Drapery carrier

Abstract

A drapery carrier has a generally rectangular retaining plate. The width of the retaining plate is sufficiently narrow (e.g., about ¼ inch), in the dimension perpendicular to longitudinal axis of the carrier, so that it can be inserted through the horizontal slot in a drapery traverse rod when the carrier is aligned with its longitudinal axis parallel to the horizontal slot in the traverse rod. The length of the retaining plate is sufficiently long (e.g., about ½ inch) and rounded on the ends so that it prevents the carrier from falling out of the traverse rod when the carrier hangs vertically to carry a wire hook supporting a drapery pleat. The carrier may be made of cast rigid plastic with an eye to receive a wire drapery hook. The retaining plate is attached to the base of the carrier by a generally cylindrical slider.

1 . A drapery carrier, comprising:
 (a) an upright member;   (b) a post member extending generally perpendicularly from the upright member; and   (c) a retaining plate positioned on the post member, wherein the retaining plate is generally rectangular, wherein the retaining plate is configured to be perpendicularly inserted through a slot in a traverse-rod when the upright member is oriented generally horizontally.   
   
   
       2 . The drapery carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the upright member has an eye configured to receive a hook member. 
   
   
       3 . The drapery carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the upright member has a generally bowed lower portion. 
   
   
       4 . The drapery carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining plate has a pair of substantially straight vertical sides. 
   
   
       5 . The drapery carrier of  claim 4 , wherein the retaining plate has a pair of generally curved horizontal sides. 
   
   
       6 . The drapery carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining plate is about ¼ inch wide and about ½ inch long. 
   
   
       7 . The drapery carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the drapery carrier is formed of plastic. 
   
   
       8 . The drapery carrier of  claim 7 , wherein the plastic is cast. 
   
   
       9 . The drapery carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining plate is oriented generally parallel with the upright member. 
   
   
       10 . The drapery carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining plate is configured to slidably retain the drapery carrier relative to a traverse-rod when the upright member is oriented generally vertically. 
   
   
       11 . A drapery carrier system, comprising:
 (a) a traverse-rod, wherein the traverse-rod has a horizontal slot, wherein the traverse-rod is configured to receive a plurality of drapery carriers; and   (b) a drapery carrier, wherein the drapery carrier comprises:
 (i) an upright member, 
 (ii) a post member extending generally perpendicularly from the upright member, and 
 (iii) a retaining plate positioned on the post member, wherein the retaining plate is generally rectangular, wherein the retaining plate is configured to be perpendicularly inserted through the horizontal slot of the traverse-rod when the upright member is oriented generally horizontally. 
   
   
   
       12 . The drapery carrier system of  claim 11 , wherein the horizontal slot has a height, wherein the retaining plate has a width, wherein the width of the retaining plate is less than the height of the horizontal slot. 
   
   
       13 . The drapery carrier system of  claim 12 , wherein the retaining plate has a height, wherein the height of the retaining plate is greater than the height of the slot. 
   
   
       14 . A method of hanging a drapery carrier, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a horizontal traverse-rod, wherein the traverse-rod has a horizontal slot, wherein the traverse-rod is configured to receive a plurality of drapery carriers;   (b) providing a drapery carrier, wherein the drapery carrier comprises:
 (i) an upright member, 
 (ii) a post member extending generally perpendicularly from the upright member, and 
 (iii) a retaining plate positioned on the post member, wherein the retaining plate is generally rectangular, wherein the retaining plate is configured to be perpendicularly inserted through the horizontal slot of the traverse-rod when the upright member is oriented generally horizontally; 
   (c) orienting the drapery carrier such that the upright member is oriented generally horizontally;   (d) perpendicularly inserting the retaining plate into the horizontal slot of the traverse-rod; and   (e) orienting the drapery carrier such that the upright member is oriented generally vertically.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , the method further comprising removing a damaged drapery carrier from the traverse-rod. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the act of removing a damaged drapery carrier comprises sliding the damaged drapery carrier out of an end of the traverse-rod. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method is performed on a traverse-rod having no drapery carriers before the method is performed.