US20080017328A1

US20080017328A1 - Composite curtains

Info

Publication number: US20080017328A1
Application number: US11/490,588
Authority: US
Inventors: Yih-Ren Huang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-21
Filing date: 2006-07-21
Publication date: 2008-01-24

Abstract

Composite curtains embodying a plurality of rows of pleats located on upper portions of curtain units of curtains include that corresponding fastening members stitched to a front side and reverse side of two side edges of each of the curtain units. A draw pleat tape is located on a reverse side of an upper cover valance of an upper portion of the curtains, and a variable lower hem is located on a lower side of each of the curtain units. Two curtain units or more than two curtain units can be joined together to form curtains of an appropriate width by means of the fastening members. Furthermore, the draw pleat tape can be used to adjust width of the upper cover valance, and the variable lower hem can be used to adjust length of the curtain units, thereby enabling the curtains to match actual width of a variety of windows.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to composite curtains, and more particularly to a composite curtain structure that takes a curtain unit and manufactures a plurality of curtain units of fixed width specifications. Moreover, fastening members and a variable lower hem are respectively located on side edges of the curtain units. Furthermore, a draw pleat tape is located on a reverse side of an upper cover valance, thereby enabling assembly of two or more than two curtain units to achieve suitability for windows of various lengths and widths.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Curtains of prior art are structured from two curtains having the same measurements, pleats are located on a top portion of each of the curtains, and curtain hooks are located on top seams of the curtains. To fit such curtains, a rail is securely fixed to a top portion of an inner side of a window, and a plurality of pulley hooks are attached to the rail, whereupon each of the pulley hooks and the curtain hooks on the curtains are mutually fastened together. A cord can then be pulled to drag the pulley hooks and actuate the curtain hooks, thereby drawing the two curtains toward a center of the window, thus screening the light and covering the window therewith. Reverse pulling on the cord draws back the curtains toward the two sides of the window, thereby removing the shading effect from the window.
Because the shading effect resulting from drawing of conventional curtains is exceptionally good, patterns on curtain material easily unfold into view and are eye appealing, moreover, upon drawing back the curtains, the curtains can be completely tied at the sides of the window, and thus do not block light rays, consequently, such conventional curtains are still a perfectly practical product and well-liked by users, and therefore have not yet been withdrawn from markets. However, because width of windows of each household varies greatly, thus, there is a necessity for the curtains to be made to measure, and as such is a shortcoming of the conventional curtains. Furthermore, so-called DIY (Do It Yourself) curtains still require first measuring the width of the window, and then requesting an operator to cut an appropriate width of curtain material according to measurements of the window, whereafter a consumer carries the curtain material home and fits the curtains themselves (or the operator fits the curtains on behalf of the consumer). Consequently, a great deal of time is spent on on-the-spot cutting and producing the curtains, which is the primary shortcoming of conventional curtains. In addition, even though relatively wide curtains for a French window can be made to measure, however, because of the excessively large sized curtains, thus, the curtains are difficult to clean, which is yet another shortcoming.
In addition, so-called fixed DIY (Do It Yourself) curtains of prior art, as depicted in FIG. 7, pertain to a structure embodying a sewn up type configuration that prohibits detachment, and thus do not pertain to so-called composite curtains of the present invention. Furthermore, because the upper portion cannot be detached, thus, after assembly, indoor light is somewhat dimmed, and is not an ideal design for curtains, moreover, has lower practicability compared to composite curtains, hence is not an ideal curtain design.
The inventor of the present invention has seen that a general curtain rail embodies a configuration that is generally capable of being freely cut (or is extensible), however, the curtain material cannot be mass produced and does not provide for genuine DIY convenience, therefore producing high-grade composite curtains still necessitates the operator first taking measurements, and only then can cutting of the curtain material be carried out, which results in insufficient speed of production of the curtains, lost labor processing time and inability to mass-produce. Furthermore, oversized curtains are difficult to clean. The aforementioned principal shortcomings of prior art are, as of present, shortcomings that have not been effectively improved upon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a primarily objective of the present invention is to provide a structure comprising curtains having multiple widths, wherein a plurality of curtain hooks are sewn to top portions of each of the curtains, moreover, fastening members are located on two side edges of each of the curtains. A draw pleat tape is located on a reverse side of an upper cover valance of a top portion of the curtains; moreover, a variable lower hem is located on a lower side of the curtain units. Fitting of the curtains can be undertaken according to requirements, whereby an appropriate number of the curtain units (for instance, two curtain units, three curtain units, or a plurality of curtain units) can be mutually joined together to assemble a curtain material of substantially larger measurements using the fastening members, thereby assembling curtains having measurements suited to the width of the window. Furthermore, finely adjusting width of the upper cover valance by means of the draw pleat tape, and then increasing length of the variable lower hem completes assembly of the composite curtains, thereby eliminating on-the-spot cutting of curtain material by an operator, thus saving on labor costs and on-the-spot processing time. The aforementioned as described characterizes the present invention.
To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, the brief description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a structural view according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an assembled partial front view according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a multi-set assembled schematic view according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an assembled front view according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an embodiment depicting an upper cover valance and a draw pleat tape according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of the embodiment depicting a variable lower hem located on a lower edge of a curtain according to the present invention.

FIG. 6A shows an enlarged view of FIG. 6 depicting the variable lower hem according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a structural view of fixed type DIY (Do it Yourself) curtains of prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, which show a structure of composite curtains of the present invention primarily comprising more than one already stitched curtain unit having a plurality of different specifications, which are assembled to produce curtains of substantially larger measurements suitable for use on various windows therewith, wherein curtain units 10 and 40 of the present invention are primarily designed with a plurality of rows of pleats 11, 41 on top portions of the curtain units 10, 40 respectively, moreover, a plurality of curtain hooks 12, 42 are located on top portions of the pleats 11, 41 respectively according to requirements. The present invention is characterized in that:
Corresponding fastening members 20, 30 are stitched to a front side and a reverse side of two side edges of the curtains 10, 40 respectively, thereby enabling the two curtain units 10, 40 to be joined together to form curtains of appropriate width by means of the fastening members 20, 30 suited to shade width measurements of a window 70. The fastening members 20, 30 can be hook and loop fastening strips, zippers or hidden fasteners.
Furthermore, the curtain units 10, 40 can be of fixed specifications having identical widths or different widths.
In addition, if size of the window 70 has a width suitable for fitting of the curtain units 10, 40 having appropriate specific widths, then the curtain units can be the curtain units 10, 40 wherein the two side edges of each can be stitched with the fastening members 20, 30 or without the fastening members 20, 30.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of rows of buttons 50, 51 are separately located on the front sides of the two side edges of the curtain units 10 and 40 of the present invention, wherein embroidered fasteners as used in Chinese costumes are particularly preferred. After joining together the two curtain units 10 and 40 by means of the fastening members 20, 30, then the buttons 50, 51 are mutually fastened together. Thus, after drawing the curtain units 10 and 40, not only is superior shading of the window 70 achieved, moreover, the curtain units 10 and 40 are thoroughly beautiful and elegant in appearance.
Referring to FIG. 3, which shows a schematic view of an embodiment of an assemblage of a plurality of curtains according to the present invention comprising the two curtain units 10 and 40 and a curtain unit 60 of different widths, which are assembled by mutually fastening the fastening members 20, 30 to form half widths suitable for a large French window, and, which can be compositely joined by means of the plurality of buttons 50, 51 to complete the assemblage.
Referring to FIG. 5, which shows another embodiment of the structure of the composite curtains of the present invention comprising an upper cover valance 80 located on a top portion of an outer side of the curtains assembled from a plurality of curtain units. A draw pleat tape 81 is located on an inner side of the upper cover valance 80, and extending and shortening of the draw pleat tape 81 is used to adjust width of the upper cover valance 80, thereby enabling the curtains to perfectly match actual width of a variety of windows.
Furthermore, referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 6A, which show the structure of the composite curtains of the present invention, wherein a variable lower hem 14 is located on a lower side edge of the curtain unit 10. The variable lower hem 14 enables more than two fixed widths of a bottom end of the curtain unit 10 to be successively folded back. Moreover, each time the fixed width is folded back a fixing thread 141 is stitched to an upper edge of the folded back area. Accordingly, upon assembling the curtain unit 10, if a consumer discovers that length of the curtain unit 10 is too short, the consumer themselves can unthread one line or more than one line of fixing threads 141, thereby enabling the variable lower hem 14 to downwardly lengthen the curtain unit 10 by one or a plurality of fixed widths, thus achieving effectiveness of easily increasing length of the curtain units.
Because the present invention embodies a circumspective design, thus, the present invention is provided with the following advantages when in use:
1. Saving on labor costs: The present invention is assembled from a plurality of curtain units of different widths, which enables producing a variety of width measurements. Hence, there is only a need to produce curtain units of a plurality of standard widths during production, and the consumer can then make a choice to purchase the curtain units of different widths, wherewith composite curtains can be assembled therefrom. If the size of the window is exactly that of the standard widths of curtain units, then the purchased curtain units can be directly fitted to the window. If the size of the window is different from that of the standard widths of curtain units, then the consumer can make a choice to purchase two or more curtain units to combine and fit together as a set in order to produce the required width of curtains, thereby saving time on on-the-spot cutting and stitching, and saving on labor costs.
2. Beautiful and elegant in appearance: The present invention can be further designed with a row of corresponding male fastening members and female fastening members respectively located on the front sides of the two side edges of each of the curtain units, wherein embroidered fasteners as used in Chinese costumes are particularly preferred, and any two curtain units are mutually joined together by means of the fastening members to form curtains beautiful and elegant in appearance.
3. Convenience in cleaning: Because the present invention is of a composite configuration, thus each of the curtain units can be separately detached for cleaning purposes.
Because the inventor of the present invention continues to actively explore advancement in structure, as a first instance, the inventor has designed the composite curtains of the present invention embodying the aforementioned advantages, including saving on mass production costs, savings on on-the-spot processing time, ease of cleaning and having aesthetic appeal. The present invention thus assuredly complies with essential elements as required for a new patent application. Accordingly, a new patent application is proposed herein.
It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A composite curtains comprising more than one already stitched curtain unit assembled to produce curtains of substantially larger measurements, a plurality of rows of pleats are located on upper portions of the curtain units, moreover, a plurality of curtain hooks are located on top portions of the pleats according to requirements, and an upper cover valance is located on an outer side of the pleats on the upper portion of the curtains; and is characterized in that:

corresponding fastening members are stitched to a front side and a reverse side of two side edges of each of the curtain units, thereby enabling two adjacent curtain units to be joined together to form curtains of substantially greater width by means of the fastening members, moreover, a variable lower hem is located on a lower side of each of the curtain units, the variable lower hems enable more than two fixed widths of bottom ends of the curtain units to be successively folded back, and a fixing thread is stitched to an upper edge of each of the folded back areas, which can be used to adjust length of the curtain units, and

a draw pleat tape located on an inner side of the upper cover valance, the draw pleat tape is used to adjust width of the upper cover valance to perfectly match width of a variety of windows.

2. The composite curtains according to claim 1, wherein the curtains can be assembled from curtain units having identical widths.

3. The composite curtains according to claim 1, wherein the curtains can be assembled from curtain units having different widths.

4. The composite curtains according to claim 1, wherein the fastening members located on two side edges of the curtain units are respectively correspondingly fitted with a plurality of male fastening members and female fastening members.