Cutting apparatus for window coverings and methods therefor

An apparatus for cutting a window covering including a head rail, a bottom rail and slats extending between the head rail and the bottom rail, said apparatus comprising:

• a base having a substantially flat cutting surface;
• a frame overlying said cutting surface and mounted to said base;
• said base including a clamping assembly slidably movable in a horizontal direction parallel to said cutting surface for securing the bottom rail, the slats and the top rail of said window covering in a side-by-side arrangement atop said cutting surface so that the bottom rail, the slats and the top rail are in contact with the substantially flat cutting surface;
• a cutting assembly including a cutting blade having a cutting edge mounted to said frame for sliding along a movement axis toward and away from said cutting surface, said movement axis having a first component of movement extending in a direction substantially parallel to said cutting surface and a second component of movement extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said cutting surface;
• and
• a driver connected with said cutting assembly for moving said cutting blade along the movement axis toward said cutting surface, wherein said cutting surface, said clamping assembly and said cutting assembly are arranged so that the cutting edge of said cutting blade simultaneously engages and cuts through the bottom rail, the slats and the head rail of said window covering, and wherein the cutting edge of said cutting blade remains substantially parallel to said substantially flat cutting surface when engaging and cutting through the bottom rail, the slats and the head rail of said window covering.