Apparatus and method for making a window covering having operable vanes

A covering for use in an architectural opening, the covering comprising:

• a rotatable roller;
• a support sheet suspended from the roller;
• a plurality of vanes extending across a face of the support sheet, at least one vane having a first edge portion attached to the support sheet and a second edge portion movable relative to the first edge portion between a closed position and an open position;
• and
• a plurality of operating elements suspended from the roller and extending transversely to the at least one vane, the operating elements being movable relative to the support sheet and to the first edge portion of the at least one vane, the operating elements operably attached to the second edge portion of the at least one vane, wherein during movement of the second edge portion from the closed position to the open position, the operating elements are wrapped around the roller while the support sheet is unwrapped from the roller, wherein the operating elements are operative to selectively move the second edge portion toward and away from the first edge portion upon rotatable movement of the roller.

A covering for an architectural opening, the covering comprising:

• a rotatable roller;
• a flexible support structure;
• a plurality of operating elements each having one end secured to the roller;
• and
• a plurality of strips of material each having a first edge and a second edge, the first edge being secured to the flexible support structure, the second edge being secured to the operating elements, the operating elements being movable relative to the support structure to move the first and second edges toward and away from each other between open and closed positions, wherein during movement of the first and second edges toward each other, the operating elements are wrapped around the roller while the support structure is unwrapped from the roller.

A covering for use in an architectural opening, the covering comprising:

• a rotatable roller;
• a support sheet attached to the roller at a first attachment point and wrappable about the roller;
• a plurality of vanes extending across a face of the support sheet and attached to the support sheet, at least one vane movable between a closed position and an open position;
• and
• an operating element attached to the roller at a second attachment point and wrappable about the roller, the operating element operably associated with the at least one vane to effect movement of the at least one vane from the closed position to the open position, wherein during movement of the at least one vane from the closed position to the open position, the circumferential distance between the first attachment point of the support sheet and a disengagement point of the support sheet from the roller decreases, while the circumferential distance between the second attachment point of the operating element and a disengagement point of the operating element from the roller increases, wherein the operating element is substantially coplanar with the support sheet.

A covering for use in an architectural opening, the covering comprising:

• a rotatable roller;
• a support sheet suspended from the roller;
• a plurality of vanes extending across a face of the support sheet, at least one vane having a first edge portion attached to the support sheet and a second edge portion movable relative to the first edge portion between a closed position and an open position;
• and
• a plurality of operating elements suspended from the roller and extending transversely to the at least one vane, the operating elements being movable relative to the support sheet and to the first edge portion of the at least one vane, the operating elements operably attached to the second edge portion of the at least one vane, wherein during movement of the second edge portion from the closed position to the open position, the operating elements are wrapped around the roller while the support sheet is unwrapped from the roller, wherein the first edge portion of the at least one vane is intermittently secured to the support sheet so as to define unsecured locations configured to permit the operating elements to slidably extend between the support sheet and the first edge portion.

A covering for use in an architectural opening, the covering comprising:

• a rotatable roller;
• a support sheet suspended from the roller;
• a plurality of vanes extending across a face of the support sheet, at least one vane having a first edge portion attached to the support sheet and a second edge portion movable relative to the first edge portion between a closed position and an open position;
• and
• a plurality of operating elements suspended from the roller and extending transversely to the at least one vane, the operating elements being movable relative to the support sheet and to the first edge portion of the at least one vane, the operating elements operably attached to the second edge portion of the at least one vane, wherein during movement of the second edge portion from the closed position to the open position, the operating elements are wrapped around the roller while the support sheet is unwrapped from the roller, wherein the operating elements are disposed in substantially the same plane as the support sheet.