Abstract: An elastic cord device for use in cooperation with a window covering device of the type having a plurality of pulleys, a plurality of housings, a plurality of lift cords extending from a head rail, the lift cords used to raise and lower a window covering material. The elastic cord device has a spiral helical shape. The elastic cord device has a first end and a second end. The first end of the elastic cord device attaching to the lift cords of the window covering device. The second end of the elastic cord device is exposed and is accessible so that the elastic cord device can be pulled to raise and lower the window covering material. A window covering device of the type having an elastic cord device, the elastic cord device attaching to the free ends of the lift cords of the window covering device.

Abstract: A spring drive system includes a housing and an extendable window cover that is coupled to the housing. The window cover has at least one lift cord that is employed to retract the window cover. The system also includes a first cord spool and a spring drive system having at least one spring having a storage end that is operably coupled to a storage spool and an output end that is operably coupled to an output spool. The lift cord extends from the first cord spool to the window cover, and the spring drive system has an output that controls tension on the first cord spool and no external hand-operated control cord as an input used to raise and lower the window cover.

Abstract: A cordless retractable shade including an operating system for the shade that varies a biasing force of a spring to counterbalance the shade. The bottom rail of a retractable shade can be raised or lowered, and due to the operating system remains in any selected position of the covering between fully extended and fully retracted, without the use of operating cords. The system includes a method of negating and reversing the spring bias effect at a strategic position whereby the flexible vanes of the shade can be adjusted between open and closed.

Abstract: The embodied invention is a large, horizontal sunshade with vertical shading curtains around the perimeter that is securely attached to the roof of a vehicle. The attachment means comprises a semi-permanent magnetic vehicle mount assembly that is attached to the vehicle roof and a matching snap ring that secures the sunscreen in place. The snap ring is magnetically attached to the car mount assembly using strong magnets that prevent the sunscreen from blowing away in the event of a wind. The sunscreen assembly incorporates reinforcing ribs in a way that allows the sunscreen assembly to be folded and stored compactly. The sunscreen assembly is removable by a simple rotation.

Abstract: A motorized shading system may include a housing, a roller tube, a sheer shade material, and a bottom bar. The shading system may be configured such that opposed ends of the roller tube are adjustable relative to the housing. The shading system may include first and second sliding members that couple opposed ends of the roller tube to the housing and that are configured to translate along first and second rails defined by the housing. The bottom bar may define a cross-sectional profile such that when the shade material is in a closed position, a first lower most edge of the bottom bar is spaced from the roller tube by a first distance, and when the shade material is in a view position, a second lower most edge of the bottom bar is spaced from the roller tube by a second distance that is substantially equal to the first distance.

Abstract: A curtain controller capable of preventing pull cord from jumping away. The curtain controller is applied to a lower rail to prevent the pull cord from jumping away. The front end of the controller main body has a connection seat main body. A stopper bar is transversely rotatably connected with the connection seat main body. The stopper bar can be rotated to block or unblock the space above the pull cord winder so as to prevent the pull cord from jumping out of the pull cord winder and facilitate the winding of the pull cord on the pull cord winder. The pull cord winder is assembled with the controller main body by an inclination angle so as to lower the height of the pull cord winder. In this case, the curtain controller can be mounted on a lower rail to speed the assembling process.

Abstract: A controlling mechanism for a cordless blind set includes a fastening seat, a controlling member, and two driving gears. A coil spring is between the two driving gears each engaged with a driven gear. Each of the driven gears is coupled with a transmission rope passing through the fastening seat and the controlling member and then gets fixed in an upper beam. To operate the blind set, a pushing force is applied to the controlling member to release the transmission ropes. The driving gears are then driven by the coil spring and rotate the driven gears simultaneously, so the driven gears can roll up/release the transmission ropes.

Abstract: A door hoist includes a bracket, drive sprocket, ring gear, hub assembly, set of planetary gears, and governor shaft. The drive sprocket has a drive sprocket axis. The ring gear is fastened to the drive sprocket. The ring gear has a ring gear axis that is in alignment with the drive sprocket axis. The hub assembly includes a connector to receive a door drive shaft and secure the door drive shaft in a fixed rotational alignment with the hub assembly. The set of planetary gears is rotationally mounted to the hub assembly. The set of planetary gears is configured to mate with the ring gear. The governor shaft includes a sun gear, brake assembly, and link. The sun gear is configured to mate with the set of planetary gears. The brake assembly has an engaged position and a disengaged position. The sun gear is rotationally fixed relative to the bracket in response to the brake assembly being in the engaged position.

Abstract: A spring drive system includes a housing, an extendible window cover coupled with the housing, and at least one lift cord coupled to the cover for raising and lowering the window cover. A spring drive system comprises a first spring drive spool spaced apart from a second spring drive spool and at least one spring having a storage end coupled to one of the spring drive spools and an output end coupled to the other of the spring drive spools. A first cord spool has a first cord spool axis. The lift cord extends from the first cord spool to the window cover for assisting in raising and lowering of the cover, and the spring drive system affects rotation of the first cord spool about the first cord spool axis and has no external hand-operated control cord input to raise and lower the window cover.

Abstract: A retractable cover for architectural openings having collapsible vanes includes a support structure in the form of a sheet of material, monofilaments, tapes, ribbons, cords, or the like, supporting an upper edge of a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending vanes with the lower edges of the vanes in most embodiments of the invention being connected to operating elements adapted to raise the lower edges of each vane toward the upper edges to define openings or gaps between the vanes through which vision and light can pass in an open condition of the covering. Variations of the covering do not require movement of a lower edge of a vane relative to an upper edge but simply movement of some vanes relative to other vanes. The vanes can be made of materials having different flexibilities and where more rigid materials are used, creased fold lines can be established for desired operability.

Abstract: A vertical blind assembly module includes a head rail unit with opposite sides and a unit axis extending between the sides, a housing and an axle pivotally connecting the housing to the head rail unit so that the housing can pivot about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the unit axis. A slat is coiled in the housing so enabling the slat to be extended from the housing a selected distance and retracted into the housing. A foot rail unit is pivotally connected to the projecting end of the slat, the pivotal connection being collinear to the pivot axis. By turning the axle relative to the head rail unit about the pivot axis when the slat is extended, the slat can be turned between a closed position wherein the slat is parallel to the unit axis and an open position wherein the slat is perpendicular to the unit axis.

Abstract: A motor-driven carriage (100) for opening/closing a curtain, includes a housing (110) that is provided with two members (124, 126) for suspending the housing from a rail (50), wherein a friction wheel (112), which is driven by an electric motor and which is to contact at least one rolling surface (56, 57) of the rail, is rotatably mounted inside the housing. The carriage (100) also includes a cradle (150) provided with two other members (155, 156) for suspending the cradle from the rail (50), which are separate from the members (124, 126) for suspending the housing (110), as well as elements (153, 154) for coupling to the curtain. The cradle is mounted onto the housing (110) and is driven by the housing when the latter moves along the rail, the housing (110) and the cradle (150) optionally being capable of relative movement there between.

Abstract: There is disclosed a viewing panel unit, comprising: a first panel and a second panel; a drive mechanism for moving the first panel relative to the second panel; and an abutment member mounted so as to have a fixed spatial relationship relative to the second panel, wherein: the first panel comprises a coupling member; the drive mechanism comprises a drive member configured to engage with the coupling member such that rotation of the drive member imparts a linear motion to the first panel via the coupling member; and the drive mechanism is configured such that a first impact surface of the drive member is brought into contact with a surface of the abutment member to stop the drive member when the drive member is rotated through a maximum angle in a first sense.

Abstract: A spring drive system useful for window covers is disclosed, which comprises one or more coil spring drives or flat spring drives and the combination whose elements are selected from one or more of a group which includes (1) a band or cord transmission which provides varying ratio power transfer as the cover is opened and closed; (2) gear means comprising various gear sets which provide frictional holding force and fixed power transfer ratios; (3) a gear transmission which provides fixed ratio power transfer as the cover is opened or closed; (4) crank mechanisms; (5) brake mechanisms; and (6) recoiler mechanisms. The combination permits the spring drive force to be tailored to the weight and/or compression characteristics of an associated window cover such as a horizontal slat or pleated or box blind as the cover is opened and closed.

Abstract: A slat for use in a rolling shutter is provided. The slat comprises a engaging track located at a first edge of a body and a receiving track located at a second edge of the body. Illustratively, the engaging track has a hook-shaped profile, and the receiving track comprises a lip member and a guard member defining a space adapted to receive therein an engaging track of an adjacent slat. The engaging track and the receiving track are designed to minimize the space required for the rolling shutter to be retracted around a spindle.

Abstract: An article of flexible furniture having a core formed from a plurality of laminar panels of material and each panel having a pair of oppositely directed major faces, said panels being inter-connected to provide a cellular structure upon movement of abutting faces away from each other, a pair of supports at opposite ends of said core and connected to respective ones of said faces, said supports being self-supporting to provide rigidity to said core whereby said supports may be moved apart to expand said cellular and extend the length of said partition.

Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening has a horizontal movable rail supported by cords, with a variety of configurations, some of which prevent the horizontal movable rail from skewing, most of which conceal the cords.

Abstract: The disclosed invention prevents damage to a hood and its contents. In a preferred embodiment, a first and second support member are mounted on either side of an access opening. A cross member is slidably retained in a protective, starting position within the support members. The cross member is preferably positioned above the access opening in front of a coiling door hood such that a striking force directed at the hood first encounters the cross member. When struck, the cross member slidably retracts against a force assembly to dissipate the striking force and upon withdrawal of the striking force the cross member returns without human intervention to the protective, starting position.

Abstract: An overhead door assembly configured to be coupled to a storage container, such as a truck trailer, including an overhead door including a plurality of door panels hingedly coupled to one another and a bottom roller assembly coupled to a bottom panel of the door. The bottom roller assembly includes a hinge and a roller coupled to a lower hinge plate of the hinge. The roller includes a shaft and a roller wheel coupled to one end of the shaft. Illustratively, the lower hinge plate and the roller thereon are configured to pivot about a pivot axis of the hinge relative to the bottom panel of the door between a first position generally adjacent the bottom panel of the door and a second position spaced-apart from the bottom panel of the door.

Abstract: An access door unit includes a door, doorway structure, and elements for pivotally attaching the door to the doorway structure. The doorway structure has an outer perimeter frame and base affixed thereon. The base has support members extending in transverse relation to and outwardly fore and aft from the outer perimeter frame and adapted to rest on a generally level support surface such that the outer perimeter frame extends upright from the base enabling the doorway structure to assume a free-standing, self-supporting orientation on the support surface. The outer perimeter frame of the doorway structure defines a passage large enough to fit the door and permit entry or exit through the passage when the door is opened. A closure panel of the door may be full or half length in accordance with the different uses being made of the access door unit.