Fabric tile construction.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in wall tiles, and more particularly to a fabric wall tile in which a metal pan has a fabric sock stretched thereover and held in place by plastic clips.

Open-plan office systems pioneered by Herman Miller, Inc. provide a series of rigid frames which, in turn, are rigidly connected together at facing edges to divide work spaces into work or task areas. Modular tiles are removably mounted to the faces of both sides of the frame. Such open-plan office systems are disclosed in US-A 4,685,255 and US-A 4,832,152.

In accordance with the above-identified patents, metal panels or pans are provided and these may be provided with a fabric or a vinyl covering. Heretofore, fabric has typically been glued to the metal pans. The underside of the fabric has been covered with adhesive. The metal pans have then been placed upside down on the fabric. Because of the difference in the nature of the fabrics different glues have been required with different fabrics. However, certain fabrics have been found unsuitable for any known glue. Further, even when the fabrics are successfully glued to pans, some field conditions can result in ungluing of portions of the fabrics from the pans. Further, the process is labor-intensive and requires a certain amount of skill to perform the operation correctly.

As is best shown in Figure 4 of US-A 4,685,255, the metal pans are mounted on a supporting frame including vertical members. Each metal pan is provided with lower hook-shaped clips and upper rearwardly projecting spring clips which are received in suitable slots formed in the frame members.

US-A 4,083,157, discloses the use of metal clips for fixing edges of a false ceiling or wall to a retaining support.

According to the invention, each metal pan such as that disclosed in US-A 4,685,255 is covered with a fabric sock which is provided along two opposite edges thereof with first hook bearing clips and along the other two opposite edges thereof with other hook bearing clips. The hook bearing clips are generally J-shaped in cross section and are hooked over terminal return flanges of the metal pans. Further, corners of the fabric sock, which are disposed rearwardly of the metal pan, can be secured to the metal pan utilizing spring clips.

The fabric mounting clips are preferably elongated and extend a major portion of an associated edge of the fabric sock so as to provide for tension over substantially the entire surface of the fabric sock.

If desired, the mounting clips which extend vertically of the metal pan can project beyond the edges of the fabric sock while the mounting clips disposed at the top and bottom of the metal pan can be recessed inwardly of the edges of the fabric sock so that when the fabric sock is applied to a metal pan, the fabric at the top and bottom of the pan may project entirely beyond the mounting clips.

The mounting clips are suitably secured to the fabric sock by sewing and bonding. The clips are first secured to the fabric with double-sided adhesive tape and are then sewed onto the fabric.

Further according to the invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a wall tile comprising a fabric-covered metal pan, the metal pan having a front face, rearwardly extending side edges and a marginal return flange carried by each of the side edges. A rectangular fabric is sized to cover at least the front face and side edges of the metal pan and has four substantially linear side edges. Hook-bearing clips are attached to the side edges of the fabric. The fabric is then applied to the face and side edges of the metal pan and the hooks of the clips are fitted onto the marginal return flanges of the metal pan to secure the fabric to the metal pan.

The clips are preferably J-shaped and include an elongated stem terminating in a U-shaped hook portion with the elongated stem being secured to the fabric. Further, the clips preferably extend along a major portion of the side edges of the fabric. In a preferred embodiment, the clips are first adhesively secured to the fabric to position the clips on the fabric and are then sewn to the fabric to secure the clips to the fabric.

The clips are preferably made from a soft plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride and can be extruded.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a rectangular metal pan to which a fabric sock is to be secured in accordance with this invention.</li><li>FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and shows the typical cross section of a horizontal edge of the metal pan.</li><li>FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and shows a typical vertical cross section of an upper or lower edge of the metal pan.</li><li>FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the fabric sock which is to be applied to the metal pan of FIG. 1 and shows the arrangement of mounting clips thereon.</li><li>FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and shows the specific detail of a first mounting clip and its relationship to an edge of the fabric.</li><li>FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4 and shows the specific details of a second mounting clip which is to be connected to the upper and lower edges of the metal pan.</li><li>FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the metal pan of FIG. 1 with vertical and horizontal portions thereof broken away and with the fabric sock being mounted on the metal pan, and the metal pan being provided with clips for mounting the same on a supporting framework.</li><li>FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 and shows the specific securement of a vertical edge of the fabric sock to the metal pan utilizing the mounting clip of FIG. 5.</li><li>FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 9-9 of FIG. 7 and shows the specific details of a retainer clip for holding a corner of the fabric sock against the rear of the metal pan.</li></ul>

Referring now to the drawings in general and FIGS. 1-3 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a metal pan which is generally rectangular in outline and which is generally identified by the reference numeral 10. The metal pan 10 will be of a general configuration such as the metal pan shown in FIG. 4 of US-S 4,685,255 and will be mounted with respect to a supporting framework in the same manner as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The metal pan 10 includes a front face 12 which is preferably planar. The front face 12 has folded rearwardly thereof at opposite vertical edges sides 14. At the top and bottom of the front panel 12 there are rearwardly extending ends 16. The sides 14 are provided with inwardly directed terminal return flanges 18 while the ends 16 are provided with rearwardly directed terminal return flanges 20. The return flanges 18 and 20, in accordance with this invention, will be utilized for engagement by mounting clips to secure a fabric sock on the metal pan 10 in tensioned relation across both the front face 12 and the sides 14 and ends 16 of the metal panel 10.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 wherein there is illustrated a fabric sock formed in accordance with this invention and generally identified by the reference numeral 22. The fabric sock 22 is illustrated as being generally rectangular and having what becomes an upper edge 24, a lower edge 26 and side edges 28. Identical mounting clips, generally identified by the numeral 30, preferably of a resilient plastic material, are suitably attached to the fabric sock 24, such as by sewing and bonding, with the mounting clip 30 extending beyond the associated edge 28. It is to be noted that the mounting clips 30 are elongated and extend for a major portion of the length of the respective side edge 28.

Identical mounting clips 32 preferably of a resilient plastic are carried by upper and lower edge portions of the fabric sock 24 and are spaced inwardly of the edges 24, 26 of the fabric sock 22. It is to be noted that the mounting clips 32 are also elongated and extend for a major portion of the edges 24, 26 of the fabric sock 22. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the metal pan 10 will be wider than it is high with the result that the mounting clips 32 will be longer than the mounting clips 30.

Referring now to FIG. 5, it will be seen that a typical mounting or attachment clip 30 is J-shaped in cross section and includes an elongated item 34 which terminates in a U-shaped hook 36. The hook 36 includes a first leg 38 which forms a continuation of the stem 34, and a second leg 40 disposed in generally spaced parallel relation with respect to the first leg 38 and secured thereto by an integral base 42. A free edge portion 44 of the second leg 40 flares outwardly away from the first leg 38 so as to facilitate attachment of the clip to a terminal return flange 18 of the metal pan 10.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 6, each of the mounting or attachment clips 32 is also of a J-shaped cross section and includes an elongated stem 46 which corresponds to, but is clearly shorter than the stem 34. The stem 46 terminates in a generally U-shaped hook 48.

The hook 48 includes a first leg 50 which forms a continuation of the stem 46 and a second leg 52 which is maintained in spaced parallel relation to the first leg 50 by an integral base 54. The second leg 52 has a free edge portion 56 which flares away from the first leg 50 so as to facilitate engagement of the clips 32 with the terminal return flanges 20 of the metal pan 10.

It will be seen that the fabric 22 is so attached to the stem 46 so that the clip 32 lies inwardly of an adjacent free edge 26 of the fabric 22. Like the stem 34, the stem 46 is secured to the fabric 22 by sewing and bonding. The clips are preferably accurately placed on the back of the fabric with a suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive, glue or double-faced adhesive tape and are thereafter sewed in place.

At this time it is to be noted that the exterior of the corner between each base and its respective leg of the two hooks 36, 48 are 90° corners and thus aid to the stiffness of the hooks 36, 48 and the resistance thereof against opening.

Referring now to FIG. 7, it will be seen that the fabric sock 22 is so proportioned whereby when it is inverted from the position of FIG. 4 so as to lie across the face 12 of the metal pan 10, and the clips 30 are engaged over the terminal return flanges 18 as shown in FIG. 7, the fabric sock 22 is pulled tightly across the front of the front face 12 and around the side edges 14 of the metal pan 10. Thereafter, the clips 32 are engaged around the free edges of the terminal return flanges 20 so as to tension the fabric sock 22 in a horizontal direction.

Referring now to FIG. 8, it will be seen that the fabric sock 22 substantially encloses the entire metal pan 10 with the fabric of the fabric sock 22 being tightly drawn across the front face 12 and around the side edges 14. The fabric of the fabric sock 22 will also be drawn in a like manner around the top and bottom edges 16 of the metal pan.

Returning now to FIGS. 4 and 7, it will be seen that in FIG. 7 the terminal return flanges 18 are provided adjacent to their opposite ends with openings 60 into which may be engaged clips 62 for attaching the metal panel 10 to a supporting framework. The clips 62 will correspond to the clips 68 shown in FIG. 4 of U.S-A 4,685,255. Further, the terminal return flanges 18 will be provided with openings or notches 64 which, remote from the clips 62 will be provided with retaining spring clips 66 which correspond to the spring clips 69 of FIG. 4 of US-A 4,685,255.

In order that the clips 30 may clear the notches or openings 64 and the associated clips 66, the stem 34 of each of the clips 30 is provided with openings 68 which will clear the spring clips 66.

Finally, it is to be noted that at each of the rear corners of the fabric tile 70 which is formed of the metal pan 10 and the fabric sock 22, there are retainer clips 72 which, as is best shown in FIG. 9, are snapped through openings 74 in the terminal return flanges and include fingers 76 with offset ends 78 which bear against the fabric 22 to hold it in place at its corners. Thus the fabric 22 is tightly held relative to the metal pan 10.

It is also pointed out at this time that since the edges 24, 26 of the fabric 22 extend beyond their respective clips 32, these edge portions of the fabric sock 22 may be folded over and held in place.

Although the hooks 36 and 48 have been illustrated and described as being continuous, the hooks may be in the form of narrow spaced elements.

Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.