Patent Publication Number: US-6659154-B2

Title: Valance with adjustable mounting features

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a valance, and, more particularly, to mounting a valance in a manner providing for angular adjustment of the elongated central member of the valance about its longitudinal axis. 
     2. Summary of the Background Art 
     Valances, or cornices, have been used for many years as interior decorations covering the mechanisms for attachment and movement of window coverings, such as vertical and horizontal blinds, curtains and drapes. Such mechanisms are typically adjacent the top of a window, with the window covering handing downward from the mechanism. 
     A number of patents describe brackets for mounting the central elongated member of a valance to horizontal surface extending behind the valance, such as the top of a headrail of a blind assembly, with a horizontal adjustment being provided to vary the spacing between the valance and the headrail. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,770 and 6,094,796 describe such brackets having slots to provide such an adjustment. In the bracket of U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,770, the valance is held between a pair of forward-extending curved portions, while, in the bracket of U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,796, the valance is supported by means of a first tab extending upward into a first slot in the elongated central portion of the valance, and by means of a second tab extending downward into a second slot therein. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,254,813 and 5,012,850 each describe a bracket including a series of holes which are individually aligned with other features to vary the horizontal distance between the valance and the headrail. In the bracket of U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,813 holes are aligned with features of a formed spring clip clamped to the headrail. Tabs extending from the spring clip are also used to fasten both the headrail and the valance to a structural surface disposed above the headrail. In the device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,850, a single screw is driven through a first hole in a series of holes within a spring clip engaging the headrail, and through a second hole in a series of holes in the valance mounting bracket, into a structural surface disposed above the headrail. The valance includes a leg extending rearward, between a camping surface provided by the valance mounting bracket and the structural surface. The valance can therefore be moved for adjustment, to be held in place by clamping. While such devices provide effective adjustments for the horizontal distance between the valance and the headrail, what is needed is a mounting method providing additionally for adjusting the angular positioning of the elongated central valance member along its longitudinal axis. Such an additional adjustment could be used to compensate for changes in this angular positioning due to dimensional variations of the valance mounting brackets and other structures, such as the headrail and the structural surface to which the valance and headrail are mounted. 
     Other patents describe methods for mounting a valance to a headrail or similar structure without providing for such an adjustment of the horizontal distance between the valance and the headrail or similar structure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,548 describes a valance including a rearward-extending flange that engages a slot within a bracket extending forward from a headrail. U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,216 describes a valance slidably mounted to extend forward from the front surface of a headrail. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,419 describes a folding valance that is removably mounted to the header of a horizontal blind assembly by means of a pair of hook and loop fasteners. U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,219 describes a valance having an elongated frontpiece with a backside having an opening that is fastened to a headrail by means of a fastener. U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,967 describes a valance that extends downward as a part of the headrail, which is held against upward against a structural surface by means of a bracket. Still, what is needed is a method providing for adjustments, so that the valance can be straightened to overcome dimensional variations when it is installed. 
     Other patents describe methods for mounting a valance or a curtain rod to a vertical wall surface while providing for an adjustment in the horizontal distance between the valance and the wall. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,057 describes a valance that is mounted by a pair of brackets extending rearward atop a pair of brackets extending forward from the wall. Elongated slots in the brackets fastened to the valance are used to provide the adjustment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,049 describes a rod and bracket assembly including rearward-extending end brackets that that slide along brackets extending forward from the wall, with spring members of the end brackets engaging a number of holes provided in the brackets extending outward from the wall to provide the adjustment. The rod is also centrally supported by a bracket also attached, by means of a screw adjustable within an elongated slot, to a bracket extending outward from the wall. Again, what is needed is a method allowing the valance or curtain rod to be clamped and angularly adjusted at several places along its length. 
     Yet other patents describe methods for mounting a valance against a wall surface without providing for an adjustment in the horizontal distanced between the wall and the valance. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,004,262, 2,513,628 and 5,383,508 describe valances having ends that extend inward to be rigidly attached to a wall surface without provision for adjustment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,516 describes a valance assembly designed for removable attachment to an existing in-store display fixture by means of brackets extending rearward to engage slots within vertically extending uprights. The valance assembly can be moved upward and downward among these slots, but there is no way to adjust the distance between the valance and the uprights. Still, what is needed is a way to provide for adjusting the angular relationship between a valance and supporting brackets, so that the valance can be aligned to overcome dimensional variations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the invention, a mounting bracket is provided for mounting a valance to an external structure. The mounting bracket includes a pivot, a number of latches, and an attachment structure. The pivot is for engaging a pivot receiving structure within the valance. The number of latches is for alternately engaging a latch receiving structure within the valance, with the number of latches being disposed in a first direction from one another and in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, from the pivot. The attachment structure is for attaching the mounting bracket to the external surface. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention, a valance assembly is provided. The valance assembly includes an elongated valance member and a number of mounting brackets for mounting the elongated valance member to an external structure. The mounting brackets are spaced apart along the elongated valance member. Each mounting bracket includes an attachment structure for attaching the mounting bracket to the external surface. The elongated valance member is mounted on each of the mounting brackets at a pivot point and at a latching point within a number of latching points. The elongated valance member is mountable on each of the mounting brackets at each latching point within the number of latching points while the elongated valance member is additionally mounted on the mounting bracket at the pivot point. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a valance mounted on a headrail in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the valance and headrail of FIG. 1, taken as indicated by section lines II—II therein, with the valance retained in a first position of a mounting bracket; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view of the valance of FIG. 1, retained in a second position of the mounting bracket; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a valance mounted on a vertical wall surface in accordance a second embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the valance and wall surface of FIG. 4, taken as indicated by section lines V—V therein. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a valance assembly  8 , including a valance  10  mounted on a headrail  12  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The headrail  12  is, for example, a headrail at the top of a vertical blind assembly. The valance  10  includes an elongated central portion  14 , having a horizontally extending longitudinal axis  15 , and a pair of inward-extending end portions  16 . The valance  10  is mounted to the headrail  12  by means of a number of brackets  18 , each of which is held by a mounting clip  20  attached to the headrail  12 . 
     FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the valance assembly  8 , taken as indicated by section lines II—II in FIG.  1 . The central elongated portion  14  of the valance  10  includes a downward-extending upper slot  22 , holding an upward-extending tab  23  forming a part of the bracket  18  to establish a pivoting connection between the valance  10  and the bracket  18 . The central elongated portion  14  also includes an upward-extending lower slot  24 , into which a tooth  26 , also forming a part of the bracket  18  extends to latch the valance  10  in place in a first location on the bracket  18 . 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the valance assembly  8 , also taken as indicated by section lines II—II in FIG.  1 . In the example of FIG. 3, a second tooth  28 , also forming part of the bracket  18  extends into the lower slot  24  to latch the valance  10  in place in a second location on the bracket  18 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower slot  24  is disposed downwardly, in the direction of arrow  30 , from the upper slot  22 , and the second tooth  28  is disposed from the first tooth  26  in the direction of arrow  32 , perpendicularly to the direction of arrow  30 , so that movement of the valance  10  relative to the bracket  18  between the position of FIG.  2  and the position of FIG. 3 causes the valance  10  to be pivoted in the direction of arrow  34  relative to the bracket  18  with the pivot tab  23  being retained in the upper slot  22 . The central elongated portion  14  of the valance  10  includes a flexible web  34  extending between the upper slot  22  and the lower slot  24 , and the bracket  18  includes a flexible web  36  extending between the pivot tab  23  and the teeth  26 ,  28 . The flexure of these webs  34 ,  36  allows the teeth  26 ,  28  to snap into the lower slot  24  as the bracket  18  is pivoted in the direction of arrow  34  relative to the valance  10 , with the pivot tab  23  being retained in the upper slot  22 . The central elongated portion  14  and the bracket  18  are preferably each composed of an extruded thermoplastic resin providing such flexibility. 
     The bracket  18  also includes an attachment leg  37 , extending rearward in the direction of arrow  38  to be attached to the headrail  12 . In the example of FIG. 2, the headrail  12  forms an upper portion of a vertical blind assembly  40 , in which a mechanism  42  controls the angle and spacing of a number of vertical slats  44 . The attachment leg  37  is connected to the headrail  12  by means of a mounting clip  20 , having a pair of lower tabs  46  held within slots  48  of the headrail  12 . The mounting clip  20  also includes an upper tab  50  engaging one of a number of latching surfaces  52  extending along the attachment leg  37  of the bracket  18 . The latching surfaces  52  are spaced apart in the rearward direction of arrow  38  so that the bracket  18  may be held at any of several positions separated in this direction, allowing the forward or rearward adjustment of the position of the valance  10  with respect to the headrail  12 . 
     The vertical blind assembly  40  is typically mounted within space for a window or door in a wall, with an upper surface  53  of this space extending closely above the headrail  12 , and with the headrail  12  being attached to the wall by means not shown. The apparatus of the invention thus provides for attachment of the bracket  18  within a narrow space above the headrail  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the end portions  16  of the valance  10  are preferably formed from an extrusion having the same shape as that of the central elongated portion  14 , with the end portions  16  being joined at mitered corners  54  to ends of the central portion  14  by means of “L”-shaped brackets  56  extending within the slots  22 ,  24  of the central portion  14  and also within similar slots  58  of the end portions  16 . 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the valance  10  mounted by a number of brackets  18  to a vertical wall surface  60  in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention. The valance  10  and the bracket  18  are built as described above in reference to FIGS. 1-3. 
     FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the valance  10  and a bracket  18 , mounted to the vertical wall surface  60  as shown in FIG. 4, taken as indicated by section line V—V in FIG.  4 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, each bracket  18  is attached to the vertical wall surface  60  by means of a wall mounting bracket  62 , including one or more latching surfaces  64  engaging a latching surface  52  of the attachment leg  37  of the bracket  18 . Movement of the attachment leg  37  in the horizontal direction of arrow  66  in a slot  68  of the wall mounting bracket  62  provides for adjustment of a distance between the valance  10  and the vertical wall surface  60 . Flexure within the wall mounting bracket  62 , which is preferably composed of a thermoplastic resin, provides for the sequential engagement of the various latching surfaces  52 ,  64 . The wall mounting bracket  62  also includes a hole  70 , through which a screw or toggle bolt  72  extends to fasten the bracket  62  to the wall surface  60 . 
     According to either embodiment of the invention, during or after the installation of the valance  10  to be held in place with a number of brackets  18 , the adjustment features available through the multiple latching surfaces  52 , providing for the movement of individual brackets  18  relative to the headrail  12  or the vertical wall surface  60  are used, together with the angular adjustment of each bracket  18  about the longitudinal axis  15  of the central elongated portion  14  by flexing this portion  14  so that either tooth  26 ,  28  is engaged within the lower slot  24 , to straighten the central elongated portion  14 , compensating for dimensional variations of various elements. 
     While two teeth  26 ,  28  have been described in reference to FIG. 3, it is understood that a larger number of teeth may be provided to establish a larger number of degrees of angular adjustment. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of its preferred embodiments with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only as an example, and that numerous changes in the combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.