Telescoping roman shade operating system

Abstract

A window shade includes a sheet extending down from a head rail and is operated by a plurality of cords. Each cord extends from the head rail to the bottom of the shade. A plurality of tubes also extend from the head rail to the bottom of the shade and house one of the respective cords. The tubes are formed of a plurality of nested tube elements telescopically interengaged.

1 . A window dressing comprising:
 a head rail:   a sheet having a bottom;   a plurality of cords extending from the head rail to the bottom and arranged to selectively raise and lower the sheet with respect to said head rail; and   a plurality of hollow tubes arranged vertically between the head rail and being formed of nested, telescoping tube elements, said hollow tubes being arranged and constructed to expand and contract lengthwise along an axial direction as said sheet is lowered and raised, respectively, said plurality of cords being disposed coaxially in said tubes.   
     
     
         2 . The window dressing of  claim 1  further comprising coupling members coupling said tubes to said sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The window dressing of  claim 1  further comprising a bottom rail attached to said bottom of said sheet and a bottom end of said cords. 
     
     
         4 . The window dressing of  claim 3  wherein said tubes include a top element attached to said head rail and a bottom element attached to said bottom rail. 
     
     
         5 . A roman window shade comprising:
 a sheet partitioned into a plurality of panels, each panel extending the width of said window shade;   a head rail supporting said sheet;   a plurality of cords extending downwardly from said head rail and being constructed and arranged to selectively raise and lower said panels; and   a plurality of telescoping tubes arranged vertically around said cords to cover said cords so that said cords are not accessible.   
     
     
         6 . The shade of  claim 5  wherein said tubes are attached to said head rail. 
     
     
         7 . The shade of  claim 5  wherein said shade has a length, and said tubes extend along the length of said shade. 
     
     
         8 . The shade of  claim 5  wherein each tube includes a plurality of tube elements, said elements being arranged and constructed to fit into each other telescopically as said cord is raised. 
     
     
         9 . The shade of  claim 8  wherein the tube elements are arranged in a sequence with each tube element has an inner diameter larger than the tube element below it to allow said tube element to slide into said upper tube element as the shade is raised by the cord. 
     
     
         10 . The shade of  claim 8  wherein each tube element corresponds to one of the panels.