BOX PLEAT CURTAIN

Abstract

A curtain or drapery panel that is formed having hanging grommets and box pleats along the header band that provides support to allow the box pleats to retain their shape without deforming. The drapery is a fabric panel having a header strip along the top thereof. The header strip has a plurality of spaced apart grommets. Between alternating grommets the fabric is pinched together to form a forward facing bow or loop. The bow or loop is then flattened and the top and bottom edges of the loop along the header strip are sewn down to the header strip to flatten the loop into a rectangular flat gathered pleat. Further, the edges of the pleat along the header strip may also be swan to give it a more defined crisp edge. This draws two adjacent grommets close together on the two opposing sides of the newly formed pleat.

Claims

1. A drapery panel, comprising: a fabric panel having a header strip along a top edge thereof; a plurality of spaced apart grommets affixed in said header strip; and pleats formed between alternating pairs of grommets, said pleats being formed from a gathered loop of fabric between said alternating pair of grommets, said loop being flattened to form a substantially rectangular forward facing pleat.

2. The drapery panel of claim 1, wherein said grommets reinforce the header strip to form sides for a box pleat when said drapery panel is installed on a curtain rod.

3. The drapery panel of claim 1, wherein said header strip includes a reinforcing strip affixed to said fabric panel.

4. The drapery panel of claim 1, wherein said rectangular forward facing pleat cooperates with said grommets to create three sides of a box pleat when said drapery panel is installed on a curtain rod.

5. The drapery panel of claim 1, wherein said flattened loop of fabric is sewn to said header strip along a top and bottom edge thereof.

6. The drapery panel of claim 5, wherein said flattened loop is stitched along a left and right side thereof.

7. A box pleated header strip on a drapery panel, comprising: a header strip along a top edge of a drapery panel; a plurality of spaced apart grommets affixed in said header strip; and pleats formed between alternating pairs of grommets, said pleats being formed from a gathered loop of fabric between said alternating pair of grommets, said loop being flattened to form a substantially rectangular forward facing pleat.

8. The header strip of claim 7, wherein said grommets reinforce the header strip to form sides for a box pleat when installed on a curtain rod.

9. The header strip of claim 7, wherein said header strip includes a reinforcing strip affixed to said fabric panel.

10. The header strip of claim 7, wherein said rectangular forward facing pleat cooperates with said grommets to create three sides of a box pleat when installed on a curtain rod.

11. The header strip of claim 7, wherein said flattened loop of fabric is sewn to said header strip along a top and bottom edge thereof.

12. The header strip of claim 11, wherein said flattened loop is stitched along a left and right side thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the drapery panel of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the drapery panel of the present invention displayed on a curtain rod;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a flattened front view of the drapery panel of the present invention; and

[0022] FIG. 4 is a flattened rear view of the drapery panel of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Now referring to the drawings, the drapery panel 10 of the present invention is shown and generally illustrated in the figures. As can be seen, the drapery panel is a fabric panel having a header strip along the top thereof. The header strip has a plurality of spaced apart grommets with openings installed therethrough. The grommets form the holes through which a curtain rod is installed to support the drapery panel in an installed position in a window.

[0024] The present invention as best can be seen at FIG. 1 provides for a box pleat structure at the top of the drapery panel 10. The drapery consists of a panel of fabric 12. The fabric may be of any type known in the art suitable for a window treatment. Further, the fabric panel may be lined, coated, insulated or unlined as is indicated for the final application of the drapery panel. The general construction of the drapery panel will not be discussed further herein as general construction materials and methods are already well known in the art.

[0025] As seen in FIG. 2, when placed onto a curtain rod 14, the box pleat panel, constructed as will be further discussed below forms a relatively flat front pleat with structured sides that run perpendicular to the supporting rod and the relatively flat front pleat.

[0026] Along the top of the fabric panel 10 a header strip 16 is formed. The header strip 16 may be folded over fabric, a reinforcement tape, simply the fabric itself or a combination thereof. The header strip 16 preferably runs the length of the drapery panel. Grommets 18 are installed into the header strip 16 in spaced apart locations. The grommets 18 are preferably large enough to provide significant structural support to the header strip 16 at the locations where they are installed. In this manner, as will be described in more detail below, when the grommets are placed on the curtain rod they add structure to the box pleated panel. The grommets are preferably of any suitable material and may be metal or plastic reinforcements.

[0027] As can best be seen at FIGS. 3 and 4, along the header strip 16 and between alternating grommets 18 the fabric is pinched together to form a forward facing bow or loop 20. The bow or loop 20 is then flattened and the top and bottom edges 22, 24 of the loop along the header strip 16 are sewn down to the header strip to flatten the loop into a rectangular flat gathered pleat 26. Further, the edges of the pleat along the header strip may also be swan to give it a more defined crisp edge. This draws two adjacent grommets 18 close together on the two opposing sides of the newly formed pleat 26.

[0028] By structuring the header of the drapery panel in this manner, as the panel is installed onto a rod and gathered the grommets form a support structure that runs forward and backward along the rod providing rigid structuring for the sides of the box pleat while the stitched pleat between the grommets forms a defined structure for the forward facing front sections of the curtain. As a result an easily installed and well-structured box pleat curtain is formed that can be hung directly out of the packaged and still produce the structured box pleat appearance desired.

[0029] It can therefore be seen that the present invention provides a drapery panel having a box pleat header strip that has alternating grommets and box pleat sections having with a structured box pleat appearance that can be installed onto a curtain rod for display without any additional requirements to create a durable box pleat. Further the present invention provides a drapery panel with a structured box pleat header that is self-supporting and does not require the addition of any further curtain hanging hardware as was typically required in the prior art. For these reasons, the instant invention is believed to represent a significant advancement in the art, which has substantial commercial merit.

[0030] While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.