Roll-up coverings for architectural openings and related methods, systems and devices

1. A roll-up covering for an architectural structure, said roll-up covering comprising:

a first pair of elongate tapes comprising a first inner elongate tape and a first outer elongate tape, a second pair of elongate tapes comprising a second inner elongate tape and a second outer elongate tape, and a third elongate tape, each elongate tapes extending vertically and having a first end, a second end, a tape length that extends in a vertical direction from the first end to the second end, a tape width that extends perpendicular to the elongate tape length, and a tape thickness perpendicular to and less than the tape width; and

a plurality of flexible slats separately formed from the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape, each of the plurality of flexible slats having a first end and a second end, an inner longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal edge, a slat length extending from the first end to the second end, a slat width that extends from the inner longitudinal edge to the outer longitudinal edge, and an upper face and a lower face defined by the length and width of the respective flexible slat,

wherein,

the plurality of separately formed flexible slats are each vertically spaced apart along the tape length of each of the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape, and each of the plurality of separately formed flexible slats are attached to and supported by the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape with the slat length extending horizontally and in the same direction as the tape width;

the greater of the sum total of the tape width of the first inner elongate tape, the second inner elongate tape and the third elongate tape or the sum total of the tape width of the first outer elongate tape, the second outer elongate tape and the third elongate tape is less than half of the slat length of any one of the plurality of flexible slats;

the first pair of elongate tapes are opaque and positioned at or proximate to each respective slat's first end, the second pair of elongate tapes are opaque and positioned at or proximate to each respective slat's second end, and the third elongate tape is opaque and positioned between the first and second elongate tapes; and

wherein the plurality of flexible slats are configurable between an open position and a closed position, wherein each flexible slat changes shape as it is configurable between the open position and the closed position where in the open position the slat width of each flexible slat has a curved shape with a middle portion of each flexible slat extending more horizontal than at least one of the-inner and outer longitudinal edges of each flexible slat and in the closed position the slat width of each flexible slat is substantially planar to the elongate tapes; and

the upper face of each of the plurality of separately formed, horizontally extending, flexible slats are adhesively attached to one of the first inner elongate tape or the first outer elongate tape and the lower face of each of the plurality of separately formed, horizontally extending, flexible slats are adhesively attached to the respective second inner elongate tape or the second outer elongate tape to bias the plurality of flexible slats into the closed position.

2. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein:

each flexible slat has a central region along its slat length located in between the first and second end of each flexible slat; and

the third elongate tape is positioned in the central region.

3. The roll-up covering of claim 2 , wherein the third elongate tape is positioned and spaced along the slat length of each flexible slat so the distance between the first pair of elongate tapes and the third elongate tape is the same as the distance between the second pair of elongate tapes tape and the third elongate tape.

4. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein the first end of each slat does not extend past the first pair of elongate tapes, and the second end of each slat does not extend past the second pair of elongate tapes.

5. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein:

each flexible slat has an inner longitudinal region comprising the inner longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal region comprising the outer longitudinal edge;

the first pair and the second pair of elongate tapes support the inner and outer longitudinal regions of each of the plurality of flexible slats; and

the third elongate tape supports at least the other one of the inner longitudinal or outer longitudinal regions.

6. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of elongate tapes are attached at the first end of each flexible slat, the second pair of elongate tapes are attached at the second end of each flexible slat, and the third elongate tape is attached to each flexible slat in a location between the first pair and the second pair of elongate tapes.

7. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein the third elongate tape has a different width than either of the first pair of elongate tapes and the second pair of elongate tapes.

8. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein the tape thickness of each of the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape are between 1 to 30 mils, and the tape width of each of the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and third elongate tape is between about 5 mm and about 100 mm.

9. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein:

each flexible slat has an inner longitudinal region comprising the inner longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal region comprising the outer longitudinal edge;

one or more of the first inner elongate tape, the second inner elongate tape, and third elongate tape are inner tapes attached to the inner longitudinal region of at least one flexible slat; and

one or more of the first outer elongate tape, the second outer elongate tape, and third elongate tapes are outer tapes attached to the outer longitudinal region of the at least one flexible slat.

10. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flexible slats in the open position are “S” shaped with the inner longkitudinal edge and the outer longitudinal edge of each of the plurality of flexible slats being substantially vertical and parallel to the first pair, the second pair, and the third elongate tapes.

11. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of elongate stiffeners, each elongate stiffener having a stiffener length, a stiffener width perpendicular to the stiffener length, and a stiffener thickness perpendicular to the stiffener width, wherein the thickness of each elongate stiffener is less than its width; and

at least a respective one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is attached to each of the flexible slats at or proximate to that slat's inner or outer longitudinal edge, and is positioned with its length extending in the same direction as the inner or the outer longitudinal edges of that slat.

12. The roll-up covering of claim 11 , wherein each of the elongate stiffeners is separately formed from each of the slats and fixedly and directly attached to a respective one of the slats.

13. The roll-up covering of claim 11 , wherein:

the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners has an inward face and an outward face that are defined by surfaces defined by the length and width of the at least one of the plurality elongate stiffeners;

one of the inward face or the outward face of the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is attached to one of the upper or the lower face of at least one of the plurality of flexible slats.

14. The roll-up covering of claim 13 , wherein one of the inward or outward faces of the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is convexly curved, and the other one of the inward or outward faces of the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is concavely curved.

15. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein the third elongate tape comprises a third pair of elongate tapes, wherein the third pair of elongate tapes comprises a third inner elongate tape and a third outer elongate tape wherein each of the third pair of elongate tapes are attached to each of the plurality of flexible slats in a location between each of the first and second ends of the plurality of flexible slats.

16. The roll-up covering of claim 15 , wherein the first and second inner elongate tapes are attached to the inner longitudinal edge of each of the plurality of flexible slats and the first and second outer elongate tapes are attached to the outer longitudinal edge of each of the plurality of flexible slats, and with the expandable panel in a fully extended position, the first and second inner elongate tapes are laterally moveable relative to the first and second outer elongate tapes and the plurality of flexible vanes are angularly adjustable in response to the first and second inner elongate tapes being laterally moved relative to the first and second outer elongate tapes.

17. The roll-up covering of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of separately formed flexible slats are fixedly attached to the first, second, and third elongate tapes.

18. A roll-up covering for an architectural structure, said roll-up covering comprising:

a first inner elongate tape and a second inner elongate tape, each of the first and second inner elongate tapes being opaque and having a first end, a second end, an inner tape length that extends from the first end to the second end, an inner tape width that extends perpendicular to the inner tape length, and an inner tape thickness perpendicular to and less than the inner tape width;

a first outer elongate tape and a second outer elongate tape, each of the first and second outer elongate tapes being opaque and having a first end, a second end, an outer tape length that extends from the first end to the second end, an outer tape width that extends perpendicular to the outer tape length, and an outer tape thickness perpendicular to and less than the outer tape width;

a third elongate tape, the third elongate tape having a first end, a second end, a third tape length that extends from the first end to the second end of the third elongate tape, a third tape width that extends perpendicular to the third tape length of the third elongate tape, and a third tape thickness perpendicular to and less than the third tape width of the third elongate tape; and

a plurality of flexible slats separately formed from the inner elongate tapes, the outer elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape, each of the flexible slats having a first end and a second end, an inner longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal edge, a slat length extending from the first end to the second end, and a slat width that extends from the inner longitudinal edge to the outer longitudinal edge, and an upper face and a lower face defined by the length and width of the respective flexible slat,

wherein:

the first end of the inner tapes are attached to the roller at a first longitudinal location along a length of the roller and the first end of the outer elongate tapes are attached to the roller at a second longitudinal location along the length of the roller;

the greater of the sum total of the tape width of the first inner elongate tape, the second inner elongate tape and the third elongate tape or the sum total of the tape width of the first outer elongate tape, the second outer elongate tape and the third elongate tape is less than half of the slat length of any one of the plurality of flexible slats;

the plurality of flexible slats and the inner, the outer, and the third elongate tapes form an expandable panel where each of the plurality of separately formed flexible slats are attached to and vertically spaced apart along the tape length of each of the inner and outer elongate tapes and extend from the inner elongate tapes to the outer elongate tapes, and each of the flexible slats extend horizontally with its slat length extending in the same direction as the tape width of each of the inner and outer elongate tapes, the expandable panel moveable in a fully extended position between a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein in the fully extended position at least one of the inner tape length of the inner elongate tapes or the outer tape length of the outer elongate tapes are fully unwound from the rotatable roller, wherein in the open configuration the inner elongate tapes are laterally separated from the outer elongate tapes and a middle portion of each of the flexible slats is not substantially parallel with the inner and outer elongate tapes, and whefrein in the closed configuration the inner elongate tapes are more adjacent the outer elongate tapes and each of the flexible slats is substantially parallel with the inner and outer elongate tapes;

with the expandable panel in the fully extended position, the inner elongatee tapes are laterally moveable relative to the outer elongate tapes and the plurality of flexible vanes are angularly adjustable in response to the inner tapes being laterally moved relative to the outer elongate tapes;

the first inner elongate tape and the first outer elongate tapes are both positioned at or proximate to each respective slat's first end, the second inner elongate tape and the second outer elongate tape are both positioned at or proximate to each repective slat's second end, and the third elongate tape is positioned between at least one of the first and second inner elongate tapes or the first and second outer elongate tapes; and

the upper face of each of the plurality of separately formed, horizontally extending, flexible slats are adhesively attached to the first inner and second inner elongate tape and the lower face of each of the plurality of separately formed, horizontally extending, flexible slats are adhesively attached to the first outer and the second outer elongate tape to bias the plurality of flexible slats into the closed position.

19. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein each flexible slat has a central region along its slat length located in between the first and second end of each flexible slat, and the third elongate tape is located in the central region.

20. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein the first end of each slat does not extend past the first inner or first outer elongate tape, and the second end of each slat does not extend past the second inner or second outer elongate tape.

21. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of flexible slats are configurable into the open configuration in which each flexible slat has a curved configuration with a middle portion of each flexible slat extending more horizontal than the first, second, and third elongate tapes.

22. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein:

each flexible slat has an inner longitudinal region comprising the inner longitudinal edge, and an outer longitudinal region comprising the outer longitudinal edge;

the first and second inner elongate tapes support the inner longitudinal regions of each of the plurality of flexible slats;

the first and second outer elongate tapes support the outer longitudinal regions of each of the plurality of flexible slats; and

the third elongate tape supports at least one of the inner longitudinal regions or outer longitudinal regions of each of the plurality of flexible slats.

23. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein the first inner elongate tape and the first outer elongate tape are attached at the first end of each flexible slat, the second inner elongate tape and the second outer elongate tape are attached at the second end of each flexible slat, and the third elongate tape is attached to each flexible slat in a location between the first and second elongate tapes.

24. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein the third elongate tape has a different width than either of the first and second elongate tapes.

25. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein the tape thickness of each of the first, second, and third elongate tapes is between 1 to 30 mils, and the tape width of each of the first, second, and third elongate tapes is between about 5 mm and about 100 mm.

26. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , further comprising:

a plurality of elongate stiffeners, each elongate stiffener having a stiffener length, a stiffener width perpendicular to the stiffener length, and a stiffener thickness perpendicular to the stiffener width, wherein the thickness of each elongate stiffener is less than its width; and

at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is attached to each of the flexible slats at or proximate to that slat's inner or outer longitudinal edge, and is positioned with its length extending in the same direction as the inner or the outer longitudinal edges of that slat.

27. The roll-up covering of claim 26 , wherein each of the elongate stiffeners is separately formed from each of the slats and fixedly and directly attached to a respective one of the slats.

28. The roll-up covering of claim 26 , wherein:

the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners has an inward face and an outward face that are defined by surfaces defined by the length and width of the at least one of the plurality elongate stiffeners; and

one of the inward face or the outward face of the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is attached to one of the upper or the lower face of at least one of the plurality of flexible slats.

29. The roll-up covering of claim 28 , wherein one of the upper or lower faces of the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is convexly curved, and the other one of the upper or lower faces of the at least one of the plurality of slats is concavely curved.

30. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein in the fully extended position the plurality of flexible slats are configurable between the open configuration and the closed configuration, wherein each flexible slat changes shape as it is configurable between the open configuration and the closed configuration where in the open configuration the slat width of each flexible slat has a curved shape with a middle portion of each flexible slat extending more horizontal than the inner and outer longitudinal edges of each flexible slat.

31. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of flexible slats in the open configuration are “S” shaped with the inner longitudinal edge and the outer longitudinal edge of each of the plurality of flexible slats being substantially vertical and parallel to the first and second inner elongate tapes and the first and second outer elongate tapes.

32. The roll-up covering of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of separately formed flexible slats are fixedly attached to each of the inner and outer elongate tapes.

33. A roll-up covering for an architectural structure, said roll-up covering comprising:

a first pair of elongate tapes comprising a first inner elongate tape and a first outer elongate tape, a second pair of elongate tapes comprising a second inner elongate tape and a second outer elongate tape, and a third elongate tape, each of the elongate tapes being opaque and having a first end, a second end, a tape length that extends from the first end to the second end, a tape width as little as about 5 mm to as large as about 100 mm that extends perpendicular to the tape length, and a tape thickness perpendicular to and less than the tape width; and

a plurality of flexible slats separately formed from the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape, each of the flexible slats having a first end and a second end, an inner longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal edge, a slat length extending from the first end to the second end, and a slat width that extends from the inner longitudinal edge to the outer longitudinal edge, and an upper face and a lower face defined by the length and width of the respective flexible slat,

wherein:

the plurality of separately formed flexible slats are operably connected to each of the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tapes;

each of the plurality of separately formed flexible slats are vertically spaced apart along the tape lengths of each of the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape;

each of the flexible slats are supported by and extend horizontally in the same direction as the tape widths of each of the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape, the plurality of flexible slats and the elongate tapes form an expandable panel moveable in a fully extended position between an open configuration and a closed configuration in which the plurality of flexible slats are substantially planar and parallel to the elongate tapes;

the first elongate tapes are positioned at or proximate to each respective slat's first end, the second elongate tapes are positioned at or proximate to each respective slat's second end, and the third elongate tape has a different width than either of the first or second elongate tapes and is positioned between the first and second elongate tapes; and

the upper face of each of the plurality of separately formed, horizontally extending, flexible slats are adhesively attached to one of the first inner elongate tape or the first outer elongate tape and the lower face of each of the plurality of separately formed, horizontally extending, flexible slats are adhesively attached to the respective second inner elongate tape or the second outer elongate tape to bias the plurality of flexible slats into the closed position.

34. The roll-up covering of claim 33 , wherein each flexible slat has a central region along its slat length located in between the first and second end of each flexible slat, and the third elongate tape is positioned in the central region.

35. The roll-up covering of claim 34 , wherein the third elongate tape is positioned and spaced along the slat length of each flexible slat so the distance between the first pair of elongate tapes and the third elongate tape is the same as the distance between the second pair of elongate tapes and the third elongate tape.

36. The roll-up covering of claim 33 , wherein the first end of each of the plurality of flexible slats does not extend past the first pair of elongate tapes or the second pair of elongate tapes, and the second end of each of the plurality of flexible slats does not extend past the other of the first pair of elongate tapes or the second pair of elongate tape.

37. The roll-up covering of claim 33 , wherein the expandable panel is in the open configuration each of the plurality of flexible slats is a curved shape with a middle portion of each of the plurality of flexible slats extending horizontal and transverse to the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and third elongate tape.

38. The roll-up covering of claim 33 , wherein:

each flexible slat has an inner longitudinal region comprising the inner longitudinal edge and an outer longitudinal region comprising the outer longitudinal edge; the first and second pair of elongate tapes support the inner and outer longitudinal regions of each of the plurality of flexible slats; and

the third elongate tape supports at least one of the inner longitudinal or outer longitudinal regions.

39. The roll-up covering of claim 32 , wherein:

the first pair of elongate tapes are attached at the first end of each flexible slat;

the second pair of elongate tapes are attached at the second end of each flexible slat; and

the third elongate tape is attached to each flexible slat in between the first and second pair elongate tapes.

40. The roll-up covering of claim 32 , further comprising:

a plurality of elongate stiffeners, each elongate stiffener having a stiffener length, a stiffener width perpendicular to the stiffener length, and a stiffener thickness perpendicular to the stiffener width, wherein the thickness of each elongate stiffener is less than its width; and

at least a respective one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is attached to each of the flexible slats at or proximate to that slat's inner or outer longitudinal edge, and is positioned with its length extending in the same direction as the inner or the outer longitudinal edges of that slat.

41. The roll-up covering of claim 40 , wherein each of the elongate stiffeners is separately formed from each of the slats and fixedly and directly attached to a respective one of the slats.

42. The roll-up covering of claim 40 , wherein:

the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners has an inward face and an outward face that are defined by surfaces defined by the length and width of the at least one of the plurality elongate stiffeners; and

one of the inward face or the outward face of the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is attached to one of the upper or the lower face of at least one of the plurality of flexible slats.

43. The roll-up covering of claim 42 , wherein one of the upper or lower faces of the at least one of the plurality of elongate stiffeners is convexly curved, and the other one of the upper or lower faces of the at least one of the plurality of slats is concavely curved.

44. The roll-up covering of claim 33 ,

wherein the third elongate tape comprises a third pair of elongate tapes, wherein the third pair of elongate tapes is attached to each of the plurality of flexible slats at a location in between each of the first and second ends of the plurality of flexible slats.

45. The roll-up covering of claim 33 , wherein the first and second inner elongate tapes are attached to the inner longitudinal edge of each of the plurality of flexible slats and the first and second outer elongate tapes are attached to the outer longitudinal edge of each of the plurality of flexible slats, and wherein the expandable panel is moveable to a fully extended position where at least one of the inner tape length of the first and second inner elongate tapes or the outer tape length of the first and second outer elongate tapes are fully unwound from a rotatable roller and the expandable panel is moveable in the fully extended position between the closed configuration and the open configuration, wherein with the expandable panel in a fully extended position, the first and second inner elongate tapes are laterally moveable relative to the first and second outer elongate tapes and the plurality of flexible vanes are angularly adjustable in response to the first and second inner elongate tapes being laterally moved relative to the first and second outer elongate tapes.

46. The roll-up covering of claim 45 , wherein in the fully extended position the plurality of flexible slats are configurable between the open configuration and the closed configuration, wherein each flexible slat changes shape as it is configurable between the open configuration and the closed configuration where in the open configuration the slat width of each flexible slat has a curved shape with a middle portion of each flexible slat extending more horizontal than the inner and outer longitudinal edges of each flexible slat.

47. The roll-up covering of claim 45 , wherein the plurality of flexible slats in the open configuration are “S” shaped with the inner longitudinal edge and the outer longitudinal edge of each of the plurality of flexible slats being substantially vertical and parallel to the first and second inner elongate tapes and the first and second outer elongate tapes.

48. The roll-up covering of claim 33 , wherein the plurality of separately formed flexible slats are fixedly attached to each of the first pair of elongate tapes, the second pair of elongate tapes, and the third elongate tape.