Newell Operating Company

Newell Window Furnishings, Inc.

Other

Home Fashions, Inc.

Bryan K Ruggles

Jace N Green

Richard F Chacon

Roger C Palmer

Cary L Ruggles

Kay L Ruggles

Kerry Strauss

Dennis Buehner

Otto Kuhar

Zazu Ciuca

Patrick Woods

Warren Stephenson

George G Gil

Maria R Gil

Stewart F Matthews

Julian Rokicki

Disclosed is a spring motor and control for use especially with window blinds. The motor comprises a storage drum having a first axis, an output drum mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to and spaced from the first axis. A spring member is connected to and between the storage drum and the output drum to form a spring motor. The spring motor has laterally extending, spaced apart drum supports on opposite sides of the drums to support them for rotation. A coupled drive is connected to the storage and output drum whereby rotation of one of the drums in a first direction about its axis effects rotation of the other of the drums about its axis and in an opposite direction to cause winding and unwinding of the spring member between the drums. A drive actuator is connected to the coupled drive to effect rotation of the drums, and an adjustable friction member is engageable with one of the coupled drive and the drive actuator to adjustably alter the force necessary to effect movement of the coupled drive.

Cordless balanced window covering

An expandable and contractible cellular panelcomprises a plurality of parallel, aligned, elongated tubular sectionssecured together at the median region of their adjacent longitudinal margins to form the panel. The adjacent tubular sectionsof the panelare made of a pair of substantially identical separate strips of sheet material from those forming the other adjacent tubular sections. The various adjacent pairs of strips are laminated together along their confronting longitudinal margins. Each strip is made of at least two separate flexible substrate sheetshaving completely different appearances, and are secured together by welding together their longitudinal margins. The corresponding substrate sheetsof all the strips have corresponding positions in the panel, so that all the substrate sheets having one appearance are on one side of the paneland those having a different appearance are on the other side of the panel, and the welded portions' are located in the laminated portion of the strips where they are hidden from view.

Cellular panel and method and apparatus for making the same

A covering for window or doors includes a plurality of vanes mounted horizontally or vertically, the vanes being light in weight and longitudinally rigid. The vanes may be foam filled or may include a vane shell made from a polymer matrix, and in either case may optionally include a decorative fabric covering. In the hollow vane embodiment, the vane shell preferably includes a polymer matrix at least partially enveloping fibers, and in the most preferred embodiment is prepared from a fibrous batt including two different thermoplastic resin fibers, one having a lower melting point than the other. The vane shell is formed by thermally treating the batt to at least partially melt the lower melt fibers to at least partially envelope the higher melt fibers. Alternative embodiments of the invention described herein include the horizontal or vertical mounting of the foam core or hollow vanes, the attachment of sheer fabrics thereto, the use of ribbon or cord tilt control systems for the vanes, and other features which create door or window coverings providing light control, insulation, stacking to the side or top, and the capability for cordless operation when the vanes are used in a horizontal orientation.

Door and window coverings employing longitudinally rigid vanes

Foam core vanes useful with door or window coverings and which may be hung vertically or horizontally include an outer fabric cover and an inner foam core. Preferably, the vanes are shaped to have a blunt forward edge, gently curving sides and a pointed rear edge, resembling an air foil. A method of preparing the vanes includes injecting foam producing chemicals into a fold of the outer fabric as the fabric enters a mold section comprised of upper and lower molds moving along tracks. The foam expands to press the fabric into the mold and cures during travel through the mold section. A rotary knife cuts the foam core vanes to the desired length. Preferred foams are urethane and polyisocyanurate foams.

Foam core vane for door and window covering

A light-control window covering includes a first sheet of sheer material, and a second sheet of sheer material spaced apart from the first sheer sheet of material. A plurality of vanes having a first face and a second face, a center region and a first and a second longitudinal margin, the first face of each vane being ultrasonically welded to the first and second sheets of sheer material along the respective first and second longitudinal margins. The vanes are welded to the first and second sheer sheets of material, while the first and second sheer materials are spaced apart and parallel to one another. The welded first and second sheets of sheer material and vanes are then shifted from a light-passing position to a light-blocking position and heat set.

Light control window covering and method and apparatus for its manufacture

A method for manufacturing vertical blinds is disclosed, the method yielding a blind which has curtain material located between the vanes, so that when the blind is deployed across an opening, the vanes may be arranged perpendicularly with respect to the curtain material to allow light into a room or the vanes may be aligned so that they are parallel and overlapping one another, in which case a privacy product results. The method includes preparing discrete pieces of a three component strip having a center portion of curtain material and vane portions bonded to each longitudinal edge of the curtain portion. Adhesive is applied to one or both of the vane portions, and the discrete pieces are placed on an U-shaped mandrel, inverted so that the opening of the &ldquo;U&rdquo; faces downwardly. The curtain material portion lies over the rounded top of the mandrel and the vane portion lies against the sides of the mandrel. The mandrel is indexed, another mandrel replaces it and the process is repeated. When the mandrels are indexed, the vanes of adjoining pieces are pressed against one another and are joined by the adhesive. The adhesive employed may be heat activated or be a contact adhesive, and in the most preferred form of the invention, the two vane material portions, when combined with the adhesive, will have substantial rigidity and will be opaque. A novel blind product results from the process.

Vertical blinds with vanes and fabric connected to the vanes and method of manufacturing the same

A spring motor with an improved take-up drum and idler gear assembly is disclosed. The spring motor includes a take-up drum proximate a drive drum with a coil spring interconnected between the two. First and second cord spools are mounted for rotation laterally adjacent the drive drum and take-up drum. The take-up drum is mounted about an idler gear which transfers torque from the first cord spool to the drive drum. Both the take-up drum and the idler gear are independently rotatable and are supported for rotation on first and second respective sides of each to thereby minimize binding between the idler gear and the take-up drum.

Take-up drum for a cordless shade counterbalance

An expandable and contractible cellular panel,comprises a plurality of parallel, aligned, elongated tubular sections,secured together at the median region of their adjacent longitudinal margins to form the panel,The adjacent tubular sections,of the panel,are made of a pair of substantially identical separate strips of sheet material from those forming the other adjacent tubular sections,The various adjacent pairs of strips are laminated together along their confronting longitudinal margins. Each strip is made of at least two separate flexible substrate sheets,having completely different appearances, and are secured together by welding together their longitudinal margins. The corresponding substrate sheets,of all the strips have corresponding positions in the panel,so that all the substrate sheets having one appearance are on one side of the panel,and those having a different appearance are on the other side of the panel,and the welded portions,are located in the laminated portion of the strips where they are hidden from view.

The present invention relates generally to the packaging and installation of a soft vertical blind incorporating a plurality of elongated vertical louvers and an integral, sheer curtain face. The packaging system facilitates the process of securely shipping a soft vertical blind in a box, while preventing damage to the curtain fabric that is connected to the louvers. Injection-molded plastic installation clips are configured to nest inside each other and to clip into apertures provided adjacent to the top ends of each louver. When coupled to a threaded shipping rod, the installation clips act as a clamp to secure the louvers of the soft vertical blind. Polyethylene packaging spacers with slots configured to hold individual louvers are placed periodically along the length of the blind to further secure the louvers during shipping. Select components of the packaging system are also used as components in a hanger assembly to facilitate the installation of the soft vertical blind to a mounted headrail. Steel-stamped installation hangers are used to suspend the blind from the hanger assembly at a predetermined, spaced distance in front of the mounted headrail. Each louver is then successively released from the hanger assembly and transferred to a corresponding carrier truck on the headrail to complete the installation of the soft vertical blind.

Soft vertical packaging/installation apparatus

An expandable and contractible cellular panel 10 comprises a plurality of parallel, aligned, elongated tubular sections 12 secured together at the median region of their adjacent longitudinal margins to form the panel 10. The adjacent tubular sections 12 of the panel 10 are made of a pair of substantially identical separate strips of sheet material from those forming the other adjacent tubular sections 12. The various adjacent pairs of strips are laminated together along their confronting longitudinal margins. Each strip is made of at least two separate flexible substrate sheets 18,20 having completely different appearances, and are secured together by welding together their longitudinal margins. The corresponding substrate sheets 18,20 of all the strips have corresponding positions in the panel 10, so that all the substrate sheets having one appearance are on one side of the panel 10 and those having a different appearance are on the other side of the panel 10, and the welded portions 28,28' are located in the laminated portion of the strips where they are hidden from view.

An adjustable shutter assembly having an automated adjustment system including an electronic actuating device, such as an electric actuating motor. The shutter assembly has at least one and typically a plurality of parallel slats rotatably attached at both ends to a frame. The actuating motor is embedded within a self-contained module that can strengthen the shutter frame and be hidden from view. The actuating motor has a spindle that is coaxially connected to one end of an actuator slat selected from among the plurality of parallel slats. The spindle typically includes a tongue that engages a receiving pocket of the actuator slat without additional fastening mechanisms. One or more of the other slats are interconnected with the actuator slat such that rotation of the actuator slat is accompanied by substantially synchronous rotation of the other slats interconnected thereto. Selecting the actuator slat from among the more centrally located slats provides for more reliable and secure closure of all slats. It may be desirable to include one or more slats which move independently of the actuator slat, such as by manual movement or by another actuating motor. Various actuating mechanisms for actuating the motor and for causing the spindle of the motor to stop rotating may be used, such as light-sensitive actuators, timed actuators, remote actuators, or manually operated actuators. A plurality of shutter assemblies can be synchronized to open or close in concert. The actuating device provides for ease of installation in a wide variety of differently sized shutter assemblies.

Electronic actuator for architectural shutters

A blind assembly includes a plurality of elongated main louvers and a pair of end louvers. Each louver has a front leading edge with an internal annular socket attached proximate the leading edge. Each end louver includes a rear socket having a rear semi-cylindrical interior. A plurality of adjacent fabric strips form a curtain. Each fabric strip includes a pair of marginal edges, each edge having a semi-cylindrical bead attached thereto. Adjacent beads form a cylindrical member which is received within the annular front sockets. The semi-cylindrical bead attached to each end of the curtain is received within the semi-cylindrical interior of the rear socket of each end vane. A clip supported by the top surface of each socket extends within the channel and supports the fabric strips. A weight located in a channel of each louver distal the leading edge acts as a counter balance to the weight of the front sockets and curtain.

Growing community of inventors

Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Bryan K Ruggles