The present disclosure relates generally to the field of architectural-structure coverings, and relates more particularly to an improved bottom rail for use with an architectural-structure covering.
Architectural-structure coverings may selectively cover an architectural structure such as, for example, a window, a doorway, a skylight, a hallway, an archway, a portion of a wall, etc. Generally speaking, architectural-structure coverings may include a covering that can be extended and retracted, for example, vertically extendable or retractable (e.g., capable of being lowered or raised, respectively, in a vertical direction) between an extended position and a retracted position for obscuring and exposing the underlying architectural structure. The architectural-structure covering may further include a bottom rail attached to a bottom edge of the covering. The bottom rail may be utilized to add weight along the bottom edge of the covering to, for example, encourage the covering to drop by gravity during extension. In addition, the bottom rail may be engaged by the user to move the covering between the extended and retracted positions, or to provide an aesthetic finish to an end of the covering. The weight of the bottom rail may be typically transferred to the covering. Depending on the type of covering being utilized, the weight of the bottom rail may cause a bottom portion of the covering to be positioned, such as shaped, differently from other portions of the covering positioned more distally from the bottom rail, which may reduce the aesthetic and/or functional characteristics of the covering.
Additionally, or alternatively, the covering may be coupled to the bottom rail by inserting the covering into a channel formed in the bottom rail. As such, the covering may be constricted or angled or otherwise affected by the insertion into the bottom rail, thereby affecting the appearance of the covering in a manner which may be undesirable.
Additionally, or alternatively, the bottom rail may incorporate a weighted, longitudinal rod to assist the covering in dropping by gravity during extension. Such weighted, longitudinal rod may also be used to adjust the skew of the covering.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements may be useful.
This Summary is provided to introduce in a simplified form, a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Disclosed herein is an improved bottom rail for a covering of an architectural-structure covering. In one embodiment, the bottom rail is coupled to a covering of an architectural-structure covering. The bottom rail includes a front wall, a rear wall, and a channel formed between the front and rear walls. The channel being sized and configured to receive a bottom edge of the covering. The front wall includes an inwardly extending front projection and the rear wall includes an inwardly extending rear projection. The channel may include a recess for receiving a bottom edge of the covering. In accordance with one configuration, the front and rear projections are asymmetric (e.g., the front and rear projections have different sizes and/or shapes). That is, in one configuration, the front projection extends laterally inwards from the front wall by a greater distance than the rear projection extends laterally inwards from the rear wall.
Additionally, and/or alternatively, in one embodiment, the channel is aligned with the covering to minimize any undesirable aesthetics when the bottom rail is coupled to certain covering configurations. For example, in one embodiment, the channel includes a central plane, the rear wall is angled inward with respect to the central plane so that an upper end of the rear wall terminates at a location extending through the central plane. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the rear wall extends beyond the front wall.
A method for coupling a bottom rail to a covering of an architectural-structure covering is also disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes coupling a strip to a bottom edge of the covering, wrapping at least a portion of the covering about the strip, and inserting the strip with the bottom edge of the covering into the channel formed in the bottom rail. In one embodiment, the strip and the bottom edge of the covering are positioned within a recess formed in the channel located between a base member and inwardly extending front and rear projections. In use, the inwardly extending front and rear projections provide an impediment to removal of the strip. In addition, the inwardly extending front and rear projections serve to prevent accidental disengagement of the bottom rail from the covering.
In one embodiment, the covering is a rollable, cellular style covering including front and rear sheets, and a plurality of spaced apart flexible vanes coupled to the front and rear sheets. A bottom rail configured for coupling to the rear sheet of such covering so that the bottom rail does not exert any direct force on the front sheet, and thus minimizes or avoids deformation of the front sheet of the covering. In addition, and/or alternatively, the channel for receiving the covering may be aligned with the rear sheet to further minimize any undesired aesthetics. The method for coupling the bottom rail to a type of cellular covering for an architectural-structure covering includes removing at least a portion of the front sheet of a lowermost cell of the covering, coupling a strip to the remaining portion of the rear sheet of the covering, and inserting the strip and a portion of the rear sheet into a channel formed in the bottom rail. In one embodiment, the rear sheet of the covering is wrapped about the strip so that the strip is at least partially surrounded or wrapped within the rear sheet of the covering.
A system and method for positioning a weight, such as, for example, a weighted, longitudinal rod within a weight channel formed in a bottom rail with the assistance of at least one weight retainer, such as, for example, a puck is also disclosed. The bottom rail used with such system and method (and which optionally, but not necessarily includes features described above for coupling to a covering) includes a channel for receiving a weighted, longitudinal rod therein and one or more pucks positioned within the channel. In use, the pucks are movable, such as rotatable, from a first unlocked position to a second locked position. In the first unlocked position, the one or more pucks are slidably positionable along an outer surface of the longitudinal rod, and the longitudinal rod is movable within the channel. In the second locked position, the one or more pucks contact the longitudinal rod to exert pressure onto the longitudinal rod, sandwiching the rod between the pucks and the bottom rail so that the longitudinal rod is retained in a selected position with respect to the channel.
In one embodiment, the pucks each include a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface includes first and second grooves formed therein. In one embodiment, both of the top and bottom surfaces include first and second grooves formed therein. In one embodiment, the first groove includes a depth that is larger than a depth of the second groove. As such, in the first position, the first groove is in contact with the outer surface of the longitudinal rod, while in the second position, the second groove is in contact with the outer surface of the longitudinal rod. By rotating the pucks from the first position to the second position, the smaller (e.g., shallower) second grooves are moved into contact with the outer surface of the longitudinal rod as compared to the larger (e.g., deeper) first grooves. Contacting of the longitudinal rod with the shallower second grooves causes the pucks to exert pressure onto the longitudinal rod, thereby retaining the rod within the weight channel.
Various features, aspects, or the like of a bottom rail for architectural-structure coverings will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one or more aspects of the bottom rail will be shown and described. It should be appreciated that the various features, aspects, or the like may be used independently of, or in combination, with each other. It will be appreciated that a bottom rail as disclosed herein may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein with all features being present. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will convey certain aspects of the bottom rail to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout unless otherwise noted.
As will be described in greater detail below, the bottom rail of the present disclosure may be configured to be coupled to a covering of an architectural-structure covering so that the covering is properly position in the extended position while preventing or minimizing the bottom portion of the covering from having an undesired aesthetic finish (e.g., crushed or generally shaped differently from other portions of the covering). Additionally, and/or alternatively, the bottom rail may incorporate an improved retaining mechanism for retaining a weighted, longitudinal rod therein, the retaining mechanism preventing unwanted movement of the longitudinal rod with respect to the bottom rail.
Referring to
It should be understood that the architectural-structure covering 100 is but one example and that other configurations may be used. As such, the covering 110 may be any covering now known or hereafter developed, constructed from any suitable material. For example, the covering 110 may be constructed from a fabric material of a conventional type that will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art. Alternatively, the covering 110 may be constructed from a plastic material, a vinyl material, a wood material, a metal material, etc. Furthermore, the covering 110 may be any type of covering, for example, a pleated shade, a honeycomb shade, a Roman style shade, a Venetian blind, a roller shade, a stackable style, a cellular style, a support sheet with slats or vanes, etc. According to the illustrative embodiment illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
The bottom rail 150 includes a channel 173 for receiving a bottom edge of the covering 110. For example, the top portion 170 of the bottom rail 150 may include a channel 173. The channel 173 may extend the entire length of the bottom rail 150. In use, the bottom edge of the covering 110 may be inserted into the channel 173 via, for example, an opening formed in the top end thereof. In this manner, the bottom edge of the covering 110 may be coupled to the bottom rail 150.
Referring to
As shown in
In addition, as illustrated, the rear wall 172 may optionally extend higher than the front wall 171, as measured from the base member 168. That is, for example, the rear wall 172 may extend from the base member 168 by a first distance X, and the front wall 171 may extend from the base member 168 by a second distance Y, the first distance X being greater than the second distance Y. By incorporating a higher rear wall 172, the bottom rail 150 is better able to prevent a covering 110 made from a relatively stiff material from causing the bottom rail 150 to rotate out of vertical alignment. In particular, because the covering 110 is wrapped around a strip 215, as will be described in greater detail below, if the covering is made from a relatively stiff material, the covering 110 may tend to curve in the same direction in which the covering 110 is curved about the strip 215. The higher rear wall 172 assists in preventing the covering 110 from continuing to curve and from torqueing the bottom rail 150 with it.
In one embodiment, as illustrated, for example, in
In an embodiment of a recess 178 for coupling a covering 110 to a bottom rail 150 as illustrated in
As will be described in greater detail below, in use, the bottom edge of the covering to be coupled to the bottom rail (e.g., covering 110) may be wrapped about a strip 215 such as a polycarbonate strip or “polystrip” (commonly used in the industry to couple fabrics to a more rigid element, such as by insertion of the fabric, wrapped around an edge of the polycarbonate strip, into a slot or recess formed in the rigid element). The strip 215, along with the portion of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout, may be inserted into the channel 173, past the space or gap between the front projection 174 and the rear projection 176, and into the recess 178 formed in the channel 173 of the bottom rail 150. As illustrated, the front and rear projections 174, 176 are sized and configured to enable the strip 215, along with the portion of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout, to slide past and into the recess 178 formed in the channel 173 during insertion, while simultaneously restricting the strip 215, along with the portion of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout, from moving out of the recess 178 (e.g., to slide past the front and rear projections 174, 176 and out of the channel 173 to disengage the covering 110 from the bottom rail 150). During installation, the strip 215, along with the portion of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout, may contact the inclined top surface 174a of the front projection 174, thus assisting the strip 215, along with the portion of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout, in sliding through the space or gap formed between the front and rear projections 174, 176 and into the recess 178 formed in the channel 173 of the bottom rail 150. Meanwhile, accidental removal of the strip 215 along with the portion of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout is rendered more difficult as, during removal, the strip 215, along with the portion of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout, contacts the straight edge bottom surface 174b of the front projection 174, which tends to prevent the strip 215, along with the portion of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout, from sliding through the space or gap formed between the front and rear projections 174, 176 and out of the channel 173.
As illustrated, in one embodiment, the front projection 174 and the rear projection 176 may be asymmetric in, for example, size and shape. That is, in one embodiment, the front projection 174 may extend or project laterally inwards from the front wall 171 by a greater distance than the rear projection 176 extends or projects laterally inwards from the rear wall 172. By providing a larger front projection 174 and a smaller rear projection 176, the channel 173 and hence the bottom rail 150 may have a narrower overall configuration than if two similarly sized projections were used. It should be noted that, in use, the rear projection 176 may be relatively small because the rear projection 176 generally or typically is not operating under, or is not subject to, significant forces. That is, in use, the larger front projection 174 acts as a stop and is subject to forces when weight is applied to the covering 110, such as, for example, when the covering 110 is being extended or retracted. Meanwhile, the rear projection 176 generally or typically is not subject to forces when weight is applied to the covering 110, such as, for example, when the covering 110 is being extended or retracted. Rather, the rear projection 176 mainly functions when the bottom rail 150 is at rest such as, for example, when the bottom rail 150 is resting on a window sill and is lifted by a user relative to the covering 110. As such, the rear projection 176 generally or typically functions in low-tension or low-force situations and as a result, the rear projection 176 is not required to resist significant forces.
Moreover, during manufacturing, the rear projection 176 may serve as an indicator that the strip 215 and the bottom edge of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout are properly positioned. In use, it may be difficult for a manufacturer or installer to visually determine whether the strip 215 is properly located within the recess 178 formed in the channel 173 of the bottom rail 150, for example, because of the depth of the channel 173. Pushing the strip 215 and the bottom edge of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout past the rear projection 176 provides an indicator such as, for example, a tactile or audible indication that the strip 215, and the bottom edge of the covering 110 wrapped thereabout, are properly seated.
Referring to
Referring to
In this manner, the bottom rail 150 is coupled to the rear sheet 114 of the covering 110. In addition, since the bottom rail 150 is coupled to the rear sheet 114 only (i.e., the bottom rail 150 is not directly coupled to the front sheet 112 of the covering 110), the front sheet 112 is not crushed by the bottom rail 150, thus providing a pleasing aesthetic finish in embodiments where a cellular covering such as illustrated in
In accordance with another feature or aspect of the bottom rail, a bottom rail for coupling to a covering of an architectural-structure covering is also described in this disclosure, the bottom rail 150 including a channel 182 (referred to herein as a weight channel without the intent to limit) for receiving a longitudinal rod 190 therein and at least one puck 300 positioned within said weight channel 182. When in a first position, said at least one puck 300 is slidably positioned along an outer surface 192 of said longitudinal rod 190 and said longitudinal rod 190 is slidably positioned within said weight channel 182, and, when in a second position, said at least one puck 300 contacts said longitudinal rod 190 to retain a position of said longitudinal rod 190 within said weight channel 182. These features which are shown in
As shown, if the bottom rail 150 has top and bottom portions (such as the illustrated embodiment including a first channel 173 for receiving a bottom edge of the covering 110), the weight channel 182 may be formed in a bottom portion 180 of the bottom rail 150, although it is envisioned that the weight channel 182 may be formed anywhere within the bottom rail 150 including the top portion 170. However, it should be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, that the bottom rail 150 may not include “first” and “weight” channels, nor “top” and “bottom” portions, but rather may include either feature independently of the other.
The weight channel 182 may be a rear facing channel with its opening formed in the rear surface 162 of the bottom rail 150. In use, the rod 190 may be slidably inserted into the weight channel 182 from one of the longitudinal ends 150a, 150b of the bottom rail 150. Alternatively, the rod 190 may be inserted via the rear facing weight channel 182. The rod 190 may extend the full-length of the channel 182 or only a partial length thereof.
The rod 190 may be secured within the second channel 182 by any means now known or hereafter developed. Referring to
Referring to
In one embodiment, as illustrated, the bottom surface 304 includes a first groove 310 formed therein. In addition, the bottom surface 304 includes a second groove 312 formed therein. As shown, the first and second grooves 310, 312 formed in the bottom surface 304 may be positioned so that they are transverse with respect to each other, although it is envisioned that the first and second grooves 310, 312 may be positioned at a greater or lesser angle with respect to each other.
Referring to
As shown, by forming first and second grooves 310, 312 in the bottom surface 304 of the pucks 300, the periphery of the bottom surface 304 appear to have a plurality of peaks 314 positioned between valleys formed by the first and second grooves 310, 312. As illustrated, the leading peak 314A may have a rounded edge to facilitate or assist the puck 300 rolling or sliding over the rod 190 as the puck is rotated between the first (
In use, the first groove 310 formed in the bottom surface 304 may have a depth D1. The second groove 312 formed in the bottom surface 304 may have a depth D2. The depth D1 of the first groove 310 may be greater than the depth D2 of the second groove 312. As will be described in greater detail below, by forming the first and second grooves 310, 312 so that they are substantially transverse with respect to each other, in use the user may rotate the pucks 300 between first and second positions. In the first position (
In one embodiment, when grooves 310, 312 are formed in both the top and bottom surfaces 302, 304, the first groove 310 formed in the top surface 302 may be longitudinally aligned with the second groove 312 formed in the bottom surface 304, similarly the second groove 312 formed in the top surface 302 may be longitudinally aligned with the first groove 310 formed in the bottom surface 304. As a result, the first groove 310 formed in the top surface 302 may be positioned transverse with respect to the first groove 310 formed in the bottom surface 304, and the second groove 312 formed in the top surface 302 may be positioned transverse to the second groove 304 formed in the bottom surface 304, although other angles are envisioned. In this manner, the pucks 300 can be positioned within the weight channel 182 along the outer surface 192 of the longitudinal rod 190 in any position. That is, by forming first and second grooves 310, 312 in the top and bottom surfaces 302, 304, the pucks 300 can function as desired regardless which of the top and bottom surfaces 302, 304 is placed into contact with the outer surface 192 of the longitudinal rod 190. Thus, for example, the system and method will operate with the top surface 302 of the pucks 300 contacting the outer surface 192 of the longitudinal rod 190, or with the bottom surface 304 of the pucks 300 contacting the outer surface 192 of the longitudinal rod 190.
In addition, as shown in
Referring to
In one configuration, a bottom rail for coupling to a covering of an architectural-structure covering includes a front wall, a rear wall, and a channel formed between the front and rear walls. The channel being sized and configured to receive a bottom edge of the covering. The front wall includes an inwardly extending front projection and the rear wall includes an inwardly extending rear projection, the front and rear projections being asymmetric.
An architectural-structure covering is also disclosed. In one configuration, the architectural-structural covering includes a covering moveable between an extended position and a retracted position; a strip coupled to a bottom edge of the covering, the bottom edge of the covering being wrapped about the strip; and a bottom rail for receiving the strip and the bottom edge of the covering wrapped about the strip. The bottom rail includes a front wall, a rear wall, and a channel formed between the front and rear walls, the channel includes a recess formed in the channel for receiving the strip and the bottom edge of the covering wrapped about the strip. The front wall includes an inwardly extending front projection and the rear wall includes an inwardly extending rear projection, the front and rear projections being asymmetric.
In one configuration, a bottom rail for coupling to a covering of an architectural-structure covering includes a channel (e.g., a weight channel) for receiving a longitudinal rod therein and at least one puck positioned within the weight channel. In a first position, the at least one puck is slidably positioned along an outer surface of said longitudinal rod and the longitudinal rod is slidably positioned within the weight channel. In a second position, the at least one puck contacts the longitudinal rod to retain a position of the longitudinal rod within the weight channel.
A method for positioning a longitudinal rod within a weight channel formed in a bottom rail is also disclosed. The method including inserting the longitudinal rod into the weight channel formed in the bottom rail, inserting one or more pucks into the weight channel formed in the bottom rail wherein the one or more pucks are in contact with the longitudinal rod, and rotating the one or more pucks from a first unlocked position where the one or more pucks are slidably positionable along the outer surface of the longitudinal rod, to a second locked position wherein the one or more pucks contact the longitudinal rod so that the longitudinal rod is retained within the weight channel.
A method for coupling a bottom rail to a covering of an architectural-structure covering. The method including providing a covering including a plurality of cells, each cell including a front sheet and a rear sheet, removing the front sheet of a lowermost cell of the covering thereby leaving only the rear sheet of the lowermost cell, coupling a strip to the rear sheet of the lowermost cell, and inserting said the strip and a portion of the rear sheet of the lowermost cell into a channel formed in a top portion of a bottom rail.
While the present disclosure makes reference to certain illustrated embodiments depicting one or more aspects of the present disclosure that may be used independently, or in combination with each other, numerous modifications, alterations, and changes to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the sphere and scope of the present disclosure, as defined in the appended claim(s). For example, it is envisioned that a bottom rail may include a channel for coupling to a covering without incorporating a channel for receiving a longitudinal rod. Alternatively, a bottom rail may include a channel for receiving a longitudinal rod without incorporating a channel for coupling to a covering. Alternatively, as illustrated, a bottom rail may incorporate both a channel for coupling to a covering and a channel for receiving a longitudinal rod. Accordingly, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the described and illustrated embodiments, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.
The foregoing description has broad application. It should be appreciated that the concepts disclosed herein may apply to many types of coverings, in addition to the roller-type coverings described and depicted herein. The discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be explanatory and is not intended to suggest that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to these embodiments. In other words, while illustrative embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed, and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations, except as limited by the prior art.
The foregoing discussion has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. For example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. However, it should be understood that various features of the certain aspects, embodiments, or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, or configurations. Moreover, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description by this reference, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present disclosure.
As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.
The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or”, as used herein, are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. The terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. All directional references (e.g., proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, longitudinal, front, back, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, radial, axial, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of this disclosure. Connection references (e.g., engaged, attached, coupled, connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative to movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. Identification references (e.g., primary, secondary, first, second, third, fourth, etc.) are not intended to connote importance or priority, but are used to distinguish one feature from another. The drawings are for purposes of illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order and relative to sizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto may vary.
This is a non-provisional of, and claims the benefit of the filing date of, U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/635,190, filed Feb. 26, 2018, titled “Bottom Rail for use with an Architectural-Structure Covering,” the entirety of which application is incorporated by reference herein.
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