NZ235089A

NZ235089A - Collapsible cellular window shade

Info

Publication number: NZ235089A
Application number: NZ23508990A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Kent V Anderson; Joseph E Cole; Darrell J Kutchmarek; Paul A Schneider; James H Stauffacher
Original assignee: Graber Inc
Priority date: 1989-10-05
Filing date: 1990-08-29
Publication date: 1992-10-28
Also published as: JPH03125781A; CA2024084A1; AU611346B1; GB9018645D0; GB2236551B; GB2236551A

Description

235089 . kQCpMV?^?.?-. .. . ! .• ■.•• »■ u .tS.OC.T .1982. f2><©l NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No.: Date: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION EXPANDABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR SHADE patent office 29AUGI990 t -r- RECEIVED 1/We, GRABER INDUSTRIES, INC., a corporation of the State of Delaware, U.S.A., having its principal place of business at 7549 Graber Road, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, U.S.A. hereby declare the invention for which I / we pray that a patent may be granted to me/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- (followed by page la) 9902 235 089 loi EXPANDABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR SHADE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The prior art discloses various cellular structures for windows and the like. U.S. Patents RE 30/254; RE 31,129; 4/450,027; and 4,603,072, disclose a cellular structure formed of a plurality of separate tubes or separate strips that are folded to a tubular configuration and adhered together one on top of the other to form longitudinally extending cells. U.S. Patents 4,288,485; 4,388,354 and 4,307,768, disclose a cellular structure formed from a plurality of separate sheets that are stacked and adhered together along spaced longitudinally extending bands to form longitudinally extending cells between adjacent sheets. U.S. Patents 4,631,217; 4,676,855; 4,677,012 and 4,677,013, disclose a cellular structure formed from a plurality of separate sheets that are longitudinally folded and adhered together such that each sheet forms a part of two adjacent cells. U.S. Patents 2,201,356; 4,625,786; 4,673,600 and 4,685,986, disclose a cellular structure formed from two folded sheets disposed at opposite sides of the shade and connected together at spaced locations. U.S. Patent to Brown 4,347,887 discloses a cellular structure formed from a continuous single sheet of material bonded to itself at spaced intervals to form a plurality of adjacent cells arranged in a double row of configuration and such that a 235 08 2 double row of cells have generally coplanar outer portions collectively forming a pair of generally parallel outer members and coplanar inner portions collectively forming a common intermediate member spaced between and generally 5 parallel to the outer members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION! It is the general object of the present invention to provide an expandable and collapsible cellular shade formed from a single web of foldable material, which is 10 collapsible to a compact condition and which has finished pleats at both sides of the shade when the shade is expanded.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an expandable and collapsible cellular shade comprising a 15 single web of foldable material folded alternately in opposite directions along permanently set first and second creased folds respectively disposed at first and second sides of the shade such as to form a stack of normally flat panels disposed in flat sidewise abutting relation 2Q and serially united in alternate succession along respective first and second creased folds. The panels have the same transverse width measured between the associated first and second creased folds and sidewise adjacent panels that are united along each of the first creased 25 folds have adjacent faces bonded together along a narrow first band parallel to and spaced from the associated first creased fold and sidewise adjacent panels that are united along each of the second creased folds have adjacent faces mounted together along a narrow second band 30 parallel to and spaced from the associated second creased fold. The panels are disposed in flat sidewise abutting relation when the shade is fully collapsed and the panels and the permanently set first and second creased folds 23 5 08 3 therebetween have sufficient strength and resilience to normally maintain an acute angle between the panels at the creased folds when the shade is expanded. Preferably, the first and second bands are respectively spaced from the 5 second and first creased folds a distance substantially equal to the spacing between the first and second bands.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a collapsible shade embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the shade on a larger scale 10 than Fig. 1 and illustrating the shade in an expanded condition; and Fig. 3 is an end view of the shade in a collapsed condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in the accompanying drawings, the expandable and collapsible shade designated generally by the numeral S is formed of a single web of foldable material that is folded alternately in opposite directions along sharp permanently set first and second creased folds designated 2o Fl an<3 F2 disposed at opposite sides of the shade such as to form a plurality of normally flat panels P that are serially united in alternate succession along respective first and second creased folds. The creased folds Fl and F2 are parallel to each other and are spaced apart a 25 uniform preselected distance so that the panels P have the same transverse width designated W in Figs. 2 and 3 between the associated first and second creased folds Fl and F2. The web can be formed of various different materials which are foldable and sufficiently stiff to retain y 3q permanently set creased folds. The web may, for example, be formed of suitable plastic film such as polyester film, or from woven and non-woven material formed from various fibers including natural and synthetic. In the present 235 089 4 shade, one side of the web will be exposed at one side of the completed shade and the opposite side of the web will be exposed at the opposite side of the completed shade.

J Thus, opposite sides of the web can advantageously be formed with different physical characteristics such as different colors or textures for different aesthetics, or with a light reflection or absorbent surface on one side , or the other for enhanced insulating characteristics.

' Sidewise adjacent panels that are united along each of the first creased folds have adjacent faces bonded together along a narrow first band designated Bl that is parallel to and spaced a predetermined distance designated Dl in Figs. 2 and 3 from the associated first creased fold, and the sidewise adjacent panels that are united along each of 15 the second creased folds F2 have adjacent faces bonded together along a narrow second band B2 that is parallel to and spaced the same distance Dl from the associated second crease fold, where Dl is greater than one-half the width W of the panels and less than the full width of the panels. 20 The distance Dl is preferably preselected so as to be about two-thirds the width of the panels so that the distance designated D2 in Figs. 2 and 3 between the bands Bl and the fold lines F2 and the similar distance D2 between the bands B2 and the fold lines Fl is about one-25 third the width of the panels. Stated otherwise, the first and second bands Bl and B2 are respectively spaced from the second and first creased fold lines F2 and Fl a ) distance substantially equal to the spacing between the first and second bands Bl and B2. Bands Bl and B2 are 30 formed by a suitable adhesive and are preferably made relatively narrow, for example of the order of one-eighth inch or less.

The sidewise adjacent panels P are normally flat and 235 089 are collapsible into a compact stack in flat sidewise abutting relation as shown in Fig. 3 and, when the shade is expanded, the sidewise adjacent panels that are united along the first crease folds and bonded together along the 5 first bands define a first row of cells Cl therebetween and the sidewise adjacent panels that are united along the second creased folds F2 and bonded along the second bands B2 define a second row of cells C2 therebetween, with the first and second rows of cells Cl and C2 overlapping in 10 the area between the first and second bands.

In order to facilitate mounting and expanding and collapsing the shade in a window opening, one end of the shade is attached to a head member designated HM and the other end of the shade is attached to a bottom member BM. 15 The panels P are formed with one or more rows of openings designated O at a location intermediate the bands Bl and B2, and a lift cord means L is attached to one of the members such as the bottom member BM and extends through the row or rows of openings and over guides G on the head-20 rail.

In making the shade, the web of material is first folded and creased along the first and second fold lines Fl and F2 to form a stack of flat panels in flat sidewise abutting relation. Adhesive bands are advantageously 25 applied after the web is folded and creased, by separating the panels between adjacent creased folds to allow application of the adhesive band to one or both of the separated panels.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construc-30 tion of the expandable and collapsible cellular shade will be readily understood. The shade is formed from a single web of material with the permanently creased fold lines Fl and F2 disposed as opposite sides of the shade to provide n 235 0 8 finished pleats at both sides of the shade when the shade is expanded and improved stacking when the shade is collapsed. The creased folds form a unitary connection between adjacent panels and contribute to support of the 5 lower portions of the shade when the shade is expanded. Further, since opposite sides of the web of material are exposed at opposite sides of the completed shade, opposite sides of the web can be preformed to provide different S aesthetic and/or thermal characteristics at opposite sides of the completed shade. Spacing the adhesive bands Bl and B2 from the associated creased fold lines Fl and F2 about two-thirds the width of the panels, allows maximum shade expansion and narrow adhesive bands Bl and B2 between adjacent panels provides a double row of overlapping cells 15 Cl and C2 having a generally diamond shaped configuration when the shade is expanded. The lift cords extend down through the panels between the adhesive bands Bl and B2 and are concealed from both sides of the shade. r 35089

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A selectively expandable and collapsible cellular 5 shade comprising, a single web of foldable material folded alternately in opposite directions along permanently set first and second creased folds respectively disposed at first and second sides of the shade such as to form a stack of normally flat panels disposed in flat sidewise » 10 abutting relation and serially united in alternate succes sion along respective first and second creased folds, the panels having the same transverse width W between the associated first and second crease folds, sidewise adjacent panels that are united along each of the first 15 creased folds having adjacent faces bonded together along a narrow first band parallel to and spaced a distance Dl from the associated first creased fold and sidewise adjacent panels that are united along each of the second creased folds having adjacent faces bonded together along 20 a narrow second band parallel to and spaced a distance Dl from the associated second creased fold, where Dl is greater than .5W and less than W, the panels being in flat sidewise abutting relation when the shade is fully col-J lapsed, and the panels and the permanently set first and 25 second creased folds therebetween having sufficient strength and resilience to normally maintain an acute angle between the panels at the creased folds when the shade is expanded to define pleats at the first and second 'j sides of the expanded shade, the sidewise adjacent panels 30 that are united along the first creased folds and bonded together along the first band defining a first row of cells therebetween and the sidewise adjacent panels that are united along the second creased folds and bonded A 'V c ft 8 SEP 1992 ''! ;■ 3 5 0 9 together along the second bands defining a second row of cells therebetween, with the first and second rows of cells overlapping in an area between the first and second bands.

2. A selectively expandable and collapsible cellular shade according to claim 1 wherein Dl is approximately two-thirds W.

3. A selectively expandable and collapsible cellular shade according to claim 1 wherein the first and second 10 bands are respectively spaced from the second and first creased folds a distance substantially equal to the spacing between the first and second bands.

4. An expandable and collapsible cellular shade according to claim 1 wherein the panels have at least one 15 row of openings therethrough at a location intermediate the first and second bands, and cord means extending through said row of openings.

5. An expandable and collapsible cellular shade according to claim 3 wherein the panels have at least one 2 0 row of openings therethrough at a location intermediate the first and second bands, and cord means extending through said row of openings.

6. A selectively expandable and collapsible cellular / shade substantially as herein described with reference to 25 any embodiment disclosed in the accompanying drawings. ' /'//vf ■* - •1 A*'?.*-1":. A. fiJJf f-. -Wi, 30 ' Crn; i-!' / fi TK 18 SEP}992 " " •: '-' J