Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02682579 2010-12-21
A WINDOW COVERING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to window coverings such as Roman shades, and more
particularly,
to a child safety device and child safety kit that are used for such shades.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One popular type of window covering is known as a Roman shade which may also
be
called a Roman blind, an Austrian shade, a Balloon Shade, or a Soft Shade.
This type of shade
consists of a panel or sheet of material attached along its top edge to a
headrail and gathered at
spaced intervals to provide a series of soft folds across the face of the
fabric. Consequently, the
typical Roman shade has a cascaded or softly pleated appearance. Such Roman
shades are
constructed so that when they are raised from an extended position, they
gather from the bottom
in generally horizontal folds or pleats until the entire shade resides near
the top of the window
covering in a retracted position. In some versions, the top of the window
covering may also be
lowered. The shades are operated by pulling on various lift cords which are
used in conjunction
with guides attached to the shade.
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Most prior art Roman shades are formed either of a sheet of a flexible
material such as a
fabric or film or of a plurality of segments of material connected together.
The material or
interconnected segments are typically provided with a plurality of horizontal
folds at points
vertically spaced from one another to form folds when the shade is raised. A
common method
for making a Roman shade is to sew at least two sets of rings or connectors
along vertical lines
down the back of the fabric material as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,321,800.
The spacing of the
rings or connectors affects the aesthetic effect of the shade and how the
window covering
material may look when being raised or lowered. Lift cords pass through the
rings and each lift
cord is attached to a bottom rail or the lowermost fold. Opposite ends of the
lift cords are wound
on a spool or shaft in the headrail. The spool or shaft may be turned by a
cord loop device or a
spring motor to raise and lower the shade. Alternatively, the lift cords may
pass through a cord
lock and be moved by a user to turn the spool or shaft.
The shade may also include spacer cords that pass through the rings. The
spacer cords
are typically attached to the headrail of the shade and the rings and are
configured to help
improve the aesthetic effect of the shade when the window covering material is
raised or
lowered.
Roman shades may be fabricated by fabricators to make a Roman shade in a
custom size
to fit a customer's window opening. Fabricators may mistakenly measure or
determine the
necessary length of the window covering material of a Roman shade or the
desired positioning of
the rings on the back of the window covering material. For instance, a
fabricator may want to
adjust the position of the rings to achieve a different aesthetic effect for
the raising and lowering
of window covering material after reviewing the look provided by the initial
positioning of the
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rings. Since rings are often sewn or affixed to the window covering material,
such repositioning
can be difficult and time consuming.
Ribs, such as the ribs disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,566,735, may be used by
a fabricator
instead of the rings to permit the fabricator to make adjustments to the
locations of the ribs. The
ribs may extend the width of the window covering material and are attached to
spacer cords by
fasteners. The ribs are configured to hold the window covering material at
different spacing
intervals and prevent the window covering material from falling vertically out
of the ribs. The
ribs are also configured to permit the material to be laterally slid out of
the ribs so the positioning
of the ribs can be changed by a fabricator. The spacing of the ribs acts
similarly to the spacing of
the rings and affects the look of the window covering material. For instance,
spacing of the ribs
can permit the material to have a cascading appearance when the shade is
lowered and maintain
this appearance when the shade is raised.
On occasion, children have been able to get behind a lowered Roman shade and
become
entangled in one of the lift cords. If the lift cord is around the child's
neck and the child falls, the
cord could act as a noose and strangle the child. Indeed, reports of such
incidents have prompted
a major retailer to issue a recall of one product line of Roman shades and the
United States
Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a warning about the danger of
child
entanglement and hanging from the cords in Roman shades.
There have also been incidents of child entanglements in lift cords of
venetian blinds and
other types of window coverings. As a result, the art has developed various
types of child safety
devices that are intended to prevent deaths of children who become entangled
in lift cords. For
instance, U.S. Patent Nos. 7,261,138, 7,225,850, 7,117,918, 7,086,446,
7,000,672, 6,948,546,
6,918,425, 6,860,312, 6,637,493, 6,484,787, 5,630,458, 5,533,559 and 4,909,298
disclose child
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safety devices for blinds. Child safety devices may be configured to keep the
lift cords taught so
that the cords cannot be pulled away from the window covering material and
form a noose or
release the cord from the shade when a child becomes entangled in the shade.
Most, if not all of
the cord release devices are not well suited for use on Roman shades.
Moreover, many
conventional child safety devices for blinds are visible from the front of the
shade and detract
from the aesthetic effect of the shade.
A new safety device is needed for Roman shades. Preferably, such a device can
be sold
in a kit to retrofit previously sold Roman shades or shades in a retailer's
inventory. Moreover,
such a safety device preferably does not detract from the aesthetic effect
provided by the Roman
shade.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An improved Roman shade is provided that includes a sheet of material
connected to a
headrail that is gathered at selected intervals to provide a series of
transverse pleats or folds and
lift cords for raising and lowering the shade. The Roman shade also includes a
plurality of
release devices attached to the sheet of material. Each of the release devices
includes a male
member and a female member releasably connected together. One of the members
is attached to
the sheet of material and the other member has an opening through which one of
the lift cords
pass. The male member and female member of each release device are sized and
configured to
separate when a release force acts on at least one of the female member and
the male member.
Embodiments of my Roman shade can include cord operated Roman shades that have
a
cord lock attached to a headrail. The lift cords pass through the cord lock
and may be raised or
lowered to lift or lower the shade.
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The female member of each release device may have various different
configurations. In
one embodiment, the female member may include a generally cylindrical body
that defines an
opening. The opening can be sized to receive and releasably hold a male
member. The
cylindrical body preferably has at least one slit formed in the body. The one
or more slits may
communicate with the opening. Other embodiments of my shade may include female
members
that have a body that defines an opening and a spring positioned in the
opening. Preferably, the
spring is a coil spring, a torsion spring, or an elastomeric spring.
It should be appreciated that embodiments of my Roman shade can include loops
or rings
attached to the sheet of material. Each female member may include a clip
portion that is sized
and configured to attach to one of the loops. The clip portion of the female
member may be
integral with a body portion of the female member.
Embodiments of my Roman shade may also include a bottom rail attached to the
sheet of
material and a plurality of receptacles attached to the bottom rail. The lift
cords can be sized to
extend to the bottom rail and each lift cord can have an end attached to a
respective mateable
body that is sized and configured to be inserted into an opening in at least
one of the receptacles
attached to the bottom rail. A releasable attachment is made after the
mateable body is inserted
into the opening in the receptacle. Release will occur when a predetermined
release force acts on
the mateable body. Preferably, the receptacles are female members and the
mateable bodies are
male members.
Some embodiments of my Roman shade include a plurality of loops attached to
the sheet
of material. The loops include a first series of rings that are aligned with
each other and a second
series of rings that are aligned with each other. A first lift cord may extend
through the rings of
the first series of rings and a second lift cord can extend through the rings
of the second series of
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rings. The release devices may include a first series of release devices and a
second series of
release devices. Each release device of the first series of release devices
can include a female
member that is attached to a respective ring of the first series of rings to
attach that female
member to the sheet of material. Each release device of the second series of
release devices may
include a female member that is attached to a respective ring of the second
series of rings to
attach that female member to the sheet of material.
It should be understood that the sheet of material may be a fabric sheet,
interconnected
segments of material, a film, or a panel of woven wood or woven grass. The
sheet of material
may also include a series of bars or rods that are attached to the sheet of
material or held within
tubes or pockets sewn or otherwise formed in the sheet of material.
I additionally provide a Roman shade that includes a headrail, window covering
material
adjacent the headrail and a plurality of lift cords that extend from the
headrail to the window
covering material. Each lift cord is sized and configured to extend through
one or more loops
attached to the window covering material. The shade may be raised to retract
the window
covering material or lowered to extend the window covering material. A
plurality of mateable
bodies is also included in the Roman shade. Each mateable body is attached to
one of the lift
cords and is sized to pass through at least one of the loops. A plurality of
receptacles are
attached to at least one of a bottom portion of the window covering material
and a bottom rail
attached to a bottom portion of the window covering material. Each receptacle
has an opening
sized and configured to releasably hold one or more of the mateable bodies.
I further provide a Roman shade that includes a headrail, window covering
material
adjacent the headrail and a plurality of lift cords that extend from the
headrail to the window
covering material. Each lift cord is sized and configured to extend through
one or more loops
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attached to the window covering material. The shade may be raised to retract
the window
covering material or lowered to extend the window covering material. A
plurality of receptacles
is also included in the Roman shade. Each receptacle is attached to one of the
lift cords and is
sized to pass through at least one of the loops. A plurality of mateable
bodies are attached to at
least one of a bottom portion of the window covering material and a bottom
rail attached to a
bottom portion of the window covering material. Each mateable body is sized to
be releasably
held within an opening of a receptacle.
In one embodiment of my window covering, each receptacle is a female member
that
includes a body that defines an opening sized and configured to receive a male
member. Each
male member includes a portion that is sized and configured to be releasably
attached or received
within the opening of the female member. The male member may include a
cylindrical or
polygonal shaped portion configured to be received within the opening of the
female member.
The body of the female member may be configured as jaws or a mouth and is
resilient such that
the jaws or mouth may retain a portion of the male member until a release
force acts on the
female member and causes the female member to release the male member.
An embodiment of my window covering includes a headrail, a plurality of lift
cords that
extend from the headrail, and window covering material connected to at least
one of the headrail
and the window covering material. The window covering material is moveable
from a raised
position to a lowered position. The window covering also includes one or more
cord release
devices attached to the window covering material. Each cord release device
includes a clip
portion, a first member, and a second member. The clip portion is attached to
the first member
and the second member. The first and second members are sized and configured
to releasably
interconnect such that the first and second members at least partially define
an opening sized to
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receive and releasably retain at least one lift cord when the first and second
members are
interconnected and the first and second members are configured to separate and
release the at
least one lift cord when a release force exerted by one or more lift cords
that are within the
opening act on at least one of the first and second members.
The release force that is exerted by the one or more lift cords within the
opening is
preferably between 4.4 pounds and 6.6 pounds. The opening of each release
device is preferably
a generally circular opening configured to releasably retain at least one
cord.
The first and second members may be configured to move away from each other in
a
direction that is transverse or perpendicular to the window covering material
when the release
force acts on at least one of the first and second members. Preferably, the
first and second
members and the clip portion are composed of a polymeric material and are
integrally molded
together.
The window covering material may include woven wood or woven grass that is
collected
into segments. Each segment may include a plurality of flexible elongated
members that hold
the woven wood or woven grass in that segment. The clip portion of the at
least one cord release
device can be attached to one of the flexible elongated members.
Embodiments of my window covering may include both one or more cord release
devices
and one or more release devices. Each release device may include a male member
and a female
member releasably connected together such that one member is attached to the
window covering
material and the other member has an aperture through which one of the lift
cords pass. The
male member and female member of each release device can be sized and
configured to separate
when a release force acts on at least one of the female and male members.
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Embodiments of my window covering may also include an upper rail, window
covering
material adjacent to the upper rail, a plurality of lift cords that extend
from the upper rail to the
window covering material and a plurality of safety devices. The window
covering can be
moveable from a retracted position to an extended position. Each safety device
includes a male
member and a female member. One of the male member and the female member is
attached
adjacent to the lower portion of the window covering material and the other
member is attached
to a respective lift cord such that that member is attachable to the member
attached adjacent to
the lower portion of the window covering material. The male member and the
female member
are sized and configured such that a release force acting on the lift cord in
a direction parallel to
the window covering material and perpendicular to the lift cord causes the
male member and the
female member to separate.
The upper rail may be a headrail or a moveable intermediate rail of a top down
bottom up
shade. A lower rail may also be provided. The lower rail may be a bottom rail
or a rail that is
lower than the upper rail. In some embodiments, the lower rail may be a bar or
a rod within a
pocket defined in the window covering material or may be a rail or bar
attached to the bottom of
the window covering material.
Some embodiments of my window covering include safety devices that each has
the
female member attached to the lower portion of the window covering material
and the male
members attached to respective lift cords. The female members include a body
that defines an
opening configured to permit a release of the male member via a generally
horizontal movement
of the male member. The body of the female member may also define a gap
positioned above
the opening that is sized and configured to receive a portion of the lift cord
attached to the male
member.
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The lift cords may include a first lift cord and a second lift cord. In some
embodiments
of my window covering, the first and second lift cords are end portions of one
cord that extend
from the upper rail. A middle portion of the cord may be attached to a lift
mechanism, such as a
spring motor, positioned within the upper rail or attached to the upper rail.
A window covering is also provided that includes an upper rail, window
covering
material adjacent to the upper rail, lift cords that extend from the upper
rail to the window
covering material, and a plurality of safety devices. Each safety device
includes a male member
and a female member. One of the male member and the female member are attached
adjacent to
the lower portion of the window covering material and the other member is
attached to a
respective lift cord such that that member is attachable to the member
attached adjacent to the
lower portion of the window covering material. The male member and female
member are sized
and configured such that a downward release force acting on the lift cord
while the window
covering is in a fully extended position causes the male member and female
member to separate.
Preferably, the safety devices are configured such that the female members of
the safety
devices are attached to the lower portion of the window covering material and
the male members
are attached to respective lift cords. The female members can include a body
having at least one
protrusion configured to define or at least partially define a gap sized and
configured to receive
portion of a male member. The male member may include a first portion and one
or more
projections. Each of the projections configured to be received within a
respective gap defined by
a respective protrusion. The projections of the male member may include
portions of a cylinder
or bar portion of the male member that extend away from a central portion of
the male member.
The projections may also be prongs that extend from one or more sides of a
portion of the male
member.
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Of course, embodiments of my window covering may also include one or more cord
release devices. The cord release devices may be attached to the window
covering material and
may have an opening the lift cords pass through. The male member or female
member of each
safety device that is attached to the lift cord may also be sized and
configured to pass through the
opening of the cord release devices.
It should be appreciated that the window covering material may be composed of
numerous different materials. For instance, the window covering material may
be composed of
woven wood or woven grass that is collected into segments, each segment having
a plurality of
flexible elongated members that hold the woven wood or woven grass in that
segment. A clip
portion of the one or more cord release devices may be attached to a flexible
elongated member,
such as a cord, wire, or ribbon.
I also provide a kit for Roman shades that includes a plurality of male
members and a
plurality of female members. The female members or the male members are sized
and
configured for attachment to a sheet of material and the other members each
have an opening
sized and configured to receive a lift cord. Each of the female members are
sized and configured
to release one of the male members after that male member is releasably
connected to that female
member when a release force acts on at least one of that female member and
that male member.
In some embodiments of my kit, each female member may include a body that has
an
opening sized and configured to releasably hold at least one of the male
members. One or more
slits may be formed in the body. The one or more slits can communicate with
the opening.
In other embodiments of my kit, each female member includes a spring
positioned in the
opening of a body that is sized to receive at least one of the male members.
Preferably, the
spring is a coil spring, a torsion spring or an elastomeric spring positioned
in the opening.
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A kit for a Roman shade is also provided that includes at least one cord
release device
configured for attachment to window covering material of a Roman shade. Each
cord release
device includes a clip portion, a first member and a second member. The clip
portion is attached
to the first and second members. The first and second members are sized and
configured to
releasably interconnect such that the first and second members at least
partially define an
opening sized to receive and releasably retain at least one lift cord when the
first and second
members are interconnected. The first and second members are also configured
to separate and
release the one or more lift cord when a release force exerted by one or more
of the lift cords that
are within the opening act on at least one of the first and second members.
Embodiments of my
kit may also include one or more release devices, one or more mateable bodies,
one or more
receptacles or a combination of release devices, mateable bodies and
receptacles.
Other details, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent
as the
following description of certain present preferred embodiments thereof and
certain present
preferred methods of practicing the same proceeds.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Present preferred embodiments of my Roman shade having a child safety cord
release
and kit for providing a cord release on a Roman shade are shown in the
accompanying drawings
and certain present preferred methods of practicing the same are also
illustrated therein.
Figure 1 is a front view of the present preferred embodiment of my Roman shade
having
a child safety cord release in a raised, or retracted, position.
Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 in a raised
position.
Figure 3 is a rear view of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 in a fully
lowered position.
Figure 4 is a side view similar to Figure 2 showing the embodiment of Figures
1 thru 3 in
a lowered, or extended, position.
Figure 5 is top view of a first present preferred embodiment of my child
safety cord
release device in a separated position with the male portion connected to one
end of a lift cord
and the female portion connected to the shade material.
Figure 6 is an enlarged side view of the first present preferred embodiment of
my child
safety cord release device connected between the shade material and a ring
through which a lift
cord runs.
Figure 7 is a rear perspective view of a second present preferred embodiment
of my
Roman shade.
Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the second present preferred embodiment of
my Roman
shade illustrating the female and male members of the release device in a
separated position.
Figure 9 is a rear perspective view of a third present preferred embodiment of
my Roman
shade.
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Figure 10 is a fragmentary view of the third present preferred embodiment of
my Roman
shade illustrating the female and male members of the release device in a
separated position.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a first present preferred embodiment of my
child safety
kit.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of the first present preferred embodiment of
my child
safety kit with the female members and male members releasably connected.
Figure 13 is a rear perspective view of a fourth present preferred embodiment
of my
Roman shade.
Figure 14 is a rear view of a fifth present preferred embodiment of my Roman
shade.
Figure 15 is a rear view of a sixth present preferred embodiment of my Roman
shade.
Figure 16 is a top view of a first present preferred cord release device that
has the first
and second members in an interconnected position.
Figure 17 is a view similar to Figure 17 illustrating the first and second
members
separated from each other.
Figure 18 is a fragmentary rear view of a present preferred window covering.
Figure 19 is a rear perspective view of an eighth present preferred embodiment
of my
Roman shade.
Figure 20 is an enlarged view of a present preferred safety device used in the
eighth
present preferred embodiment shown in Figures 19 and 21.
Figure 21 is a view similar to the view in Figure 19 of the eighth present
preferred
embodiment illustrating a release force indicated by arrow F acting on a lift
cord and causing a
horizontal movement of a male member to separate the male member from a female
member.
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Figure 22 is a view similar to Figure 20 illustrating the release of the male
member of the
safety device from the female member as a result of the release force acting
on the lift cord as
shown in Figure 21.
Figure 23 is a rear perspective view of a ninth present preferred embodiment
of my
Roman shade.
Figure 24 is an enlarged view of a present preferred safety device that is
used in the ninth
present preferred embodiment shown in Figures 23 and 25.
Figure 25 is a view similar to the view in Figure 23 of the ninth present
preferred
embodiment illustrating a release force indicated by arrow F acting on a lift
cord and causing a
horizontal movement of a male member to separate the male member from a female
member.
Figure 26 is a view similar to Figure 24 illustrating the release of the male
member of the
safety device from the female member as a result of the release force acting
on the lift cord as
shown in Figure 25.
Figure 27 is a rear perspective view of a tenth present preferred embodiment
of my
Roman shade.
Figure 28 is an enlarged view of a present preferred safety device that is
used in the tenth
present preferred embodiment shown in Figures 27 and 29.
Figure 29 is a view similar to the view in Figure 27 of the tenth present
preferred
embodiment illustrating a generally downward release force indicated by arrow
F' acting on the
lift cord causing the male member of the safety device to separate from the
female member of
the safety device.
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
Figure 30 is a view similar to Figure 28 illustrating the release of the male
member of the
safety device from the female member as a result of the release force acting
on the lift cord as
shown in Figure 29.
Figure 31 is a rear perspective view of an eleventh present preferred
embodiment of my
Roman shade with the window covering material in a fully extended position.
Figure 32 is an enlarged view of a present preferred safety device that is
used in the
eleventh present preferred embodiment shown in Figure 31.
Figure 33 is a view similar to the view in Figure 31 of the eleventh present
preferred
embodiment illustrating a release force indicated by arrow F" causing the male
member of the
safety device to separate from the female member of the safety device.
Figure 34 is a view similar to Figure 32 illustrating the release of the male
member of the
safety device from the female member as a result of the release force acting
on the lift cord or
safety device as shown in Figure 33.
DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figures 1 thru 6, an embodiment of my Roman shade 1 with child
safety
cord release devices includes a sheet of fabric material 2 which is not
pleated. A plurality of
loops or rings is attached to the sheet of shade material 2. A top edge of the
sheet of material 2 is
connected to a headrail 4 and the bottom edge of the sheet of material 2 may
be connected to a
bottom bar or rail 5. The sheet of material 2 has a series of horizontal folds
creating tabs 11 on
the back of the shade. In some embodiments, each of the tabs 11 may include a
rod or bar that is
held within a pocket sewn into the sheet of material. The tabs 11 may define
segments 16. The
segments 16 could be made of separate strips of material with adjacent strips
being sewn
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together at each tab 11. A skirt 9, shown in dotted line in Figure 2 may
extend from the bottom
rail 5. Lift cords 6 pass through a cord lock 7, run down the back of the
shade and are attached
to the bottom bar 5.
Although I prefer that the sheet of shade material 2 be a woven or non-woven
fabric, the
sheet of material 2 could be a panel of woven woods, a panel of woven grasses
or a film. The
sheet of shade material 2 may include multiple interconnected segments of
material or be a
unitary sheet of material.
Cord release devices 3 are attached to the sheet of shade material 2. As may
be best seen
in Figures 2, 5 and 6, each release device includes a male member 30 and a
female member 20.
The male member 30 can have an elongated body 31 with a ball 34 at one end.
The ball 34 may
be spherical or polygonal in shape. I prefer that the ball 34 and opening 24
have a circular or
oval cross-section through its longitudinal axis. However, the ball 34 and
opening 24 may also
have cross-sections that are square, rectangular, triangular or other polygon
shapes.
The female member 20 has a generally tubular portion 21 having a series of
longitudinal
slits 22 creating a series of fingers 23 arranged side by side around a circle
to form a basket. The
slits 22 communicate with an opening 24 defined by the tubular portion. The
opening 24 is sized
to receive the ball portion 34 of the male member 30. The opening 24 may be a
cavity that has a
circular or oval cross-section along its longitudinal axis. Preferably the
cross-section of the
opening 24 along an axis normal to the longitudinal axis is circular. A tab
portion 28 extends
from the tubular portion 21 and has a slot 26 through which passes a loop 40
sewn in a tab 11 of
the shade material 2 or other portion of the shade material 2. Loops 40 could
also extend from
the bottom rail 5.
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As shown in Figure 5, the male member 30 is attached to one end of the lift
cord 6. The
fingers 23 defined in the tubular portion 21 are sized and shaped to hold the
ball 34 of the male
member 30 securely enough that the connection will be maintained while the
Roman shade is
raised and lowered. However, should a child become entangled in the cord the
male member
will release from the female member.
One could provide only a limited number of cord release devices 3'. For
instance, there
could be a male member 30' that has a body 34' on an end of each lift cord
that is releasably
connected to a female member 20' attached to the bottom rail, as shown in
Figures 7-8. In
embodiments of Roman shades that only include two lift cords, only two release
devices 3'
would then be needed. However, I prefer to provide a cord release device on
each ring or loop
40 the lift cords pass by, as may be appreciated from Figures 2, 5 and 6.
Preferably, both the male member 30 and the female member 20 of the release
device 3
are made of the same material. Preferably, the members are composed of plastic
such as ABS
plastic. Of course, the male and female members could be made of any one of
dozens of other
plastics including polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride and acetyl polymers. It
is contemplated that
the male and female member could also be composed of metal or other materials
as long as the
geometry of the parts is in accordance with the considerations mentioned below
to account for
the material's mechanical properties and dimensions of the parts.
There are several inter-related material properties and dimensions which
determine the
breakaway force, or release force. These include the flexural modulus of the
material, tensile
yield strength of the material, coefficient of static friction between the
male member and the
female member, thickness of the fingers, length of the fingers or slits, ratio
of size of the cavity
18
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
and the diameter of the ball end of the male member and the angle formed by a
center line
through the male member and a centerline through the female member.
I prefer to provide a release device that has the male members configured to
separate
from the female members when three pounds more than the weight of the shade
held by the lift
cords act on at least one of the members of the release device. However, the
cord release device
can be configured to provide separation of the members at lower or higher
release forces. For
instance, the release force may be as low as three pounds or a force as high
as twenty pounds. It
should be understood that the "release force" is a force that is in addition
to the weight of the
shade material and other portions of the shade being held by the lift cords
when the shade is
mounted to a window opening. Preferably, each cord release device is designed
for compliance
with ANSI standard A1.3.4.4.2.3.4.
It is possible to adjust the release force by changing the size or
configuration of the
female members or male members. For instance, I have found that the release
force can be
changed by adjusting the length of the slits 22. Longer slits would cause the
male members 20 to
separate from the female members 30 at a lower force than shorter slits.
A second present preferred embodiment of my Roman shade 50 is shown in Figures
9
and 10. The Roman shade includes a headrail 51, window covering material 53
that extends
from the headrail to a bottom rail 58 and lift cords 52 that extend from the
headrail 51 to the
bottom rail 58. The lift cords 52 pass through rings 57 that are attached to
the window covering
material. The rings 57 are arranged in two series of rings 57 that are each
vertically aligned with
each other. Each lift cord 52 passes through a respective set of aligned rings
57. An end of each
lift cord 52 is attached to a male member 61 of a release device 59, which is
sized to pass
through the rings 57. A female member 62 of each release device 59 is attached
to the bottom
19
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
rail 58. The male member 61 is releasably held within an opening 65 in a body
portion 66 of the
female member 62. A clip portion 67 of each female member is attached to a
loop that extends
from the bottom rail 58.
The release devices 59 are configured to release the lift cords 52 and male
members 61
when a release force acting in an upward direction acts on the male members
61. Preferably, the
release force is between three pounds and twenty pounds. A spring (not shown)
may be
positioned within the opening 65 of each female member to configure the female
member to
release a respective male member upon an application of a particular release
force. Preferably,
the spring is a coil spring, an elastomeric spring or torsion spring. The
spring may also be
configured to receive a portion of the male member 61 and releasably retain
that portion of the
male member in the opening 65 until a release force acts on the male member.
A first present preferred child safety kit 71 is shown in Figures 11 and 12.
The safety kit
71 includes a plurality of safety devices 73. Each of the safety devices 73
include a male
member 75 and a female member 76. The male members 75 each have a body that
defines an
opening 74 to receive a lift cord. The female members 76 each include a clip
portion 77 that is
integral with a body portion 78. The clip portions 77 each define an opening
81 that is sized and
configured to releasably attach to a ring or loop of a Roman shade. The body
portion 78 of each
female member 76 defines an opening 79. The opening 79 retains a spring 80.
The spring is
sized and configured to releasably retain a portion of the male member within
the opening 79, as
may be appreciated from Figure 12. Preferably, the spring 80 is a coil spring,
torsion spring or
elastomeric spring. The male members 75 and female members 76 of the kit 71
may be sold or
packaged separately or sold and packaged together. It should be understood
that the male
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
members 75 or female members 76 may be sized so that they can pass through
rings or loops of a
Roman shade.
Embodiments of my safety kit may be used to retrofit existing Roman shades to
provide
child safety features. For instance, the female members provided in
embodiments of my kit may
be attached to the bottom rail of a Roman shade or bottom portion of the shade
material and the
male members may be attached to the ends of lift cords. Such a retrofitted
shade could appear
similar to the second present preferred embodiment 51 shown in Figures 9 and
10.
Of course, embodiments of my safety kit may also include more than two safety
devices.
For instance, a user could provide a safety device on each loop or ring of a
Roman shade such
that each male member is attached to a lift cord and each female member is
attached to
respective loop or ring. As another example, each female member may be
attached to one of the
lift cords and a male member may be attached to a respective ring or loop.
Referring to Figure 13, an embodiment of my Roman shade 81 can include a
headrail 82
that is attached to a valance 83 and window covering material 84. The bottom
portion of the
window covering material is attached to a bottom rail 89. Each segment of the
window covering
material has a plurality of rings, or loops 86. The loops 86 include two sets
of loops that are
vertically aligned. A safety device 87 is attached to each loop 86. Each
safety device includes a
female member that is attached to the loops 86 and a male member that is
releasably retained
within an opening in the female member. Lift cords 85 extend from a cord lock
(not shown)
attached to the headrail 82. Each lift cord passes adjacent one set of
vertically aligned loops to
the bottom rail. The lift cords 85 pass through holes formed in the male
members of the safety
devices 87. The male member of each safety device may release from its
respective female
21
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
I
member independently of the other safety devices upon a release force acting
on that male
member.
Of course, other embodiments of my Roman shade may have release devices that
include
male members attached to the shade material or loops of the shade material and
female members
attached to the lift cords. Such an embodiment may be seen in Figure 14, which
illustrates a
shade 103 that has male members 100 attached to the shade material 102 of the
roman shade 103.
The female members 104 each include an opening that is sized to receive a
portion of a lift cord
to attach the lift cord to the female member. Each female member 104 also has
an opening sized
and configured to releasably connect to a respective male member 100. The
female member 104
will release the male member 100 when a release force acts on the female
member, the male
member, or both members.
Referring to Figure 15, a Roman shade 131 may also be provided with cord
release
devices 132 that are attached to the window covering material 135 of the
shade. The window
covering material 135 may include segments 139 that have transverse folds or
pleats 136 formed
at the interconnection of the segments 139. The shade 131 includes lift cords
134 that extend
from the headrail of the shade 131 to a bottom segment of the window covering
material 135.
The lift cords 134 pass through openings in the cord release devices 132.
Release devices 137
are attached to the bottom window covering segment.
The release devices 137 may be sized and configured to operate similarly to
the release
devices discussed above. Preferably, the release devices 137 each include a
male portion that is
attached to an end of a lift cord that is sized to pass through openings
formed in the cord release
devices 132. The male portion is also releasably attached to a female portion
connected to the
bottom segment of the window covering material 135.
22
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
The cord release devices 132 may be attached to the window covering material
of the
shade by having a clip portion attached to the window covering material by
being attached to
loops 138 or rings extending from the window covering material. The cord
release devices are
configured to release the lift cords after a release force acts on the lift
cords. By releasing the lift
cords, the cord release devices 132 can prevent the formation of loops that a
child may become
entangled in or strangled in.
Referring to Figures 16-17 cord release devices 142 may include a clip portion
150 that
defines an opening 152 that is configured for attachment to rings or loops of
a Roman shade. As
may be appreciated from Figure 18, the clip portion 150 may also be configured
for attachment
to cords, tape, or other flexible elongated members that may be used to
collect woven wood or
woven grass of a window covering material or window covering material
segments. The clip
portion 150 is attached to a first member 144 and a second member 146 that at
least partially
define an opening 148. The opening 148 is sized to receive or releasably
retain at least one lift
cord.
The first and second members 144 and 146 may be configured so that their
distal ends
145 and 147 abut one another to form opening 148 when no force is acting on
either member
144, 146. Alternatively, these ends may overlap one another as indicated by
the dotted line in
Figure 16. Either interconnection will cause the members 144 and 146 to
completely encircle
opening 148.
Preferably, the first and second members 144 and 146 and the clip portion 150
are
integrally molded as a unitary structure and are composed of a polymeric
material, such as
plastic, polycarbonate or ABS. Most preferably, the material of the cord
release device 142 is
clear so that the impact the device may have on the aesthetic effect of the
shade is minimized.
23
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
The first and second members 144 and 146 are configured to separate when a
release
force acts on the members 144 and 146, as may be seen in Figure 17. When the
first and second
members 144 and 146 are separated, a lift cord retained within the opening 148
may pass out of
the opening 148. After the release force stops acting on the members, the
first and second
members may move back into an interconnected position, as shown in Figure 16,
due to the size,
configuration or resiliency of the members.
Preferably, the first and second members are configured to separate upon a
release force
that acts transverse or perpendicular to the window covering material of a
shade. The release
force may be exerted through or by one or more lift cords positioned within
the opening defined
by the first and second members.
When a force acts on one or both members 144 and 146, ends 145 and 147 may
separate
from one another by moving one or more different directions. They may move in
a direction that
is within a plane passing through the two members. They may move in a
direction that is
perpendicular to the plane passing through the two members. Or they may move
in both
directions. Furthermore, only one end 145, 147 need move to release the cords.
The first and second members 144 and 146 may be configured to separate upon
different
release forces. Preferably, the first and second members are configured to
separate when a force
that is less than 10 pounds, but greater than 4 pounds acts on the members.
Most preferably, the
release force is between 4.4 pounds and 6.6 pounds.
The release force of the cord release device 142 may be determined by securing
the
device 142 so that it is stationed in one place and does not move. A cord can
then be inserted
into the opening 148 and made it into a loop with a tied end. The cord may
then be pulled to
determine that amount of force, or weight, that must be exerted until the cord
is released from the
24
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
opening 148. The amount of the force being applied to the cord can be measured
during the
pulling of the cord to determine the amount of the release force.
It should be understood that cord diameters can affect the amount of the
release force
necessary to separate the first and second members 144 and 146. For instance,
I have found that
a cord that is 1.8 millimeters (mm) to 2.4 mm require a maximum of 5.5 pounds
of force before
the cord is released from the opening 148. Thinner cords, such as cords with a
diameter of 1.5
mm, may only need 4.4 pounds of force to separate the first and second members
144 and 146
and release from the opening 148.
It should be appreciated that embodiments of my safety kit may use one or more
cord
release devices, such as cord release devices 132 or 142. The cord release
devices may be sold
separate from the safety devices or release devices or may be sold together
with those safety
devices. Further, embodiments of my safety kit may only include one or more
cord release
devices 142 or 132.
Referring to Figures 19-22, a present preferred embodiment of a window
covering 201
may include an upper rail or headrail 202 and window covering material 203
positioned adjacent
to the headrail 202. The window covering material includes an upper portion
212 and a lower
portion 214. The window covering material 203 is comprised of segments that
each include a
bar or rod 205 positioned within a pocket defined in the segment. Lift cords
208 extend from the
headrail 208 to the lower portion 214 of the window covering material. The
lift cords 208 pass
through openings of cord release devices 209 attached to the window covering
material 203. The
end of each lift cord is attached to a male member 219 of a safety device 216.
Each safety
device 216 also has a female member 221 attached to the lower portion 214 of
the window
covering material. Each female member 221 has an opening sized and configured
to receive the
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
male member 219 such that a release force, indicated by arrow F in Figure 21,
acting on the lift
cord in a direction parallel to the window covering material and perpendicular
to the lift cord can
cause the male member 219 to move horizontally and release from the opening
formed in the
female member 221. The female member 221 is configured to retain the male
member against
forces acting in a vertical or substantially vertical direction.
As may be appreciated from Figures 21 and 22, a child or other person that
laterally
moves a lift cord while the window covering 201 is mounted may move the lift
cord sufficiently
to cause a generally horizontal release force to act on the safety device to
cause the male member
to separate from the female member. The generally horizontal release force
causes a generally
horizontal movement of the male member 2i 9 away from the opening formed in
the female
member 221.
It should be appreciated that the generally horizontal release force may be a
component
of force exerted on the lift cord attached to the male member 219. For
instance, a lift cord may
be pulled both upwards and sideways such that the force applied to the lift
cord includes a
generally horizontal component of force that acts on the male member
sufficiently to cause the
male member to move horizontally and separate from the female member.
Preferably, the male
and female members are composed of a polymeric material and are configured to
permit a
release of the male member 219 upon a generally horizontal release force of
between four
pounds and twenty pounds or, more preferably, between 4.4 pounds and 6.6
pounds.
As may be seen in Figures 23-26, another embodiment of my window covering 231
can
include safety devices 240. Each safety device 240 includes a female member
241 attached to
the lower portion 236 of window covering material 233 that extends from a an
upper rail or
headrail 232 positioned adjacent to an upper portion 238 of the window
covering material 233.
26
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
A male member 242 is attached to an end of each lift cord 237 that extends
from the headrail
232. The male member 242 is sized and configured to pass through openings in
cord release
devices 235 that are attached to the window covering material 233. The male
member 242 is
received within an opening formed in the female member 241. The male member
242 is
configured to separate from the female member 241 via a generally horizontal
movement if a
release force, indicated by arrow F in Figure 25, acts on the lift cord in a
direction parallel to the
window covering material and perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to
the lift cord. Such
a release force F may be provided by a child or user pulling a lift cord. It
should be understood
that the perpendicular and parallel acting release force F may be a component
of force exerted by
such cord pulling. For instance, a user may pull the lift cord upwards and
sideways to create a
release force F. The male and female members can be sized and configured such
that a release
force between five pounds and ten pounds can cause separation of the male and
female members.
As may be appreciated from Figures 25 and 26, a generally horizontal movement
of the
male member 241 can cause the male member 242 to release from the female
member 241. Such
a horizontal movement typically would be caused by a horizontal release force
F that acts on the
male member via a lift cord. This force may be created by, a small child who
becomes entangled
within the lift cord causing both longitudinally and laterally forces to act
on the lift cord. A
movement of the lift cord that includes a lateral component of movement, or a
lateral movement,
of the lift cord can cause a horizontal release force that is sufficient to
separate the male member
from the female member when the window covering 231 is mounted adjacent to a
window
opening.
Other embodiments of my window covering may include safety devices configured
to
release lift cords upon a downward release force, or downward movement of the
lift cord. For
27
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
instance, an embodiment 251 of my window covering shown in Figures 27-30
includes safety
devices 260. The male member 261 of each safety device is configured to be
releasably attached
to the female member 256 of the safety device. Each male member 261 is
attached to an end of a
lift cord 253 that extends from a headrail 252. The lift cords pass through
openings in cord
release devices 259 that are attached to window covering material 254. The
male members may
also be sized and configured to pass through the openings of the cord release
devices.
The window covering material 254 has an upper portion 258 adjacent the
headrail 252
and a lower portion 257. The window covering material may be extended to a
lowered position
or retracted to a raised position. A lower rail 255 is attached to the lower
portion 257 of the
window covering material. The lower rail 255 may-be a rod, bar or rail
attached to the window
covering material or positioned within a pocket formed in the window covering
material. In
alternative embodiments of my window covering, the lower rail may be the
bottom rail of the
window covering.
The female member 256 of each safety device 260 is attached to the lower rail
255. The
female member has multiple protrusions 263. Each protrusion 263 defines a gap
sized and
configured to receive a portion of the male member 261. As may best be
appreciated from
Figures 29 and 30, each male member 261 includes projections 264 that extend
from opposite
sides of the body 265 of the male member 261. For example, the projections 264
may be
opposite sides of a rod or bar attached to the body or may be prongs that are
formed on opposite
sides of the male member.
The protrusions 263 are configured to releasably hold the projections 264 when
the
window covering 251 is mounted adjacent to a window. When the window covering
is mounted,
the lift cords are tense and hold the window covering material. The tense,
upward force acting
28
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
on the lift cords to hold the window covering material causes the male members
261 to engage
the female members 256 and be retained by the female members 256.
As may be seen in Figures 29 and 30, when the shade is in a fully extended
position, or a
fully lowered position, a downward release force F' acts on a lift cord 253,
the male member 261
attached to that lift cord may be moved away from the female member such that
the male
member is separated from the female member. Because the shade is fully
extended, this release
force F' will not cause the window covering material, the lower rail, or the
female member 260
attached to the lower rail to move. The separation of the male member attached
to the window
covering material from the female member prevents the lift cord from holding
the window
covering material and can also prevent the lift cord from becoming tightly
wound about a small
child, which can prevent strangulation of a child that may become entangled
within the shade.
Preferably, the downward release force F' necessary to cause a male member to
separate
from a female member is between four and twenty pounds. In this example, it
should be
understood that the release force is an amount of force that is in addition to
the weight of the
window covering material and other material that is supported by the lift
cord. For example, if a
lift cord supports ten pounds of material when a window covering is mounted,
the total amount
of downward force necessary to release the male member from the female member
may be
fourteen pounds, which would apply a four pound release force in addition to
the weight of the
material being supported by that lift cord. As another example, if a child
that weighs twenty
pounds becomes entangled within a lift cord that supports ten pounds of
material of the window
covering, the weight of the child may exert a ten pound release force that
causes the male
member to separate from the female member to release the child and prevent
strangulation.
29
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
Yet another embodiment of my window covering may be appreciated from Figures
31-
34. The window covering 271 includes a window covering material 275 that
extends from an
upper rail. The window covering material 275 has an upper portion 276 and a
lower portion 277.
Lift cords 272 extend from the upper rail to the window covering material 275.
The lift cords
272 pass through openings formed in cord release devices attached to the
window covering
material 275. Each lift cord 272 has an end portion attached to a female
member 280. The
female member 280 includes a body 281 that defines an opening sized and
configured to receive
a male member 279 of a release device 273. The body 281 may define jaws
configured to grasp
or resiliently hold a male member or may define a mouth sized to receive and
releasably hold a
male member. The female members 279, are sized to pass through openings in the-
cord release
devices. The female members may also be sized and configured to pass through
loops or rings
attached to the window covering material.
The male member 279 is attached to the window covering material. The male
member
279 includes a body 283 that is sized and configured to be releasably held
within the opening of
the body 281 of the female member 280. For example, the male member 279 may
have a
cylindrical or polygonal shaped portion sized and configured to be releasably
received within the
opening defined in the body 281 of the female member 280.
The body 281 of the female member 280 is sized and configured to release the
male
member 279 attached to the window covering material when an upward release
force acts on the
female member 280. For instance, if a person applies an upward release force
of five pounds, the
female member 280 may be configured to release the male member 279. As another
example, if
the lift cord to which a male member is attached holds ten pounds of material
when the window
covering is mounted, a person may cause the female member 280 to release the
male member
CA 02682579 2009-10-14
279 by providing a generally upward force of five pounds to the female member
280 or the lift
cord attached to the female member 280. It should be appreciated that such a
force may be
applied by pulling the female member 280 away from the male member 279.
The separation of the male and female members may prevent a child from
becoming
tightly entangled within the loose lift cord. The male member may also release
from the female
member when a release force, such as the force indicated by arrow F" in Figure
33, acts on the
lift cord in a direction parallel to the window covering material and
generally parallel to the lift
cord. That release force F' will cause vertical movement of the female member
281 away from
the male member 279.
A. ~ It should be understood that the lift cords 272 may be two ends of only
one cord. A
middle portion of the cord (not shown) may be attached to a lift mechanism
(not shown), such as
a spring motor, positioned in the upper rail. The opposite ends of that cord
may extend from the
middle portion to the window covering material adjacent opposite sides of the
window covering
material to hold the window covering material in a selected position when the
window covering
is mounted adjacent to a window opening.
Embodiments of my safety kit and embodiments of my Roman shade can provide a
Roman shade that includes one or more safety devices that can prevent child
entanglement
within the lift cords of the shade. The safety kits preferably include both
release devices and
cord release devices that are provided on the back of the shade so they do not
detract from the
aesthetic effect provided by the front of the shade. Further, the safety
devices can be sized to be
relatively small so they are not readily apparent to a typical homeowner from
the rear of the
shade. As a result, the safety devices may not detract from the aesthetic
effect provided by the
rear of the shade, which may be seen through a window.
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CA 02682579 2009-10-14
It should be appreciated that other variations of the present preferred
embodiments
discussed above may be made. For example, the number of lift cords required
for any particular
Roman shade can vary according to the size and weight of the shade material as
well as the
release force required to separate the cord release device attached to the
shade. As another
example, safety devices may include male members that have mateable bodies of
different
shapes or sizes than those described above. As yet another example, the safety
devices may also
include female members that have receptacles that are configured for
releasable connection to
the male members that have different sizes or shapes than those described
above.
While certain present preferred embodiments of my Roman shade and certain
embodiments of methods of practicing-the-same have been shown and described,
it is to be
distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be
otherwise variously
embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.
32
