Roman shade lift system

Abstract

A roman shade includes a panel, a plurality of clips attached to the panel, the clips forming elongated, narrow guides on the back side of the panel and a plurality of tapes. The panel is mounted on a headrail that also includes a rotating tube. Each tape is attached to the bottom of the panel at one end and to the tube at the other end and passes through the narrow guides to cause the panel to form successive folds or pleats as the bottom of the panel is raised by the tapes by the rotation of the tube.

1 . A roman shade comprising;
 a headrail extending horizontally and including a support frame and a tube attached to the frame and arranged and configured to rotate about its longitudinal axis;   a panel having a top edge attached to the head rail and a bottom end;   a plurality of clips attached to said panel and spatially aligned along a vertical axis and respective narrow horizontal guides arranged behind the panel; and   at least one tape having a width that is much larger than its thickness and two opposed ends including a first end attached to said bottom end of said panel and a second attached to said tube, said tape passing through said narrow guides, said tube being arranged and constructed to selectively raise or lower said tape by winding or unwinding said tape as said tube is rotated in one direction or another to thereby raise and lower said bottom end.   
     
     
         2 . The shade of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of tapes arranged vertically and having a lower end attached to said bottom end and an upper end attached to said tube, each of said tapes being raised or lowered dependent on whether the tube rotates in one direction or another. 
     
     
         3 . The shade of  claim 1 , further comprising a tube end member disposed at one axial end of the tube and an elongated cord trained around said tube end member, said tube end member and said cord cooperating to rotate said tube about its longitudinal axis when said cord is selectively pulled. 
     
     
         4 . The shade of  claim 1 , wherein said frame includes an elongated horizontal opening and said tapes pass through said opening before being picked up by said tube. 
     
     
         5 . The shade of  claim 1 , further comprising a hembar attached to said bottom end, with said tapes are attached to said hembar.