Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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EXPA~DhBLE AND COLLAPSI~L~ C~LLULAR SEIADE
BACKGROUND OP THE I~VENTIO~
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 cel}ular
structure formed of a plurality of separate tubes or
separate ~trips that are folded to a tubular configuration
and adhered together one on top of the other to form
longitudinally extending cells. U.5. Patents 4,288,485;
4,388,354 and 4,307,768, disclose a cellular structure
formed from a plurality of separate ~heets that are
stacked and adhered togethar 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 con-
nected together at spaced loca~ions. U.S. Patent to Brown4,347,887 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 dou~le row of configuration and such that a
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double row of cells have generally coplanar outer portions
collectively forming a pair of generally parallel outer
member~ and coplanar inner portions collectively ~orming a
common intermediate member spaced between and generally
parallel to the outer members.
SUMMARY OF TBE INVENTIO~
_
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
1~ 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
1~ 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 abut~ing relation
and serially united in alternate succession along respec-
tive 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
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 adja-
cent faces mounted together along a narrow second band
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
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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
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
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.
DEl'AIL~D 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
Fl and F2 disposed at opposite sides of the shade such as
to form a plurality of normally flat panels ~ that are
serially united in alternate succession along respective
first and second creased folds. The crea~ed folds Fl and
F2 are parallel to each other and are spaced apart a
uniform preselected distance so that the panels P have the
same transverse width designated W in Figs. 2 and 3
betwee'n the associated first and second creased folds Fl
and F2. The web can be formed of various different mate-
rials which are foldable and sufficiently stiff to retain
permanently se~ creased folds. The web may, for example,
be formed of ~uitable plastic film such as polyester film,
or from woven and non-woven material formed from various
fibers including natural and synthetic.' In the present
.,
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shade, one side of the web will be exposed at one side of
the completed shade and the opposite ~ide of the web wîll
be exposed at the opposite side of the completed shade.
Thus, opposite sides of the web can advantageously be
formed with different physical characteristics such as
different colors or textures or different aesthet~cs, or
with a light reflection or absorbent surface on one side
or the other for enhanced insulating characteristic~.
Sidewise adjacent panels that are united along each oE the
first creased folds have adjacent faces bonded toge~her
along a narrow first band designated Bl that is parallel
to and spaced a predetermined distance designated ~1 in
Figs. 2 and 3 from the associated first creased fold, and
the sidewise adjacent panels that are united along each of
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.
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-
third the width of the panels. Stated otherwise, thefirst and second bands Bl and B2 are respectively spaced
from the second and first creased fold lines F2 and Fl a
distance substantiaIly equal to the spacing between the
firqt and second bands Bl and B2. Bands Bl and B2 are
formed by a suitable adhesive and are preferably made
relatively narrow, for example of the order of one eighth
inch or les~
The sidewise adjacent panels P are normally flat and
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are collapsible into a compact stack in flat sidewise
abutting relation as ~hown 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
S 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 cel`ls Cl and C2 overlapping in
the area between the first and ~econd bands.
In order to ~acilitate 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.
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 i9 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-
rail.
In making the shade, the ~eb of material is firstfolded 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 advantageous:Ly
applied after the web is folded and creased, by separating
the panels between adjacent creased folds to allow appli-
cation of the adhesive band to one or both of the sepa-
rated panels.
From the foregoing it is believed that the construc-
tion of the expandable and collapsible cellular shade willbe 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
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finished pleats at both sides of the shade when the shade
is expanded and improved stacking when the shade is col-
lapsed. The creased folds form a unitary connection
between adjacent panels and contribute to support of the
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
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 F1 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
1~ 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 aL~e concealed from both sides of the shade.
