Packaged bamboo shade and method of packaging bamboo shades

Abstract

A shade of the type having a headrail, a panel of bamboo or faux bamboo slats attached to a headrail, at least one cord lock or spring motor and cord spool and lift cords connected to the panel and passing over a portion of the cord lock or the cord spool is packaged for trimming in a cut-down machine. In the preferred method, the panel is folded into a plurality of folds, the folds being located to create a cavity between the folds and the bottom surface of the headrail with the cord locks located in the cavity. Spacer material is positioned in the cavity in a manner so that there is spacer material adjacent to the side edges of the panel of slats. A band is wrapped around the shade to form a banded shade. The band is sized and positioned so that a portion of the panel adjacent each side edge is exposed. Then a wrapper is placed around the banded shade.

1 . A packaged shade comprising: 
 a bamboo shade or faux bamboo shade having a headrail, a panel comprised of bamboo or faux bamboo slats, the panel having two side edges and attached to the headrail, at least one cord lock or spring motor and cord spool connected to the headrail, and lift cords attached to the panel and passing over a portion of the at least one cord lock or the cord spool, the panel being folded into a plurality of folds,    spacer material positioned adjacent the at least one cord lock or spring motor and cord spool,    a band wrapped around the shade to form a banded shade, the band sized and positioned so that a portion of the panel adjacent each side edge is exposed, and    a wrapper surrounding the banded shade.    
   
   
       2 . The packaged shade of  claim 1  wherein the folds are located to create a cavity between the folds and the headrail with the at least one cord lock or spring motor and cord spool and the spacer material located in the cavity so that there is spacer material adjacent to the side edges.  
   
   
       3 . The packaged shade of  claim 1  also comprising a box in which the banded shade is placed.  
   
   
       4 . The packaged shade of  claim 3  wherein the wrapper also surrounds the box.  
   
   
       5 . The packaged shade of  claim 1  also comprising shade hardware positioned within the cavity.  
   
   
       6 . The packaged shade of  claim 1  also comprising a valance attached to the headrail.  
   
   
       7 . The packaged shade of  claim 2  also comprising a valance attached to the headrail and wherein the valance extends over the cavity and spacer material.  
   
   
       8 . The packaged shade of  claim 1  wherein the band is configured to have a first portion that extends from one side edge of the panel to the other side edge of the panel and a second portion having opposite second side edges which are spaced apart from the side edges of the panel such that portions of the panel between the side edges of the panel and the second side edges of the band are exposed.  
   
   
       9 . The packaged shade of  claim 1  wherein the wrapper is a clear plastic.  
   
   
       10 . The packaged shade of  claim 1  wherein the wrapper is a shrink wrap.  
   
   
       11 . The packaged shade of  claim 1  wherein the shade is a roman shade or a roll-up shade.  
   
   
       12 . A method for packaging a bamboo shade or faux bamboo shade of the type having a headrail, a panel comprised of bamboo or faux bamboo slats, the panel having two side edges and attached to the headrail, at least one cord lock or spring motor and cord spool attached to the headrail, and lift cords connected to the panel and passing over a portion of the at least one cord lock or the cord spool comprising: 
 folding the panel into a plurality of folds,    placing spacer material adjacent the at least one cord lock or spring motor and cord spool,    wrapping one of a band or an inner box around the shade to form a packed shade, the band sized and positioned so that a portion of the panel adjacent each side edge is exposed, and    placing a wrapper around the packed shade.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  where the panel is folded so that the folds are located to create a cavity between the folds and the headrail with the at least one cord lock or spring motor and cord spool located in the cavity, and the spacer material is placed in a manner so that there is spacer material adjacent to the side edges;  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  also comprising placing the banded shade in a box.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the banded shade is placed into the box prior to placing a wrapper around the banded shade such that the wrapper also surrounds the box.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12  also comprising placing shade hardware in the cavity.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  also comprising wrapping the lift cords and placing them in the cavity.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein there is a valance attached to the shade and also comprising positioning the valance to cover the cavity.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the band is configured to have a first portion that extends beyond the side edges of the panel and a second portion that does not extend to the side edges of the panel also comprising folding the band in a manner so that the band forms a rectangular box such that portions of the panel adjacent each side edge of the panel are exposed.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the wrapper is placed around the banded shade using a shrink wrap process.