Retractable shade system

Abstract

A retractable shade system is disclosed which includes a continuous shade panel adapted for removable attachment to the flexible shade panel of the shade system. The continuous shade panel can be replaced with another continuous shade panel without having to remove or disconnect shade system hardware.

1 . A retractable shade system comprising:
 an elongated tubular drum;   a shade panel, said shade panel is flexible and has an upper end secured to said drum, said shade panel is adapted to be rolled on and unrolled from said drum, said shade panel has a front side and a rear side, and has a vertical length;   mounting brackets for mounting said drum on a surface, said mounting brackets have an elongated mounting member and a drum support portion, said drum support portion extends generally perpendicular to a plane of said elongated mounting member, said drum includes a spring motor adapted to assist retraction or wounding of said shade panel on said drum and for raising and lowering said shade panel to a desired, releasably held position, wherein said spring motor comprises an elongated, adjustable coil spring having one end anchored to said drum and an opposite end connected to a spear, wherein said spear extends from one end of said drum and is non-rotatably received in a first bracket of said mounting brackets, said drum has an opposite end with a pin extending therefrom and said pin is rotatably supported in a second mounting bracket of said mounting brackets, said coil spring is adjustable so as to provide said spring motor with a selectively desired torque; and   an attachment means, said attachment means is provided on a lower edge of said shade panel.   
   
   
       2 . The retractable shade system of  claim 1 , further comprising a continuous shade panel, said continuous shade panel is removably attached to said shade panel via said attachment means. 
   
   
       3 . The retractable shade system of  claim 2 , wherein said continuous shade panel is constructed a same width as a width of said shade panel and having a substantially longer vertical length than a vertical length of said shade panel, said continuous shade panel has a front side and a rear side. 
   
   
       4 . The retractable shade system of  claim 3 , wherein said continuous shade panel comprises distinctive ornamentation embellished thereon. 
   
   
       5 . The retractable shade system of  claim 2 , wherein said attachment means comprises a female portion attached by a suitable adhesive or sewn along a lower edge of said shade panel, to said front side thereof, said attachment means further comprises a male portion attached by a suitable adhesive or sewn along an upper edge of said continuous shade panel, to a rear side thereof, and wherein said attachment means defines a horizontal width measuring slightly less than the width of said shade panel. 
   
   
       6 . The retractable shade system of  claim 5 , wherein said attachment means is a hook and loop fastener. 
   
   
       7 . The retractable shade system of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means is a horizontal strip fastener, said fastener defines a horizontal width measuring approximately a same width as the width of said shade panel, said fastener comprises an elongated female portion constructed of a flexible plastic or rubber material, said female portion defines a C-shaped cross-section having a flat base from which a pair of spaced prongs integrally extends so as to form a male receiving void, said flat base of said female portion is attached by a suitable adhesive along the lower edge of said shade panel, to said front side thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The retractable shade system of  claim 7 , wherein said fastener further comprises an elongated male portion constructed of a flexible plastic or rubber material, the material being a same construction material utilized for constructing said female portion, said male portion defines a C-shaped cross-section having an upper end from which a bulbous portion extends, and a lower portion from which an arm extends spatially from said bulbous portion so as to form a prong receiving cavity, said arm includes a forward end having a flat surface to which a front side of a continuous shade panel is attached by a suitable adhesive along an upper edge of said continuous shade panel, said bulbous portion of said male portion mates with said male receiving void of said female portion, and an upper surface of said arm of said male portion firmly engages a lower surface of a lower prong of said pair of spaced prongs of said female portion, whereupon engagement by said bulbous portion with said male receiving void, said bulbous portion is removably held in said male receiving void of said female portion in a sealed, engaged manner by mechanical impingement, thereby facilitating removable attachment of said continuous shade panel to said shade panel. 
   
   
       9 . The retractable shade system of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means is a zipper, wherein said zipper includes a tab and a first row of teeth suitably attached along said lower edge of said shade panel, said zipper includes a second row of teeth suitably attached along an upper edge of a continuous shade panel, wherein said second row of teeth includes a fastening cord adapted to mate with said tab, said fastening cord is inserted into said tab, said first row of said teeth and said second row of teeth are interlocked by sliding said tab in a direction distal to said fastening cord and parallel with said first row of teeth, thereby removably attaching said continuous shade panel to said shade panel. 
   
   
       10 . The retractable shade system of  claim 1 , wherein said lower edge of said shade panel is hemmed to form a slat receiving pocket, said slat receiving pocket extends a full width of said shade panel 
   
   
       11 . The retractable shade system of  claim 2 , wherein said continuous shade panel has an upper edge hemmed to form a slat receiving pocket, said slat receiving pocket extends a full width of said continuous shade panel. 
   
   
       12 . The retractable shade system of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means comprises at least one first magnetic slat and at least one second magnetic slat. 
   
   
       13 . The retractable shade system of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one first magnetic slat is inserted in said slat receiving pocket of said shade panel, and wherein said at least one second magnetic slat is inserted in said slat receiving pocket of said continuous shade panel, said at least one first magnetic slat and said at least one second magnetic slat are positioned in their respective said pocket such that said at least one second magnetic slat is magnetically attracted to said at least one first magnetic slat when said at least one first magnetic slat and said at least one second magnetic slat are engaged in contact. 
   
   
       14 . The retractable shade system of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one first magnetic slat and said at least one second magnetic slat define a magnetic attraction strength being suitable to releasably hold said continuous shade panel to said shade panel  30  during normal operation of said system. 
   
   
       15 . A kit with attachable shade panel is disclosed, said kit comprises:
 an elongated tubular drum;   a flexible shade panel, said flexible shade panel is secured to said drum, said drum is adapted to wound said flexible shade panel therearound in a retractable manner;   mounting brackets for mounting said drum on a surface;   an attachment means;   a continuous shade panel, said continuous shade panel is packaged into a tightly-rolled configuration in order to facilitate compact storage;   an instruction leaflet which provides detailed instructions for mounting said drum on a surface, and for removably attaching said continuous shade panel to said flexible shade panel; and   a package for housing said drum with attached said flexible shade panel, said mounting brackets, said attachment means, said continuous shade panel, and said instruction leaflet.   
   
   
       16 . A kit for replacing a shade panel is disclosed, said kit comprises:
 a continuous shade panel, said continuous shade panel is packaged into a tightly-rolled configuration in order to facilitate compact storage;   an attachment means, said attachment means for removably attaching said continuous shade panel to a flexible shade panel of a shade support assembly;   an instruction leaflet, said instruction leaflet provides detailed instructions for removably attaching said continuous shade panel to the flexible shade panel; and   a package, said package for housing said continuous shade panel, said attachment means, and said instruction leaflet.   
   
   
       17 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein said continuous shade panel comprises distinctive ornamentation embellished thereon. 
   
   
       18 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein said distinctive ornamentation is transposed to said continuous shade panel in a manner such that said distinctive ornamentation is visible from the front side of said continuous shade panel, while continuous shade panel being transparent when viewed from the rear side of said continuous shade panel. 
   
   
       19 . The kit of  claim 17 , wherein said distinctive ornamentation is transposed to said continuous shade panel in a manner such that said distinctive ornamentation is visible from the rear side of said continuous shade panel, while said continuous shade panel being transparent when viewed from the front side of said continuous shade panel. 
   
   
       20 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein said attachment means is a hook and loop fastener. 
   
   
       21 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein said attachment means is a horizontal strip fastener. 
   
   
       22 . A method for replacing a portion of a shade panel of a shade support assembly with a continuous shade panel, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) cutting or suitably severing the shade panel of the shade support assembly horizontally across a full width thereof, in a straight-line fashion, so as to remove a substantial portion of the shade panel in such a manner whereby a small portion of shade panel is left attached to the shade support assembly;   (b) attaching a female portion of an attachment means horizontally along a lower edge of the shade panel portion, to a front side thereof;   (c) attaching a male portion of the attachment means horizontally along an upper edge of the continuous shade panel, to a front side or a rear side thereof; and   (d) engaging the male portion of the attachment means with the female portion of the attachment means, thereby removably attaching the continuous shade panel to the shade panel portion.   
   
   
       23 . A method for replacing a portion of a shade panel of a shade support assembly with a continuous shade panel, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) cutting or suitably severing the shade panel of the shade support assembly horizontally across a full width thereof, in a straight-line fashion, so as to remove a substantial portion of the shade panel in such a manner whereby a portion  30   a  of the shade panel is left attached to the shade support assembly;   (b) attaching an elongated female portion of an attachment means horizontally along a lower edge of the shade panel portion, to a front side thereof;   (c) attaching an elongated male portion of the attachment means horizontally along an upper edge of the continuous shade panel, to a rear side or a front side thereof; and   (d) mating the elongated male portion of the attachment means with the   elongated female portion of attachment means, so as to allow the elongated male portion to be removably held by the elongated female portion in a sealed, engaged manner by mechanical impingement, thereby removably attaching the continuous shade panel to the shade panel portion.