This application claims priority from Canada Patent Application No. 3145946, filed Jan. 18, 2022, entitled ADJUSTABLE VALANCE SYSTEM, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This application relates generally to window treatments, and more particularly to adjustable and re-mountable valances.
High quality window treatments are usually custom made. A window treatment may include a valance to hide the curtain or blind hardware for a professional and well decorated look. Traditional valances involve fabric stapled to a custom wooden headrail and can involve elaborate systems to create different styles. The conventional method typically requires the valance to be attached to the headrail in a permanent fashion. Once installed the valances are not easily modified, and due to the high cost of conventional equipment, valances are often passed over by otherwise interested users. There is a need for a simple and inexpensive valance system that can be easily adjusted, removed, re-mounted and updated as desired.
There is provided an adjustable valance system having an elongated telescoping headrail comprising two extending sections, the two extending sections being telescopically movable relative to each other, the headrail comprising mounts to mount the headrail to a supporting structure and clips configured to attach to a window treatment and to removably engage with the headrail.
There is also provided a clip for removably attaching to a valance headrail, the clip having two parallel faces and a connector extending between the two parallel faces.
In various embodiments, there may be included any one or more of the following features: the telescoping headrail further comprises an inner section and the two extending sections further comprise two outer sections, and the inner section slidably engages with the two outer sections; the clips have two parallel faces and engage with the headrail by sliding into slots on a front surface of the headrail so one of the parallel faces is in front of the front surface and the other parallel face is behind the front surface; the slots are spaced 2 inches apart; the slots are positioned along the top of the front surface; the clips are sewn into the window treatment; the clips are ironed onto the window treatment; the mounts further comprising brackets slidably and removably attached to the headrail; a pulley system attached to the telescoping headrail for attaching to a blind; a motor configured to raise and lower a blind; the connector being generally perpendicular to the two parallel faces.
There is also provided a method of installing an adjustable valance: providing an adjustable valance, the adjustable valance comprising an elongated telescoping headrail comprising two extending sections, the two extending sections being telescopically movable relative to each other and each of the two extending sections comprising mounts to mount the headrail to a supporting structure, adjusting the two extending sections based on the size of window for receiving a window treatment, mounting the adjustable valance to the supporting structure above the window using the mounts, connecting clips to the window treatment, and attaching the clips to the headrail to connect the window treatment to the headrail.
In various embodiments, there may be included any one or more of the following features: removing the clips from the headrail, removing the adjustable valance from the supporting structure, adjusting the size of the adjustable valance by adjusting a telescopic position of the two extending sections relative to each other in order to fit a differently-sized window, and mounting the adjustable valance to a supporting structure above the differently-sized window; attaching the clips to the headrail to connect the window treatment to the headrail; providing a differently-sized window treatment for the differently-sized window and connecting the clips or other clips to the differently-sized window treatment, and attaching the clips or other clips to the headrail to connect the differently-sized window treatment to the headrail; removing the clips from the headrail, attaching the clips to the headrail in a different configuration to form a different window treatment appearance; removing the clips from the headrail, connecting other clips to another window treatment, attaching the other clips to the headrail to connect the other window treatment to the headrail.
These and other aspects of the device and method are set out in the claims.
Embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures, in which like reference characters denote like elements, by way of example, and in which:
Immaterial modifications may be made to the embodiments described here without departing from what is covered by the claims.
The telescoping headrail may be configured to be adjustable to lengths appropriate to cover typical window widths. For example, the telescoping headrail may be configured to be adjustable between 27 and 50 inches in length, or between 55 and 100 inches in length, or between 79 and 124 inches in length. One or more headrails may be mounted side by side.
The telescoping headrail may be side-mounted, end-mounted or ceiling mounted using mounts on the headrail. The mounts may be holes provided on a top surface, end surfaces or back surface of the headrail 10. For example, holes 20 may be provided on the top surfaces 42 and 74 of the inner section 14, the outer sections 12 or both, to allow the headrail 10 to be screwed into a ceiling, holes 24 on the end surfaces 46 of the extending sections to allow the headrail to be end-mounted, and holes 28 along the back surface of the extending sections, for example back surface 76 on the inner section, to allow the headrail to be wall-mounted. Each inner and outer surface may have mounts on the top surface, back surface or end surfaces as applicable in the headrail configuration. Holes 20 on the outer sections may be aligned with track 16 on the inner section, so the holes are accessible at each telescopic position.
The mounts may further be brackets 26 attached to the telescoping headrail, as shown in
The window treatment may be any known window treatment, for example a valance, roller blind, or roman shade or a combination of window treatments, an exemplary roman blind is shown in
The window treatment is connected to the headrail 10 in a removable manner. The window treatment may be attached to the headrail using clips 34. Two exemplary embodiments of clips 34 (34A and 34B) are shown in
As shown in the embodiment in
The clips 34 may have two parallel tabs, 36 and 38, connected by a connector piece 40 generally perpendicular to both tabs, as shown in the embodiments in
The clips 34 and clip slots 18 allow the positioning of the clips to be modified so the user can change the appearance of the window treatment or replace the window treatment with a different window treatment. The user may create a multitude of decorative styles in the window treatment, for example beauty pleats, reverse pleats or ripple fold pleats by adjusting the size of the headrail, the placement of the clips in the clip slots, or the placement of the clips on the window treatment. The clips may be spaced evenly among the clip slots, or unevenly. The number of clips used may depend on the width of the fabric and the style chosen, for example the number of clips used could be in the range of 14 to 27 clips. The easy clip system means that each valance system can be updated with new fabrics or pleat styles, or even changed from a valance to a shade or blind without the need to completely remount the headrail. The clips on the system also mean that instead of entirely replacing a valance system, the window treatment can simply be updated.
The headrail may be configured to support a blind or curtain, for example a roman shade or roller blind. An example configuration is shown in
As shown in the embodiment of
The headrail may also be configured to support a curtain or blind rod to hang curtains or blinds. For example, outer sections 52 may support a curtain or blind rod.
To install the valance system a user may position the headrail 10 above a window or opening and telescope the headrail until it reaches the desired width based on the size of the window or opening. The user may then mount the headrail to the supporting structure using the mounts, for example with screws. The clips are connected to the window treatment, then attached to the headrail to connect the window treatment to the headrail. The clips may be attached to the headrail by slipping the clips into slots on the headrail. The user may create different window treatment appearances through different placements of the clips on the window treatment and the spacing of the slots chosen on the headrail to engage with the clips.
The valance system may be mounted inside a window, or interior or exterior to the window or opening.
After installation, the user may remove or re-mount the adjustable valance system or replace the window treatment as desired. To re-mount the adjustable valance system the user may remove the clips from the headrail and remove the headrail from the supporting structure. The size of the headrail may then be adjusted by adjusting a telescopic position of the extending sections relative to each other, so the headrail fits a differently-sized window or opening. The headrail may then be mounted to a supporting structure above the differently-sized window or opening, and the same or different window treatment attached to the headrail using the clips. If using a different window treatment, for example a differently-sized window treatment, the user first attaches the clips or other clips to the window treatment, and then attaches the clips or other clips to the headrail to connect the different window treatment to the headrail. Even if the headrail size is adjusted to fit the size of a differently-sized window, it may be possible to use the same window treatment for the differently-sized window by changing the style of pleats in the window treatment, for example, as shown in
After installation the user may also update the window treatment by removing the window treatment, installed in an original configuration, from the headrail, attaching the clips or other clips to a different window treatment, and attaching the clips or other clips to the headrail to connect the different window treatment to the headrail. The user may alternatively update the window treatment by removing the window treatment from the headrail and attaching the clips to the headrail in a different configuration from the original configuration to form a different window treatment appearance.
Embodiments of the telescoping headrail 10 and brackets 26 may be made out of lightweight and durable material, for example co-polymer polypropylene.
Embodiments of the valance system can be easily adjusted to fit any standard window, and can be removed, re-mounted, and updated as desired. It may create a professional look without the cost of professional installation and reduce waste because it can be easily transported and remounted.
In the claims, the word “comprising” is used in its inclusive sense and does not exclude other elements being present. The indefinite articles “a” and “an” before a claim feature do not exclude more than one of the feature being present. Each one of the individual features described here may be used in one or more embodiments and is not, by virtue only of being described here, to be construed as essential to all embodiments as defined by the claims.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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3145946 | Jan 2022 | CA | national |