Method for making a pleated expandable cellular product for window coverings

A process for the manufacture of a pleated cellular shade product for use in a shade and having different physical characteristics at opposite sides of the shade product comprising,

• a) providing an elongated web having alternate first and second stripe areas extending crosswise of the web at a preselected repeat distance, the first and second stripe areas having different physical characteristics and each having a width approximately one-half the repeat distance;
• b) accordion folding the web in an accordion folding apparatus, operating the folding apparatus through successive pleating cycles and in each pleating cycle feeding a length of web slightly greater than the stripe repeat distance and folding the length of web fed during each pleating cycle alternately in opposite directions along first and second lines extending crosswise of the web to form a stack of panels disposed in sidewise abutting relation and serially united along respective first and second fold lines;
• c) controlling advance of the web to the accordion folding apparatus to maintain the first fold lines approximately medially between side edges of the first stripe areas and to maintain the second fold lines approximately medially between side edges of the second stripe areas, the step of controlling advance of the web including maintaining tension on the web as it is advanced to the folding apparatus sufficient to stretch the web and increase the repeat distance of the stripes on the web to substantially correspond to the length of the web fed by the folding apparatus during each pleating cycle;
• d) joining faces of sidewise adjacent panels that are united along the first fold lines in a first band parallel to and spaced from the associated first fold line a distance greater than one-half the fold spacing and within the second stripe areas such that only portions of the second stripe areas are exposed to view at the second side of the shade, and joining faces of sidewise adjacent panels that are united along the second fold lines in a second band parallel to and spaced from the associated second fold line a distance greater than one-half the fold spacing and within the first stripe areas such that only portions of the first stripe areas are exposed to view at the first side of the shade.

A process for the manufacture of a pleated cellular shade product of use in a shade and having different physical characteristics on opposite sides of the shade product comprising:

• providing an elongated web having first and second sides and alternate first and second stripe areas extending crosswise of the web at a preselected repeat distance, the first and second stripe areas having different physical characteristics and each having a width greater than one-third of the repeat distance, accordion folding and creasing the web crosswise of the length of the web alternately in a first direction along a first creased fold intermediate side edges of each first stripe area and in a second direction along a second creased fold intermediate the side edges of each second stripe area to form a plurality of sidewise adjacent panels each having width substantially one-half the repeat distance and serially united in alternate succession along respective first and second creased folds with each panel having a portion of a first stripe area contiguous to the associated first creased fold and a portion of a second stripe area contiguous to the associated second creased fold, thereafter unfolding the accordion folded web and advancing successive panels in an unfolded condition lengthwise of the web through an adhesive applying zone to an inlet end of a refold stack, applying adhesive at the second side of the web to one of each pair of panels that are united along the first creased fold in a first band parallel to and spaced from the associated first creased fold a distance greater than one-half the fold spacing and within the second stripe areas and applying adhesive at the first side of the web to one of each pair of panels that are united along the second creased fold in a second band parallel to and spaced from the associated second creased fold a distance greater than one-half the fold spacing and within the first stripe areas, and refolding the panels in succession along the associated creased fold onto the upper end of the refold stack to adhesively join adjacent faces of the pairs of panels along the first and second bands whereby only portions of the first stripe areas are exposed to view at a first side of the shade product and only portions of the second stripe areas are exposed to view at a second side of the shade product, wherein the web is accordion folded in an accordion folding apparatus, operating the folding apparatus through successive pleating cycles and in each pleating cycle feeding a length of web slightly greater than the stripe repeat distance and folding the length of web fed during each pleating cycle alternately in opposite directions for form the first and second creased folds, controlling advance of the web to the accordion folding apparatus to maintain the first creased folds approximately medially between side edges of the first stripe areas and to maintain the second creased folds approximately medially between side edges of the second stripe areas, the step of controlling advance of the web including adjustably maintaining tension on the web as it is advanced to the folding apparatus sufficient to stretch the web and increase the repeat distance of the stripes on the web to substantially correspond to the length of the web fed by the folding apparatus during each pleating cycle.