AU729202B2 - Architectural Covering - Google Patents

Description

-1-

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant/s: Actual Inventor/s: Address for Service: Invention Title: Hunter Douglas International N.V.

Wendell B. Colson and Paul G. Swiszcz and Dwight L. Greenough and Ricardo Ramirez BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 'ARCHITECTURAL COVERING' Details of Original Application No. 55717/96 dated 24 APR 1996 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 22520.00 -2- ARCHITECTURAL COVERING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This application is a divisional claiming priority from Australian Patent No. 712,924, and the contents of the specification of that application are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.

The present invention relates generally to coverings for architectural openings such as doors, windows and the like, and 10 more particularly to: a fabric for an architectural covering device; an architectural covering; a method of fabricating a fabric for an architectural covering device; and an apparatus for fabricating a fabric for an architectural covering device.

2. Description of the Relevant Art Covers for architectural openings such as doors, windows and 20 the like have been known in various forms for many years. One form of such covering is commonly referred to as a vertical vane covering wherein a control system suspends and is operable to selectively manipulate a plurality of vertically suspended vanes such that the vanes can be moved laterally across the architectural opening to extend or retract the covering and pivoted about longitudinal vertical axes to open and close the vanes.

It is to overcome or ameliorate one or more of the shortcomings in prior art or at least to provide the public with a useful alternative that the present invention has been made.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of 3 elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, each vane having a pair of flaps along said edge, and at least one sheet of material interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being secured to said vanes along longitudinal lines of attachment by securing said at least one sheet to said vanes between said flaps.

According to a second aspect there is provided an architectural covering constructed of fabric material and comprising: a) a plurality of vertically oriented, separate, elongated hollow vanes suspended along a path in horizontally spaced relationship to each other; b) each vane being defined by a hollow body having a tubular shape, an upper end by which it is suspended, a lower end, and wall sections extending between said ends; c) said hollow body being constructed solely of at least S.one first fabric material and being oriented to define both said tubular shape and said wall sections and to further define longitudinally extending front and rear vane sections; d) the wall sections being in spaced relationship with respect to each other between said front and rear vane sections; e) at least one separate second fabric material connected to each of said vanes along said rear vane section to define lines of attachment of said vanes to said separate fabric material; and f) said separate second fabric material extending between said spaced vanes and at least part way from the upper end to the lower end of said tubular bodies.

According to a third aspect there is provided an architectural covering constructed of fabric material and comprising: 4 a) a plurality of vertically oriented, separate, elongated hollow vanes suspended along a path in horizontally spaced relationship to each other; b) each vane being defined by a hollow body having a tubular shape, an upper end by which it is suspended, a lower end, and wall sections extending between said ends; c) said hollow body being constructed solely of at least one first fabric material having opposite edges and adjacent edge portions and being folded over upon itself to define both 10 said tubular shape and said wall sections and to further define longitudinally extending front and rear vane sections; d) said opposite edge portions being joined together along said rear vane section, from said upper end to said lower end of said hollow body; 15 e) the wall sections being in spaced relationship with respect to each other between said front and rear vane sections; f) at least one separate second fabric material connected to each of said vanes along said rear vane section to define lines of attachment of said vanes to said separate fabric material; and g) said separate second fabric material extending between said spaced vanes and at least part way from the upper end to the lower end of said tubular bodies.

According to a fourth aspect there is provided an architectural opening covering comprising a plurality of vertically suspended vanes having a longitudinal side edge, a flexible face sheet interconnecting said vanes along said side edges and having an upper edge portion, said face sheet and vanes defining a continuous fabric adapted to be extended and retracted across said architectural opening, an operating system including hanger plates suspending said fabric, said fabric extending vertically with the upper edge portion of said flexible sheet horizontally aligned with said hanger plates, and 5 a valance secured to said face sheet along said upper edge portion thereof, said valance being made of an opaque material.

According to a fifth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongate hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material connected to said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining a line of attachment with each vane, wherein said hollow vanes have a pair of flaps along said side 10 edge and said at least one sheet of material is connected to vanes between said flaps.

According to a sixth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongate hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material connected to said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining a line of attachment with each vane, wherein said hollow vanes have a pair of flaps along said side edge and at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes around said flaps.

S• According to a seventh aspect there is provided a fabric for S"an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongate hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material connected to said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining a line of attachment with each vane, wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

According to an eighth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being connected to said vanes substantially along the entire 6 length of said side edge of the vanes defining lines of attachment, wherein said vanes have a pair of flaps along said side edge and said at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes between said flaps.

According to a ninth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet 10 being connected to said vanes substantially along the entire length of said side edge of the vanes defining lines of attachment, wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

According to a tenth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes made from sheet material having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of a separate material connected to said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining a line of attachment with each vane.

According to an eleventh aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet connected to said vanes along said side edge and defining a line of attachment with each vane, said vanes also being flexible but wherein the vanes are less flexible than the sheet, and wherein said vanes have a pair of flaps along said side edge and said at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes between said flaps.

According to a twelfth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one 7 flexible sheet connected to said vanes along said side edge and defining a line of attachment with each vane, said vanes also being flexible but wherein the vanes are less flexible than the sheet, and wherein said vanes have a pair of flaps along said side edge and at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes around said flaps.

According to a thirteenth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at 10 least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet connected to said vanes along said side edge and defining the line of attachment with each vane, said vanes also being flexible but wherein the vanes are less flexible than the S" sheet, and wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

According to a fourteenth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being connected to said vane substantially along the entire length of said side edge of said vanes defining lines of attachment, said vanes having a pair of flaps along said side edge and said at least one sheet being connected to said vanes between said flaps.

According to a fifteenth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being connected to said vanes substantially along the entire length of said side edge of said vanes defining lines of attachment, and wherein there is only one sheet of material and 8 it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

According to a sixteenth aspect there is provided a fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material interconnecting said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining lines of attachment, wherein each vane has a pair of flaps along said edge, and at least one sheet 10 of material is interconnected to said vanes by means of said flaps.

According to a seventeenth aspect there is provided a method of fabricating a fabric for an architectural covering device, said fabric including a plurality of elongated vanes 15 interconnected by a sheet of material along parallel lines of connection, said method comprising the steps of:providing a first elongated sheet of material, having elongated longitudinal edges; conveying said first sheet of material in a first direction; applying adhesive adjacent to at least one of said longitudinal edges; S" folding said first sheet material approximately along a longitudinal central region; compressing the side edges together to adhere the first sheet material to itself while defining a flap along each longitudinal edge, cutting said first sheet material into predetermined lengths to define said vanes; providing a second elongated sheet material; advancing said second sheet material in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction adjacent to said cut lengths of said first sheet material; positioning sections of said second sheet material adjacent said flaps on said vanes; 9 and compressing the flaps and said sections of the second sheet material together to secure the second sheet material to the vanes by said adhesive that is adjacent to at least one of said longitudinal edges.

According to another aspect there is provided an apparatus for fabricating a fabric for an architectural covering device, wherein said fabric includes a plurality of elongated vanes interconnected by a sheet of material along parallel lines of connection, said apparatus having a vane forming section and a 10 fabric forming section and comprising in combination: a first supply roll of a first sheet material having longitudinal side edges; a system for advancing said first sheet material along said vane forming section of the apparatus; 15 a first adhesive applicator adapted to apply a bead of adhesive along at least one of said side edges of said first sheet material; a folder adapted to progressively fold the longitudinal side edges of said first sheet material until the side edges are adjacent to each other; 0 a second adhesive applicator adapted to apply a bead of *0 adhesive along a line spaced inwardly a short distance from at least one of said longitudinal side edges; a compressor adapted to compress said longitudinal side edges together along the bead of adhesive applied by said second adhesive applicator so as to define a flap along each longitudinal side edge, at least one of said flaps having said bead of adhesive thereon applied by said first adhesive applicator; a cutter for cutting the folded first sheet of material into preselected lengths defining said vanes and advancing the vanes into the fabric forming section of the apparatus; a second supply roll of a second sheet material in said fabric forming section; 10 a removal system for removing said second sheet material and advancing it across said vanes; an inserter positioned adjacent to said second sheet material and a vane, said inserter being adapted to insert a section of said second sheet material between said flaps of the vane; and a second compressor for squeezing said flaps together to pinch said second sheet material against said flaps, said bead of adhesive on at least one of said flaps securing the flaps on 10 said vanes to said second sheet material.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words 'comprise', 'comprising', and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to 15 say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to".

Other aspects, features and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following *too*: detailed description of a preferred embodiment, provided by way of example only, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.

SoBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is an isometric view looking down on a control system in use in connection with a covering for an architectural opening.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary isometric view looking upwardly at the covering.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the covering of Fig. 1 with the vanes extended and in an open position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation similar to Fig. 3 with the vanes in an expanded and closed position.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 3 with the vanes in a retracted and open position.

11 Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view similar to Fig. 1 looking down on the covering.

Fig. 6A is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view of the end of the headrail having the secondary end cap.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary exploded isometric showing the various components of the covering of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan of the control system with the linkage fully extended.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top plan similar to Fig. 8 with the 10 linkage fully retracted.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top plan similar to Fig. 8 with the linkage in an intermediate position.

44 4 4 4 4

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4t 4 4 44 4 4.

44 Fig.

11-11 of 15 Fig.

12-12 of Fig.

13-13 of Fig.

20 14-14 of Fig.

15-15 of Fig.

16-16 of Fig.

11 is an Fig. 3.

12 is an Fig. 4.

13 is an Fig. 3.

14 is an Fig. 4.

15 is an Fig. 16 is an Fig. 11.

17 is an enlarged enlarged enlarged enlarged enlarged enlarged enlarged fragmentary fragmentary fragmentary fragmentary fragmentary fragmentary fragmentary section section section section section section section taken taken taken taken taken taken taken along along along along along along along line line line line line line line 17-17 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 18 is a section taken along line 18-18 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary top plan showing a portion of Fig.

17 with the carrier pin in an approximately 1800 rotated position.

Fig. 20 is an isometric view of a carrier body looking down on the body.

Fig. 21 is an isometric view similar to Fig. 20 looking down on the carrier body from a different direction.

12 Fig. 22 is an isometric view similar to Fig. 20 looking at the carrier body from the bottom.

Fig. 23 is an isometric view of a hanger pin placeable in the carrier body of Fig. Fig. 24 is an isometric view of a rack positionable in the carrier body of Fig. Fig. 25 is an isometric view of a bracket for hanging the headrail on a supporting surface.

Fig. 26 is a top plan view with portions broken away of the 10 control system with hardware for controlling the endmost vanes *of an architectural covering with the covering in an extended and open position.

Fig. 27 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 26 with the vanes in a retracted but open position.

Fig. 28 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 26 with the vanes in an extended but closed position.

Fig. 29 is an enlarged fragmentary partially exploded S: isometric showing the end vane hardware for the free end of a single draw covering.

Fig. 30 is a fragmentary front elevation with portions •ooremoved of the hardware shown in Fig. 29.

Fig. 31 is an enlarged section taken along line 31-31 of Fig. Fig. 32 is a left end elevation of the system as shown in Fig. Fig. 33 is an enlarged fragmentary partially exploded isometric showing the control end of the control system showing the system for mounting the endmost vane.

Fig. 34 is a fragmentary front elevation of the control system as shown in Fig. 33.

Fig. 35 is an exploded isometric of an alternative control system having a different primary end cap.

Fig. 36 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken through the primary end cap shown in Fig. 13 Fig. 37 is a fragmentary isometric view of the fabric of the present invention being suspended with a hardware system.

Fig. 37A is a section taken along line 1A-1A of Fig. 37.

Fig. 38 is a fragmentary isometric view of the fabric of the present invention taken from the reverse side of that shown in Fig. 37 with the fabric extended and the vanes at an open position and with an optional valance along the top edge of the fabric.

Fig. 38A is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 2A-2A of Fig. 38.

Fig. 38B is a further enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 2B-2B of Fig. 38A.

Fig. 38C is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 38B illustrating an alternative arrangement for connecting the face sheet of the fabric to the vanes.

Fig. 39 is a fragmentary isometric view similar to Fig. 37 showing the fabric in an extended condition and the vanes in a closed position.

Fig. 39A is a section taken along line 3A-3A of Fig. 39.

Fig. 40 is an isometric view similar to Fig. 39 with the fabric of the present invention in an extended condition and the vanes in a closed position but viewed from the opposite side.

Fig. 41 is an isometric view of the fabric of the present invention with the fabric in a retracted condition and the vanes in an open position.

Fig. 41A is a section taken along line 5A-5A of Fig. 41.

Fig. 42 is a fragmentary section taken through the fabric with the fabric extended and the vanes in a closed position but 1800 opposite that shown in Fig. 39A.

Fig. 43 is a diagrammatic representation of the apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 43A is a diagrammatic representation of a portion of the apparatus taken along line 7A-7A of Fig. 43 where vanes are connected to the face sheet.

14 Fig. 44 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 45 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 46 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 47 is a further enlarged section illustrating an adhesive applicator shown in Fig. 46.

Fig. 48 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken 10 along line 12-12 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 49 is a further enlarged fragmentary section illustrating a creaser forming a crease in the sheet material as illustrated in Fig. 48.

Fig. 50 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along line 14-14 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 51 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along line 15-15 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 52 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along 16-16 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 53 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 17-17 of Fig. 43.

:Fig 54 is an enlarged vertical section taken along line 18- 18 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 55 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along line 19-19 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 56 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along line 20-20 of Fig. 43.

Fig. 57 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section similar to Fig. 56 showing an insertion blade advancing the face sheet material between the flaps of a previously formed vane.

Fig. 58 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to Fig. 57 showing a face fabric material being compressed between the flaps of the vane.

15 Fig. 59 is a vertical fragmentary section similar to Fig. 22 showing the insertion blade having been removed.

Fig. 60 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the vane interconnection to the face fabric.

Fig. 61A is a section taken near the upstream end of a folder or former used to make an alterative vane for use in the fabric of the present invention.

Fig. 61B is a section similar to Fig. 61A at a location further downstream.

*10 Fig. 61C is a section similar to Fig. 61A at a location near the downstream end of the folder or former.

Fig. 61D is a section similar to Fig. 61A at the downstream end of the folder or former.

Fig. 61E is a section through the alternative vane shown being formed in Figs. 61A through 61D.

Fig. 62 is a view similar to Fig. 46 showing an alternate system for applying adhesive to the vane material.

Fig. 63 is a view similar to Fig. 53 illustrating the *forming of flaps on a vane consistent with the application system shown in Fig. 62.

Fig. 64 is a view similar to Fig. 55 showing a completed vane formed in accordance with the alternative system shown in Figs. 62 and 63.

Fig. 65 is an enlarged fragmentary partially exploded isometric showing the end vane hardware for the free end of a single draw covering.

Fig. 66 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 30-30 of Fig. Fig. 67 is an isometric showing the fabric of the present invention with the sides finished such that the face sheet material surrounds the associated vane.

Fig. 68 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric showing the top edge of the fabric of Fig. 67.

16 Fig. 69 is a top plan view of the fabric of Fig. 67 before the end treatments to the fabric have been performed.

Figs. 70A through 70K are elevational operational views showing the forming of a center vane of the fabric of Fig. 67.

Figs. 71A through 71G are elevational operational views showing the fixed end vane of the fabric of Fig. 67.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A covering 20 for an architectural opening incorporated a control system 22 is seen best in Figs. 1 and 2 to include not 10 only the control system but also a plurality of vertically 17 suspended side-by-side vanes 24. While such a covering finds numerous uses in various architectural openings such as doors, windows, archways and the like, it ill be referred to as a window blind or covering for purposes of the present disclosure.

Vanes 24 used in vertical vane window blinds can take many different forms, but, for purposes of the present disclosure, the vanes are illustrated as being flat planar sheets of rectangular configuration each having a reinforcing tab 26 (Figs. 7 and 11) of plastic material or the like centrally located along a top edge with the tab projecting upwardly from the top edge and having an opening 28 therethrough to assist in its attachment to the control system.

15 The control system 22 itself generally includes a headrail 30, a plurality of carriers 32 from which the vanes 24 are individually suspended, a linkage 34 interconnecting the carriers and control cords 36 and 38 for manipulating the carriers 32. The carriers are 20 slidably movable along the length of the headrail so as to move the blind between extended (Fig. 1) and retracted (Fig. 5) positions and each individual carrier includes a system for pivotally moving an associated vane between open (Fig. 3) and closed (Fig. 4) positions. In the open position of the vanes, they extend perpendicularly to the architectural opening while in the closed position they extend substantially parallel to the opening and in overlapping relationship with each other. In the closed position the vanes substantially block visibility and the passage of light through the opening. The control system 22 can be adapted to move all of the vanes from the extended position to a retracted position adjacent one side of the opening or adjacent complementary control systems can be utilized so that half of the vanes are retracted to one side of the opening while the other half are retracted to the opposite side. The latter result can also be obtained with suitable modifications to a single control 18 system of the type described hereafter as would be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Looking particularly at the headrail 30 as seen best in Figs. 1, 2, 6A, 7 and 11, it can be seen to be a generally U-shaped trough-like member opening upwardly so as to define in cross-section, an open top side 40, a bottom wall 42 and inner and outer upstanding legs 44 and 46 respectively. The bottom wall 42 is slightly downwardly convex having a downwardly opening groove 48 established at the base of the inner leg 44. Each of the inner and outer legs has an enlarged head 50 and 52 respectively extending the length of the headrail with an upwardly opening groove 54 and 56 respectively. Intermediate the bottom wall 42 and the head 50 on the inner leg is an internal 15 groove 58 that opens in a direction away from the supporting surface 60 on which the headrail is mounted.

While the headrail could be made of various materials, it has been found that an extruded aluminum that is painted with a low coefficient of friction paint provides an ideal surface for smooth and quiet operation of the system in a manner to be described later. A paint manufactured by Morton International of Decatur, Alabama, and sold under Polyceram Model No. 1400 has been found to be ideally suited for use on the headrail.

25 The headrail 30 is suspended from the support surface 60 by a plurality of horizontally spaced mounting brackets 62, best seen in Figs. 1, 7 and 25, secured to the support surface and having a main body portion 64 and upper and lower vertically spaced substantially horizontally disposed plate-like legs 66 and 68 respectively having inturned lips 70 and 72 respectively. The -lip 72 on the lower leg projects into the groove 48 formed in the bottom wall 42 of the headrail and the lip 70 on the upper leg projects into the upwardly opening groove 54 in the head of the inner leg of the headrail. As will be appreciated by reference to Figs. 1 and 11, the headrail is thereby supported and suspended in a releasable manner by the 19 brackets so as to present a very thin profile into the interior of the room in which the system is mounted and such that the open side of the headrail is directed upwardly.

Primary and secondary end caps 74 and 76 respectively, best seen in Fig. 7, are provided on the ends of the headrail 30 with the primary end cap 74 including pulley systems for operative engagement with the traverse cord 36 and the tilt cord 38 for manual manipulation by an operator of the system. The secondary end cap 76 is a substantially hollow body having an idler pulley 78 disposed therein for operative engagement with the traverse cord as will be described in more detail hereafter. The primary and secondary end caps are secured to the ends of the headrail 15 in any suitable manner such as by screw type fasteners as seen best in Fig. 7.

The primary end cap 74 consists of a block 82 of plastic or other suitable material having a large recess (not seen) in an inner side 84 facing the headrail 20 A vertical bore 86 passes downwardly from a top wall 88 of the block into communication with the large recess. An outer wall 90 on the opposite side of the block from the headrail has a pair of parallel, vertical grooves 92 which S. define channels in which the tilt cord 38 is disposed. The vertical grooves 92 are continuous with a pair of convergent grooves 94 in the top wall of the block which are in turn continuous with an arcuate groove 96 passing around the vertical bore in the block. Rotatably disposed within the vertical bore in the block is a positive-grip pulley 98 having a worm gear 100 integrally depending therefrom. An integral vertical shaft 102 extends above the pulley and below the worm gear. The shaft is journaled at a lower end within the large recess and at the upper end in a top cover plate 104 to permit reversible rotative movement of the pulley and worm gear. The pulley is positioned adjacent the top wall 88 of the block and in alignment with the grooves 94 and 96 for the tilt cord so 20 that the tilt cord can pass around the pulley in gripping engagement therewith whereby movement of the tilt cord in either direction causes a corresponding rotative movement of the positive-grip pulley. The ends of the tilt cord hang from the primary end cap and may be secured together to form an endless loop for ease of operation.

Mounted within the large recess in the block are a pair of vertically oriented pulleys 105 (Fig. 7) rotatably mounted on opposite ends of a horizontal shaft 106. The pulleys are aligned with a pair of openings 108 in the outer wall 90 of the block so that the traverse cord 36 passing through the openings in the outer wall can extend across the pulleys as will be explained in more detail later.

15 The large recess in the primary end cap 74 further includes a journaled bearing (not seen) for supporting one end of a tilt rod 110 having longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced teeth that mesh with the worm gear 100. The tilt rod extends the length of the headrail 30 with the opposite end of the tilt rod being journaled and supported in the secondary end cap 76 at the opposite end of the headrail. The secondary end cap further has mounted interiorly thereof on a vertical shaft *a horizontally disposed rotatable pulley 112 (Fig. 7) 25 around which the traverse cord 36 extends before returning to the primary end cap 74.

As best seen in Fig. 6A, the traverse cord 36 is an elongated length of cable or cord which has a first end inserted into one of the openings 108 in the outer wall of the primary end cap and is extended along the length of the headrail 30 to the secondary end cap where it is passed around the pulley 112 and returned to the headrail. The end of the cord 36 is ultimately secured to a lead carrier 32A as will be described later. The opposite end of the traverse cord 36 is fed into the second opening 108 in the outer face 90 of the primary end cap and subsequently into the headrail where it too is secured to 21 the lead carrier 32A. It will be appreciated that the traverse cord thereby forms an endless loop with the lead carrier integrated therein such that movement of the cord in either direction causes the lead carrier to slide along the length of the headrail.

Each of the carriers 32, as best seen in Figs. 7, 11, 13 and 20-24, are identically formed and configured and include a carrier body 114, a rack 116 and a hanger pin 118. The carrier body, which is probably best seen in Figs. 20-22, is preferably injection molded from a low coefficient of friction plastic material such as Celcon® "'*manufactured by Hoechst Celanese Corporation of Chatham, New Jersey, and has a relatively flat top wall 120 underneath which are formed a number of passages or notches between various walls or partitions. At one end of the body 114 adjacent a lower portion thereof is a transverse passage 122 of substantially cylindrical configuration.

The passage is slightly larger in diameter than the tilt rod 110 and is adapted to rotatably receive the tilt rod.

20 The opposite end of the body 114 has a laterally opening notch 124 formed therein with the notch being defined between the top wall 120 of the carrier body and a bottom wall 126. The bottom wall has a generally U-shaped integral flange 128 in underlying relationship to the notch formed in the bottom wall with the flange having a relatively narrow neck portion 130 and a larger interior portion 132. Legs 134 defined on the flange at the neck portion 130 will yield to temporarily permit enlargement of the neck portion. The opening in the top wall 120 defined by the notch has a pair of convergent edges 136 and an end edge 138. The end edge is scalloped so as to define a pair of horizontally spaced stops 140. The stops perform a function which will be described later in connection with the description of the hanger pin.

The top wall 120 further has a centrally located upstanding cylindrical pin 142 with an enlarged frusto- 0. 4.

22 conical head 144 adapted to connect the carrier body 114 to the linkage system 34 as will be described later.

As best seen in Fig. 23, the hanger pin 118 has a horizontal plate portion 146, three confronting pins 148 depending from the plate portion defining a slot therebetween, and a cylindrical body 150 above the plate portion which supports thereabove on an enlarged disc-like portion 152 a pinion gear 154. Above the pinion gear, an integral cylindrical body 156 protrudes upwardly having a radial abutment finger 158 adapted to cooperate with the stops 140 on the top wall of the carrier body 114 as will be described later.

The hanger pin 118 is releasably connected to the carrier body 114 so as to be pivotal about a vertical axis.

15 The cylindrical body 150 of the hanger pin is of slightly larger diameter than the neck portion 130 in the flange 128 on the main body but as mentioned previously, the legs on the flange are resilient so as to allow the cylindrical body of the hanger pin to be forced through the neck into 20 the enlarged interior portion 132 of the flange. Once so positioned, the neck portion releasably retains the hanger pin on the carrier body. The enlarged interior portion 132 of the flange is larger than the cylindrical body 150 of the hanger pin to permit free pivotal movement of the "25 hanger pin. When appropriately positioned in the carrier body, the abutment finger 158 on the top of the hanger pin limits pivotal movement of the hanger pin by abutting one stop 140 or the other on the top wall of the carrier body so that the hanger pin, without being forcefully displaced, is only permitted to pivot through slightly more than 180".

The three confronting pins 148 that depend from the plate portion of the hanger pin are elongated vertical pins and are somewhat flexible. Each pin has an enlarged head 160 near its lower end and a lower beveled surface 162 so that the reinforcing tab 26 on the top of a vane 24 can be inserted vertically between the three confronting pins until the enlarged head 160 on the center one of the three 23 pins 148 protrudes into the opening 28 in the reinforcement tab. The enlarged heads 160 on the other two pins press into the vane reinforcing tab 26 from the opposite side and thereby hold the head on the center pin in the opening to releasably secure the vane in a depending manner from the hanger pin.

The vertical axis of the hanger pin is slightly offset from a horizontal longitudinal channel 163 defined through the carrier body by a plurality of wall members. The channel is probably best seen in Figs. 12, 17, 18, 20 and S. 22. The teeth on the pinion gear 154 of the hanger pin 118 protrude into the horizontal channel 163. The channel slidably receives the rack 116 which is best seen in Figs. 16 and 17. One end 164 of the rack as best seen in Fig. 24 is plate-like and positioned adjacent to the pinion gear. The plate-like end 164 has a set of teeth 166 on a side wall thereof which mesh with the teeth on the pinion gear 154. The opposite end 168 of the rack is of generally I-shaped cross-section having reinforcing upper and lower beam sections 170 for rigidification and a second set of S* teeth 172 formed along the lower surface thereof.

The channel 163 through the carrier body 114 that receives the rack 116 also communicates with the substantially cylindrical passage 122 in the carrier body 25 that receives the tilt rod 110 (Figs. 11 and 12). In fact, the second set of teeth 172 on the rack protrude into the cylindrical passage 122 and mesh with the teeth on the tilt rod. It will therefore be appreciated that rotation of the tilt rod causes the rack 116 to be translated or moved linearly and longitudinally of the carrier body and as a consequence, the first set of teeth 166 on the rack which are engaged with the pinion gear 154 on the hanger pin 118 pivot the hanger pin in a direction dependent upon the direction of linear movement of the rack.

The carriers 32 are interconnected to each other and connected to the primary end cap 74 by the linkage 34 in the form of a pantograph otherwise known as scissors-type 24 linkage. As best appreciated by reference to Figs. 7-10, the linkage includes a plurality of interconnected links 174 wherein two associated links form a pair and are pivotally interconnected at a mid-point. The ends of each link 174 in a pair are pivotally connected to associated ends of links in an adjacent pair. The scissors-type linkage is, therefore, adapted to be extended to a maximum length (Fig. 8) which is predetermined by the number of interconnected link pairs or retracted into a compact position as seen in Fig. 9 wherein corresponding links on adjacent pairs of links are positioned contiguous with each other.

The scissors-type linkage 34 is interconnected with the carriers 32 through the upstanding pin 142 on the top 15 wall 120 of the carriers. The pin 142 is made of a somewhat resilient material, for example Celcon®, and is forced through an opening 176 in the pivoted joint intermediate the ends of two links 174 in a pair. Each pair of links is thereby associated with an individual carrier and pivotally confined between the head 144 on the pin and the top wall of the carrier body. It will, therefore, be appreciated that extension or retraction of the scissors-type linkage causes the connected carriers to move accordingly so that the carriers are likewise moved 25 between a fully extended equally spaced position as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, and a closely adjacent retracted or horizontally stacked relationship as shown in Figs. 5 and 9.

The carriers 32 are confined in their movement through their interrelationship with the headrail 30 as is probably best appreciated by reference to Fig. 11. Each carrier body at a location approximately at its mid-point on an undersurface thereof has a depending transversely extending bead 178 which is releasably confined within the upwardly opening groove 56 in the outermost leg 46 of the headrail.

A plate-like extension 180 on the lower surface of the carrier body 114 adjacent the innermost end of the body

II

25 protrudes into the inwardly opening groove 58 on the inner leg 44 of the headrail. By inserting the carrier into the ends of the headrail so that the bead 178 and the platelike extension 180 are received within the corresponding grooves, it will be seen that the carrier cannot be laterally or vertically displaced from the headrail and will be guided in sliding movement along the headrail by the two grooves. As mentioned previously, when the carrier body is made of a low coefficient of friction material such as Celcon® and is minimally engaged with the painted 0: aluminum headrail as described, the sliding movement is very smooth and quiet which are both desirable characteristics of a control system for a window blind.

The carriers can also be seen to extend beyond the front 15 side of the headrail so that the vanes 24 are suspended from a location offset from the longitudinal center line of the headrail.

From the above-noted description, it will be appreciated that extension and retraction of the scissors- 20 type linkage 34 will cause the carriers 32 to slidingly move longitudinally of the headrail 30. The movement of the carriers and consequently the expansion and contraction of the scissors-type linkage is effected by the traverse cord 36 which as mentioned previously forms an endless loop through the headrail and includes a connection to the lead carrier 32A. The lead carrier may be but does not necessarily have to be the carrier furthest displaced from the primary end cap 74. The previously mentioned connection of the two ends of the traverse cord to the lead carrier is accomplished by passing the two ends of the cord in reverse directions through a square shaped channel 182 formed adjacent the bottom of the carrier on the tilt rod side and subsequently passing the ends around the carrier and tying them to themselves so that the lead carrier is integrated into the traverse cord and is forced to move in synchronism with the traverse cord. It will, therefore, be seen that movement of the traverse cord in one direction 26 will cause the lead carrier to move in a first direction along the length of the headrail and movement of the traverse cord in the opposite direction will cause the lead carrier to move in the opposite direction along the headrail. Of course, movement of the lead carrier causes the remaining or follower carriers 32 to move accordingly so that when the lead carrier is moved as far as it can be moved toward the primary end cap (Fig. it will effect a stacking of the carriers adjacent the primary end cap 74 and in adjacent relationship with each other. Movement of the lead carrier in the opposite direction will simultaneously .equally separate the carriers and maintain a uniform but growing separation until the lead carrier is moved to its fullest extent (Fig. 8) at which time the suspended vanes will be equally spaced across the window opening as desired.

Regardless of the position of the vanes 24 along the length of the headrail 30, rotation of the tilt cord 38 which affects rotation of the tilt rod will pivot the vanes through the interaction between the first set of teeth 166 on the rack 116 and the pinion gear 154 on the hanger pins.

As mentioned previously, however, this motion is limited either by the vanes abutting themselves or by the abutment finger 158 on the top of each hanger pin which when rotated 0. 0. 25 in one direction ultimately abuts one of the stops 140 (Fig. 17) and when rotated in the opposite direction abuts the other stop 140 (Fig. 19). As will be appreciated, and as mentioned previously, this pivotal movement is slightly greater than 1800 so that the vanes suspended from the hanger pins are movable through an angle of slightly greater than 180*. The extreme positions of the hanger pins are predetermined relative to the rack so that the vanes are in a closed substantially co-planar overlapping relationship with each other in either extreme position.

Movement of the hanger pins through approximately (Fig. 16) from either extreme moves the vanes into their open position as seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 13 and continued 27 rotation through another 900 causes the abutment finger to engage the opposite stop and again place the vanes in a co-planar overlapping relationship but in a reverse direction.

It should be appreciated from the aforenoted description that the control system is very low in profile with the headrail itself having a dimension no greater than 0.6 inches and the extension of the carrier above the headrail being no more than 0.6 inches.

Accordingly, the overall height of the control system is no more than 1.2 inches. In addition, there are no visible slots or i.o° 10 openings in the headrail as the only opening faces upwardly and is 0 therefore not visible from the interior of the room in which the system is mounted. Accordingly, a control system has been :00* described which is aesthetically attractive and which provides dependable, smooth and quiet operation.

Figs. 26-34 illustrate a control system of the present invention with the addition of auxiliary control elements operatively connected to the endmost vanes in the illustrated window covering 188 and also including a tilt wand 189 in place of the previously described tilt cord 38. Further, the window 20 covering 188 is modified relative to that described previously in that the vanes 190 are connected to a continuous face sheet of material 192 such as in accordance with the disclosure in oo Australian Patent Application No. 55724/96, filed concurrently herewith and entitled "An Improved Fabric for an Architectural Covering and Method and Apparatus of Manufacturing Same". That application is commonly owned with the present application and is incorporated herein by reference. It will be appreciated that in accordance with the disclosure in the aforenoted copending application and as shown in Fig. 28, there are vanes 190a and 190b provided at each end of the window covering. These vanes could be full width vanes, equivalent in width to the other vanes used in the covering, or might be narrower if desired. It should also be appreciated that window coverings can be single draw or center draw. Single draw coverings utilise one continuous 28 covering that covers an architectural opening with a free end vane that is moved from one side of the opening to the opposite side. A center draw system has a pair of coverings wherein the free end vanes move toward each other when extending the covering so that they meet at a centered location of the opening and move in opposite directions toward opposite ends of the control system when retracting the covering.

It will be appreciated with the description that follows that the mounting of a fixed end vane 190b on the primary end cap 194, where a traverse cord 191 and the tilt wand 189 for the system are located, would be the same regardless of whether the system is a single draw or center draw. The mounting for the free end vane 190a, however, on 15 the moving end of the covering to be described hereafter, is used only in a single draw system.

With specific reference to Figs. 26-28, it will be appreciated that many of the primary operative components of the modified control system are identical to that 20 previously described in connection with the control system 22 with the exception of the primary end cap wherein the control system has been modified to utilize the tilt wand 189 in place of the tilt cord 38. Before describing the systems for mounting the endmost vanes, the modified 25 primary end cap 194 will be described.

As probably best seen in Figs. 35 and 36, the primary end cap 194 can be seen to include a main body 193 having a horizontally extending base portion 195 and a vertically extending end plate 197. The end plate has a horizontal passage 199 of cylindrical configuration extending therethrough adapted to rotatably receive and support the end of the tilt rod 110. A C-clip 201 is used in a conventional manner to retain the tilt rod in the cylindrical passage 199. The base portion 195 of the main body 193 has an upwardly opening horizontal channel 203 defined in alignment with the passage 199 in the end plate that is adapted to rotatably receive and seat a drive 29 collar 205 having a socket 207 in one end with internal teeth. The socket 207 is adapted to receive the associated end of the tilt rod 110 such that the longitudinal teeth on the tilt rod mesh with the internal teeth in the socket.

The opposite end of the drive collar 205 defines a pinion gear 209. Immediately adjacent to the channel 203, a vertical passage 211 is provided through the base portion 195 that is adapted to receive a worm gear 213 such that the worm gear operatively engages the pinion gear 209 to transfer rotative motion about the vertical axis of the worm gear to vertical rotative motion of the pinion gear about a horizontal axis. The worm gear is supported in the base portion 195 for rotative movement while retaining alignment of the worm gear with the pinion gear. The worm 15 gear has a depending shaft 215 with a transverse connection opening 217 therethrough that is adapted to receive a Cshaped connector pin 219. The opposite end of the connector pin is received in a transverse passage 221 in the upper end of the conventional tilt wand 189 so that rotation of the tilt wand affects rotation of the worm gear 213 and consequently the pinion gear 209 and the tilt rod 110 through their operative connections.

The base portion 195 of the main body 193 further defines a pair of vertical slots 223 in a rear surface 25 thereof and a transverse channel 225 interconnecting the slots for receipt of a pair of pulleys 227 mounted on opposite ends of a support shaft 229. The support shaft is rotatably seated in the transverse channel 225 with the pulleys disposed in the respective slots 223. A traverse cord 36 of the type previously described in connection with the control system 22 passes over the pulleys 227 and through cord passages 231 provided in the end plate 197.

From these passages the traverse cord connects to the operative components of the head rail as previously described in connection with the control system 22.

The end plate 197 also has a pair of fastener openings 233 adapted to slidably receive bolt type 30 fasteners 235 which extend through the openings 233 and are threaded into the ends of the upwardly opening grooves 54 and 56 of the headrail 30. In this manner, the main body of the primary end cap is positively secured to the headrail.

A shell 237 having an internal cavity conformed to receive the various components of the main body 193 is adapted to be snapped onto the main body for releasable connection thereto. A snap arm 239 on the shell releasably grabs a catch 241 on the main body to retain the shell in position to thereby cover the working components of the primary end cap.

The primary end cap also has a vertical channel 243 .for mounting the fixed end vane 190b as will be described 15 in more detail later.

The free end vane 190a is connected to the control system with a free end vane mounting system 198. The opposite end vane or the fixed end vane 190b is mounted on.

the primary end cap 194 with a fixed vane mounting system 200. Fig. 26 shows the window covering with the end vane mounting systems when the covering is both extended and open while Fig. 27 shows the same window covering in a retracted but open position. Fig. 28 is similar but shows the covering in an extended and closed position.

25 Looking first at the free end mounting system 198 as o* best seen in Figs. 29-32 and 35, it will be appreciated that a mounting block 202 has been secured to the endmost carrier 204 of the control system 22. The endmost carrier and mounting block are shown disposed adjacent to the secondary end cap 206 of the headrail which, as will be appreciated with the description that follows, cooperates with the free end vane mounting system to move the free end vane 190a from a position in front of the headrail 30, like the remaining vanes 190 in the covering, to a position at the secondary end of the headrail and in longitudinal alignment therewith when the window covering is fully extended.

31 The mounting block 202 is connected to the endmost carrier 204 by two pairs of snap fingers 245 on the mounting block that are releasably received in associated channels 247 formed in the endmost carrier 204. The mounting block 202 has a vertical substantially C-shaped channel 208 formed in the front edge thereof defining a bearing which receives a hollow pivot shaft 210 on the end of a pivot arm 212. The C-shaped configuration of the channel retains the pivot shaft of the pivot arm for pivotal movement within the channel. The pivot arm is substantially J-shaped in cross section having a base leg 214, an end leg 216 and an upstanding lip 218 which defines the pivot shaft. The end leg 216 has a pair of vertically extending pivot pins 220 that project upwardly and downwardly from the top and bottom edges thereof with the o• pivot pins pivotally receiving corresponding sleeves 222 on the back face of a vane mounting plate 224.

The pivot arm 212 is biased in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 29 and 31, by a torsion spring 226 that 20 partially circumscribes a pivot pin 228 within the hollow pivot shaft 210 of the pivot arm. One end of the torsion spring engages the mounting block 202 and the opposite end engages the pivot arm 212.

The vane mounting plate 224 cooperates with an 25 attachment plate 230 to secure the free end vane 190a therebetween. The attachment plate has a plurality of connectors in the form of sharpened prongs 232 that are adapted to penetrate the vane and subsequently be riveted or otherwise secured to the vane mounting plate to secure the vane between the plates.

In operation, as probably best illustrated by reference to Figs. 26 and 27, when the covering 188 is retracted adjacent to the primary end cap 194, the end leg 216 of the pivot arm 212 is biased against the front 234 of the headrail 30 by the torsion spring 226 thereby holding the free end vane 190a adjacent the front of the headrail.

When the covering is being extended, the free end vane is 32 moved toward a secondary end cap 236 at the opposite end of the headrail. The end leg of the pivot arm 212 has a guide surface 238 on the terminal end thereof which slides along the front of the headrail until it reaches the secondary end cap at which time the end leg of the pivot arm is urged around the secondary end cap by the torsion spring into the position illustrated in Fig. 26. It will be appreciated in the extended position of the covering 188, that the free end vane 190a is pulled around the end of the headrail in longitudinal alignment therewith to help conceal the headrail and provide an aesthetically attractive end of the covering, which also establishes privacy.

When the covering 188 is moved toward its retracted position from its extended position of Fig. 26, the guide 15 surface 238 on the end leg 216 of the pivot arm 212 is cammed by and rides along the secondary end cap 236 against the bias of the torsion spring 226 until the guide surface engages and is pulled onto the front 234 of the headrail so that the covering can be moved to the retracted position of 20 Fig. 27.

The control end of the control system, at the primary end cap 194 as best illustrated in Figs. 26-28, and 33-36, has a fixed vane mounting plate 240 with a pair of vertically spaced sleeves 242 pivotally mounted on the 25 upper and lower ends of a pivot shaft 244 received in the vertical channel 243 defined in the shell 237 of the primary end cap. The pivot shaft 244 thereby pivotally supports the mounting plate for movement about a vertical axis. An attachment plate 246, having connectors in the form of sharpened prongs 248 adapted to pierce the fixed end vane 190b, is 'operatively connected to the mounting plate as by riveting, sonically welding or otherwise so as to positively secure the fixed end vane between the plates 240 and 246.

The fixed vane mounting plate 240 is freely pivotal on the pivot shaft 244 so as to be movable under the influence -33of the face sheet material 192 which is connected to the fixed end vane 190b.

With specific reference to Figs. 26 and 28, it will be appreciated in Fig. 26 that when the vanes 190 are in an open position, i.e. perpendicular to the headrail 30, the face sheet material 192 that is connected to the vanes is looped in a direction also perpendicular to the headrail thereby forcing the fixed end vane 190b to pivot about its pivotal connection to the primary end cap 194 into a position where it overlies the end of 10 the primary end cap in longitudinal alignment with the headrail 9* and extends substantially perpendicularly to the headrail.

:9 However, when the vanes are moved from their open to the closed 0:9 position illustrated in Fig. 28, the face sheet material 192 pulls the fixed end vane forcing it to pivot about its pivotal connection so that the vane lies somewhat parallel to the front of the headrail in parallel alignment with the other vanes in the covering.

It will therefore be appreciated from the above description that by providing mounting systems as described for the endmost vanes in the covering that the ends of the headrail can be covered when desired and the endmost vanes are also pivotally mounted for movement with the remainder of the vanes in the covering. The system thereby provides an aesthetically attractive way of connecting the endmost vanes to the operating system in a relatively inexpensive but efficient manner while also establishing privacy at the ends of the covering.

Referring to Fig. 37, a covering 530 for an architectural opening (not shown) incorporating the fabric 532 of the present invention is illustrated. For purposes of the present disclosure, the covering 530 will be referred to as a window blind, it being recognised that the covering could be used in other architectural applications such as on doors, archways, skylights and the like. Further, while the description that follows assumes a vertical orientation of vanes 536 used in the -34fabric 532, it will be appreciated that the vanes could be oriented horizontally, thus requiring the use of a different operating system when the fabric is incorporated into an architectural covering device.

The window blind 530 broadly includes a headrail 534 suspendable from a wall or ceiling adjacent to a window opening and an operating system (not seen) connected to the headrail and adapted to suspend a plurality of vertically extending vanes 536 which are interconnected in parallel vertical relationship by a face sheet 538 of material.

0* The operating system (not shown) includes hardware for interconnecting the operating system to the vanes through hanger plates 540 and for moving the window blind between extended and a*.

retracted positions shown in Figs. 37 and 41 respectively, as 15 well as open and closed positions as illustrated in Figs. 37 and o•39 respectively. In the extended position shown in Fig. 37, the vanes. 536 are uniformly distributed across the window opening, while in the retracted position shown in Fig. 41, the vanes are horizontally stacked adjacent to a side of the window opening, it being understood that the vanes could be stacked adjacent to either or both sides of the window opening. When in at least a 0S partially extended position, the vanes are pivotally movable between the open and closed positions. In the open position shown in Fig. 37, the vanes extend perpendicularly to the window opening and thus the plane of the face sheet 538, while in the closed position they preferably particularly overlap in shinglelike relation (Figs. 39A and 42) and extend in substantially parallel relationship to the window opening and thus the plane of the face sheet 538 and in coplanar relationship with each other.

While the vanes 536 could take numerous forms, it is preferable that they be of tubular configuration including longitudinally extending flaps 542 (Fig. 37A and 39A along one side edge of the vane to facilitate attachment of the vane of the face sheet 538 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

In one form of the vane 536 as possibly best seen in Figs.

37A and 38A, the vane is formed from a single sheet of flexible material, preferably fabric, formed into an elongate tube of substantially air foil configuration. It should be appreciated, however, that the vane could take other general configurations, including each of those disclosed in Australian Patent No.

709,982 entitled "Improved Vane for an Architectural Covering 10 and Method of Making Same" which is hereby incorporated by reference and is assigned to the same assignee as the present :'.".application. The elongated single sheet of material from which the vane is fabricated is folded upon itself along a line 544 that runs substantially along a central region of the sheet 15 defining a front section of the vane along the central region.

The fold may be creased as at 545 (Figs. 48 and 49) or uncreased. After folding, the side edges 546 of the strip are S"disposed proximate each other and a relatively flat short side wall 548 and an outwardly convex long side wall 550 are defined (Figs. 51 through 60). The long and short walls are secured S. together along a line of attachment 552 extending the entire length of the vane and at a location spaced slightly inwardly from the side edges 546 of the sheet material. A flap or edge portion 542 is thus defined adjacent each side edge of the sheet material, a flap being associated with the short and the long wall. The flap on each wall is rectangular in configuration having two long sides extending the length of the vane and two perpendicular short sides, one at the top of the vane and one at the bottom. The rectangular flaps when laid flat are preferably in the range of inch to M inch in width when the vane is formed from strip material approximately seven inches in width.

In other words, each flap is preferably about 5% of the overall width of the strip from which the vane is formed.

-36- In an alternative form of the vane 536' shown in Fig. 61E, the vane is formed from a single sheet of flexible material, as with the vane 536, but the sides 553 of the vane are of equal length and both are outwardly convex. A pair of flaps 542' are defined along one side edge of the vane to facilitate attachment of the vane 536' to the face sheet 538 in a manner to be described later in connection with the vane 536.

The vane 536 preferably has torsional rigidity along its length which results not only from the tubular construction of 1 0 the vane but also through use of a fabric having diagonal, dimensional stability. Diagonal, dimensional stability is a characteristic of fabric that prevents the fabric from stretching or shrinking along a line diagonal to either the machine direction of the fabric or the cross direction of the fabric. The diagonal, dimensional stability in the fabric from which the vane is fabricated is a factor in the vane's ability to resist relative twisting along its length from top to bottom when the vane is rotated from the top. The diagonally, dimensionally stable characteristic of the material facilitates 20 the transfer of torque along the length of the tubular vane so S. that when rotated from the top, the bottom will follow.

Preferably, for the fabric to have diagonal, dimensional stability, it should be stretchable no more than 10% along a forty-five degree diagonal to the machine direction of the fabric when a force of eight ounces is applied between two points along the diagonal. A more detailed description of the fabric from which the vane is fabricated and the importance of the tubular construction of the vane can be found in the aforenoted Australian Patent No 709,982.

While the material from which the vanes 536 are made can have varying characteristics, it is desirable that the vanes be made of an opaque or substantially opaque material so that when in the closed position the blind will substantially block light and vision. While the material from which the vanes are -37fabricated could have decorative designs imprinted thereon or formed therein, they might also be made of a plain and single color material.

The face sheet 538 (Figs. 37-42) which interconnects the vanes is also made from a flexible fabric material and is secured to the vanes along parallel vertically spaced lines of attachment at a rear section of the vanes by inserting folds 554 (Fig. 38A and 57) of the face sheet between the flaps 542 of the i. "vanes 536 and securing the flaps together so as to capture the *.10 face sheet therebetween. While the vanes in the fabric will normally be of equal width and the folds 554 in the face sheet equally spaced, it is possible to use vanes of varying widths to obtain different aesthetics and in such cases the spacing between folds would preferably correlate with the width of the 15 adjacent vanes. A bead of adhesive to be described in more detail later can be placed on either or both flaps before the fold 554 of face sheet is positioned therebetween. After the S"fold is desirably positioned between the flaps, the flaps can be compressed together and the adhesive activated, if necessary, to 20 secure the face sheet to the flaps along a line of attachment running the length of the vane and disposed outwardly of the line of attachment 552 of the short and long walls 548 and 550, respectively, of the vane. Preferably, the face sheet material has enough permeability to allow the adhesive to flow therethrough thereby bonding not only the face sheet to each flap, but also the flaps to each other.

In an alternative arrangement shown in Fig. 38C, the fold 554 in the face sheet 538 can be wrapped-around both flaps 542 so as to encapsulate the flaps therein. In this arrangement beads of adhesive 555 would be placed on an external surface of the flaps so as to directly engage the fold in the face sheet.

Preferably, the flaps would have enough permeability to allow the adhesive to flow therethrough and bond the flaps together as the flaps are being bonded to the fold in the face sheet.

-38- It is preferable that the face sheet 538 be a knit fabric even though some woven fabrics will work. It is also preferable for desired functional and aesthetic cooperation with the vanes 536, that the face sheet 538 be transparent or translucent for the passage of some light and vision. It is also preferred that the face sheet have diagonal, dimensional stability. Knit fabrics are preferable to wovens as they can be cut with a cold knife type cutter thus not requiring the more expensive hot knives or laser cutters. For reasons that will become clearer 10 later with the description of the apparatus for fabricating the fabric 532 of the present invention, it is preferable that the face sheet have a low elongation rate, it not be very S* stretchy in the machine or cross direction. The vanes are desirably attached to the face sheet so as to extend in the 15 cross direction of the face sheet and the machine direction stiffness of the fabric must be low as it must bend at the juncture with every vane 536 inasmuch as the vanes are rotated 1800 relative to the face sheet. If the machine direction stiffness is too high, there will be excessive forward and 20 backward swings of the end vanes along the sides of a window blind as the vanes are rotated. It is also important that the fabric have good springback in its machine direction, that it not take a set, so that the vanes can swing each direction easily.

Preferably the face sheet fabric has high cross direction stiffness as this contributes positively to a better drape appearance of the product when suspended in a window opening.

To obtain a higher cross direction stiffness, weft insertion fabrics can be used. Weft insertion is a knitting process wherein threads are inserted in the cross direction to add texture. Additionally, these threads generally add cross direction stiffness without adding machine direction stiffness.

An example of a fabric found suitable for use as the face sheet 1, 1, -39- 538 is Angelica sheer identified by Style No. 36707 by its manufacturer Guilford Mills of Greensboro, North Carolina.

As mentioned previously, the fabric 532 of the present invention is suspended from an operating system by carriers that are releasably connected to hanger plates 540 (Figs. 37-41) internally connected to each vane adjacent an open upper end thereof. As an option, in order to conceal the hanger plate, and its connection to an associated carrier in the operating system, a strip of valance fabric 556 (Fig. 38, 38A and 38B) can 1. 0 be bonded to the face sheet 538 along its upper edge so as to overlap the top end of the face sheet. The valance fabric would preferably have light-controlling characteristics or in other words be somewhat opaque and non-vision transmitting. The valance thereby blocks any vision of the hanger plates or associated parts of the operating system which might otherwise be visible above the face sheet 538 and vanes 536. Instead of a separate valance strip, the height of the face sheet can be made in excess of the vane length so as to form a valance extension portion of the face sheet (not illustrated). While the face 20 sheet is preferably translucent or transparent, it would still have a subduing effect as far as concealing the operating system.

An alternative system for covering the operating system is shown in Figs. 65 and 66 wherein it will be appreciated that the top end of each vane has been notched to accommodate the headrail and other components of an operating system and with the vane extending along its edge that is attached to the face sheet, to an elevation above the operating system. A valance can then be optionally attached to the face sheet in overlying relationship along an upper most portion thereof with the valance preferably being opaque but at least translucent so as to block or inhibit a view of the operating system when the fabric is extended across an architectural opening as shown in Fig. 65. The notch provided in the top end of the vane allows the vanes to be desirably pivoted about a longitudinal axis through at least 1800 without interfering with the operating system. Of course the valance is not necessary but does add the ability to totally or substantially block the view of the operating system when the fabric is extended as shown in Fig.

The valance can be attached to the fabric in many different ways but the preferred method utilises a thermoplastic film laminated to a knit fabric with the film then being laid over 10 the face sheet along the top edge thereof and heat laminated into place. Tape, thread or other mechanical or chemical V. fastening methods could also be used to hold the valance in place.

As another option, it is possible to bond an opaque blackout 15 strip or insert 558 shown in phantom lines in Figs. 51-55, into the interior of the tubular vane 536 if a total blockage of light through the vane is desired and in the event the vane is not fabricated from a total blockout material. A strip of such blockout material can be easily bonded internally of the tube 20 along the line of attachment 552 by overlaying the blockout S. strip onto the vane strip sheet of material as the vane is being formed and as will be more fully appreciated with the description of the apparatus of the invention later. If the blockout strip 558 is a soft non-crinkling material, it will not adversely affect the functional or tactile characteristic of the vanes.

The operation of a window blind 530 including the fabric 532 of the present invention is best appreciated by reference to Figs. 37 through 42. In Fig. 37, the fabric is shown in an extended position as it would assume when extending across a window opening and wherein the vanes 536 are in an open position thereby transmitting light and vision through the space between the vanes and the fabric. Fig. 37A is an enlarged section showing in more detail the relationship of the face sheet 538 -41and tubular vanes 536 when in the extended and open condition of Fig. 37.

Fig. 38 is a view similar to Fig. 37 but from the opposite side of the fabric 532 and with the optional valance strip along the top of the fabric. The window blind 530 is again in an extended and open condition.

Fig. 39 shows the window blind 530 in an extended and closed position. In other words, the fabric 532 of the window blind is extended as it would be when covering a window opening and the 10 vanes 536 have been pivoted 90' in one diregtion relative to their position of Fig. 37 so as to lie coplanar and in substantially parallel relationship with the face sheet 538. Of course, in this position of the vanes wherein they are preferably overlapping, both vision and light through the fabric are blocked. Fig. 39A is an enlarged section giving a more detailed view of the relationship of the face sheet with the vanes when in the position of Fig. 39. Fig. 40 shows the fabric from the opposite side of that shown in Fig. 39 but in the same condition.

20 Fig. 41 shows the fabric 532 in a retracted position as it would assume adjacent to the side of a window opening and with the vanes 536 in the open condition. The vanes assume an open condition when the fabric is retracted so that the fabric can be compactly horizontally stacked adjacent one side of a window opening. Fig. 41A is an enlarged view showing in more detail the relationship of the vanes and the face sheet in the retracted position.

Fig. 42 shows in detail the relationship of the face sheet 538 to the vanes 536 when the vanes have been pivoted 1800 relative to the position shown in Fig. 39A. This of course is another closed condition of the vanes and illustrates that the vanes can in fact be rotated in either direction relative to the face sheet and assume a closed position substantially blocking vision and light through the fabric.

-42- An apparatus 560 for fabricating the fabric 532 previously described is diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 43 and 43A.

The apparatus has a vane forming section 562 and a fabric forming or combining section 564. As can be seen in Fig. 43, the vane forming section 562 includes a supply roll 566 of an elongated strip of vane fabric or sheet material 568 that has been pre-cut, from a virgin roll 594 of stock material 594, to a specified width, approximately seven inches. The vane sheet material is advanced through a number of operating stations in the vane forming section 562 of the apparatus by driven rollers and belts that successively engage the sheet material in the various stations.

The vane sheet material 568 is initially advanced through a fabric conditioning unit 570 which is in essence a straightener that may be in the form of heated rollers 572 that remove any bow or curve in the fabric material. After the strip of sheet material 568 has been straightened, it is advanced horizontally aoo downstream through the apparatus which includes a first glue applicator 574 for applying a first lines of adhesive. Next, 20 the strip of sheet material 568 is optionally fed through first and second creasers 576 and 577 respectively for forming creases in the strip material 568 at desired locations. Next in line is a folder 578 for folding the horizontally disposed sheet material so that the side edges 546 of the sheet material are proximate each other. A second glue applicator 580 then applies a second line of adhesive 582 at the location where the shorter and longer walls 548 and 550 respectively of the vane are to be bonded, and the strip material is then fed to a compressor 584 for pressing the shorter and longer walls of the vanes together along the second line of adhesive 582. Finally, a cutter 586 is provided for severing the strip of sheet material into predetermined lengths which define the vanes 536 of the fabric 532. The vanes are thereafter advanced into the fabric forming section 564 of the apparatus.

-43- In the fabric forming section 564 (Figs. 43 and 43A), an inserter blade 588 forces a section or fold of the face sheet material 538 into the space between the flaps 542 of a preformed vane 536 and after the sheet material is laterally tensioned with a tensioner 589 a second compressor 590 activates the glue lines applied by the first glue applicator 574 along the flaps to seal the face sheet material between the flaps. After sequentially connecting vanes to the sheet material in this manner, the resulting fabric 532 can be wound on an accumulation 1 0 or transportation roll 592.

With reference more specifically to Fig. 43 and the supporting sectional views in Figs. 44 through 56, it will be seen that a virgin roll 594 of stock fabric or vane sheet material which might come in varying widths is first cut to a 15 specified width in a known and conventional manner. The resulting cut fabric is accumulated on the vane sheet supply roll 566 for further processing. Fig. 44 shows the strip or web S" of sheet material 568 as it comes off the vane sheet supply roll and as will be appreciated, it is not totally flat but typically 20 has small undulations or wrinkles therein. It has been found that if the vane 536 is formed from the virgin material before it is straightened, curves or twists will undesirably result in the completed vane. Fig. 45 shows the virgin material being fed between the heated rollers 572 which remove any such wrinkles or undulations in the material so that the material is suitable for forming a vane.

The strip or web of sheet material 568 (Fig. 43) emanating from the heated rollers 572 is fed downstream through the vane forming section 562 of the apparatus where it sequentially encounters the aforedescribed operating stations. The strip first encounters the adhesive or glue applicator 574 as illustrated in more detail in Fig. 46. The applicator 574 applies the first elongated continuous bead of adhesive 598 along the top face of each side edge 546 of the strip. Fig. 47 -44is a further enlarged view showing the beads of adhesive 598 after application to the top face of the strip of vane material.

While the adhesive is applied hot and in liquid form, it quickly solidifies and needs to be re-activated before it will adhere to any other surface. A suitable adhesive for this purpose is Bostik 7983 manufactured by Bostik of Middleton, Massachusetts.

If the vane is to have a crease 545 along a longitudinal center region, which may or may not be desirable depending upon the features desired for the vane, the first crease 576 as best 10 seen in Figs. 48 and 49 receives the strip of material as it emanates from the first adhesive applicator 574 and forms the .crease 545 in the top face of the strip substantially along the longitudinal center line of the vane. It will be appreciated from Fig. 48 that the crease 545 is actually formed slightly 15 off-center of the strip so that the vane formed from the strip will assume the configuration shown in Figs. 37 through 42 with a short wall and a long wall 548 and 550 respectively. As mentioned previously, however, the crease 545 does not need to be placed in the vane, as the vane can be formed without such in 20 accordance with the disclosure in the aforenoted Australian Patent No. 709,982. Also see description of Figs. 61A-61E hereafter. As described in detail in the aforenoted Australian patent, the crease is desirably formed with a blunt instrument.

The crease 545 would preferably be approximately twice as wide as the thickness of the sheet material. This is illustrated in Fig. 49 wherein the width of the crease is designated X and the thickness of the sheet material X/2.

After the strip leaves the first creaser, it encounters the second creaser 577 that forms creases 600 (Fig. 50) in the bottom face of the sheet material 568 along imaginary parallel lines that are spaced slightly inwardly from the side edges 546 of the strip. The creases 600 may again be formed with a blunt instrument so as to have approximately twice the width as the thickness of the sheet material but it is not critical along creases 600. A sharper crease may therefore be formed. The sheet material between the parallel creases 600 and the side edges 546 of the material define the flaps 542 for the vane and it will be appreciated that the creases in the bottom face permit easy flexing of the flaps in a downward direction whereby the crease 545 in the upper face of the sheet facilitates easy folding of the sheet upwardly to define the shorter and longer sides of the completed vane.

After having been appropriately creased, the sheet or web **10 568 is, as indicated above, fed into the folder 578 at a vane folding or forming station. The folder continuously lifts each *side of the sheet or web on opposite sides of the upper crease 545. The folder can be a contoured form or trough through which the sheet material passes as it is advanced downstream through the apparatus with the contours in the form urging the sides of o.

the sheet upwardly. The continuous folding is illustrated in Figs. 51, 52 and 53 at the locations identified by the section "lines in Fig. 43. As will be appreciated, the side edges 546 of the sheet material are ultimately positioned proximate to each other as shown in Fig. 53. As the sheet material is being folded in the folding station, a light weight bar 602 overlies the edges of the vane so as to lightly engage the flaps 542.

The bar 602 thereby splays the flaps relative to the associated sides of the sheet material as the material advances through the folding station. The adhesive 598 on the flaps is not affected by the bar as it was previously solidified and needs to be reactivated before again becoming tacky. The bar 602 has a vertical leg 601 that holds the sheet 568 in the trough of the folder. It should be appreciated that the fabric material inherently wants to remain flat or in other words is somewhat biased toward a flat orientation. Accordingly, it closely follows the contours of the trough during the folding or forming step.

-46- The sheet material 568 leaving the folding station is in the configuration illustrated in Fig. 53 and immediately encounters the second adhesive applicator 580 that applies the second continuous bead of adhesive 582 to one or both of the flaps 542 along the crease line 600 between the flaps and the remainder of the sheet material. Immediately after application of the bead of adhesive 582 and before the adhesive solidifies, the sheet material is passed through the compressor or presser unit 584, which may be a pair of confronting belts 604 (Fig. 43), that 0 forces the sides of the sheet material together along the creases 600 thereby forming the line of attachment 552 between the short and long sides of the vane so formed.

As mentioned previously, to totally obstruct the passage of light through a vane, the optional blockout strip 558 can be 5 overlaid onto the sheet material 568 along one side thereof as it is being formed into a vane (shown in phantom lines in Figs.

51-55). The blockout strip is secured in place with the same S"bead of adhesive 582 that secures the sides of the sheet material together.

20 In an alternative system for securing the vane material .together thereby providing the flaps 542 for receiving the face sheet material 538, relatively broad lines of adhesive 605 can be applied along the side edges 546 of the vane material while it is lying flat before entering the folding station. Glue applicators 606 are shown in Fig. 69 in lieu of the glue applicators shown in Fig. 46 which apply relatively thin beads of adhesive. The vane material 568 is then formed into the desired configuration in the same manner with the folder 578 described previously except that instead of applying a second bead of adhesive, as with the adhesive applicator 580 previously described, the flaps are formed within the relatively broad lines of adhesive 605 which extend slightly beyond the creases 600. The sides of the vane material are brought together along the creases and the adhesive, which has previously solidified, -47is activated with ultrasonic or heating elements 607 immediately prior to the vane material passing through the compressor 587.

In this manner, the vanes are properly formed with flaps and the flaps include adhesive on confronting faces thereof for use in subsequently securing the face sheet material 538 as will be described hereafter.

In order to hold the flaps apart while the vane material is being connected along the creases 600, a cylindrical rod 608 with a tapered end is mounted in the forming station in 10. alignment with and between the flaps to keep them separated as the vane material advances through the compressor. The adhesive does not accumulate on the cylindrical separating rod as it has previously solidified and needs to be reactivated before becoming tacky. A vane completed in accordance with this 15 alternative system is shown in Fig. 64. It has been found when using the afore-described alternative system that the creases 545 and 600 can be omitted from the process and the vane will S"still be desirably formed.

The strip of sheet material 568 leaving the compressor 584 is advanced into a vane separation station where the cutter 586, preferably in the form of a guillotine type cutter, severs the strip of sheet material into predetermined lengths corresponding with or slightly shorter than the height of the face sheet 538 to be used in a given window opening. The cut lengths of strip material define the vanes 536 used in the fabric 532.

The vanes 536 are then advanced into the fabric forming or combining section 564 of the apparatus, shown in Figs. 43 and 43A. In this section, the vanes 536 are -first positioned in transverse alignment with a roll 610 of face sheet material 538.

The roll 610 of face sheet material 538 is stored on a roller and has been pre-cut in width in accordance with the height of the window in which the fabric 532 is to be mounted. The face sheet material is removed from the roller by the tension applied from a succession of driven rollers that advance the face sheet -48material through the fabric forming or combining section of the apparatus. The face sheet material, after being straightened by passage over a heated roller 614 and a subsequent cold roller 616, is fed under very low tension around a set of two cork drive rollers 618. The fabric then passes through a gravity loop 620 and is weighted down by a zero tension dancer 622 that maintains a very low tension in the gravity loop of the fabric.

The low tension prevents any necking of the face sheet. The face sheet 538 then extends around a series of three cork drive 10 rollers 624 before passing through an approximately 3000 angle around and beneath an inserter 612 in the form of an elongated blunt knife blade 588. The knife blade 588 is disposed longitudinally of a pre-cut vane 536 positioned thereunder and in overlying alignment with the vane.

The set of three cork drive rollers 624 are intermittently driven so as to momentarily stop movement of the face sheet 538 when it is being connected to a previously cut vane 536. The set of two cork drive rollers 618 are continuously driven and 9 9 the zero tension dancer 622 maintains desired tension in the 20 face sheet between the continuously driven portion of the face sheet and the intermittently driven portion.

As best illustrated in Fig. 56, it will be appreciated that the flaps 542 on the vane are splayed and vertically aligned with the inserter knife blade 588 with the face sheet material positioned therebetween so that the inserter knife blade can be moved downwardly as illustrated in Fig. 67 forcing the face sheet material into the fold 554 between the flaps 542 on the vane along the entire length of the vane.

After the face sheet has been forced between the flaps on the vane, the tensioner 589 grips opposite lateral edges of the face sheet and pulls laterally on the sheet (longitudinally of the vane) to remove any wrinkles and thereby place tension in the sheet.

-49- The second compressor or presser unit 590, in the form of an anvil 626 and horn 628, compresses the flaps 542 into engagement with the fold 554 in the face sheet as shown in Fig. 58, while the tension is retained therein by the tensioner 589. In this condition, the horn and anvil have mechanically compressed the adhesive along the flaps against the face sheet. At this point, the adhesive 598 on the flaps is cool, so there is some degree of stick, but not a bond.

The inserter blade 588 is then lifted so as to remove it 10 from between the flaps 542, as shown in Fig. 59. The face sheet 538 remains between the flaps on the vane 536 as the blade is lifted because the friction against the adhesive lines 598 is greater than the friction on the smooth steel blade. The tension in the sheet is still retained by the tensioner 589.

15 After the steel blade has been lifted, the horn 628 is activated thereby ultrasonically remelting the adhesive 598 in between the face sheet and the flaps of the vane. Because the face sheet has permeability, the adhesive melts through and not only bonds the face sheet to the flaps of the vanes but also bonds the face 20 sheet to itself and creates a solid bond between the flaps and the folded face sheet at this juncture. As will be appreciated, the adhesive is totally hidden from view so as to improve the aesthetics of the finished fabric product. The completed bonding of a vane 536 to the face sheet 538 is shown in Fig. As schematically illustrated in Figs. 43 and 43A, during the time the face sheet 538 is being secured to a vane 536, the hanger plate 540 can also be ultrasonically bonded within the open upper end of the vane so that the hanger plates are in the finished fabric product when it is ready for suspension from an operating system. An electric or pneumatic injector 629 positioned adjacent to one side of the face sheet 538 places hanger plates 540 from a supply cartridge 631 of the hanger plates in the open upper end of the vane that is being attached to the face sheet. Another compressor 633 in the form of an anvil 635 and horn 637, positioned adjacent to the compressor 590 (Fig. 43A), is then activated to ultrasonically bond the hanger plate to one side wall of the vane 536.

After the anvil 626 and horn 628 are retracted as shown in Fig. 60, the face sheet 538 is again advanced forward via the three cork drive rollers 624. The completed fabric consisting of the face sheet 538 and the interconnected vanes 536 is then loosely wound onto the large driven accumulation or transportation roll 592 (Figs. 43 and 43A). The apparatus in 10 the fabric forming or combining section continuously repeats the o.

o above cycle thereby bonding each next formed or successive vane to the face sheet at a preselected spacing from the previously bonded vane.

The direction of rotation of the roll may be such that the S 15 vanes lie on the outside of the fabric sheet, as shown, to minimise the possibility of crushing the vanes or the vanes can be wrapped on the inside to provide better control during S" handling.

*o05 The valance fabric 556 (Figs. 38 and 38A) can be bonded to the top edge of the face sheet material 538 before the vanes 536 have been connected to the face sheet. Figs. 43 and 43A show a roll of valance material in phantom line positioned adjacent to the roll 610 of face sheet material. The valance is preferably bonded to the face sheet and overlaps the top edge so as to hide any exposed components of the operating system for the window blind that might otherwise be visible above the face sheet' The method of the invention includes the steps of providing a supply roll of sheet material from which the vane is to be fabricated and initially advancing the sheet material through a straightener to remove any folds or curves, applying adhesive along opposite edges of the sheet material and creasing the undersurface of the strip along lines spaced slightly inwardly from the side edges of the strip. A third crease may be formed in the top surface of the sheet substantially along the -51longitudinal center line of the sheet. A folding step raises the side edges of the strip until they are proximate each other at which time the step of applying a line of adhesive to the strip along the outer parallel crease lines but on the top face of the sheet material is performed. Following the step of applying the adhesive, the step of compressing the strip against itself is performed along this latter applied line of adhesive so as to form the strip into a tube having a pair of flaps protruding from a top edge thereof. The final step in forming 10 the vanes for the fabric is cutting the tubular strip into preselected lengths.

o The steps in forming the fabric from the preformed vanes and the face sheet material include the steps of advancing the vanes into lateral alignment with a supply roll of face sheet material 15 and advancing the face sheet material across the top of the vane but beneath an inserter knife. The following step is advancing the inserter knife against the face sheet thereby forcing the S• face sheet into a fold which is inserted between the flaps and subsequently tensioning the sheet longitudinally of the vane.

At the same time, the step of connecting a hanger plate in the open upper end of a vane is completed. Next, the steps of compressing the flaps together with the adhesive thereon and activating the adhesive to bond the fold of face sheet material between the flaps of the vane to secure the vane to the face sheet are performed. The steps involved in adhering a vane to the face sheet are repeated at intervals along the length of the face sheet and the face sheet is ultimately accumulated on a roll for transportation to a desired location.

In the event the vane was to be formed with two equal length convex sides 553 as described previously in connection with the vane 536', a former or folder 601 would be used as illustrated in Figs. 61A-61D wherein like parts have been given like reference numerals with a prime suffix. The folder or former 601 would be similar to the previously described former 578 -52except that the cross-section would be configured differently.

It would, however, be positioned in the vane forming section of the apparatus at the same location as the former 578. As will be appreciated in Fig. 61A, which is a section taken near the upstream end of the folder, the folder 601 defines a relatively wide trough wherein the side edges 546' of a web or sheet 568' being advanced therethrough are lifted slightly. In Fig. 61D, which is a cross-section downstream from Fig. 61A, the trough is slightly narrower and the side edges 546' have been raised considerably. The lowermost portion of the web, at the longitudinal center of the web, has been folded into a rounded 603.

Fig. 61C is a cross-section near the downstream end of the folder 601 and it will be seen that the trough is shaped generally like a narrow U and is even narrower than it is at the extreme downstream end of the folder shown in Fig. 61D.

Further, the lower end of the trough has a relatively narrow V- S• shaped section 604 that forms a very slight crease in the rounded and folded side 603. The crease is not enough to form a permanent bend in the fabric fibers but only enough to deform the fabric so that the fold is slightly narrower than it would be without the slight crease and is springy or resilient so as to retain the bias that urges the side walls 553 away from each other. The bias on the side walls assists the natural tendency of the fabric to be flat and thereby forces the tabular fabric web to expand and follow the contour of the inner wall of the folder as it widens at the downstream end of the folder as shown in Fig. 61D.

The web would be creased along lines 600' as with the vane 536 so as to define flaps 542'. A light weight bar 602' would also be used to splay the flaps and a vertical leg 605 on the bar 602' holds the web in the trough. A cross-section of the completed alternative vane 536' is shown in Fig. 61E.

-53- As will be appreciated, when the fabric of the present invention is utilised in a window blind 530 there will be two endmost vanes with one endmost vane being attached to one end of an operating system so as to be fixed relative to the headrail 642 of the system and the other endmost vane being free to move along the headrail through its operative connection to the operating system 644. The endmost vane that is secured to the headrail in a fixed position will be referred to hereafter as the "fixed endmost vane" while the endmost vane that is movable 10 along the headrail by the operating system will be referred to hereafter as the "free endmost vane".

Window blinds or other architectural coverings are either single draw, one fabric extends across the entire architectural opening, or they are center draw. Center draw coverings have two generally half-size fabrics covering the opening with each fabric having a fixed end fixed to opposite ends of the headrail and a free end movable toward the other end S"of the headrail so that when the covering is fully extended the free endmost vanes are disposed contiguous with each other at the center of the architectural opening.

In accordance with the present invention, the fixed endmost vane 640a in either a single draw or center draw system is preferably of half the width of the vanes 640 that exist between the endmost vanes. The free endmost vane 640b in a center draw system is preferably of full width, while the free endmost vane 640c of a single draw system is of half width.

When forming a full width endmost vane 640b, as seen in Figs. 67 and 68, where fabric is shown for use in a center draw system, the fabric is initially provided with one more vane then is necessary. The extra vane is severed, as shown in Fig. 69, to provide a free strip 646 of face sheet material with the flaps 542 of the severed vane secured to the free edge of the free strip 646.

-54- Figs. 70A through 70I are operational views illustrating how a full width endmost vane 640b is treated so as to have the same textural appearance as the face sheet material 538 while forming a functional and aesthetically pleasing end of the fabric 532.

With reference first to Fig. 70A, the fabric material 532 is stacked adjacent one side of a work table 648 having a longitudinally extending guide plate 650 extending along the table adjacent to the face sheet 538 side of the fabric 532. An endmost vane 640b is separated from the top of the stacked 10 fabric material and positioned on the work table as shown in Fig. 70B such that the free strip 646 of face sheet material underlies the associated endmost vane. An elongated ceramic magnet 652 is removably positionable beneath the work plate in longitudinal alignment with the endmost vane.

15 On the top face of a working side of the work table 648, opposite the side where the fabric is accumulated, a nonferrous elongated folding strip 654 is pivotally connected to the work surface, as with a piece of tape or other flexible material, so as to extend parallel with the vane. With the endmost vane 640b and free strip 646 of face sheet material positioned as shown in Fig. 70B, the closed or folded edge of the vane is severed with a razor or other sharp instrument so as to define an adjacent vane side 656 and an overlying removed vane side 658. The removed vane side 658, as shown in Fig. 70D, is then folded rearwardly toward the accumulated stack of fabric material and an elongated ferrous metal strip 660 is laid on top of the adjacent vane side 656. As an alternative, the ferrous metal strip could be inserted into the hollow vane before its folded edge is severed. The ceramic magnet is next positioned beneath the table to attract the ferrous metal strip 660 thereby releasably and substantially immovably trapping the vane 640b and strip 646 of face sheet material next to the work table to prevent the vane from moving during subsequent operations. A strip 662 of double-faced adhesive or other suitable adhesive is then bonded to the free edge of the adjacent vane side 656 also as illustrated in Fig. Subsequently, the folding strip 654 is pivoted in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 70E thereby lifting the free edge 664 of the free strip of face sheet material 538, with the flaps 542 from the severed vane, into overlying and bonding relationship with the adhesive strip 662. It will thus be appreciated that the face sheet material then forms a fold around the free edge of the adjacent vane side 656. Thereafter, 1~ the folding strip 654 is pivoted counterclockwise to its original position and a subsequent strip 666 of double-faced adhesive is applied over the folded free edge 664 of the face sheet material before the folded removed vane side 658 is returned to its overlying relationship with the remainder of the 15 vane so that the free edge 668 of the removed vane side can *engage and be adhesively bonded to the double-faced adhesive strip 666. The flap 542 from the severed vane are captured between the sides of the now endmost vane to reinforce and add rigidity to the edge of the vane.

20 Fig. 70G shows the endmost vane 640b after the free edge 664 of the face sheet material has been secured thereto and the vane reconstituted by reconnecting the severed edges of the adjacent and removed vane sides. Thereafter, the ceramic magnet 652 is removed so that the ferrous metal strip 660 can be easily removed from the center of the vane.

The vane is then configured as shown in Fig. 70H with the outer face of the vane having a covering of the face sheet material so that it has the same textural appearance as the face sheet material. The covered endmost vane 640b is also consistent in composition with the remainder of the fabric so as to hold up well when exposed to substantial solar heat as is experienced by window coverings.

It is desirable that the face sheet material 538 at its connection with the endmost vane be somewhat loose so as to -56provide a fairly broad or soft fold. The soft fold establishes a means by which the free endmost vanes in a center draw system can engage each other when the covering is extended across an architectural opening thereby forming a light seal with each other so as to block the passage of light therebetween.

To establish a soft fold 671, a spacer strip 670 (Fig. can be positioned between the adjacent vane side 656 and the strip 646 of face sheet material before the face sheet material is folded around and secured to the adjacent vane side. When 10 the spacer strip is subsequently removed, a softer fold is established in the vane (Fig. 70K) permitting a better light blocking seal between endmost vanes in a center draw architectural covering when the covering is extended.

It will be appreciated from the aforedescribed method that 15 an endmost vane 640b of full width as illustrated in Figs. oo or 70K can be provided which will give the desired aesthetic appearance and functional characteristics to the free endmost S"vane used in a center draw system.

The free endmost vane 640c of a single draw system is 20 desirably half the width of a full vane. This is particularly desirable when the fabric is used with an operating system of the type disclosed in commonly owned Australian Patent No.

712,924 and entitled "Control and Suspension System for a Vertical Vane Covering for Architectural Openings", the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In a system of the type disclosed in that application, the free endmost vane 640c is mounted on a pivot arm so that when the vane reaches the non-control end of the headrail, it is wrapped around the end of the headrail. On the contrary, however, when the covering is not fully extended, the hanger for the free endmost vane forces the longitudinal center line of the vane away form the headrail a greater distance than the remaining vanes in the covering and for that reason a vane of -57approximately half width is desirable to retain a uniform displacement of the outer edges of the vanes from the headrail.

Figs. 71A through 71G are operational views showing a method for forming a free endmost vane 640c or 640a of approximately half the width of a full vane 640 and with reference to Fig.

71A, a work table 648 as described previously is again provided.

A free strip 646 of face sheet material 538, slightly wider than the width of a full vane, is provided and again the vane, with the free strip of face sheet material therebeneath, is laid upon 10 the work table with the free edge 664 of the face sheet material overlying a folding strip 654 as shown in Fig. 71B. The folding strip is identical to that previously described and shown in Figs. 70A-70G. A strip 674 of ferrous metal is next positioned on the top of the vane adjacent the flaps 542 of the vane. A ceramic magnet 652, as provided in accordance with the teachings in Figs. 70A-70G, is thereafter moved adjacent to the underside of the work table as shown in Fig. 71D so that the ferrous strip 674 is -positively drawn toward the work table to hold the vane and the free strip of face sheet material in place on the work 20 table. Next a strip 676 of double faced longitudinally extending adhesive is applied to the top of the vane adjacent the folded edge of the vane.

Thereafter, the folding strip 654 is pivoted clockwise lifting the free edge 664 of the face sheet material into overlying bonding relationship with the adhesive strip 676 as shown in Fig. 71E. The folding strip 654 is then returned to its original position. Next a strip 678 of double faced adhesive is placed on the top of the flaps 542 of the vane adjacent to the ferrous strip 674 and the vane is folded upon itself about the ferrous strip so that the folded edge of the vane is engaged and bonded to the adhesive strip 678 as shown in Fig. 71F.

Finally, the magnet 652 is removed from beneath the work table and the ferrous strip is removed from the vane leaving the -58vane as illustrated in Fig. 71G of approximately half width but with an outer covering of face sheet material so that the vane has the same textural appearance as the face sheet material.

The fixed endmost vane 640a in a single draw system is preferably the same half width as the free endmost vane 640c so that when the fabric is fully extended across a window opening, the ends of the fabric will have the same appearance.

In utilising the fabric 532 of the present invention as a window blind, the face sheet material 538 faces the interior of S 10 the room and for that reason it is important that the endmost vanes have the same textural appearance as the face sheet material for aesthetic purposes. As will be appreciated from the above description, an end treatment for the fabric of the present invention is provided which is not only durable but 15 strengthens the edges of the fabric so that it hangs desirably 4*CC without drooping and in a manner that provides a uniform appearance and presentation of the face sheet material *throughout the entire fabric.

Although the present invention has been described with S 20 reference to the presently preferred embodiment, it is understood that the present 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.

Claims (115)

1. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, each vane having a pair of flaps along said edge, and at least one sheet of material interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being secured to said vanes along longitudinal lines of attachment by securing said at least one sheet to said vanes between said flaps. 10

2. The fabric of claim 1 wherein there is only one sheet and it .*has longitudinally extending folds along said lines of 696o attachment.

3. The fabric of claim 2 wherein said sheet is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of said vanes and has a double layer of material between said flaps.

S4. The fabric of claim 1 or 2 wherein said vanes have torsional 0 .5.6 rigidity along their length.

5. The fabric of claim 4 wherein said sheet of material has diagonal dimensional stability.

6. The fabric of claim 2 wherein said sheet of material is S* translucent and said vanes are opaque.

7. The fabric of claim 1 wherein said at least one sheet of material has diagonal dimensional stability.

8. The fabric of claim 1 wherein said at least one sheet of material is translucent and said vanes are opaque.

9. The fabric of claim 1 wherein said vanes are pivotal between a position wherein they extend in parallel relationship with each other and substantially perpendicular to said at least one sheet of material and a position wherein they are substantially coplanar with each other and substantially parallel to said at least one sheet of material, said vanes when substantially coplanar being overlapping.

An architectural covering constructed of fabric material and comprising: a) a plurality of vertically oriented, separate, elongated hollow vanes suspended along a path in horizontally spaced relationship to each other; b) each vane being defined by a hollow body having a tubular shape, an upper end by which it is suspended, a lower end, and wall sections extending between said ends; c) said hollow body being constructed solely of at least one first fabric material and being oriented to define both said tubular shape and said wall sections and to further define 10 longitudinally extending front and rear vane sections; S. d) the wall sections being in spaced relationship with respect to each other between said front and rear vane sections; at least one separate second fabric material connected to each of said vanes along said rear vane section to define lines of attachment of said vanes to said separate fabric .material; and f) said separate second fabric material extending between said spaced vanes and at least part way from the upper end to the lower end of said tubular bodies. o 20

11. An architectural covering' constructed of fabric material and comprising: a) a plurality of vertically oriented, separate, elongated hollow vanes suspended along a path in horizontally spaced relationship to each other; b) each vane being defined by a hollow body having a tubular shape, an upper end by which it is suspended, a lower end, and wall sections extending between said ends; c) said hollow body being constructed solely of at least one first fabric material having opposite edges and adjacent edge portions and being folded over upon itself to define both said tubular shape and said wall sections and to further define longitudinally extending front and rear vane sections; -61- d) said opposite edge portions being joined together along said rear vane section, from said upper end to said lower end of said hollow body; e) the wall sections being in spaced relationship with respect to each other between said front and rear vane sections; f) at least one separate second fabric material connected to each of said vanes along said rear vane section to define lines of attachment of said vanes to said separate fabric material; and g) said separate second fabric material extending *between said spaced vanes and at least part way from the upper end to the lower end of said tubular bodies.

12. The architectural covering according to claim 11 wherein: a) said edge portions are joined together at a location spaced inwardly of said edges to define a pair of flaps between said location and said edges; and b) said at least one separate fabric material is wrapped around and connected to said flaps.

13. The covering of claim 11 wherein: a) said edge portions are joined together at a location spaced inwardly of said edges to define a pair of flaps between said location and said edges; and b) said at least one separate fabric material is connected, between said flaps, to said edge portions.

14. The covering of claim 13 wherein said piece of material is folded between each of said flaps and along each of said lines of attachment.

The architectural covering according to claim 14 wherein each of said folds defines a double layer of said separate fabric material along each of said lines of attachment.

16. The architectural covering according to claim 15 wherein said separate fabric material is a continuous single piece of material having a length along which vanes are connected along said lines of attachment. -62-

17. The architectural covering according to any one of claims 11, 15 and 16 wherein: a) said first fabric material has a machine direction along which it has been formed and a cross direction extending at a right angle to said machine direction; b) said cross direction extends from the upper end to the lower end of said hollow body; and c) said first fabric material is diagonally, dimensionally stable relative to said machine and cross 10 directions. S0.

18. The covering of claim 17 wherein said separate second fabric material is translucent and said vanes are opaque.

19. The covering of claim 17 wherein said vanes are pivotally connected to said separate second fabric material for pivoting between a first position wherein they extend in spaced parallel relationship to each other and substantially perpendicular to said separate second fabric material and a second position wherein they are substantially coplanar with each other and S"substantially parallel to said separate second fabric material, said vanes when substantially coplanar being in overlapping shingle-like, touching relationship with each other.

20. The covering of claim 14 wherein said at least one separate second fabric material is connected to said vanes along said lines of attachment from the upper end of the tubular body to the lower end thereof.

21. The architectural covering according to claim 11 wherein said separate fabric material extends substantially completely from said upper end to said lower end of each of said hollow bodies.

22. An architectural opening covering comprising a plurality of vertically suspended vanes having a longitudinal side edge, a flexible face sheet interconnecting said vanes along said side edges and having an upper edge portion, said face sheet and vanes defining a continuous fabric adapted to be extended and -63- retracted across said architectural opening, an operating system including hanger plates suspending said fabric, said fabric extending vertically with the upper edge portion of said flexible sheet horizontally aligned with said hanger plates, and a valance secured to said face sheet along said upper edge portion thereof, said valance being made of an opaque material.

23. The covering of claim 22 wherein said vanes extend vertically to an elevation adjacent to said hanger plates.

24. The covering of claim 23 wherein said valance is adhesively secured to said face sheet material.

The covering of claim 22 wherein said valance is adhesively secured to said face sheet material.

26. The covering of claim 22 wherein said vanes extend vertically to an elevation adjacent to said hanger plates.

27. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongate hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material connected to said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining a line of attachment with each vane, wherein said hollow vanes have a pair of flaps along said side edge and said at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes between said flaps.

28. The fabric of claim 27 wherein said vanes are formed from a single strip of material having longitudinal edges with the strip being folded along a longitudinal fold lines such that said longitudinal edges are proximate each other, and further including a longitudinal bond line adhering the strip to itself adjacent to said longitudinal edges whereby said flaps are defined between said bond line and said longitudinal edges.

29. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongate hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material connected to said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining a line of attachment with each -64- vane, wherein said hollow vanes have a pair of flaps along said side edge and at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes around said flaps.

The fabric of claims 27 or 29 wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

31. The fabric of claim 30 wherein said sheet has folds along said lines of attachment.

32. The fabric of claim 31 wherein said folds define a double 10 layer of material along said flaps.

33. The fabric of claim 27 or 29 wherein said vanes have torsional rigidity along their length.

The fabric of claim 33 where said at least one sheet of material has diagonal dimensional stability.

35. The fabric of claim 27 or 29 wherein said at least one sheet material has diagonal dimensional stability.

36. The fabric of claim 27 or 29 wherein said vanes are pivotal between a position wherein they extend in parallel relationship to each other and substantially perpendicular to said at least S 20 one sheet of material and a position wherein they are substantially coplanar with each other and substantially parallel to said at least one sheet of material, said vanes when substantially coplanar being overlapping.

37. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongate hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material connected to said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining a line of attachment with each vane, wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

38. The fabric of claim 37 wherein said sheet has folds along said lines of attachment.

39. The fabric of claim 38 wherein said folds define a double layer of material along said flaps.

A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being connected to said vanes substantially along the entire length of said side edge of the vanes defining lines of attachment, wherein said vanes have a pair of flaps along said side edge and said at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes between said flaps.

41. The fabric of claim 40 wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

42. The fabric of claim 40 wherein there is only one said sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes and has longitudinally extending folds along said lines of attachment so as to form a double layer of material between said flaps.

43. The fabric of claim 40 wherein said vanes are formed from a single strip of material having two longitudinal edges with the strip being folded along a longitudinal fold line such that said longitudinal edges are proximate to each other, and further S. including a longitudinal bond line adhering the strip to itself 0: adjacent to said longitudinal edges whereby said flaps are defined between said bond line and said longitudinal edges.

44. The fabric of claim 40 wherein said vanes have torsional rigidity along their length.

The fabric of claim 44 wherein said sheet of material has diagonal dimensional stability.

46. The fabric of claim 40 wherein said at least one sheet of material has diagonal dimensional stability.

47. The fabric of claim 40 wherein said at least one sheet of material is translucent and said vanes are opaque.

48. The fabric of claim 40 wherein said vanes are pivotal between a position wherein they extend in parallel relationship -66- to each other and substantially perpendicular to said at least one sheet of material and a position wherein they are substantially coplanar with each other and substantially parallel to said at least one sheet of material, said vanes when substantially coplanar being overlapping.

49. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being connected to said vanes substantially along the entire length of said side edge of the vanes defining lines of attachment, wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

50. The fabric of claim 49 or claim 41 wherein said sheet has longitudinally extending folds along said lines of attachment.

51. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes made from sheet material having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of a separate material connected to said vanes along said side edge S"of the vanes defining a line of attachment with each vane.

52. The fabric of claim 51 wherein said sheet of separate material is connected to said vanes substantially along the entire length of said side edge of the vanes defining lines of attachment.

53. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet connected to said vanes along said side edge and defining a line of attachment with each vane, said vanes also being flexible but wherein the vanes are less flexible than the sheet, and wherein said vanes have a pair of -67- flaps along said side edge and said at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes between said flaps.

54. The fabric of claim 53 wherein said vanes are formed from a single strip of material having longitudinal edges with the strip being folded along a longitudinal fold line such that said longitudinal edges are proximate each other, and further including a longitudinal bond line adhering the strip to itself adjacent to said longitudinal edges whereby said flaps are defined between said bond line and said longitudinal edges.

55. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet connected to said vanes along said side edge and defining a line of attachment with each vane, said vanes also being flexible but wherein the vanes are less flexible than the sheet, and wherein said vanes have a pair of *flaps along said side edge and at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes around said flaps.

56. The fabric of claim 53 or 55 wherein there is only one sheet and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

57. The fabric of claim 56 wherein said sheet has folds along said lines of attachment.

58. The fabric of claim 57 wherein said folds define a double layer of material along said flaps.

59. The fabric of claim 53 or 55 wherein said vanes have torsional rigidity along their length.

The fabric of claim 59 wherein said at least one sheet has diagonal dimensional stability.

61. The fabric of claim 60 wherein said sheet of material is translucent and said vanes are opaque.

62. The fabric of claim 53 or 55 wherein said at least one sheet has diagonal dimensional stability. -68-

63. The fabric of claim 53 or 55 wherein said sheet is translucent and said vanes are opaque.

64. The fabric of claim 53 or 55 wherein said vanes are pivotal between a position wherein they extend in parallel relationship to each other and substantially perpendicular to said at least one sheet and a position wherein they are substantially coplanar with each other and substantially parallel to said at least one sheet, said vanes when substantially coplanar being overlapping.

A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet connected to said vanes along said side edge and defining the line of attachment with each vane, said vanes also being flexible but wherein the vanes are less flexible than the sheet, and wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of Sadjacent vanes.

66. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends 20 and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being connected to said vane substantially along S the entire length of said side edge of said vanes defining lines of attachment, said vanes having a pair of flaps along said side edge and said at least one sheet being connected to said vanes between said flaps.

67. The fabric of claim 66 wherein there is only one sheet and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

68. The fabric of claim 66 wherein there is only one said sheet and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes and has longitudinally extending folds along said lines of attachment so as to form a double layer of sheet material between said flaps. -69-

69. The fabric of claim 66 wherein said vanes are formed from a single strip of material having two longitudinal edges with the strip being folded along a longitudinal fold line such that said longitudinal edges are proximate to each other, and further including a longitudinal bond line adhering said strip to itself adjacent to said longitudinal edges whereby said flaps are defined between said bond line and said longitudinal edges.

The fabric of claim 66 wherein said vanes have torsional rigidity along their length.

71. The fabric of claim 70 wherein said sheet has diagonal dimensional stability.

72. The fabric of claim 66 wherein said at least one sheet has diagonal dimensional stability.

73. The fabric of claim 66 wherein said at least one sheet is translucent and said vanes are opaque.

74. The fabric of claim 66 wherein said vanes are pivotal 0000 *to between a position wherein they extend in parallel relationship to each other and substantially perpendicular to said at least to: one sheet of materials and a position wherein they are 000 20 substantially coplanar with each other and substantially parallel to said at least one sheet, said vanes when Stott: substantially coplanar being overlapping.

A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one flexible sheet interconnecting said vanes, said at least one sheet being connected to said vanes substantially along the entire length of said side edge of said vanes defining lines of attachment, and wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

76. The fabric of claim 75 wherein said sheet has longitudinally extending folds along said lines of attachment.

77. A fabric for an architectural covering device comprising a plurality of elongated hollow vanes having opposite longitudinal ends and at least one longitudinally extending side edge, and at least one sheet of material interconnecting said vanes along said side edge of the vanes defining lines of attachment, wherein each vane has a pair of flaps along said edge, and at least one sheet of material is interconnected to said vanes by means of said flaps.

78. A fabric according to claim 77, wherein at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes between said flaps.

79. A fabric according to claim 77, wherein said at least one sheet of material is connected to said vanes around said flaps.

A fabric according to claim 78 or 79, wherein said sheet has folds along said lines of attachment. 15

81. A fabric according to claim 80, wherein said folds define a double layer of material adjacent said flaps.

82. A fabric according to any one of claims 78 to 81, wherein said vanes are each formed from a single strip of material having longitudinal edges with the strip being folded along a longitudinal fold line such that said longitudinal edges are proximate each other, and further including a longitudinal bond line adhering the strip to itself adjacent to said longitudinal edges, whereby said flaps are defined between said bond line and said longitudinal edges.

83. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 82, wherein there is only one sheet of material and it is continuous in interconnecting a plurality of adjacent vanes.

84. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 83, wherein said vanes have torsional rigidity along their length.

85. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 84, wherein said vanes are made of material which has diagonal dimensional stability. -71-

86. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 85, wherein said at least one sheet of material is translucent and said vanes are opaque.

87. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 86, wherein said vanes are pivotal between a position wherein they extend in parallel relationship to each other and substantially perpendicular to said at least one sheet of material and a position wherein they are substantially coplanar with each other and substantially parallel to said at least one sheet of material, said vanes when substantially coplanar being overlapping.

88. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 87, wherein said at least one sheet is connected to said vanes substantially along the entire length of said side edge of the vanes defining 15 lines of attachment.

89. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 88, wherein said at least one sheet extends substantially completely from an upper one to a lower one of said opposite longitudinal ends of each of said vanes. 20

90. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 89, wherein said at least one sheet is in the form of a fabric which has a machine direction along which it has been formed and a cross direction extending at a right angle to said machine direction, said cross direction extending from an upper one to a lower one of said opposite longitudinal ends of said at least one sheet, and said fabric is diagonally, dimensionally stable relative to said machine and cross directions.

91. A fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 91, wherein said vanes are hollow.

92. An architectural covering comprising an upper support rail and a plurality of spaced mounting means carried by said rail, the covering comprising a fabric according to any one of claims 77 to 91. -72-

93. A method of fabricating a fabric for an architectural covering device, said fabric including a plurality of elongated vanes interconnected by a sheet of material along parallel lines of connection, said method comprising the steps of:- providing a first elongated sheet of material, having elongated longitudinal edges; conveying said first sheet of material in a first direction; applying adhesive adjacent to at least one of said longitudinal edges; folding said first sheet material approximately along a longitudinal.central region; compressing the side edges together to adhere the first sheet material to itself while defining a flap along each longitudinal edge, cutting said first sheet material into •15 predetermined lengths to define said vanes; providing a second elongated sheet material; advancing said second sheet material in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction adjacent to said cut lengths of said first sheet material; positioning sections of said second sheet material adjacent said flaps on said vanes; and compressing the flaps and said sections of the second sheet material together to secure the second sheet material to the vanes by said adhesive that is adjacent to at least one of said longitudinal edges.

94. A method according to claim 93, wherein said second sheet material is positioned by being inserted between said flaps.

A method according to claim 94, further including the step of retaining a tension in said second sheet material longitudinally of the vane when said second sheet material is positioned between said flaps but before the flaps are secured to said second sheet material. -73-

96. A method according to claim 93, 94 or 95 wherein said adhesive is applied in the form of a bead of adhesive which is applied adjacent to each of said longitudinal edges.

97. A method according to any one of claims 93 to 96, further including the step of straightening said first sheet material before folding and applying adhesive to remove any bow from said first sheet material.

98. A method according to any one of claims 93 to 97, further including the step of creasing said first sheet material before placing said adhesive on said first sheet material.

99. A method according to any one of claims 93 to 98, further including the steps of:- providing a strip of face sheet material connected to said opposite longitudinal edge of an endmost vane, said strip having 15 a free edge, said strip being substantially commensurate in length to that of said endmost vane and having a width slightly greater than the width of said endmost vane; positioning said strip of face sheet material in substantially parallel relationship to said endmost vane; cutting said endmost vane along said folded longitudinal edge so as to define an adjacent vane side and a removed vane side, said vane sides having confronting face, said adjacent *vane side being closer to said strip than said removed vane side; applying a first strip of adhesive to the confronting face of said adjacent vane side along said cut folded edge; securing said free edge of said strip of face sheet material to said first strip of adhesive by wrapping said free edge around the cut folded edge of said adjacent vane side; applying a second strip of adhesive to said secured free edge of said strip of face sheet material; and securing the confronting face of said removed vane side to said second strip of adhesive along said cut folded edge. -74-

100.A method according to claim 99, wherein said positioning step includes placement of said endmost vane and strip of face sheet material on a work surface, and further including a step of releasably securing said strip of face sheet material and said adjacent side to said work surface.

101.A method according to claim 99 or 100, wherein said step of releasably securing includes placing an elongated ferrous strip along the confronting face of said adjacent side, and providing a magnetic force beneath said work surface.

102.A method according to claim 99, 100 or 101, further including the steps of positioning a spacer bar between said adjacent side of the endmost vane and said strip of face sheet material prior to securing said free edge of said strip of face S•sheet material to said first strip of adhesive and subsequently removing said spacer bar whereby a space will exist between said adjacent side and said strip of face sheet material after complete treatment of said endmost vane.

103.A method according to any one of claims 93 to 98, further including the steps of:- providing a strip of face sheet material connected to said opposite longitudinal edge of an endmost vane, said strip having free edge, said strip being substantially commensurate in length to that of said endmost vane and having a width slightly greater than the width of said endmost vane, positioning said strip of face sheet material in substantially parallel relationship to said endmost vane adjacent to said adjacent side of the endmost vane; applying a first strip of adhesive to said removed side along said folded longitudinal edge; wrapping said strip of face sheet material around said folded longitudinal edge and securing said strip of face sheet material to said first strip of adhesive; applying a second strip of adhesive to said removed side along said opposite longitudinal edge; and longitudinally folding said endmost vane upon itself and securing said strip of face sheet material to said second strip of adhesive along the connection of said strip of face sheet material to said removed side.

104.A method according to claim 103, further including the step of inserting longitudinally into said endmost vane, a folding strip having a width of approximately one-half the width of said endmost vane to facilitate the longitudinally folding.

105.A method according to claim 104, wherein said folding strip is non-ferrous and further including the steps of laying said endmost vane and strip of face sheet material on a work surface and laying a ferrous strip on said removed side of said endmost vane adjacent to said opposite longitudinal edge, said ferrous i strip having a width approximately one-half the width of said **.**endmost vane, and further including the step of providing a 15 magnetic force beneath said work surface to releasably secure said endmost vane between said ferrous strip and said work surface. S

106.An apparatus for fabricating a fabric for an architectural covering device, wherein said fabric includes a plurality of 20 elongated vanes interconnected by a sheet of material along parallel lines of connection, said apparatus having a vane forming section and a fabric forming section and comprising in combination: a first supply roll of a first sheet material having longitudinal side edges; a system for advancing said first sheet material along said vane forming section of the apparatus; a first adhesive applicator adapted to apply a bead of adhesive along at least one of said side edges of said first sheet material; a folder adapted to progressively fold the longitudinal side edges of said first sheet material until the side edges are adjacent to each other; -76- a second adhesive applicator adapted to apply a bead of adhesive along a line spaced inwardly a short distance from at least one of said longitudinal side edges; a compressor adapted to compress said longitudinal side edges together along the bead of adhesive applied by said second adhesive applicator so as to define a flap along each longitudinal side edge, at least one of said flaps having said bead of adhesive thereon applied by said first adhesive applicator; a cutter for cutting the folded first sheet of material into preselected lengths defining said vanes and advancing the vanes into the fabric forming section of the apparatus; a second supply roll of a second sheet material in said fabric forming S• section; 15 a removal system for removing said second sheet material and advancing it across said vanes; 4an inserter positioned adjacent to said second sheet material and a vane, said inserter being adapted to insert a section of said second sheet material between said flaps of the S. 20 vane; and a second compressor for squeezing said flaps together to pinch said second sheet material against said flaps, said bead of adhesive on at least one of said flaps securing the flaps on said vanes to said second sheet material.

107.Apparatus according to claim 106, further including a straightener adapted to remove any bow from the first sheet material prior to applying the beads of adhesive with said first adhesive applicator.

108.Apparatus according to claim 106 or 107, further including a creaser adapted to form parallel creases in said first sheet material before said second adhesive applicator places a bead of adhesive on said first sheet material. -77-

109.Apparatus according to claim 107 or 108, further including a creaser adapted to form parallel creases in said first sheet material after it has been straightened.

110.Apparatus according to claim 108 or 109, wherein said creaser is further adapted to form a longitudinal crease along a longitudinal central region of said first sheet material.

111.Apparatus according to claim 110, characterised in that parallel creases are formed in the opposite face of said first sheet material from said longitudinal crease.

112.Apparatus according to any one of claims 106 to 111, wherein said second adhesive applicator applies said bead of adhesive after said first sheet material has been folded by said folder.

113.A fabric for an architectural covering device substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

114.An architectural covering device substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

115.A method of fabricating a fabric for an architectural covering device substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings. ll6.An apparatus for fabricating a fabric for an architectural device substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings. DATED this 21st day of January, 2000 HUNTER DOUGLAS INTERNATIONAL N.V. Attorney: PHILLIP D. PLUCK Associate Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS