Fabric light control window covering

• US 6,688,369 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2001
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hunter Douglas Incorporated (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Hunter Douglas Incorporated (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Inventors: Colson, Wendell B., Swiszcz, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Purol, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/915,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 160/121.1, 160/84.01, 160/166.1 R, 160/89, 160/DIG.7
• US Class Current: 160/121.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/10 using hot gases (e.g. combustion gases) or flames coming in contact with at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7847 using vacuum to hold at least one of the parts to be joined vacuum work holders in general B25B11/005
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/437 Joining plastics plates for making venetian blinds making venetian blinds in general E06B9/266
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/729 Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8161 said pressing elements being supported or backed-up by springs or by resilient material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8266 using fluid pressure directly acting on the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83423 cooperating bands or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83433 the contact angle between said rollers, cylinders or drums and said bands or belts being a non-zero angle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/91421 of the joining tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/91431 the temperature being kept constant over time
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/91645 by steps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/919 characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges specific electrical resistance values B29C66/81262
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7192 : Venetian blinds
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2435 : Two vertical sheets and slats in-between
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2627 : Cellular screens, e.g. box or honeycomb-like
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 : Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/26 : Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds for vehicles B60J1/2088
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/262 : with flexibly-interconnected horizontal or vertical strips; Concertina blinds , i.e. upwardly folding flexible screens
• 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: G11C 29/789 : using non-volatile cells or latches
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/83 : with reduced power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 160/07 : Fabric

Abstract

A fabric light control window covering in which fabric vanes are adhesively bonded between two sheer fabric sheets such that relative movement between the sheer fabric sheets in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fabric vanes changes the angle of the fabric vanes and, thus, controls the amount of light admitted through the shade. The vanes are bonded to the sheer fabric sheets in a manner which tends to bias the sheer fabric sheets together to the nonlight admitting position. Also, disclosed are methods and apparatus for manufacturing the above window covering. The method features linear application of adhesive to the vane material which provides for a uniform appearance in the finished product. A heat setting process and apparatus is disclosed in which the bonded layers of sheer fabrics and vanes are fed between belts over hot and cool surfaces, under uniform tension and pressure. This provides for heat setting of the layers of the window covering to a uniform temperature-size relationship without inducing wrinkles or distortion into the fabric during heat setting.

Claims

1. A window covering comprising a first side comprised of a relatively translucent material, a second side comprised of a relatively translucent material and disposed substantially parallel to the first side, and a plurality of vanes extending between the sides, wherein the vanes each have edge portions and a portion extending between said edge portions, said vanes are angularly controllable and change shape by relative movement of the first and second sides between a first closed position whereby the vanes are substantially planar and extend substantially parallel to the first and second sides, and a second open position whereby the portion of the vanes extending between said edge portions have smooth curving portions and are of generally s-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

2. The window covering according to claim 1 wherein the first and second sides are each formed of a single, continuous, unjointed piece of material.

3. The window covering according to claim 1 wherein at least one side comprises a plurality of strips.

4. The window covering according to claim 3 wherein the plurality of strips are formed from the same material.

5. The window covering according to claim 1 wherein the relatively translucent material is a knit cloth material.

6. The window covering according to claim 1 wherein at least one side comprises a sheer fabric.

7. The window covering according to claim 6 wherein each side comprises a sheer fabric.

8. The window covering according to claim 7 wherein the first side comprises the same sheer fabric as the second side.

9. The window covering according to claim 6 wherein the sheer fabric is knitted.

10. The window covering according to claim 6 further comprising a roller and wherein the first and second sides have edge portions, each side having at least one edge portion attached to the roller whereby rotation of the roller causes relative movement of the two sides.

11. The window covering according to claim 1 wherein the vanes comprise a material which is more opaque than either the first or second side.

12. The window covering according to claim 11 wherein the vanes are comprised of a relatively opaque material.

13. The window covering according to claim 1 further comprising a roller and wherein the first and second sides are each comprised of a sheer material and each side has at least one edge portion attached to the roller, and the vanes comprise a material which is more opaque than at least one of the sides, each vane having opposite faces with one face of each vane attached to one side and the opposite face of each vane attached to the other side.

14. A window covering comprising a first side comprised of a relatively translucent material, a second side comprised of a relatively translucent material and disposed substantially parallel to the first side, and a plurality of vanes extending between the sides;

wherein the vanes each have edge portions and a portion extending between said edge portions, said vanes being angularly controllable and formed of relatively flexible material such that the vanes change cross-sectional shape upon relative movement of the first and second sides between a first closed position in which the vanes are substantially planar and extend substantially parallel to the first and second sides and a second open position in which the portion of the vanes extending between the edge portions are smoothly-curving and of generally s-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

15. A window covering having a flexible fabric assembly comprising:

a first side comprised of a relatively translucent material;

a second side comprised of a relatively translucent material and disposed substantially parallel to said first side; and

a plurality of vanes extending between the first and second sides, the sides of the window covering being movable between a first closed position wherein the vanes are substantially planar and extend substantially parallel to the first and second sides, and a second open position wherein the sides are spaced apart and the vanes extend generally transverse to the sides such that the flexible fabric assembly is biased toward the first closed position.

16. A window covering comprising:

(1) a front panel comprised of a relatively translucent material;

(2) a back panel comprised of a relatively translucent material, the back panel configured and adapted to be substantially parallel to the front panel; and

(3) a plurality of vanes each vane having edge portions, a central portion, and portions between said central portion and said edge portions, said vanes extending between the front and back panels and angularly controllable by relative movement of the front and back panels between a first closed position in which the panels are adjacent to each other and the vanes are substantially planar and substantially parallel to the front and back panels, and a second position in which the panels are generally spaced a distance apart and the vanes extend generally transverse to the panels,

wherein the vanes are configured and adapted to bias the front and back panels toward the first closed position.

17. The window covering according to claim 16 wherein the vanes comprise a flexible material such that the vanes change shape upon relative movement of the panels.

18. The window covering according to claim 17 wherein the portion between said edge portions and said central portion are smoothly-curving so that the vanes are of generally s-shaped cross-sectional configuration.

19. The window covering according to claim 18 wherein the vanes are formed of a material which is more opaque than either the front or back panels.

20. The window covering according to claim 16 wherein the front panel is formed of a sheer fabric.

21. The window covering according to claim 20 wherein the back panel is formed of the same sheer fabric as the front panel.

22. The window covering according to claim 20 wherein at least one panel comprises a plurality of parallel strips.

23. An expandable cellular light control assembly comprised of a plurality of elongated cells for use in a window covering wherein the assembly is moveable between an open position in which the cells are expanded and a closed position in which the cells are collapsed, the assembly having a front comprised of a relatively translucent material, a back comprised of a relatively translucent material and a plurality of vanes, each vane having edge portions, a central portion and portions between said central portions and said edge portions, said vanes extending between said front and back, the assembly being formed such that the elongated cells are biased toward a collapsed position with the front, back and vanes being substantially parallel to each other and in overlapping relationship to form a generally flat sandwich of fabric.

24. The cellular light control assembly according to claim 23 wherein said front, backs and vanes are joined together with an adhesive.