Patterned composite material

Claim 2

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sheet material is substantially unstretchable.

Claim 3

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rectangular elastic members are squares.

Claim 4

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of the square edges is substantially two inches in length.

Claim 5

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said strip members are secured by adhesive to said sheet material and spaced apart from each opposite in line strip member at an interval of substantially one inch.

Claim 6

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sheet material comprises several different layers of material.

Claim 7

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 7 wherein one of said layers of said sheet material is plastic.

Claim 8

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 8 wherein said plastic layer is vinyl.

Claim 9

A patterned composite material comprising a flexible sheet material, said sheet material being adapted to be gathered in at least one direction, at least three rectangularly shaped elastic strip members individually applied in a stretched condition so that only two opposing edges of each strip member are directionally moved from each other, with said stretched strip members being secured to said sheet material, said sheet material constituting the connecting means between said strip members, said strip members being so arranged on said sheet material that two strip members are positioned in line and spaced apart to form a space therebetween, at least one strip member being positioned a spaced distance to the side of the center axis of said two in line strip members substantially adjacent said space, said elastic strip members being constructed to return to substantially their original dimensions after being stretched, to carry said sheet material into a gathered configuration so that said plurality of elastic strip members forms a gathered composite pattern on said sheet material, said areas of said sheet material opposite said elastic strip members being gathered by the constrictive action of said plurality of elastic members with the adjacent areas to said elastic member secured areas being slightly depressed in relation to the plane of the areas opposite said elastic members.

Claim 10

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 10 wherein said space between said in line strip members is defined by the directly opposing edges of said two strip members.

Claim 11

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 11 wherein said directly opposing edges are substantially parallel.

Claim 12

A patterned composite material comprising a flexible sheet material, said sheet material being adapted to be gAthered in at least one direction, at least four rectangularly shaped elastic strip members individually applied and secured to said sheet material in a stretched condition in a spaced substantially parallel configuration, said sheet material constituting the sole connecting means between all of said strip members, two of said strip members being positioned in a substantially vertical line and spaced apart to form a space therebetween and the other two strip members being positioned in a substantially horizontal line and spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the center axis of said vertically lined strip members, said elastic strip members being constructed to return to substantially their original dimensions after being stretched to carry said sheet material into a gathered configuration so that said plurality of elastic strip members forms a gathered composite pattern on said sheet material, said areas of said sheet material opposite said elastic strip members being gathered by the constrictive action of said plurality of elastic members with the adjacent areas to said elastic member secured areas being slightly depressed in relation to the plane of the areas opposite said elastic members.

Claim 13

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 13 wherein said two other horizontally positioned strip members are placed to the side of said vertical lined strip members so that the outer edge of said vertical in line strip members is substantially parallel with the inner edge of said horizontally positioned strip members.

Claim 14

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 13 wherein said strip members form a substantially cross-shape configuration.

Claim 15

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 13 wherein said two other horizontally positioned strip members are placed away from the center axis of said vertically lined strip members so that the inner edges of said horizontally positioned strip members falls within the space formed by the outer edges of said vertical in line strip members.

Claim 16

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 16 wherein each of said strip members engages at least an edge of two other strip members.

Claim 17

A patterned composite material as claimed in claim 13 wherein said other two strip members are equally spaced apart from the center axis of said vertically lined strip members.