Textile product

Abstract

A textile product (1) comprising individual elements (4) interconnected by a textile technique, characterized in that the interconnected individual elements (4) hold at least one decorative or functional element (2, 2, 2, 12, 12, 22) between each other, e.g. by braiding in or braiding around.

Claims

1. A textile product comprising individual elements which are interconnected by a textile technique consisting of braiding to form a cord-shaped structure, wherein the interconnected individual elements retain at least one length measuring element between them, by directly integrating the at least one length measuring element into the textile product such that the individual elements within the braided structure surround the length measuring element, said at least one length measuring element comprising a body defining an outer surface, wherein the individual elements are tensioned in the textile product so that said individual elements firmly lie against the outer surface of the body, wherein the at least one length measuring element has at least one depression, recess or thinned portion for receiving the individual elements, wherein the at least one length measuring element has areas outside the depression, recess or thinned portion that are exposed between the individual elements, and wherein the at least one length measuring element is a detectable magnet.

2. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet is held between more than two interconnected individual elements.

3. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the individual elements enclose the at least one magnet in basket-like or fan-like manner by fanning-out the individual elements compared to the otherwise straight structure of the textile product.

4. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the depression, recess or thinned portion comprises at least one continuous peripheral notch.

5. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet has the shape of a sphere with projections, said projections having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the sphere, said projections delimiting receiving recesses for the individual elements.

6. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet is star-shaped.

7. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet has a projection with a bore.

8. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet constitutes a weight element, that causes the textile product to hang down tautly.

9. A textile product according to claim 1, further comprising at least one functional element formed by a luminescent element.

10. A textile product according to claim 9, wherein at least one electrically conductive wire is incorporated in the textile product, which wire is connected to the luminescent element.

11. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the individual elements are selected from the group consisting of twines, yarns, monofilaments, braided strings, and strips.

12. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said individual elements is formed of a monofilament.

13. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said individual elements is formed of a multifilament.

14. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said individual elements is formed of staple fibres.

15. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said individual elements is formed of fibre glass material.

16. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said individual elements is selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester and polyethylene terephthalate.

17. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said individual elements is made of a phosphorescent or of a fluorescent fibrous material.

18. A textile product according to claim 1, a shape of the individual elements is fixed by one of a binder, resin, or thermoplastic or by thermal fixation of thermoplastic individual elements.

19. A textile product according to claim 17, wherein at least one of said individual elements is impregnated with a binder.

20. A textile product according to claim 17, wherein at least one of said individual elements comprises a thermobonding fibre.

21. A woven fabric comprising at least one cord-shaped braided structure according to claim 1.

22. A knitting comprising at least one cord-shaped braided structure according to claim 1.

23. A knotted product comprising at least one cord-shaped braided structure according to claim 1.

24. A crocheted product comprising at least one cord-shaped braided structure according to claim 1.

25. A textile product according to claim 1, wherein the individual elements constitute a strip-shaped product.

26. A textile product comprising individual elements which are interconnected by a textile technique, to form a braided linear structure, wherein the interconnected individual elements retain at least one magnet between them, by directly integrating the at least one magnet into the textile product such that the magnet is surrounded by the braided linear structure, said at least one magnet comprising a body defining an outer surface, wherein the individual elements are tensioned in the textile product so that said individual elements firmly lie against the outer surface of the body, wherein the at least one magnet has a centrally located thinned portion for receiving the individual elements, wherein the at least one magnet is dumb-bell-shaped or stick-shaped, and wherein the at least one magnet is exposed between the individual elements.

Description

(1) The invention will now be described in more detail by way of preferred exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings without, however, being restricted to these embodiments. Therein:

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 show sections of braided structures in the form of cords or strings comprising similar, e.g. dumb-bell-shaped glass stones which, however, have been braided in at various distances from each other as well as once axis-parallel (FIG. 1) and once with axes rotated relative to each other (FIG. 2);

(3) FIG. 3 shows a different, string-shaped braided structure, this time with differing decorative glass stone elements;

(4) FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a braided cord with oval decorative stones which are braided in or held between the basket-like, fanned-out individual elements, enclosed by the latter on all sides;

(5) FIGS. 5 and 6 show parts of two planar braided structures;

(6) FIG. 7 schematically shows an intersection in a braided structure, wherein two individual elements intersect with two other individual elements;

(7) FIGS. 8 and 9 show two further textile products, i.e. in the form of a woven fabric (FIG. 8) or of a knitting (FIG. 9), with decorative or functional elements incorporated therein;

(8) FIGS. 10A and 10B show a cord-shaped braided structure with a spherical decorative or functional element serving as a weight in a sectional representation and a partial view, respectively;

(9) FIGS. 11A and 11B show a decorative or functional element in a star-shaped embodiment in comparative illustrations;

(10) FIGS. 12A and 12B show a star-shaped decorative or functional element as a further development of the embodiment according to FIGS. 11A and 11B with an elongated projection in which a bore is provided for attachment to a shaft; and

(11) FIG. 13 schematically shows a braided cord structure with a luminescent element provided as decorative or functional element braided thereinto.

(12) In FIG. 1, a braided structure 1 in the form of a braided cord, string or rope is shown as textile product 1, wherein decorative elements 2, e.g. in the form of elongate glass stones having a central, continuous thinned portion, taper or depression 3 are braided in at comparatively short distances from each other at intersections between the individual elements 4 of the braided structure 1. Here, the individual elements 4 nest in the circumferentially continuously extending depression 3, and due to the tension applied during braiding, the individual elements 3 safely and tightly retain the decorative elements 2 within the braided structure 1.

(13) According to FIG. 1, substantially alike decorative elements 2 are braided into the braided structure 1, and also the distances of the decorative elements 2 from each other are equal or regular, respectively. Moreover, the decorative glass stone elements 2 which, due to their dumb-bell shape are elongate and stick-shaped, have main axes which, in the embodiment according to FIG. 1 in the braided-in state of the decorative elements 2, when the linear braided structure 1 is laid out, extend in parallel to each other.

(14) In FIG. 2, a similar textile product 1, i.e. a braided structure 1 in the form of a cord or string is shown, in which, again, decorative glass stone elements 2 are fixed between individual elements 4 of the braided structure 1 by braiding them thereinto. The decorative glass stone elements 2 are designed similar to those according to FIG. 1, yet now they are in the relaxed state of the braided structure 1, e.g. when the latter is arranged hanging, with their main axes rotated relative to each other. Moreover, compared to FIG. 1, the distances between the decorative elements 2 are larger; the distances may also be variable.

(15) In the braided structure 1 which is illustrated in FIG. 3 and which, again, is string, rope or cord-shaped, larger and smaller decorative glass stone elements 2, 2 are alternately braided in, this being in a manner as basically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The decorative elements 2, 2 are designed as double cones or double pyramids having a central, thinner connecting region as thinned portion or as continuously extending peripheral notch or groove 3, so that the individual elements 4 can snugly nest in this notch, groove or depression 4, thereby securely retaining the decorative elements 2, 2. The decorative elements 2, 2 do not only differ in size, but also in colour, as has been indicated by dotting the decorative elements 2.

(16) In FIG. 4, a further cord, string or rope-shaped braided structure 1 is shown as the textile product 1, in which the individual elements 4 are fanned out at the site of the decorative glass stone elements 2 so that they enclose the substantially egg-shaped or spherical decorative glass stone elements 2 in basket-like or fan-like manner. Also in this way, the decorative elements 2 can be tightly retained in the braided structure 1. Here, the individual elements 4 may also be laid into generally longitudinally extending notches 3 of the decorative elements 2 so as to increase the hold thereof.

(17) The previously described decorative elements 2, 2, 2 may also have certain functions, such as the function of a weight, for loading the textile products 1, in which they are arranged, so as to cause these textile products 1 to hang down tautly, e.g. in the case of showroom decorations. These weight-elements may nevertheless also have a decorative function. Instead of decorative glass stone elements or the like, it is also conceivable to retain decorative or functional elements 2, 2, 2 or a magnetic material in the above-described manner in the textile products 1 or braided structures 1, respectively, by positive locking. Here it may suffice to mount such magnetic elements at relatively large distances in cords, strings or ropes 1 in order to detect the distances between these magnetic elements 2, 2, 2 by means of electromagnetic measuring or detecting devices, respectively, and to thereby detect any total lengths, or also changes in length.

(18) The above-described decorative or functional elements 2, 2, 2 may also be shaped such that, in case a coating is applied to or sprayed around afor instance linearbraided structure 1, they will cause an improved adhesion of this sprayed-around material or coating on said product 1, or 1, respectively, if the adhesion on the individual (rope) elements 4 otherwise maybe were insufficient.

(19) The individual elements 4 may consist of multifilaments, monofilaments, staple fibres, e.g. of polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyester, in particular polyethylene terephthalate (PES), of fibre mixtures, or also of fibre glass, or of phosphorescent fibre material. It is also possible to use thermobonding fibres, fibres impregnated with a binder or thermoplastic fibres so as to enable a subsequent curing or shaping of the respective braided structure.

(20) Instead of being rope-shaped, the braided structure 1 may also be tubular, e.g., as is known per se, by braiding around a cylindrical or conical core (not shown), the decorative parts 2 being braided in at the desired points of intersection. Subsequently, the core is peeled out, so that the tubular braided structure is obtained.

(21) Such a tubular braided structure 1 may subsequently also be cut open, whereby a planar structure or strip is obtained.

(22) In FIG. 5, such a planar textile product 1 in the form of a braided biaxial structure, and in FIG. 6 in the form of a braided triaxial structure 1 is shown by way of example.

(23) Furthermore, FIG. 7 quite generally shows the insertion of a decorative or functional element 2 at a point of intersection 5 of, e.g., two individual elements 4a, 4b, with two other individual elements 4c, 4d. The entwined individual elements 4 may as such extend under arbitrary angles and may also intersect in arbitrary numbers, wherein, e.g. instead of an intersection between two/two individual elements 4, as shown in FIG. 7, also intersections between two/one single element or between one/one single element etc. are conceivable.

(24) From FIG. 5 it can furthermore be seen that the individual elements may also differ from each other, wherein in FIG. 5 differently wide strip-shaped individual elements 4 and 4 are shown.

(25) In FIGS. 8 and 9, yet other textile products 1 are shown in which, between the individual elements 4, likewise decorative or functional elements 2 are clampingly retained (by positive locking), e.g. in the region of thinned portions or the like as has been shown in FIGS. 1-4 at 3. In detail, FIG. 8 shows a woven fabric as the textile product 1, whereas FIG. 9 shows a knitting as the textile product 1.

(26) In FIGS. 10A and 10B, a linear textile product 1, e.g. in the form of a braided string or cord, or of a braided rope, respectively, is shown in a schematic cross section and in a partial view, respectively, wherein a decorative or functional element 12 in the form of a sphere is shown which is provided with thorn-type projections 13, at least along its equator. These thorn-type projections 13 delimit recesses 3 between them, in which recesses the individual elements 4 of the textile product 1 are received and retained. In this manner, more or less a connection by positive locking is ensured between the individual elements 4 and these spherical decorative or functional elements 12, positive locking in the longitudinal direction also being obtained by the fact that the individual elements 4 are arcuately braided around the thorn-type projections 13.

(27) Similar arguments hold also for the star-shaped decorative or functional elements 12, as is shown by way of example in FIGS. 11A and 11B, in views similar to those of FIGS. 10A and 10B. In this embodiment, the star-shaped decorative or functional elements 12 have spike-shaped projections 13 between which again the individual elements 4, e.g. of a braided cord, string, or of a braided rope are inserted as the textile product 1 during said braiding therearound.

(28) In FIGS. 12A and 12B a modification of the star-shaped decorative or functional element is shown. This decorative or functional element 12 according to FIGS. 12A, 12B has an elongated projection 13 which is provided with a bore 14 that may serve for attachment of the braided rope etc. to a shaft.

(29) Finally, in FIG. 13 an embodiment is shown in which luminescent elements 22 are fixed as decorative or functional elements in the textile product 1, e.g. in the form of a braided string 1 or the like. In order to supply LEDs, e.g., which are provided in these luminescent elements 22, with an electric current, an electrically conductive wire 15 may be incorporated in the textile product 1, which wire may, e.g., emerge from the ends of the textile product 1 and be connected to a current source not further illustrated. Alternatively, the luminescent elements 22 may also be provided with separate battery elements (not shown).