Patent ID: 7562688

Claim:
A window covering comprising: a fixed first rail; a movable second rail, parallel to the fixed first rail; a collapsible and extendible blind or shade which is between the fixed first rail and the movable second rail; at least one rotary drive spool mounted on the fixed first rail; a drive cord windable about the drive spool and operatively connected to the movable second rail to move the movable second rail toward and away from the fixed first rail, means for reversibly rotating the drive spool to move the drive cord and affect movement of the second movable rail to collapse or extend the blind or shade; and a cradle on the fixed first rail in which the drive spool is rotatably mounted, said cradle having a pair of left and right interconnected bearing blocks in side-by-side relationship, each having inner walls to define a central opening through the cradle and through which the drive cord extends, the cradle further including at least one cord guide extending horizontally from at least one of the inner walls, said cord guide having a free end projecting inwardly into said central opening from an inner surface of said inner wall which reroutes and guides the drive cord along and within a portion of the fixed rail before the cord extends through or parallel to the blind or shade.