Roman shade with liner

A roman shade with liner has a headrail, a bottom bar spaced apart from and parallel to the headrail and both a face material and a liner extending from the headrail and attached to the bottom bar. A plurality of lift cords are attached to the bottom bar, pass through the gap between the liner and the face material and extend into the headrail. Each lift cord engages a set of tabs, rings or other one cord connectors attached to the inside surface of the face material. Preferably, each lift cord also engages cord connectors on the inside surface of the liner. The face material and the liner are each a material that will form loops that extend below the bottom bar as the bottom bar is raised. The face material and liner are sized and configured so that no loop of face material will extend beyond at least one loop of liner material. Consequently, the liner will block sunlight from the face material when the shade is fully raised or partially raised. The face material and liner preferably are attached to the headrail by inserts that are removable from the headrail. A line of magnets may be provided along each side edge of the liner with a lift cord positioned behind each line of magnets.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to roman shades of the type having a front panel and a liner between the front panel and the window.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Roman shades are a well-known window covering in which a sheet of fabric having horizontal rear pleats or tabs is hung from a headrail. Lift cords run down the back of the fabric sheet through the rear tabs or pleats. Sometimes rings or clips are used to attach the lift cords to the tabs or pleats. The lower ends of the lift cords are attached to the fabric at a selected distance above the bottom edge of the fabric. Typically, there is a bottom bar across the lower edge of the fabric sheet. The fabric that extends below the connection points of the lift cords to the bottom bar is called the skirt. In most roman shades the distance between all adjacent pleats or tabs is the same. Frequently, that distance is four, five or six inches. Should the length of a window opening not be a multiple of the distance between tabs, a skirt of a different length is provided. For example, if a window is 54 inches high and the tab spacing is five inches, then a four inch skirt or a nine inch skirt would be provided. If the shade is being custom made the fabricator could make the spacing 5.4 inches. If several roman shades are being installed in one room having windows of different length then all shades are made with the same spacing between pleats and skirts are used as needed for some or all windows. One could make the spacing between pairs of adjacent tabs different. But, such different fabric lengths often cause the folds to jam and stack poorly.

Roman shades commonly have liners adjacent to the back side of the front panel. The liner may be attached to the same bottom bar as the face fabric or may have a separate bottom bar. When the roman shade is raised from a lowered position to a raised position a series of loops will be formed in the face fabric and the liner

FIG. 1is a side view of one type of roman shade1which was available in the marketplace many years ago. That roman shade has a shade fabric or face fabric2extending from a headrail3and a liner4attached to the rear surface of the face fabric2. Both the face fabric and the liner are attached to a common bottom bar5. Lift cords7pass through ring or tabs9extending from the liner4and are also attached to the bottom bar5. When the roman shade1is raised to any extent the lower portion6of the front sheet will face toward the window and be exposed to sunlight, indicated by arrows8. Over time this exposed lower portion6of the face fabric2will become faded by the sun. When that occurs and the shade is fully lowered one standing in front of the shade will see a light faded region across the lower edge of the shade.

Another prior art roman shade10shown inFIG. 2is similar to the shade inFIG. 1but the lift cords7are attached to the tab11at the top of the skirt12rather than the bottom bar5. The liner4should prevent fading of the skirt12which extends between tab9aand bottom bar5. In this roman shade10the skirt12extends below the first loop of fabric11. Sometimes the skirt of a roman shade, whose length is determined by the size of the window, is shorter than the first loop of fabric11, as in the roman shade10ashown inFIG. 3. Fading of the front layer2can occur when the skirt is shorter than the first loop of fabric11. One solution to that problem is to make the skirt longer as in roman shade10bshown inFIGS. 4 and 5. The longer skirt12awould have a length equal to the short skirt12inFIG. 7plus the distance between adjacent tabs9. That length would be nine inches in the 54 inch shade example mentioned above. However, using a longer skirt12aextends the length of the blind in the raised position shown inFIG. 5.

It is also known to put magnets along the edges of a liner or vapor barrier in window coverings including roman shades. In the prior art roman shade10cshown inFIG. 6magnets14are positioned along the edges of the liner4. In the past the lift cords7have been positioned on the same side of the liner4as the magnets14. The lift cords7are inboard of the line of magnets4that are located along opposite edges of the liner. When the lift cords7are pulled up as inFIG. 8, the magnets14tend to slide up the window frame rather than cleanly separate. This can be seen from a comparison ofFIGS. 7 and 8. The sliding magnets may tend to jam as the liner moves upward. Because the lift cords7are spaced apart from the magnets14twisting or torsion can occur across the liner. Another problem than can occur results from the build up of moisture on those liners which act a moisture barrier. The moisture can accumulate causing the magnets to rust. The moisture can migrate to the face fabric causing wet spots and discoloration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

I provide a roman shade with liner having a headrail, a bottom bar spaced apart from and parallel to the headrail and a face material extending from the headrail and attached to the bottom bar. I further provide a liner extending from the headrail and attached to the bottom bar, the liner having an inside surface facing the inside surface of the face material so as to define a gap between the liner and the bottom bar A plurality of lift cords are attached to the bottom bar, pass through the gap and extend into the headrail. Each lift cord engages a set of tabs, rings or other cord connectors attached to the inside surface of the face material. Preferably, each lift cord also engages cord connectors on the inside surface of the liner. The face material and the liner are each a material that will form loops that extend below the bottom bar as the bottom bar is raised. The face material and liner are sized and configured so that no loop of face material will extend beyond at least one loop of liner material. Consequently, the liner will block sunlight from the face material when the shade is fully raised or partially raised.

I prefer to provide a first set of magnets attached to the liner along a first line parallel to and adjacent the left outer edge of the liner and second set of magnets attached to the liner along a second line parallel to and adjacent the right outer edge of the liner. I also prefer that one lift cord be in a first plane that is parallel to the left edge of the liner and passes through the first line and a second lift cord be in a second plane that is parallel to the right edge of the liner and passes through the second line. When the magnets and lift cords are so positioned the magnets will peel away from the window frame rather than slide up the frame as the shade is being raised.

I prefer to provide a headrail for the shade which has an elongated body having two insert cavities. The liner is attached to one insert. A portion of that insert is within one insert cavity and is removable from the insert cavity. The face material is attached to the second insert. That insert is placed within the second insert cavity. The inserts allow easy removal and replacement of the liner or face material. This headrail can be used with any window covering having a face material and a liner.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a description of certain present preferred embodiments thereof shown in the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 9,10and11, I provide a roman shade20having a front face material22and a liner24extending from headrail23and attached to a common bottom bar25. The face material could be any material that has been used for roman shades including woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics, woven woods and films. The liner could be any of these materials, but usually would be a less expensive non-woven fabric or film. Lift cords27run between the face material22and the liner24through tabs, rings or other cord connectors26attached to the face material or to the liner. A first set of magnets14can be attached to the liner along a first line parallel to and adjacent the left outer edge of the liner. A second set of magnets is similarly attached to the liner along a second line parallel to and adjacent the right outer edge of the liner. Preferably one lift cord27is behind each line of magnets14rather than all lift cords27being inboard the magnets14as shown in the prior art shade10cofFIG. 6. Then there will be a plane that is parallel to the left edge of the liner and passes through one lift cord and the first line of magnets and a second plane that is parallel to the right edge of the liner and passes through another lift cord and the second line of magnets. The magnets14should be flexible strip magnets. Referring toFIG. 10, when the lift cords27are raised the lower edge15of the lowest magnet is peeled away from the window frame21, shown in dotted line in the drawing. Because the force provided by the lift cords being raised is applied to the bottom of the magnet, the magnet does not slide as occurs in prior art shades, but pulls away from the window frame. Continued pulling of the lift cords causes the liner to form a first loop28as shown inFIG. 11. This same magnet and cord arrangement can be used in other window coverings having liners, not just on roman shades, and even on window coverings having a single panel of material.

The roman shade of the present invention may have magnets as in the embodiment20inFIG. 9or may not contain magnets as in the roman shade20ainFIG. 12. Whether or not magnets14are provided on the liner24, the shade20will fold as shown inFIG. 12as the lift cords27are pulled upward. The face fabric and the liner are each a material that will form loops that extend below the bottom bar as the bottom bar is raised. As can be seen inFIG. 12, the liner24will form loops24afacing the window and the face fabric22will form separate loops22afacing the room. All the loops could be the same size. However, it is likely that the first loop will be longer (as inFIG. 12) or shorter (as inFIG. 13) than the subsequently formed loops. In any event, the face material and liner are sized and configured so that in any raised position there is always one loop of liner24athat extends at least as low as every loop of face material22a. When the shade20is fully raised the length of the shade will be less than the length of fully raised prior art shades such as the roman shade10bshown inFIG. 5in which the liner4and the face fabric2are in common loops. Another advantage of the shade shown inFIGS. 9 through 12is that the face fabric22is never exposed to direct sunlight. The liner24extends to the bottom of the face fabric when the shade is fully lowered as inFIG. 9. When the shade20is raised the loops24aof liner24block the sun from striking the loops22aof face fabric22. This is true whether the first formed loops are shorter, longer or the same as subsequently formed loops. Consequently, the present shade is suitable for any size window.

In the embodiments shown inFIGS. 9 through 12the liner24and the face fabric22are attached to the same bottom bar. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 13, the bottom bar has a first portion25aattached to the face fabric22and a second portion25battached to the liner24. Both portions can be attached to a common set of lift cords27as inFIG. 13. It is also possible to make bottom bar portions25a,25bdetachable from one another and to provide separate sets of lift cords27,29for each portion as in the embodiment ofFIG. 14. When the two portions25a,25aare detached the liner24may be separately raised by lift cords29while the face fabric22remains in a lowered position as shown in the drawing. Conversely, the face material22could be raised by lift cords27while the liner remains24fully lowered. The face material and liner must be raised and lowered together when a single set of lift cords is used or when the two bottom portions25aand25bare connected together.

The preferred headrail to be used for this shade is shown inFIGS. 15 through 18. The headrail30has an elongated body. The headrail has a front wall31, a top32to which an upper rear wall37is attached, a lower rear wall34and a bottom33extending between the front wall and the lower rear wall. A bracket portion35extends from the corner38of the front wall31and the bottom33. The bracket35forms a first cavity or slot36that receives a fabric insert40. The face fabric22can be attached to the fabric insert40using an adhesive as shown inFIGS. 17 and 18. The bracket35has a second cavity or slot39which receives an insert42to which the top edge of the liner24is attached. As shown inFIG. 18the top edge of the liner24is preferably attached to the insert by a strip of adhesive44. The adhesive could be a double-coated tape which has an adhesive on both sides of the tape. In a preferred method of installing the liner, the fabricator takes the insert42separate from the headrail30and applies a strip of double sided adhesive tape44to the insert42. Then he presses the top edge of the liner24against the adhesive tape44on the insert42. Next he slides the insert42into the cavity39beginning at one end of the headrail30, moving the insert across the headrail30until the insert is in its proper place. If desired, the tape44could be placed on the liner24rather than the insert42. Use of the insert42for the liner24allows not only easy assembly at the fabricator's facility but also makes it easy to change liners in the field. Those skilled in the art will recognize that this headrail could be used for window coverings other than roman shades. Furthermore, one could attach either the face material or the liner directly to the headrail without using an insert.

In the embodiment ofFIGS. 15 through 18, the face fabric22and the liner24may have roman folds. Tabs or rings41,43on the inside surfaces of the face material22and the liner24face inward towards one another as shown. The lift cords27pass through the tabs or rings41,43. This arrangement allows the to face fabric22and the liner24to fold in loops similar to what is shown inFIG. 12.

In a preferred embodiment of the shade shown inFIG. 12the face fabric22is a white or off-white lace and the liner24is a solid color such a dark blue. The spacing of the liner24from the see-through face layer22gives depth to the shade.

Spacing the face fabric from the liner as inFIGS. 9,12and18provides advantages when the liner is a moisture barrier. Should moisture build up and accumulate on the liner the spacing between the liner and the face fabric prevents migration of that water to the face fabric.

While the present invention has been described and shown as a roman shade and a liner in which the face material and the liner have no pleats, the invention is not so limited. There are many fabrics in which a roman shade appearance can be obtained by providing pleats, which may be called soft pleats for some materials. There are also some cellular fabrics that will provide a roman shade appearance. The face fabric can be transparent or semi-transparent material. The liner preferably is opaque or semi-opaque.

Although I have shown and described certain present preferred embodiments of my roman shade with liner it should be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.