Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for forming a fabric for an architectural opening covering. The apparatus comprises a joining section, an accumulator, a cutting station, and a stacker. The joining section is configured to join together first, second, third and fourth material strips into a fabric strip. The accumulator is configured to accumulate the fabric strip upon leaving the joining section. The cutting station is configured to sever the fabric strip into an upstream fabric strip and a first downstream fabric strip. The stacker is configured to join the first downstream fabric strip with a second downstream fabric strip to form the fabric.

Abstract: A slat for use in a covering for an architectural opening is made from a base material of binder and matrix fibers which are formed into a nonwoven material by melting at least a portion of the binder fibers to thermally bond the binder and matrix fibers. A coating of resin is then applied to the thermally bonded base before the composite material is passed through a forming apparatus where the material is heated over a convex support having the desired curvature for the slat and subsequently cooled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a transversely curved or formed strip of material which can be cut to length for use in a fabric for coverings for architectural opening includes a supply role of a flexible fabric strip material that is sequentially passed through a heating chamber with an elongated upwardly convex extrusion across which the strip material is drawn and a cooling station before being wrapped on a take-up drum. The apparatus includes driven rollers about which the strip material passes and the strip material is exposed to tension detectors and controlled temperatures such that the strip material formed in the apparatus is uniform along its length.

Abstract: An improved expandable and contractible window covering comprising an assembly of elongated cells is disclosed. Each cell is formed by folding a strip of material and joining the opposed edges to the next adjacent cell. The rear wall of the cell is less wide 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.