Patent Publication Number: US-6662847-B1

Title: Ridge fold divider curtain

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is often desired to provide curtains within rooms for dividing the room into more than one section. When the ceiling superstructure of the room has a linear or flat shape the curtain is of a relatively strait forward design. 
     Often, however, the room will have a ceiling superstructure of non-linear shape, such as a ridge. Conventional curtains when provided for such a room fail to conform to the shape of the ceiling superstructure and are thus not space efficient. 
     Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a divider curtain having a screen, for conforming to the shape of the superstructure when the screen is in a raised position. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a divider curtain for attachment to a non-linear superstructure. The divider curtain includes a screen having an upper end and lower end. The upper end is adapted to engage the non-linear superstructure and to conform to the shape of the non-linear superstructure. The lower end has a straight horizontal edge when the screen is in a lowered position. The lower end is adapted to conform to the shape of the non-linear superstructure when the screen is in a raised position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view of the divider curtain of this invention in a fully extended position; 
     FIG. 2 is a view of the divider curtain of this invention in a fully raised position; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view of the device of this invention taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a pulley assembly of the invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of a track and trolley of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to FIG. 1, the present invention provides a divider curtain  10  for attachment to a non-linear superstructure  12 . The non-linear superstructure  12  shown is an inverted V-shaped configuration; however, it will be understood that divider curtain  10  is adaptable to operate with other non-linear superstructure  12  configurations. The divider curtain includes a track  14  adapted to engage the superstructure  12 , a plurality of trolleys  16  movably engaged with the track  14 , and a screen  18  attached to the trolleys  16 . The screen  18  is adapted to conform to the shape of the superstructure  12  when the screen  18  is in a raised position. 
     The track  14  is adapted to engage the superstructure  12  and to conform to the shape of the superstructure  12 . The track  14  has an upper surface  20 , a lower surface  22 , a proximal end  24 , a distal end  26 , and a mid point  28  between the proximal and distal ends  24  and  26 . The proximal and distal ends  24  and  26  slope downwardly from the mid point  28 . 
     The upper surface  20  is adapted to engage the superstructure  12 . For this purpose, a plurality of hangers  29  are provided to attach to the track  14  for engaging the track to the superstructure  12 . 
     With reference to FIG. 5, the lower surface  22  has an elongated opening  30  for movably receiving the trolleys  16 . An end stop  32  is provided to removably close the proximal and distal ends  24  and  26 , and to secure the trolleys  16  within the track  14 . 
     The plurality of trolleys  16  have an upper portion  34  and a lower portion  36 . The upper portion  34  is movably engaged with the track  14 . The lower portion  36  is a fastener for removably securing the trolley  16  to the screen  18 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 2 and 5, the trolleys  16  are adapted to move along the track  14  as the screen  18  is raised to allow the screen  18  to contract in a lateral dimension as the screen  18  is raised in a longitudinal dimension. 
     With reference to FIG. 1, the screen  18  has an upper end  38  and a lower end  40 . The upper end  38  is adapted to conform to the shape of the superstructure  12 . The upper end  38  is attached to the lower portions  36  of the trolleys  16  by a plurality of top grommets  42  in screen  18 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower end  40  of screen  18  has a straight horizontal edge when the screen  18  is in a lowered position, and is adapted to conform to the shape of the superstructure  12  when the screen  18  is in a raised position. 
     The lower end  40  of the screen  18  has a proximal tip  44 , a distal tip  46 , and an inner point  48  between the proximal and distal tips  44  and  46 . When the screen  18  is raised, the inner point  48  raises a greater distance than the proximal and distal tips  44  and  46 . The trolleys  16  are adapted to move toward the midpoint  28  of the track  14  as the screen  18  is raised, allowing the lower end  40  of the screen  18  to fully compress and conform to the shape of the superstructure  12 . Thus, a distance between screen proximal tip  44  and the track lower surface  22 , a distance between screen distal tip  46  and the track lower surface  22 , and a distance between the screen inner point  48  and the track mid point  28  are all approximately equal when the screen  18  is fully raised. 
     It will be understood that the screen  18  can be composed of various material with differing physical properties. Where the screen  18  is composed of a stretchable material, the screen  18  will stretch an equal amount in the lateral and longitudinal dimensions when the screen  18  is raised to conform to the shape of the superstructure  12 . Where the screen  18  is composed of a non-stretchable material, the screen  18  can still be raised to conform to the shape of the superstructure  12  due to the lateral movement allowed for by the trolleys  16 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the present invention also provides a wench  50 , a plurality of cords  52 , and a plurality of pulley assemblies  54 . The wench  50  is operatively associated with the screen  18  to raise and lower the screen  18 . The plurality of cords  52  are operatively associated between the screen  18  and the wench  50 , so that the cords raise the screen  18  when the wench  50  is activated. The plurality of pulley assemblies  54  engage upper surface  20  of the track  18  to the superstructure  12  and direct the movement of the cords  52  between the screen  18  and the wench  50 . 
     The wench  50  includes a drum assembly  58  having a plurality of drum brackets  60  of varying size. A single cord  52  is associated with a single drum bracket  60 . The drum brackets  60  are sized so that a cord  52  that raises the greatest distance is associated with a drum bracket  60  of the greatest diameter, while a cord  52  that raises the least distance is associated with a drum bracket  60  of the least diameter. 
     With reference to FIGS. 1,  3 , and  4 , each pulley assembly  54  includes a bracket  62  securing the pulley assembly  54  to the superstructure  12 , a snaplink  64  engaging the pulley assembly  54  to the track  16 , and a plurality of pulleys  66  where each pulley directs a single cord  52  from the wench  50  over the pulley  66  and to the screen  18 . 
     The cords  52  are strung over the pulleys  66  in a step like manner. The first cord  68  is strung over the first pulley assembly  70  and down to the screen  18 , while the second cord  72  is strung over the first pulley assembly  70  to the second pulley assembly  74  and down to the screen. In each instance, the cords  52  descend to the screen  18  over the pulley  66  located closest to a proximal end  76  of each pulley assembly  54 . The second pulley assembly  74  receives one less cord  52  than the first pulley assembly  70 . Accordingly, the second pulley assembly  74  includes a spacer  78  in place of one of the plurality of pulleys  66 . 
     As the cords  52  descend form the pulleys  66 , they are strung through vertical grommet rows  80  in the screen  18  and attached to a hinged batten  82  located in the lower end  40  of screen  18 . When the screen  18  is in the lowered position, the hinged batten  82  acts to straiten and weigh down the lower end  40 . When the screen is raised the hinged batten  82  flexes to conform the lower end  40  to the shape of the superstructure. 
     It is therefore seen that the present invention provides a divider curtain having a screen, which results in conforming to the shape of the superstructure when the screen is in a raised position. 
     It is therefore seen that this invention will accomplish at least all of its stated objectives.