Abstract:
A control system (22) for a vertical vane covering (20) for use in an architectural opening includes a headrail (30) having an upwardly opening channel in which a plurality of carriers (32) are disposed for sliding movement along the length of the headrail. The headrail is of a thin profile with only a minority portion of the carriers being positioned within the hollow interior of the headrail. The carriers are interconnected by a scissors-type linkage (34) to effect uniform separation of the vanes (24) when the covering is expanded across an architectural opening and each carrier includes a rack and pinion system for rotating the vanes suspended thereby. Unique mountings (324) for the endmost vanes allow the endmost vanes to cover the ends (76) of the headrail.
Abstract:
A solar heating cell includes a core substantially in the form of a parallelepiped having two open sides. O-rings are disposed within channels running about the edges of the two open sides and glass plates are clamped with compression clips to the two open sides forming air and watertight seals with the O-rings. The solar heating cell is filled with a liquid mixture, primarily water. A solar heating panel is made by mounting a number of the solar heating cells on a support apparatus in an opening through an external wall of a building.
Abstract:
A retractable cover for architectural openings having collapsible vanes includes a support structure in the form of a sheet of material, monofilaments, tapes, ribbons, cords, or the like, supporting an upper edge of a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending vanes with the lower edges of the vanes in most embodiments of the invention being connected to operating elements adapted to raise the lower edges of each vane toward the upper edges to define openings or gaps between the vanes through which vision and light can pass in an open condition of the covering. Variations of the covering do not require movement of a lower edge of a vane relative to an upper edge but simply movement of some vanes relative to other vanes. The vanes can be made of materials having different flexibilities and where more rigid materials are used, creased fold lines can be established for desired operability.
Abstract:
A roller blind (10) is disclosed which provides horizontal slats (11) for directional shading, enabling the application of a screen fabric (18) which allows a greater portion of visible light to pass therethrough. The disclosed slatted roller blind (10) is free from the usage of ladder cords and is simplistic in design. The disclosed slatted roller blind (10) maintains a compact formation of a roller shade when retracted and has greater resistance to skewing along the longitudinal axis of the roller while being retracted. Furthermore, the disclosed slatted roller blind (10) design is capable of being utilized as an outdoor or indoor blind.
Abstract:
A stacking panel covering for an architectural opening includes a headrail and a plurality of suspended from the headrail. The panels form an overlapped stack at one end of the headrail when the stacking panel covering is opened, and cover the architectural opening when the stacking panel covering is closed. The panels are piggybacked on those adjacent thereto, so that they stack, one behind the next, when the stacking panel covering is opened, and so that each pulls the next adjacent thereto as the stacking panel covering is being closed. The panels themselves may be planar, or convexly curved in a horizontal direction and substantially straight in a vertical direction.
Abstract:
An apparatus for fabricating a unique non-woven fabric which has the appearance of a woven fabric includes a supply station for adhesive coated parallel warp yarns, a support structure for orienting the parallel warp yarns into a cylindrical orientation with the adhesive coating on the outside, a weft yarn applicator for wrapping weft yarns around the cylindrically oriented warp yarns, a heating station for activating the adhesive and a cooling station for setting the adhesive, and a cutter for severing the cylindrically formed fabric composite so that it can be flattened and wrapped onto a take-up roller. The weft yarn applicator includes a rotating drum wherein a plurality of spools of weft yarn material are mounted in circumferentially spaced relationship. Tension on the weft yarns is provided by the rotation of the drum (centrifugal force) and a stationary conical aligner is used to guide the weft yarn material onto the warp yarns in substantially perpendicular alignment.
Abstract:
A solar heating block, designed for use in assembling solar heating panels in the walls of buildings, has a first compartment and a second compartment within its interior volume. The first compartment contains a translucent insulating material, such as an aerogel. The second compartment, which is inward of the solar heating block from the first compartment, contains a heat-absorbing material. The translucent insulating material allows light to be transmitted through the solar heating block, but reduces heat loss to the exterior of the building from the heat-absorbing material.
Abstract:
A solar heating block, designed for use in assembling solar heating panels in the walls of buildings, has a first compartment and a second compartment within its interior volume. The first compartment contains a translucent insulating material, such as an aerogel. The second compartment, which is inward of the solar heating block from the first compartment, contains a heat-absorbing material. The translucent insulating material allows light to be transmitted through the solar heating block, but reduces heat loss to the exterior of the building from the heat-absorbing material.
Abstract:
An apparatus and associated method for manufacturing a window covering 50 for an architectural opening. The apparatus includes a support structure handling assembly 92, an operating element handling assembly 94, and a vane handling assembly 96. The handling assemblies process the respective materials to an assembly station 100 to attach one portion of a vane 54 to the operating elements 56, and another portion of the vane 54 to the support structure 52, allowing movement of one portion of the vane 54 relative to other portion of the vane.
Abstract:
A covering for architectural surfaces as well as a method of forming and applying the covering is described in various embodiments and arrangements wherein fabric can be utilized and folded to provide a three-dimensional appearance with hollow or padded cells and wherein folds in the material used to make the covering or reveal strips conceal otherwise distractive seams between adjacent strips of the covering material.