Patent Abstract:
A vertical blind system includes a conventional vertical blind mechanism, a plurality of Elongated vertical blind vanes preferably of opaque or semi opaque rigid material such as Plastic, aluminum or stiff fabric, pivotally mounted to the vertical blind mechanism; a continuous blind vane cover sheet selected from the group consisting of translucent, or transparent material such as sheer or lace fabric. The cover sheet forms a U-shaped folds that extends between the adjacent blind vanes and removably are secured to the blind vanes at a predetermined spaced intervals by material fasteners. The materials fasteners are constructed and arranged to allow the cover sheet to be detached and reattached to the blind vanes for washing and cleaning, or changing by new. The cover sheet could be secured to a plurality of rigid slats oriented horizontally, thus requiring the use of a different operating system such as a conventional horizontal blind slat mechanism.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to window coverings and more particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a cover in nature of a transparent, yet translucent removably fastened to a plurality of vertical blind vanes and or horizontal blind slats.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     A common covering system for windows is a vertical blind having vertical vanes rotatable about vertical axes to an open or closes position.  
         [0005]     The covering system may further include a decorative cover fabric extends across vertical blind vanes so as to control the amount of light entering the room and to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.  
         [0006]     In U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,330 issued in 1974 to louver Drape. Inc. there is disclosed a window covering system using conventional vertical blind hardware employed with vertically disposed louvers according to this 330 patent, the window covering made of one kind of continuous material, in order to achieve the decorative effects, this disposed louver system must positioned behind a separate drapery system, or associated with drapers, the drapery material may be pinch pleated and attached at the front of each louver.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,699 issued in 1974 to Shapiro, U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,789 issued in 1976 to Ronkholz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,243 issued 1989 to Schneider, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,385 issued 1995 to Vogel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,883 issued 1998 to Keith, U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,363 issued 2000 to Colson and U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,213 issued 2001 to Senesac. discloses a vertical louver type window drape where a continuous sheet of fabric material is interwoven with a plurality of relatively rigid vanes such that the vanes which are light impeding alternate with light transmitting sections of the fabric. Two obvious drawback of a system of this type is that the vanes overlap the fabric requiring excessive fabric in order to fabricate the entire window covering, and a user can not separate the continuous sheet of fabric from the rigid vanes.  
         [0008]     Window coverings of the afore—no ted type as mentioned previously are desirable from several viewpoints. It has also been discovered that variation in this general type of window covering may be desirable from many stand points, both utilitarian and aesthetic. It is to provide alternatives and improvements to the afore described prior art systems that the present vertical blind and horizontal blind system have been developed.  
         [0009]     Fabric window coverings are often preferred by consumers for a number of their features. Features most often considered desirable are the softer appearance relative to traditional Venetian blinds, the uniform appearance which they provide a window and insulating properties associated with cellular fabric shades.  
         [0010]     Cellular fabric shades offering these features are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,027 to Colson discloses cellular window coverings which may be made of fabric or fill materials. In the process disclosed in the Colson patent, a flexible strip of material is folded into a continuous longitudinal tube and the longitudinal folds thus created are currently set by passing the tubing material around a heat setting wheel. Adhesive is applied along one side of the flattened tubular material which is subsequently stacked by winding onto a rack having flat surfaces. The winding in this manner presses the adhesive to the next layer wound onto the rack to form a bonded unitary stack of closed tubular cells. When the ends are cut from the rack, the stack may be expanded and the permanently set creases provide a neat and uniform outward appearance.  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,630 to Schnebley discloses a modification to the Colson process described above. In the Schnebley patent, a hot melt adhesive is applied to one side of the tubular material. After the flat tubular strips have been stacked and cut, they are placed in an oven under pressure and the hot melted adhesive is activated to bond the layers together.  
         [0012]     Both of the above patents disclose window coverings which exhibit the desirable features discussed to this point. However, window coverings of that type lack one feature which is often desired by consumers. That feature is the ability to control the amount of light admitted through the window covering, similar to a traditional Venetian blind. There have been some attempts to provide a fabric window covering with the ability to control the amount of light entering the room.  
         [0013]     In some attempts, the decorative cover may be removable from the blind vanes to enable a user to clean the fabric cover or to replace with new.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     It is therefore a general object of this invention is to provide alternative and improvements to this type of window covering.  
         [0015]     A primary object of the present invention is to provide two different types of rigid and flexible fabric material in combination, first type is a plurality of conventional vertical blind vanes and a second type is a decorative fabric cover extends across the vertical blind vanes.  
         [0016]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a decorative cover fabric extends on an array of conventional horizontal blind slats.  
         [0017]     Still yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a window curtain which combines the desirable characteristics of both a conventional vanes type vertical blind and a decorative window drape, affording the adjustable light transmission features of a vertical blind while retaining the esthetic characteristics of a window drape.  
         [0018]     Another object of the invention is to provide such a fabric cover, which will be attached to existing, already installed, vertical blind vanes, without any structural modifications being called upon.  
         [0019]     Still yet another object of the present invention is that the above-noted combined blind vanes and fabric cover type drape be capable of continuously adjusting the light—diffusing ratio through the drape.  
         [0020]     A further object of the present invention is that the above-noted combined blind vanes and fabric cover type drape require very little skill for its installation, and little time to complete the installation.  
         [0021]     Additional object of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. The description reference is made to accompanying drawings, which forms apart here of, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. IN the accompanying drawing, like reference characters, designate the same of similar parts throughout the several views.  
         [0022]     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     The present invention adds additional features to both, the conventional vertical blind vanes system and the horizontal blind slats system to enhance interior design aspects. In particular, a cover sheet is attached to the front edge of the blind vanes to provide an aesthetically pleasing and softening appearance of the blind when the blind is closed, opened, or partially open position. In accordance with the teaching of the present invention there is disclosed, certain of its features of one embodiment of the invention can be described briefly.  
         [0024]     A vertical blind system includes a conventional vertical blind mechanism and a plurality of vertical blind vanes being pivotally mounted to the vertical blind mechanism which can pivot the blind vanes about vertical axis from open position to a close position, and can traverse the blind vanes to the side (retracted position).  
         [0025]     A continuous decorative sheet is removably attached to the blind vanes at a predetermined spaced interval, the decorative cover sheet attached to the blind vanes by using of a plurality of material fasteners. The material fasteners are constructed and arranged to allow the fabric cover to be detached and reattached to the blind vanes for washing and cleaning.  
         [0026]     No limitations are contemplated as to a particular embodiment of the blind vane mechanism employed in a vertical blind system of the present invention, and any conventional mechanism can be used, provided vanes are adapted for use with connectors near their tops for mounting the blind vane cover of the invention as claimed here in. The present invention further contemplates that the vertical blind vanes and the blind vane covers can have any configuration, can have any suitable dimensions, can be made from any suitable material, and may or may not be decorative.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0027]      FIG. 1  illustrates the prior art with respect to conventional vertical blind.  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a vertical blind system with a vane cover according to one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is an oblique diagram of the first arrangement of the present invention of  FIG. 2  shows the cover sheet along with the blind vanes secured within the material fasteners at their entire length.  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the material fastener having a front end and a rear end, the rear end being identical to the front end. The material fastener further having a first wall and a second wall, protruding from both sides of the middle wall with the thin slats angled toward the middle wall.  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged end elevational view of the material fastener in  FIG. 4  from the top end, the bottom end elevational view being a mirror image thereof.  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged perspective view of the material fastener showing the thin slats in each wall extending substantially perpendicularly to the first and second wall with the walls being angled toward each other at there front ends.  
         [0033]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged end elevational view of the material fastener in  FIG. 6  from the top end, the bottom end elevational view being a mirror image thereof.  
         [0034]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view of the material fastener showing the thin slats extending substantially perpendicularly to the first and second wall with front edge of the thin slats being inwardly angled toward the middle wall.  
         [0035]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged end elevational view of the material fastener in  FIG. 8  from the top end, the bottom end elevational view being a mirror image thereof.  
         [0036]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged perspective view of the material fastener showing the bottom end of the thin slats extending approximately substantially perpendicularly to the first and second wall, while the top end being inwardly angled toward the bottom end.  
         [0037]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged end elevational view of the material fastener in  FIG. 10  from the top end, the bottom end elevational view being a mirror image thereof.  
         [0038]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged perspective view of the material fastener showing the thin slats in first wall substantially perpendicularly to the first wall, while the thin slats in second wall being inwardly angled toward the middle wall.  
         [0039]      FIG. 13  is an enlarged end elevational view of the material fastener in  FIG. 12  from the top end, the bottom end elevational view being a mirror image thereof.  
         [0040]      FIG. 14  is an oblique diagram of the second arrangement of the present invention of  FIG. 2  shows the cover sheet together with the blind vanes secured within the material fasteners at their top portion only.  
         [0041]      FIG. 15  shows a top, cross sectional view of the cover sheet and blind vanes secured within the material fasteners in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 16  is an exploded fragmentary section of  FIG. 15  showing the first panel and first blind vane secured within the material fastener.  
         [0043]      FIG. 17  is an exploded fragmentary section of  FIG. 15  showing the last panel and last blind vane secured within the material fastener.  
         [0044]      FIG. 18  is an exploded fragmentary section of  FIG. 15  showing the adjacent vane and adjacent double layer portion of cover sheet being secured within adjacent material fastener.  
         [0045]      FIG. 19  is a fragmentary section of a front view showing the cover sheet secured within front end of the material fastener and a means of thin strip or batten of plastic ready to be inserted over the double layer edge portion of the cover sheet.  
         [0046]      FIG. 20  is an enlarged end elevational view of  FIG. 19  from the top end with a means of thin strip or batten of plastic inserted over the cover sheet to retard its movement.  
         [0047]      FIG. 21  is an enlarged perspective view of a vertical blind system with a blind vane having a material fastener at its front longitudinally edge according to second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0048]      FIG. 22  is an enlarged end elevational view of the blind vane in  FIG. 21  from the top end, the bottom end elevational view being a mirror image thereof.  
         [0049]      FIG. 23  shows a top, cross sectional view of the cover sheet secured within the front edge of the blind vanes.  
         [0050]      FIG. 24  is an oblique diagram of a vertical blind system of the present invention of  FIG. 23  in closed position.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS  
       [0051]     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views. The figures illustrate the vertical blind and horizontal blind system of the present invention, with regard to the reference numerals used; the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures. 
     40  conventional vertical blind traverse rod      42  ceiling      44  blind vanes      44   a  first blind vane      44   b  adjacent blind vanes      44   c  last blind vane      46  front edge      48  rear edge      50  top hole      52  pivoting hooks      54  track      56  pulley system      58  cover sheet      60  double layer edge portion      62   a  left side free extended end      62   b  right side free extended end      64  first folded panel      66  front edge of first folded panel      68  last folded panel      70  front edge of last folded panel      72  pocket      74  material fastener      76  front end of the material fastener      78  rear end of material fastener      80  top end      82  bottom end      84  middle wall      86  first wall      88  second wall      90  thin slats      94  upper hem      96  lower hem      98  a means    
 
       Second Embodiment  
       [0000]    
       
           140  blind vanes  
           140   a  first blind vane  
           140   b  adjacent blind vanes  
           140   c  last blind vane  
           142  hole  
           144  rear edge  
           146  front edge  
           148  first wall  
           150  second wall  
           152  material fastener  
           154  thin slats  
           156  top end  
           158  bottom end  
           160  cover sheet  
           162  double layer edge portion  
           164   a  left side free extended end  
           164   b  right side free extended end  
           166  first folded panel  
           168  front edge of first folded panel  
           170  last folded panel  
           172  front edge of last folded panel  
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0106]     For the purpose of promoting and understanding of the principles of the present invention, reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments of the present invention as illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the present invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the present invention as illustrated and described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the present invention relates. Turning now descriptively to the drawings in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several view.  
         [0107]      FIG. 1  is a conventional vertical blind vane mechanism  40  is affixed to fixed surface such as a ceiling  42 , the mechanism  40  includes a plurality of free-hanging elongated vertical blind vanes  44  each having a front edge  46  and a rear edge  48 , blind vanes also having a top hole  50  to allow for pivoting hooks  52  to be adapted to said blind vanes, pivoting hooks  52  are slidably mounted in track  54 .  
         [0108]     By operation of a pulley system  56 , vanes  44   a,    44   b,  and  44   c  may be slid apart from the center, or from side to side and can be rotated about a vertical axis to an open position or closed position. As should be appreciated other type of mechanisms, such as rotatable rods and the like can be used instead of pulley system  56  in order to operate the blind vane mechanism  40 .  
         [0109]      FIG. 2  is a first arrangement of a first embodiment of the vertical blind system of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , shows a continuous blind vane cover sheet  58  which is longitudinally attached to the front edge  46  of blind vanes  44  with material fastener  74  at its entire length. The first and last blind vanes  44   a  and  44   c  disposed within pockets  72  forming first and last folded panels  64  and  68  respectively.  
         [0110]      FIG. 3  is an oblique diagram of the first arrangement of the present invention of  FIG. 2  shows the cover sheet  58  together with the front edge  46  of blind vanes  44  longitudinally secured within the material fasteners  74  at their entire length.  
         [0111]     In order for the reader to understand the scope of the present invention I may start with detailed description of the material fastener.  
         [0112]      FIG. 4  shows a material fastener  74  having a front end  76 , and a rear end  78  being identical to the front end  76  the material fastener includes a middle wall  84 , first wall  86 , and a second wall  88 , first and second walls which are spaced apart, protruding from both sides of middle wall  84 , first and second wall  86 , and  88  respectively having thin slats  90  in each of them extending inwardly toward the middle wall  84  from the inside surface of each first and second wall, the thin slats  90  could be inwardly angled and overlapping to secure the front edge  46  of blind vane  44  within the rear end  78  of the material fastener  74  and to secure double layer edge portion  60  of cover sheet  58  within the front end  76  of the material fastener  74  (will be described in detail here after).  
         [0113]      FIG. 5  shows an end elevational view of the material fastener  74  from the top end  80 , the bottom end  82  elevational view is a mirror image thereof; in  FIGS. 6 and 7  the thin slats  90  in first wall  86  and second wall  88  extended substantially perpendicularly to the first and second wall with first wall  86  and second wall  88  being angled toward each other at there front edges, so that the thin slats  90  overlapping to secure cover sheet  58  and blind vanes  44  within front end  76  and rear end  78  of the material fasteners  74  respectively, as described here before.  
         [0114]      FIGS. 8 and 9  shows the thin slats  90  extending substantially perpendicularly to first wall  86  and a second wall  88  with front edge of the thin slat being inwardly angled toward the middle wall  84 .  
         [0115]      FIGS. 10 and 11  showing the bottom end of the thin slats  90  extending approximately perpendicularly to the first and second wall  86 ,  88  respectively, while the top ends being inwardly angled toward the bottom ends.  
         [0116]      FIGS. 12 and 13  showing the thin slats  90  in second wall  88  being inwardly angled toward the middle wall  84 , while the thin slats  90  in first wall  86  extending substantially perpendicularly to the second wall  88 , with the thin slats overlapping each other to retard the movement of blind vanes  44 , and cover sheet  58 .  
         [0117]      FIG. 14  is a second arrangement of a first embodiment of the present invention showing the upper end of the cover sheet  58  folded over upon itself and stitched or bonded along its entire face to provide an upper hem  94 , in this arrangement the material fastener  74  having the same length of the upper hem  94 , so as to secure the cover sheet  58  within the front end  76  of the material fastener  74  at its top potion only, and to secure front edge  46  of blind vane  44  within the rear end  78  of the material fastener  74  at its top potion only. The lower end of the cover sheet  58  folded over upon itself and stitched or bonded along its entire face to provide lower hem  96 , a construction such as upper hem  94  and lower hem  96  of the cover sheet  58  will assure forming U-shaped folds that attend between adjacent vanes  44  with wrinkle free appearance and straightness of the top potion of the cover sheet  58 .  
         [0118]      FIG. 15  is a top cross sectional view of first arrangement of first embodiment of the present invention showing front edge  66  of the first folded panel  64 , and front edge  70  of last folded panel  68  and adjacent double layer rear edge portions  60  of the cover sheet  58  secured within front end  76  of the material fasteners  74  with the cover sheet  58  forming U-shaped folds that attends between first blind vane  44   a,  adjacent blind vanes  44   b  and last blind vane  44   c,  while the left side free extended end  62   a  together with front edge  46  of first blind vane  44   a  secured within the rear end  78  of material fastener  74 , and the right side free extended end  62   b  together with front edge  46  of last blind vane  44   c  secured within the rear end  78  of the material fastener  74 .  
         [0119]      FIGS. 16, 17 , and  18  are exploded fragmentary sections of  FIG. 15  showing first blind vane  44   a,  last blind vane  44   c  and adjacent blind vane  44   b  along with cover sheet  58  secured within material fastener  74 , in  FIG. 16  the left side free extended end  62   a  of the cover sheet  58  is wrapped around the first blind vane  44   a  and secured together with the front edge  46  of first blind vane  44   a  within the rear end  78  of material fastener  74 , while the first double layer edge portion  60  which is same front edge  66  of first folded panel  64  secured within front end  76  of material fastener  74 ,  
         [0120]     in  FIG. 17  the right side free extended end  62   b  of the cover sheet  58  is wrapped around last blind vane  44   c  and secured together with the front edge  46  of the blind vane  44   c  within the rear end  78  of material fastener  74 , while the last double layer edge portion  60  which is same front edge  70  of last folded panel  68  secured within front end  76  of material fastener  74 . In  FIG. 18  the front edge  46  of adjacent blind vane  44   b  secured within rear end  78  of the material fastener  74  while the adjacent double layer edge portion  60  of cover sheet  58  secured within adjacent front end  76  of the material fastener  74 .  
         [0121]      FIGS. 19 and 20  shows a means  98  of thin strip or batten of plastic material having a sufficient width and having a length equal to the length of the material fasteners  74 , which by inserting a means  98  longitudinally over the double edge portions  60  and secure them within the front end  76  of the material fastener  74  as showing in  FIG. 20  will retard the movement of the cover sheet  58  and make it difficult to remove it from the material fastener, a means  92  will be used in the present invention if desired only when the cover sheet  58  made of thin fabric. It will be understood that the blind vane  44  made of rigid material having a thickness enough to secure it within the material fastener  74  without the use of a means.  
         [0122]      FIGS. 21, 22  and  23  is a second embodiment of the vertical blind system of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in  FIGS. 21 and 22  blind vane  140  having a rear edge  144  and a front edge  146 , the front edge  146  having a first wall  148 , and second wall  150  which is spaced apart, protruding from the front edge  146  of blind vane  140  forming a material fastener  152 , first and second wall  148  and  150  respectively having thin slats  154  in each of them extending inwardly toward the front edge  146  from the inside surface of each first and second wall, the thin slats  154  could be inwardly angled and overlapping to secure the double layer edge portion  162  within material fastener  152 . The blind vane  140  having a top end  156  and a bottom end  158  being a mirror image thereof, the blind vane  140  further having a hole  142  at its top potion to allow for the pivoting hooks  52  (not showing) of the conventional vertical blind mechanism  40  (not showing) to be adapted to said blind vane as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hole  142  can conveniently be formed in the blind vane  140  by punching and located in about the central of top potion of said blind vane; so as to counter balance and reduce the amount of back swooping in the cover sheet  160  when attached to the blind vane  140  and keeps the blind vane  140  extend substantially vertically.  FIG. 23  shows a top, cross sectional view of the cover sheet  160  secured within material fasteners  152  of blind vanes  140 , the left side free extended end  164   a  of the cover sheet  160  is wrapped around the first blind vane  140   a  and secured together with the first double layer edge portion  162  which is the same front edge  168  of first folded panel  166  within material fastener  152  of first blind vane  140   a,  while the right side free extended end  164   b  is wrapped around the last blind vane  140   c  and secured together with the last double layer edge portion  162  which is same front edge  172  of last folded panel  170  within material fastener  152  of last blind vane  140   c.    
         [0123]     The adjacent double layer edge portions  162  of the cover sheet  160  secured within adjacent material fasteners  152  of the adjacent blind vanes  140   b.    
         [0124]     A means  98  of thin strip or batten of plastic could be used to retard the movement of the cover sheet  160  if desired as mentioned previously in  FIGS. 19 and 20 .  
         [0125]      FIG. 24  showing the vertical blind system of second embodiment of the present invention in closed position wherein each blind vane  140  overlaps adjacent vane. In this position the blind vanes  140  which are made of semi opaque material will decrease the transmission of light through to the room, and when the blind vanes made of opaque material will substantially block the transmission of light through to the room.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4