Abstract: The present invention incorporates ways to rapidly open an envelope in which an adhesive bandage is packaged in a sterile manner. Such bandages are commonly described as Band Aids™. The method consists of a modification of the tabs currently used on one end of nearly all such envelopes. The modification consists of the enlargement of the tabs and the use of an additional fold to make the tabs easily gripped because they project out from the envelope. An additional embodiment of the invention causes all the envelopes in a box to be anchored in the box by tabs which are extensions of one half of each envelope, so that by pulling on the tab of the other half of the envelope, the bandage is both pulled from the box and extended from the envelope. An additional enhancement of the invention has one of the release strips protecting the adhesive portions of the bandage to adhere to the envelope, making the bandage ready for application without the need to remove that release strip through a separate action.

Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening includes a panel of material consisting of a first flexible sheet of material on which a second flexible sheet of material is secured along vertically spaced horizontal lines of attachment so that the second sheet of material billows or flexes away from the first sheet of material to define a plurality of vertically superimposed cells. The creases placed in the cells are designed so that as the panel of material is wrapped around a roller, the creases are reinforced to extend the life of the creases and thus the desired billowing effect of the cellular panel of material. Various systems are disclosed for extending and retracting a panel of material as well as for anchoring the top and bottom edges of the panel to a roller in a manner so that they can be easily attached/detached without disassembling the hardware for the covering.

Abstract: A cellular covering for a roll-up type shade assembly is described. According to one embodiment, the covering typically comprises a plurality of cells vertically disposed on a backing sheet. Each cell is configured to self-inflate when unrolled from a roller of the shade assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating a cellular roller shade material for use in roller shade coverings for architectural openings is described. In a preferred embodiment, two fabric tapes are joined proximate an edge of each to form a wide fabric tape. The wide fabric tape is then pulled through a folding horn to fold the tape along a longitudinal axis that is laterally offset from the tape's longitudinal axis. Two longitudinal adhesive beads are applied to the folded tape by an adhesive applicator. The folded tape is then continuously wound onto tubular surface with the surfaces of the folded tape containing the adhesive beads being placed in an overlapping relationship with a portion of a previously wrapped section of the folded tape. The wrapped and joined tubular tape is cut to form a sheet of shade material that comprises plurality of horizontally-extending cells when utilized in a roller shade.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating a cellular roller shade material for use in roller shade coverings for architectural openings is described. In a preferred embodiment, two fabric tapes are joined proximate an edge of each to form a wide fabric tape. The wide fabric tape is then pulled through a folding horn to fold the tape along a longitudinal axis that is laterally offset from the tape's longitudinal axis. Two longitudinal adhesive beads are applied to the folded tape by an adhesive applicator. The folded tape is then continuously wound onto tubular surface with the surfaces of the folded tape containing the adhesive beads being placed in an overlapping relationship with a portion of a previously wrapped section of the folded tape. The wrapped and joined tubular tape is cut to form a sheet of shade material that comprises plurality of horizontally-extending cells when utilized in a roller shade.

Abstract: A three dimensional cellular shade 20 attached to a roller. The cells 28 of the shade expand outward as the shade is unrolled. The shade is made from two sheets of fabric. One of the fabrics is decorative 24, the other fabric 22 is more functional. The decorative fabric 24 is longer in length than the functional fabric 22. The two fabrics are joined together along a plurality of joints 26 extending down the length of the shade. These joints are uniformly displaced from one another. The ratio of decorative fabric to functional fabric between any two joints is greater than one. This ratio is important for ensuring that the cells will expand outward as the shade is unrolled.

Abstract: A three dimensional cellular shade 20 attached to a roller. The cells 28 of the shade expand outward as the shade is unrolled. The shade is made from two sheets of fabric. One of the fabrics is decorative 24, the other fabric 22 is more functional. The decorative fabric 24 is longer in length than the functional fabric 22. The two fabrics are joined together along a plurality of joints 26 extending down the length of the shade. These joints are uniformly displaced from one another. The ratio of decorative fabric to functional fabric between any two joints is greater than one. This ratio is important for ensuring that the cells will expand outward as the shade is unrolled.