Furled decorative covering apparatus and method

• US 6,901,987 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leon Hand-Crafted Speakers, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jonathan W. Graham
• Inventors: Graham, Jonathan W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PUROL, DAVID M
• Application Number:
  US10/672,818
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 160/85, 160/86, 160/120, 160/121.1, 160/98, 160/310, 160/311, 160/25, 160/31, 160/127, 160/239, 160/241, 160/268.1, 160/405
• US Class Current: 160/121.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 11/29 of a band other than endless
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 11/30 the display elements being fed one by one from storage place to a display position
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 11/325 the display elements being stored in the form of rolls fixed in between transporting belts or chains

Abstract

A decorative covering apparatus and method. A frame with an opening formed into it has a first roller that rotates about an axis. A flexible cover is arranged to loop between a first edge that is fixed relative to the frame and a second edge that is affixed to the first roller. A second roller is disposed at the apex of the loop in the flexible cover, and, a motor is coupled to rotate the first roller in a first direction and in a second direction. This action causes a furling and unfurling the flexible cover to reveal and conceal the opening. It also causes the second roller to traverse the opening in the frame. A decorative frame is attached to the frame. The decorative cover is adapted to conceal and reveal a wall mounted object located behind the opening in the frame, such as a flat panel television set. Control is implemented with a remote control receiver, which receives a control signal that is coupled to control the motor to rotate in an up and down direction. The flexible cover has a decorative image disposed on a first side that is aligned to be visible when the flexible cover is unfurled to conceal the opening.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a frame with an opening;

a decorative frame attached to said frame, said decorative frame having a smaller window opening than said opening in said frame;

a first roller coupled to said frame, and rotatable about an axis;

a flexible cover arranged to loop between a first edge fixed relative to said frame and a second edge affixed to said first roller;

a second roller disposed at the apex of the loop in said flexible cover, and

a motor coupled to rotate said first roller in a first direction and a second direction, thereby furling and unfurling said flexible cover to reveal and conceal said opening, and cause said second roller to traverse said opening in a direction substantially perpendicular to said axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said decorative frame is removably attached to said frame.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is adapted to conceal and reveal a wall mounted object located behind said opening, said apparatus further comprising:

a wall mount structure coupled to support said frame adjacent to the wall.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a decorative side panel disposed about the periphery of said frame.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said wall mount structure is adjustable about a three orthogonal axes, thereby enabling alignment of said opening in said frame with the wall mounted object.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the wall mounted object is a flat panel television.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said motor is disposed within said first roller.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a remote control receiver operable to receive a control signal, and coupled to control said motor to rotate in said first direction and said second direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said remote control signal is a radio signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said remote control signal is an infrared signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible cover has a decorative image disposed on a first side and aligned to be visible when said flexible cover is unfurled to conceal said opening.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said flexible cover is canvas and said decorative image is a Giclee print resembling an oil painting.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a guide channel disposed along at least a first side of said opening, and positioned to constrain the movement of said second roller along said direction of traverse.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a magnetic strip fixed relative to said frame and aligned along a side of said opening that is parallel to said direction of traverse of said second roller, and wherein

said flexible cover has a ferrite coating applied along an edge oriented parallel to said direction of traverse of said second roller such that said ferrite coating magnetically couples to said magnetic strip as said flexible covering unfurls to conceal said opening.

15. A decorative covering for a wall mounted flat screen television, comprising:

a frame with an opening;

a decorative frame removably attached to said frame, said decorative frame having a smaller window opening than said opening in said frame;

a wall mount structure coupled to support said frame adjacent to the wall, said wall mount structure adjustable about a vertical and horizontal axis, thereby enabling alignment of said window opening in said decorative frame with the television;

a decorative side panel disposed about the periphery of said frame between said decorative frame and the wall;

a first roller coupled to said frame, and rotatable about an axis;

a flexible canvas cover, having a decorative image disposed thereon, arranged to loop between a first edge fixed relative to said frame and a second edge affixed to said first roller;

a second roller disposed at the apex of the loop in said flexible canvas cover;

a motor disposed within said first roller and coupled to rotate said first roller in a first direction and a second direction, thereby furling and unfurling said flexible cover to reveal and conceal said opening, and cause said second roller to traverse said opening in a direction substantially perpendicular to said axis;

a guide channel disposed along at least a first side of said opening, and positioned to constrain the movement of said second roller along said direction of traverse;

a remote control receiver operable to receive a radio control signal, and coupled to control said motor to rotate in said first direction and said second direction.

16. A method of revealing and concealing an opening in a frame with a flexible cover, comprising the steps of:

rotating a first roller about an axis in a first direction and a second direction to furl and unfurl the flexible cover, which is arranged to loop between a first edge fixed relative to the frame and a second edge coupled to said roller;

traversing a second roller across the opening in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis by disposing the second roller at the apex of the loop in the flexible cover, and

attaching a decorative frame to the frame, the decorative frame having a smaller window opening than the opening in the frame.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the decorative frame is removably attached to the frame.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of concealing and revealing a wall mounted objected located behind the opening by mounting the frame to the wall using a wall mount structure.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of disposing a decorative side panel about the periphery of the frame.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of adjusting the position of the frame about a three orthogonal axis to align the frame with the wall mounted object.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the wall mounted object is a flat panel television.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of driving the first roller with a motor.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of receiving a remote control signal by a remote control receiver and driving a motor to rotate the first roller according to the received control signal.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the remote control signal is a radio signal.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the remote control signal is an infrared signal.

26. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of disposing a decorative image on a first side of the decorative cover, aligned to be visible when the flexible cover is unfurled to conceal the opening.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the flexible cover is canvas or synthetic canvas blend and the decorative image is a Giclee print resembling an oil painting.

28. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of constraining the movement of the second roller along the traversing directions by disposing a guide channel disposed along at least a first side of the opening.

29. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of fixing a magnetic strip relative to the frame that is aligned along a side of the opening that is parallel to the traversing direction of the said second roller;

applying a ferrite coating to the flexible cover along an edge oriented parallel to the traversing direction of the second roller, and

magnetically coupling the ferrite coating to the magnetic strip as the flexible covering unfurls to conceal the opening.