US4418739A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Insulating window covering
Assignee: APPROPRIATE Tech CORP
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Filing: 1982-01-15
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Granted: 1983-12-06
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Expires: 2002-01-15
Abstract
Abstract An insulating shade including a channel-type frame which is designed to be permanently installed on the prime window frame. The shade assembly which is mounted in the frame includes a pair of rollers which are geared together so as to rotate simultaneously and simultaneously either take up or play out the shade material. The rollers with the shade are supported on bearing plates which in turn are hung on spring brackets that snap into the channels permanently secured to the window frame. A cord operated pulley carries a gear which in turn drives the two rollers so as to raise and lower the shade. Weather stripping is secured inside the channels of the frame, which cooperate both with the sides of the shade itself and the weighted roller at the bottom of the shade to prevent cold air from flowing about the shade.
Inventors
- 👤 James Woolnough
- 👤 Bruce Gardner
- 👤 David A. May
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:10
CPC Classifications
E; E06; E06B; E06B9/00; E06B9/56; E06B9/78; E06B9/24; E06B9/40; E06B9/58; E06B9/582; E06B9/68; E06B2009/405
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
An insulating window shade assembly comprising a downwardly open, U-shaped top channel and a pair of opposed, inwardly open U-shaped side channels intended to be permanently secured on the inside of a window about the window opening, a bracket removably mounted adjacent the top of each side channel, a bearing plate mounted in each bracket and a pair of parallel rollers supported between the bearing plates one above the other, a pair of spur gears, one coaxially mounted on each roller, said gears engaging one another causing the rollers to rotate simultaneously and in opposite directions when one is actuated, a pulley mounted on one of the side channels and carrying a gear registering with the gear on one of the rollers and an endless pull cord looped around the pulley for rotating the pulley in either direction so as to impart rotation to each of the rollers, shade panels of flexible insulating material having their upper ends wound in opposite directions of the two rollers whereby rotation of the rollers will cause the flexible shade panels simultaneously to unwind from or wind onto the rollers, the lower ends of the shade panels being secured together, a weight secured to the lower ends of the shade panels urging the shade panels to hand vertically from the rollers, and sealing means in the side channels engaging the side edges of each of the shade panels for sealing the side edges of the shade panels within the window frame.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
An insulating window shade assembly comprising a downwardly open, U-shaped top channel and a pair of opposed, inwardly open U-shaped side channels intended to be permanently secured on the inside of a window about the window opening, a bracket removably mounted adjacent the top of each side channel, a bearing plate mounted in each bracket and a pair of parallel rollers supported between the bearing plates one above the other, a pair of spur gears, one coaxially mounted on each roller, said gears engaging one another causing the rollers to rotate simultaneously and in opposite directions when one is actuated, a pulley mounted on one of the side channels and carrying a gear registering with the gear on one of the rollers and an endless pull cord looped around the pulley for rotating the pulley in either direction so as to impart rotation to each of the rollers, shade panels of flexible insulating material having their upper ends wound in opposite directions of the two rollers whereby rotation of the rollers will cause the flexible shade panels simultaneously to unwind from or wind onto the rollers, the lower ends of the shade panels being secured together, a weight secured to the lower ends of the shade panels urging the shade panels to hand vertically from the rollers, and sealing means in the side channels engaging the side edges of each of the shade panels for sealing the side edges of the shade panels within the window frame.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
An insulating window shade assembly as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said shade panels rolling onto the outside of one of the rollers and the inside of the other of the rollers so that the shade forms two spaced apart panels separated by an air chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An insulating window shade assembly as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said brackets, bearing plates, spur gears and pulley being confined within the side and top channels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
An insulating window shade assembly as defined in claim 3 further characterized by an opening in the side of one of the side channels, and a cord clip mounted in said opening and through which the cord can extend from the pulley to be exposed and available to the operator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
241 words
A shade assembly comprising a pair of closely spaced rollers with their axes in a common vertical plane and adapted to be mounted at the top of a window frame, end pins secured to the ends of the rollers, bearing plates engaging the pins for carrying the rollers, brackets releasably connected to the bearing plates for mounting the assembly; a shade made of thermal insulating material with two spaced apart shade panels, the upper ends of the panels wound onto the two rollers and with the shade panels hanging down from the rollers, gears engaging one another and coaxially mounted on each roller interconnecting the two rollers causing them simultaneously to either roll up or play out the shade panels wound on them, when one of the rollers is rotated, a cord and pulley connected to said one of the rollers for imparting rotation to it for raising and lowering the shade panels, side channels adapted to be connected adjacent the sides of the window, said channels having front and rear vertical legs which receive the brackets between them and house the gears and pulley, an opening in the front leg of the channel housing the pulley, said cord extending from the pulley out the opening in the leg, and a cord clip mounted on the cord where the cord passes through the opening, said cord clip engaging the bracket it that channel and retaining it in place in said channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
241 words
A shade assembly comprising a pair of closely spaced rollers with their axes in a common vertical plane and adapted to be mounted at the top of a window frame, end pins secured to the ends of the rollers, bearing plates engaging the pins for carrying the rollers, brackets releasably connected to the bearing plates for mounting the assembly; a shade made of thermal insulating material with two spaced apart shade panels, the upper ends of the panels wound onto the two rollers and with the shade panels hanging down from the rollers, gears engaging one another and coaxially mounted on each roller interconnecting the two rollers causing them simultaneously to either roll up or play out the shade panels wound on them, when one of the rollers is rotated, a cord and pulley connected to said one of the rollers for imparting rotation to it for raising and lowering the shade panels, side channels adapted to be connected adjacent the sides of the window, said channels having front and rear vertical legs which receive the brackets between them and house the gears and pulley, an opening in the front leg of the channel housing the pulley, said cord extending from the pulley out the opening in the leg, and a cord clip mounted on the cord where the cord passes through the opening, said cord clip engaging the bracket it that channel and retaining it in place in said channel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A shade assembly as defined in claim 5 further characterized by sealing means mounted in the channels for engaging the side edges of the shade panels for limiting the flow of air about the side edges of the panels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A shade assembly as defined in claim 5 further characterized by said shade being a laminate including layers of aluminum fiberglass and thermoplastic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A shade assembly as defined in claim 5 further characterized by resilient means disposed in the channels and pushing the rollers into the channel containing the pulley.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
An insulating window shade as defined in claim 5 further characterized by means secured to the lower ends of the shade panels urging the shade panels to hang vertically from the rollers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
156 words
An insulating window shade assembly comprising: a top channel and a pair of opposed, inwardly open U-shaped side channels intended to be permanently secured on the inside of a window about the window opening, a sub-assembly including a pair of parallel rollers each carrying a shade panel of flexible material wound in opposite directions on the rollers, spur gears mounted on the rollers and engaging each other causing the rollers to rotate simultaneously and in opposite directions when one is rotated, bearing plates supporting the ends of the rollers, a cord and pulley supported by one of the bearing plates and having a gear registering with one of the gears on the rollers to impart rotation to the rollers, and a pair of mounting brackets each supporting one of the bearing plates, and means provided in the side channels and the brackets enabling the subassembly to be snapped as a unit in place within the channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
156 words
An insulating window shade assembly comprising: a top channel and a pair of opposed, inwardly open U-shaped side channels intended to be permanently secured on the inside of a window about the window opening, a sub-assembly including a pair of parallel rollers each carrying a shade panel of flexible material wound in opposite directions on the rollers, spur gears mounted on the rollers and engaging each other causing the rollers to rotate simultaneously and in opposite directions when one is rotated, bearing plates supporting the ends of the rollers, a cord and pulley supported by one of the bearing plates and having a gear registering with one of the gears on the rollers to impart rotation to the rollers, and a pair of mounting brackets each supporting one of the bearing plates, and means provided in the side channels and the brackets enabling the subassembly to be snapped as a unit in place within the channels.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
86 words
An insulating window shade assembly as defined in claim 10 further characterized by said U-shaped channels having front and rear legs and with the gears, cord and pulley disposed in the channels between the legs, an opening in the front leg of the channel housing the cord and pulley, said cord extending out the opening in the leg, and a cord clip mounted on the cord where the cord passes through the opening, said clip engaging the bracket in that channel and retaining it in place.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
205 words
A shade assembly comprising: a pair of closely spaced rollers adapted to be mounted at the top of a window frame, a shade made of thermal insulating material with two spaced apart shade panels, the upper ends of the panels wound onto the two rollers and with the shade panels hanging down from the rollers, means mechanically interconnecting the two rollers causing them simultaneously to either roll up or play out the shade panels wound on them, when one of the rollers is rotated, means including brackets supporting the rollers, a cord and pulley supported by one of the brackets and operatively connected to the rollers for imparting rotation to the rollers to raise and lower the shade panels, side channels adapted to be connected adjacent the sides of the window, said channels having front and rear vertical legs which receive the brackets between them and house the pulley, an opening in the front leg of the channel housing the pulley, said cord extending from the pulley out the opening in the leg, and a cord clip mounted on the cord where the cord passes through the opening, said cord clip engaging the bracket in that channel and retaining it in place in said channel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
205 words
A shade assembly comprising: a pair of closely spaced rollers adapted to be mounted at the top of a window frame, a shade made of thermal insulating material with two spaced apart shade panels, the upper ends of the panels wound onto the two rollers and with the shade panels hanging down from the rollers, means mechanically interconnecting the two rollers causing them simultaneously to either roll up or play out the shade panels wound on them, when one of the rollers is rotated, means including brackets supporting the rollers, a cord and pulley supported by one of the brackets and operatively connected to the rollers for imparting rotation to the rollers to raise and lower the shade panels, side channels adapted to be connected adjacent the sides of the window, said channels having front and rear vertical legs which receive the brackets between them and house the pulley, an opening in the front leg of the channel housing the pulley, said cord extending from the pulley out the opening in the leg, and a cord clip mounted on the cord where the cord passes through the opening, said cord clip engaging the bracket in that channel and retaining it in place in said channel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
An insulating window shade assembly as defined in claim 12 further characterized by sealing means in the side channels engaging the side edges of each of the shade panels for sealing the sides of the shade.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-12-05 | 1987-06-06 | 1987-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-12-05 | 1991-06-06 | 1991-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-12-05 | 1995-06-06 | 1995-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |