Abstract:
An apparatus releasibly attachable to a wall or overhead support surface includes a horizontally elongated roller assembly which accommodates a spirally wound compliant sheet, and a track member which rotatably supports the roller assembly. The track member is supported by at least two clamps which permit releasible connection to the track member. The sheet has a meaningful appearance when deployed downwardly to a display state having a vertically elongated rectangular contour.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to apparatus for the display of a visually significant substrate, and more particularly concerns an assembly for vertically displaying and retrieving a compliant sheet. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Window shades are most often thought of as a means of providing privacy. Shades are usually drawn when it is desired to prevent others from visually seeing into a room. Shades are also utilized to shut out light transmitted through the window, either from natural sunlight or from man made light sources. Most shades are thus made from opaque material that is drawn when total privacy or elimination of light is desired. 
         [0005]    Dwellers who reside in buildings that are built in close proximity to each other often desire a shade or window covering that will afford privacy yet will not block or prevent all light from entering a room during daylight hours. U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,848 to Gainer, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a shade or window covering that is translucent but not transparent, and utilizes the light transmitting properties of the shade material to produce a desirable aesthetic effect. 
         [0006]    Window shades are generally comprised of a coil spring wound upon a stationary rod centered within a cylindrical drum, and gravity-activated clutch means adapted to engage said drum to permit rotative movement thereof. A sheet of compliant shade material having a leading edge attached to a rigid horizontal member is spirally wound upon the drum, and is adapted to be downwardly deployed against the biasing effect of the coil spring. Such window shades are adapted to be secured by brackets attached to the opposing vertical side members of a window frame. One of the functions of said brackets is to maintain said stationary rod motionless while the sheet material is pulled downwardly to its unwound state of vertical deployment. Such manner of mounting requires that the length of the window shade unit be of exact length to match the width of the window, namely the distance of separation of said vertical side members. 
         [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a window shade type of apparatus which can be mounted to a wall or an overhead surface having a length smaller than, equal to or greater than the length of the apparatus. 
         [0008]    It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus as is in the foregoing object which can be easily and rapidly mounted to and removed from said wall or overhead surface. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature containing a spirally wound sheet having an outer appearance which is meaningful in a vertically deployed rectangular format. 
         [0010]    It is a still further object of this invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature wherein said outer appearance is a flag or banner whose appearance at night can be enhanced by back lighting. 
         [0011]    These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by an apparatus releasibly attachable to a wall or overhead support surface for vertically deploying and retrieving a compliant sheet, said apparatus comprising:
   a) a rigid straight track member elongated upon a center axis between anchoring and passive extremities and bounded by a front surface and a rear surface having spaced apart opposed retaining lips directed toward said axis,   b) a securing arm attached to each extremity and forwardly directed from said front surface,   c) an elongated roller assembly extending between anchoring and passive extremities which engage said securing arms and comprised of a cylindrical drum, a retaining rod centered within said drum and having a tensioned coil spring wound thereupon, said rod being interactive with said anchoring extremity, and clutch means releasibly interactive between said spring and drum,   d) a compliant sheet of fabric material spirally wound upon said drum in a storage state, said fabric being of durable, wrinkle-resistant construction having an appearance which is meaningful in a downwardly deployed rectangular format, and terminating in a straight leading edge,   e) a rigid horizontal member which engages said leading edge to facilitate downward deployment of said sheet from said storage state to a display state against the biasing effect of said spring, and adapted to abut with said drum and track in said storage state to prevent uncontrolled winding of said sheet onto said drum, and   f) at least two clamps amenable to attachment to said support surface and equipped with spring-urged gripping means adapted to engage said retaining lips.   
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0019]    For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective front view of an embodiment of the apparatus of this invention showing its sheet component in a deployed state and depicting in phantom outline the flag of the United States of America. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the sheet component in its stored state. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows upon line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows upon line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged end view taken from the left of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0026]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-6 , an embodiment of the apparatus  10  of the present invention is shown comprised of track member  11  held by clamps  12  which attach to a support surface such as ceiling  13 , an elongated roller assembly  14  rotatively held by first and second securing arms  15  and  16 , respectively, associated with said track member, and a compliant sheet of fabric  50  spirally windable upon said roller assembly. 
         [0027]    Track member  11  is preferably an integral structure having been fabricated as an extruded aluminum element. Said track member is elongated upon a center axis  17  between anchoring and passive extremities  18  and  19 , respectively, and is comprised of a base panel  24  bounded by front surface  20  and rear surface  21  having upraised retaining lips  47  directed toward said axis. A grooved sidewall  22  extends orthogonally between each lip and panel  24 . Paired troughs  23  upraised from said rear surface extend the entire length of the base panel and serve to receive threaded fasteners, as will be shown herein below. Panel  24  is preferably upwardly curved along axis  17  so as to increase the rigidity of said track member. 
         [0028]    First securing arm  15  is attached to anchoring extremity  18  by way of threaded fasteners  27  which penetrate arm  15  and enter the open receiving ends of troughs  23 . Similarly, second securing arm  16  is attached to the opposed, passive extremity  19  of track member  11 . Each securing arm is shown having an angled tab  30  at its rear extremity adapted to slide under associated retaining lips  47  to provide greater strength of attachment. 
         [0029]    Roller assembly  14  extends to rotative and removable engagement with securing arms  15  and  16 , and is comprised of cylindrical drum  31  and a retaining rod  32  centered within said drum. A tensioned coil spring  36  is wound upon rod  32 . Rod  32  is held stationary by securing arm  15  having a stub  33  of polygonal cross section that slidably seats within corresponding socket  34  associated with said rod. Clutch means  35  of conventional design is interactive between spring  36  and drum  31  to provide gravity and motion engagement control in the traditional manner of window shade operation. An outer extremity  53  of stub  33  penetrates securing arm  15 , and is provided with a recess  54  that insertively accommodates a tool which facilitates rotative adjustment of the tension of spring  36 . 
         [0030]    Fabric sheet  50  is adapted to be spirally wound upon drum  31  in its stored upward state. Said fabric is of durable, wrinkle-resistant construction. In a preferred embodiment, the fabric is permeable to light. The sheet has an appearance which, in its downwardly deployed state, is meaningful in a vertically elongated rectangular format, and preferably displays to outside viewers a flag or banner having a symbolic or otherwise meaningful expression of pride, seasonal celebration, and/or patriotism. Sheet  50  terminates in a straight leading edge  38 . 
         [0031]    A rigid horizontal member  39  engages leading edge  38  to facilitate downward deployment of the sheet from its stored state to its display state against the biasing effect of spring  36 . Horizontal member  39  also maintains the sheet in a neat, positionable stable condition, resistant to movement by wind, and prevents uncontrolled unwinding of spring  36  when the sheet is returned to its stored state. 
         [0032]    At least two clamps  12  are employed to mount the apparatus of this invention to a wall or overhead support surface such as a ceiling, ceiling beam or top horizontal portion of a window frame. Said clamps are attachable to said wall or overhead support surface by a threaded bolt  51  or other fastening means such as wall anchors or suction cups. Said clamps are preferably of spring activated construction such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,186,457 and 6,540,187, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. When employing such spring activated clamps, the apparatus is installed onto a wall or overhead support surface merely by pushing track member  11  against the two spaced apart clamps. Such action enables spring biased tab  41  on one extremity of each clamp to click into exterior groove  42  of track sidewall  22 , causing the opposite extremity of the clamp to enter groove  43  on the opposite side of the track. Removal of the apparatus from said clamps is achieved merely by lifting up tabs  41 . 
         [0033]    In a preferred embodiment, roller assembly  14  along with sheet  50  spirally wound thereupon is made to be easily removable from track member  11  by depressing a spring urged retaining button  44  centered in the passive extremity of said roller assembly and that rotatively penetrates securing arm  16 . A conically-shaped inwardly directed closure panel  45  facilitates easy insertion of button  44  into said securing arm. 
         [0034]    While particular examples of the present invention have been shown and described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broadest aspects. The aim of the appended claims, therefore, is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.