Window covering system and method for controlling window coverings

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6463987
  • Patent Number
    6,463,987
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, June 21, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 15, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
The present invention provides a system for controlling a window covering device comprising a body adapted for mounting adjacent to a window and a weight. The body includes a channel and an entry aperture. The entry aperture is adapted for entry of at least one cord of the window covering device into the channel and the weight is adapted for movable attachment to the at least one cord.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD




This invention relates generally to window covering devices and more particularly to a system and method for controlling window covering devices.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Cords for controlling window covering devices, for example blinds or curtains, have been implicated in many deaths particularly those of infants and small children. Many window covering devices manufactured prior to 1995 utilized a looped control cord


10


to raise, lower, and otherwise control the window covering devices, as illustrated in FIG.


1


. Subsequently, many window covering devices have been manufactured utilizing two separate control cords


20


to control different aspects of the window coverings, for example, the raising and/or lowering thereof These systems include a tassel on an end of each cord, as illustrated in

FIG. 2

, to reduce the likelihood of the control cords becoming entangled and forming a noose in which children might become entangled.




Despite this modification, many deaths have resulted from children becoming entangled and hanging themselves in window covering control cords


20


of both the looped variety and the double corded tassel variety. Children also have hanged themselves in other cords


30


of these window covering devices which hold the slats or vanes


33


thereof, and which are connected to the window covering control cords, as depicted in FIG.


3


.




Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods for controlling window covering systems, particularly to improve the safety of control cords of such systems.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention provides, in a first aspect, a system for controlling a window covering device wherein the system comprises a body adapted for mounting adjacent to a window and a weight. The body includes a channel and an entry aperture. The entry aperture is adapted for entry of at least one cord of the window covering device into the channel. The weight is adapted for movable attachment to the at least one cord.




The present invention provides, in a second aspect, a system for controlling a window covering device wherein the system comprises a body adapted for mounting adjacent to a window. The body includes a channel, an entry aperture, an exit aperture, and a retaining member. The entry aperture is adapted for entry of at least one cord of the window covering device into the channel. The exit aperture is adapted for exit of the at least one cord, and the exit aperture is different from the entry aperture. The retaining member is adapted to receive the at least one cord.




The present invention provides, in a third aspect, a method for controlling a window covering device. The method includes providing a body adapted for mounting adjacent to a window and providing a weight. The body includes a channel and an entry aperture. The entry aperture is adapted for entry of at least one cord of the window covering device into the channel and the weight is adapted for movable attachment to the at least one cord.




The present invention provides, in a fourth aspect, a method for controlling a window covering device comprising providing a body adapted for mounting adjacent to a window. The body includes a channel, an entry aperture, an exit aperture, and a retaining member. The entry aperture is adapted for entry of at least one cord of the window covering device into the channel. The exit aperture is adapted for exit of the at least one cord, and the exit aperture is different from the entry aperture. The retaining member is adapted to receive the at least one cord.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:





FIG. 1

is a front elevational view of a window covering device having a continuous loop for a control cord;





FIG. 2

is a front elevational view of a window covering device having two control cords with tasseled ends;





FIG. 3

is a front elevational view of the window covering device of

FIG. 2

showing a portion of a cord used to hold individual covering elements pulled into a loop;





FIG. 4

is a front elevational view of a system for controlling a window covering device mounted adjacent to the window covering device, in accordance with the principles of the present invention;





FIG. 5

is an enlarged front elevational view of the system of

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 6

is a left side cross-sectional view of the system of

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 7

is another left side cross-sectional view of the system of

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 8

is a right side elevational view of the system of

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 9

is a top cross-sectional view of the system of

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 10

is a front elevational view of another embodiment of a system for controlling a window covering in accordance with the principles of the present invention;





FIG. 11

is a left side cross-sectional view of the system of

FIG. 10

;





FIG. 12

is a cross-sectional top view of the system of

FIG. 10

;





FIG. 13

is a right side elevational view of the system of

FIG. 10

;





FIG. 14

is a front elevational view of a window covering device;





FIG. 15

is a front elevational view of a system for controlling a window covering device mounted adjacent to the window covering device in accordance with the principles of the present invention;





FIG. 16

is a left side elevational view of the system of

FIG. 15

;





FIG. 17

is a left side cross-sectional view of the system of

FIG. 15

; and





FIG. 18

is a right side elevational view of the system of FIG.


15


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




In accordance with principles of present invention, examples of systems and methods for controlling window covering devices are depicted in

FIGS. 4-19

and described in detail herein.





FIGS. 4-9

depict one embodiment of a system


100


for controlling a window covering device


190


, for example window blinds, which includes a body portion or body


110


adapted for mounting adjacent to a window and a weight


160


. Body


110


includes a channel


150


and an entry aperture


165


adapted for entry of one or more control cords


115


of window covering device


190


into channel


150


. Weight


160


is adapted for movable attachment to the one or more cords


115


.




Body


110


includes vertically extending sides which form channel


150


and which may be mounted to a window frame


200


. A front side


120


of body


110


may be mounted about parallel to a window and a left side


130


about perpendicular to front side


120


. Thus, a rear side


140


is located about parallel to front side


120


and a right side


135


is located about parallel to left side


130


, as best depicted in FIG.


9


. Right side


135


may be attached to window frame


200


in any of a number of ways, as is known by those skilled in the art, for example, using screws, nails, or adhesive. Body


110


might be formed from any number of materials which are aesthetically suitable for mounting adjacent to a window and which may be formed in such a shape, for example a plastic or vinyl material. In one example, body


110


might be formed of an opaque material to reduce light infiltration therethrough when window covering device


190


is in a lowered position.




Body


110


may also include a mounting flange


112


connected to and parallel to right side


135


. Flange


112


facilitates mounting of body


110


to window frame


200


. In another example, body


110


may lack right side


135


and a channel may be formed by the remaining three sides on mounting body


110


to window frame


200


. Thus, a fourth side may be formed by window frame


200


itself In this case, flange


112


might be connected to a right end


121


of front side


120


.




Body


110


also includes entry aperture


165


through which cords


115


of window covering device


190


may be inserted, as best illustrated in

FIGS. 5-7

. Advantageously ends


117


of cords


115


may pass through an exit aperture


170


on a rear side


140


of body


110


and may be attached to a stopper


180


. Stopper


180


is sized larger than exit aperture


170


and thus prevents ends


117


from retreating into channel


150


when pressure is applied thereto. However, stopper


180


may allow ends


117


to be moved away from exit aperture


170


outside channel


150


thereby pulling a portion of cords


115


through exit aperture


170


. For example, stopper


180


may be formed in the shape of a ring larger than exit aperture


170


and might be made of a plastic, rubber, or other suitable material.




A length of cords


115


might be adjusted by attaching ends


117


to stopper


180


in any of a number of ways, for example, via tying ends to stopper


180


, or through an adhesive or other attachment means. An excess amount of cord


115


might be removed after attachment to stopper


180


by cutting cords


115


to remove the excess. As an alternative to stopper


180


, one or more ends


117


of cords


115


may be attached to an interior portion (not shown) of body


110


. Ends


117


might be attached via an adhesive or other attachment means, or ends


117


might be tied around a loop, pin, or notch attached to or integral to the interior portion. In a window covering device formed integral to system


100


, ends


117


might be pre-attached to the interior portion at a proper length at its location of manufacture.




Weight


160


may be attached to cords


115


to allow weight


160


to slide along cords


115


and remain attached thereto, as illustrated in

FIGS. 6 and 7

. Weight


160


is adapted to reduce or prevent any slack or looseness in cords


115


by drawing any excess cord into channel


150


. To draw in such slack, weight


160


has sufficient mass, and thus weight, to move downward due to gravitational force while movably connected to cords


115


. The sliding of weight


160


along cords


115


as it moves downward in channel


150


brings excess cord with it into channel


150


, as best depicted in

FIG. 7

which shows weight


160


at its substantially bottom most position. At this position, approximately a maximum amount of cords


115


is contained in channel


150


. Also, as is evident from

FIG. 7

, cords


118


may be “doubled back” upon themselves, that is, two approximately equal lengths of cords


115


may extend upward from weight


160


inside channel


150


. For example, cords


115


may be held taut in this position when they are extended a maximum extent from a head frame


191


(

FIG. 4

) of window covering device


190


. Weight


160


may, for example, have a dimension of 3.5 ounces and might be made of a metal and/or plastic material, for example. Also, weight


160


may be about 4.25 inches long, including a pulley or wheel portion, by about 0.875 inches wide by about 0.25 inches thick. Without the pulley, weight


160


may be about 3.5 inches long.




Body


110


also may include a weight insertion aperture


162


in right side


135


, as best illustrated in

FIG. 8

, to allow insertion of weight


160


and thereby attachment of weight


160


to cords


115


. Weight insertion aperture


162


may be located at about the same vertical position as entry aperture


165


and exit aperture


170


. Weight


160


may include a notch, a pulley, a wheel, or other means to facilitate attachment and moving of weight


160


along cords


115


, as is known by those skilled in the art.




As described, it is desirable to draw in excess cord when cords


115


and window covering device


190


have been adjusted such that slack remains in cords


115


. For example, in the case of window blinds, excess cord may be present when the blinds have been raised from a lower position to a higher position as a result of a user pulling on control cords


115


. After the blinds have been raised, the excess cord or slack in cord


115


is drawn into channel


150


by weight


160


. Cords


115


, thus are maintained substantially taut adjacent to first side


120


and/or flange


112


of body


110


due to tension provided by a force of weight


160


thereon. Maintenance of cords


115


in a substantially taut state adjacent to body


110


reduces or eliminates easy access to cords


115


to anyone near window covering system


100


, for example, small children. Thus, the risk of a child becoming entangled and hanging himself in cords


115


is reduced or eliminated.




Another embodiment of a system


300


for controlling window coverings, in accordance with the present invention, is depicted in

FIGS. 10-14

. A body portion or body


310


includes a front side


320


, a left side


330


, a right side


335


and a rear side


340


adapted to be mounted to a window frame


400


adjacent to a window covering device


410


. Window covering device


410


might be, for example, window blinds. Front side


320


, left side


330


, right side


335


and rear side


340


may form a channel


350


therebetween sized to receive a weight


450


.




Body


310


may also include a mounting flange


312


connected to and parallel to left side


335


. Alternatively, body


310


may include front side


320


, left side


330


and rear side


340


, but not right side


335


. In this case, channel


350


is formed by the noted sides along with window frame


400


. In this case, mounting flange


312


might be attached to an end


423


of front side


320


. Body


310


may be formed of any of a variety of materials, for example, a plastic material.




Body


310


may include an entry aperture


365


to allow one or more cords


315


to be inserted into channel


350


. One or more ends


317


of cords


315


may be inserted through entry aperture


365


and advantageously, may be passed through an exit aperture


370


located on rear side


340


of body


310


. Ends


317


may be attached to a stopper


380


outside channel


350


which may reduce or prevent ends


317


and stopper


380


from entering channel


350


. Stopper


380


is sized larger than exit aperture


370


and, thus, would not prevent ends


317


and stopper


380


from being pulled away from channel


350


but would prevent stopper


380


and ends


317


from entering channel


380


. Ends


317


may be attached to stopper


380


by tying ends


317


thereto, via an adhesive, or other means, as will be evident to those skilled in the art. Stopper


380


may be formed in any number of shapes and sizes, for example in a ring shape, and may be made with a variety of materials, for example a plastic material.




As an alternative to the use of stopper


180


and exit aperture


370


, ends


317


of cords


315


may be attached to an interior portion (not shown) of body


310


in channel


350


. Ends


317


might be attached via an adhesive or other attachment means, or ends


317


might be tied around a loop, pin, or notch attached or integral to the interior portion. Further, ends


317


might be attached through exit aperture


370


to an exterior portion of body


110


via any of various described ways. For example, ends


317


might be attached to rear side


140


via an adhesive, or ends


317


might be tied or attached to a loop, pin, or notch attached to or formed integral to rear side


140


.




A cord cover


420


may also be attached to front side


320


of body


310


and may be made of a variety of materials, for example, a plastic material. Cord cover


420


includes vertically extending sides, specifically a front side


422


, a rear side


424


, and a left side


427


, as best depicted in FIG.


12


. On mounting of cord cover


420


to front side


320


of body


310


, mounting flange


312


may form a fourth side. The sides thus form an interior or hollow portion


425


. Rear side


424


may contain a notch or aperture to allow access to entry aperture


365


.




Thus, front side


422


of cord cover


420


may cover entry aperture


365


from the perspective of one standing in front of system


300


while allowing cord


315


to be inserted into entry aperture


365


. Cord cover


420


may extend toward a head frame


430


of window covering


410


and toward a bottom


313


of body


310


. For example, cord cover


420


may extend about two inches below entry aperture


365


and may extend about 10 inches toward a head frame


430


of window covering


410


. Entry aperture


365


may advantageously be located about 62 inches from a floor. Cord cover


420


thus reduces access to cord


317


located in hollow portion


425


. Also, the extension of cord cover


420


below entry aperture reduces or eliminates access to cords


315


from below entry aperture, for example, by a child. Extension of cord cover


420


toward head frame


430


further reduces or eliminate access to cords


315


, since it is necessary to grasp cords


315


above a top vertical extent


429


of cord cover


420


to manipulate cords


315


. Top vertical extent


429


may be about six feet (72 inches) from a floor. Cord cover


420


might be integral to body portion


310


or cord cover


420


might be connected to front side


320


of body


310


by a two sided tape, glue, adhesive, screws, nails, or other means as is known by those skilled in the art.




Cord cover


420


may further include a slot


440


advantageously located on front side


422


and substantially vertical, as depicted in

FIGS. 11-12

. Cords


315


may be removed from and replaced in hollow portion


425


and channel


350


through slot


440


. Because slot


440


is not substantially larger than cords


315


, access to cords


315


is reduced by slot


440


. Thus, to manipulate cords


315


one could not easily grasp cords


115


through slot


440


. Instead, it would be necessary to grasp cords


315


above top vertical extent


429


. Thus, access to small children is reduced or prevented since they would not be able to grasp cords


315


through slot


440


and would not likely be able to reach above top vertical extent


429


. This further reduces the ability of a child to access cords


315


and entangle himself therein.




Channel


350


may further include weight


450


therein movably connected to cords


315


. Weight


450


serves to draw slack from cords


315


into channel


350


and to draw a portion of cords


315


located outside channel


350


into hollow portion


425


behind cord cover


420


through slot


440


. Weight


450


may move along cords


315


by causing cords


315


to slide on a portion of weight


450


, for example a pulley portion, as illustrated in FIG.


11


. Alternatively, weight


450


may further include a wheel, slot, notch or other means to further facilitate moving of weight


450


along cords


315


, as is known by those skilled in the art. Weight


450


may be inserted into channel


350


through a weight insertion aperture


452


in right side


335


, as depicted in FIG.


13


. By mounting right side


335


to window frame


400


, access to weight insertion aperture


452


may be reduced or eliminated. This results because weight insertion aperture


452


is located on right side


335


which is no longer accessible when system


300


is mounted to window frame


400


.




One example of a method for installing window covering control system


300


is described as follows with reference to

FIGS. 10-13

. Cords


315


are pulled to their maximum extent from head frame


430


of window covering device


410


thus raising covering portions, vanes, or slats


500


to their top most position. Cords


315


are inserted through slot


440


and through entry aperture


365


into channel


350


. Weight


450


is inserted through weight insertion aperture


452


in right side


335


, into channel


350


. Ends


317


of cords


315


are placed through weight


450


, for example a pulley or other portion thereof adapted to receive ends


317


. Ends


317


are then passed through exit aperture


370


and attached to stopper


380


. Body


310


is mounted, for example using screws or nails, to window frame


400


such that weight


450


is at its bottom extent in channel


350


and cords


315


are taut. A position of weight


450


may be further adjusted by adjusting a length of cords


315


. This length may be adjusted by attaching cords


315


to stopper


380


at portions of cords


315


other than ends


317


. For example, cords


315


might be tied to stopper


380


at a proper length and the excess cord might be removed. In this manner, portions of cords


315


which might be dangerous to small children are safely stored in channel


350


.




Thus, use of window covering control system


300


with window covering device


410


may be performed as follows with reference to

FIGS. 10-13

. To raise or lower covering portions


500


, a user may grasp a portion


318


of cords


315


above top vertical extent


429


of cord cover


420


. The user may then operate window covering system


410


through manipulating portion


318


. Alternatively, the user may remove cords


315


from hollow portion


425


of cord cover


420


through slot


440


and manipulate cords


315


to adjust window covering portions


500


as desired. For example, the user might pull cords


115


toward a right direction to unlock and raise or lower covering portions


500


. The user might pull cords


315


in a left direction to lock covering portions


500


at a particular height or position. After releasing cords


315


, a downward force due to weight


450


draws any excess cord into channel


350


through entry aperture


365


. Also, if cords


315


were previously removed from hollow portion


425


of cord cover


420


, the force due to weight


450


may draw excess cord also into hollow portion


425


through slot


440


.





FIG. 14

depicts an example of a window covering device


600


having a head frame


605


and a cord


610


which must be rotated in a continuous loop to operate window covering portions


620


. For example, window covering portions


620


might be blinds, drapes, or curtains which might be opened by rotating cords


610


through a clutch of head frame


605


in one direction and closed by rotating cords


610


in an opposite direction. A further embodiment of a window covering control system


700


adapted for use with window covering device


600


is depicted in

FIGS. 15-18

. System


700


may include a body portion


710


having an entry aperture


765


, an exit aperture


770


different or separate from entry aperture


765


, and a retaining member


800


to receive an end


611


of cords


610


. Body portion


710


may extend substantially from head frame


605


to a bottom


651


of a window frame


650


. Body portion


710


may be made of vinyl, plastic or another material suitable to be formed in such a shape and it may be opaque to reduce or eliminate infiltration of light when system


700


is in a lowered position.




Also, body portion


710


includes a front side


720


, a rear side


740


, a left side


730


, and a right side


735


(

FIG. 18

) which form a channel


750


(

FIG. 17

) between them. Body portion


710


may be mounted to window frame


650


such that front side


720


and rear side


740


are substantially parallel to a window


670


. Left side


730


and right side


735


, thus, are perpendicular thereto. Body portion


710


may further include a mounting flange


737


connected to and parallel to right side


735


. Flange


737


and/or right side


735


of body portion


710


may be attached to window frame


650


through adhesive, nails, screws or other means, as is known by those skilled in the art




Also, retaining member


800


may receive end


611


of cord


610


and may be located partially or fully in channel


750


at a location opposite from head frame


605


, as depicted in

FIGS. 15-17

. Advantageously, retaining member


800


may be located adjacent to and in a same level or plane as entry aperture


765


. An exit aperture


770


is located adjacent to head frame


605


. Retaining member


800


may be formed as a rod, slot, or as a pulley and may be attached to an interior portion of body portion


710


, as illustrated in

FIGS. 16 and 17

.




Retaining member


800


may be located at a substantially fixed distance from head frame


605


, when mounted to window frame


650


, to cause cord


610


to be maintained taut adjacent to front side


720


and/or flange


737


. This may be accomplished through manufacturing window


670


, window frame


650


, and/or window covering control system


700


integrally. Alternatively, in the case of a retrofit of window covering control system


700


to an existing window and window frame, cord


610


may be severed and inserted into an exit aperture


770


, movably connected to retaining member


800


, and pulled out entry aperture


765


. Severed ends of cord


610


might then be reattached to one another such that cord


610


is taut inside channel


750


and outside channel


750


adjacent to first side


720


and/or flange


737


. The tautness may be achieved through one or both of positioning body portion


710


to cause positioning of retaining member


800


and adjusting a length of cord


610


. Thus, reassembled cord


610


might be manipulated in a continuous loop to control window covering


600


. Cord


610


might also be formed as a chain with removable links to allow easy reattachment of its ends after adjustment of cord


610


and mounting of body portion


710


to window frame


650


.




Thus, about one-half of cord


610


is taut and enclosed in channel


750


and about another half is taut and located adjacent to front side


720


and/or flange


737


of body


710


. There is no exposed loop at end


611


of cord


610


, because end


611


is received by retaining member


800


and located partially or entirely inside channel


750


. Therefore, there is reduced access to cord


610


resulting in less danger of being entangled therein. Particularly, there is less danger that a child might become entangled in end


611


of cords


610


and strangle himself therewith.




Alternatively, right side


735


of body portion


710


might include an access aperture


752


, as depicted in FIG.


18


. Severed ends of cord


610


might be manipulated through access aperture


752


to facilitate moveable adjustment to retaining member


800


and/or reattachment of the severed ends to one another. When system


700


is mounted to window frame


650


, exposure to access aperture


752


is reduced or eliminated since it abuts window frame


650


.




Body portion


710


might also be formed having three sides instead of four wherein the fourth side is formed by window frame


650


on mounting of body


710


to window frame


650


, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to sever cord


610


to allow entry thereof into channel


750


. Instead, cords


610


might be movably attached to retaining member


800


, for example a pulley, such that cord


610


remains taut, and body


710


might then be mounted to window frame


650


thus, maintaining cord


610


with minimal slack.




As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, feature(s), characteristic(s), and/or advantage(s) of (e.g., portions of) the window covering control systems described herein, may be applied and/or extended to any embodiment (e.g., and/or portion thereof).




Although preferred embodiments have been depicted and described in detail herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that various modifications, additions, substitutions, and the like can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and these are therefore considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A system for controlling a window covering device, said system comprising:at least one cord for operating a window covering; a body adapted for mounting adjacent to a window, said body comprising: a vertically extending, elongate channel having top and bottom ends; an entry aperture located in a side of said channel nearer said top end than said bottom end thereof with at least a portion of said cord extending into said channel through said entry aperture, an exposed portion of said cord being located outside of said channel and extending between said entry aperture and said top end; a weight contained in said channel for slidable movement therealong between said entry opening and said bottom end and said weight being movably suspended from said cord so as to maintain an interior portion of said cord within said channel; a free end of said cord being attached to said channel; means on said body for fixedly mounting the body to a vertical surface adjacent a window; whereby, said exposed portion of said cord may be accessed and moved by hand to operate the window covering while never extending below the entry aperture.
  • 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an exit aperture adapted for exit of an end of the at least one cord from said channel.
  • 3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a stopper for attachment to the free end of the at least one cord.
  • 4. The system of claim 3 wherein said stopper is adapted to maintain the end outside said channel.
  • 5. The system of claim 2 wherein said entry aperture and said exit aperture are located about the same distance from the bottom end.
  • 6. The system of claim 5 wherein said entry aperture and said exit aperture are adapted to be located about 62 inches from a floor.
  • 7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a stopper and wherein said channel further comprises an exit aperture for exit of the at least one cord from said channel, wherein said channel receives the at least one cord through said entry aperture, wherein said weight receives the at least one cord, and wherein said stopper attaches to an end of the at least one cord outside said exit aperture.
  • 8. The system of claim 1 wherein said body further comprises an access aperture adapted for insertion of said weight therethrough.
  • 9. The system of claim 1 wherein said weight is adapted to draw at least a portion of the at least one cord into said channel.
  • 10. The system of claim 1 wherein said weight further comprises a pulley adapted to receive the at least one cord.
  • 11. The system of claim 1 wherein said weight is adapted to maintain the at least one cord adjacent to said body.
  • 12. The system of claim 1 wherein said weight is adapted to maintain the at least one cord substantially taut.
  • 13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a cord cover attached to said body.
  • 14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a hollow portion between said body and said cord cover adapted to receive the at least one cord.
  • 15. The system of claim 14 wherein said cord cover further comprises a slot sized to allow the at least one cord to pass therethrough into said hollow portion.
  • 16. The system of claim 13 wherein a first end of said cord cover is located below said entry aperture and a second end of said cord cover is to be at least 72 inches from a floor adjacent to the window towards a headrail of the window covering device.
  • 17. The system of claim 1 wherein said body is adapted for mounting to a window frame adjacent to the window.
  • 18. The system of claim 1 further wherein said body is formed integral to a window frame adjacent to the window.
  • 19. The system of claim 1 wherein the window covering device comprises a window blinds system.
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