Fabric/rail attachment process

Abstract

A channel which extends along a periphery of a panel member is initially provided on at least part of an inner wall thereof with a thin coating of a solid but tacky material which provides a high friction gripping surface. An edge portion of a fabric sheet, which covers a side face of the panel member, is engaged with the tacky coating and retained in the groove by a deformable retainer. The coating is preferably applied to an inner wall of the channel as a liquid, and is distributed over a greater area of the channel wall by an air nozzle which spreads out the material so that it not only extends lengthwise along the channel but also transversely over a significant width, thereby creating a significant contact area for gripping engagement with the edge portion of the fabric when the deformable retainer is inserted in the groove.

1 . A method of forming a panel structure having a flexible covering sheet secured thereto and extending exteriorly over one large side face thereof, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a set of elongate metal frame members each having a channel part extending longitudinally thereof and defining therein a longitudinally-extending groove having a mouth which opens sidewardly of the respective frame member, the channel-like part having an inner generally U-shaped wall surface which defines said groove;    adhering a thin layer of a pressure-sensitive type adhesive to an inner wall surface of said groove along the length thereof with said layer extending transverse of said groove over at least a portion of the transverse dimension of said inner surface, said layer defining thereon a tacky high-friction exposed surface;    securing the set of frame members together to define a generally rigid rectangular frame;    positioning a core structure across the open interior of the rectangular frame;    providing a large flexible covering sheet of a size somewhat greater than the size of the side face of the frame;    positioning the flexible covering sheet so that it extends across the side face of the frame and core structure but is free of fixed securement therewith, with edge portions of the covering sheet extending over the mouths of the grooves;    inserting the edge portions of the covering sheet into the respective grooves so that the edge portion of the covering sheet directly overlies the exposed surface of the coating layer; and    inserting an elongate but transversely deformable retaining element into the groove so that the deforming element is compressed between opposite sides of the groove and clampingly presses the edge portion of the fabric sheet against the coating layer to effect a secure gripping engagement therebetween.    
   
   
       2 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the coating material applied to the inside surface of the groove is applied to the outer leg of the channel part.  
   
   
       3 . A process according to  claim 1 , including the steps of applying a bead of the adhesive in liquid form to the inner surface of the channel part with the bead extending generally throughout the length of the groove, and then subjecting the bead to a stream of air discharged from a nozzle to effect fanning out of the adhesive to define a thin layer of greater width which coats the inner surface of the groove in the lengthwise direction thereof.  
   
   
       4 . A process according to  claim 3 , including the step of discharging the air toward the interior of the groove and generally transversely relative to the bead to effect fanning out of the adhesive material and rapid drying thereof as the material is spread out into a thin layer.  
   
   
       5 . A process according to  claim 4 , including the step of heating the discharged air.  
   
   
       6 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein the channel part defines generally opposed inner and outer legs which define the groove therebetween, and wherein the bead is applied to the outer leg in close proximity to the open mouth of the groove.  
   
   
       7 . A process according to  claim 6 , wherein the pressure-sensitive material is a water-based high-viscosity pressure-sensitive adhesive.  
   
   
       8 . A process according to  claim 1 , including the steps of initially roll-forming a thin flat sheet of steel so as to define an elongate profile having the cross section of the metal frame member, forming the coating in the channel part of the profile after the profile is discharged from a roll former; and 
 thereafter cutting the profile into desired lengths corresponding to the metal frame member.    
   
   
       9 . A panel structure constructed in accordance with the process of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       10 . A process for forming an upright wall panel assembly having a surrounding rigid frame defined by elongate metal edge rails extending lengthwise along the upper, lower and vertical edges thereof, each edge rail having a pair of generally parallel channel parts extending lengthwise thereof and defining retaining grooves which extend lengthwise of the respective edge rail and open sidewardly, and a pair of large flexible fabric sheets positioned to overlie opposite side faces of the panel member, each flexible fabric sheet having edge portions which respectively overlie and are retained within the respectively adjacent retaining grooves defined in the edge rails, comprising the steps of: 
 applying an elongate strip or bead of coating material onto an inner wall surface defining each said groove;    spreading the strip of material so that it defines a wide but thin layer which overlies at least a part of the inner wall surface of the groove and extends lengthwise thereof;    drying the thin layer of coating material so that it adheres to the wall of the groove and defines an exposed high-friction surface; and    thereafter inserting an edge portion of the fabric together with an elongated but transversely deformable retainer into the groove so that the retainer is transversely deformed between opposite sides of the groove and the retainer clampingly presses the edge portion of the fabric against the exposed high friction surface of the coating layer.    
   
   
       11 . A process according to  claim 10 , wherein the coating layer is applied to the outer side of the groove.  
   
   
       12 . A process according to  claim 10 , wherein the coating layer is applied to the edge rail and dried prior to the edge rail being assembled to the frame of the panel assembly.  
   
   
       13 . A process according to  claim 10 , wherein the coating material comprises a water-based pressure-sensitive adhesive, and wherein the coating material is initially applied interiorly of the groove as a small bead which extends lengthwise along the channel throughout substantially the entire length thereof, and the bead thereafter being transversely spread out to define the thin layer.  
   
   
       14 . The process according to  claim 10 , including subjecting the bead to a transversely oriented jet of discharged air for effecting transverse spreading out of the adhesive material.  
   
   
       15 . A process according to  claim 14 , wherein the discharged jet of air is heated to assist in drying of the material as it is spread out to define said thin layer.