A daylighting blind according to an aspect of the invention includes: a plurality of slats; and a support mechanism that interconnects the plurality of slats, a longitudinal direction of which is oriented in a horizontal direction, and supports the plurality of slats suspended in a vertical direction. At a boundary between a daylighting slat group composed of a plurality of daylighting slats in an upper position in the vertical direction and a light-shielding slat group composed of a plurality of light-shielding slats in a lower position in the vertical direction, the daylighting slats and the light-shielding slats are arranged consecutively. The support mechanism includes a lifting/lowering member that causes the daylighting slat group to be stored or extend independently.

The invention relates to a screen, comprising a first control unit (610) comprising a first drive shaft (612) and at least one first cord spool (630) rotatable with the first drive shaft for winding and unwinding a first lift cord (634) extending between a head rail and a middle rail; a second control unit (620) comprising a second drive shaft (622), and at least one second cord spool (632) rotatable with the second drive shaft for winding and unwinding a second lift cord (636) extending between the head rail and the bottom rail; and a shaft rotation limiting system (100) comprising a threaded shaft arranged on and rotatable in unison with one of the first and the second drive shafts, a coupling element threaded on said threaded shaft, wherein the coupling element is associated with and rotatable in unison with the other drive shaft.

An insulating window shade has a compressible fill container having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the compressible fill container is configured to be moveable between an expanded position and a compressed position. A fill material is disposed substantially uniformly within the compressible fill container, wherein the fill material is capable of being repeatedly compressed and expanded as the compressible fill container is moved between the expanded position and the compressed position. The fill material forms a thermal boundary for trapping gas, reducing convection and contribute to aesthetic properties of the window shade. A divider control and coordination system enables movement of the divider, thereby changing the aesthetic and/or insulating properties of the insulating window panel. In the compressed position, the length of the compressible fill container is approximately 25% or less than the length of the compressible fill container in the expanded position.

A retractable cover for architectural openings having collapsible vanes includes a support structure in the form of a sheet of material, monofilaments, tapes, ribbons, cords, or the like, supporting an upper edge of a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally extending vanes with the lower edges of the vanes in most embodiments of the invention being connected to operating elements adapted to raise the lower edges of each vane toward the upper edges to define openings or gaps between the vanes through which vision and light can pass in an open condition of the covering. Variations of the covering do not require movement of a lower edge of a vane relative to an upper edge but simply movement of some vanes relative to other vanes. The vanes can be made of materials having different flexibilities and where more rigid materials are used, creased fold lines can be established for desired operability.

A skew adjustment method and apparatus for adjusting the skewed condition of a movable rail of a window covering in which the movable rail is supported by lift cords wrapped around spools. A drive train disconnecting mechanism is used to disconnect a first spool from a second spool, the first spool is rotated relative to the second spool, thereby changing the length of the first lift cord relative to the second lift cord until the movable rail is in the desired position; and then the first and second spools are reconnected so the first and second spools rotate together. An end cap may be used to enable multiple disassemblies and reassemblies of the end cap to access the skew adjustment mechanism. In one embodiment, there are two movable rails, and the lift cords for both movable rails extend through the same rout holes in the covering. Disconnecting the first spool from the second spool may activate a mechanism that prevents the second spool from rotating.

A daylighting device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a daylighting member and a support unit, disposed on an interior side of a window glass to support the daylighting member. The support unit includes an adjusting mechanism that adjusts a position of the daylighting member relative to the window glass.

A covering for an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The covering is formed from a plurality of assembled strips of fabric material joined together. Each assembled strip of fabric material may include a fabric material including inner and outer surfaces, and top and bottom ends. A first slat may be coupled to the inner surface of the fabric material adjacent the top end thereof, the first slat having a first contact surface. A second slat may be coupled to the outer surface of the fabric material adjacent the bottom end thereof, the second slat having a second contact surface. The first contact surface of the first slat of a first assembled strip is preferably nested with the second contact surface of the second slat of an adjoining second assembled strip. The second contact surface of the second slat may be partially covered by the piece of fabric material.

A daylighting member according to an aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of substrates having a light transmitting property; a plurality of daylighting portions having a light transmitting property, the plurality of daylighting portions extending linearly on a first surface of each of the substrates and extending in different directions on different substrates; and a gap portion provided between the plurality of daylighting portions. The plurality of substrates include at least a first substrate or a second substrate, the first substrate having a first daylighting portion inclined at an angle 1 relative to an edge side of the substrate, the second substrate having a second daylighting portion inclined at an angle 2 relative to the edge side.

In one aspect, a roller shade includes a roller and a shade panel configured to be wound around and unwound from the roller to retract and extend the shade panel, respectively. The roller shade further includes a shade adapter coupled between the roller and the shade panel. The shade adapter includes a first adapter portion configured to be coupled to the roller, a second adapter portion configured to be coupled to the shade panel, and a connector panel portion extending between the first and second adapter portions. The second adapter portion allows the shade panel to be quickly and easily removed from and installed relative to the shade adapter and, thus, the roller.

We disclose a roller shade which may move the roller fabric to position either a light reflecting section or a heat absorbing section of the roller fabric toward a window. The two sections may be on opposite sides of a sheet of roller fabric which is connected to the roller tube at one end. The roller shade may wind the roller fabric around the roller tube then reverse the side of the roller fabric which faces the window. Alternatively, the roller fabric may be a continuous loop of fabric that includes a light reflecting section and connected to a heat absorbing section. The roller shade may move the continuous loop of fabric to position either section toward the window. The roller shade may include sensors, a motor, and a controller. The controller may be programmed to reverse the roller fabric in response to a sensor measurement.