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 pieces which frame an area over which a fabric is stretched. The extruded pieces 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 extruded pieces can be any shape or size. After the extruded pieces frame 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 of the extruded pieces. 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. The exposed trimmed edge is then fully inserted into the cavity using a knife-type tool. 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 attenuates 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, 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.
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 and 5,214,892, both to Livingston et al. Each of these patents is herein incorporated by reference.
It has been commonly thought that the configuration and operation of the jaw members should be such as to positively prevent fabric dislodgement from the extruded moldings. This was a result of the recognition that if the fabric was dislodged during or after installation, the fabric would have an undesirable and non-smooth finish and underlying elements such as acoustical cores would become noticeable. To cure the problem of fabric dislodgement, a molding strip has been designed comprising an extrusion extending in a longitudinal direction having a base with first and second flexible gripping walls projecting from the base. Each projecting wall has a gripping section in opposition to a gripping section of the opposing wall, with specifically configured and arranged teeth for gripping the fabric in the fabric entry region to the fabric collection cavity defined by the base and walls. The teeth of the fabric gripping sections of the walls were specifically designed to have sloping surfaces facing outwardly of the molding strip and short surfaces extending generally parallel with the base of the molding strip. The short and long surfaces terminate at points such that the points of the teeth in one of the gripping sections lie between the points of the teeth in the other gripping section. That is, the point of each of the plurality of teeth of one gripping section projects between a corresponding pair of teeth of the other gripping section and vice-versa, so that in the absence of a secured fabric, the teeth mesh with one another but without contact. That toothed configuration facilitated entry of the fabric through the entry slot between the teeth of the gripping sections because of the outwardly angled facing portions of the teeth, while at the same time, preventing dislodgement of the fabric from the fabric-receiving cavity. Thus, the fabric is, in effect, clamped between each of the tooth tips and a sloped surface of an opposite tooth. While that toothed configuration and arrangement of teeth solved the problem of fabric dislodgement, it has been found that the fabric cannot be removed once inserted without damage to the fabric. As will be appreciated, a major benefit of a fabric wall system for use in commercial interiors is the capacity to remove the fabric without damage for replacement, repair or change of fabric.
Further, the walls of molding strips of this type have in the past been configured to define generally rectangular fabric collection cavities. That is, one of the walls typically projects generally at right angles to the base of the molding strip. The other or second wall, spaced from the first wall, projects at right angles and then turns toward the first wall generally parallel to the base and turns again to form a gripping section with the gripping section of the first wall. This type of molding strip configuration requires the underlying panel, i.e., fiberglass board, to be cut in a rectilinear fashion. That is, a two-sided rabbet-type groove must be formed along the edge of the panel to enable the molding strip to fit flush with the surface of the panel. The installer must perform two cutting operations to form the rabbet in order for the rabbet to receive the molding strip. It will be appreciated that this requires substantial additional labor at the installation site. Further, the molding strip with the foregoing configuration has a degree of undesired flexibility because of the rectilinear configuration of the strip defining the fabric collection cavity. That configuration imposes additional undesired stresses at the juncture of the second wall with the base.
Further, prior molding strip designs did not permit angled insertion of the fabric into the gripping sections of the molding strip. Aesthetically, it would be desirable to form a drop-leg or recessed outer wall. This cannot be accomplished with existing molding strip designs.