Patent ID: 8220517

Claim:
A window covering comprising: a first rail; window covering material extending from the first rail, the window covering moveable from a retracted position to extended positions; a plurality of lift cords, each lift cord extending from the first rail along a face of the window covering material and having a distal end; at least one breakaway device for each lift cord, the lift cord passing through the at least one breakaway device, the breakaway device attached to the window covering material and comprising: a male member having an aperture through which the lift cord passes such that the lift cord and the male member are independently moveable relative to one another when the window covering is in use, and a female member having an opening through which the lift cord passes, such that the lift cord and the female member are independently moveable relative to one another when the window covering is in use, the female member having a cavity sized and configured to receive and releasably retain the male member when the male member is in the cavity, such that when the male member is within the cavity a downward and outward force acting on the lift cord will cause the male member and the female member to separate from one another; and a stop attached to the distal end of each lift cord such that upward movement of the lift cord will cause the stop to engage one of the at least one breakaway device and move upward, raising the window covering material from an extended position toward a retracted position.