Cellular shade with divider webs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9657515-B2
Application number	US-201414574550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

An extendable and retractable cellular shade may include a plurality of vertically aligned shade cells and one or more divider webs extending within each shade cells to as to divide the shade cell into two or more cell structures. By adjusting one or more design parameters associated with the cellular shade, the configuration of the shade cells, such as the size and/or shape of the cell structures, and/or the illumination or lighting effects associated with the cellular shade may be specifically tailored to provide a desired aesthetic look or feel for the shade.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cellular shade for an architectural opening, the cellular shade movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the cellular shade comprising:
a plurality of first cell structures aligned vertically with one another, each first cell structure extending between a first junction line and a second junction line, each first cell structure including a first side and a second side, the first side of each first cell structure defining at least a portion of a first face of the cellular shade, the second side of each first cell structure being defined at least partially by a first wall segment and a second wall segment, the first and second wall segments being formed from separate webs, the first and second wall segments extending to a common joint location positioned between the first and second junction lines; and
a plurality of second cell structures aligned vertically with one another, each second cell structure being positioned adjacent to a corresponding first cell structure of the plurality of first cell structures, each second cell structure including a first side and a second side, the first side of each second cell structure being defined by the first wall segment of the corresponding first cell structure,
wherein the second wall segment of each first cell structure and the second side of each second cell structure define at least a portion of a second face of the cellular shade, the second face being opposite the first face.

2. The cellular shade of claim 1 , wherein the first wall segment is defined by a divider web forming a common wall between each second cell structure and its corresponding first cell structure.

3. The cellular shade of claim 2 , wherein each second cell structure is defined by the divider web and at least one cell web, the at least one cell web defining the second side of the second cell structure, the at least one cell web further defining both the first side and the second wall segment of the first cell structure.

4. The cellular shade of claim 2 , wherein the divider web is formed from a material that allows for at least 10% less light transmission than a material used to form the at least one cell web.

5. The cellular shade of claim 2 , wherein the divider web is formed from a material that allows for at least 100% less light transmission than a material used to form the at least one cell web.

6. The cellular shade of claim 2 , Wherein the divider web comprises a first divider web, further comprising a plurality of third cell structures vertically aligned with one another, each third cell structure being separated from a corresponding first cell structure of the plurality of first cell structures by a second divider web.

7. The cellular shade of claim 6 , wherein an end of the first divider web is horizontally aligned with or horizontally overlaps an end of the second divider web.

8. The cellular shade of claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of fourth cell structures vertically aligned within one another, each fourth cell structure being separated from a corresponding third cell structure of the plurality of third cell structures by a third divider web.

9. The cellular shade of claim 8 , wherein the second divider web is configured to extend between the first and third divider webs so as to contact the first divider web at a first contact location and the third divider web at a second contact location.

10. The cellular shade of claim 1 , wherein, when the cellular shade is at the extended position, adjacent second cell structures of the plurality of second cell structures are spaced apart vertically from one another such that a gap is defined between the adjacent second cell structures, the gap being horizontally aligned with at least a portion of the second side of one of the first cell structures.

11. The cellular shade of claim 1 , wherein, when the cellular shade is at the extended position, each first cell structure defines a first height and each second cell structure defines a second height, the second height being equal to less than 75% of the first height.

12. A cellular shade for an architectural opening, the cellular shade movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the cellular shade comprising:
a plurality of first cell structures vertically aligned with one another, each first cell structure being formed by at least one cell web and including a first side and a second side extending between a first junction line and a second junction line, the first side of each first cell structure defining at least a portion of a first face of the cellular shade, the at least one cell web being coupled to at least one separate first adjacent cell web at the first junction line and to at least one separate second adjacent cell web at the second junction line; and
a plurality of second cell structures aligned vertically with one another, each second cell structure being positioned adjacent to and extending outwardly from a corresponding first cell structure of the plurality of first cell structures;
wherein:
when the cellular shade is at the extended position, adjacent second cell structures of the plurality of second cell structures are spaced apart vertically from one another such that a gap is defined between the adjacent second cell structures;
the gap defines a vertical height across which a portion of the second side of each corresponding first cell structure is exposed along a second face of the cellular shade; and
the second face is opposite the first face.

13. The cellular shade of claim 12 , wherein the second side of each first cell structure includes a first wall segment and a second wall segment, and wherein each second cell structure includes a first side and a second side, the first side of each second cell structure being defined by the first wall segment of the corresponding first cell structure.

14. The cellular shade of claim 13 , wherein the second wall segment of each first cell structure and the second side of each second cell structure define at least a portion of the second face of the cellular shade.

15. The cellular shade of claim 13 , Wherein the gap extends along at least a portion of the second wall segment of one of the first cell structures.

16. The cellular shade of claim 13 , wherein the first wall segment is defined by a divider web forming a common wall between each second cell structure and its corresponding first cell structure.

17. The cellular shade of claim 16 , wherein the first side of each second cell structure is defined by the divider web and the second side of each second cell structure is defined by the at least one cell web, the at least one cell web further defining both the first side and the second wall segment of the first cell structure.

18. A cellular shade for an architectural opening, the cellular shade movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the cellular shade comprising:
a plurality of vertically aligned shade cells, each shade cell extending between a first junction line and a second junction line and being formed by at least one cell web defining a closed shape extending between the first and second junction lines along a first side and a second side of each shade cell, each shade cell including a first cell structure and a second cell structure defined within an interior of the closed shape, a first side of each first cell structure defining at least a portion of a first face of the cellular shade, adjacent second cell structures of the plurality of vertically aligned shade cells being spaced apar

Assignees

• Hunter Douglas

Inventors

• Rupel John D

Classifications

• E06B2009/2627

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

• E06B9/262 Primary

  with flexibly-interconnected horizontal or vertical strips; Concertina blinds {, i.e. upwardly folding flexible screens} · CPC title