Abstract:
A window treatment assembly comprising a conventional curtain rod which is formed to be longitudinally telescopic to the accommodate various widths of windows. The curtain rod is attachable to a wall by way of brackets having hooks which cooperate with apertures in the curtain rod members. Shaping members, preferably formed from Styrofoam having a circular cross section a receivable over the curtain rods to provide shaping formation to draperies, valances, and various other window treatments which are slidably receivable over the assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to assemblies for hanging window treatments at or adjacent to windows for decorative and privacy purposes. 
     2. Prior Art 
     It is certainly well known in the industry and the market place to provide hanging assemblies for mounting window treatments and draperies adjacent to windows for decorative and privacy purposes. One such method is to have various brackets which are attached by fastening members to a wall adjacent to the windows, where a telescopic rod is adjustable in length to adapt to the brackets on the wall. Such rods are typically stamped and formed from metal to include L-shaped legs at each end thereof, where the rod assembly includes two rods, with one of the rod halves being slightly larger in cross section than the other, to provide overlapping telescopic longitudinal movement between the two. This allows such curtain rods to be easily adaptable to a variety of widths of windows, by simply attaching the brackets to the wall and adjusting the rod according to the bracket dimension. 
     In the recreational vehicle (RV industry) it is common to provide a means of hanging curtains by an assembly similar to that depicted in FIG. 1, whereby an assembly according to reference numeral  2  is used. This assembly is generally comprised of a length of PVC pipe and having two PVC elbows  6  attached at opposite ends thereof in a known fashion, whereby the ends of the PVC pipe  4  are friction fitted into openings  8  in the elbows  6 . Openings  10  of the elbows  6  are meanwhile friction fitted over cupped portions  14  of flanges  12  which can be attached to the wall, adjacent to windows. Prior to the installation of the assembly to the flanges  12 , it should be appreciated that curtains or valances can be slidably received over the PVC pipe  4  for attachment adjacent to the windows. 
     While this assembly accomplishes the task at hand, this assembly proves to be quite expensive, given the plastic fittings and flanges, and at the same time proves to be inflexible and requires special tools to vary the length of the PVC members, particularly the PVC pipe  4 . 
     It is therefore desirable to provide in the market place, an assembly which is more flexible in use, is more easily adaptable to various situations, and provides a more cost efficient method of accomplishing the window treatment attachment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above object has been accomplished by providing an apparatus for hanging a form a draperies, comprising a longitudinal shaping member which is receivable over a curtain rod, where the longitudinal shaping member is profiled with a desired configuration. In this manner, when the draperies are slidably received over the longitudinal shaping member, the draperies conform to the desired profile. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the prior art assembly; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the curtain rod assembly of the subject invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through lines  3 — 3  of FIG. 2 when the apparatus is fully assembled; and 
     FIGS. 4 a - 4   j  show various embodiments of window treatments which can be installed using the assembly of the subject invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to FIG. 2, the preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described. The apparatus is shown generally at  20 , comprising a conventional curtain rod  22 , bracket members  24  at opposite ends, a molded shaping member  26 , and formed shaping elbows  28 . 
     With reference still to FIG. 2, the curtain rod  22  includes cooperating members  30  and  32  of substantial C-shaped cross section, where member  32  would include a larger cross sectional configuration than that of member  30 , so as to be slidably receivable over member  30  such that the two member can be longitudinally telescopic relative to each other. At opposite ends of the two members  30  and  32 , L-shaped leg members  34  and  36  are integrally attached, each of which include an aperture  38  and  40  respectively for the purpose of hanging the curtain rods as will be described herein. 
     With reference still to FIG. 2, bracket members  24  include a flange section  42  having a plurality of apertures extending there through for the purpose of hanging a bracket, and a hook shaped member  44  extending outwardly therefrom. It should be appreciated that the profile of the hook member  44 , and the dimension of the aperture  38  and  40  is such that each open end of the L-shaped legs  34  and  36  can be slidably received over the hook and be captured within the apertures  38  and  40  to be held in conventional manner. 
     With respect now to both FIGS. 2 and 3, the shaping member  26  will be described in greater detail. Shaping member  26  is preferably molded from a light inexpensive material such as STYROFOAM, to have a substantial circular cross section having an outer surface  46  as shown in FIG. 3, and to include an elongate slot  48 , and including end surfaces  50  and  52 . As should be understood more clearly from FIG. 3, the slot  48  should be profiled to be receivable over the largest of the C-shaped members  32 . Due to the elongate nature of the slot  48 , it should be appreciated that the shaping member  26  will reside on the rod assembly  30 ,  32  due to it&#39;s own weight, while at the same time will not rotate about the rod. As shown in FIG. 2, the shaping elbows  28  each include a curved slot  56 , profiled to be receivable over a corner formed between the members  30 ,  32  and their respective L-shaped leg portions  34 ,  36 . 
     With the above mentioned apparatus, a window treatment would be assembled as follows. It should be appreciated that bracket members  24  would be first positioned adjacent to a window to be treated, and attached to a wall by way of fasteners through the apertures in the flange member  42 . The elongate shaping member  26 , and the shaping elbows  28  would be received over the rod assembly  30 ,  32  and a window treatment to be installed would be slidably received over the combination of the shaping members  26  and  28 , and over the rod assembly  30 ,  32 . The window treatment would be inserted over the assembly so that the L-shaped members  34  and  36  slightly protrude through the window treatment to provide access to the apertures  38  and  40  for assembly of the window treatment to the bracket members  24 . 
     It should be appreciated that any size of window treatment, and number of curtain rod and shaping member assemblies could be provided, and a variety of possibilities are shown in FIGS. 4 a - 4   j.    
     With respect first to FIG. 4 a , an assembly is shown at  60  including two sections of fabric openings at  62  and  64 , both of which would be slidably receivable over a discrete combination  20 , to include a gathered section of fabric  66  extending from a lower section thereof. 
     FIG. 4 b  shows a window treatment assembly  70  comprising a single fabric opening at  72  which would be profiled for slidable receipt over a single assembly  20 , where side portions  74  extend in a flanking relation to the window for decorative purposes. 
     As shown in FIG. 4 c , an assembly is shown at  80  comprising a simple valance section including three sections of gathered fabric forming openings at  82 ,  84 , and  86  for slidable receipt over an assembly  20 . 
     FIG. 4 d  shows an assembly  90  having two fabric sections  92  and  94  which are slidable received over the assembly  20  and include an intermediate section  96  extending from sections  92  and  94 . Decorative members  98  such as ribbons could be included to dress up the valance. 
     FIG. 4 e  shows a treatment  100  including a single section of gathered fabric forming an opening at  102  for slidable receipt over the assembly  20  including a valances section  104  extending downwardly therefrom, and tied portions  106  for gathering the fabric as shown. 
     FIG. 4 f  shows a valance assembly  110  having a single section of gathered fabric at  112  for slidable receipt over the assembly  20  with a valance fabric section  114  extending downwardly therefrom. 
     FIG. 4 g  shows an assembly  120  having a single fabric section forming an opening  122  for slidable receipt over the assembly  20  having valanced sections  124  extending downwardly therefrom. 
     FIG. 4 h  shows an assembly  130  having a single section of gathered fabric at  132  for slidable receipt over the assembly  20  with drapery sections  134  flanking a window to be covered. 
     FIG. 4 i  shows an assembly  140  having a single section of gathered fabric at  142  which is slidably receivable over the assembly  20  with a fabric member  144  attached at opposite ends of the member  140  for decorative purposes, being attached at opposite ends by fabric buttons  146 . 
     FIG. 4 j  shows an assembly  150  having two gathered sections  152 ,  154  profiled for slidable receipt over the member  20  and including draped sections  156  at opposite ends thereof for decorative purposes. 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention has been described by way of the attached drawing Figures, but it should be appreciated that the true breath of the invention is limited only the claims. It should also be understood that modifications can be made to the application without departing from the true spirit of the invention. More particularly it would be obvious to one of skill in the art to provide a shaping member comprised of a material other than STYROFOAM to include any material such as a paper derivative, plastic and the like. It should also be appreciated that other forms of existing standard curtain rods could be utilized, such as those which are circular in cross section and coaxially extending telescopically in the longitudinal direction.