Abstract:
An energy efficient shade assembly for a window is disclosed. The shade assembly includes a shade roller assembly having a roller with a shade attached thereto driven by a spring motor. Left and right brackets configured and arranged to be secured to a window casement and support a left and right ends of the shade roller assembly are included. Also include are left and right side rails depending from the brackets. Each side rail has a movable flap extending substantially the length thereof. The flaps of the side rails are configured and arranged to fold over a portion of the shade when the shade is drawn from the shade roller assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present patent document claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/949,531, filed on Jul. 13, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to window shades and more particularly to sealed window shades. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In order to conserve home heating and cooling costs, it is desirable to reduce the heat lost or gained through the windows in homes and other buildings. Windows have long been a known problem with insulting the home from the outside environment on warm or cold days, respectively. To this end, window shades have been used to reduce the loss or gain of heat through windows. To improve upon window shades, sealed shades were created. Sealed shades generally include some means to attach the window shade itself to the window casement to further reduce the exchange of heat through the window. However, these prior art sealed window shades are not without problems. Prior art sealed window shades are often bulky and difficult to install. Further, these prior art sealed window shades lack aesthetics making them unappealing to install by home owners. Therefore, there is a perceived need for an improved sealed shade that is compact, easy to install and is also more aesthetically pleasing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention solves the problem of the prior art by providing a sealed shade assembly that includes a shade roller assembly, a pair of telescoping side tracks or rails each having a sealing flap, a pair of uniquely configured brackets to retain the shade roller assembly in the window and aid in mounting the side tracks to the window casement. Each bracket also includes an outwardly extending shelf or mounting point for attaching an ornamental valance thereto to hide and shade roller assembly. The flaps are configured to fold over the shade when drawn from the shade roller assembly. Because the flaps can fold over the shade, draft from the window is reduced thereby conserving energy in the home. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1A  shows a front view of a first embodiment of the shade in a window casement with the shade up; 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  shows a front view of a first embodiment of the shade with the shade drawn; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of a first embodiment of the shade; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3A  shows an exploded view of a first embodiment of a valance; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3B  shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a valance; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  shows a perspective view and front view, respectively, of a left bracket for mounting the shade roller assembly to a window casement; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  shows a perspective view and front view, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of a left bracket for mounting the shade roller assembly to a window casement; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  shows a perspective view and front view, respectively, of a right bracket for mounting the shade roller assembly to a window casement; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  shows a perspective view and front view, respectively, of an alternative embodiment of a right bracket for mounting the shade roller assembly to a window casement; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8A  shows a perspective view of the left telescoping side rail assembled, it being understood that the right telescoping side rail is the mirror image thereof; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8B  show an exploded view of the left telescoping side rail shown in  FIG. 8A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  shows an end view of the telescoping side rail; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  shows an end view of an alternative embodiment of the telescoping side rail. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the energy efficient shade assembly of the present invention is shown generally at  10  in a window casement  12 . The energy efficient shade assembly  10  includes a number of different parts as seen in  FIG. 2 . Most importantly, the assembly  10  includes a spring-tension shade roller assembly  14  having a window shade  15 . To retain the assembly  10  in a window casement  12 , two brackets  16 A,  16 B are included; a left bracket  16 A and a right bracket  16 B. Also included is a pair of telescoping side rail assemblies  18 . Each side rail assembly  18  is fastened to the window casement  12  and includes a pair of interlocking metal rails  20 ,  21  and a flap  22  with a magnet  24  attached thereto. The flap  22  is used to seal the shade  15  against the metal rails  20 ,  21  of the side rail assemblies  18 , thereby reducing the draft or air flow between the window and the shade  10  and the interior of a home. Also a valance  26  is included to stop heat loss or gain from above the shade  15  at the top of the window. The valance  26  is frictionally fitted between a protrusion of the brackets  16  and the top of the window casement  12 . Also to reduce draft, the valance fits above, in front, and below the shade roller assembly  14  and brushes up against the shade  15  material when the shade  15  is drawn down. The valance  26  also hides the shade roller assembly  14  and brackets  16 A,  16 B from view. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 A, and  5 B, an alternative embodiment of the brackets  16 A,  16 B are shown. The left bracket  16 A includes a raised surface  28  with a slotted opening  30  to hold the tabbed end of the spring motor on the spring tension shade assembly  14 . The right bracket  16 B includes a raised surface  32  with one or more openings  34  to mount the other end of the spring tension shade assembly  14  therein. Each bracket  16 A,  16 B includes mounting holes  36  to permit the bracket  16 A,  16 B to be secured to the window casement  12 . Preferably, one of the mounting holes  36  is slotted to permit final adjustment of the bracket  16 A,  16 B on the window casement  12  to level the shade roller assembly  14 . Extending from the top of each bracket and perpendicularly therefrom is a mounting tab  38 . The mounting tab  38  provides a mounting point for the valance  26  described further below. 
         [0023]    A spacing tab  40  also extends from the top of each bracket  16 A,  16 B. During installation, the spacing tab  40  ensures that the bracket  16 A,  16 B is placed sufficient distance from the top of the window casement  12  to provide sufficient space for operation of the spring-tension shade  14  and attachment of the valance  26 . 
         [0024]    Extending from the bottom of each bracket is a hook  42 . Each hook  42  cooperates with a hole on the top of the telescoping side rails  18  to assist in the installation of the of the shade assembly  10 . In particular, the installer may hang the side rail  18  on the hook  42  after the bracket  16 A,  16 B has been installed in the window casement  12 . The hook  42  assists the user in ensuring that the side rail  18  is properly aligned and spaced from the bracket  16 A,  16 B. Moreover, the hook  42  serves as a sort of third hand for the installer. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B,  7 A, and  7 B, an alternative embodiment of the brackets are shown  44 A,  44 B. The alternative left bracket  44 A includes a raised surface  46  with a slotted opening  48  for the tabbed end of the spring motor on the spring tension shade assembly  14 . The alternative right bracket  44 B includes a raised surface  50  with an opening  52  to mount the other end of the spring tension shade assembly  14  therein. Each alternative bracket  44 A,  44 B includes mounting holes  54  to permit the bracket  44 A,  44 B to be secured to the window casement  12 . Preferably, one of the mounting holes  54  is slotted to permit final adjustment of the bracket  44 A,  44 B on the window casement  12  to level the shade roller assembly  14 . Extending from the top of each alternative bracket  44 A,  44 B and perpendicularly therefrom is a mounting tab  56 . The mounting tab  56  provides a mounting point for the valance  26  described further below. 
         [0026]    A pair of spacing tabs  58  also extends from the alternative bracket  44 A,  44 B and the mounting tab  56  is located therebetween. During installation, the spacing tabs  58  ensure that the bracket  44 A,  44 B is placed sufficient distance from the top of the window casement  12  to provide sufficient space for operation of the spring-tension shade  14  and attachment of the valance  26 . 
         [0027]    Extending from the bottom of each alternative bracket  44 A,  44 B is an upwardly curled hook  60 . Each hook  60  cooperates with a hole on the top of the telescoping side rails  18  to assist in the installation of the of the shade assembly  10 . In particular, the installer may hang the side rail  18  on the hook  60  after the bracket  44 A,  44 B has been installed in the window casement  12 . The hook  60  assists the user in ensuring that the side rail  18  is properly aligned and spaced from the bracket  44 A,  44 B. Moreover, the hook  60  serves as a sort of third hand for the installer. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B and  9 , each side rail  18  has an upper portion  20  and a lower portion  21 , which slidably engage together and permit the side rail  18  to be shortened or lengthened as desired to fit the height of the window casement  12  that the shade assembly  10  is being installed in. Alternatively, each side rail  18  may be formed as a single piece for a particular window casement  12  size. The lower portion  21  of the side rail  18  is a roll-formed piece of sheet metal having a base wall  62  and a sidewall  64 . The sidewall  64  extends perpendicularly from the base wall  62 . The upper portion  20  of the side rail  18  is configured similarly to the lower portion  21 ; however, it is configured and arranged to slidably interfit with the lower portion  21 , allowing the overall length of the side rail  18  to be adjustable by telescoping the upper portion  20  from the lower portion  21 . 
         [0029]    Both the upper portion  20  and lower portion  21  of the side rails  18  include holes therethrough to permit the sidewalls  64  to be fastened to the window casement  12  with self-taping screws, screws or other similar fasteners. 
         [0030]    Attached to the sidewalls  64  is a flexible flap  66  with a magnetic strip  68  attached thereto. The magnetic strip  68  may be sewn or adhered to the flap  66  to prevent its removal. The outer end of the flap  66  is connected to the base wall  62  of the upper portion  20  of the side rail  18  and permits the flap  66  to be lifted away from the base wall  62 . The magnet  66 , however, will tend to attach itself to the metal base wall  62 . The flap  66  and magnetic strip  68  have a length equal that of the side rail  18  in its fully extended length. The installer of the shade assembly  10  may easily cut the flap  66  and magnetic strip  68  to the desired length during installation. 
         [0031]    In an alternative embodiment, shown in  FIG. 10 , a sock or sleeve  70  if formed from the flexible material of the flap  66  to contain the magnetic strip  66 . Specifically the flexible sock  70  is formed from a loop of the flexible material of the flap  66  and becomes a pouch for the magnetic strip  68 . The magnetic strip  68  may be sealed therein to prevent its removal. 
         [0032]    Once installed in the window casement  12 , a user may operate the spring-tension shade roller  14  to extend the shade  15  to cover the window. After the shade  15  is deployed, the user may seal the shade  15  by, in turn, lifting the flap  66  on the left and right side rails  18  and placing the flap  66  over the shade  15 . The magnetic strip  68  in the flap  66  will then attach itself to the metal base wall  62  of the side rail  18  by magnetism. 
         [0033]    Referring back now to  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B the optional valance  26  includes a top  70 , bottom  72  and a front  74  wall configured and arranged to form a U-shaped (or C-shaped) channel  76  and cross-section. The valance  26  may be formed from two telescoping pieces as shown in  FIG. 3A  or as a single piece as shown in  FIG. 3B . The front wall  74  has an exterior surface that may have decorative enhancements to improve the aesthetic appeal of the valance  26 . The valance  26  is fitted over and around the spring-tension shade roller assembly  14  by frictionally fitting the top wall  70  of the valance  26  within the space formed between mounting tab  38  of the brackets  16 A,  16 B and the top portion of the window casement  12 . The U-shaped channel  74  is configured to be large enough to permit operation of the spring-tension shade roller assembly  14  without undue interference, yet also hide the shade roller assembly  14  from view. 
         [0034]    Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of providing am energy efficient shade assembly  10  that is compact and easy for a home owner to install. As can be appreciated, the energy efficient shade  10  will also reduce loss or gain of heat, respectively, through a window. 
         [0035]    It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such modifications and changes are intended to be within the scope of the present invention except as limited by the appended claims.