Patent Application
20120305199
The present invention relates to window coverings such as Roman shades and methods for fabricating such window coverings.
One popular type of window covering is known as a Roman shade which may also be called a Roman blind, an Austrian shade, a Balloon Shade, or a Soft Shade. This type of shade consists of a panel or sheet of material attached along its top edge to a headrail and gathered at spaced intervals to provide a series of soft folds across the face of the fabric. Consequently, the typical Roman shade has a cascaded or softly pleated appearance. Such Roman shades are constructed so that when they are raised from an extended position, they gather from the bottom in generally horizontal folds or pleats until the entire shade resides near the top of the window covering in a retracted position. In some versions, the top of the window covering may also be lowered. The shades are operated by pulling on various lift cords which are used in conjunction with guides attached to the shade.
Most prior art Roman shades are formed either of a sheet of a flexible material such as a fabric or film or of a plurality of segments of material connected together. The material or interconnected segments are typically provided with a plurality of horizontal folds at points vertically spaced from one another to form folds when the shade is raised. A common method for making a Roman shade is to sew at least two sets of rings or connectors along vertical lines down the back of the fabric material as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,321,800. The spacing of the rings or connectors affects the aesthetic effect of the shade and how the window covering material may look when being raised or lowered. Lift cords pass through the rings and each lift cord is attached to a bottom rail or the lowermost fold. Opposite ends of the lift cords are wound on a spool or shaft in the headrail. The spool or shaft may be turned by a cord loop device or a spring motor to raise and lower the shade. Alternatively, the lift cords may pass through a cord lock and be moved by a user to turn the spool or shaft.
The shade may also include spacer cords that pass through the rings. The spacer cords are typically attached to the headrail of the shade and the rings and are configured to help improve the aesthetic effect of the shade when the window covering material is raised or lowered. A liner may also be included in such shades. Roman shades may also have other configurations, such as the configurations disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,845 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2008/0295975, 2008/0277074, 2007/0175593, 2006/0060308 and 2006/0157204.
Roman shades may be fabricated by fabricators to make a Roman shade in a custom size to fit a customer's window opening. Fabricators may mistakenly measure or determine the necessary length of the window covering material of a Roman shade or the desired positioning of the rings on the back of the window covering material. For instance, a fabricator may want to adjust the position of the rings to achieve a different aesthetic effect for the raising and lowering of window covering material after reviewing the look provided by the initial positioning of the rings. Since rings are often sewn or affixed to the window covering material, such repositioning can be difficult and time consuming. Alternatively, Roman shades may include fastening mechanisms that permit fabricators to more easily adjust the position of the window covering material relative to the lift cords to which the window covering is attached. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,817,399 and 5,566,735.
The art has also used a liner on the back of a Roman shade which covers the lift cords to make the lift cords inaccessible to children. Liners add bulk to the shade and can affect the appearance of the shade as seen from the room, particularly when the Roman shade is raised and lowered. For instance, the liner may be bunched as the window covering is raised, which can make fully retracting a shade more difficult for a user. U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,526 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0060308 disclose Roman shades that include a liner.
A new window covering is needed. Preferably, such a window covering can prevent the lift cords of a shade from coming into contact with a small child while also avoiding or substantially reducing any bunching of a liner. Such a window covering is also preferably easy to fabricate.
A window covering includes a first rail, window covering material, a liner, and lift cords that extend from the first rail to the window covering material. The window covering material extends from the first rail and is moveable from a retracted position to an extended position. A plurality of folds is formable in the window covering material when the window covering material is moved to the retracted position. The liner is attached to at least one of the first rail and the window covering material. The liner is positioned to cover at least a portion of the rear side of the window covering material. An inner side of the liner faces toward the rear side of the window covering material. The outer side of the liner is opposite the liner's inner side. A first set of rings is attached to the rear side of the window covering material. Each ring of the first set of rings is spaced apart from the other rings of the first set of rings. The first set of rings is positioned to define a column of rings. A second set of rings is also attached to the rear side of the window covering material. Each ring of the second set of rings is spaced apart from the other rings of the second set of rings. The second set of rings is positioned to define a column of rings. A first set of loops is attached to the liner. The first set of loops is positioned adjacent the first set of rings. A second set of loops is attached to the liner. The second set of loops is positioned adjacent the second set of rings. Each loop in the first set of loops and each loop in the second set of loops are formed by a filament that passes through the liner at two spaced apart portions of the liner. The filament has an anchor so that the loop is positioned between the inner side of the liner and the rear side of the window covering material and the anchor is positioned on the outer side of the liner. First and second lift cords extend from the first rail and pass through the loops and rings. The first lift cord alternately passes through a loop of the first set of loops and a ring of the first set of rings and the second lift cord alternately passes through a loop of the second set of loops and a ring of the second set of rings. Each of the loops of the first set of loops engages rings of the first set of rings to which that loop is immediately adjacent when the window covering material is in the retracted position. Each of the loops of the second set of loops engages rings of the second set of rings to which that loop is immediately adjacent when the window covering material is in the retracted position.
Preferably, the liner is composed of mesh material or sheer material and the window covering material is composed of interconnected fabric segments, non-woven fabric, woven fabric, a sheet of fabric, woven wood, woven grass, or bamboo. A lift system may be included in the window covering. The lift system may include a spring motor or a cord lock, for example. Actuation of the lift system may control movement of the lift cords.
The filaments that include anchors may be tag hangers, or at least a portion of the filaments that include the anchors may be tag hangers. Preferably, the filaments and loops are comprised of a translucent polymeric material.
In some embodiments of the window covering, the rings may be sewn to the window covering material. The liner may also be sewn to the window covering material to attach the liner to the window covering material. The liner may be fully enclose any portion of the lift cords that extend from the first rail or may only enclose a portion of the lift cords that extend from the first rail.
Preferably, the loops of the first and second set of loops are positioned so that the liner forms substantially transverse folds when the window covering material is moved to the retracted position. Each fold is preferably parallel to the other folds. Such folding can prevent bunching of the liner. The window covering material may also form transverse folds when the window covering material is retracted. For example, the window covering may be a Roman shade that has transverse folds formed in the window covering material as the window covering material is retracted, or raised.
A method of making a window covering is also provided. The method may include attaching rings to window covering material at predetermined positions and attaching loops to the liner at predetermined positions so that each loop is positioned between two of the rings. Each of the loops may be formed by a filament that passes through a liner at two spaced apart portions. Each of the filaments has an anchor such that the loops are positioned between an inner side of the liner and a rear side of the window covering material and the anchor is positioned on an outer side of the liner. Lift cords may be passed through the rings and the loops. The liner may then be sewn to the window covering material to enclose the lift cords between the liner and the window covering material.
The lift cords may be attached to a first rail of the window covering. For example, the lift cords could be attached to a lift system positioned in or attached to the first rail.
Preferably, the loops are attached to the liner by using a tagging gun and the filaments comprise a hanger tag that is pushed through the liner via the tagging gun.
The loops may be wider than the anchors. The anchors may be wider than a middle portion of the filaments. Alternatively, the filaments could have other shapes or configurations.
Other details, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of certain present preferred embodiments thereof and certain present preferred methods of practicing the same proceeds.
Present preferred embodiments of my window covering are shown in the accompanying drawings and certain present preferred methods of practicing the same are also illustrated therein.
A window covering 1 includes window covering material 3 that is attached to a headrail 5. The window covering material is moveable from an extended, or lowered position, to a retracted, or raised position. The window covering material may be composed of non-woven fabric, woven fabric, interconnected fabric segments, woven wood, woven grass, bamboo, or other suitable materials to provide a desired aesthetic effect to the window covering. Rings 6 are attached to the rear side of the window covering material 3.
Lifts cords, such as a first lift cord 9 and a second lift cord 11 may extend from the first rail 5 to the window covering material 3 to control the movement of the window covering material. The lift cords may be strips of material that have a width, such as a width of between one and five centimeters, lifting tape, cord segments, or different cords. In some embodiments, the lift cords may be attached to a bottom rail (not shown) that is attached to a bottom portion of the window covering material. The lift cords may alternatively be attached to a lower portion of the window covering material.
A lift system 13 may be attached to the headrail. The lift system 13 may be used to control movement of the lift cords. For instance, the lift system 13 may be a cord lock. Alternatively, the lift system may include a spring motor arrangement. It should be understood that portions of the lift cords may be wound and unwound from a shaft or pulleys attached to the headrail when the lift system is utilized to adjust a position of the window covering material.
A liner 15 is attached to the window covering material 3 and may be attached to the headrail 5. The liner may be composed of a mesh material or a sheer material. Of course, the liner 15 could alternatively be composed of other materials such as woven fabric, non woven fabric, or interconnected fabric segments. The liner 15 may be sewn to the window covering material and the headrail 5 to enclose the portions of the lift cords that extend from the headrail 5 to a bottom portion of the window covering material 3. Preferably, any remaining portions of the lift cords are retained within the headrail 5. If a lift system includes a cord lock (not shown), operator portions 7 of each lift cord may extend through the cord lock and out of the headrail so that a user may manipulate the cords to adjust the position of the window covering material.
First and second sets of loops are attached to the liner. Each set of loops is arranged so that the loops form a vertical column of loops. Each lift cord passes through the loops from a respective set of the loops. For instance, the first lift cord 9 passes through the loops 21 of the first set 20 of loops and the second lift cord 11 passes through the loops 31 of the second set of loops 30.
There may be multiple columns of rings 6 positioned on the rear side of the window covering material so that each column of rings is adjacent to and aligned with a set of loops. For example, each of the loops 21 of the first set 20 of loops is positioned between two rings 6 attached to the rear side of the window covering material. The rings 6 may engage the loop positioned between those rings 6 when the window covering material 3 is raised to a fully raised position. The rings 6 may begin engaging such loops during the raising of the window covering material. Each of the loops 31 of the second set 30 of loops may also be positioned between two rings 6 of a different column of rings. The loops 31 may engage rings in which the loops are positioned between when the window covering material is raised as well.
Each of the loops 21 and 31 may be a filament that extends through the liner or at least extends through two spaced apart positions in the liner. Each filament may be attached to a respective one of the loops. For example, one end of each filament may be an anchor or may have an anchor that is positioned on an outer side of the liner and the opposite end of the filament may be attached to the loop.
The filaments with anchors may be sized and configured to have a structure similar to a tag hanger, such as the plastic tag hangers used to hang a price tag or other tag from an article of clothing that is often used by clothing retailers. An example of one embodiment of such a filament 52 that includes an anchor 53 and loop 64 at opposite ends of the filament is shown in
Preferably, the filaments, which may also include the anchors and the loops, are composed of a translucent polymeric material. Of course, other polymeric material, plastic material, string, cord material, a strand, or other types of material may be used for the filaments as well. The rings may be formed of metal, wood, plastic, a polymeric material or other suitable material. It is also contemplated that the rings may be composed of a translucent polymeric material.
Referring to
Referring to
The device 90 may be positioned so that a portion of the filament 94 extends through a liner of a window covering such that the anchor 92 and spacer 95 are positioned adjacent a rear side of the liner and the loop 93 is positioned on the opposite side of the liner, such as a front side of the liner. The spacer 95 is preferably positioned between the anchor 92 and liner.
The positioning of the loops and rings help facilitate the formation of folds 41 in the liner. As the window covering material is raised, the liner may also retract toward the headrail and form folds 41. The formation of the folds 41 can prevent unattractive bunching of the liner. Such bunching can also make fully raising the window covering material more difficult as the bunched material gets compressed as it is retracted toward the headrail and provides a force that acts against the further raising of the window covering material.
Embodiments of the window covering may be made in different ways. As may be appreciated from the method shown in
Lift cords may then be passed through the rings and the loops. Preferably, each lift cord is passed through a respective column of rings and loops and the loops in each column of loops and rings are positioned such that each loop is between two different rings. A terminal end of each lift cord may be attached to a bottom most ring or to a portion of the window covering material. The opposite ends of the lift cords may be positioned in a headrail or may be attached to a lift system, such as a shaft or pulley that is rotated in different directions to wind or unwind the lift cords. Of course, the lift system may alternatively be a spring motor unit or may be a cord lock through which the ends are passed. The lift system may be within or attached to the headrail.
After the lift cords are passed through the rings and loops, the liner may be sewn or otherwise attached to the window covering material and headrail or other rail to fully enclose the lift cords. For example, the liner may be sewn to the window covering material and may be attached via an adhesive or a fastening mechanism, such as a Velcro® connection mechanism, buttons, or fasteners. It is also contemplated that the liner may just be sewn or otherwise attached to only the window covering material for at least partially enclosing the lift cords.
Alternatively, one can make the shade by attaching the rings to the back of the shade material and running the lift cords through the rings. Then, the liner material is placed over the back face of the shade material covering the lift cords. At that point, the liner may or may not be attached to the shade material. Next, a fabricator may pinch the liner around the lift cords at selected locations and shoot the filaments 70 behind the lift cords. When the fabricator releases the pinched liner 15, a loop 74 will be formed by the filaments as shown in
While certain present preferred embodiments of my window covering and certain embodiments of methods of practicing the same have been shown and described, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.
