Composite Elastic Bands And Garments Incorporating Such Bands

Abstract

Composite elastic band comprising at least one elastic ribbon to which stretch-limiting, flexible, non-woven strip material e.g., bonded fibre or a plastics strip is secured by adhesive or stitching to be compressed when the band is relaxed and to limit the stretch, said strip material being at one or both sides of the ribbon with or without folding over edges of the ribbon, the band being subsequently incorporated in a cover of knitted or woven fabric in strip form or of a garment folded over the band and secured by stitching in alternative ways. Reference is made to British Pat. application No. 00580/70 of 6th Jan., 1970. Automatic Braiding Company (Nottingham) Limited from which priority is claimed.

Parent Case Text

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 96,529, filed Dec. 9, 1970, now abandoned.

Description

This invention relates to composite elastic bands of prefabricated form primarily for subsequent attachment to a garment (e.g., for incorporation in a garment during the latter's manufacture) as a waist band or other constricting or supporting band.

Such composite elastic bands and garments are the subject of many prior Patent Specifications in each of which the composite band comprises at least one ribbon of elastic (e.g., rubber, natural or synthetic) to which other strip material is secured, the latter material being knitted or woven fabric.

An object of the invention is to provide composite elastic bands and garments in improved manner.

The invention provides a composite elastic band capable of being stretched elastically from a relaxed condition and particularly a band in or for a grament, comprising a core of ribbon elastic (e.g., rubber, natural or synthetic) to which stretch-limiting, flexible, non-woven strip material is secured in such manner that in the relaxed condition of the band the strip material is compressed in the lengthwise direction of the band by the core and the extent of stretching of the composite elastic band is limited by the strip material. One strip material may be bonded fibre strip material, for example of the type sometimes known as "interlining" or a plastics strip material (which may be perforated). Conveniently the securing of the core to the strip is by adhesive. Alternatively, or in addition, the core may be secured to the strip material by stitching. Conveniently also there are at least two ribbons of elastic disposed edge to edge with a gap between them, and the strip material is sufficiently wide to be secured to both of the elastic ribbons. The strip material may be provided to extend over one side only of the elastic ribbon, or it may be provided to extend over both sides of the elastic ribbon. In the latter instance the strip material may be provided in a single length of sufficient width to extend over one side of the elastic ribbon and be folded over outer edges of the elastic ribbon from one side to the other side thereof, with the free edges either spaced apart, or closely adjacent, or mutually overlapping. Alternatively there may be two strips of the said material between which the elastic ribbon is sandwiched and which are not folded over the outer edges of the elastic ribbon. The composite elastic band thus formed may be subsequently incorporated in a cover formed by a wide strip of knitted or woven fabric which extends over one side of the band and is folded over the outer edges either of the elastic ribbon only, or also of the strip material, from one side to the other thereof, with the free edges of the cover either spaced apart, or closely adjacent, or mutually overlapping. Alternatively the cover of knitted or woven fabric may be provided by a wide marginal part of a garment folded over the outer edges of the elastic ribbon and strip material. In each instance the composite band is adapted to be secured to a garment by at least one longitudinal row of stitches or by spaced longitudinally extending rows of stitches. The stitches extend through the attached elastic ribbon and strip material and through the garment. Where a cover of knitted or woven fabric is provided other than by the marginal edge of the garment, the stitches also extend through the cover. Where a cover is provided by the marginal edge of the garment the stitches need not necessarily extend through the strip material, or through the elastic ribbon. For example the band may be enclosed in a tunnel formed by the marginal fabric of the garment.

The manner of applying the adhesive may be by transverse strips thereof closely spaced longitudinally of the band, or by longitudinal strips of adhesive closely spaced transversely of the band or by spaced areas of adhesive.

A specific embodiment of the invention will be hereinafter particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of a composite elastic band according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a modified composite elastic band in a cover.

FIG. 3 is a similar view of the composite elastic band of FIG. 1 in a cover.

FIG. 4 is a similar view of a modified composite elastic band in a cover.

FIG. 5 is a similar view of the composite elastic band of FIG. 1 in a cover formed by part of a garment.

FIG. 6 is a similar view of a composite elastic band in which a stretch-limiting strip cover has spaced edges.

FIG. 7 is a similar view of a composite elastic band in which the strip cover has overlapping edges.

FIG. 8 is a similar view of modified composite elastic banding in a cover forming by part of a garment.

FIG. 9 is a similar view to FIG. 2 showing a modification thereof.

FIG. 10 is a similar view of FIG. 4 showing a modification thereof.

FIG. 11 is a similar view to FIG. 3 showing a modification thereof.

FIG. 12 which is a modified form of the construction of FIG. 5.

FIG. 13 which is a further modified form of the construction of FIG. 5.

FIG. 14 which is a still further modified form of the construction of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 1 the composite elastic band in this Figure comprises two ribbons 1, 2 of elastic, which may be of rubber, natural or synthetic, disposed edge to edge with a space 3 between them, and two strips 4, 5 of stretch-limiting, flexible, non-woven material between which strips the elastic ribbons 1, 2 are sandwiched. In all constructions according to this invention the stretch-limiting strips are (or strip is) of flexible, non-woven, fabric consisting of a web or mat of fibres held together with a bonding material. The strips 4, 5 are of sufficient width to extend over the elastic ribbons 1, 2, one on each side thereof, and the strips 4, 5 and the elastic ribbons 1, 2 are stuck together by adhesive. The adhesive may be applied in continuous or discontinuous transverse stripes or plain or fancy patterns thereof closely or otherwise spaced longitudinally of the band, and since the strips 4, 5 are adhered to the elastic ribbons 1, 2 while the latter are stretched longitudinally, the band including the strips 4, 5 become longitudinally puckered or otherwise compressed in the relaxed condition. Alternatively the adhesive may be applied in continuous or discontinuous longitudinally extending stripes or plain or fancy patterns whereby the band is longitudinally striped or otherwise patterned, and since the strips 4, 5 are adhered to the elastic ribbons 1, 2 while the latter are stretched, the strips 4, 5 become puckered or compressed longitudinally in the relaxed condition of the band. Alternatively or in addition to the strips 4, 5 being stuck to the ribbons 1, 2 they may be secured by spaced lines of stitches S.

In the modification of FIG. 2 there is only one stretch-limiting strip 6, and this is adhered to one side of the elastic ribbons 1, 2 in any of the arrangements described for FIG. 1. In addition there is a textile cover strip 7 of knitted interlock or other textile material. This cover strip 7 is of sufficient width to cover the opposite face of the elastic ribbons 1, 2 and to have margins folded over the opposite outer edges of the elastic ribbons 1, 2 and the strip 6 to form a sheath, with margins overlying margins of the strip 6 there being a wide gap 8 between the free edges of the cover strip 7 whereat part of the strip 6 is exposed, and the cover strip being secured in position by adhesive in any of the arrangements hereinbefore described and/or by stitches S.

FIG. 3 shows a further modification in which the elastic ribbons 1, 2 and the stretch-limiting strips 4, 5 are as in FIG. 1 and are disposed in a cover strip 7 of knitted interlock or other textile material. The cover strip 7 extends over one face of one of the strips for example, the strip 4 and it is of sufficient width to have margins folded over the opposite edges of the strips 4, 5 and the elastic ribbons 1, 2 from said one face to the other thereof with margins overlying margins margins of the other strip, such as the strip 5. There is a wide gap 8 between the free edges of the cover 7 whereat the strip 5 is exposed, and the cover strip 7 is secured in position by adhesive in any of the arrangements herein described and/or by stitches S.

FIG. 4 illustrates a similar construction to FIG. 2 but shows that there may be only one elastic ribbon 10 of a width which may be substantially equal to the combined widths of the elastic ribbons 1, 2, but which may be of any other desired width.

FIG. 5 shows that a cover strip 11 may be formed of a marginal edge of a garment 12 which provides a layer 11a covering the outer face of the stretch-limiting strip 4, a layer 11b which covers the outer face of the stretch-limiting strip 5, and a marginal part 11c which is folded around the lower edge of the elastic ribbon 2 and strips 4, 5 is secured by stitches S.

FIG. 6 shows that a single stretch-limiting strip 13 may be of sufficient width to be folded over the opposite edges of the elastic ribbons 1, 2 and to be adhered to the elastic ribbons on both faces thereof in any of the arrangements hereinbefore described. In this modification there is a gap 14 between the edges of the strip 13.

The modification of FIG. 7 is similar to that of FIG. 6 except that the marginal edges of a single stretch-limiting strip 16 overlap each other as at 17 and are secured together.

FIG. 8 shows a similar arrangement to FIG. 5 except that there are more than two, and in this instance four, elastic ribbons 18 to 21.

in a modification, FIG. 9, the cover 7 of knitted or woven fabric extends over one side of the ribbons 1, 2, and the marginal edges of the knitted or woven fabric are folded over outer edges of the elastic ribbon 1, 2 from one face to the other thereof. Said marginal edges are also sandwiched between the elastic ribbons 1, 2 on the one hand and the stretch-limiting strip 6 on the other hand.

A further modification, FIG. 10, is similar to FIG. 9 except that the marginal edges of the cover are sandwiched between a single wide elastic ribbon 10 and the stretch-limiting strip 6.

FIG. 11 illustrates an arrangement in which two elastic ribbons 1, 2 are sandwiched between stretch-limiting strips 4, 5 and a cover strip 7 of knitted or woven fabric extends over both faces thereof with its marginal edges overlapping.

In a modification of FIG. 5, shown in FIG. 12, the cover strip 11 is not folded to form a hem at its lower edge but the edge 11d is made neat, that is, finished off, with blanket stitching 11e.

In another modification of FIG. 5, shown in FIG. 13, the edge 11d of the cover strip 11 is hemmed as at 11f without being folded around the elastic ribbon 2 and strips 4, 5.

In a further modification of FIG. 5, shown in FIG. 14, the edge 11d of the cover strip 11 is left as a raw edge to which is attached a garment lining 22 for example by overlock stitching 11g.

In all the constructions hereinbefore particularly described and illustrated the stretch-limiting strip functions as a carrier or backing for the elastic ribbon, the resultant composite band being readily handled and incorporated in a garment.

An important advantage of the use of the bonded fibre or other stretch-limiting strip is that it is substantially unstretchable and when adhered to the elastic ribbon has a further function of limiting the extend to which the composite band can be stretched.

In the instance of two or more elastic ribbons they are kept by the stretch-limiting strip in correct alignment and in balanced tension.

The stretch-limiting strip also provides a desired degree of stiffening and balancing across the width of the band. The adhesive is at all times completely covered which avoids the possibility of parts undesirably sticking during layering, packaging and storing. Any chalk (which may be used as a lubricant) on the elastic is held within the composite band by the bonded fibre strip.

Other advantages are that at least the construction shown in FIG. 1 should be less expensive that other known forms of composite elastic band and also less expensive than woven elastic, e.g., for swimwear. In the instance of FIG. 3, stretching of the band should not change its width so that such a band should provide a minimum of bulk in a garment such as at the waist band.

It is intended that the constructions hereinbefore particularly described and illustrated shall be prefabricated and subsequently attached to a garment by rows of stitches indicated at S in, for example, FIGS. 3, 5 and 8.

For example the composite band may be introduced while folding a marginal edge of the garment over it and parts being secured together by one row or a plurality of rows of stitches. The ends of the band may be then stitched together so that the band forms a continuous ring. Alternatively, the ends of a suitable length of the band may first be stitched together to form a continuous ring, and the latter introduced into the garment as already described.

In any arrangement according to the invention there may be one, two or more of the elastic ribbons.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A composite elastic band, for use as a waistband of a garment, comprising in combination:

a core having a first width, composed of flat elastic ribbon material in a normally unstretched condition;

at least one strip having a second width, composed of flexible stretch-limiting non-woven material connected to said core in a normally compressed state, said second width being at least the size of said first width and said strip being normally flat throughout its width; and

connecting means for connecting said core to said strip, whereby said second width extends substantially throughout said first width.

2. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 1, said connecting means including an adhesive.

3. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 1, said connecting means including stitches.

4. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 1, said core including at least two ribbons of flat elastic material, disposed edge to edge with a gap between, them and said second width is sufficiently wide to accommodate both of said ribbons.

5. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strip material extends over both sides of the core.

6. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cover of a folded piece of fabric, and stitching securing the cover to said strip and said core whereby said band has said cover covering it.

7. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 6, further including a garment wherein said cover forms a marginal part of said garment and is disposed folded over the outer edges of the core and strip material.

8. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 1, further including a garment wherein said band is adapted to be secured to said garment by spaced longitudinally extending rows of stitches.

9. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 8, further comprising stitches extending through the core and the strip and through the garment.

10. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adhesive is disposed as transverse stripes thereof closely spaced longitudinally to the band.

11. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adhesive is disposed as longitudinal stripes closely spaced transversely to the band.

12. A composite elastic band, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adhesive is disposed as spaced areas.