Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – With hood – canopy – shield storage chamber – or outrigged... – Structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-18
2003-12-02
Purol, David (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
With hood, canopy, shield storage chamber, or outrigged...
Structure
C160S348000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06655439
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of window treatments and, in particular, to preformed window treatments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Consumers desiring to use window treatments are limited to either purchasing window treatments that are ready-made, which may or may not fully suit their tastes or needs, custom made, which are extremely expensive, or making their own. Even currently available do-it-yourself kits limit the consumers' fabric choices and may severely limit their size choices. Additionally, the available do-it-yourself kits do not ensure that the window treatment will be balanced (i.e. have evenly-spaced pleats/folds), which often results in an unattractive product. Moreover, current window treatments will often lose their shape when cleaned or vacuumed. Finally, currently available window treatments are not easily removed, replaced, modified or transported.
Accordingly, there is a need for a window treatment that allows the consumer unlimited fabric choice. There is a need for window treatments that can be economically created and customized to suit individual preferences. Additionally, there is a need for a window treatment that ensures the final product will be attractive and usable. There is also a need for window treatments that can be cleaned without losing their shape. Finally, there is a need for window treatments that can be easily removed, replaced, modified and transported.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a window treatment, a window treatment kit and method of creating a window treatment that allows the consumer unlimited fabric choice. The present invention provides window treatments that can be economically created and customized to suit individual preferences. Additionally, the present invention provides a method of creating window treatments that ensures the final product will be attractive, usable and easily reproducible. The present invention also provides window treatments that can be cleaned without losing their shape. Moreover, the present invention eliminates the need for measuring and sewing. Finally, the window treatment of the present invention can be easily removed, replaced, modified and transported.
More specifically, the present invention provides a scalable, preformed mold covered with fabric. The fabric is cut to fit the mold and adhered to its contours in order to obtain the shape of the desired window treatment. The fabric can also have alignment tabs in order to make attachment to the mold easier. One or more rod hooks can be either adhered to the fabric covering the mold or integrated into the mold. The rod hook can then be used to attach the window treatment to any standard curtain rod. Optional side extensions allow the creation of fuller pieces.
The present invention also provides a scalable, preformed, mold covered with fabric. The mold has one or more concentric humps. The fabric is cut to fit the mold and adhered to its contours in order to obtain the shape of the desired window treatment. Alignment tabs on the fabric make attachment to the mold easier. One or more rod hooks can be either adhered to the fabric covering the mold or integrated into the mold. The rod hook can then be used to attach the window treatment to any standard curtain rod.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for creating window treatments. The steps are: cutting a piece of fabric to match a pattern, aligning the piece of fabric to a scalable preformed mold and adhering the piece of fabric to contours of the scalable preformed mold. The method may also include the step of attaching one or more rod hooks to the piece of fabric adhered to the scalable preformed mold if the rod hooks are not integrated into the mold.
In addition, the present invention provides a window treatment having multiple pieces, which can be of the same or differing sizes and/or configurations. Each piece is a scalable preformed mold covered by fabric. The multiple pieces are hung together using a rod hook to form a full window treatment.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Gardere Wynne & Sewell LLP
Purol David
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