Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Improved Safety Tassel of the Pulling Cords
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved safety tassel of the
pulling cords used in the window coverings including venetian blind
and the like, partic~ rly to the safety tassel suitable for either
two or four pulling cords in a set.
Background of the Invention
Conventionally, in a tassel 1 of the pulling cords 2 for a
venetian blind? as referred to Fig.l, the ends of both cords 2 are
knotted together so as to make the cords 2 Ullr.~ ;Ivably retained by
the tassel 1. Accidentally, little boy or girl may be strangled when
his or her neck is pressed down between two cords 2 in playing for
fun.
In order to prevent the children from accidental str~ng]ing, a
window covering cord pull safety device is provided in U.S. Patent
4,909,298 wherein the safety device consists of two members retained
by respective cord and detachably coupled together. This device is
not taught to be used for the set of four pull cords.
Further, U.S. Patent application No. 08/302,306 filed on Sept.
8, 1994 and assigned to the same assignee of this application
discloses a safety tassel of the pulling cords comprising fixed
~ng~g;ng means and removable eng~ing means, the latter ones have
respective enlarged opening at radially divergent end only for the
relevant cord to be Le~..oved when accidental occasion is arisen. It
is found that this safety tassel is well effective for the set of
two cords but not so sure for the set of four cords if the cords are
somewhat entangled to each other.
Summary of the Invention
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention
to provide an improved safety tassel of the pulling cords, effective
for either two or four cords in a set, when any little child is
pressed down neck between or among the cords, said cords will be
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automatically and effectively released to prevent the child from
strangling even the cords are somewhat randomly entangled.
This object is accomplished according to the invention with an
improved safety tassel of the pulling cords comprising a body
provided with four cord-engaging means, in which at least three are
formed with respective radially extended slot having enlarged
openings at both divergent and co~veL~e-lt ends.
The aforementioned and other objects, features and advantages
will be understood by the following detailed description in
connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference
symbols designate like parts thoroughout the figures.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig.l is a schematic elevational cross section view of the
conventional tassel of the pulling cords used in a venetian blind;
Fig.2 is a perspective view of the safety tassel according to
the first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig.3 is a cross section view of the first embodiment with the
cords engaged therein;
Fig.4 is similar to Fig.2 provided that one of the cords is
pulled off;
Fig.5 is a perspective view of the safety tassel according to
the second embodiment of the present invention;
Fig.6 is a cross section view of the second embodiment;
Fig.7 is a perspective view of the safety tassel according to
the third embodiment; and
Fig.8 is a cross section view of the third embodiment.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Now, the reference is made to Figs. 2 to 4 which illustrate the
safety tassel of the pulling cords according to the first embodiment
of the present invention. The present tassel has a hollow body 1 in
a configuration of inverted cup for illustrative purpose but not for
limitation. The body 1 is, for example, closed at upper side and
opened at bottom side. Of course, said bottom can be alternatively
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closed too. A central recess 11 is formed on the top to have a
circular ridge 12 raised in relation to said recess 11 along the
periphery, and a corresponding ~nmll~r dome under said ridge 12 is
formed circumferentially inside of the body 1. So long as said dome
is formed internally it is not necessary to have the recess 11 at
external surface. In other words, it may be thickened, for example,
at top central portion of said body lto the extent in forming a flat
surface.
As cord- engaging means four slots 13 are formed radially
extending, in the directions orthogonal to each other, namely
angularly spaced apart in equidistant to each other between slots
13, over said ridge 12 and thus the corresponding dome. At both
convergent and divergent ends of each slot 13 out of the location of
said ridge 12 are formed with enlarged openings 14 and 15. The
opening 14 at convergent end of each slot 13 is terminated at the
center, so that all openings 14 of four slots 13 are identical to
each other and, in effect, becoming one common opening 14. Namely,
the only one opening 14 is simultaneously served as convergent end
openings for all four slots 13.
Two or four pulling cords 2 (two are shown in this embodiment)
in a set are passed through respective slot 13 and knotted at the
end 21 thereunder. The size of the knotted end 21 is of course
greater than the transverse width of said slot 13 so that being
positively retained inside of the body 1, but is smaller than the
diameters of either convergent end or divergent end openings 14 and
15, respectively, which are substantially in same sizes. The width
of each slot 13 is preferably about the same size as the cross
section of said cord 2 or even a slightly smaller to restrict the
cord arbitrarily displaced within the slot 13.
Since the distance between any two slots 13 is much less than
the normal size of any human neck, so that if child press the neck
between any two or among more than two of the cords 2, said cords 2
are enforcedly displaced under the action of said neck twowards the
divergent end openings 15 and pulled off automatically. Even if any
or some of cords 2, most possibly the diametrically opposite cords 2,
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would be somewhat entangled in abnormal state, thus said entangled
cords 2 would be probably not displaced towards the divergent ends
of said slots 13 rather in the opposite direction toward the
col~ver~ent ends of said slots 13, then the cords 2 under this
circumstance are readily displaced until the convergent end opening
14 and also pulled off unobstructedly. Therefore, in any accidental
case, the cords 2 are assuredly released or detached from the body 1
to prevent themselves from causing probable strangling to the child.
The opPnin~.~ 14 at coll~er~ellt ends of said slots 13 can be
in~eppndently as referred to the second embodiment illustrated in
Figs. 5 and 6. The action and effect are substantially the same as
mentioned above in conjunction with the first embodiment shown in
Figs. 2 to 4.
Further, a third embodiment is illustrated in Fig.7 and 8. In
comparison with the second embodiment, it is seen that one of the
four cord-engaging means, i.e. the slots 13, is replaced by a
central hole 16, and other three slots 3 are angularly spaced apart
in eqni~istant. In this embodiment the cord 2 that is passed
through said hole 16 and knotted at 21 thereunder would be still
retained and not released when the aforementioned accident is
hap~ened. Since other three cords 2 that passing through said three
slots will be detached just the same as described with reference to
aforementioned first and second embodimentsso that only one cord 2
remained and retained in the body 1 cannot cause any harm to the
child.
While there have been shown and described what are presently
considered as preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be
obvious to those skilled in the art that a number of changes and
variations may be made without departing from the scope of this
invention as defined by the appended claims.
