Fabric for use in a piece of furniture

Abstract

A piece of furniture with a seating area or recumbent area, includes a body support made of a fabric which is inherently rigid at least in one dimension.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A piece of furniture with a seating area or recumbent area, comprising a body support made of a fabric which is inherently rigid at least in one dimension.  
     
     
         2 . The piece of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric has weft members and warp members.  
     
     
         3 . The piece of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein the weft members are inherently rigid.  
     
     
         4 . The piece of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the weft members and warp members is of single-piece configuration.  
     
     
         5 . The piece of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein the weft members are monofilaments.  
     
     
         6 . The piece of furniture of  claim 5 , wherein the weft members are made of one of a rod and wire.  
     
     
         7 . The piece of furniture of  claim 5 , wherein the monofilaments have a strength of at least 0.5 mm.  
     
     
         8 . The piece of furniture of  claim 7 , wherein the monofilaments have a strength of at least 1 mm.  
     
     
         9 . The piece of furniture of  claim 7 , wherein the monofilaments have a strength of at least 3 mm.  
     
     
         10 . The piece of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein the warp members are flexible.  
     
     
         11 . The piece of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein the warp members include several filaments.  
     
     
         12 . The piece of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein the warp members are made of a rope.  
     
     
         13 . The piece of furniture of  claim 2 , and further comprising a frame for carrying the body support, wherein the fabric is secured to the frame by warp members.  
     
     
         14 . The piece of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein the warp members and the weft members are inherently rigid.  
     
     
         15 . The piece of furniture of  claim 14 , wherein the warp members and the weft members are monofilaments.  
     
     
         16 . The piece of furniture of  claim 15 , wherein the monofilaments have a strength of greater than 0.5 mm.  
     
     
         17 . The piece of furniture of  claim 16 , wherein the monofilaments have a strength of greater than 1 mm.  
     
     
         18 . The piece of furniture of  claim 16 , wherein the monofilaments have a strength of greater than 3 mm.  
     
     
         19 . The piece of furniture of  claim 15 , wherein the fabric defines a fabric area, wherein the fabric is bent in one dimension perpendicular to the fabric area and connected with itself by inherent tension.  
     
     
         20 . The piece of furniture of  claim 19 , wherein the fabric is interconnected by a process selected from the group consisting of racking and spot-welding.  
     
     
         21 . The piece of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric includes loops.  
     
     
         22 . The piece of furniture of  claim 21 , wherein the fabric has warp members and weft members in the form of inherently rigid filaments, wherein the loops have a width, wherein a ratio of the width of the loops to a strength of the filaments is greater than 1:1.  
     
     
         23 . The piece of furniture of  claim 22 , wherein the ratio is greater than 1:3.  
     
     
         24 . The piece of furniture of  claim 22 , wherein the ratio is greater than 1:4.  
     
     
         25 . The piece of furniture of  claim 22 , wherein the ratio is defined in warp direction.  
     
     
         26 . The piece of furniture of  claim 1 , and further comprising an edge protection to protect edges of the fabric.  
     
     
         27 . The piece of furniture of  claim 26 , wherein the fabric has weft members in the form of rods or wires, with free ends of the weft members being deburred through a process selected from the group consisting of welding and cutting.  
     
     
         28 . The piece of furniture of  claim 27 , wherein the free ends of the weft members are ground or polished.  
     
     
         29 . The piece of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric includes metallic components.  
     
     
         30 . The piece of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric includes warp members having metallic components.  
     
     
         31 . The piece of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric has components of plastic material.  
     
     
         32 . The piece of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric includes warp members having components of plastic material.  
     
     
         33 . The piece of furniture of  claim 31 , wherein the components include polyester monofilaments or plastic-wrapped components.