Patent ID: 7264035

Claim:
A temporary window covering comprising: a pleated cover formed from a sheet of material having a top edge, a bottom edge and a plurality of horizontal creases extending across the width of the sheet thereby defining a plurality of pleats, each pleat having a first hole therethrough with the first holes being substantially aligned from the bottom edge to the top edge, the pleated cover being adapted to be oriented in a retracted position wherein each of the pleats is substantially horizontally aligned and in contact with the adjacent pleats, an extended position wherein each of the pleats is substantially vertical and substantially vertically aligned with the other pleats, and a plurality of intermediate positions wherein at least some of the pleats are oriented between the pleats' retracted positions and the pleats' extended positions; a bottom rail attached to a bottommost pleat of the pleated cover; a first lift cord having a first end connected to the bottom rail, the first lift cord being threaded through the first holes of the pleats of the pleated cover; a first cord guide coupled to the pleated cover proximate the top edge and proximate the first holes, the first cord guide having a first throughbore and a slot intersecting the first throughbore, the first throughbore of the first cord guide being configured to slidably engage the first lift cord when the first lift cord is disposed therein, and the slot of the first cord guide being configured to retentively engage the first lift cord to support the weight of the bottom rail and an accumulated portion of the pleated cover when the first lift cord is disposed therein; and a cord lock coupled to the pleated cover proximate the top edge and having a first throughbore and a slot intersecting the first throughbore, the first throughbore of the cord lock slidably engaging the first lift cord when the first lift cord is disposed therein, and the slot of the cord lock retentively engaging the first lift cord to support the weight of the bottom rail and an accumulated portion of the pleated cover when the first lift cord is disposed therein, wherein the first lift cord is thread through the first holes of the pleats of the pleated cover, through the first throughbore of the first cord guide, and through the first throughbore of the cord lock, the temporary window covering being adapted to be repositioned from a first one of the retracted position, the extended position and an intermediate position to a second one of the retracted position, the extended position and an intermediate position by moving a first portion of the first lift cord disposed in the slot of the cord lock to the first throughbore of the cord lock, sliding the first lift cord through the first throughbore of the first cord guide and the first throughbore of the cord lock, and moving a second portion of the first lift cord disposed in the first throughbore of the cord lock to the slot of the cord lock.