A coupler system for connecting elongate, horizontally disposed rods to vertical supports includes a top-cap component for attaching to the top of a vertical support, and including a body with plural cavities formed therein, and at least one ball-cap component for attaching to an end of a rod, and including a ball region that is constructed to fit within one of the plural cavities of the top-cap component. The body may be formed with four of the plural cavities, with each of them having beveled edges. The ball-cap components may include a ball region, a neck region, and an angled region located adjacent the neck region and away from the ball region. The top-cap and ball-cap components may include insertion regions with opposing sets of ribs. The coupler system may further include a cover component, and the body may be formed with a central hole for receiving a fastener that secures the cover component to the top-cap component.

A coupler system for connecting elongate, horizontally disposed rods to vertical supports includes a top-cap component for attaching to the top of a vertical support, and including a body with plural cavities formed therein, and at least one ball-cap component for attaching to an end of a rod, and including a ball region that is constructed to fit within one of the plural cavities of the top-cap component. The body may be formed with four of the plural cavities, with each of them having beveled edges. The ball-cap components may include a ball region, a neck region, and an angled region located adjacent the neck region and away from the ball region. The top-cap and ball-cap components may include insertion regions with opposing sets of ribs. The coupler system may further include a cover component, and the body may be formed with a central hole for receiving a fastener that secures the cover component to the top-cap component.

A motorized drapery system having an elongated rotating drive element that has a non-circular cross-sectional shape such as square, rectangular, trapezoidal, cross shaped or any other non-circular shape that is twisted. In one arrangement the drive element is twisted in one direction along its entire length. In another arrangement the drive element is twisted in one direction in a first section and twisted in an opposite direction in a second section thereby providing a center opening/center closing drapery. A plurality of rings are positioned around the drive element including at least one driver ring that includes a feature that connects to the drive element and is configured to facilitate movement along the drive element, and a plurality of idler rings that are configured to slide along the drive element. A curtain is connected to the rings and opens and closes as the rings move along the drive element.

A motorized drapery system having an elongated rotating drive element that has a non-circular cross-sectional shape such as square, rectangular, trapezoidal, cross shaped or any other non-circular shape that is twisted. In one arrangement the drive element is twisted in one direction along its entire length. In another arrangement the drive element is twisted in one direction in a first section and twisted in an opposite direction in a second section thereby providing a center opening/center closing drapery. A plurality of rings are positioned around the drive element including at least one driver ring that includes a feature that connects to the drive element and is configured to facilitate movement along the drive element, and a plurality of idler rings that are configured to slide along the drive element. A curtain is connected to the rings and opens and closes as the rings move along the drive element.

A drapery system having a drive element extending the length that is connected to a structure by a pair of brackets. The drive element has a cylindrical shape with an exterior surface. The exterior surface of the drive element has a guide structure, which in one arrangement is a plurality of helical grooves. A plurality of rings are positioned around the drive element that are used to connect shade material to the drive element. The rings include a partial driver ring, a full driver ring and idler rings. In a center closing arrangement, partial driver rings are positioned as the inward most rings followed by full driver ring which is followed by a plurality of idler rings. The partial driver ring and the idler rings have a stabilizer that fits around the exterior surface of the drive element thereby providing smoother and quitter travel along the drive element.

A coupler for a drapery rod system that is configured to connect a pair of adjacent drapery rods and facilitate either independent rotation of the pair of rods in one configuration while facilitating rotation in unison in another configuration. In one arrangement, the coupler includes a lug connected to a bracket positioned at the middle of the adjacent drapery rods. The lug includes an axle extending a length between opposing ends and includes a bearing housing connected to each side of the axle. In one configuration a drapery rod is connected to each end of the axle and its respective bearing housing, which facilitates independent rotation of each rod. Another configuration, a coupler is connected to each side of axle, outside the bearing housing, which facilitates rotation of the adjacent rods in unison. In this way, the coupler facilitates installation of adjacent rods that may rotate independently or in unison.

A coupler for a drapery rod system that is configured to connect a pair of adjacent drapery rods and facilitate either independent rotation of the pair of rods in one configuration while facilitating rotation in unison in another configuration. In one arrangement, the coupler includes a lug connected to a bracket positioned at the middle of the adjacent drapery rods. The lug includes an axle extending a length between opposing ends and includes a bearing housing connected to each side of the axle. In one configuration a drapery rod is connected to each end of the axle and its respective bearing housing, which facilitates independent rotation of each rod. Another configuration, a coupler is connected to each side of axle, outside the bearing housing, which facilitates rotation of the adjacent rods in unison. In this way, the coupler facilitates installation of adjacent rods that may rotate independently or in unison.

The present invention is a method of preparing and assembling certain prefabricated products (identified below as (a) Suspension Rods; (b) Decorative Finished Wood; (c) Locking Pin; and (d) Rubber Gasket) which, once assembled, will serve as a high end room divider or window covering (also known as window treatments). The inventive framework allows the user who is preparing and assembling the product to have an installed room divider or window coverage that is clean, with no marks, and also able to be assembled by one person, as opposed to having multiple parties present to effect installation.

A curtain rod system has a support rod surrounding a drive member with a worm screw thereon. A powered carrier engaged on the worm screw provides powered translation of a curtain engaged thereto, upon rotation of the drive member by an electric motor. The drive member can be customized for length through by assembling it from drive member segments to allow for width adjustment of the curtain rod system. The worm screw may be formed of two separate parallel thread portions forming a double helix around the exterior of the drive member.