Springs Window Fashions, LLC

Graber Industries, Inc.

Springs Window Fashions Division, Inc.

John E Morris

Toralf H Strand

Edward M Kaucic

Ronald G Darner

John S Wagner

Dustin Johnson

Yihong Zhang

A covering for an architectural opening including a first rail, a second rail moveable relative to the first rail, and a lift regulator coupled to the first rail. The lift regulator includes a drag mechanism, and the lift regulator automatically engages the drag mechanism to resist the second rail moving away from the first rail. In addition, the lift regulator automatically disengages the drag mechanism when the second rail moves toward the first rail.

Cordless shade automatic lift regulator

A covering for an architectural opening including a first rail, a second rail moveable relative to the first rail, a third rail moveable relative to the first rail, and a lift assembly coupled to the first rail. The lift assembly includes a first drum rotatable about a first axis, a second drum rotatable about a second axis; a first lift cord coupled between the first drum and the second rail, and a second lift cord coupled between the second drum and the third rail. The first drum is offset from the second drum, and a portion of the first drum overlaps a portion of the second drum along a third axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis.

Cordless shade lift system and headrail arrangement

A covering for an architectural opening including a first rail, a second rail moveable relative to the first rail, and a lift assembly coupled to the first rail. The lift assembly includes a drum rotatable about an axis, and a brake selectively engageable with the drum. The brake automatically engages the drum to resist the second rail moving away from the first rail; and the brake automatically disengages the drum in response to the second rail moving toward the first rail.

Brake device for cordless lift shades

A window covering including two sheets of material extending from a take-up member and having a plurality of substantially horizontal slats disposed between the sheets of material is described. The horizontal slats can be adjusted between open and closed positions when the window covering is in a plurality vertical positions. In certain embodiments, the horizontal slats can be positioned independently from the movement of the sheets of material.

Window covering and method of use

A vertically adjustable bracket for mounting a valance to a headrail includes a clip having a tongue and an arm for attachment to a headrail. A slide has a groove which receives the tongue and a twist and lock cam connector which releasably and lockingly engages an elongated groove on the rear of a valance. A rib on the slide and a ridged surface on the tongue make the bracket adjustable in small increments. Another embodiment includes a second tongue and groove connection which makes the horizontal distance between the valance and the headrail similarly adjustable.

Valance mounting system and method

Window blind headrail

A venetian blind headrail and bracket system in which the headrail has a downwardly extending light block panel along a rear edge of the bottom wall, a front upper rim on the front wall and a rear upper rim on the rear wall. The mounting bracket includes an upwardly opening front notch for receiving a lower edge of the front upper rim and a downwardly opening rear notch spaced rearwardly from the front notch for receiving the rear upper rim, and a support ledge spaced below the rear notch for engaging a lower edge of the light block panel to support the headrail in a mounted position on the bracket with a clearance between the rear upper rim and the base of the rear notch. The rear notch has a width sufficiently less than the outer width of the rear upper rim to have an interference fit therewith when the headrail is in the mounted position on the bracket.

Venetian blind headrail and mounting bracket system

A cord equalizer for gripping a plurality of lift cords in a window covering. The cord equalizer includes a molded first body member having an elongated channel extending from a lower to an upper end, and a second body member overlying the channel and having a rib intermediate its ends extending crosswise of the channel. The first and second body members are slidably interconnected for relative movement in a direction lengthwise of the channel and a notch extends inwardly from the upper end of the second body member in registry with the channel to provide a passage for lift cords that opens laterally of the channel.

Cord equalizer for window shade lift cords

A valance for concealing window blind headers or drapery fixtures. The valance includes a front panel and end panels, and each of the panels have an upper rail adjacent the upper edge defining a downwardly projecting lip, a lower rail adjacent the lower edge defining an upwardly projecting lower lip, and an intermediate rail defining an upwardly projecting intermediate lip and a downwardly projecting intermediate lip. Upper and lower valance face members are provided for each panel and each face member has a front wall, a reentrant channel extending lengthwise along one rear edge and an internal hook portion spaced inwardly from a second rear edge. The reentrant channels on the upper and lower valance face members are arranged to receive the respective upper and lower intermediate lips and the internal hook portions on the upper and lower face members are respectively arranged to receive the upper and lower lips on the associated panel. Corner members are provided to extend between the ends of the valance face members on the front and end panels.

Decorative valance

A vertical blind of the type having a horizontal carriage guide channel and a blind operating rod extending lengthwise of the channel and slat carriages guidably mounted in a first trackway extending lengthwise of the side walls of the channel. One or more movable auxiliary carriages are provided in the guide channel and have guide shoes extending laterally from opposite ends at locations to guidably support the auxiliary carriages in a second trackway on channel vertically offset from the trackway that supports the slat carriages.

Vertical blind with movable auxiliary rod support

A curved vertical blind comprising a generally horizontal longitudinally curved guide track and a normally straight resiliently bendable operating rod rotatably supported on the track. Slat support carriages are provided and which have a first carriage part guidably mounted on the curved guide track for movement therealong and a second carriage part guidably mounted on the first part for movement relative thereto in a direction crosswise of the guide track. The second carriage part guideably engages the blind operating rod for shifting thereby relative to the first carriage part crosswise of the guide track to accommodate changes in the spacing between the operating rod and the guide track. Slat carriers are rotatably supported on the second carriage part for turning about generally upright axis, and a drive means is provided on the second carriage part for drivingly connecting the blind operating rod to the slat carriers for rotating the latter in response to turning of the operating rod. The mechanism for rotatably supporting the blind operating rod includes thrust means engaging opposite ends of the rod for applying end thrust to maintain the rod in a resiliently bowed position, and one of the thrust applying means is adjustable to adjust the bow in the rod to a curve approximating the longitudinal curve of the carriage track.

Curved vertical blind with slat traversing and rotation

A traverse rod having a reversible torque responsive motor-drive assembly for operating the traverse rod. The motor-drive assembly includes a stationary casing fixed to the rod and a movable casing mounted in the stationary casing for angular movement relative thereto about a turn axis. A reversible DC motor in the movable casing is connected through a planetary gear speed reducer to a traverse cord drive wheel for applying driving torque thereto. The movable casing is arranged to turn about the turn axis in opposition to the torque applied to the drive wheel and is yieldable urged angularly about the turn axis toward a preselected neutral position relative to the stationary casing. The motor-drive assembly has a torque responsive motor control including stationary brush contacts fixed on the stationary casing and adapted for connection to a power supply and movable electrically conductive segments fixed on the movable casing and electrically connected to the motor. The movable electrically conductive segments include primary segments arranged to engage the brush contacts when the movable casing is in the neutral position and auxiliary segments spaced angularly about the turn axis from the primary segment to engage the brush contacts when the movable casing is turned through a preselected angle in either direction from the neutral position.

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Lake Mills, WI, United States of America

John E Morris