Drapery Rings and System

This application is a continuation-in-part application of and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 17/343,987 filed Jun. 10, 2021 and titled DRAPERY RINGS AND SYSTEM, which is a continuation-in-part application of and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 17/298, 152 filed May 28, 2021 and tiled BIRDCAGE PINCH PLEAT AND RIPPLEFOLD DRAPERY ATTACHMENT SYSTEM, which is a national filing international application under 35 USC 371 of international application number PCT/US2020/050180 filed Sep. 10, 2020 and titled BIRDCAGE PINCH PLEAT AND RIPPLEFOLD DRAPERY ATTACHMENT SYSTEM, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/899,930 filed Sep. 13, 2019 and titled BIRDCAGE PINCH PLEAT AND RIPPLEFOLD DRAPERY ATTACHMENT SYSTEM, each of which is fully incorporated by reference herein along with any related applications such as continuations, continuation-in-parts, divisionals, provisionals, foreign applications, or any other related application. This application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/038, 156 filed Jun. 12, 2020, and titled DRAPERY RINGS AND SYSTEM, which is fully incorporated by reference herein.

This disclosure relates to window coverings. More specifically and without limitation, this disclosure relates to drapery window coverings.

Architectural coverings, such as curtains, shades, draperies, and the like are frequently used to provide privacy as well as to limit the amount of light that is permitted to pass through a window and into a room and/or building. There are countless types, forms, and designs of architectural coverings known in the art. The term architectural covering is used to describe any and all of these types, forms, and designs including blinds, shades, draperies, and the like.

One form of architectural covering of particular interest in this application is commonly referred to as a drapery. Common components of drapery include a support rod connected at its ends to brackets and shade material connected to and hanging down from the support rod. Drapery shades can include blackout shades and shear shades, which can be independently opened and controlled by laterally sliding them along the support rod. Some drapery systems provide in motorized operation of drapery shades.

In the field of window coverings, there is a long-felt need for a motorized drapery capable of flawless, smooth, and quiet operation. Users demand flawless operation, meaning that the drapery must open and close as desired all the time. Users also desire smooth and quiet opening and closing of the shade material. In practice, it has been seen that achieving flawless operation is challenging. In practice, it has been seen that achieving flawless operation that is smooth and quiet is even more difficult. For example, it has been discovered that during operation of a drapery support rod system, rings tend to wobble and/or tilt as they move along the length of a drapery support rod. Such wobbling and tilting of rings tend to negatively affect the operation of drapery support rod system.

Noise can occur as the rings move between a normal, wobbled, and/or tilted orientations during operation. As rings wobble and/or tilt on drapery support rod, operational characteristics of drapery support rod system are affected. For instance, the amount of bind and/or friction between rings and drapery support rod tends to increase as the angle of wobbling and/or tilting increases. Such increased friction can cause increased noise, increased wear on parts of the drapery support rod system, increased current draw by a motor (which reduces battery life in battery powered arrangements), and/or failure of one or more system components. In extreme cases, excessive wobbling and/or tilting of rings can cause rings to bind, lock and/or cinch onto a drapery support rod, which can cause a full stop of the rotation of drapery support rod, thereby causing a full stop of the opening and/or closing of shade material, which is highly undesirable. Alternatively, if rings bind, lock, and/or cinch onto the drapery support rod, drapery may be wrapped around drapery support rod as it continues to rotate, which is extremely undesirable, and can even be dangerous.

Thus, it is a primary object of the disclosure to provide a drapery support rod system that improves upon the state of the art and provides superior operation by smoothing the movement of the rings across the drapery support rod.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that facilitates quiet operation.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that facilitates smooth operation.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that prevents and/or reduces the ability for rings to catch and/or bind on the rotating drapery support rod.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that reduces the level of friction between the rings and the rotating drapery support rod.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that reduces wobbling and/or tilting of rings during operation.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that can be manually operated as well as operated by motorization.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that can be used with any shade material.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that facilitates robust operation.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that helps to guide and stabilize the rings over features in the rotating drapery support rod.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that helps to reduce light gaps.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that is relatively inexpensive and/or affordable.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that has a minimum number of parts.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that is easy to use.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to provide a drapery support rod system that is simple in design.

These and other objects, features, and/or advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specification, claims, and drawings.

A drapery support rod system is presented having a drapery support rod extending a length from a first end to a second end. The drapery support rod is connected to a structure by a pair of brackets. The drapery support rod has a cylindrical shape with an exterior surface. Rings are positioned around the drapery support rod that are used to connect shade material to the drapery support rod. The rings have an upper end with an interior surface that is configured to fit closely around the exterior surface of the drapery support rod in a manner configured to facilitate smoother and quieter travel of the rings across the surface of the drapery support rod.

In one or more embodiments, a ring has an upper end, a lower end, a front end, a rear end, and opposing sides. The ring has an exterior surface and an interior surface and forms hollow interior. When viewed from one of the opposing sides, the ring having an oval shape that is elongated between the upper end and the lower end. The oval shape has a first diameter at the upper end and having a second diameter at the lower end that is larger than the first diameter.

In one or more embodiments, the ring includes an exterior member and an interior member. The interior member is configured to fit around the drapery support rod and fit within the exterior member.

In one or more embodiments, the exterior member has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior member has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The exterior surface of the exterior member forms the exterior surface of the ring. The interior surface of the interior member forms the interior surface of the ring. The interior surface of the exterior member is operably connected to the exterior surface of the interior member.

In one or more embodiments, the exterior member has an upper end aligned with an upper end of the interior member. The exterior member has a lower end aligned with a lower end of the interior member.

In one or more embodiments, the exterior member is formed from a first material and the interior member is formed from a second material that is different from the first material. In some embodiments, the second material is self-lubricating and the second material is non-self-lubricating. In some embodiments, the exterior member and support rod are formed from the first material. In some embodiments, the first material is a metal and the second material is a plastic.

In one or more embodiments, the ring has an attachment member. The attachment member is configured to connect with an upper edge of a shade material.

In some embodiments, the attachment member includes a loop member configured and arranged for connecting to a drapery pin. In some embodiments, the attachment member includes an adapter member configured to operably connect with the loop member.

In one or more embodiments, the adapter has a left channel and a right channel. The left channel and the right channel are configured to receive a drapery pin. When the drapery pin is positioned within the left channel the drapery pin is held in a generally left-angled alignment to the center axis of the ring. When the drapery pin is positioned within the right channel the drapery pin is held in a generally right-angled alignment to the center axis of the ring.

In one or more embodiments, the left-angled alignment is approximately forty-five degrees from the perpendicular alignment. In some embodiments, the right-angled alignment is approximately forty-five degrees from the perpendicular alignment. In some embodiments, when a pinch pleat drapery is used, the drapery pin is connected to a loop member of the ring. In some embodiments, when a ripplefold drapery is used, the drapery pin is positioned in the left channel and/or the right channel.

In one or more embodiments, the ring includes a connection member. The connection member is configured to receive a lead that is configured to space the ring from adjacent rings.

In one or more embodiments, the support rod includes a helical guide structure on the exterior surface of the support rod. An interior member of the ring includes one or more guide members configured to engage with the helical guide structure in a manner causing the ring to move a shade material laterally to a closed position in response to rotation of the support rod in a first direction and move the shade material lateral to an open position in response to rotation of the support rod in a second direction. In some embodiments, the one or more guide members include a first guide member extending from the interior surface of the internal member at the upper end of the internal member.

In some embodiments, the interior member of the ring includes a circular arm member extending from one side of upper end of the interior member around drapery support rod to the other side of upper end of the interior member.

In the following detailed description of the embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. The embodiments of the present disclosure described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present disclosure. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the principles and scope of the invention. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures. For instance, although aspects and features may be illustrated in and/or described with reference to certain figures and/or embodiments, it will be appreciated that features from one figure and/or embodiment may be combined with features of another figure and/or embodiment even though the combination is not explicitly shown and/or explicitly described as a combination. In the depicted embodiments, like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the various drawings.

It should be understood that any advantages and/or improvements discussed herein may not be provided by various disclosed embodiments, and/or implementations thereof. The contemplated embodiments are not so limited and should not be interpreted as being restricted to embodiments that provide such advantages and/or improvements. Similarly, it should be understood that various embodiments may not address all or any objects of the disclosure and/or objects of the invention that may be described herein. The contemplated embodiments are not so limited and should not be interpreted as being restricted to embodiments that address such objects of the disclosure and/or invention. Furthermore, although some disclosed embodiments may be described relative to specific materials, embodiments are not limited to the specific materials and/or apparatuses but only to their specific characteristics and capabilities and other materials and apparatuses can be substituted as is well understood by those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure. Moreover, although some disclosed embodiments may be described in the context of window treatments, the embodiments are not so limited. In is appreciated that the embodiments may be adapted for use in other applications which may be improved by the disclosed structures, arrangements and/or methods.

It is to be understood that the terms such as “left, right, top, bottom, front, back, side, height, length, width, upper, lower, interior, exterior, inner, outer, and the like as may be used herein, merely describe points of reference and do not limit the present invention to any particular orientation and/or configuration.

As used herein, “and/or” includes all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, such that “A and/or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A as well as B,” unless it is clearly indicated that only a single item, subgroup of items, or all items are present. The use of “etc.” is defined as “et cetera” and indicates the inclusion of all other elements belonging to the same group of the preceding items, in any “and/or” combination(s).

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include both the singular and plural forms, unless the language explicitly indicates otherwise. Indefinite articles like “a” and “an” introduce or refer to any modified term, both previously-introduced and not, while definite articles like “the” refer to a same previously-introduced term; as such, it is understood that “a” or “an” modify items that are permitted to be previously-introduced or new, while definite articles modify an item that is the same as immediately previously presented. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, characteristics, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not themselves preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, characteristics, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof, unless expressly indicated otherwise. For example, if an embodiment of a system is described at comprising an article, it is understood the system is not limited to a single instance of the article unless expressly indicated otherwise, even if elsewhere another embodiment of the system is described as comprising a plurality of articles.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected,” “coupled,” “mated,” “attached,” “fixed,” etc. to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected,” “directly coupled,” etc. to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). Similarly, a term such as “communicatively connected” includes all variations of information exchange and routing between two electronic devices, including intermediary devices, networks, etc., connected wirelessly or not.

It will be understood that, although the ordinal terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited to any order by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another; where there are “second” or higher ordinals, there merely must be that many number of elements, without necessarily any difference or other relationship. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments and/or methods.

Similarly, the structures and operations discussed below may occur out of the order described and/or noted in the figures. For example, two operations and/or figures shown in succession may in fact be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. Similarly, individual operations within example methods described below may be executed repetitively, individually, and/or sequentially, to provide looping and/or other series of operations aside from single operations described below. It should be presumed that any embodiment and/or method having features and functionality described below, in any workable combination, falls within the scope of example embodiments.

As used herein, the disclosure is shown and described as being used in association with a window covering, however the disclosure is not so limiting. Instead, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the disclosed embodiments, presented herein, can be applied to various other devices, without limitation. The system is merely shown and described as being used in association with a window covering for ease of description and as one of countless examples.

As used herein, the term window covering refers to any covering such as a blind, drapery, roller shade, venetian blind, or the like, used especially in association with windows. This term is in no way meant to be limiting. Instead, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the system presented herein can be applied to any window covering, without limitation.

With reference to the figures, a drapery system(or simply system) is presented. Systemis formed of any suitable size, shape, and design and is configured to facilitate the attachment of shade material, which may be either a pinch pleat drapery, a ripplefold drapery, and/or other drapery known in the art, to a drapery support rodand facilitate opening and closing of shade material, while providing an appealing aesthetic appearance as well as smooth, quiet, and effective operation.

In the arrangement shown, as one example, the systemincludes: drapery support rod, ringshaving an exterior surface, interior surface, sides, hollow interior, a connection member, shade attachment member, and/or a shade material, among other parts, components and features as are described herein. In one or more arrangements, drapery support rodis connected to brackets positioned at or near the outward endsandof drapery support rod, and/or at a center pointof drapery support rod, that connect drapery support rodto the structure that supports drapery support rodsuch as the wall of a building and/or house.

With reference to the figures, in one or more arrangements, systemis configured to be used in association with a drapery support rod. Drapery support rodmay be formed of any suitable size, shape, and design and is configured to support the shade material(e.g., pinch pleat draperyand/or ripplefold drapery) while allowing rings connected to the upper edgeof shade materialto be moved between an opened position and a closed position.

Drapery support rodmay be any form of a rotating member such as a rod, tube, threaded bar, and/or the like. In the arrangement shown, as one example, drapery support rodis a generally elongated member that extends a length between a first endand a second endand has a generally cylindrical exterior surface. However, any other size, shape and design is hereby contemplated such as square, rectangular, oval, hexagonal, octagonal, and/or any other shape, as well as decorative shapes therein such as rope-shaped, ridged, grooved, and/or any other shape or configuration.

In the arrangement shown, as one example, drapery support rodincludes a helical guideextending along the exterior surfaceof the drapery support rod. Helical guidecan either be grooves, indentations, protrusions, threads and/or any other feature or the like, as is described herein. Helical guidemay be ground and/or machined into the surface of drapery support rod, cast into the surface of drapery support rodwhen formed, created by deforming the drapery support rod, deposited onto the surface of drapery support rod, and/or created by any other means and/or methods known in the art. In one or more embodiments, helical guidemay be created, for example, by applying high pressure to the exterior surfacewhile rotating the drapery support rodto deform the material along the helical path. In some implementations, the deformation creates a helical indentation in the exterior surfaceof the drapery support rodand a helical protrusion in the interior surfaceof the drapery support rod.