US5104469A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of making a roman shade
Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc
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Filing: 1990-05-09
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Granted: 1992-04-14
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Expires: 2010-05-09
Abstract
Abstract An improved expandable and contractible window covering comprising a series of elongated cells is disclosed. Each cell is formed by joining two pleated sheets of material in the area of opposing creases. The rear wall of the cell is of less height than the front wall of the cell, and the material of the cell is chosen to be relatively soft and flexible, so that the front wall of each cell droops downwardly and outwardly away from the rear wall.
Inventors
- 👤 Wendell B. Colson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:11
CPC Classifications
E; E06; E06B; E06B9/00; E06B9/24; E06B9/26; E06B9/262; B; B29; B29C; B29C53/00; B29C53/36; B31; B31D; B31D3/00; B31D3/02; B31D3/0207; B31D3/0215; E06B9/266; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/719; B29L2031/7192; E06B2009/2423; E06B2009/2435; E06B2009/2441; E06B2009/2627; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1002; Y10T156/1003; Y10T156/1007; Y10T156/1015; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24149; Y10T428/24744
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
A method of fabricating an expandable and contractible shade member of flexible material defining in the expanded condition a plurality of cells, one parallel to and on top of the other, comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a first length of material longitudinally of its length; (b) feeding a second length of material longitudinally of its length and toward the first material; (c) transversely creasing the first length of material at spaced intervals along its length; (d) transversely creasing the second length of material at spaced intervals along its length which are spaced from each other by distances greater than the spacing of the creases on the first material; (e) joining the two materials together as they near each other in the area of confronting ones of said creases to form a plurality of cells with front and back faces, one on top of the other, wherein the front faces of the cells are formed by the second material and the back faces of the cells are formed by the first material and the length of material between the areas of joining is greater for the second material than for the first material; and (f) as the two lengths of material are fed toward each other and joined, maintaining the second length of material free of permanent creases over an area sufficient to form each cell without creases over the front face thereof, while they are collected in a common direction.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
241 words
A method of fabricating an expandable and contractible shade member of flexible material defining in the expanded condition a plurality of cells, one parallel to and on top of the other, comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a first length of material longitudinally of its length; (b) feeding a second length of material longitudinally of its length and toward the first material; (c) transversely creasing the first length of material at spaced intervals along its length; (d) transversely creasing the second length of material at spaced intervals along its length which are spaced from each other by distances greater than the spacing of the creases on the first material; (e) joining the two materials together as they near each other in the area of confronting ones of said creases to form a plurality of cells with front and back faces, one on top of the other, wherein the front faces of the cells are formed by the second material and the back faces of the cells are formed by the first material and the length of material between the areas of joining is greater for the second material than for the first material; and (f) as the two lengths of material are fed toward each other and joined, maintaining the second length of material free of permanent creases over an area sufficient to form each cell without creases over the front face thereof, while they are collected in a common direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein: said first material is creased to form a first set of creases at intervals spaced from each other by a distance about equal to the desired height of the cell to be formed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein: said first material is creased to form a second set of transverse creases spaced along the length thereof in alternating fashion with an opposite to the first set of creases.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the length of the second material forming the front face of each cell is sufficiently greater than the length of the first material forming the back face of said each cell that the front face of each cell defines a smoothly appearing curved surface drooping downwardly beyond the juncture of said each cell with the directly adjacent lower cell.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
279 words
A method of manufacture of an expandable and collapsible shade member by attaching two sheets of flexible, pleated material to form a series of substantially parallel cell members having front and back faces, at least one of which has a front wall portion having a loop shaped surface, comprising the steps of: (a) forming first and second sets of creases on opposite sides of a first length of material to permit collapsing of said first material in accordion pleated fashion; (b) forming a first set of creases on a second length of material, wherein the distance between individual creases of said first set of creases on said second material is greater than the distance between individual creases of said first set of creases on said first material; (c) feeding said first and second materials along respective individual paths toward each other; (d) progressively bringing said first and second materials as they near each other into, and feeding them along, a common path; (e) joining said materials together along the area of successive confronting creases of said first sets of creases as they are brought into said common path to form a series of substantially parallel cell members having front and back faces, the front faces of the cell members being formed by the second material and the back faces of the cell members being formed by the first material; and (f) as the two lengths of material are fed towards each other and joined together, maintaining the second length of material free of permanent creases over an area sufficient to form each cell member without creases over the front face thereof, while they are collected in said common path.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
279 words
A method of manufacture of an expandable and collapsible shade member by attaching two sheets of flexible, pleated material to form a series of substantially parallel cell members having front and back faces, at least one of which has a front wall portion having a loop shaped surface, comprising the steps of: (a) forming first and second sets of creases on opposite sides of a first length of material to permit collapsing of said first material in accordion pleated fashion; (b) forming a first set of creases on a second length of material, wherein the distance between individual creases of said first set of creases on said second material is greater than the distance between individual creases of said first set of creases on said first material; (c) feeding said first and second materials along respective individual paths toward each other; (d) progressively bringing said first and second materials as they near each other into, and feeding them along, a common path; (e) joining said materials together along the area of successive confronting creases of said first sets of creases as they are brought into said common path to form a series of substantially parallel cell members having front and back faces, the front faces of the cell members being formed by the second material and the back faces of the cell members being formed by the first material; and (f) as the two lengths of material are fed towards each other and joined together, maintaining the second length of material free of permanent creases over an area sufficient to form each cell member without creases over the front face thereof, while they are collected in said common path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein said first and second materials are: (a) brought into partially overlapping relationship at confronting creases of said first sets of creases; and (b) joined together in said overlapping relationship.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of: (a) feeding a piece of strip material successively into overlying relationship with a respective crease associated with each first set of creases of the first and second materials as the materials are being brought into said common path; and (b) joining said strip material to each respective crease of said first sets of creases.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said first material is creased to form said first set of creases at intervals spaced from each other by a distance about equal to the desired height of the cell to be formed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein the front face of each of said cell members has a front wall portion having a loop shaped surface which droops downwardly beyond the juncture of the cell member with the directly adjacent lower cell member.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of fabricating a flexible honeycomb shade member having a plurality of superimposed cells parallel to a main surface thereof in the expanded condition of the shade member comprising the steps of: (a) progressively feeding a length of a first foldable sheet material longitudinally of its length; (b) providing a first set of transverse creases spaced along the length of said first material; (c) progressively feeding a length of a second sheet material longitudinally of its length and towards said first material; (d) joining the two materials together by connecting each crease of said first material to transversely extending surface portions of said second material spaced along the length of said second material at intervals different from the intervals between the creases of said first set, to form a plurality of superimposed cells having front and back faces, the front faces of the cells being formed by said second material and the back faces of the cells being formed by said first material; (e) collecting joined portions of the two materials in a common direction; and (f) as the two lengths of joined materials are collected maintaining the second length of material free of permanent creases.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
197 words
A method of fabricating a flexible honeycomb shade member having a plurality of superimposed cells parallel to a main surface thereof in the expanded condition of the shade member comprising the steps of: (a) progressively feeding a length of a first foldable sheet material longitudinally of its length; (b) providing a first set of transverse creases spaced along the length of said first material; (c) progressively feeding a length of a second sheet material longitudinally of its length and towards said first material; (d) joining the two materials together by connecting each crease of said first material to transversely extending surface portions of said second material spaced along the length of said second material at intervals different from the intervals between the creases of said first set, to form a plurality of superimposed cells having front and back faces, the front faces of the cells being formed by said second material and the back faces of the cells being formed by said first material; (e) collecting joined portions of the two materials in a common direction; and (f) as the two lengths of joined materials are collected maintaining the second length of material free of permanent creases.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein the first set of transverse creases are spaced at intervals substantially smaller than the width of said material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein the front face of each cell defines a smoothly appearing curved surface drooping downwardly beyond the juncture of said each cell with the directly adjacent lower cell, the front face of each cell being free of permanent creases.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-04-14 | 1995-10-14 | 1996-04-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-04-14 | 1999-10-14 | 2000-04-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-04-14 | 2003-10-14 | 2004-04-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |