Fabric-support car for a drapery system

Abstract

A drapery system including a fabric-support car to operate within a track of the drapery system to operate a drapery fabric between a fully-extended position and a fully-retracted position. The fabric-support car includes a pair of wheels. a lower portion with a cavity to receive a connector to connect the drapery fabric to the fabric-support car. The fabric-support car includes a pair of guides disposed on opposed sides of a recess. Each of the guides includes a pair of arms that define a channel. The channel is configured to receive a cord. The fabric-support car includes a plurality of walls that partially surround the pair of wheels. The plurality of walls prevent the cord from entangling with the pair of wheels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . A fabric-support car for a drapery system that is configured to operate within a track of the drapery system to operate a drapery fabric between a fully-extended position and a fully-retracted position, the car comprising:
 a pair of wheels configured to operate along grooves of the track;   a lower portion that is configured to extend through an elongated slot of the track;   an upper portion having a recess that is configured to receive a cord fastener to attach the fabric-support car to a cord of the drapery system; and   a pair of guides disposed on opposed sides of the recess, each of the guides comprising a pair of arms that define a channel, wherein the channel is configured to receive the cord.   
     
     
         49 . The fabric-support car of  claim 48 , further comprising a plurality of teeth that extend from the arms into the channel, the plurality of teeth configured to retain the cord within the channel. 
     
     
         50 . The fabric-support car of  claim 49 , wherein the plurality of teeth are configured to prevent the cord from exiting the channel. 
     
     
         51 . The fabric-support car of  claim 49 , wherein a first arm of the pair of arms defines one or more first teeth of the plurality of teeth and a second arm of the pair of arms defines one or more second teeth of the plurality of teeth. 
     
     
         52 . The fabric-support car of  claim 49 , wherein each of the plurality of teeth abut the cord, when the cord is within the channel. 
     
     
         53 . The fabric-support car of  claim 49 , wherein the plurality of teeth are configured to pinch the cord, when the cord is within the channel. 
     
     
         54 . The fabric-support car of  claim 49 , wherein the plurality of teeth are configured to extend over the cord, when the cord is within the channel. 
     
     
         55 . The fabric-support car of  claim 48 , wherein the pair of arms extend from an outer surface of the upper portion on opposed sides of the channel. 
     
     
         56 . The fabric-support car of  claim 48 , wherein the pair of guides define an exit point for the cord. 
     
     
         57 . The fabric-support car of  claim 48 , wherein the pair of guides are configured to prevent relative movement of the fabric-support car with respect to the cord fastener. 
     
     
         58 . The fabric-support car of  claim 48 , further comprising a plurality of walls that partially surround the pair of wheels, the plurality of walls configured to prevent a cord of the drapery system from entangling with the pair of wheels 
     
     
         59 . The fabric-support car of  claim 58 , wherein each of the plurality of walls define a substantially constant gap between the respective wall and the respective wheel from an upper edge of the respective wall to a lower edge of the respective wall. 
     
     
         60 . The fabric-support car of  claim 59 , wherein each of the plurality of walls defines a radiused edge that is distal from a midsection of the fabric-support car, and wherein the radiused edge is configured to prevent fraying if the cord slides along the radiused edge. 
     
     
         61 . The fabric-support car of  claim 59 , wherein each of the plurality of walls defines an extended portion proximate to the upper edge that defines a furthermost portion of the respective wall, and wherein the extended portion comprises a chamfered corner that is configured to prevent the cord from catching on the wall. 
     
     
         62 . The fabric-support car of  claim 48 , wherein the cord is a cord assembly comprising the cord and a plurality of cord fasteners at predetermined spacing along the cord. 
     
     
         63 . The fabric-support car of  claim 48 , wherein the plurality of walls are curved about the wheels. 
     
     
         64 . The fabric-support car of  claim 48 , wherein the lower portion defines a cavity that is configured to receive a connector to connect the drapery fabric to the fabric-support car.