Roman Shade Head Rail Layout Without Fabric Cord Holes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roman shades with two pieces of fabric attached to a single head rail face issues such as exposure of the insertion hole when the first fabric is tucked up, increased manufacturing steps, and light filtering due to spot light irradiation through the insertion hole, as well as cumbersome attachment and exchange operations due to limited space between the head rail and wall.
Innovation Solution
The roman shade design includes a head rail with a first fabric attached to the front surface and a second fabric attached to an extension member projecting from the rear of the head rail, where the second lift cord is routed over the upper end of the second fabric, eliminating the need for an insertion hole and allowing easy attachment and exchange, while the extension member provides a wider space for operation, preventing light filtering and maintaining the appearance of the second fabric.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the second fabric is attached to the rear surface of the head rail, then the second lift cord is hidden and appearance is improved, but the space for attachment is limited and manufacturing becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from attaching the second fabric to the rear surface of the head rail (2D plane) to attaching it to the front surface of the head rail (different 2D plane with better accessibility). This dimensional repositioning maintains cord hiding through the unattached portion while dramatically improving attachment ease by providing sufficient working space on the front surface.
2Shape
If an insertion hole is formed in the second fabric to route the second lift cord, then the cord is hidden and appearance is improved, but the number of manufacturing steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the second lift cord routing from the second fabric by attaching the fabric to the front surface of the head rail instead. The cord is routed through the unattached portion at the top of the second fabric without requiring an insertion hole, thereby eliminating the need for additional manufacturing steps while maintaining the hidden cord appearance.
3Ease of operation
If the insertion hole is positioned to correspond to the suspended second lift cord, then the cord can be routed, but light filtering occurs when strong light shines through
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the insertion hole from the second fabric entirely by changing the attachment configuration. The second lift cord is routed through the unattached portion at the top edge of the second fabric, eliminating the hole that caused light filtering while maintaining cord accessibility and routing functionality.
4Ease of operation
If the second fabric is attached to the front surface of the extension member, then attachment and exchange operations are simplified, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The extension member serves multiple functions: it extends the head rail structure forward to provide attachment surface for the second fabric, maintains the horizontal profile, and enables easy access for attachment and exchange operations. This multi-functionality justifies the added structural element by providing operational benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
Upper ends of the first fabric and the second fabric are attached to the head rail, respectively, and the first lift cord and the second lift cord suspended from the head rail in a liftable manner are coupled to the first fabric and the second fabric, respectively. The first lift cord is routed into a rear side of the first fabric and the second lift cord is routed into a rear side of the second fabric so as to come over an upper end of the second fabric. An extension member is provided so as to extend downwardly along with a lower edge of a rear portion of the head rail, and the upper end of the second fabric is attached to a front surface of the extension member.