FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to a curtain system which simplifies curtain décor change by leaving curtain rods and hardware in place. Interchangeable fabric panels allow easy changing of curtains.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Currently, curtains are used for a number of purposes including privacy, lighting, thermal insulation, or even decoration. The curtains are able to block harmful damaging solar rays from entering a home or limit the amount of light allowed into the home. The solar rays emitted by the sun include heat. By preventing solar rays from entering homes, curtains also serve as a barrier to prevent heat from entering the home. Windows allow users to view the outside environment. However, being able to view outside allows outsiders to also view inside. Curtains provide users with privacy by making it impossible or difficult for outsiders to view inside a home. Although the main purposes of curtains are limit the amount of light or heat permitted into a home and privacy, they can also serve as decorations with different colors and designs. For users who wish to use curtains as decorations, curtains can be made with different types of stitching and colors for a number of different designs that are aesthetically pleasing. Traditionally, curtains are drapes made from different types of textile materials hung from a curtain rod suspended above a window. To hang the curtains from the curtain rods, the curtains are typically manufactured with an integrated channel where the curtain rod can be inserted through. However, when a user wishes to remove a curtain, they are required to disassemble the curtain rod from the wall. Having to remove the entire curtain rod to replace or remove a curtain is a hassle. The present invention overcomes such an inconvenience by introducing a new curtain system that allows users to change curtains without having to remove a curtain rod. The present invention is a curtain system that comprises a curtain adapter that can fasten curtain panels of different designs. To change a curtain panel, the user can simply release the fasteners of the curtain adapter to the curtain for removal leaving the curtain rod and hardware in place.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view of the curtain adapter and the curtain rod.
FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the first curtain panel.
FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the second curtain panel.
FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the valance.
FIG. 5 is front view of the present invention assembled showing the first curtain panel and the valance being removed from the curtain adapter.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the present invention assembled.
DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is an interchangeable curtain system that allows users to change a curtain drape without removing the entire curtain apparatus. The present invention allows users to change curtain drapes while the curtain rod 1 remains intact to the walls. The interchangeable curtain system comprises of a curtain rod 1, a curtain adapter 2, a first curtain panel 3, a second curtain panel 4, and a valance 5. The first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 are the drapes of the present invention that can be attached and detached from the curtain adapter 2. The curtain adapter 2 is the main component of the present invention that provides users with the ability to easily and conveniently change the curtains for a window.
In reference to FIG. 1, the curtain adapter 2 comprises of a rod pocket 21 and an adapter flap 22. The rod pocket 21 is flexible tubular shaped portion of the curtain adapter 2 that comprises of a rod channel 211. The rod channel 211 is a hollow space that traverses through the rod pocket 21. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the curtain adapter 2 is formed by means of sewing or binding an edge of an elongated rectangular textile to a center axis of the rectangular textile piece. The sewing or binding of the edge of the textile creates the rod pocket 21 of the curtain adapter 2. The curtain adapter 2 is made from a foldable textile including linens, cotton, wool, silk, synthetic fabrics, or any other foldable materials suitable for blocking or limiting sunlight through a window enabling curtain panel flexibility. The adapter flap 22 is the portion of the curtain adapter that evenly extends from the rod pocket 21 providing a surface in which the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 can be attached. The adapter flap spans the same length as the adapter pocket. The adapter flap 22 additionally comprises of a valance fastener receiver strip 221 and a panel fastener receiver strip 222. The valance fastener receiver strip 221 is positioned horizontally along the length of the adapter flap 22. Similarly, the panel fastener receiver strip 222 is positioned horizontally along the length of the adapter flap 22. The panel fastener receiver strip 222 is arranged adjacently to the valance fastener receiver strip 221. The panel fastener receiver strip 222 is arranged in parallel relationship to the valance fastener receiver strip 221. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the panel fastener receiver strip 222 is position directly below the valance fastener receiver strip 221. The valance fastener receiver strip 221 and the panel fastener receiver strip 222 can be any type of fastener receivers such as hooks and loops, buttons, snap buttons, clips, clamps, zippers, or any other types of fasteners suitable for connecting separate textile pieces together. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the type of fastener used for the valance fastener receiver strip 221 and the panel fastener receiver strip 222 is the hooks and loops. In other embodiments of the present invention, the curtain can be rings segmented and attached to the adapter flap 22. The curtain adapter 2 can be shaped differently to produce a variety of aesthetic effects.
In reference to FIG. 2-3, the first curtain panel 3 comprises of a first fastening portion 31 and a first drape portion 32. The second curtain panel 4 comprises of a second fastening portion 41 and a second drape portion 42. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first curtain panel 3 is a large vertically elongated sheet of textile. The second curtain panel 4 is similarly a large vertically elongated sheet of textile. The first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 together form the drapes of the curtain system with an opening in the middle. The first fastening portion 31 and the second fastening portion 41 are the sections of the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 that connect to the curtain adapter 2. To connect to the curtain adapter 2, the first fastening portion 31 comprises a first panel fastener strip 311 and the second fastening portion 41 comprises of a second panel fastener strip 411. The first panel fastener strip 311 is positioned horizontally along the width of the first fastening portion 31. The second panel fastener strip 411 is positioned horizontally along the width of the second fastening portion 41. The first panel fastener strip 311 and the second panel fastener strip 411 can be any fastener strip including hooks and loops, buttons, snap buttons, clips, clamps, zippers, or any other types of fasteners suitable for connecting separate textile pieces together. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the type of fastener used for the first panel fastener strip 311 and the second panel fastener strip 411 is the hooks and loops. The first drape portion 32 is connected to and hangs down from the first fastening portion 31. The second drape portion 42 is connected to and hangs down from the second fastening portion 41. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first drape portion 32 and the second drape portion 42 are the elongated portions of the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4.
In reference to FIG. 4, the valance 5 is a short drape that comprises of a valance fastener strip 51. The purpose of the valance 5 is to serve as a decorative drape that covers the top portion of the curtain system. The valance 5 has a width equal to the curtain adapter 2. On the back side of the valance 5 is positioned the valance fastener strip 51. The valance fastener strip 51 is connected to the back side of the valance 5 in a horizontal fashion.
In reference to FIG. 5-6, to assemble the present invention, the curtain rod 1 is first inserted through the rod channel 211 of the curtain adapter 2. Once curtain adapter 2 is secured on the curtain rod 1, the second curtain panel 4 is first aligned to the curtain adapter 2. The second curtain panel 4 attaches to the curtain adapter 2 by means of the pressing and fastening the second panel fastener strip 411 to the panel fastener receiver strip 222. After the second curtain panel 4 is attached, the first curtain panel 3 is aligned and attached to the curtain adapter 2. The first panel fastener strip 311 is then pressed and attached to the panel fastener receiver strip 222. Once the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 have been fastened, the valance 5 is then attached to the curtain adapter 2 by means of pressing and fastening the valance fastener strip 51 to the valance fastener receiver strip 221. The use of the hooks and loops allows for the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 to securely fasten onto the curtain adapter 2 while remaining flexible and foldable. In another embodiment of the present invention, the fasteners used on the curtain adapter 2 and the curtain panels can be zippers. The use of zippers can provide a stronger bond between the curtain adapter 2 and the curtain panel. However, when changing the curtain panels, the use of zippers can be more troublesome to attach. Inconveniences such as the zipper catching part of the curtain and jamming can occur while attaching the curtain panels to the curtain panel. In other embodiments of the present invention, the use of fasteners such as clamps, buttons, or snap buttons can also effectively secure the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 to the curtain adapter 2. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first drape portion 32 and the second drape portion 42 have a width less than half of the entire system. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first curtain panel 3 is connected to the left side of the curtain adapter 2 and the second curtain panel 4 is connected to the right side of the curtain adapter 2. This will leave an opening in the middle allowing the present invention to allow light through a window while providing decorations and aesthetics. In another embodiment of the present invention, the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 have a width slightly wider than half of the curtain adapter 2. The first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 are fastened to the curtain adapter 2 so that the first drape portion 32 will only slightly overlap the second drape portion 42 to completely block or filter sunlight through the curtains when in a closed position. The present invention allows users to easily remove the curtain panels to be replaced with curtain panels of different designs. Additionally, users can easily take down the curtain panels to be washed and replaced. The first drape portion 32 and second drape portion 42 can be any shape or size to provide a variety of aesthetic effects. In another embodiment of the present invention, the first drape portion 32 and the second drape portion 42 can have a shape where the width of the drape increases towards the bottom. This can give the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4 a more wavy appearance. Yet in another embodiment of the present invention, the drape portion can be a triangularly shaped to produce a unique overlapping look between the first curtain panel 3 and the second curtain panel 4.
The first curtain panel 3, the second curtain panel 4, and the valance 5 are independent components which may be individually attached or detached from the curtain adapter 2. This allows users to change one component without affecting the remaining components. As desired, users may mix and match different styles of curtain panels and the valance 5 or remove one or more completely from the curtain adapter 2 to suit individual styles or trends.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Patent Application
20110168340
