Fabric for use as a lining material

Abstract

A fabric for use as a lining material woven from warp and weft strands contains at least one segment in which all the warp strands are woven together, and at least one other segment in which the warp strands are divided into groups and woven separately. If the divided segment of the fabric is both preceded and followed by a unified section, the divided section intrinsically forms a transversal channel in the fabric. This fabric is well suited for use as a window covering. Window coverings often require transversal stiffening members to ensure that the fabric folds correctly upon opening and closing. Stiffeners can be inserted into the channels formed during the weaving process, without any additional processing of the fabric.

1 . A fabric for use as a lining material, wherein said fabric is woven from warp and weft strands, comprising:
 at least one regular section in which the warp strands are woven together; and,   at least one pocket section in which the warp strands are divided into at least two groups, wherein each group of warp strands is woven separately.   
   
   
       2 . A fabric for use as a lining material according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one stiffener located within said pocket section.   
   
   
       3 . A fabric for use as a lining material according to  claim 1 , in use as a lining material. 
   
   
       4 . A fabric according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one loop woven on said pocket section, and having drawstrings associated with said loops.   
   
   
       5 . A fabric for use as a lining material according to  claim 2 , wherein said stiffener is removably located within said pocket section. 
   
   
       6 . The woven fabric of  claim 1 , wherein;
 at least one closed shape defined by stitching on one layer of said pocket section, such that said closed shape is cuttable without degrading the integrity of said fabric.   
   
   
       7 . A woven fabric according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 more than one closed shape defined by stitching on at least one layer of said pocket section, wherein said closed shapes are operable to provide places of insertion of stiffeners into said pocket section.   
   
   
       8 . A woven fabric according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 more than one stiffener, insertable into said pocket through openings cut in said closed shapes.   
   
   
       9 . A woven fabric according to  claim 8 , the fabric being bendable at least one of the intersections between adjacent stiffeners. 
   
   
       10 . A woven fabric according to  claim 9 , in use as a window covering. 
   
   
       11 . A woven fabric according to  claim 7 , having two lengthwise edges, and wherein said pocket is sealed on both lengthwise edges of the woven fabric. 
   
   
       12 . The woven fabric of  claim 1 , comprising at least one stiffening member attached thereto by hook and loop fastener, the fastener having a first element associated with said fabric and a second element associated with said stiffening member. 
   
   
       13 . A method of forming a lining material, comprising the steps of:
 weaving a fabric from warp and weft strands;   separating a segment of the warp into at least two groups of warp strands;   continuing the fabric by weaving each group of warp strands separately for a predetermined length;   recombining the groups of warp strands into a single warp; and,   continuing to weave the fabric, thereby forming a pocket in said fabric.   
   
   
       14 . A method of forming a stiffened fabric, comprising the steps of:
 aligning a stiffening member, which stiffening member has a hook and loop fastener element thereon, across a fabric, which fabric has at least one segment of a second side of a hook and loop fastener element thereon; and,   pressing the stiffening member to the fabric so that the hook and loop fasteners adhere, thereby attaching the stiffening member to the fabric.