Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 022S0281 1998-11-02
WINDOW SHADE HOLDING SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of window shade accessories and
more particularly to a window shade holding system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is usual to cover a window with some form of shade such as blinds, curtains
or the like suspended to hang in front of the window. Various types of window shade
hanging means are disclosed in the prior art. However most of the prior art structures
or brackets suffer from a set of setbacks.
Indeed, the installation of such prior art structures requires that the intendeduser locate the holder on the window frame, mark the location of the desired
openings on the wall surface for the screws or other fastener, remove the bracket,
drill the holes and then reapply the bracket with the hope that the holes are in the
right place.
Furthermore, drilling of such holes in the window frame leaves permanent
visible marks on the latter and interferes with its structural integrity. The problem is
compounded in the event that the intended user removes or replaces the hanging
brackets. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved method and system forhanging window shades.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to propose a window shade holding
system that satisfies that need.
In accordance with the present invention, that object is achieved with a set of
30 hooking structures for securing a window shade rail to a decorative rim framing the
head of a window. The set comprises at least two hooking structures each
CA 022~0281 1998-11-02
comprising an anchoring section adapted to be slidably insertable into a
corresponding bore previously made in an upper edge of the decorative rim to
anchor the hooking structure therein. Each hooking structure further comprises asupporting section shaped to receive and support a section of the window shade rail.
s Another object of the present invention is also to propose a hooking structure
for hanging and securing a roller blind in front of a window. The hooking structure
comprises an anchoring section bent in the shape of a hairpin defining a first leg and
a second leg, the first leg having a free end adapted to be slidably insertable into a
suitable runner-type bore previously made to anchor the hooking structure therein.
10 The hooking structure further has a supporting section including a spacing segment
bent integrally and perpendicularly from a lower end of the second leg of the
anchoring section, and a free segment perpendicular to the spacing segment and
to the second leg. The free segment is integrally bent from an end of the spacing
segment and has an extremity adapted to receive and support an end pin of a roller
15 blind. Preferably, that extremity has a U shape or the shape of an eyelet.
A further object is to provide a hooking structure for hanging and
securing both a vertical or horizontal blind headrail and a L-shaped cornice in front
of a window, the cornice being of the type including a front panel to decorate the
headrail and a horizontal lath to mount the cornice on the headrail. The hooking20 structure comprises an anchoring section consisting of a rectilinear leg adapted to
be slidably insertable into a suitable runner-type bore previously made to anchor the
hooking structure therein, and a supporting section bent integrally from an upper end
of the leg. The supporting section comprises an upper part shaped as flat pliers to
squeeze and hold the hol i,onlal lath of the cornice and a lower part below the upper
25 part shaped as a grip to grip a top end of the headrail.
A still further object is to propose a method of securing a window shade rail
to a decorative rim framing the head of a window. The method comprises the stepsof:
-providing a window shade rail;
-providing a set of hooking structures as defined hereinbefore,
-boring at least two bores in an upper edge of the decorative rim;
CA 022C70281 1998-11-02
-inserting in each of the bores the anchoring section of a corresponding
hooking structure; and
-installing the window shade rail on the supporting section of each hooking
structure.
Also proposed is a method of securing both a vertical or horizontal blind
headrail and a L-shaped cornice to a decorative rim framing the head of a window,
the cornice being of the type including a front panel to decorate the headrail and a
horizontal lath to mount the cornice on the headrail. The method comprises the steps
of:
-providing a vertical or horizontal blind headrail and an L-shaped cornice;
-providing a set of at least two hooking structures each comprising an
anchoring section consisting of a rectilinear leg adapted to be slidably inse,.~table into
a suitable runner-type bore previously made to anchor the hooking structure therein,
and a supporting section bent integrally from an upper end of the leg, the supporting
15 section comprising an upper part shaped as flat pliers to squeeze and hold the
horizontal lath of the cornice and a lower part below the upper part shaped as a grip
to grip a top end of the headrail;
-boring at least two bores in an upper edge of the decorative rim;
-inserting in each of said bores the anchoring section of a corresponding
20 hooking structure;
-gripping in the lower part of each of said hooking structures a top end of the
headrail; and
-squeezing the hori~o,llal lath of the cornice into the upper part of the hooking
structure.
Advantageously, the method and the system of hooking structures
according to the present invention allow a window shade to be installed without
requiring lengthy and difficult installation.
CA 022~0281 1998-ll-02
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a set of hooking structures according to a
5first preferred embodiment of the present invention about to be attached to a
decorative rim framing a window.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same window of figure 1 showing a
typical horizontal blind about to be mounted in front of the window using the set of
hooking structures shown in figure 1.
10Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same window as that of figures 1 and 2
showing the blind mounted on the hooking structures.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a bracket that may be used with the set
according to the present invention to mount the hooking structures on the windowrim.
5Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bracket of figure 4 mounted astride on
a window rim.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a first and second preferred embodiment of
hooking structures according to the present invention adapted to hold respectively
a standard curtain rod or a blind and a U-shaped curtain rod.
20Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of a hooking
structure according to the present invention adapted to hold a roller blind.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment of a hooking
structure according to the present invention adapted to hold a vertical blind and a
cornice to decorate the head of the blind.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to figures 1 to 3, the installation steps of a set of hooking structures
(10) on a decorative rim (12) framing the head of a window (14) is illustrated. As can
30be appreciated the hooking structures (10) may be installed directly in the upper
edge of the rim (12), or when the rim (12) is made of a hard material such as steel,
CA 022~0281 1998-11-02
they may be instailed in a bracket (20) mounted astride on the rim (12), as illustrated
in figure 5.
The set of hooking structures (10) comprises at least two hooking structures
(10). Obviously the number of hooking structures will depend on the length of the
window shade rail (22) to hold. Each hooking structures (10) comprises an anchoring
section (24) adapted to be slidably insertable into a corresponding bore (26)
previously made in the upper edge of the decorative rim (12) to anchor the hooking
structure (10) therein. The hooking structure (10) further comprises a supporting
section (28) shaped to receive and support a section of the window shade rail (22).
Thus7 the method of securing a window shade rail (22) using a set of hooking
structures (10) according to the present invention is very simple. More particularly,
it comprises the steps of providing a window shade rail (22) and a set of hooking
structures (10) as defined hereinbefore and then boring an appropriate number ofbores (26) in the upper edge of the decorative rim (12) framing the head of a window
15 (14), as shown in figure 1. The number of bores (26) corresponds to the number of
hooking structures (10) required to hold a given window shade rail (22). Then, the
anchoring section (24) of each hooking structure (10) is inserted in a co"esponding
bore (26) and the window shade rail (22) is installed on the supporting section (28)
of each hooking structure (10), as shown in figures 2 and 3.
Referring to figures 4 and 5, and as mentioned before, a set of hooking
structures (10) according to a prere,led embodiment of the present invention may,
in certain cases, further comprise a U-shaped bracket (20), associated with eachhooking structure (10). This bracket (20) which is mountable astride on the
decorative rim (12) of the window (14), as shown in figure 5, co"l,~lises a back plate
25 (30) slidably insertable behind the decorative rim (12) and a front plate (32) having
a runner (34) in which the anchoring section (24) of the hooking structure (10) is
insertable to secure the hooking structure (10) thereto. The bracket (20) may
advantageously comprise one or two of such runners (34), or even more. As for
example, a hrst runner may be used for holding a hooking structure adapted to hold
30 a U-shap~d curtain rail (22) and the other runner may be used for holding a hooking
structure adapted to secured a roller blind or a standard curtain pole.
CA 022~0281 1998-11-02
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Various preferred embodiments of hooking structures (10) according to the
present invention are illustrated in figures 6 to 8.
Referring to figure 6, two different variants of hooking structures (10) are
illustrated mounted side-by-side on a bracket (20), a first variant (1 Oa) adapted to
5 receive and support a window shade rail (22) or a horizontal blind, as shown in
figures 2 and 3 or a typical curtain rod and a second variant (10b) adapted to hold
an end portion of a U-shaped curtain rod.
As can be appreciated, the supporting section (28) of the first variant (1 Oa)
of the hooking structure (10) has a U shape. More particularly, the U of the
10 supporting section (28) has one end with a 180 degree elbow (36), which integrally
bends into the anchoring section (24).
Referring to figure 6 and also 4, in the case of the second variant (10b), the
anchoring section (24) is a downwardly extending rectilinear leg and the supporting
section (28) has a spacing segment (38) bent integrally and perpendicularly from an
15 upper end of that leg (24). The supporting section (28) further includes a free
segment (40) perpendicular to the spacing segment (38) and to the leg (24). The
free segment (40) is integrally bent from an end of the spacing segment (38) and has
an extremity bent upwardly into a rectilinear dowel (44) to engage and support the
end portion of a curtain U-rod, as shown in figure 4. Preferably, the rectilinear dowel
20 (44) of the supporting section (28) is slightiy angled toward the free segment (40).
Referring to figure 7, a third variant (10c) of a hooking structure (10) adaptedto hold a roller blind (16) is illustrated. In that case, the anchoring section (24) is
bent in the shape of a hairpin defining a first leg (24a) and a second leg (24b). The
first leg (24a) has a free end slidably insertable into a corresponding bore (26)
25 previously made in the window rim (12), or alternatively, into an appropriate runner-
type bore (34) as the one included with the bracket (20) described before. The
supporting section (28) has a spacing segment (38) bent integrally and
perpendicularly from a lower end of the second leg (24b) and a free segment (40)perpendicular to the spacing segment (38) and to the second leg (24b). The free
30 segment (40) is integrally bent from an end of the spacing segment (38) and has an
extremity (42a or 42b) adapted to receive and support an end pin (50) of a roller
CA 022~0281 1998-11-02
blind (16). P,ererably, that extremity (42) has an eyelet shape (42b) or a U shape
(42a), as shown in figure 7.
Referring to figure 8, a fourth variant (10d) of a hooking structure (10)
adapted to hold a vertical blind headrail (52) and a L- shaped cornice (54) is
5 illustrated. The cornice (54) is of the type including a front panel (56) to decorate the
headrail (52) and a horizontal lath (58) to mount the cornice (54) on the headrail
(52). In that case, the supporting section (28) of the hooking structure (10)
comprises a lower part (60) shaped as a grip to grip a top end of the headrail (52)
and an upper part (62) above the lower part (60) shaped as flat pliers to receive and
10 hold the horizontal lath (58) of the cornice (54).
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited to these precise embodiments and that
various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from15 the scope or spirit of the present invention.
