Retractable shade with collapsible vanes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9328553-B2
Application number	US-201514590020-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2015
Priority date	Aug 20, 2003
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

A retractable cover for architectural openings having collapsible vanes includes a support structure in the form of a sheet of material, monofilaments, tapes, ribbons, cords, or the like, supporting an upper edge of a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending vanes with the lower edges of the vanes in most embodiments of the invention being connected to operating elements adapted to raise the lower edges of each vane toward the upper edges to define openings or gaps between the vanes through which vision and light can pass in an open condition of the covering. Variations of the covering do not require movement of a lower edge of a vane relative to an upper edge but simply movement of some vanes relative to other vanes. The vanes can be made of materials having different flexibilities and where more rigid materials are used, creased fold lines can be established for desired operability.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A covering for an architectural opening, the covering movable between open and closed positions, the covering comprising:
a rotatable roller;
a support sheet attached to and wrappable about the roller;
an operating element attached to and wrappable about the roller; and
a strip of material having a first edge portion and a second edge portion, the first edge portion attached to the support sheet and the second edge portion attached to the operating element, the second edge portion movable along a face of the support sheet relative to the first edge portion;
wherein, when the covering is in the open position, the support sheet is planar and is disposed in a first vertical plane offset from a second vertical plane bisecting the roller, and the operating element is wrapped about a portion of the roller and extends toward the support sheet.

2. The covering of claim 1 , wherein rotation of the roller in a first direction moves the second edge portion away from the first edge portion, and wherein rotation of the roller in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the second edge portion toward the first edge portion.

3. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the first edge portion of the strip of material is an upper edge portion, and wherein the second edge portion of the strip of material is a lower edge portion.

4. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the operating element extends vertically, and wherein the strip of material extends horizontally.

5. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the first and second edge portions of the strip of material are parallel.

6. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the strip of material is flexible.

7. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the strip of material is semi-rigid.

8. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the first edge portion of the strip of material is bonded to the support sheet.

9. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the first edge portion of the strip of material is bonded to the support sheet with adhesive.

10. A covering for an architectural opening, comprising:
a rotatable roller;
a support sheet attached to and wrappable about the roller;
multiple operating elements attached to and wrappable about the roller; and
multiple strips of material each having a first edge portion and a second edge portion, the first edge portion attached to the support sheet and the second edge portion attached to the operating elements, the second edge portion movable along a face of the support sheet relative to the first edge portion;
wherein, when the covering is in an open position, the support sheet defines a first vertical plane offset from and oriented substantially parallel to a second vertical plane bisecting the roller, and the operating elements extend from the roller toward the support sheet.

11. The covering of claim 10 , wherein rotation of the roller in a first direction moves the second edge portion away from the first edge portion, and wherein rotation of the roller in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the second edge portion toward the first edge portion.

12. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the first edge portion is an upper edge portion, and wherein the second edge portion is a lower edge portion.

13. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the operating elements extend vertically, and wherein the strips of material extend horizontally.

14. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the first and second edge portions are parallel.

15. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the strips of material are flexible.

16. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the strips of material are semi-rigid.

17. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the first edge portion is bonded to the support sheet.

18. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the first edge portion is bonded to the support sheet with adhesive.

19. A covering for an architectural opening, comprising:
a rotatable roller;
a support sheet attached to and wrappable about the roller, the support sheet extending from the roller in a first vertical plane offset from a second vertical plane bisecting the roller;
at least one operating element attached to and wrappable about the roller; and
at least one strip of material having an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion, one of the upper edge portion or the lower edge portion attached to the support sheet, the other of the upper edge portion or the lower edge portion attached to the at least one operating element and movable along a face of the support sheet relative to the one of the upper edge portion or the lower edge portion;
wherein, when the covering is in an open position, the at least one operating element extends from the roller toward the support sheet.

20. The covering of claim 1 , wherein the first vertical plane is offset rearwardly from the second vertical plane.

21. The covering of claim 10 , wherein the first vertical plane is offset rearwardly from the second vertical plane.

22. The covering of claim 19 , wherein the first vertical plane is offset rearwardly from the second vertical plane.

Assignees

• Hunter Douglas

Inventors

• Colson Wendell B
• Harper Marjorie G
• Fogarty Daniel M
• Hartman David P
• Jelic Ralph G
• Kopecky Kristi K

Classifications

• E06B2009/2627

  Cellular screens, e.g. box or honeycomb-like · CPC title

• E06B2009/2622

  Gathered vertically; Roman, Austrian or festoon blinds · CPC title

• E06B2009/2625

  Pleated screens, e.g. concertina- or accordion-like · CPC title

• E06B9/384

  Details of interconnection or interaction of tapes and lamellae · CPC title

• E06B9/40 Primary

  Roller blinds (usable only as awnings E04F10/06) · CPC title