Article including segment which is elastically shirrable after manufacture

An article including at least one segment which is capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length by mechanical manipulation of a predetermined portion thereof, said predetermined mechanically manipulatable portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to mechanical manipulation is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment in said article being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in fixed relation to a pair of rigidifying members located on opposed surfaces of said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member prior to mechanical manipulation of said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment of said article, said segment of said article being elastically shirrable by mechanically manipulating said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment until movement of said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member relative to one another is effected in the area comprising said composite structure, said relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member being sufficient to release the tensile forces in the mechanically manipulated portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

An unrestrained article including at least one segment which will automatically elastically shirr without external heating along a predetermined portion of its length subsequent to the manufacture of said article, said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to and during manufacture of said article is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment in said article being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in substantially fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member at least until the manufacture of said article has been completed, said segment of said article being automatically elastically shirred by self-induced relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member at a rate response to the coming into play of inherent physical characteristics for which the elastomeric and rigidifying member components of the composite were considered and deliberately selected, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

An article inlcuding at least one segment which will automatically elastically shirr without external heating along a predetermined portion of its length subsequent to the manufacture of said article, said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to and during manufacture of said article is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment in said article being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in substantially fixed relation along its length to at least one rigidifying member comprising a layer of pliable, pressure sensitive tape, said tape having a pressure sensitive adhesive which will creep when subjected to stress, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member forming a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member at least until the manufacture of said article has been completed, said segment of said article being automatically elastically shirred by self-induced relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member at a rate responsive to the coming into play of inherent physical characteristics for which the elastomeric and rigidifying member components of the composite were considered and deliberately selected, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

An unrestrained elastically shirrable segment for attachment to an article to be elastically shirred subsequent to manufacture of said article, said segment being capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length by mechanical manipulation of a predetermined portion thereof, said predetermined mechanically manipulatable portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to mechanical manipulation is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirable segment being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member prior to mechanical manipulation of said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment, said segment having the capability of being elastically shirred after said segment is attached to said article by mechanically manipulating said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment until movement of said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member relative to one another is effected in the area comprising said composite structure, said relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member being sufficient to release the tensile forces in the mechanically manipulated portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

An elastically shirrable segment for attachment to an article to be elastically shirred, said segment being capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length by mechanical manipulation of a predetermined portion thereof, said predetermined mechanically manipulatable portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to mechanical manipulation is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in fixed relation to a pair of rigidifying members located on opposed surfaces of said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member prior to mechanical manipulation of said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment, said segment having the capability of being elastically shirred after said segment is attached to said article by mechanically manipulating said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment until movement of said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying members relative to one another is effected in the area comprising said composite structure, said relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying members being sufficient to release the tensile forces in the mechanically manipulated portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying members in the area comprising said composite structure.

An unrestrained elastically shirrable segment for attachment to an article to be elastically shirred subsequent to the manufacture of said article, said segment exhibiting an ability to automatically elastically shirr without external heating along a predetermined portion of its length subsequent to its attachment to said article, said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to and during manufacture of said article is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in substantially fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member at least until the attachment of said segment to said article has been completed, said segment being automatically elastically shirrable by self-induced relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member at a rate responsive to the coming into play of inherent physical characteristics for which the elastomeric and rigidifying member components of the composite were considered and deliberately selected, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

An elastically shirrable segment for attachment to an article to be elastically shirred, said segment exhibiting an ability to automatically elastically shirr without external heating along a predetermined portion of its length subsequent to its attachment to said article, said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to and during manufacture of said article is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in substantially fixed relation along its length to at least one rigidifying member comprising a layer of pliable, pressure sensitive tape said tape having a pressure sensitive adhesive which will creep when subjected to stress, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member forming a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member at least until the attachment of said segment to said article has been completed, said segment being automatically elastically shirred by self-induced relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member at a rate responsive to the coming into play of inherent physical characteristics for which the elastomeric and rigidifying member components of the composite were considered and deliberately selected, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

A method for making an article including an elasticizable segment which can be elasticized subsequent to the manufacture of said article, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) subjecting an elastomeric member to tension in at least one direction;
• (b) securing said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member until subjecting said composite to mechanical manipulation;
• and
• (c) securing said composite structure while it is in a substantially untensioned condition to the portion of said article to be elasticized so that the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member are aligned in the desired direction of article shirring, whereby upon mechanical manipulation of said composite structure said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member will undergo movement relative to one another in the area comprising said composite structure, said relative movement being sufficient to release the tensile forces in at least a portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of article shirring will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

A method for elasticizing a predetermined portion of an article subsequent to the manufacture of said article, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) subjecting an elastomeric member to tension in at least one direction;
• (b) securing said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member;
• (c) securing said composite structure while it is in a substantially untensioned condition to the portion of said article to be elasticized so that the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member are aligned in the desired direction of article shirring;
• and
• (d) causing said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member to undergo movement relative to one another in the area comprising said composite structure subsequent to the manufacture of said article either by mechanically manipulating said composite structure or permitting to come into play without external heating the inherent physical characteristics for which said elastomeric and rigidifying members were considered and deliberately selected as composite components, said relative movement being sufficient to release the tensile forces in at least a portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of article shirring will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

An article including at least one segment which is capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length by mechanical manipulation of a predetermined portion thereof, said predetermined mechanically manipulatable portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to mechanical manipulation is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member having at least one irregular surface, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment in said article being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member which also exhibits at least one irregular surface, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member being so oriented that said irregular surface on said elastomeric member and said irregular surface on said rigidifying member engage one another to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member until movement of said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member relative to one another is effected by mechanical manipulation of said composite structure, said relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member being sufficient to release the tensile forces in the mechanically manipulated portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

An elastically shirrable segment for attachment to an article to be elastically shirred, said segment being capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length by mechanical manipulation of a predetermined portion thereof, said predetermined mechanically manipulatable portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to mechanical manipulation is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member having at least one irregular surface the opposed ends of said shirrable segment being interconnected to one another through said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member being secured in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member which also exhibits at least one irregular surface, said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member being so oriented that said irregular surface on said elastomeric member and said irregular surface on said rigidifying member engage one another to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member prior to mechanical manipulation of said portion of said shirrable segment, said segment having the capability of being elastically shirred after said segment is attached to said article by mechanically manipulating said portion of said shirrable segment until movement of said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member relative to one another is effected in the area comprising said composite structure, said relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member being sufficient to release the tensile forces in the mechanically manipulated portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of shirring of said segment will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

An article including at least one segment which is capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length by mechanically acting upon a predetermined portion thereof, said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to being mechanically acted upon is maintained in a longitudinally extended condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment in said article being interconnected to one another through said longitudinally extended elastomeric member, said longitudinally extended elastomeric member being secured in fixed relation to an encapsulating restraint member while said elastomeric member is in a prestretched and tensioned condition, said encapsulating restraint member being strong enough to maintain said longitudinally extended elastomeric member in a state of compression sufficient to prevent said longitudinally extended elastomeric member from expanding in any direction perpendicular to the desired direction of shirring until said segment of said article is mechanically acted upon by rupturing said encapsulating restraint member along said predetermined portion of said segment to effect release of the compressive force acting upon said longitudinally extended elastomeric member, thereby simultaneously restoring and releasing the tensile forces in that portion of the longitudinally extended elastomeric member which has been freed of restraint and effecting a degree of shirring of said segment of said article along the length of said longitudinally extended elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which said encapsulating restraint member is ruptured along the length of said segment.

An elastically shirrable segment for attachment to an article to be elastically shirred, said segment being capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length by mechanically acting upon a predetermined portion thereof said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment comprising an elastomeric member which prior to being mechanically acted upon is maintained in a longitudinally extended condition in the desired direction of shirring, the opposed ends of said shirrable segment being interconnected to one another through said longitudinally extended elastomeric member, said longitudinally extended elastomeric member being secured in fixed relation to an encapsulating restraint member while said elastomeric member is in a prestretched and tensioned condition, said encapsulating restraint member being strong enough to maintain said longitudinally extended elastomeric member in a state of compression sufficient to prevent said longitudinally extended elastomeric member from expanding in any direction perpendicular to the desired direction of shirring until said segment is mechanically acted upon by rupturing said encapsulating restraint member along said predetermined portion of said shirrable segment to effect release of the compressive force acting upon said longitudinally extended elastomeric member, thereby simultaneously restoring and releasing the tensile forces in that portion of the longitudinally extended elastomeric member which has been freed of restraint and effecting a degree of shirring of said segment along the length of said longitudinally extended elastomeric member, said degree of segment shirring being proportional to the extent to which said encapsulating restraint member is ruptured along the length of said segment.

A method for making an elastically shirrable segment for attachment to an article to be elasticized, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) subjecting an elastomeric member to tension in at least one direction, said tensioned elastomeric member exhibiting at least one irregular surface;
• and
• (b) securing said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member which also exhibits at least one irregular surface by engaging said irregular surface on said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said irregular surface on said rigidifying member with one another to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member until subjecting said composite to mechanical manipulation, but which when mechanically manipulated will permit said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member to undergo movement relative to one another in the area comprising said composite structure, said relative movement being sufficient to release the tensile forces in at least a portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of segment shirring will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

A method for making an article including an elasticizable segment, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) subjecting an elastomeric member to tension in at least one direction, said tensioned elastomeric member exhibiting at least one irregular surface;
• (b) securing said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member which also exhibits at least one irregular surface by engaging said irregular surface on said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said irregular surface on said rigidifying member with one another to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member until subjecting said composite to mechanical manipulation;
• and
• (c) securing said composite structure while it is in a substantially untensioned condition to the portion of said article to be elasticized so that the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member are aligned in the desired direction of article shirring, whereby upon mechanical manipulation of said composite structure said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member will undergo movement relative to one another in the area comprising said composite structure, said relative movement being sufficient to release the tensile forces in at least a portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of article shirring will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.

A method for elasticizing a predetermined portion of an article, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) subjecting an elastomeric member to tension in at least one direction, said tensioned elastomeric member exhibiting at least one irregular surface;
• (b) securing said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member in fixed relation to at least one rigidifying member which also exhibits at least one irregular surface by engaging said irregular surface on said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said irregular surfacee on said rigidifying member with one another to form a composite structure which is strong enough to resist collapse in a direction parallel to the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member until subjecting said composite to mechanical manipulation;
• (c) securing said composite structure while it is in a substantially untensioned condition to the portion of said article to be elasticized so that the tensile forces acting upon said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member are aligned in the desired direction of article shirring;
• and
• (d) subjecting said composite structure to mechanical manipulation to disengage said irregular surface on said tensioned elastomeric member from said irregular surface on said rigidifying member, thereby causing said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member to undergo movement relative to one another in the area comprising said composite structure, said relative movement being sufficient to release the tensile forces in at least a portion of said composite structure, whereby a degree of article shirring will occur in the direction of prestretching of said elastomeric member, said degree of shirring being proportional to the extent to which there is relative movement between said prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member and said rigidifying member in the area comprising said composite structure.