Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~242~
WI~`JDOr.`7 ~ADE, Al`~ rT~OD ~ D
Al'PAF~TUS FOi?. ?'I.A~IUFP.C~U~I~TG S~
This 7nvention related to the window shade art, and
specifically to a new and improved ~indow shade, a method
of manufacturing a new and improved window shade, and
apparatus for the manufacture of window shades.
Window shade~ are convéntionally available for
purchase in a single width of continuous, uninterrupted
sheet material from the upper or top ed~e, which ls
con~entionally attached to a xoller assem~ly, to ~he
bottom or lower edge which is conventionally formed
into a pocket having a slat therein. It is necessa~y
or~the purchaser to know the exact dimer.sion between
the sides of the window f~ame to which the window shade
is ~o be attached at the time of purchase. ~fter
making allowance for clearance, so that the window shade,
after installa~ion, wil~ run free, the exac~ required
width of the window shade to be purchased can be ~educed.
5irce the required shade width is seldom the
same as .he width of the window shade asse~bly carried
in stoc~ ~y the retail outlets, the shade assembly
normally ~ust be cut to width by the vendor's personnel
at the time of purchase by use of special, rather bulky,
and space consuming equipment located near the point
of sale.
As a conseauence, personnel must be available to
interpret the purchaser's requirements, which require- -
ments, with respect to width, are frequently so~ewhat
vague and indeflnite, and have th~ mechanical ability
ana time to operate the a~oresaid special sha~e cuttin
equipment.
. ~ - 2 - 114~Z3
To the a~ove requirement is added the possibility
tha,, despite the care taken by the vendor's personnel
in the width cutting of the window shade, the product
which is sized to width at the time of purchase is, all
too frequently, too long or too short, and the purchasing
process becomes a source of customer dissatisfaction
through no ault of the vendor.
Frequently a window shade vendor will stock a
number of different widths o~ shade so that a five
foot sh~e need not be altered to produce a ~1 inch
window shade, thereby reducing the cost to the cons~..er
somewhat by roughly initially matching the unaltered
shade wid~h to the~ customer's:re~uired width. Eowever,
although '~his results in a cost saving from the
standpoint of conserva~ion of material, the other
dis~vantages of high labor costs, investmen~ in
shaa~ cutting equipment, use o~ valuable m,erchandising
space for the cutting equipment, availability of
trained personnel, somewhat limited selection of
window shades, and a potential for customer dissatis-
faction are all present e~en when a plurality of basic
widths ar- stocked.
SUM~ Y OF TU~ I~7F~;iTTo7-~J
The primary objects o the invention are to provide a
sheet member especially adapted for use in window shade
assemblies which are easy to purchase and install properlv
by the consumex, thereby eliminatinq all of ~he afore~entione~
disadvantages of corventional windo~J shade assem~lies, a
method of manufacturina such a wln~o~i shade, and apparatus
for manufacturing a window shade.
114~9L23
- 3 ~
These objects are accomplished by providins a sheet
member formed ~rom a material having the characteristics,
with respect to strength, formability and shape retention,
of plastic, which sheet member, by reason of the
formation of one or more continuous cut lines, the
penetration of which are controlled to rather carefully
defined parameters, can be quic~ly and accurately sized
to width at the time of installation by the final user.
~ DESCRIPTIO~ OF T~E I~VEMTION
': . . -
~he invention is illustrated more or less
diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates the step of sizi~g the window
shade asse~bly of this invention during the installation
process by the.final user, which, in this instance is
shown to be a home~dweller;
Figure 2 illustrates the subsequent step of stripping
the~window shade assembly to its proper width fo1lowing
the sizi~g step;
Figure 3 illustrates the subse~uent step of
preparing means for se-uring the upper end portion of .
the sheet member of the window shade assembly to 2 roller
assem~ly;
Figure 4 illustrates the sub3equent step of
securing the upper end portion of the sheet memke~ to
the roller assembly;
~42~
-- 4
Figure 5 i;lust ates the step of inser~ing slat
means into the lower end portion of the window shade
assembl~;
Figure 6 is a top view o a portion of the sheet
material from which a window shade is formed;
Figure 7 is a view taken substantially along the
line 7-7 of Figure 6 with depth dimension shown to
an enlaxged scale, ~
Figur 8 is a~view taken substantially along the
~line 8-8 o~ Figurè 6 with the depth dimension shown to
an enlar~ed scale;
..
Figure g is a view taken substantially along the
line 9-9 ~f Figure 6 with-the depth dlmension shown to
an enlarged scale;
Figure 10 is a schematic view of an essential step
in the unique method of manu~acture of the window shade
of the invention; ~ -
Figure 11 is a detailed view to an enlarged scale
of the cutting operation in the shade manufacturing
method illustrated in Figure 10;
Figure 12 is an exploded, perspective view of the
cutting apparatus illustrated in Figure 10 and 11; and
Figure 13 is an end vie~J of the cutting apparatus
illustrated in Figures 10 through 12 inclusive.
Like reference ~.umerals will be used to re~er to
like parts from Figure to Figuxe of the drawing.
Z~23
In Figure 1 through.5 inclusive, the new and
improved window shade of this invention, and its method of
installation by the final user, are ill~strated.
In Figure 1 a window frame to which the improved
window shade of this invention is to be secured is indicated
generally at 10, the frame consisting of left side frame
member 11, right side frame member 12 and top rame member
13. Conventional window shade brackets are indicated at
14 and 15, riyht bracket 15 being adapted to receive a conventional
flatted end pin of a window shade roller assembly, and left
bracket 14 being adapted to receive a conventional round
end pin.
The window shade assembly is indicated generally at
: ) 17. It i~cludes a sheet member, indicated generally at 18,
a telescopic roller assembly, indicated generally at
19 and a slat assembly, indicated generally at 20.
. The sheet member 18 is formed from a material
having the characteristics, with respect to compressibility,
strength ~nd forma~ility, of plastic~ One suitable material
;20 i5 polyvinyl chloride, although other materials such as
polyethylene,~polypropylene and other polyole~ins may be used. Also the
~ roduct k.nown as-~ r*j a polyester ~ prc~uoed b~.E I~ Pu~ont de Nemours Inc.,
: may, L~cer~in circ~*2X~s be employed. Fo.r.the:pL~se o~ f~er descr~ption
it will ~e assumed ~hat a polyvinyl chloride flexible sheet
material whose thickness lies in the range of from about 3.5
mils to about 8 mils will be used. It should be understood
however that the thickness, or depth, of the material rom
which the sheet member is formed ma~ be somewhat thinner,
or somewnat t~icker than the above mentioned range,
,0 *Trade mark
......... .
~2~Z3
dependent upon other factors, such as cost, handling ability,
side strength, and cutting ability, all as will appear hereinafter.
Irrespective of what plastic type material is
employed however the material will have a plastic memory
whereby the material, when deformed, as by cutting to a
depth less than the thickness of the material, tends to
return to its original configuration.
The telescopic roller assembly illustrated in
Figure lconsists of an outer, larger diameter section 22
and an inner, smaller diameter section 23. The inner
section 23 is received within the outer section 22, and
the inner section 23 is slideable with respect to the
outer section 22 so that the overall length dimension of
the telescopic roller assembly (which represents the width
of the window shade) may be adjusted as needed. As indicated
in Figure 1, the left portion 24 of the upper end portion 25
o-f the sheet member 18 is affixed to the outer, larger diameter
roller section 22 by any suitable means, and, in this
instance, is wrapped once there around.
The right portion 26 of the upper end portion of
the sheet member is not connected to the telescoping roller
assembly at the commencement of the sizing operation in
the installation process, for purposes which will be
explained hereinafter.
The left end of the outer roller section 22 includes
a conventional flatted end pin assembly 28, and the right
end portion of the inner roller section includes conventional
round end pin assembly 27. The telescopic roller assembly includes a
,~
, ~ '
Z423 --
conventional s:h~ce ~otor assem~ly, but since the con-
struction and op--ation of the shade motor is conven~ional,
it is not illustrated or described.
The lower end portion of the sheet member has been
doubled back and fastened to itselr to form a slat pocket,
indicated generally at 30, in which a slat assembly 31 i5
received. Any suitable means ~.ay be employed to secure
the doubled back edge of the sheet me~ber to the body of
the sheet member. In this instance a plurality of heat
seals h~ve been employed, indicated at 32j which hea.t
seal locations are carefully selecte2 as will be
apparent hereina~ter.
-
In ~he sizing ~tep illustrated in Figure 1, tkeinstaller, here a home dweller, is holding the telescopic
roller 2sse~bly up to the window snade brackets l4 and 15
in order to size the shade. The inner telescopic roller
section 23 is then slide inwardly, or to the left as viewed
in Figure l, 7 nt~ the outer telescopic roller section 22
in order to correctly adjust the overall length o~ the
.
telescopic roller assembly, and thereby the ~Jidth o~
the shade. Preferably the telescopic roller assembly is
p1aced in the brackets 14 and 15 to ensure correct sizins.
Thereafter the roller is removed rrom the brac~et
without charging the relative posi~ions of the inner and
outer telescoping roller sections. The window shade is
then placed or. a flat sur~ace such as a table or a ~loor
as indicated in Fiaure 2.
Peerring now io ~i~ure 2 i. will be noted that
23
right portion 26 o,- the upper end portion 25 of the shade
~2S a series o- _abs ~ormed therein, two of whicn are
indicated at 34 and 35. ~ach taD is formed by a cut
which extends completely through the material fro~ ~Jhich
the sheet member is formed, com~encing from the top edge.
As will be explainecl in detail hereinafter each
tab actually represents the terminus of a contLnuous cut
line which is formed within the ~odY of the flexible
material, each tab being de~ined by the ends o~ the cut
lines. ~ach cut line extends c~n~inuously from the upper
end portion of the sheet membar to the lower edge, and
penetrates inwardly from one surface of the sheet member
a distanre less than the thic~ness o~ the shee~ me~er.
'' ' ~ '
Typical depth O,c penetration ir a material havin~
a thickness of about 3-1/2 mils to about 8 ~ils is 1.5
mils to 1.75 mils. It should be un~erstocd however
that peretrations of greater or lesser depth may be
employed, the only requirement being that the depth
of penet~ation of the continuous cut line be sufficient
to enable the excess material to be peeled or stripped
easily, and that the depth of material lying between ,~ '~
bottom o~ the continuous cut and the other side o~ the
shade ha~ sufficient stren~th to resis~ deformation o~
the shéet member when exposed to normal manufacturir.g,
transportation and handling stresses to which thP sheet
member may be subjectea prior to and ~uring final
installation.
As illustrated in Fi~ure 2 the installer ha~
determined that the cut line ~hich lies bet~le~n tahs
3~ and 35 repre~en.s the correct shade width, and,
accordingly, a'~er grasping the sheet member ~o the le~t of
the cut line wit'n one hand, and to the right of the cut
line with the other hand, the excess material, represented
at 38, is being stripped away.
. The heat seals 3~ are located between adiacent
continuous cut lines. Accordingly, when the pe~ling .
action reaches the bottom of the shade, the installer,
-with the exercise of reasonable care, is ahle.to tear
around the slat pocket so that the entire excess portion
38 may be easily removed. It will be understood o
course that the slat assembly 31 will have been removed
prior to the stripping of the excess por~ion of the
sheet mem~er.
.
A~ter the sheet member has been stripped to its
proper width, the installer pulls a protective paper
strip 40 away ~rom an adhesive substance 41 which is
coated on the inner seotio~ 23 or the telescopic roller
assembly as best illustrated in ~igure 3. The protecti~e
paper strip is peeled away only to the point where the
right edg~ of outer telescopic roller section 22 besins.
After the protecti~e paper strip is peeled zway
~, ~
the remaining unattached portion of the upper end portion
of the sheet member is ~7rapped aroun2 the inner telescopic
roller section 23 and secured thereto by means of the
adhesive 41, as ~est illustrated in Figure 4.
Therea~ter the slat assem~ly 20 is reinserted in
the slat pocket 30.
-- 10 --
The window shade i~ now inser.ed in brackets 14 an~ 15
and is ready fo- ~se.
Referring no~t to Figures fi, 7, 8 and 9, the construction
of the body of the sheet member of ~he ~indo~ shade is
illustrated in greater detail.
From an examination of those Figures it will be noted
that the shade is maae from a typical embossed material,
with the result that high points and low points appear; in
this instance,- high points and low points appear in both
the upper surface and-the lower surfaSe or the shade.
Specifical1y, and éreerrlng to Figures 6 and 8, --
it will be noted that a series of ele~ated areas a~pear
as a result of ridges 43, and a series of low poin~s are
formed as a result of the valleys 44 which are formed
between ad~acent ridgges 43. The under surfa~e tor ex~erior
side wh~n installed in the braokets 14 and 15) re1ect,s
high poin.s and low point.s which are the opposite of those
describea in connection with the top (or, when ins~alled,)
interior surface of the sheet member.
As will be noted ~rom Figure 9, the shade may be em~ossed
in the direction of the drop of the shade as w~ll as the
direction of th~ width as illustrated in ~igures 6 and 8.
In Figure 9, a rather substan~ial depression i5
formed in the sheet member as a result of the embossing
of a major rib 45, the ex~erior surface of the sheet memb2r
including a rather deep impression, indicated a~ 46.
The cut lines referred to above are illustrated best
in Figurés 7, 8 and 9.
423
Reerring 'irst ro Figure 7, the sheet member is
indicated in its condition prior to ~he stripping to
width operation illustrated in ~igure ~.
A series of cut lines 4~, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54
and 55 are formed in the body of the sheet member adjacent
one side, here right side edge 56. It will be noted that cut
lines 48-55 are straigkt and parallel to one another, and
right sidQ edge S6 is parallel to the closes cut line 5S.
Referring now to Figure 7, it will be noted that
each of cuts 48-55 penetrate downwaraly from top surface
57 of the sheet member 18 a su~stantially equal distance.
Thus, an ~cut thickness 58 exis~s between the bottom 59
of each cut and tne lower surface 60 of shee~ member 18.
As can be appreciated from ~iguxes 1-4, the cuts
extend c~mpletely through the flexible sheet material for
a short ~istance a~ the upper end of the sheetn If
desired, cu~s may be made at the lower end thereof~
As best seen in Figures l, 2, an~ 3, the result o~ ~hrough
cutting is the series of tabs, two or which are indicated
at 34 an~ 35.
The pu~pose of forming tabs in at leas one end of
the flexi~le sheet me~ber are, firstly, to provide an
indication to the consumer as ~o where the material should
be grasped to facilitate a subseauent sizing to width by
stripping, and, secondly, to facilitate the commencement of
the stripping action.
Referring specifically now .o F~ure 8, t~e condition
of the shee~ mem~er is illustrated after the sheet member
. - ~
- 12 -
;nas been forme~ to its final size by tearin~ along a cutline, such as cut line 50, which is located ~etween tabs 34
and 35. As can be appreciated, the portion of the sheet
member to the right of cut line 50 has been determined 'to be
excess material, and the user, after grasping the sheet ~.ember
on either side of cut line 50, and preferably at tabs 34 and
35, has stripped the sheet along cut line 50, thereby severing
th~ portion of the sheet member to the right o~ cut line 50.
The sevexed area which corresponds to the uncut thickness 58,
is illustrated, in a greatly exag~erated form for pur~oses
of illus~ration at 61. Since the thickness of the sheet
member is only a f,ew mils, i~ will be appreciated that ~he
severed area 61 is,'for all practLcal purposes, not detectable
by the hu~n eye.
Figures 10 ~hrough 13 illus~rate a unique me~hod of
.
manufacturing the window illustrated in Figures 1-9, and
apparatus or manufacturing the shade.
In Figure 10 a source of supply of the flexible sheet
material rom which the sheet members 18 are formed is
indicated generally at 63. ~he rlexible sheet ma~erial is
shown in roll form of a suitable width which may~ for
example, be up to 72 inches, or e~en widerO It passes
from the source of supply to a pair of idler roliers ~4,
65, the purpose of which is-to ensuxe that the ~lex~ble'
sheet material approaches the support structure, here
roller 66, at the proper angle and under some tnesion.,
From the support structure 66, and following the cu.ting
action which occurs there, the ma~erial passes to another
idler 67, a dri~e -oller 68 an~ a final idler 69 from where
it moves toward a subsequent processing station. ~aid
~Z423
' - 13 -
sta.ion may, '~or ex~m?le, be a cutting sta~ion which cuts
the rlexible s'..eet material into sheet members of the
desired drop distance, and simultantously forms the tabs
34, 35 in one end of the sheet by any suitable means, suc~
as a separation under vertically applied pressure forces.
The apparatus for forming the continuous cut lines
48'-55 in the flexible sheet material is indicated generally
at 71 in Figure 10, and illustrated in greater detail in
Figures 11-13 inclusive.
The cutting apparatus 67 includes a cutting asserhlyJ
indicatPd generally at 72, which is, in this instance,
pivotally suspended, as at 73, ~rom the balance of the
cutting ap~a~~atus at the cutting station.
.
The c~tting assembly includes a cutter, in this
instance an elongated blade, 74, which is s2cured, as by
retainer screws 75 and blade retainer plate 76, to a
press me~ber 77, and a blade holder 78. The press
member 77 may be secured direc~ly to the blade hqlder
78 by re~ainer screws 79. It will be understood
that by -~sing slots in cutter 74 and press member
77 which are disposed with their major axis perpen- '~
dicular to the edge of the cutter, the relative
positions of the cutter and the press member can be
varied relati~Je to one another, ar.d relative to the
blade assembl~ holder 78, all as illustrated best in the
exploded perspective vie~7 of ~lgure 12.-
The cutter includes a shank section ~0 which
terminates at its -~70rking end in a blac'e or cutter ~1.
mhe hlade is fo~med by the intersection of two ~lanes
as can be bes~ visllalized in Figure 12 and 13. The
~.~42~23
,
ængle of the bl~e ~av be varied corsiderably
and still produc- an acceptable cut, but a blade angle
on the order of about 20 degrees is preferred.
As can best be noted from Figures 11 and 13, the
press member 77 abuts the cutter 74 and is displaced
inwardly, as viewed in Figure 3, or outwardly, as viewed
in Figure 11, a short distance.
The cutting action can ~est be appreciated fro~
Figure 11.
The ~lexlble sheet material 63 passes around
the support structure 66 under substantial tension
: .
derived from suitable adjus~ment of idler rollers 64,
65, 67, and ~he force imposed by drive roller 68.
Further, ~he cutting assembly 72 i5 pxessed against $he
outer sur~ace of flexible sheet ma.erial 63, as viewed
with respect to the center of support structure 66 in
Figure 11, by a force derived from the action of gra~ity
acting upon the cutting assembly 72 and, to a lesser
extent, by a yieldable, externally applied force ~erived
rom spring means 82. The spring means 82 is supported rrom
a ixed support 83 and bears against the rear or outer
face of blade assembly holder;78, as best lllustrat~d in
Figure 10.
Spring means 83 also serves the function of dampenirg
undesirable osciilation of the cutting asse~bly 7~ due
to machine vi~ration, irregularities in the surface o~
the flexible sheet ma~erial 63, or other causes.
42~
.. . . - 15 -
As best note~. in Fi~ure 11, the .orce imposed agains~
,he fle~ible s~ ma.e.rial ~3 rom press member 77 is
sufficient to de?ress the sheet material into continuous
abutting contact with both the extermal surfaces of the
support structure 66, and the internal pressing sur~ace 84
of press member 77. As a result, the cutter 74 will al~a~s
cut to a uniform depth.
Since the flexible sheet material as a plastlc memory,
the material will return to its precutting shape which is ~~
typified ~y Figures 6 through 9. Sinc~ the cut area 6~
of~Figures 8 and 9 was cut when the condition or the ~-
flexible sheet material was ~eforme~ so that the upper
....:, .. ..
. and lower surfaces 57 and 60 of the sheet material were
,, . , ..,... , ~ , ... , :
flat an~ parallel to one another,lthe bottom of the cut
, . . , .,, . , . . . . ,~
wi~1 assume the substantially sinuous con~iguration
illustrated in Figures 8 and 9~
ALthough a preferred emhodiment o~ the i~vention
has been illustrated and described, i~ will be under-
stood that the foregoing descrip.ion is intended to be
exemplary and not definitive. Accordingly it is intended
that ~he scope o~ the invention be deined, not by the
scopé o~ ihe foregoing aescription, but rather by the .
claims when interpreted in light of the pertinen~ prior
art.
