Abstract: A stacking panel covering for an architectural opening includes a headrail and a plurality of suspended from the headrail. The panels form an overlapped stack at one end of the headrail when the stacking panel covering is opened, and cover the architectural opening when the stacking panel covering is closed. The panels are piggybacked on those adjacent thereto, so that they stack, one behind the next, when the stacking panel covering is opened, and so that each pulls the next adjacent thereto as the stacking panel covering is being closed. The panels themselves may be planar, or convexly curved in a horizontal direction and substantially straight in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An architectural covering and a method of manufacturing the covering is provided. The panel may include multiple strips of material extending lengthwise across a width dimension of the panel. The strips of material may be overlapped and coupled to one another to define cells between adjacent strips of material. The panel may be retracted and extended across an architectural opening, and the strips of material may include a resilient support member to expand the cells as the panel is extended across the architectural opening. The panel may be manufactured by helically winding a continuous, elongate strip of material about a drum in an overlapped manner.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a window covering for an architectural opening is disclosed. The covering including a support, at least one vane, and at least one operating element. The method for manufacturing the covering includes extending the vane across the support; extending the operating element along a length of the support, and coupling the covering to a roller for selective rotative movement for extending and retracting the covering during use. The operating element being movable with respect to the support. In use, an upper portion of the vane is fixed with respect to the support while a lower portion of the vane is fixed with respect to the operating element so that the lower portion of the vane is movable relative to the upper portion by moving the at least one operating element.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control architectural opening covering assemblies are disclosed herein. An example architectural opening covering assembly includes a manual controller operatively coupled to a tube to rotate the tube. The tube includes an architectural opening covering. The example architectural opening covering assembly also includes a motor operatively coupled to the tube to rotate the tube. A local controller is communicatively coupled to the motor to control the motor. The example architectural opening covering assembly further includes a gravitational sensor to determine an angular position of the tube.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes roll-up coverings of custom length and/or width for architectural openings, and a method of assembling the same. The custom covering includes at least one outer elongate tape, at least one inner elongate tape, and a plurality of slats. The tapes preferably have lengths along central longitudinal axis extending between first ends and second ends of the tapes that are selected to correspond to the custom length of the covering. The slats are preferably transverse to, spaced apart along, and coupled to the tapes at any desired location along the tape lengths to achieve desired spacings of the slats, thereby providing a subassembly of custom length. The slats may have lengths extending between first ends and second ends of the slats, orthogonal to the central axis of the tapes, and selected to provide a custom width of the subassembly.

Abstract: A stacking panel covering for an architectural opening includes a headrail and a plurality of suspended from the headrail. The panels form an overlapped stack at one end of the headrail when the stacking panel covering is opened, and cover the architectural opening when the stacking panel covering is closed. The panels are piggybacked on those adjacent thereto, so that they stack, one behind the next, when the stacking panel covering is opened, and so that each pulls the next adjacent thereto as the stacking panel covering is being closed. The panels themselves may be planar, or convexly curved in a horizontal direction and substantially straight in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A retractable cellular shade is illustrated in various embodiments to consist of a support structure that could assume numerous forms including cellular material, flexible sheets of material, tapes or ribbons, or flexible monofilaments or similar cords of natural or synthetic fibers with the support structure supporting a plurality of vanes or slats in various configurations and orientations. The movement of the vanes or slats is totally dependent upon movement of the support structure. The fabric so formed can be incorporated into a covering for architectural openings with the covering including a headrail with means for gathering the fabric material within the headrail.

Abstract: A single-track stacking panel covering for an architectural opening has a headrail for mounting the covering above and in front of the opening, such as a window or door. The headrail has a single track. Suspended from the headrail and translatable therealong are panels oriented at a small angle relative to the headrail. When the covering is open, the panels form an overlappingly stacked array at one end of the headrail.

Abstract: A retractable covering for an architectural opening includes a headrail in which a control system is mounted and a fabric suspended from the headrail. The fabric is mounted to be moved laterally between a rolled up retracted position and an extended position across the architectural opening. At least one roller about which the fabric can be wrapped is mounted at an end of the headrail for rotation about a vertical axis, and the system includes a flexible control element that is substantially horizontally disposed for moving the covering between extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: A single-track stacking panel covering for an architectural opening has a headrail for mounting the covering above and in front of the opening, such as a window or door. The headrail has a single track. Suspended from the headrail and translatable therealong are panels oriented at a small angle relative to the headrail. When the covering is open, the panels form an overlappingly stacked array at one end of the headrail.

Abstract: A retractable covering for an architectural opening includes a headrail in which a control system is mounted and a fabric suspended from the headrail. The fabric is mounted to be moved laterally between a rolled up retracted position and an extended position across the architectural opening. At least one roller about which the fabric can be wrapped is mounted at an end of the headrail for rotation about a vertical axis, and the system includes a flexible control element that is substantially horizontally disposed for moving the covering between extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening including a roller, an end rail, and a panel rotatable onto the roller and spanning between the roller and the end rail. The panel includes a front sheet, a rear sheet, and a cell spanning between the front and rear sheet. When the front sheet is at a first position relative to the rear sheet, the cell is open. When the front sheet is at a second position relative to the rear sheet, the cell is closed.

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: The disclosure provides roll-up coverings for an architectural opening, and various embodiments of ladder tapes. Embodiments of the roll-up covering include a roller, a first outer elongate tape, a first inner elongate tape and a plurality of slats disposed between the outer and inner elongate tapes. The first inner elongate tape can further defines a plurality of collapsible hinge segments disposed along the length of the first inner elongate tape. The collapsible hinge segments can be configured to collapse in order to decrease the effective length of the first inner elongate tape when the first inner elongate tape is rolled up around the roller. The collapsible hinge segments can further be configured to expand in order to increase the effective length of the first inner elongate tape when the roll-up covering is unrolled from the roller.

Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening including a support tube and a panel operably connected to the support tube and configured to be wound around the support tube. The panel includes a support sheet and at least one cell operably connected to the support sheet. The at least one cell includes a vane material operably connected to a first side of the support sheet and a cell support member operably connected to the vane material and configured to support the vane material at a distance away from the support sheet when the panel is in an extended position with respect to the support tube.

Abstract: A process and system for manufacturing roller blinds is provided which includes structure for performing plural steps including a first step of helically winding slat fabric about a drum, thereby forming a slat product. A second step includes moving the slat product from the drum to a platform. A third step includes winding the slat product about a roller tube to form a roller blind. A fourth step includes moving the blind from the platform to a heat treating device.

Abstract: A covering an architectural opening including a support tube and a panel operably connected to the support tube and configured to be wound around the support tube. The panel includes a support sheet and at least one cell operably connected to the support sheet. The at least one cell includes a vane material operably connected to a first side of the support sheet and a cell support member operably connected to the vane material and configured to support the vane material at a distance away from the support sheet when the panel is in an extended position with respect to the support tube.

Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening including a roller, an end rail, and a panel rotatable onto the roller and spanning between the roller and the end rail. The panel includes a front sheet, a rear sheet, and a cell spanning between the front and rear sheet. When the front sheet is at a first position relative to the rear sheet, the cell is open. When the front sheet is at a second position relative to the rear sheet, the cell is closed.

Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a unitary assembly for an architectural fenestration, providing dynamic solar heat gain control, which (1) provides a track-based frame structure/blind combination in which the blind is self-correcting should the blind material fall outside of the track; (2) provides directional shading, where the assembly provides for dynamically controlling the amount of light allowed to reach the heat storage unit; (3) provides a blind motor without limiter switches and with a quick-release slip-ring; and (4) provides a heat storage unit which is a thermally efficient, transparent and translucent structure, with which gain from sunny winter days is greater than nighttime loss, so as to provide supplemental heat.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control an architectural opening covering assembly are disclosed herein. An example system includes a first architectural opening covering assembly to identify a first position of a first covering as a first reference position in response to a first command to store a first speed at which the first assembly is to be driven. The first assembly is to operate a first motor to move the first covering at the first stored speed in response to a second command. The example system includes a second architectural opening covering assembly to store a second speed at which the second covering is to be driven in response to a third command. The second assembly is to operate a second motor at the second stored speed in response to a fourth command to move the second covering.