Abstract: A headrail suitable for use with a roller shade or a blind of the type having at least two spaced apart lift cords has a roller attached to the headrail in a manner to permit rotation of the roller and prevent movement of the roller in a longitudinal direction. The outer surface of the roller is free of threads and other projections such that roller shade material can be wrapped about the roller. A plurality of cord collection spools are provided on the roller. The spools can be slid off one end of the roller and may be moveable in a longitudinal direction or fixed to the roller by a set screw or clamp. If fixed to the roller the cord collection spool has a conical shape and an attachment position for a lift cord that is offset in a transverse direction along the roller from the hole in the bottom of the headrail through which a lift cord passes onto the cord collection spool.

Abstract: A window covering system has a bracket rail with an elongated L-shaped body that extends across substantially the full width of a window. A plurality off brackets are attached to a headrail of a window covering and releasably attach the headrail to the bracket rail. Preferably, the brackets have a tab which engages the front edge of the bracket rail and an inverted U-shaped spring that engages the bottom edge of the bracket rail.

Abstract: A cordless blind contains one or more spring motors, one or more cord collectors and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism has a button or lever or two buttons or levers which when pressed and released will change the lock from a locked position, wherein the lift cords are restrained from being collected on or released from the cord collector, and has an unlocked position that allows the lift cords and cord collector to freely move when pressed again the button or lever will change the lock mechanism from the unlocked position to the locked position. A cord or wand may be connected to the button or lever. Then the operator can place the bottomrail or moving rail of the blind at any desired location between a fully raised position and a fully lowered position.

Abstract: A cord shroud for use in cooperation with a window shade assembly of the type having multiple lift cords or a cord loop extending from a headrail has two elongated flexible ribbons, each ribbon having a plurality of apertures sized to permit the lift cords to pass through the apertures. The first end of one ribbon is connected to the headrail or to a tube extending from the headrail. A gripper is attached to the second end of the first ribbon and attached to the first end of the second ribbon. The second end of the second ribbon can be attached to a tassel or a weight. The gripper has a passageway through which the lift cords pass and is constructed such that the cords can pass freely through the passageway when the gripper is in a relaxed condition. The gripper will grip a portion of the lift cords that is in the passageway when a force is applied to the gripper.

Abstract: A roll-up shade with cord capture has a headrail, a bottomrail, a panel of window covering material between the headrail and the bottomrail and a plurality of looped cords extending from the headrail down one side of the panel of window covering material, around the bottom edge, up an opposite side of the panel of window covering material and into the headrail such that movement of the looped cords into the headrail will cause the panel of window covering material to roll up and movement of the cords out of the headrail will cause the window covering material to unroll. A rod extends across one side of the panel of window covering material and captures the looped cords between the rod and the surface of the window covering material or in apertures through the rod or in apertures formed by clips or eyelets attached to the rod.

Abstract: A headrail for a double shade has a modular construction in which a portion of the headrail holds a roller shade and a second portion holds a pleated shade and the two portions are separable from one another. In one embodiment the portion that supports the pleated shade is configured to hold a conventional headrail of a pleated shade. In another embodiment a front assembly supports a pleated shade and contains a base and a curved front wall attached to and extending over the base. A semicircular wall extends between end caps that hold a roller shade. The semicircular wall has a slot that receives a tab on the front wall of the front assembly. A bracket has a top leg with a hook that engages a tab on the semicircular wall and a shoulder on a side leg that carries the rear edge of the semicircular wall. A spring extends from the side leg of the bracket to the front wall retaining the tab on the front wall within the hook on rear wall.

Abstract: A cordless blind contains one or more springs in the bottomrail of the blind. Preferably the spring is a constant force spring motor and is connected to at least one cord collector in a manner to maintain tension on the cord collector. The tension causes the lift cords to be collected on the cord collector when the cord collector and the lift cords are free to move, thereby moving the bottomrail toward the headrail. Preferably, a lock mechanism is attached to the cord collector or the lift cords. The lock mechanism has a locked position wherein the lift cords are restrained from being collected on the cord collector and has an unlocked position that allows the lift cords and cord collector to move.

Abstract: An axle driven cord collection system that uses cones to spool the lift cords. An idle/drive wheel on each cone prevents the cords from tangling. A collet connects each cone in an adjustable way so that the total travel of each cord can be precisely controlled by adjusting the position of the starting wrap on at least one of the cones.

Abstract: A cordless blind contains one or more springs in the bottomrail of the blind. Preferably the spring is a constant force spring motor and is connected to at least one cord collector in a manner to maintain tension on the cord collector. The tension causes the lift cords to be collected on the cord collector when the cord collector and the lift cords are free to move, thereby moving the bottomrail toward the headrail. Preferably, a lock mechanism is attached to the cord collector or the lift cords. The lock mechanism has a locked position wherein the lift cords are restrained from being collected on the cord collector and has an unlocked position that allows the lift cords and cord collector to move.

Abstract: A cellular structure for window coverings has a plurality of cells formed by an upper vane and a lower vane each having a front edge and a rear edge. A C-shaped front wall has an upper end attached to the front edge of the upper vane and a lower end attached to the front edge of the lower vane to form an outwardly extending front tab at each end of the C-shaped front wall. The opposite end of each vane is attached to a rear wall. A C-shaped rear wall could be used for each cell. This structure is made by placing an edge of the vane between a pleat which is bonded to form each front tab and then preferably trimming the tab to a uniform width.

Abstract: A headrail and bracket system for window coverings has a plurality of brackets that support the headrail. Each bracket is generally L-shaped having a top that extends over the headrail and a tab or front wall that engages that front wall of the headrail. The rear of the bracket engages the bottom of the headrail. A lever extends from the front wall toward the back wall and engages the top of the headrail or a tab extending from the top of the headrail. An actuator is movably connected to the rear wall of the bracket and is positioned to engage the lever and move the lever to release the headrail.

Abstract: A headrail for a double shade has a modular construction in which a portion of the headrail holds a roller shade and a second portion holds a pleated shade and the two portions are separable from one another. In one embodiment the portion that supports the pleated shade is configured to hold a conventional headrail of a pleated shade. In another embodiment a front assembly supports a pleated shade and contains a base and a curved front wall attached to and extending over the base. A semicircular wall extends between end caps that hold a roller shade. The semicircular wall has a slot that receives a tab on the front wall of the front assembly. A bracket has a top leg with a hook that engages a tab on the semicircular wall and a shoulder on a side leg that carries the rear edge of the semicircular wall. A spring extends from the side leg of the bracket to the front wall retaining the tab on the front wall within the hook on rear wall.

Abstract: An intermittently tabbed pleated shade in which alternate pleats are tabbed at spaced apart locations along their length, giving the pleats a textured appearance when the shade is extended in the lowered position. An intermittently tabbed pleated shade device has a headrail and a bottomrail, to which the top and bottom of the pleated shade, respectively, are connected. Preferably there is a set of vertically aligned tabs for each lift cord, each tab having at least one cord hole through which a lift cord may pass. In this shade pleated material is intermittently secured together at each of adjacent back projecting pleats to form intermittent tabs at spaced apart locations along the width of the pleated material at a rear portion of each back projecting pleat such that when the shade is lowered each of the intermittently tabbed pleats has a textured appearance. Optionally, a spacer device can be used to maintain a desired vertical spacing between tabs.

Abstract: An axle driven cord collection system that uses cones to spool the lift cords. An idle/drive wheel on each cone prevents the cords from tangling. A collet connects each cone in an adjustable way so that the total travel of each cord can be precisely controlled by adjusting the position of the starting wrap on at least one of the cones.

Abstract: A venetian type blind has a bottomrail, a headrail positioned above the bottomrail, a pivot slat positioned between the headrail and the bottomrail and a tilt slat located immediately below the pivot slat. A set of upper ladders extends from the headrail to the pivot slat and carries a set of upper slats. A set of lower ladders extends from the bottomrail to the tilt slat with each lower ladder being connected to a pivot member on the pivot slat. The lower ladders carry a set of lower slats. At least one pivot cord connects the pivot slat to the tilt slat. This arrangement allows the lower slats to be separately tilted to a different position from the upper slats.

Abstract: A venetian type blind has a length adjustable bottomrail to fit windows of different lengths. The bottomrail has a channel at each ladder location through which the lift cords and the cord rails pass. A separate channel can also provided for the lift cord. An opening is provided in the underside of the bottomrail at each ladder location and an insert is disposed therein. The lift cord passes through the channel and attaches to the insert. The cord rails pass through the channel and out through the opening. The insert has a head portion with a bore therein. A threaded plug is installed in the bore. The head portion preferably has a rim portion with apertures through which the cord rails can pass. The threaded plug preferably has a cap portion and a pocket therein for storing the ends of the cord rails. Alternatively, the threaded plug is inserted into the opening itself.