Hunter Douglas,inc.

Paul A Pedri

Stephen T Wisecup

Marjorie G Harper

Todd R Steele

Stephen P Smith

Suzanne M Fujita

A retractable covering for an architectural opening is reversibly driven through an input assembly, a transmission and an output assembly by a reciprocal operating cord that can be pulled down by an operator and will automatically retract while the covering is held in a predetermined position. While the input assembly is always driven in a first direction, a transmission is shifted between two operative positions through movement of a shift arm depending upon the positioning of the shift arm by the operating cord. The shift arm is pivotal about an axis parallel with a roller for the covering and when the operating cord is pulled straight downwardly, the covering is moved in an upwardly or retracting direction while if the operating cord is pulled downwardly and toward the operator, i.e. away from the architectural opening, the covering is driven in a downwardly or extending direction.

Control system for architectural coverings with reversible drive and single operating element

A retractable covering for architectural openings having collapsible vanes includes a head rail and 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 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. The support structure, vanes and operating elements are adapted to be wrapped around a roller in the head rail in a retracted position of the covering and unwrapped in an extended position. An inhibitor system is incorporated into the covering to permit automatic opening of the vanes when the support structure, vanes and operating elements reach an extended position.

Retractable shade with collapsible vanes

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.

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Westminster, CO, United States of America

Paul A Pedri