Hunter Douglas,inc.

Enerkem, Inc.

Oea, Inc.

Ensign-bickford Aerospace & Defence Company

David G Lynch

Stephen T Wisecup

Christopher Ray Mueller

Ronald Holt

Nickolas C Buccola, Jr

David B Mcneill

Prashant Kumar

Estaban Chornet

Wendell B Colson

Paul G Swiszcz

Esteban Chornet

Marek Jarosinski

Patrick E Foley

Stephane Marie-Rose

Ronald M Dufrane

Bogdan R Ulatowski

Robert A Null

Jean-Michel Lavoie

Erick A Phillips

Charles Bureau

Jeffrey M Kezerian

Jack C Cotner

Wayne Rayman

Dennis L Sims

Robert A Yang

An architectural covering with an operable vane having a fabric backing is provided. The vane may include a vane fabric and a backing material connected to the vane fabric by a layer of adhesive. The backing material may increase a machine-direction stiffness of the vane while slightly affecting a cross-direction stiffness of the vane. As such, the vane may have increased stiffness in its machine direction while simultaneously remaining flexible in its cross direction.

Fabric having a backing material for a covering for an architectural opening

A system and method for laser sealing an edge portion of a covering of an architecture-structure covering is disclosed. In one embodiment, after cutting a covering of an architectural-structure covering to an appropriate size, lasering the cut edge portions or surfaces of the covering to seal the cut edge portions or surfaces of the covering to prevent fraying. The beam of the laser may be positioned to contact the cut edge portions or surfaces of the covering in a plane of the fabric. Subsequently, the beam of the laser scans or moves across the surface of the cut edge portion of the covering. In use, the beam of the laser is arranged and configured to apply heat to the surface of the fabric material at discrete points or spots to vaporize any loose fibers located along the cut edge portion of the covering.

System and method of using lasers to seal an edge of a covering of an architectural-structure covering

A covering for an architectural opening has a dual cord operating system. The covering may include a head rail, blind panels depending from the head rail, and an operating system. The operating system may include a housing connected to the head rail, a first drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and a second drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between a closed configuration and an open configuration.

Dual cord operating system for an architectural covering

A catalyst which comprises nickel and/or cobalt supported on a support that includes a mixed oxide containing metals, such as aluminum, zirconium, lanthanum, magnesium, cerium, calcium, and yttrium. Such catalysts are useful for converting carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, and for converting methane to hydrogen.

Catalysts for producing hydrogen and synthesis gas

A process for producing ethanol from synthesis gas by reacting the hydrogen and carbon monoxide of the synthesis gas to provide methanol, which then is subjected to dehydration to produce at least one ether, such as dimethyl ether. The ether, such as dimethyl ether, then is subjected to carbonylation with unreacted carbon monoxide from the synthesis gas to provide at least one acetate, such as methyl acetate. The acetate then is subjected to hydrogenolysis to produce ethanol.

Production of ethanol from synthesis gas

Shade assembly

Dual segmented covering for architectural openings

An initiator assembly () is factory-pre-assembled and comprises an initiation fixture () secured to a triggering device (). The initiation fixture () comprises a unitary body, i.e., one without moving parts, and includes a bushing groove () to receive as an accessory an O-ring () to seal the device within the barrel () of the triggering device (). A fuse/fixture sub-assembly () includes an initiation charge () disposed at the firing face () and a signal-transmission fuse (). The initiation fixture () may be a 'universal' fixture having thereon optional external threads () and being otherwise dimensioned and configured to be received within either an internally threaded barrel () of a triggering device () or the barrel () of a triggering device which utilizes a fuse-holder cap (). The initiator assembly () may include a spool () on which the signal-transmission tube () is wound.

Initiation fixture and an initiator assembly including the same

A balanced tilt mechanism for use in a covering for an architectural opening includes an actuator cord having a weighted tassel that cooperates with a tapered bobbin in a tiltable headrail in the covering. A constant tension spring counterbalances the weighted actuator cord so the headrail can be easily tilted between open and opposite closed positions.

Balanced tilt mechanism for a covering for an architectural opening

Method and apparatus for butt welding a stranded wire to an electrode pin in close proximity to igniter material using laser beams. The wire and electrode pin are preferably part of an initiator assembly used in an airbag system. In a preferred embodiment, the wire is made of copper and the electrode pin is made of a steel alloy. The wire and pin are vertically aligned in contact with each other, without any external force or pressure applied to them. A plurality of beams contact portions of both materials at the same time, causing them to melt, substantially without any melted material extending beyond the width or diameter of the wire.

Laser welding of wire strands to an electrode pin

Growing community of inventors

Aurora, CO, United States of America

David G Lynch