US 11,746,590 B2
Vertical cellular drape for an architectural structure
John D. Rupel, Pine River, WI (US); Ren Judkins, Pittsburg, PA (US); Scott R. Cheslock, Bonduel, WI (US); and Toralf H. Strand, Kittery, ME (US)
Assigned to Hunter Douglas Inc., Pearl River, NY (US)
Filed by Hunter Douglas Inc., Pearl River, NY (US)
Filed on Feb. 6, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/783,832.
Application 16/783,832 is a continuation of application No. 15/414,718, filed on Jan. 25, 2017, granted, now 10,597,935.
Prior Publication US 2020/0173228 A1, Jun. 4, 2020
Int. Cl. E06B 9/36 (2006.01); E06B 9/262 (2006.01); E06B 9/24 (2006.01)
CPC E06B 9/262 (2013.01) [E06B 9/36 (2013.01); E06B 2009/2458 (2013.01); E06B 2009/2627 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vertical cellular drape for an architectural structure, said cellular drape extending in a vertical direction between a top end and a bottom end and in a lateral direction between a first lateral end and a second lateral end, said cellular drape being movable in the lateral direction between an extended position and a retracted position, said cellular drape comprising:
a front drape panel defining a front face of said cellular drape, said front drape panel defining alternating from pleat peaks and front pleat valleys across said front face of said cellular drape;
a rear drape panel defining a rear face of said cellular drape, said rear drape panel defining alternating rear pleat peaks and rear pleat valleys across said rear face of said cellular drape, said rear face of said cellular drape being spaced apart from said front face of said cellular drape in a cross-wise direction; and
one or more connecting links coupled between separate portions of one of said front drape panel or said rear drape panel;
wherein:
said front and rear drape panels are configured to be positioned relative to each other when said cellular drape is in the extended position such that a plurality of internal cells are defined between said front and rear drape panels that extend in the vertical direction between said top and bottom ends of said cellular drape;
said front pleat peaks and said front pleat valleys of said front drape panel are interleaved relative to said rear pleat peaks and said rear pleat valleys of said rear drape panel such that each of said rear pleat peaks is substantially aligned in the cross-wise direction with a corresponding front pleat valley of said front drape panel and each of said rear pleat valleys is substantially aligned in the cross-wise direction with a corresponding front pleat peak of said front drape panel;
said one or more connecting links are configured to set a maximum pleat spacing defined between adjacent pairs of pleats of said cellular drape in the lateral direction when said cellular drape is moved to the extended position;
said one or more connecting links are positioned exterior of the plurality of internal cells and extend laterally along said one of said front drape panel or said rear drape panel at a location below said top end of said cellular drape; and
said one or more connecting links are coupled to said one of said front drape panel or said rear drape panel at either: (1) a plurality of first locations along said rear face at which said rear pleat peaks are substantially aligned in the cross-wise direction with said front pleat valleys: or (2) a plurality of second locations along said front face at which said front pleat peaks are substantially aligned in the cross-wise direction with said rear pleat valleys.