Hunter Douglas,inc.

Coors Brewing Company

Stephen P Smith

Kent A Smith

Kenneth M Faller

James L Miller

Galen B Rhodes

Stephen M Winters

Terrence Martin Drew

Nickolas C Buccola, Jr

Michael True

Brian M Hoffmann

Suzanne M Fujita

Wendell B Colson

Nicholas E Vanderkolk

Tim Daviau

Paula Cerna

Fred Bould

James M Anthony

Stephen T Wisecup

Kwan Hon Anson Cheung

Ralph G Jelic

Michael Scott Goldberg

Jeffrey Lee Spray

Richard D Watkins

Paul F Josephson

Daniel Fluckey

Max W Schroeder

Paul A Pedri

Lawrence B Eldridge

William S Certain

Andrew Aguinaldo

Nicholas Buccola

Kenneth W Witherell

Terrenec M Drew

A cordless retractable shade including an operating system for the shade that varies a biasing force of a spring to counterbalance the shade. The bottom rail of a retractable shade can be raised or lowered, and due to the operating system remains in any selected position of the covering between fully extended and fully retracted, without the use of operating cords. The system includes a method of negating and reversing the spring bias effect at a strategic position whereby the flexible vanes of the shade can be adjusted between open and closed.

Cordless retractable roller shade for window coverings

A limit stop assembly for setting a travel limit position of a covering of an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The limit stop assembly including a first state of operation and a second state of operation. The limit stop assembly being transitioned from the first state of operation to the second state of operation by moving the covering from a first position towards a second position. Transitioning the limit stop assembly from the first state of operation to the second state of operation automatically sets the travel limit of the covering for the second position. In one example of an embodiment, the limit stop assembly includes a screw shaft, a limit nut threadably received on the screw shaft, a hub, and a collar selectively movable between first and second collar positions.

Limit stop assembly for an architectural-structure covering

A covering for an architectural opening is provided. The covering may include a roller rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a shade associated with the roller, and an operating system operably associated with the roller. The operating system may include a base, a drive mechanism, a transmission, an actuator arm, and an engagement arm. The drive mechanism may be associated with the base to provide an input torque. The transmission may be associated with the drive mechanism to selectively transmit the input torque to the roller. The actuator arm may be associated with the base to indirectly set a rotation direction of the roller. The engagement arm may be associated with the base and engageable with the transmission.

Operating system for a covering for an architectural opening

Rail for blinds

A pivotable handle for an architectural covering is provided. The handle () includes first and second members () pivotably connected together at a hinge assembly (). The first member () may be operable to connect the handle () to a movable rail (). The second member () pivots between stored and use positions. In a stored position, the second member () may extend adjacent the first member (). In a use position, the second member () may be pivoted away from the first member () to extend the movable rail () across an architectural structure. The handle includes a biasing member () operable to bias the second member () towards the first member ().

Handle structure and assembly for bottom rail of window shading

An improved operating system for use in an architectural-structure covering for extending and retracting a covering portion is disclosed. The operating system including an operating element for raising the covering portion and for transitioning the operating system between a retraction mode to raise the covering and an extension mode to lower the covering. To transition between the retraction and extension modes, an operator may move the operating element in a preset direction, such as, in the manner akin to a switch. For example, moving the operating element in a first direction (e.g., a rearward direction away from the operator) shifts the operating system into the retraction mode, while moving the operating element in a second direction (e.g., a forward motion toward the operator) shifts the operating system into the extension mode. In one embodiment, the first and second directions may be transverse to a longitudinal axis of the architectural-structure covering.

Operating system for an architectural-structure covering

A tensioner for use with an architectural-structure covering including an operating element (e.g., a cord, a chain, or the like) is disclosed. The tensioner selectively securing a position of the operating element relative to the tensioner. In one embodiment, the tensioner includes a body, a slider, a bearing, and an optional biasing member. The body may include a first body member coupled to a second body member. The slider is movably positioned within the body between first and second positions to selectively enable movement of the operating element relative to the tensioner. The bearing includes a projection for coupling to the second body member to prevent the second body member from being decoupled from the first body member. In this manner, when the bearing is enclosed within the body, a user cannot readily open the body (e.g., a user cannot readily separate the first and second body members).

Tensioner for an architectural-structure covering

A speed regulating assembly for coupling to a roller tube for regulating a deployment speed of a covering of an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The speed regulating assembly may include a detachable adapter for enabling a singular sized speed regulating device to be used regardless of the size of the roller tube. That is, by utilizing a detachable adapter for coupling to the roller tube, any change in the size of the roller tube only requires a different sized adapter. In addition, the speed regulating assembly may be configured so that during covering retraction, the speed regulating assembly is disengaged so that any input rotation from the roller tube is not transmitted to the speed regulating device. However, during covering deployment, the speed regulating assembly is engaged so that any input rotation from the roller tube is transmitted to the speed regulating device thereby regulating the speed of covering deployment.

Architectural structure covering having a speed regulating assembly

Cord tensioner

An architectural covering assembly includes a rotatable roller tube, a covering coupled to the rotatable roller tube, and first and second limit screws each having respective first and second ends. The second end of the first limit screw can engage the first end of the second limit screw. One of the limit screws is rotationally and axially fixed with respect to an end plate. The other of the limit screws is movable between rotationally locked and rotationally unlocked positions with respect to the end plate. Limit nuts are threadably coupled to external threads of the limit screws. In the rotationally locked position the one of the limit screws is axially and rotationally fixed with respect to the end plate, and in the rotationally unlocked position the other of the limit screws is rotationally movable with respect to the end plate to adjust an extension or retraction limit of the covering.

Adjustable internal double limit stop for roller shades

Growing community of inventors

Denver, CO, United States of America

Stephen P Smith