many years for the manufacture of furniture, baskets, and other household goods. Natural wicker comes from plant fibers and is typically soaked in water to make it pliable. It can then be woven into the furniture, baskets, or other products. Wicker is generally lightweight and strong and is comfortable to sit or recline on.
Wicker is available in numerous styles and designs and may be woven in numerous different patterns and arrangements. For example, wicker may be twisted or untwisted, flat or round, and may include surface features, such as stripes and grooves. Of course, these styles may be mixed and matched in a particular weave pattern as designed based on the purpose and aesthetic requirements of the product being manufactured.
Natural wicker does have several drawbacks. Among these are the fact that wicker will soften when it gets wet. Excessive moisture could make the wicker susceptible to rot and mildew.
In recent years, synthetic wicker has been developed from various polymers and similar materials that has the look and feel of natural wicker, but is not susceptible to the drawbacks of natural wicker. Synthetic wicker yarns are generally prepared by an extrusion process through an extrusion die and may then be arranged in the manner to achieve the desired look and feel of the yarn.
Often, for reasons of aesthetics or to increase the strength and endurance of the weave, multiple strands of yarn are twisted together to form composite yarns. The method of twisting two or more single yarns together is sometimes referred to as doubling, folding, or ply twisting. Such twisted together yarns are sometimes referred to as a doubled, two ply, or composite yarns. Of course, this process requires the use of a two into one twisting device to produce the composite yarn.
In order to keep the yarns that have been twisted together from untwisting prior to weaving the composite yarn into a woven panel, it is usually necessary to heat treat the composite yarn. This can be accomplished in a number of different ways. One way is to heat the yarns after the individual strands are twisted together. The yarns could also be heated prior to twisting. In that case, it is necessary to cool the yarns prior to twisting them together as they may become to hot to handle. The yarns are generally heated in an oven at temperatures of over 200° F. and even over 300° F. It is important not to heat the yarns to a temperature above the softening temperature of the polymers as this may result in the yarns adhering to each other or even in damage to the yarns themselves.
Methods for twisting and heating the yarns and described in a number of patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,625,970. These twisting, heating, and cooling steps are expensive and labor-intensive, while the twisted yarns and multiple strands of yarn woven together may be easily separated from each other. Thus, there is a need to provide a yarn having the appearance of a twisted yarn without the need to twist and heat the yarns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to an elongated synthetic yarn having the appearance of multiple strands. The yarn is formed of a single strand of polymer material having multiple sub-strands with each sub-strand having the appearance of one or more strands. The sub-strands are integrally connected to each other. In a preferred embodiment, the sub-yarns are integrally connected along their entire length. The strand may be twisted about its own axis so as to appear to be formed from multiple strands of yarn.
The yarn may include multiple sub-strands that are connected to each other by one or more bridges of polymer material. The bridges may be formed of the same or different polymer material from the sub-yarns. The bridges may be used to connect the sub-yarns in various configurations, such as in parallel, in series, or in a combination of parallel and series.
Typical polymers used in the invention include polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and polypropylene, which may include foamed material. The sub-strands may differ from each other in color or be formed from different polymers. The surface of the yarn may include one or more grooves, stripes, or raised lobes, and the various lobes and surface features may have a different color from the remainder of the yarn. The sub-strands may include filaments or cores formed from different polymer materials as that of the outer layer.
A plurality of yarns formed according to the present invention may be woven together to form woven panels. The panels may also be formed of one yarn having multiple sub-strands according to the invention and a different type of yarn, as known in the art. The woven panels may be attached to frames to form articles of furniture. The invention also relates to a method for forming such articles of furniture by attaching woven panels formed from yarns of the present invention to a furniture frame, as well as weaving the yarns directly onto the frame to form the woven panel.
The invention will be better understood in relation to the attached drawings illustrating preferred embodiments, wherein:
The invention relates to a single strand yarn that provides a multi-yarn effect. That is, the yarn of the present invention simulates multiple strand or composite yarns; when the yarn of the present invention is self twisted about its axis, it simulates composite yarns having separate strands that have been twisted together. In fact, however, the present invention is comprised of a single strand of yarn. Thus, the present invention enables the production of woven panels that are easier and less expensive to weave because the yarn is a single strand having a multi-yarn effect. Further, some embodiments of the present invention are easier to twist because they do not require a two into one twisting device.
As used herein, the term “integrally connected” is used to designate that the sub-yarns are bridged together as a strand and may not be easily separated by conventional means, such as by simply pulling them apart during the course of weaving. That is, the sub-yarns are structural parts of a single yarn, but may appear to be separate. Further, as used herein, reference to a “yarn” refers to the complete yarn used for creating woven panels and the like. The present invention generally refers to yarns formed of a single strand, but a yarn could also include multiple strands twisted together to form a composite yarn. A single “strand” refers to a single part of a yarn that is connected and a single piece, as opposed to individual strands that may comprise a yarn. A “sub-strand” refers to individual lobes or sections of a strand that may appear to be separate from each other, but are in fact connected to each other by bridges or strips of polymer material, as discussed below. A single strand may be comprised of any number of sub-strands.
Referring to the drawings,
The present invention comprises a plurality of sub-strands integrally bridged or connected together over their length.
The yarn sub-strands 12,14 are shown in
The yarns of the present invention may be formed of any material known by those of ordinary skill in the art to be suitable for such a purpose. Examples of suitable materials include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), or a combination of the same, such as a PP/PE blend. Indeed, various portions of the yarn may be co-extruded from different polymer materials. For example, the yarn sub-strands 12,14 may be formed of different polymer materials to give them a different appearance and further add to the multi-yarn effect. The strips or bridges 15 connecting the sub-strands may be formed of the same or different polymer materials. The weft yarns may be formed of the same or a different material or combination of materials from the warp yarns. The yarn core (or filament), if one is used, may be formed of the same or a different material from the outer layer of the yarn. Indeed, different materials may also be mixed in the warp and weft directions. Any number of combinations are within the scope of the present invention.
The strip or bridge 15 is shown in a number of figures in the present invention. The strip or bridge 15 may be of any shape as desired for the particular application or configuration. For example, it may simply appear as a straight or curved portion connecting two sub-strands as shown in
The yarn 10 may be formed of foamed polymer material, such as foamed PVC. By foaming the polymer material, the material is softer than with the standard unfoamed material and may be more easily manipulated. Further, foaming the polymer material increases the volume of the polymer material and may result in a cost savings over unfoamed material. Some of the yarns may be formed of foamed polymer material, such as the warp yarns or the weft yarns. Foaming is not a requirement of the present invention, but may be used as known to those of skill in the art.
The yarns 10 of the present invention may be formed by extrusion of the polymer material through a die. The various shapes of the yarn 10 shown in
The yarns of the present invention may be designed with various applications of color. As noted above, using a separate color for each sub-strand 12,14 of the yarn enhances the multi-yarn effect. The invention is not limited to the use of one or two colors. Indeed, by simply adding additional color chambers to the extruder, yarns having three, four, or even five or more different colors may be developed. In this way, various portions of the yarn 10 are co-extruded with different colors. The weft yarns may be different colors or the same colors as the warp yarns. The colors may be used in any combination desired.
In
The yarn 10 may be self twisted by a conventional twisting apparatus known to those of skill in the art, depending on the material and configuration of yarn 10. The twisting apparatus is operative for twisting the yarn 10 to form the self-twisted yarn having the multi-yarn effect, as shown in
The woven panels may be used to form furniture, such as chairs, couches, benches, stools, tables, and the like. Other uses for the panels may include rugs, awnings, or similar materials.
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The yarn 10 shown in
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It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact configuration as illustrated and described herein. Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable by one of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure set forth herein, or by routine experimentation therefrom, are deemed to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An elongated synthetic yarn having the appearance of multiple strands, comprising:
- a single strand of polymer material having multiple sub-strands, wherein each sub-strand has the appearance of one or more strands, and
- wherein, the sub-strands are integrally connected to each other.
2. The yarn of claim 1, wherein the multiple sub-strands are integrally connected to each other over their entire length.
3. The yarn of claim 1, wherein the multiple sub-strands are connected to each other by one or more bridges of polymer material.
4. The yarn of claim 3, wherein the bridges are formed of different polymer materials from the sub-strands.
5. The yarn of claim 3, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a parallel configuration.
6. The yarn of claim 3, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a series configuration.
7. The yarn of claim 3, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a combination of parallel and series configurations.
8. The yarn of claim 1, wherein the strand is twisted about its axis so as to appear to be comprised of multiple strands of polymer material.
9. The yarn of claim 1, wherein the polymer material comprises one or more of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene.
10. The yarn of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-strand has a different surface color from the other sub-strands.
11. The yarn of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-strand is formed from a different polymer material from the other sub-strands.
12. The yarn of claim 1, wherein the polymer material is a foamed polymer material.
13. The yarn of claim 1, wherein the surface of the yarn includes one or more of grooves, stripes, or raised lobes.
14. The yarn of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-strand of the yarn comprises a core and an outer layer, the core being formed from the same or a different polymer material from the outer layer.
14. The yarn of claim 1, wherein the surface of the yarn includes a plurality of raised lobes, and at least one lobe has a different surface color from the others.
16. A woven panel comprising a plurality of polymer yarns woven together, the yarns comprising a single strand of polymer material having multiple sub-strands, wherein each sub-strand has the appearance of one or more strands, and wherein the sub-strands are integrally connected to each other.
17. The panel of claim 16, wherein the multiple sub-strands are integrally connected to each other over their entire length.
18. The panel of claim 16, wherein the multiple sub-strands are connected to each other by one or more bridges of polymer material.
19. The panel of claim 18, wherein the bridges are formed of different polymer materials from the sub-strands.
20. The panel of claim 18, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a parallel configuration.
21. The panel of claim 18, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a series configuration.
22. The panel of claim 18, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a combination of parallel and series configurations.
23. The panel of claim 16, wherein the strand is twisted about its axis so as to appear to be comprised of multiple strands of polymer material twisted together.
24. The panel of claim 16, wherein the polymer material comprises one or more of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene.
25. The panel of claim 16, wherein at least one sub-strand has a different surface color.
26. The panel of claim 16, wherein at least one sub-strand is formed from a different polymer material.
27. The panel of claim 16, wherein the polymer material is a foamed polymer material.
28. The panel of claim 16, wherein the surface of the yarn includes one or more of grooves, stripes, or raised lobes.
29. The panel of claim 16, wherein at least one sub-strand of the yarn comprises a core and an outer layer, the core being formed from the same or a different polymer material from the outer layer.
30. The panel of claim 16, wherein the surface of the yarn includes a plurality of raised lobes, and at least one lobe has a different surface color from the others.
31. An article of furniture comprising a frame having the shape of an article of furniture, and a woven panel attached to the frame, the woven panel comprising a plurality of polymer yarns woven together, the yarns comprising a single strand of polymer material having multiple sub-strands, wherein each sub-strand has the appearance of one or more strands, and wherein the sub-strands are integrally connected to each other.
32. The article of claim 31, wherein the multiple sub-strands are integrally connected to each other over their entire length.
33. The article of claim 31, wherein the multiple sub-strands are connected to each other by one or more bridges of polymer material.
34. The article of claim 33, wherein the bridges are formed of different polymer materials from the sub-strands.
35. The article of claim 33, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a parallel configuration.
36. The article of claim 33, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a series configuration.
37. The article of claim 33, wherein the bridges connect the multiple sub-strands to each other in a combination of parallel and series configurations.
38. The article of claim 31, wherein the strand is twisted about its axis so as to appear to be comprised of multiple strands of polymer material twisted together.
39. The article of claim 31, wherein the polymer material comprises one or more of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene.
40. The article of claim 31, wherein at least one sub-strand has a different surface color.
41. The article of claim 31, wherein at least one sub-strand is formed from a different polymer material.
42. The article of claim 31, wherein the polymer material is a foamed polymer material.
43. The article of claim 31, wherein the surface of the yarn includes one or more of grooves, stripes, or raised lobes.
44. The article of claim 31, wherein at least one sub-strand of the yarn comprises a core and an outer layer, the core being formed from the same or a different polymer material from the outer layer.
45. The article of claim 31, wherein the surface of the yarn includes a plurality of raised lobes, and at least one lobe has a different surface color from the others.
46. A method of making an article of furniture which comprises providing a frame having the shape of an article of furniture, attaching a woven panel to the frame, the woven panel comprising a plurality of polymer yarns woven together, the yarns comprising a single strand of polymer material having multiple sub-strands, wherein each sub-strand has the appearance of one or more strands, and wherein the sub-strands are integrally connected to each other over their entire length.
47. The method of claim 46, wherein the strand is twisted about its axis so as to appear to be comprised of multiple strands of polymer material.
48. A method of making an article of furniture which comprises providing a frame having the shape of an article of furniture and weaving a plurality of polymer yarns together onto the frame to form a woven panel, the yarns comprising a single strand of polymer material having multiple sub-strands, wherein each sub-strand has the appearance of one or more strands, and wherein the sub-strands are integrally connected to each other over their entire length.
49. The method of claim 48, wherein the strand is twisted about its axis so as to appear to be comprised of multiple strands of polymer material.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 28, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 2, 2008
Inventor: Oliver Wang (Millbrae, CA)
Application Number: 11/729,296
International Classification: A47C 5/02 (20060101);