GB2534219A

GB2534219A - Tape for a curtain pole

Info

Publication number: GB2534219A
Application number: GB1500836.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Royle John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-01-19
Filing date: 2015-01-19
Publication date: 2016-07-20
Also published as: GB201500836D0

Abstract

A curtain pole tape 10 for fixing to the exterior of an extendable curtain pole 2 where the tape is configured to attach to the outer surface of the pole lip 4 of the first end portion 2a that overlaps the end of the second end portion 2b in order to reduce the stepped profile that is formed by the lip and reduce the snagging or catching of the curtain pole rings 3 that may be caused by the lip when the curtains 1 are moved along the pole. The tape comprises a first layer (fig 3, 11) and a second layer (fig 3, 12). The second layer is attached to the first layer so that the first layer defines a first tape surface (fig 3, 13) and the second layer defines a second tape surface (fig 3, 14). The first layer surface is made of an adhesive material such as acrylic gel for attaching to the pole and the second layer is made from nylon to provide a low friction surface and reduce the friction between the curtain pole and the curtain pole rings. The tape is provided with a protective layer (fig 3, 15) which covers the first tape surface prior to use.

Description

TAPE FOR A CURTAIN POLE

The present invention relates to a tape for a curtain pole and particularly a tape which can be fixed to the exterior surface of an extendable curtain pole.

Curtain poles can be used to hang curtains over an opening such as a window or shower enclosure. Curtain poles comprise an elongate rod around which a number of curtain pole rings are mounted. The curtains are hung from the pole using the curtain rings. Figure 1 illustrates this schematically which shows a curtain 1 suspended from a curtain pole 2 via a plurality of curtain pole rings 3. As curtains are drawn, the curtain pole rings 3 slide along the curtain pole 2.

Curtain poles can be provided in standard or adjustable lengths, with the lengths being determined by the width of curtain to be hung and/or the opening to be covered.

Telescoping curtain poles are available which comprise a first and second telescoping portions 2a, 2b. The second portion 2b telescopes within the first portion 2a so that the length of the curtain pole 2 can be adjusted. This is particularly advantageous in Do-ItYourself (DIY) applications.

By the very nature of their construction, the first portion 2a and the second portion 2b will have slightly different diameters, and this gives rise to a particular disadvantage. As a consequence of the telescopic construction of the curtain pole 2, there is a lip 4 at the end of the first portion 2a where it overlaps the second portion 2b and presenting a stepped-profile. This lip 4 forms a discontinuity which can provide a barrier or obstruction to the curtain pole rings 3 so that they are vulnerable to snagging or catching against the lip 4 as they slide along the curtain pole 2 and over the discontinuity on the curtain pole 2 at the lip 4. In known telescoping curtain poles 2, the lip 4 has a depth of around 1.5mm.

To mitigate against this problem, when affixing the curtain pole, it is necessary to cut the 30 first and/or second portions 2a, 2b so that the lip 4 is located approximately centrally located along the curtain pole 2. In this way, when two curtains are hung from the curtain pole 2 the curtain pole rings do not encounter the lip 4 or do not need to move over the lip 4. This approach does not work, however, when only a single curtain is used.

In practice, however, many people do not do this as it is time consuming and complicated. 5 Once done, this is irreversible. As a consequence, the discontinuity 4 is often present at other points along the curtain pole 2 and presents an obstacle each time the curtain 1 is drawn.

Tapes are available to attach to an upper portion of the curtain pole along some or all of its length. The tape has an adhesive surface to adhere it to the curtain pole and a reduced friction surface along which the curtain pole rings can slide. This provides for an enhanced ability to draw the curtains by reducing the stickiness of the curtain pole rings against the curtain pole when drawing the curtains. However, the design of these known tapes does not appear to completely remedy the problem of snagging or catching against the discontinuity when telescoping curtain poles are used.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a tape for a curtain pole comprising a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer, the first layer defining a first tape surface configured for attachment to the outer surface of a curtain pole and the 20 second layer defining an second tape surface, the first layer comprising a resilient material.

The resilient material may have adhesive properties. Preferably, the adhesive material is an acrylic gel.

The second layer material may be nylon such as Nylon 66.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape for a curtain pole comprising a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer, the first layer defining a first tape surface configured for attachment to the outer surface of a curtain pole and the second layer defining an second tape surface, the first layer having a thickness that is the same or greater than the thickness of the second layer.

The first layer may be made of an adhesive material such as an acrylic gel. The first layer may be resilient.

The second layer comprises a material having a co-efficient of friction which is less than 0.3.

The second layer material may be nylon such as Nylon 66.

Thickness of the first layer may be 0.25mm or greater and preferably between 0.25mm and 1.75 mm and more preferably between 0.9mm and 1.1mm.

The thickness of the second layer may be 0 25mm or greater and preferably between 0.45mm and 0.75mm.

The thickness of the tape may be 0 5mm or greater, and preferably, 1mm or greater and more preferably between 0.5mm and 1.5mm, and even more preferably between 0.75 and 1.25mm.

The width of the tape may 5mm or greater and preferably between 10mm and 20mm.

The tape may include a protective layer.

As an alternative to Nylon66 for the first and second layer, other suitable materials could 25 be used, such as UHMW polyethylene.

According to third aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit of parts for a tape for a curtain pole, the kit comprising a first tape layer and a second tape layer, the second tape layer being attachable to the first layer, such that, when combined, the first layer defines a first tape surface configured for attachment to the outer surface of a curtain pole and the second layer defines a second tape surface, the first layer comprising a resilient material.

The invention has the advantage of providing a continuous surface with no discontinuity against which curtain rings may snag or catch. The resilience of the first layer combined with the low friction surface of the second tape surface presents a low resistance to shearing effect (as curtain pole rings are generally pulled at an angle when curtains are drawn), and provides a surface along which the curtain rings can slide without snagging or catching on any lip or discontinuity that prevents drawing of the curtain.

The tape is also durable as it is strong and absorbs vibration/pressure -both over the discontinuity/lip itself and along the curtain pole, which can flex as a user draws the 10 curtain along the curtain pole and applies a downwards force on the curtain pole.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a curtain pole of the prior art; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a tape for use with a curtain pole of the prior art illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-section of the tape of Figure 2 in the direction of the arrows in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a schematic cross-section of the tape of Figure 2 in the direction of the arrows IV-IV in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of the tape of Figure 2 in use on a curtain pole of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of the tape of Figure 1 when in use illustrating the 30 flexure of the tape in situ.

A curtain pole tape 10 comprises a first layer 11 and a second layer 12. The second layer 12 is attached to the first layer 11 so that the first layer defines a first tape surface 13 and the second layer 12 defines a second tape surface 14.

The first layer 11 is made of an adhesive material such as an acrylic gel. The second layer 12 is made from nylon.

The adhesive nature of the first layer 11 provides an adhesive first tape surface 13.

The first layer 11 and the second layer 12 both have the same width. In the embodiment described herein the width is 12mm. In an alternative, the first layer 11 and the second layer 12 could have varying widths with the second layer 12 being wider than the first layer 11.

The maximum width of the tape 10 is configured so that its visibility is less obvious when placed on a curtain pole 2.

The first layer 11 comprises an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive gel, for example such as that available commercially and sold as a tape under the trade mark VK196 High Bond Gel 20 Tape by Viking Industrial and Safety Supplies. The acrylic adhesive gel is transparent.

Pressure sensitive adhesives are well known and in the art are made from elastomers, such as acrylic, and incorporating a tackifier. As such, this need not be described in any further detail herein.

The second layer 12 comprises a nylon/polyamide material and in particular Nylon 66. Nylon 66 is a well-known material and is sold, for example, under the trade mark Vydene 66 from Ascend Performance Materials. Nylon 66 is a high strength, rigid and tough material. As an alternative, Ultra-high-molecular-weight (UTIMW) polyethylene can be used.

Nylon typically has a coefficient of static friction us of between 0.15 and 0.25. This is a relatively low value which means that it provides a low-friction surface along which objects can slide.

The second layer 12 is also opaque or transparent. Generally, the thinner the second, layer, the more transparent the second layer 12 will be.

The second layer 12 is attached to the first layer 11 by means of the adhesive properties of the first layer 11.

The curtain pole tape 10 is provided with a detachable protective layer 15 which covers the first tape surface 13 prior to use. The protective layer 14 can be made of any suitable plastics material and is used to protect the adhesive first tape surface 13 prior to the curtain pole tape's attachment to a curtain pole 2 as will be described in further detail below.

The first layer 11 has a thickness, ti, of 1mm and the second layer 12 has a thickness t2 of 0.5mm.

Other thicknesses of both the first layer 11 and the second layer 12 are possible.

Preferably, the first layer 11 has a thickness ti of 0.25mm or greater and the second layer a thickness t2 of 0.75mm or greater. The combined thickness t3 of the curtain pole tape 10 can be between 0.5mm and 1.5mm, and even more preferably between 0.75 and 1.25mm.

The width, w, of the curtain pole tape 10 is 5mm or greater and preferably lOmm or 25 greater, but less than 20mm In use, the protective layer 15 is removed and applied along the length of the curtain pole 2 at the region along which the curtain pole rings 3 will slide. In particular the curtain pole tape 10 runs over the lip 4 formed by the telescoping configuration of first portion 2a of the 30 curtain pole 2 where it overlaps the second portion 2b.

The curtain pole tape 10 is applied so that the first tape surface 13 is contacted to the curtain pole 2 by means of the first layer 11 which has adhesive properties and consequently sticks the curtain pole tape 10 to the curtain pole 2.

The second tape surface 14 is therefore presented so that the curtain pole rings 3 can slide along the curtain pole 2.

The presence of the curtain pole tape 10 along the curtain pole 2 provides a continuous surface along which the curtain pole rings 3 can slide. The provision of the first layer 11, 10 which is made of the acrylic gel is resilient and provides a cushioning effect over the discontinuity formed by the lip 4. This, in combination with the thickness of the curtain pole tape 10 further reduces the change in profile at the discontinuity thus contributing to the smoothness and continuity of the second tape surface 14. In situ, the curtain pole tape 10 flexes at the lip 4 to present a curved profile at the lip 4. This is illustrated in Figure 6. 15 The resilience of the first layer 11 serves to reduce over-flexing of the curtain pole tap 10 to the extent that the profile of the curtain pole tape 10 could become step-wise rather than curved. This maintains the curved profile.

This, combined with the low friction surface of the second tape surface 14, presents a low resistance to shearing effect (as curtain pole rings are generally pulled at an angle when curtains are drawn), and provides a surface along which the curtain rings 3 can slide without snagging or catching on any lip or discontinuity that prevents drawing of the curtain.

The flexibility and adhesiveness of the curtain pole tape 10 also adds to overall durability as it is strong and absorbs vibration/pressure -both over the discontinuityllip itself and along the curtain pole 2, which can flex as a user draws the curtain along the curtain pole 2 and applies a downwards force on the pole.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A tape for a curtain pole, the tape comprising a first layer and a second layer attached to the first layer, the first layer defining a first tape surface configured for attachment to the outer surface of a curtain pole and the second layer defining an second tape surface, the first layer comprising a resilient material.
2. A tape according to claim 1, wherein the resilient material is an adhesive material.
3. A tape according to claim 2, wherein the adhesive material is an acrylic gel.
4. A tape according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second layer material is nylon.
5. A tape according to claim 4, wherein the nylon is Nylon 66.
6. A tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the first layer is 0.25mm or greater.
7. A tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the second layer is 0.25mm or greater.
8. A tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the thickness of the tape is 0.5mm or greater.
9. A tape according to any preceding claim, wherein the width of the tape may 5mm or greater.
10. A kit of parts for a tape for a curtain pole, the kit comprising a first tape layer and a second tape layer, the second tape layer being attachable to the first layer, such that, when combined, the first layer defines a first tape surface configured for attachment to the outer surface of a curtain pole and the second layer defines a second tape surface, the first layer comprising a resilient material.