Abstract:
A window treatment is disclosed. The window treatment includes a panel having a front portion, a rear portion, a top edge and a bottom edge. A plurality of guides extends from the rear portion of the panel. The guides are configured and arranged to allow a lifting mechanism to slide therethrough. The guides may further include a clip portion configured and arranged to attached to a window treatment and a guide portion extending from the clip portion that is configured and arranged to slidably receive an edge of a lifting mechanism therein

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present patent document claims priority to earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 61/223,914, filed on Jul. 8, 2009, and 61/348,413, filed on May 26, 2010, and is a continuation in part of U.S. Design Patent Application Ser. No. 29/362812, filed on June. 1, 2010, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present patent document relates generally to window treatments and more specifically to an interchangeable window treatment for a Roman-style shade. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Roman-style shades are well known in the art. However, one disadvantage with Roman-style shades is that they do not easily permit the window treatment to be removed and replaced. In fact, the window treatment is often not removable at all from the head rail. Therefore, there is a perceived need for a window treatment for a Roman-style shade that permits the window treatment to be easily removed and replaced. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing a window treatment that can be easily removed and attached to a shade. In particular the window treatment includes a front portion and rear portion with a top, left, right and bottom edges. A number of fasteners are located on the top edge of the rear portion window treatment and near the bottom edge of the rear portion of the window treatment. The fasteners at the top edge are configured to attach to a head rail of a shade assembly and the fasteners near the bottom edge are configured to attach to a lifting mechanism of the shade assembly. The window treatment further includes a number of guides on the rear portion of the window treatment that guide the lifting mechanism in order to form decorative pleats in the window treatment as it is raised by the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly. 
     
    
     
       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. 1  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the window treatment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of a preferred embodiment of the window treatment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of a lifting mechanism and head rail assembly of a shade; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a user separating the fasteners at the top edge of the window treatment from the reciprocal fastener on the head rail of the shade assembly; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of a user separating the fasteners near the bottom edge of the window treatment from the reciprocal fastener on the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the window treatment of the present invention attached to a shade assembly; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7   a  is a close up view of a guide engaged with a pocket on the window treatment and the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7   b  is a close up view of a user partially removing a guide from the pocket on the window treatment and the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7   c  is a close up view of a user partially removing a guide from the pocket on the window treatment and wholly separating the guide from the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8   a  is a perspective view of a clip used as a guide on the window treatment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8   b  is a side view of a clip used as a guide on the window treatment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9   a  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the window treatment of the present invention being partially lifted by the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9   b  is a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the window treatment of the present invention being partially lifted by the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10   a  is a rear view of the preferred embodiment of the window treatment of the present invention being partially lifted by the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10   b  is a rear perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the window treatment of the present invention being partially lifted by the lifting mechanism of the shade assembly; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11   a  is a rear view of a alternative window treatment of the present invention showing the use of a unitary wire loop as guides; 
           [0024]      FIG. 11   b  is a rear view of a alternative window treatment of the present invention showing the use of wire hooks as guides; 
           [0025]      FIG. 11   c  is a rear view of a alternative window treatment of the present invention showing the use of a unitary rod as guides; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 11   d  is a rear view of a alternative window treatment of the present invention showing the use of a cloth pocket as guides. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0027]    Referring now to the  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the window treatment of the present invention is shown generally at  10 . The window treatment  10  has a decorative front portion  12  and a rear portion  14 . The window treatment  10  may include multiple panels  16  or be a single large panel. The window treatment  10  further includes a top edge  18 , a left side edge  20 , a right side edge  22  and a bottom edge  24 . The window treatment  26  may further include an optional valance portion  28  depending from the top edge  18  of the window treatment  10 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an exemplary shade assembly is shown generally at  30 . The shade assembly  30  includes a support assembly  31 , a head rail  32  and a lifting mechanism  34 . The head rail  32  supports the window treatment  10  as further described below. The support assembly  31  supports the head rail  32  and lifting mechanism  34 . The lifting mechanism  34  is configured to raise and lower the window treatment  10 , which is further described below. 
         [0029]    The lifting mechanism  34  includes a take up member  33  rotatably attached to the support assembly  31 . A lifting member  37  is attached to the take up member  33 . The take up member  33  is configured and arranged to gather and release the lifting member  37 . 
         [0030]    The support assembly  31  may include one or more brackets  35 . The brackets  35  are configured to be mounted to a wall opening, such as a doorway, window opening or casement with fasteners, such as screws, nails or bolts. The brackets  35  may be configured to mount horizontally, vertically or at another angle to the wall or window opening. Additional spacers and braces may be used to support the brackets  35  against the wall opening. The head rail  32  may be connected to the brackets  35  of the support assembly  31 . 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , one or more fasteners  36   a  are provided at the top edge  18  of the window treatment  10 , which are configured to attach to a head rail  32  of a shade assembly  30 . The fasteners  36   a  may be hook-and-loop fasteners, eyes to be fitted over hooks or buttons, snaps, zippers, and the like. The head rail  32  has the mating half  36   b  of the fasteners  36   a  to allow the window treatment  10  to be secured thereto. 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , one or more fasteners  38   a  are provided near the bottom edge  24  of the window treatment  10 , which are configured to attach to the lifting mechanism  34  of the shade assembly  30 . The fasteners  38   a  may be hook-and-loop fasteners, eyes to be fitted over hooks or buttons, snaps, zippers, and the like. The lifting mechanism  34  on the shade assembly  30  has the mating half  38   b  of the fasteners  38   a  to allow the window treatment  10  to be secured thereto. Operation of the lifting mechanism  34  of the shade assembly  30  raises the window treatment  10  as further described below. 
         [0033]    Because fasteners  36   a ,  36   b ,  38   a ,  38   b  are used, the window treatment  10  may be removed from the shade assembly  30 . This feature permits the user replace the window treatment  10  with another window treatment, e.g. a light summer window treatment may be replaced with a heavier winter window treatment, or a holiday patterned decorative window treatment, such as a pumpkin-themed pattern for Halloween for instance, may be hung to celebrate a particular holiday. This feature also permits the window treatment  10  to be easily cleaned because the user can take down and wash or clean the window treatment  10 . 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 ,  7   a - 7   c ,  8   a  and  8   b , further included on the rear portion  14  of the window treatment  10  are a number of spaced-apart guides. The guides may be formed as a pair of opposing clips  40  retained in a pocket  42  formed on the rear portion  14  of the window treatment  10 . The clips  40  include a first guide element  44  and a second guide element  46  spaced apart from the first guide element  44 . A slot is formed between the first guide element  44  and the second guide element  46 . The clip  40  further includes a toothed retaining element  48  spaced apart from the second guide element  46  that is received in the pocket  42  on the rear portion  14  of the window treatment  10 . The second guide element  46  may also include reciprocal teeth facing the retaining element  48 . The teeth on the retaining element  48  and the second guide element  46  prevent the clip  40  from being accidentally dislodged from the pocket  42  on the window treatment  10 . 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIGS. 11   a - 11   d , instead of a clip  40 , a unitary wire loop  48 , wire hooks  50 , unitary rod  52 , or a cloth loop  54  may also be used. The critical factor is that the guides must allow the lifting member  37  to travel freely through the guide without undue snagging or resistance. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIGS. 9   a ,  9   b ,  10   a  and  10   b , the clips  40  guide the lifting member  37  as the take up member  33  gathers the lifting member  37  when the take up member  33  is rotated thereby causing the window treatment  10  to fold upon itself as the clips  40  are drawn together, forming decorative pleats  50  in the window treatment  10 . When the take member  33  is rotated in the opposite direction the take up member  33  releases the lifting member  37  causing the window treatment  10  to close. The lifting mechanism  34  is configured to gather and release the lifting member  37 . 
         [0037]    Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention provides a unique solution to the problem of providing an interchangeably window treatment for a Roman-style shade that permits the user to easily remove, clean and replace the window treatment, or interchange a window treatment for another more desirable window treatment. 
         [0038]    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 insofar as limited by the appended claims.