Retractable window covering
AssigneeHunter Douglas Inc.
InventorsWendell B. Colson, Terry Lee Akins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A retractable window covering panel including spaced apart parallel sheets of flexible fabric with vanes adhesively secured therebetween. The covering includes a roller or head rail with a wrinkle and buckle compensating structure such as longitudinal lobes or ribs to prevent creasing, wrinkling, or buckling of the window covering when rolled up. The head rail has means for attaching the window covering to insure proper alignment of the window covering. A bottom rail is secured to one or both sheets. An anti-skew device is provided.
Claims25
The combination of a flexible hanging panel and bottom rail therefor comprising a hanging panel embodying first and second parallel sheets of material, an elongated bottom rail defining a longitudinally extending channel therein, and an elongated insert frictionally engaged in said channel holding inserted edges of said panel in said channel.
The combination of a flexible hanging panel and bottom rail therefor, comprising a hanging panel formed by first and second parallel flexible fabric sheets of material, an elongated bottom rail defining a longitudinally extending channel having a flattened C-shaped cross section with opposed longitudinal inward projections, and a resilient elongated strip inserted in and extending along said longitudinal channel and being retained in said channel by engagement thereof with said longitudinal inward projections, said elongated strip securing the bottom edge portions of said sheets in said channel with the bottom edge portion of the first sheet wrapped around one longitudinal edge of said elongated strip and the bottom edge portion of the second sheet wrapped around the other longitudinal edge of said elongated strip.
A retractable covering device comprising a panel having first and second parallel flexible fabric sheets and a plurality of spaced apart adjustable transverse vanes secured between said sheets along lines of attachment, a roller rotatable about a longitudinal axis for rolling and unrolling said panel, said roller defining a discontinuous surface forming recessed areas for receiving buckles of said sheets and vanes for preventing creation of wrinkles therein, said roller defining a longitudinally extending recess for receiving the line of attachment between the first sheet and a vane, and means for holding said sheet in said recess along said line of attachment.
A retractable covering device comprising a panel having spaced juxtaposed first and second parallel flexible sheets and a plurality of spaced apart transverse vanes secured between said sheets along lines of attachment, a roller rotatable about a longitudinal axis and defining an axially extending recess in the surface thereof for receiving a line of attachment between said first sheet and a vane, and a securing strip frictionally engaged in said recess and holding said sheet therein along said line of attachment.
A retractable window covering comprising:
- a light control panel comprising:
- spaced juxtaposed parallel first and second flexible sheets, and
- a plurality of spaced apart parallel transverse vanes carried between and connecting said sheets, wherein said plurality of transverse vanes are attached to said sheets along attachment lines and
- a roller secured to said sheets along an attachment line and rotatable about a longitudinal axis for rolling and unrolling said light control panel,
- said roller defining an outer surface having peripherally wide recessed areas therein adapted to nonsupportingly receive buckles of said sheets and vanes which result from rolling up said light control panel, and
- a plurality of ribs extending outwardly from said roller and defining apexes at their outer ends spaced from the outer surface of said roller, said apexes defining longitudinal contact points for said panel when wrapped around said roller, said apexes being circumferentially spaced apart so as to provide a substantially straight path for said light control panel from one apex to an adjacent apex.
A retractable covering device comprising first and second spaced, parallel, vertical sheets with bottom edges, a plurality of transverse vanes attached between and connecting said sheets along attachment lines, a first elongated member having a longitudinal axes and defining a longitudinally extending channel, a cooperating retainer member inserted in said channel, the bottom edge of at least one of said first and second sheets inserted in said channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted retainer member, a second elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending second channel, and a cooperating second retainer member inserted in said second channel, the bottom edge of the other of said sheets being inserted in said second channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted second retainer member.
A retractable covering device comprising first and second spaced, parallel, vertical sheets with bottom edges, a plurality of transverse vanes attached between and connecting said sheets along attachment lines, a first elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending channel, and a cooperating retainer member inserted in said channel, the bottom edge of at least one of said first and second sheets inserted in said channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted retainer member, characterized in that said channel is triangular in cross-section defining an outwardly directed longitudinal opening along its base and a longitudinally extending recessed vertex opposite said opening, said retainer member being wedge-shaped in cross-section whereby said retainer member forces said line of attachment between said vane and said sheet into said vertex recess to ensure parallel alignment of said vanes with said bottom rail.
A retractable covering device comprising first and second spaced, parallel, vertical sheets with bottom edges, a plurality of transverse vanes attached between and connecting said sheets along attachment lines, a first elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending channel, and a cooperating retainer member inserted in said channel, the bottom edge of at least one of said first and second sheets inserted in said channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted retainer member, characterized in that said channel is V-shaped in cross-section and defines an inwardly projecting longitudinally extending lip, and said retainer member is a resilient V-shaped strip, one leg of which engages behind said projection when said retainer member is inserted in said V-shaped channel.
A retractable covering device comprising first and second spaced, parallel, vertical sheets with bottom edges, a plurality of transverse vanes attached between and connecting said sheets along attachment lines, a first elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending channel, and a cooperating retainer member inserted in said channel, the bottom edge of at least one of said first and second sheets being inserted in said channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted retainer member, characterized in that said channel is circular in cross-section and defining an opening of a width less than the inside diameter of said channel, and said retainer member is a resilient tubular clamping member clampingly engaging an inserted edge of one of said sheets in said channel.
A retractable covering device comprising first and second spaced, parallel, vertical sheets with bottom edges, a plurality of transverse vanes attached between and connecting said sheets along attachment lines, a first elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending channel, and a cooperating retainer member inserted in said channel, the bottom edge of at least one of said first and second sheets inserted in said channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted retainer member, a second elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending second channel, and a cooperating second retainer member inserted in said second channel, the bottom edge of the other of said sheets inserted in said second channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted second retainer member, characterized in that said channel of said first elongated member is triangular in cross-section defining an outwardly directed longitudinal opening along its base and a longitudinally extending recessed vertex opposite said opening, said retainer member of said first elongated member being wedge-shaped in cross-section whereby said retainer member forces said line of attachment between said vane and said sheet into said vertex recess to ensure parallel alignment of said vanes with said bottom rail, said channel of said second elongated member is V-shaped in cross-section and defines an inwardly projecting longitudinally extending lip and said retainer member of said second elongated member is a resilient V-shaped strip, one leg of which engages behind said projection when said retainer member is inserted in said V-shaped channel.
A retractable covering device comprising first and second spaced, parallel, vertical sheets with bottom edges, a plurality of transverse vanes attached between and connecting said sheets along attachment lines, a first elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending channel, a cooperating retainer member inserted in said channel, the bottom edge of at least one of said first and second sheets inserted in said channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted retainer member, a second elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending second channel, and a cooperating second retainer member inserted in said second channel, the bottom edge of the other of said sheets being inserted in said second channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted second retainer member, characterized in that said channel of said first elongated member is triangular in cross-section defining an outwardly directed longitudinal opening along its base and a longitudinally extending recessed vertex opposite said opening, said retainer member of said first elongated member being wedge-shaped in cross-section whereby said retainer member forces said line of attachment between said vane and said sheet into said vertex recess to ensure parallel alignment of said vanes with said bottom rail, said channel of said second elongated member is circular in cross-section and defines an opening of a width less than the inside diameter of said channel, said second retainer member is a resilient tubular clamping member clampingly engaging an inserted edge of the other of said sheets in said channel.
A retractable covering device comprising a light control element having first and second spaced, parallel, vertical sheets with bottom edges and a plurality of transverse vanes attached between and connecting said sheets along attachment lines, a first elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending channel, and a cooperating retainer member inserted in said channel, the bottom edge of at least one of said first and second sheets inserted in said channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted retainer member, characterized in that said channel is substantially C-shaped in cross-section and defines opposed inwardly projecting longitudinally extending lips, said retainer member comprising a resilient elongated strip having opposed longitudinal edges, each longitudinal edge of said elongated strip engaging behind one of said longitudinal lips securing said light control element in said elongated member.
A retractable covering device comprising a light control element having first and second spaced, parallel, vertical sheets with bottom edges and a plurality of transverse vanes attached between and connecting said sheets along attachment lines, a first elongated member having a longitudinal axis and defining a longitudinally extending channel, and a cooperating retainer member inserted in said channel, the bottom edge of at least one of said first and second sheets inserted in said channel and retained therein along an attachment line by engagement therewith of said inserted retainer member, characterized in that said channel is substantially C-shaped in cross-section and defines opposed inwardly projecting longitudinally extending lips, said retainer member comprising a resilient elongated strip having opposed longitudinal edges, each longitudinal edge of said elongated strip engaging behind one of said longitudinal lips securing said light control element in said elongated member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.