Patent Application
20210059458
The present invention relates to curtain rods. In particular, examples of the present invention relates to a system for providing decorative curtain rods which may be easily customizable to change the appearance of the curtain rod.
Curtains are commonly used to decorate as well as to control the amount of light entering into a building through windows. Applicant desires to provide curtain rods and assemblies that are easily customizable to match a desired decor.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Unless otherwise noted, the drawings have been drawn to scale. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various examples of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.
It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The examples shown each accomplish various different advantages. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element or advantage in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the examples in greater clarity. Similarly, not every example need accomplish all advantages of the present disclosure.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the specific detail need not be employed to practice the present invention. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.
In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific implementations in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, such feature, structure, or characteristic may be used in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. The particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combination and/or sub-combinations in one or more embodiments or examples. It is appreciated that the figures provided herewith are for explanation purposes to persons ordinarily skilled in the art.
As used herein, “adjacent” refers to near or close sufficient to achieve a desired effect. Although direct contact is common, adjacent can broadly allow for spaced apart features.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” and, “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking the nearness of completion will be so as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, a composition that is “substantially free of” particles would either completely lack particles, or so nearly completely lack particles that the effect would be the same as if it completely lacked particles. In other words, a composition that is “substantially free of” an ingredient or element may still actually contain such item as long as there is no measurable effect thereof.
As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a number or numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be “a little above” or “a little below” the number or endpoint.
As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary.
Dimensions, amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to about 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually.
The disclosure particularly describes a decorative curtain rod and curtain rod system. Particularly, the present disclosure describes how a modular curtain rod system may be provided to allow a person to easily customize curtain rods to match the decor in a building. The curtain rod may be wrapped in user selected covering material such as a decorating fabric to create a desired appearance. The covering material can be replaced later if the user desires to change the appearance of the curtain rod.
Turning now to
Referring now to
A length of covering material 34 is wrapped around the curtain rod 10 along its length. The covering material 34 is typically cut so that its width is approximately 1 or 2 inches more than the outer circumference of the curtain rod 10 (e.g. the perimeter length of the curtain rod cross-section) and so that its length is equal to the length of the curtain rod 10 or slightly greater. The covering material 34 may be a woven textile fabric, leather, vinyl, etc. which is selected for a desired decorating appearance. The covering material 34 may be a textile fabric which matches or compliments the curtains, wall coverings, or other furnishings in the building. In assembling the curtain rod 10, the prepared strip of covering material 34 is placed lengthwise along the curtain rod 10 and is wrapped around the curtain rod 10. The long edges of the covering material 34 are placed into the slot 30 along the length of the curtain rod 10. The covering material 34 is positioned as shown in
After the strip of covering material 34 is placed into position along the curtain rod 10, a long support clip 38 is pressed into the slot 30 to hold the covering material 34 in place around the exterior surface of the curtain rod 10. The covering material 34 may be thus attached to the curtain rod 10 without adhesive. This prevents damage to the covering material 34 and allows for ease of assembly and ease of replacement of the covering material 34. The support clip 38 is the same length as the curtain rod 10 and extends between the two opposite ends of the curtain rod 10. The support clip 38 is typically made of extruded plastic or elastomer such as a thermoplastic copolyester or a polyolefin like polyethylene or polypropylene. The support clip 38 is sufficiently flexible to bend during assembly and allow its barbs/ridges to enter into the slot 30 along the curtain rod 10.
The support clip 38 has the illustrated cross-section along its length. The support clip 38 may be manufactured by continuous extrusion and may then be cut to desired length for installation in a curtain rod 10. The support clip 38 includes barbs 42 along its length. The example support clip includes two barbs 42 along both sides of a central shank. The barbs 42 grip the covering material 34 and keep both the covering material 34 and the support clip 38 secured in place along the curtain rod 10. A central slot/void 46 may be formed along the middle of the support clip shank. The void extends along the length of the support clip in the length shown. The void 46 allows the support clip 38 to more easily compress during installation to allow the barbs 42 to pass through the slot 30 with the covering material 34.
As the support clip shank is pressed into the slot 30, the covering material 34 is pulled tight around the curtain rod 10 by the support clip barbs 42. The upper barbs 42 are positioned along the support clip shank so that they hold the covering material 34 and the wall of the curtain rod 10 between the upper barbs 42 and the support clip head; keeping the covering material 34 neatly installed during use of the curtain rod. The curtain rod 10, covering material 34, and support clip 38 form a curtain rod assembly indicated at 50.
The head of the support clip 38 is made with a curved, convex exterior profile and a slightly concave lower profile. This places the edges of the head of the support clip 38 against the covering material 34 and provides a neat appearance at the top of the curtain rod 10. Support clips 38 may be made in different colors such as clear, black, or white to coordinate with different covering materials. The head of the support clip 38 contacts the curtain rings 22 and supports the curtain rings 22 above the curtain rod 10 as shown. In this manner, the curtain rings 22 do not slide on the covering material 34. The curtain rings 22 move laterally along the curtain rod 10 to open or close the curtains 26 by sliding on the top of the support clip 38. This accomplishes several benefits. First, the curtain rings 22 are supported apart from the covering material 34 so that the curtain rings do not wear and degrade the covering material 34 during use. Applicant has found that curtain rings 22 would adversely wear and degrade a covering material such as fabric quickly during use if they slide across the covering material 34. Additionally, the support clip 38 provides a low friction bearing surface for the curtain rings 22 to slide on. This means that the curtain rings 22 may slide easily and allow a person to easily open and close the curtains 26 regardless of the texture or surface characteristics of the chosen covering material 34. The support clip 38 thus provides both longevity and ease of operation where a curtain rod 10 is covered with a covering material 34. The curtain rings 22 support the curtains 26 and may engage eyelets 28 which are placed into the curtains during manufacture.
Referring now to
The covering material 34 is sufficiently wide to wrap around the curtain rod 10 with its long edges placed inside of the slot 30. The support clip 38 is of uniform cross-section along its length. The support clip shank and barbs pull the edges of the covering material 34 into the slot 30 as the support clip 38 is pressed into the curtain rod slot 30. This draws the covering material 34 snugly around the outside of the curtain rod 10. Once the clip 38 is installed, the covering material 34 surrounding the slot 30 is held in place between the clip head and the clip upper barbs and between the clip shank and the edges of the curtain rod 10 along the slot 30.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
The support clip 38 includes a neck 62 which comprises the upper part of the shank 58 between the upper barbs 42 and the head 54. The neck 62 may be formed with a height which is approximately equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the curtain rod wall so that the covering material 34 wrapped around the curtain rod at the slot 30 is held securely between the head 54 and the upper barbs 42. The width of the neck 62 may be slightly less than the width of the slot 30 so that the covering material 34 is also held between the edges of the curtain rod 10 adjacent the slot 30 and the neck 62. It is appreciated that there is a compromise between fitting a variety of different sizes of curtain rods 10 and slots 30 and securely holding the covering material. A few different sizes of support clips 38 will work with a large variety of curtain rods 10 and covering materials 34. The lower end of the shank 58 is formed into a point 66 to ease placement of the support clip into the curtain rod slot 30.
The curtain rod 10 allows a large number of decorating options for curtain rods. Curtain rods may be covered with any desired covering material 34. The covering material may be chosen to match furniture or upholstering, curtains, carpet, or other textiles. Additionally, the covering material 34 may be replaced as desired to update the appearance of the curtain rod or to replace a damaged covering material. The support clip 38 allows for easy assembly of the curtain rod 10 without any specialized tools. The support clip 38 protects the covering material 34 from wear and provides easy movement of the curtain rings 22 across the curtain rod.
The above description of illustrated examples of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, are not intended to be exhaustive or to be limitation to the precise forms disclosed. While specific examples of the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible without departing from the broader scope of the present claims. Indeed, it is appreciated that specific example dimensions, materials, etc., are provided for explanation purposes and that other values may also be employed in other examples in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62895069, filed Sep. 3, 2019, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62895069 | Sep 2019 | US |
