Covering for an architectural opening having nested tubes

A covering for an architectural opening, comprising:

• a rotatable outer tube defining an elongated slot;
• a shade attached to said outer tube;
• a rotatable inner tube received within said outer tube;
• an operating element attached to and wrappable around said inner tube, said operating element extendable and retractable through said slot to move said shade between open and closed positions upon movement of said inner tube relative to said outer tube;
• a first engagement feature extending outwardly from said inner tube;
• and
• a second engagement feature extending inwardly from said outer tube into a rotational path of said first engagement feature so that said first and second engagement features engage one another within one revolution of one of said inner tube or said outer tube relative to the other of said outer tube or said inner tube.

A covering for an architectural opening, comprising:

• a rotatable outer tube;
• a rotatable inner tube received within said outer tube;
• and
• at least one collar positioned at least partially radially between said outer tube and said inner tube, said at least one collar fixed against an inner surface of said outer tube and movable relative to said inner tube.

A covering for an architectural opening, comprising:

• a rotatable outer tube defining an elongated slot extending along a length of said outer tube;
• a shade attached to said outer tube;
• a rotatable inner tube received within said outer tube;
• and
• a locking element received at least partially within said inner tube and operably associated with said outer tube to selectively restrict rotation of said outer tube, wherein said locking element is axially displaceable between a first position where said locking element allows unrestricted rotation of said outer tube and a second position where said locking element restricts rotation of said outer tube.

A covering for an architectural opening, comprising:

• a rotatable outer tube;
• a shade attached to said outer tube;
• a rotatable inner tube received within said outer tube;
• and
• a lift assist operably associated with said outer tube to rotate said outer tube but not said inner tube.