Skew adjustment mechanism for a window covering

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A skew adjustment mechanism for adjusting a skewed movable rail in a window covering, comprising:
a movable rail having first and second ends, said movable rail being connected to an expandable covering; a second rail substantially parallel to said movable rail; first and second lift cords supporting said movable rail; first and second rotatable spools, each having an axis of rotation, wherein both of said first and second rotatable spools are located on the same one of said movable and second rails; wherein said first and second lift cords are connected to said first and second rotatable spools, respectively, and wrap onto and off of the respective rotatable spools as said respective rotatable spools rotate so as to increase and decrease the effective length of said first and second lift cords and to extend and retract the covering; a drive train also located on said one rail and interconnecting said first and second rotatable spools so said first and second rotatable spools rotate together during normal operation; and a biased disconnector in said drive train, biased in a first direction, said biased disconnector being responsive to an outside force acting opposite the first direction to temporarily disconnect said first rotatable spool from said second rotatable spool to enable the rotation of one of said first and second rotatable spools relative to the other of said first and second rotatable spools in order to enable changing the effective length of said first lift cord relative to said second lift cord and which re-connects said first and second rotatable spools for normal operation when the outside force is released.