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  Roman blind assemblyUSPTO Application #: 20070000618Title: Roman blind assembly Abstract: An improved Roman blind assembly is disclosed. The Roman blind assembly consists of a fabric screen having opposite first and second sides and opposite first and second ends. A plurality of parallel roman bars are mounted horizontally to the first side of the fabric screen between the first and second ends of the screen. A lowermost roman bar is mounted to the screen near the first end of the screen and a pair of parallel support cords are mounted to the lowermost roman bar. A roller clutch assembly is mounted to the first side of the fabric screen adjacent the second end of the screen. The support cords are coupled to the clutch assembly and the clutch assembly is adapted to raise and lower the cords. Each of the support cords pass through an elongated opening in the screen, said openings positioned adjacent the second end of the screen. After exiting the openings, the cords pass along the second side of the screen. Each cord is slidingly attached to each roman bar. (end of abstract) Agent: Elias C. Borges - Toronto, ON, CA Inventors: Philip Ng, Xiulian Zhang, Norman Wills USPTO Applicaton #: 20070000618 - Class: 160084010 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Flexible Or Portable Closure, Partition, Or Panel, Pleating Type The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070000618. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of US provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/695,011 filed Jun. 30, 2005, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates generally to assemblies for constructing roman blinds. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Roman blinds are a common and popular type of blind. The traditional roman blind generally found in the market consists of a substantially flat sheet of fabric which is mounted to a plurality of parallel horizontal bars suspended from at least one pair of suspension cords. The suspension cords are suspended from a head assembly, which controls the lifting and lowering of the suspension cords. Lifting or lowering the suspension cords causes the bars to lift and lower, thereby drawing up the fabric screen or lowering it. As the blind is lifted, the parallel horizontal bars form the fabric sheet into a series of horizontal folds. These horizontal folds of fabric are quite decorative and add to the appeal of roman blinds. The roman blind assembly usually includes two pairs of suspension cords, a first pair of suspension cords for suspending the bars and holding them in parallel horizontal alignment and a second (or lifting) pair of suspension cords for lifting and lowering the blind. The second pair of suspension cords are usually only attached to lowermost horizontal bar. The head assembly usually includes a locking pulley system for selectively locking the second pair of suspension cords between a fully raised position wherein the lifting cords are fully raised and a fully lowered position wherein the lifting cords are fully lowered. The locking pulley system generally includes a pair of pull cords which can be grasped by the user to selectively raise and lower the lift cords. Oftentimes, the pull cords are extensions of the lift cords themselves. [0004] Roller blinds are another type of blind which is quite popular in the market. Roller blinds generally consist of a fabric sheet which is wound onto to a cylindrical head assembly. The cylindrical head assembly generally consists of an elongated cylinder upon which the fabric screen is wound, a clutch mechanism mounted to the ends of the cylinder for controlling the rotation of the cylinder and a pair of brackets for suspending the cylinder and clutch assembly. There are two general types of clutch assemblies used in roller blinds. The first type is a simple spring loaded clutch mechanism which permits the user to lower the blind by simply pulling down on the fabric screen. Pulling the fabric screen down causes the cylinder to rotate and thereby wind the spring mechanism. Lifting the blind is accomplished by simply grasping onto the fabric sheet and pulling down on the sheet slightly to release the lock and then letting the spring mechanism lift the fabric sheet by winding it onto the cylinder. [0005] The second type of clutch assembly consists of a loop of cord mounted onto a pulley mechanism. Pulling on one side of the loop causes the pulley mechanism to rotate the cylinder to lift the blind and pulling on the other side of the loop causes the pulley mechanism to rotate the cylinder to lower the blind. This pulley type of clutch mechanism is very popular because it allows for a precise control of the lifting and lowering of the blind. [0006] Roller blinds, while popular, lack the esthetic appeal and appearance found in roman blinds. A blind assembly which provides the aesthetic appeal of a roman blind assembly while providing the easy of use of a roller blind assembly would be popular. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a Roman blind assembly consisting of a fabric screen having opposite first and second sides and opposite first and second ends. A plurality of parallel roman bars are mounted horizontally to the first side of the fabric screen between the first and second ends of the screen. A lowermost roman bar is mounted to the screen adjacent the first end of the screen and a pair of parallel support cords are mounted to the lowermost roman bar. A roller clutch assembly is mounted to the first side of the fabric screen adjacent the second end of the screen, the support cords being coupled to the clutch assembly. The clutch assembly is adapted and configured to raise and lower the cords. Each of the support cords pass through an elongated opening in the screen, said openings positioned adjacent the second end of the screen. After exiting the openings, the cords pass along the second side of the screen. Each cord is slidingly attached to each roman bar. [0008] It is another object of the invention to provide a Roman blind assembly as described in the previous paragraph wherein the clutch assembly includes an elongated tube having opposite ends with the support cords being attached to the tube midway between the opposite ends. The clutch assembly being configured to raise and lower the support cords by winding and unwinding the cords onto the tube by turning the tube in a first and second direction, respectively. The elongated openings being oriented in a parallel relationship with the roman bars. [0009] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a roman blind assembly as described in the previous paragraph wherein the blind further includes a pair of elongated grommets mounted to screen immediately adjacent to the elongated openings, each grommet reinforcing one of the openings. [0010] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a roman blind assembly as described in the previous paragraph wherein the elongated openings and the elongated grommets are oblong in shape. [0011] With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1. is a front view of a roman blind assembly made in accordance with the present invention with the valence portion removed. [0013] FIG. 2. is a back view of the roman blind assembly shown in FIG. 1. [0014] FIG. 3. is a side view of the roman blind assembly shown in FIG. 1. [0015] FIG. 4. is a front view of a roman blind assembly made in accordance with the present invention showing the screen partly elevated. [0016] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0017] Referring firstly to FIG. 1, the present invention consists of a roman blind assembly, shown generally as item 10 which is made of several components, namely a fabric screen 12, a roller assembly 14, suspension brackets 16 and 18, upper member 25, draw cords 20 and 22, roman bars 24, lower bar 26 and drawstring 28. Roman blind assembly 10 is mounted over a window (not shown) by mounting upper member 25 to the window frame (not shown). [0018] Fabric screen 12 is a flexible fabric screen which has opposite sides 30 and 32, side 30 facing forward (i.e. away from the window) and side 32 facing outward (i.e. towards the window). Roman bars 24 are adhered to surface 30 of fabric screen 12 by means known generally in the art such as, for example, by adhesive. Roman bars 24 are arranged in parallel along screen 12. Fabric screen 12 has a lower end 27. Lowermost roman bar 26 is mounted to surface 30 of screen 12 adjacent lower end 27. Continue reading... Full patent description for Roman blind assembly Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Roman blind assembly patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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