Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Plural and/or with rigid closure – Diverse types
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-22
2004-09-07
Purol, David (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Plural and/or with rigid closure
Diverse types
C160S084010, C160S16810V
Reexamination Certificate
active
06786269
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to blind systems, and more specifically, but not exclusively, concerns a blind cover that is detachably coupled to a plurality of vanes so that the vane cover can be removed when needed.
A common covering system for windows, sliding glass doors and other types of openings are vertical blinds. The vertical blinds have vanes, which are rotatable about a vertical axis in order to open or close the blind. A current popular feature is to integrally form the vanes with a cover that extends across the vanes so as to diffuse incoming light and to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. One popular vane cover design is the u-shaped or scalloped design in which the cover forms folds between the vanes that extend in outward direction towards the viewer. Such covers typically include vanes made of a stiff fabric that are integrally attached together with strips of sheer fabric. One problem with such covers is that the material used to form the cover is expensive, and the manufacturing cost for the covers is likewise expensive. Furthermore, the stiffening and sheer fabrics are not washable in conventional washing machines. If washed in a conventional washing machine, the fabrics in the cover would be destroyed by the washing process. The washing process bends the stiffening fabric such that the stiffening vanes are no longer straight after washing. Another problem faced with the integral cover design is that the stiffening fabric does not have enough weight in order to counter balance the weight of the u-shaped folds. This creates an undesirable “swooped back”look in which the cover angles back towards the window. Moreover, retrofitting an integral system to pre-existing vertical blind systems can be quite expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One form of the present invention concerns a unique vertical blind cover system and method of manufacturing such a system.
A system according to a further form of the present invention includes a first blind vane having an edge portion and a second blind vane having an edge portion. The system includes a cover that forms a u-shaped fold that extends between the first vane and the second vane. A first reattachable fastener detachably couples the cover to the first vane at the edge portion of the first vane. The first fastener is constructed and arranged to allow the cover to be detached and reattached to the first vane. A second reattachable fastener detachably couples the cover to the second vane at the edge portion of the second vane. The second fastener is constructed and arranged to allow the cover to be detached and reattached to the second vane.
Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and the following description.
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Hunter Douglas Window Fashions, product literature.
Senesac Polet
Senesac Wayne M.
Oxford House, Incorporated
Purol David
Woodard Emhardt Moriarty McNett & Henry LLP
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