AU2009283062B2 - System for confining lift cords in coverings for architectural openings - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for incorporation into a retractable covering that includes a flexible lift cord extending from a headrail to a bottom rail. The system includes a flexible protector of a length similar to that of an associated lift cord with the lift cord being operatively connected to the protector. The protector is in turn connected to a fabric extending between the headrail and the bottom rail at predetermined spaced locations so that any loop of protector formable is limited by the spacing between the locations at which the protector is connected to the fabric. The maximum size of a loop so formed in the protector and thus the lift cord associated therewith is insufficient to encapsulate a body part of a child or infant.

Description

- 1 SYSTEM FOR CONFINING LIFT CORDS IN COVERINGS FOR ARCHITECTURAL OPENINGS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 5 [00011 The present application claims the benefit under 35 U. S. C. $ 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/091,049 filed 22 August 2008, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/165,777 filed 1 April 2009 ("the '049 and '777 applications"). The '049 and 777 applications are incorporated by reference into the present application in their entirety. 10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention [00021 The present invention relates generally to safety systems for coverings for architectural openings and more particularly to a system for confining lift cords used in retractable coverings for architectural openings so that they cannot form loops in which 15 children or infants can catch a body part thereby causing injury. Description of the Relevant Art 100031 Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of 20 common general knowledge in the field. [0003A] Retractable coverings for architectural openings such as windows, doors, archways and the like, have become commonplace and assume numerous variations for both functional and aesthetic purposes. Such retractable coverings typically include a headrail, in which the working components for the covering are primarily confined, a 25 bottom rail extending parallel to the headrail, and some form of shade material which might be fabric or other manipulative structure such as found in Venetian blinds for example, interconnecting the headrail and bottom rail. The shade material is movable with the bottom rail between extended and retracted positions relative to the headrail. In other words, as the bottom rail is lowered or raised relative to the headrail, the fabric or 30 other material is extended away from the headrail or retracted toward the headrail so it can be accumulated either adjacent to or within the headrail. Systems for operating such retractable coverings can assume various forms such as pull cords that hang from one or -2 both ends of the headrail. The pull cords may assume a closed loop or hang linearly. In some instances, the covering is operated remotely with electronics and a motor mounted within the headrail avoiding the need for such pull cords. [0004] Regardless of the mode of operating the covering to move it between 5 extended and retracted positions, many coverings require lift cords extending from the headrail to the bottom rail, which are raised either by gathering the lift cords adjacent to the headrail or rolling the lift cords about a roller in the headrail. The bottom rail can thereby be raised gathering the fabric or other shade material between the headrail and the bottom rail or extended to allow the bottom rail to drop away from the headrail 10 usually by gravity. Such lift cords, while usually being concealed or somewhat concealed or possibly even positioned behind the fabric, are exposed to children or infants and have created a nuisance and threat to the safety of the child or infant. [00051 Until recently, most of the effort to render coverings for architectural openings childproof or safe have focused on the pull cords, which as mentioned above 15 are suspended from the headrail either linearly or in a closed loop, as they are readily exposed to children and therefore sometimes define an attractive nuisance. Many systems have, therefore, been employed to render such pull cords as safe as possible. Those systems have included avoiding the use of closed loops which might easily be wrapped around a child or infant's body part or making tassels that interconnect a 20 plurality of linear pull cords breakaway so that loops in the pull cords are not easily formed. [00061 The possible exposure to child and infant harm inherent in lift cords for such coverings has been recently recognized as a child safety issue and, accordingly, the need for neutralizing such threats has become an issue for the industry. 25 100071 It is to reduce and hopefully negate the possibility of lift cords causing harm to an infant or child that the present invention has been developed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] Pursuant to the present invention, danger created from lift cords in a covering for an architectural opening is neutralized by operatively connecting the lift 30 cords to a substantially non-extensible protector with the non-extensible protector being attached to the fabric for the covering at spaced intervals of a predetermined spacing so that large loops of the protector cannot be formed and, with the lift cords being confined -3 to the protector, they likewise cannot be made into a large enough loop to cause injury to a child or infant. [0009] According to one aspect the present invention provides a system for limiting the size of a loop that can be formed in a flexible vertically extending lift cord 5 in a covering for an architectural opening, which includes a headrarl, a bottom rail, a flexible pleated shade material extending therebetween with guide rings connected to said shade material at spaced locations, and a plurality of lift cords interconnecting the headrail to the bottom rail and extending in closely adjacent relationship to said shade material between said headrail and bottom rail comprising in combination, a separate, 10 elongated, flexible, open, substantially non-extensible protector associated with each lift cord and to which the associated lift cords are confined while passing in and out of its associated protector along the length of the protector so as to be at least partially exposed along their length, said protectors being operatively secured to said shade material at vertically spaced locations corresponding to said guide rings to establish a 15 fixed length of said protectors extending from one location to the next adjacent location, said fixed length of said protectors limiting the size of a loop which can be formed in said protectors to a predetermined size. [0009A] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in 20 an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to". 10009B] Other aspects, features and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims. 25 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 100101 FIG. 1 is a front isometric of a retractable covering for an architectural opening having a headrail, a bottom rail, and a looped fabric extending therebetween and with a plurality of lift cords extended vertically between the headrail and the bottom rail 30 along a rear face of the fabric. [0011] FIG. 2 is a rear isometric of the covering shown in FIG. 1. [00121 FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing one edge of the covering as viewed in FIG. 2 in a fully-extended position.

- 3a [00131 FIG. 4 is a fragmentary isometric similar to FIG. 3 with the covering being partially elevated by forming a loop in the lift cord, which could cause danger to a child or infant. [0014] FIG. 5 is an isometric looking at the rear of a retractable covering similar 5 to FIG. I incorporating a first embodiment of a protector for the lift cords across the rear face thereof [00151 FIG. 6 is a further enlarged fragmentary isometric looking at the rear of a covering of the type shown in FIGS. 1-5 with a first embodiment of the protector of the present invention shown in operative relationship with a lift cord. 10 [00161 FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6. [00171 FIG. 8 is an isometric similar to FIG. 4 with the protector of FIGS. 6 and 7 incorporated therein and showing a relatively small loop in the lift cord formed off the rear of the covering. 15 100181 FIG. 9 is a further enlarged fragmentary isometric showing the loop formed in FIG. 8.

WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 [00191 FIG. 10 is a fragmentary rear isometric showing a second embodiment of a protector in accordance with the invention. [0020] FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric of a portion of the protector used in the embodiment of FIG. 10. [00211 FIG. 12 is a further enlarged rear isometric of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 10. [0022] FIG. 13 is a fragmentary rear isometric showing a third embodiment of a protector in accordance with the invention. [0023] FIG. 14 is an isometric of a tape serving as the protector for the embodiment of FIG. 13. [0024] FIG. 15 is a side elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 13. [0025] FIG. 16 is fragmentary rear isometric showing a fourth embodiment of a protector in accordance with the invention. [0026] FIG. 17 is a fragmentary isometric of a lift cord encompassed by the protector of FIG. 16. [0027] FIG. 18 is an isometric similar to FIG. 16 showing a small loop having been formed in the lift cord with the protector of the invention incorporated thereon. [0028] FIG. 19 is a fragmentary isometric similar to FIG. 18 showing the covering being partially raised. [0029] FIG. 20 is an enlarged section taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 19. [0030] FIG. 21 is a rear isometric showing a fifth embodiment of a protector in accordance with the invention mounted on the rear of a covering for an architectural opening. [0031] FIG. 22 is a side elevation of the protector shown in FIG. 21. [0032] FIG. 23 is a rear isometric showing a sixth embodiment of a protector in accordance with the invention mounted on the rear of a covering for an architectural opening. [0033] FIG. 24 is a front elevation of the protector shown in FIG. 23. 100341 FIG. 25 is a side elevation of the protector shown in FIG. 23. 4 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0035] Referring first to FIGS. 1-4, an example of a retractable covering for an architectural opening in which the protector of the present invention would find an application is illustrated. It should be appreciated, the covering shown in FIGS. 1-4 is used for illustrative purposes only while there are many retractable coverings which could find use for the system of the present invention. This system would find use in most any retractable covering wherein exposed lift cords are utilized for reciprocally moving a bottom rail toward and away from a headrail for the covering. [0036] FIG. 1 shows a retractable covering 22 from the front and it will there be seen the covering includes a headrail 24 in which a significant portion of the control system for the covering is concealed, a bottom rail 26, and a flexible shade material 28 in the form of a fabric extending between the headrail and the bottom rail. The fabric has a rear sheet 30, seen best in FIGS. 2-4, which extends continuously from the headrail to the bottom rail and includes rearwardly directed vertically spaced and horizontally extending pleats 32. A front sheet 34 of the fabric is connected as with adhesive, stitching, or the like, to the rear sheet along vertically spaced horizontal lines of connection 36 with a droop or loops of the front sheet being established between each line of connection due to the fact that the amount of material on the front sheet between the lines of connection is greater than the spacing between the lines of connection. The covering, as best appreciated by reference to FIG. 1, therefore resembles a Roman shade. [00371 A plurality of guide rings 40 are secured as with threads, adhesive, or the like to each pleat 32 on the rear sheet 30 to define vertical columns of the guide rings. The vertical alignment of the guide rings in each column provides a passage for vertically extending lift cords 42, which are anchored at their lower end to the bottom rail 26 and at their top end in the headrail 24 to a roller (not seen) or other system whereby the lift cords can be retracted into the headrail to shorten their effective length thereby raising the bottom rail as desired. Of course, unrolling the lift cords from the roller allows the effective length thereof to be extended and consequently the bottom rail to be lowered when the covering is moved from a retracted position with the bottom rail adjacent to the headrail to an extended position as shown in FIGS. 1-3. The lift cords form part of the control 5 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 system for the covering and are raised and lowered with a pull cord 44 in a conventional manner. A conventional pull cord lock (not seen) permits the pull cord to be releasably positioned at any desired position to releasably secure the covering in a partially extended or retracted position. When the covering is retracted with the bottom rail adjacent to the headrail, the fabric 28 is gathered between the bottom rail and the headrail with FIG. 4 showing a partial gathering thereof. [00381 FIG. 4 is primarily included to illustrate how a loop 46 of lift cord can be formed off the rear of such a covering with the loop being large enough to encapsulate a body part of an infant or child. The loop can be intentionally or unintentionally formed by grabbing a lift cord 42 and pulling it laterally, which thereby causes the bottom rail 26 to elevate, as a loop of significant size is formed. It is a loop 46 of this size in a lift cord which can be avoided through the present invention as will be explained hereafter. [00391 Referring next to FIGS. 5-9, a first embodiment of a system for preventing an enlarged loop as shown in FIG. 4 from being intentionally or inadvertently formed in a lift cord 42 is illustrated. The essence of the invention resides in providing a flexible, non-extensible protector 48 associated with each lift cord with the protector being secured to the fabric 28 at vertically spaced locations and with the spacing of such locations being insufficient to form a loop in the protector of sufficient size to cause damage to an infant or child. The protector in turn is operatively associated with a lift cord so that a loop could also not be formed in the lift cord of a size sufficient to cause injury to a child or infant. [00401 In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9, the protector 48 is a miniturized cord ladder. Cord ladders are commonly used in venetian blinds (not shown) to support, raise and tilt horizontal slats in the blind. The cord ladder 48 has a pair of substantially vertically extending elongated flexible side runs 50, which are interconnected by substantially horizontally extending flexible rungs 52, at locations spaced along the length of the side runs. The runs and rungs are all formed from flexible cord-like material establishing an open ladder-type element that is elongated and can extend from a connection in the headrail 24 of the covering to a connection to the bottom rail 26 while having a lift cord 42 (FIG. 6) woven in and out of the rungs thereof while being partially exposed. 6 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 [00411 As best appreciated by reference to FIG. 6, each guide ring 40 secured to a pleat 32 in the rear sheet 30 of the fabric 28 is inserted through a space 54 in the cord ladder or protector 48 between adjacent rungs 52 and the longitudinal side runs 50 with that space being slightly smaller than the diameter of a guide ring in a neutral orientation. The flexibility of the runs and rungs, however, allow the cord ladder to be stretched over a guide ring and into a position in which the cord ladder is not easily removed from a guide ring. The guide rings therefore hold the cord ladder in position at each location of a guide ring and therefore secure it to the fabric at those locations. The cord ladder is attached to the guide rings so that it extends in a non-looped orientation between guide rings when the covering is extended whereby a fixed length of cord ladder is established between each guide ring. That fixed length of the cord ladder is sufficient to allow the fabric for the covering to be fully extended as shown, for example, in FIG. 5. [0042] The cord ladder 48, as mentioned, is also positioned relative to an associated lift cord 42 so that the lift cord is slideably woven in and out of the rungs 52 (FIG. 6) with the lift cord extending behind one rung and in front of the next adjacent rungs. In this manner, the lift cords are each positively and operatively connected to the cord ladder with the cord ladder being similarly operatively connected to the fabric 28 via the connection with the guide rings 40. It should be appreciated that even if a ring were to inadvertently pop out of a space 54, the rungs of the ladder above and below the ring would retain the ladder adjacent to the ring by the interference of the lift cord which is routed through the ring. As also seen in FIG. 6, the lift cords also pass slidably through each guide ring so they are held in closely adjacent relationship to the fabric for reliable operation of the covering. [00431 FIG. 7 is a side view showing the relationship of the front 34 and rear 32 sheets of the fabric, the guide rings 40, the cord ladders 48 and the lift cord 42 as seen in isometric in FIG. 6. [00441 Referring to FIG. 8, a loop 56 has been formed in a lift cord 42 as well as the protector cord ladder 48 in which it is confined off the rear face of the fabric 28. As will be appreciated, the size of the loop 56 will be limited to the spacing of the adjacent guide rings 40 and the length of cord ladder 48 extending 7 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 therebetween. As mentioned previously, the length of cord ladder extending between adjacent guide rings is fixed so that the loop 56 formed, as shown in FIG. 8, has a maximum predetermined size which is known to be smaller than that which would be necessary to endanger a child or infant by encapsulating a body part. The loop is shown in greater detail in the enlarged isometric of FIG. 9. As can be appreciated, the fixed length of the cord ladder between adjacent guide rings only permits the relatively small loop 56 to be formed which elevates the bottom rail 26 a small distance but cannot elevate the bottom rail any greater distance, such as shown in FIG. 4, due to the operative relationship between the cord ladder, the guide rings and the lift cord. [00451 A second embodiment of a protector in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIGS. 10-12. In this embodiment, illustrated in connection with the same covering as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the protector 60 is in the form of an elongated flexible base cord 62 having a plurality of flexible loops of cord 64 or the like formed thereon with the loops of cord being equally spaced along the length of the base cord so as to define an open structure. Also, at fixed locations along the length of the base cord, a somewhat resilient clip 66 is positioned on the main cord which might be fixed to the main cord in any predetermined way such as by crimping, adhesive, molding or the like. Each clip has an elongated sleeve 68 for receiving the base cord and a C-shaped clasp 70 extending laterally from the sleeve adapted to releasably grip a guide ring 40. In other words, the C shaped clasp has a circular passage 72 therethrough which is slightly larger than a transverse section through a portion of a guide ring while an open neck entry 74 into the passage has a dimension slightly smaller than the cross-section of a guide ring which permits the guide ring to be forced therethrough due to the resiliency of the material from which the clasp is made. As will be appreciated by reference to FIG. 12, each guide ring is therefore connected to a clip which is positively positioned along the length of the protector cord 60 so that the protector cord cannot move to any significant degree relative to a guide ring. A fixed length of protector cord, substantially equivalent to the spacing between adjacent guide rings on the fabric, is therefore established between each guide ring similarly to the fixed length of cord ladder in the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9. In this embodiment, a lift cord 42 associated with a protector cord is slideably 8 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 threaded through the cord loops 64 formed off the base cord 62 so that the lift cord is slideably confined to the base cord but partially exposed along its length. In this manner, the size of a loop that could be formed in the protector cord and the lift cord operatively associated therewith is of a limited size and of a size that is predetermined so that any such loop could not encapture a body part of a child or infant and therefore causes harm. [00461 A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 13-15 with the embodiment again being mounted on a covering having a headrail 24, a bottom rail 26, and a fabric 28 extending therebetween. The fabric has a rear sheet 30 and a looped front sheet 34. Pleats 32 are again formed in the rear sheet having guide rings secured thereto with the guide rings 40 normally assuming a non-vertical orientation as seen in FIGS. 13 and 15. [0047] In this embodiment of the invention, the protector 76 is an elongated flexible tape or ribbon which could be of any suitable materials such as fabric, flexible plastic, a rubberized material or the like. The tape or ribbon 76 as seen best in FIG. 14 is elongated and thin in dimension so as to be flexible and will readily buckle transversely when the covering is moved from an extended to a retracted position. The tape, of course, is secured within the headrail 24 at a top end and to the bottom rail 26 at a bottom end and has a plurality of equally spaced, vertically aligned circular apertures or openings 78 therethrough which are interspersed at periodic intervals with elongated vertical slots 80. The elongated slots are adapted to receive a guide ring 40 when the guide ring is twisted into a vertical orientation and when the guide ring resumes its neutral position, which is non vertical, the ring releasably secures the tape to the rear side of the fabric 28. The lift cord 42 is threaded through the tape as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 15 so as to be partially exposed and so that it will slide longitudinally of the tape. When the effective length of the lift cord is shortened to raise the covering from an extended to a retracted position, the lift cord of course raises the bottom rail toward the headrail causing the fabric and the protector tape to gather therebetween. As in the prior two embodiments, due to the fact that the protector is secured to the fabric at spaced locations identified by the guide rings, the length of the protector between adjacent guide rings is fixed. It would, therefore, be very difficult for a loop to be formed in the lift cord greater 9 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 than that permitted by the fixed length of tape between adjacent guide rings. In this manner, a loop cannot be made large enough to encapsulate a body part of an infant or child. [00481 A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 16-20 with this embodiment again being illustrated in conjunction with a covering having a headrail 24, a bottom rail 26, and a fabric 28 extending therebetween with the fabric including a rear pleated sheet of material 30 and a front looped sheet of material 34. Guide rings 40 are again secured to the pleats in vertical alignment at a plurality of locations aligned with lift cords 42 provided in the covering. [00491 The protector 82 in the fourth embodiment comprises an elongated spirally woven open sheath formed from a plurality of nylon or other fibers or cords 83 which constrict in transverse cross section when stretched longitudinally or transversely as in a well known "chinese finger cuff". The sheath surrounds a lift cord 42 as shown in FIG. 17 while leaving it exposed and includes a plurality of somewhat resilient C-clips 66 of the type shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 10-12. Each sleeve 68 of a C-clip is secured in position along the length of the lift cord and sheath with adhesive, crimping, molding, or in any other suitable manner. The preferred way of securing a C-clip to the sheath is by injection molding a resilient plastic around the sheath while maintaining a hollow core in the sheath so that the lift cord can still pass unobstructively through the C-clip. Each C-clip, as described previously, has a C-shaped clasp 70 having a circular passage 72 therethrough adapted to receive a guide ring 40 with an open neck 74 communicating with the circular passage that is slightly smaller than the transverse cross section of a guide ring so that the guide ring can be snapped into the clasp due to its resiliency. In this manner, the lift cord with the sheath surrounding it along its entire length can be threaded through the guide rings with the C-clips being attached to an associated guide ring thereby defining a fixed length of sheath between adjacent guide rings. The lift cord is axially slidable within the sheath to move the bottom rail toward or away from the headrail and when the bottom rail is being moved toward the headrail, the sheath is collapsed (FIGS. 19 and 20) along each segment between C-clips thereby even expanding 10 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 in transverse cross section to permit easy sliding movement of the lift cord therethrough. [00501 When a lift cord with the surrounding sheath is pulled laterally away from the fabric (FIG. 18) to form a loop 84, however, the sheath will grip the lift cord so the lift cord cannot form a larger loop than the sheath between guide rings 40. Since the length of the sheath between guide rings is fixed and is insufficient to form a large enough loop to encapsulate a body part of an infant or child, the lift cord likewise cannot form such a loop. [00511 A fifth embodiment of a protector in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. This embodiment 86 of the protector is shown in FIG. 21 incorporated into a covering of the type shown in FIGS. 1-4 and, accordingly, like parts of the covering have been given like reference numerals. [00521 The protector 86 itself is simply an elongated flexible cord of the type used in coverings for architectural openings as pull cords, lift cords or the like, but has been woven in a unique manner to define open pockets or gaps 88 sized to permit a guide ring 40 to be snuggly fitted therethrough to secure the protector to the fabric 28 for the covering. Referring first to FIG. 22, the protector can be seen to be an elongated flexible cord which is unitary at spaced locations 90 along the length of the protector and then is bifurcated into two parallel legs 92 between adjacent unitary segments. Where the cord is bifurcated, it forms the open pocket or gap 88 through which the guide ring can be inserted by orienting the guide ring vertically and then when the guide ring resumes its neutral more horizontal disposition, it locks the protector 86 to the fabric. In other words, the protector thereby becomes secured to the fabric at spaced locations corresponding to the locations of the guide rings on the fabric so that a fixed length of the protector extends between guide rings as in the prior embodiments. The lift cord 42 is then woven through the gaps in the protector so that it is exposed and slides axially relative to the protector, but as in the prior embodiments, the protector prevents loops larger than a predetermined size from being formed in the lift cord either intentionally or inadvertently due to the fact that the protector, to which the lift cord is operatively associated, is of a fixed length 11 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 between guide rings with that fixed length being insufficient to form a loop larger than the predetermined size. [00531 A sixth embodiment of the protector in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIGS. 23 and 24. This embodiment 90 of the protector is shown in FIG. 23 incorporated into a covering of the type shown in FIGS. 1-4 and accordingly, like parts of the covering have been given like reference numerals. [0054] The protector 90 itself is comprised of a pair of flexible main cords 92 of the type that might be conventionally used as lift cords or pull cords in a covering for architectural openings with the cords being positioned in spaced parallel side-by-side relationship and being integrated or tied together at longitudinally spaced locations by loose stitching with cross cords 94 of a similar material to the main cords but being of approximately half the diameter of the main cords. In other words, the cross cords, which tie the main cords together, extend transversely, as by sewing, from one main cord to the opposite main cord and then back in reversing directions similar to shoe lacing with both ends of the cross cords being secured to one or both of the main cords. Elongated zones of stitching 96 extending between the main cords are spaced from adjacent zones of stitching so that longitudinally-extending spaces 98 between the main cords are defined between the stitched zones 96. By way of example, the stitched zones may be approximately the same length as the longitudinal spaces 98 between the zones defining an open structured protector. [0055] While the cross cords obviously are flexible so they can reverse directions, due to their short lengths between the main cords, they resist buckling and therefore maintain a predetermined spacing between the main cords. Also, where the cross cords pass through a main cord, they resist sliding movement due to friction so they stay in position while holding the predetermined spacing between the main cords. [0056] The protector 90 is attached to the covering 22 for the architectural opening by inserting the guide rings described previously on the back of the covering through one of the longitudinal spaces in the protector so that the protector is removably positioned on the rear side of the covering. Between guide rings there is a plurality of the longitudinally spaced spaces so that the lift cord, which is conventionally passed through the guide rings, is openly woven 12 WO 20101021841 PCT/US2009/052802 through the longitudinal spaces as best seen in FIG. 25 thereby openly confining the lift cord between rings to prevent large loops in the lift cord from being formed. [0057] In all of the aforenoted embodiments of the protector of the present invention, it has been described in association with a fabric having guide rings attached to the fabric which can be used to connect the protector to the fabric. It should be appreciated the protector can be attached to the fabric or other covering in any suitable fashion. For example, if the covering had a plurality of horizontally oriented vertically spaced rigid slats or battens, clips or brackets could be secured to the slats or battens to which the protector could be connected. [0058] It will be appreciated from the above that a system for preventing a loop from being formed in a lift cord larger that a predetermined size has been described. That system includes the use of protectors that are operatively associated with the lift cords and have fixed lengths between vertically spaced attachments to the fabric of the covering so that the size of any loop being formed in the lift cord, and consequently the protector operatively associated therewith, is limited by the spacing between the locations where the protector is secured to the fabric of the covering. In this manner, large loops cannot be intentionally or unintentionally formed in the lift cord which might pose a danger in encapsulating an infant or child's body part. [0059] Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood the disclosure has been made by way of example, and changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 13

Claims (19)

1. A system for limiting the size of a loop that can be formed in a flexible vertically extending lift cord in a covering for an architectural opening, which includes a 5 headrail, a bottom rail, a flexible pleated shade material extending therebetween with guide rings connected to said shade material at spaced locations, and a plurality of lift cords interconnecting the headrail to the bottom rail and extending in closely adjacent relationship to said shade material between said headrail and bottom rail comprising in combination, 10 a separate, elongated, flexible, open, substantially non-extensible protector associated with each lift cord and to which the associated lift cords are confined while passing in and out of its associated protector along the length of the protector so as to be at least partially exposed along their length, said protectors being operatively secured to said shade material at vertically spaced locations corresponding to said guide rings to 15 establish a fixed length of said protectors extending from one location to the next adjacent location, said fixed length of said protectors limiting the size of a loop which can be formed in said protectors to a predetermined size.

2. The system of claim I wherein said protectors are of a flexible ladder type construction having substantially parallel elongated side runs interconnected at 20 longitudinally-spaced locations by cross-rungs and wherein said associated lift cords are woven through said cross-rungs.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said protectors include an elongated, flexible cord, a connection system on said cord for securing the cord to said flexible shade material at longitudinally-spaced locations along the length of said cord, and a 25 plurality of loops along the length of said cord through which an associated lift cord can be threaded.

4. The system of claim I wherein said protectors include an elongated flexible tape having a structure for connecting the tape to said shade material at longitudinally-spaced locations along the length of said tape, said tape including a 30 plurality of longitudinally-spaced holes along its length through which an associated lift cord can be woven.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said structure includes a plurality of slots formed through said tape. - 15

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said protectors are an elongated spirally woven open sheath in which an associated lift cord is confined.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said sheath is made of nylon or other fibers, or cords.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said sheath includes a plurality of clips along its length for connecting it to said shade material at spaced locations.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said protectors are elongated cords woven to define open gaps along their length through which an associated lift cord can be woven.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said open gaps also provide an attachment for connecting said woven cords to said shade material at spaced intervals.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said protectors comprise a pair of elongated cords disposed in substantially parallel spaced relationship and being interconnected at longitudinally-spaced locations by cross cords stitched to said elongated cords.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said cross-cords define elongated zones of stitching along the length of said elongated cords with longitudinal spaces defined between said elongated zones through which an associated lift cord can be woven.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said longitudinal spaces also define an attachment for connecting said protectors to said shade material at spaced locations.

14. The system of claim 1-4, 6, 9 or 11 wherein said protector is releasably connected to said shade material with rings secured to said shade material.

15. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein said protector is disposed between at least a portion of said guide rings and said shade material, and wherein said guide rings are connected to said shade material through said protector to maintain said protector to said shade material.

16. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein said associated lift cords are routed through said guide rings.

17. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein said guide rings are connected to said shade material through an opening defined by said protector.

18. A system substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples. - 16 said lift cord having a major dimension; wherein said lift cord major dimension is greater than or equal to said major dimension of said interstitial region. 17. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of said plurality of said loops 5 is rigid. 18. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of said plurality of said loops is flexible.

19. A system substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or 10 examples.