System and method of using lasers to seal an edge of a covering of an architectural-structure covering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097494-B2
Application number	US-202016843020-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2020
Priority date	Apr 22, 2019
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A system and method for laser sealing an edge portion of a covering of an architecture-structure covering is disclosed. In one embodiment, after cutting a covering of an architectural-structure covering to an appropriate size, lasering the cut edge portions or surfaces of the covering to seal the cut edge portions or surfaces of the covering to prevent fraying. The beam of the laser may be positioned to contact the cut edge portions or surfaces of the covering in a plane of the fabric. Subsequently, the beam of the laser scans or moves across the surface of the cut edge portion of the covering. In use, the beam of the laser is arranged and configured to apply heat to the surface of the fabric material at discrete points or spots to vaporize any loose fibers located along the cut edge portion of the covering.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for laser sealing a cut edge portion of a covering of an architectural-structure-covering, the method comprising:
positioning said covering on a surface;
positioning a laser relative to said covering so that a beam of said laser contacts said cut edge portion of said covering, said laser oriented so that the beam is non-perpendicular to a plane of the covering; and
moving said beam of said laser across said cut edge portion of the covering to seal said cut edge portion to prevent fraying.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the covering is a honeycomb covering.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising compressing the honeycomb covering into a closed position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving said beam of said laser across said cut edge portion comprises oscillating said beam of said laser across a surface of said cut edge portion of the covering.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said beam of said laser oscillates across said surface of said cut edge portion of the covering with 40 lines per inch.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said beam of said laser is arranged and configured to apply heat to said cut edge portion of the covering at discrete points or spots.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said beam of said laser has a diameter at its focal point of approximately 0.007-inch.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said beam of said laser is arranged and configured to vaporize loose fibers located along said cut edge portion of the covering.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said beam of said laser is arranged and configured to cut loose fibers located along said cut edge portion of the covering.

10. The method of claim 1 , positioning a laser relative to said covering includes positioning said laser so that the beam is parallel to a plane of said covering.

11. The method of claim 1 , positioning a laser relative to said covering includes positioning said laser so that the beam is perpendicular to a plane of said cut edge portion of the covering.

Assignees

• Hunter Douglas

Inventors

• Lynch David
• Wisecup Stephen T
• Foley Patrick
• Rayman Wayne

Classifications

• B23K26/38

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• B29C65/1648 Primary

  radiating the edges of the parts to be joined · CPC title

• B23K26/206

  Laser sealing · CPC title

• D06M10/005

  Laser beam treatment · CPC title

• E06B9/266 Primary

  Devices or accessories for making or mounting lamellar blinds or parts thereof {(cleaning of lamellar blinds A47L4/00; joining plastics plates for making venetian blinds B29C66/437)} · CPC title