Patents Examined by Jaime F Cardenas-Garcia
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Patent number: 7597132Abstract: A window shade for use in an automotive vehicle is disclosed. The window shade includes a roll tube having a shade panel fixed to the roll tube at one end thereof. The window shade also includes a center bearing ranged within the roll tube. The window shade also includes an end bearing arranged at each end of the tube. The window shade also includes a cord arranged over the center bearing and within, the roll tube. The window shade also has an axle arranged in each end thereof with the cord passing through an orifice and wrapped around the end of each axle within the interior of the roll tube.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2005Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Irvin Automotive Products, Inc.Inventors: Joseph P. Wieczorek, Bryan Busha
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Patent number: 7591298Abstract: To provide an on-failure blind stopper system that allows reduction of depth of a head box and can be surely activated. A slider capable of moving vertically is disposed in a head box. The slider is pressed by a lifting/lowering cord and prevented from moving upward to permit a rotation shaft to rotate when the lifting/lowering cord is under tension. On the other hand, the slider moves upward to engage with the rotation shaft to prevent the rotation of the rotation shaft when the lifting/lowering cord sags.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2006Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Nichibei Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ken-ichiro Egami, Koji Takagi
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Patent number: 7584777Abstract: A variable panel assembly is herein disclosed which is comprised of a plurality of panels and a plurality of links where by rotating one or more links, the assembly shifts between a largely uncovered configuration to a covered configuration, where in the first configuration the panel profiles are essentially aligned, and in the second configuration the panel profiles are offset relative to one another. Further disclosed herein are methods to control the movement of the assembly, both manual and motorized.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2007Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Inventors: Charles Hoberman, Matthew Davis
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Patent number: 7581579Abstract: An operating device 10 for a window covering, comprising a telescopically extendable and retractable handle 12 and means for converting linear telescopic movement of the handle to rotational movement for moving the window covering. Preferably, the movement converting means includes a rack and pinion mechanism 22, 30 supported by a support member 14 of the operating device 10, one end of a rack 22 element of the rack and pinion mechanism being attached to a distal part of the telescopic handle 12, and a pinion gear 30 being provided on the support member 14 and drivable by the rack element 22.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2006Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries B.V.Inventors: Gregory Radcliffe McCormick, Michael Mosley
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Patent number: 7575037Abstract: An overhead door with improved biasing means and automatic locking means includes two panels which are substantially horizontal when the door is raised and vertically aligned when the door is closed. An expandable hinge at the interface of the door panels allows the lower panel to move vertically when the door is in the lowered position with the upper end of the lower door panel is spaced from the lower end of the upper door panel. Either the lower end of the upper panel is tapered downwardly toward its outer edge, or the upper end of the lower panel is tapered upwardly toward its outer edge so that the outer edges of the panel ends contact first, biasing the interface of the panels outwardly, when the door is raised. The door also includes a latch that is engaged upon lowering the lower panel relative to the upper panel.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2006Date of Patent: August 18, 2009Inventor: N. Valde V. Jorgensen
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Patent number: 7571756Abstract: A control system for a top down/bottom up covering for an architectural opening includes a common drive shaft for raising and lowering a middle rail and a bottom rail between which a flexible shade material extends. A control element operates a spool lift system and a roller lift system, with the spool lift system being associated with the middle rail and the roller lift system being associated with the bottom rail. The lift systems are sequentially operated when the drive shaft is driven in either direction by the control element.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2007Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.Inventors: Stephen P. Smith, Kent A. Smith, James L. Miller, Terrence M. Drew, Suzanne M. Fujita
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Patent number: 7562688Abstract: A cradle for rotatably supporting at least one drive spool for a window covering about which a drive cord is windable includes a pair of left and right bearing blocks in side-by-side relationship, a bottom web connecting the left and right bearing blocks and a first opening in the bottom of the cradle for at least one cord portion of the drive cord to extend through and wherein the cradle further includes at least one cord guide on the bottom web or on one of the bearing blocks.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2006Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BVInventor: Jan Pieter Wetsema
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Patent number: 7562689Abstract: A clip is provided which acts as a holder for a lift cord or other cord of a window covering. The clip includes a fastener through which the clip is coupled to a lower portion of the window covering, such as a bottom rail of the window covering. The clip also includes a guide path which supports a portion of the cord adjacent to the clip. The clip would typically be coupled to a lower portion of the window covering, such as a bottom rail, at a lateral edge of the bottom rail, so that the cord has a reduced amount of vertical suspension from the bottom rail and is reoriented to a new desired position extending down from the clip on the bottom rail. The guide path can be a partial or complete hole or trough through which the cord is routed.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2005Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Shades Unlimited, Inc.Inventors: David R. Militello, Barry L. Shevick
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Patent number: 7562690Abstract: Apparatus 10 discloses a bed 14 curtain 12 comprising fabric suspended from a plurality of attachments 18 attached to the ceiling 40 encompassing a bed 14, wherein the fabric includes grommeted apertures 48 for engaging the attachments. The apparatus 10 provides a decorative and concealing curtain 12 around a mattress or bedding area 14 suspended from the ceiling 40 at the corners 56 by anchors 34 for attaching the grommets 22 located in the fabric's corners to the anchors.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2006Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Inventor: Janine M Loweth
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Patent number: 7549458Abstract: An automatic winding device of a roll screen is disclosed. A screen is automatically rolled up when a user pulls a ball chain down and the screen is automatically stopped when the user just releases the ball chain, to thereby adjust a height of the screen simply and easily. A lower end of the screen is prevented from colliding with the winding device when the screen is rolled up, to thereby create a silent and comfortable indoor environment.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2006Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Inventor: Jae-Suk Kwak
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Patent number: 7540315Abstract: A winding mechanism for a window blind includes a base having two slideways, a rotation member rotatably mounted on the base and having an outer wall formed with a threaded guide portion, and a guide seat having an inner wall formed with a threaded guide hole screwed onto the threaded guide portion of the rotation member and an outer wall formed with two guide posts each provided with a roller slidably mounted in a respective slideway of the base. Thus, when the lift cord is wound around the rotation member, the guide seat is movable successively on the rotation member by guidance of the roller, so that the lift cord is wound around the rotation member serially and smoothly by guidance of the guide seat, thereby preventing the lift cord from being tangled.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2006Date of Patent: June 2, 2009Inventor: Kuo-Hua Chen
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Patent number: 7537041Abstract: A layered blinds device having a series of screens of evenly spaced rods held in parallel relation to one another that allow users to manipulate light penetration and view transparency as independent variables and a method for doing the same. A spacing mechanism adjusts the spacing between the screens which controls the light penetration while an alignment mechanism adjusts the alignment of the rods which controls the view transparency. The blinds can be adjusted manually or by a tracking system.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2005Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Paralign LLCInventor: Benjamin R. Spencer
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Patent number: 7513294Abstract: A mounting system for securing a non-retractable covering material in an architectural opening includes an anchor strip securable to the covering material having a plurality of openings therethrough and a three piece clip securable to the surrounding frame of the architectural opening including a taper head pin for insertion into an opening in the anchor strip with the pin being universally movable through a unique design of the clip which includes a base, a pivot arm and a slide clamp on the pivot arm.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2006Date of Patent: April 7, 2009Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.Inventors: Ralph G. Jelic, Terry L. Akins
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Patent number: 7503374Abstract: A winder is provided near a quarter window of a rear door. A shade member is drawably mounted about the winder. A connecting piece is connected to a drawing arm and mounted to the rear portion of the shade member. A shoe is mounted to a bottom end of the drawing arm. The shoe engages with a regulatory groove extending in a drawing direction of the shade member. A driving cable is connected to the shoe. The shade member can be drawn out across the window by the drawing arm via the sending out of the driving cable by an operating mechanism. Since the regulatory groove extends substantially in a circle, when the shoe moves through engagement with the regulatory groove, the connecting piece connected to the drawing arm pivots relative to the shoe.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2006Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignees: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, BOS GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Kouichi Takeuchi, Akihiro Tamaki, Yeong-Hak Yoo
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Patent number: 7500505Abstract: A roller stop for connection to the head rail of a covering for an architectural openings is releasably connectable to a rear edge of the head rail in overlying relationship with a roller having shade material thereon with the shade material having a bottom rail. The roller stop has a pivotally mounted body selectively positionable in closely adjacent but spaced relationship from the outer wrap of shade material on the roller and in a position to engage the bottom rail when the shade material is fully wrapped on said roller. A catch arm is selectively engageable with serrated teeth to releasable hold the pivotal body in a preselected desired position.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2006Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.Inventors: Stephen P. Smith, Brian M. Hoffmann
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Patent number: 7481260Abstract: A device for automatic tightening of blinds is disclosed, where the manipulation of the blinds is controlled through the aid of belts running between the outer lists of a window.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2005Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Hagen Holding APSInventor: Helge Hagen
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Patent number: 7461683Abstract: An improved curtain rolling buffer apparatus mainly includes a rolling means mounted to a left end of the track to allow the curtain hanging below the track to be extended by pulling once and retracted by pulling another time. A buffer means is located on the right end of the track and has a bushing housing a spring. When to extend or retract the curtain, the spring is turned clockwise and extended outwards, and runs idle outside an axle, and the elastic force of the spring is small than the pressure of lube oil so that the curtain is easier to be extended. On the contrary, when the spring is turned counterclockwise, it is tightened and drives the bushing to rotate together.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2005Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Inventor: Wen-Jen Wang