Blind and shade cutting center

• US 6,604,443 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries Switzerland GmbH (Hunter Douglas N.V.), Levolor, Inc (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Newell Window Furnishings Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Caputo, Thomas A., Roberts, David C., Coulcher, Richard D. Jr., Schwartz, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US09/911,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20030015074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 835/64, 83/13, 831/67, 835/13, 835/16, 835/221.9, 83/52, 834/54, 831/69, 831/97, 834/52, 836/02, 836/22, 29/245
• US Class Current: 83/13
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 23/00 Machines or devices for shearing or cutting profiled stock hand-held devices B23D29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 35/008 Means for changing the cutting members mounting per se B23D35/002
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 45/003 for particular purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/266 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 Class Codes: Y10T 29/39 Venetian blind assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0453 By fluid application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/05 With reorientation of tool between cuts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0586 Effecting diverse or sequential cuts in same cutting step
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/141 With means to monitor and control operation [e.g., self-regulating means]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/162 With control means responsive to replaceable or selectable information program
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/207 By suction means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/222 With receptacle or support for cut product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/404 By means to misalign aligned apertured tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/408 Combined with another type tool of the class
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/412 Rectilinear relative movement only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/654 With work-constraining means on work conveyor [i.e., "work-carrier"]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6608 By rectilinearly moving work carriage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6656 Rectilinear movement only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7487 Means to clamp work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7493 : Combined with, peculiarly related to, other element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7593 : Work-stop abutment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/76 : With scale or indicator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7607 : Normal to plane of cut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7647 : Adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7693 : Tool moved relative to work-support during cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/819 : With intermediate work support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/853 : Indicates tool position
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/857 : Calibrated scale or indicator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/858 : Indicates dimension of work being cut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/929 : Tool or tool with support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/95 : Machine frame

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sizing window coverings slidably extendable from a bay into an isle of a retail outlet. The method includes the steps of locating the center of the window covering relative to a cutting station utilizing a half scale for removing a portion of the window covering from each of its ends.

Claims

1. A method of sizing a window covering in a retail outlet, comprising:

obtaining a width specification for a finished window covering;

providing a stock window covering having a bottom rail provided with two ends, a head rail, and a window covering material operatively connected to the bottom rail, the bottom rail having a connector centrally located between two ends of the bottom rail, the stock window covering having a width greater than the width specification of the finished window covering;

providing a housing including a locator for engaging the connector;

engaging the connector with the locator;

positioning the locator and window covering connector a distance equal to one half of the width specification from a cutting plane of a sizing mechanism; and

removing a portion of a first end of the bottom rail, head rail and slats extending beyond the cutting plane distal the locator with the sizing mechanism.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of positioning a second end of the bottom rail, head rail and slats proximate the sizing mechanism;

engaging the connector with the locator;

positioning the locator and the connector a distance equal to one half of the width specification from the cutting plane of the sizing mechanism; and

removing a portion of the bottom rail, head rail and slats from the second end with the sizing mechanism.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of locating includes slidably moving the locator relative to a scale having units measured from the cutting plane.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the units include indicia that is twice the actual distance from the cutting plane.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the connector is an aperture.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the locator includes a first pin.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the locator includes an extension and a second pin extending therefrom toward the first pin.

8. A method of sizing a window covering in a retail outlet, comprising:

obtaining a width specification for a finished window covering;

providing a stock window covering with two ends, having a bottom rail, a head rail, and a window covering material operatively connected to the bottom rail, the bottom rail having a connector located between two ends of the window covering, the stock window covering having a width greater than the width specification for the finished window covering;

providing a housing including a locator for engaging the connector;

engaging the connector with the locator;

positioning the window covering such that a distal portion of a first end of the window covering extends beyond a cutting plane in a sizing mechanism; and

removing the distal portion of the first end of the window covering extending beyond the cutting plane with the sizing mechanism.