Pleat-forming drapery clip ring

Abstract

A drapery clip ring for hanging drapery on a drapery rod, the drapery clip ring including a ring arranged to receive the drapery rod therethrough, a gripping means connected to and extending away from the ring, and a pleat endoskeleton connected to and extending away from the ring, the pleat endoskeleton being arranged proximate the gripping means, wherein the pleat endoskeleton is adapted to provide an internal framework of a pleat formed in the drapery, and the gripping means is operatively arranged to secure the pleat formed in the drapery.

1 . A drapery clip ring for hanging drapery on a drapery rod, the drapery clip ring comprising:
 a ring arranged to receive the drapery rod therethrough;   a gripping means connected to and extending away from the ring; and,   a pleat endoskeleton connected to and extending away from the ring, the pleat endoskeleton being arranged proximate the gripping means, wherein the pleat endoskeleton is adapted to provide an internal framework of a pleat formed in the drapery, and the gripping means is operatively arranged to secure the pleat formed in the drapery.   
   
   
       2 . The drapery clip ring recited in  claim 1  wherein the pleat endoskeleton is arranged substantially in front of the gripping means, and the gripping means is arranged to secure the pleat formed in the drapery behind the pleat endoskeleton. 
   
   
       3 . The drapery clip ring as recited in  claim 1  wherein the pleat endoskeleton comprises a substantially planar front surface bounded by two substantially vertical side edges. 
   
   
       4 . The drapery clip ring as recited in  claim 1  wherein the pleat endoskeleton is adapted to provide an internal framework of a box pleat formed in the drapery. 
   
   
       5 . The drapery clip ring as recited in  claim 1  wherein the gripping means comprises a clip. 
   
   
       6 . The drapery clip ring as recited in  claim 5  wherein the clip comprises a left jaw pivotally connected to a right jaw, and an urging means operatively arranged to urge the left jaw and right jaw toward a closed position. 
   
   
       7 . The drapery clip ring as recited in  claim 6  wherein the urging means comprises a coil spring. 
   
   
       8 . The drapery clip ring as recited in  claim 6  wherein the urging means comprises a leaf spring. 
   
   
       9 . The drapery clip ring as recited in  claim 1  wherein the ring comprises an outer surface, an inner surface comprising a recess, and a through-bore extending from the outer surface to the inner surface, and the gripping means is connected to the ring via a post extending from the gripping means, through the through-bore, to the recess. 
   
   
       10 . A drapery assembly comprising:
 a drapery rod;   drapery; and,   a plurality of drapery clip rings as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rings of the plurality of drapery clip rings are slidably disposed around the drapery rod, the drapery includes a plurality of box pleats formed around the pleat endoskeletons and secured by the gripping means of the plurality of drapery clip rings, and the plurality of clip rings is operatively arranged to support the weight of drapery via the gripping means.