Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02201209 1999-11-15
DEVICE FOR MANUALLY OPERATING A BLIND
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a device for operating a blind, preferably a
vertical blind, by means of a pull cord, the cord being led in a manner of a
loop with a leading
end and a return end and including a grip means on a section rail for
providing access to the
pull cord with respect to the section rail. The grip means is preferably
formed by grip recesses
defined by the rail. The grip recesses provide access to the pull cord by a
hand of an operator
while the remainder of the pull cord is covered by the rail.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a device has been known from U.S. Patent No. 4,813,469.
In vertical blinds, the guide for traveling movement consists of a usually
horizontally fastened support rail, so that the ends of the pull cord, which
also extends
horizontally in the support rail in the area to be covered by the blind, run
over a deflecting
means and hang down loosely, and the pull cord frequently also forms a loop in
this part and
is thus designed as an endless pull cord. The hanging-down loop of the pull
cord is frequently
disturbing and represents a hazard, especially for small children. The blind
can be opened and
closed manually by means of a device of the class described in the
introduction, while the slat
carriages are either pushed together at a storage place or they are pulled
apart, spread over the
area to be covered by the blind. Large blinds and special designs have motor
drives, preferably
electric motor drives, for the pull cord. Horizontal blinds, in which the
slats are fastened
directly to two or more pull cords, which are arranged in paxallel to and at
spaced locations
from one another, are also designed correspondingly.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to avoid hazards especially for
small children due to the pull cord and to improve the appearance of the
hanging-down pull
cord.
According to the invention, a device for the manual operation of a blind is
provided, preferably vertical blinds but also horizontal blinds. A pull cord
is provided which
is disposed in the manner of a loop and includes a leading end portion and a
return end portion.
A section rail is provided accommodating the pull cord leading end portion and
return end
portion. The sectional rail has channels extending in a longitudinal direction
defining passages
for the leading end portion and the return end portion of the pull cord.
The sectional rail has channels extending in its longitudinal direction,
through
which the two ends of the pull cord, namely, the leading end and the turn end,
are led. These
channels of the sectional rails, which may be open on the longitudinal sides,
thus accommodate
the ends of the pull cords in them, so that no pull cord is visible on the
outside, and this pull
cord also no longer represents a hazard of strangling for small children. A
preferred
embodiment of the sectional rail has an H-shaped cross-sectional profile with
convex lateral
surfaces. A deflecting means for a pull cord guided as an endless pull cord
may be provided
at the lower end of the sectional rail. However, a pull cord of finite length
is also possible, so
that the leading end and the return end move up and down in the corresponding
channel of the
sectional rail during the operation of the blind.
In accordance with the present invention the rail defines access openings to
form
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the grip means. The access openings provide access by an operator to grip
portions of the pull
cord that are exposed by the rail. The operator can then move the pull cord
through the rail
and control the blinds. The rest of the rail blocks access to the pull cord.
This invention likewise facilitates the manual operation of the blind and
makes
it more comfortable. Not only shall the appearance of the hanging-down pull
cord be improved,
but the safety of the device shall also be increased with respect to the
possible accident hazard,
especially for small children, compared with a pull cord that hangs down
loosely (risk of
strangulation).
This invention provides reliable protection against strangulation by the
design of
the rail. The shape or profile of the rail is such that in all areas of the
rail except for the access
openings, the pull cord is not accessible. The shape is also such that large
enough access
openings an be defined which allow the hand or hands of an operator to reach
the pull cord and
provide a sufficient grip to move the pull cord through the rail and operate
the blinds. The
access openings are such that the pull cord can be easily grasped by hand due
to the recessed
grips and it can be slightly pulled out of the profiled rail. The operation is
then performed by
pulling the leading or trailing end by hand. Due to the tension of the pull
cord, it is guaranteed
that the pull cord can be pulled out of the profiled rail only to an extent
that not even small
children can put their heads between the pull cord and the profiled rail, so
that the accident
hazard is considerably reduced.
The rail can also have covers for covering the grooves holding the pull cord
and
preventing the cord from being excessively pulled out from the grooves. This
offers the
advantage that the pull cord or its leading and trailing ends are completely
accommodated by
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the covers over a large portion of its length. The pull cord can be pulled out
of the profiled
rail in a short area only. This area is advantageously selected to be such
that the pull cord can
be operated comfortably, on the one hand, but, on the other hand, the pull
cord can be pulled
out of the profiled rail to a very small extent only. The safety of the device
is further improved
as a result.
Generally speaking and in summary of the above, therefore, the present
invention
may be considered as providing a device for the operation of a blind,
comprising: a pull cord
including a leading end portion and a return end portion; a rail accommodating
the pull cord,
the pull cord being movably positioned in, and guided by, the rail, the rail
hiding the pull cord
in the rail; grip means connected to the rail for providing access to the pull
cord with respect
to the rail, the rail blocking access to the pull cord in areas other than the
grip means; and the
grip means being formed by a grip recess defined by the rail.
Additionally, the present invention may be considered as providing a device
for
operation of a blind, the device comprising: a pull cord including a leading
end portion and a
return end portion; and a rail accommodating the pull cord, the pull cord
being movably
positioned in, and guided by, the rail, the rail defining an access opening
for providing access
by an operator for gripping and moving the pull cord through the rail, the
rail blocking access
to the pull cord in areas other than the access opening, the rail including a
first cover between
a first end of the rail and the access opening, and the rail including a
second cover between a
second end of the rail and the access opening.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed
out
with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this
disclosure. For a better
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understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects
attained by its uses,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which
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preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vertical blind;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a horizontal blind;
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the grip body along line A-A in
Figure 4
in a switching position A;
Figure 4 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 3 in a switching position
B;
Figure S is a cross sectional view through the grip body along line B-B in
Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 3, but with a modified
clamping
body;
Figure 7 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 4, but with the modified
clamping
body;
Figure 8 is a sectional view along line B-B in Figure 6;
Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view through a grip body with a drive means
for a
spindle shaft in a switching position D;
Figure 10 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 9 in a switching
position E; and
Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view through a grip body with a drive for
the spindle
shaft, which drive is modified compared with Figures 9 and 10;
Figure 12 shows a perspective view of the device according to another
embodiment;
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Figure 13 shows the device according to Figure 12 with the leading or trailing
end of a
pull cord pulled out;
Figure 14 shows a side view of the device;
Figure 15 shows a horizontal section in plane XV-XV according to Figure 3;
S Figure 16 shows another horizontal section of the rail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The vertical blind according to the exemplary embodiment in Figure 1 has
slats,.
which, hanging vertically next to each other, are arranged at spaced locations
from one
another, and whose top end is arranged, pivotable around the longitudinal axis
of the slats
23, in a slat carriage, not recognizable from the drawing, wherein the slat
carriages of all
slats 23 are laterally displaceable in a support rail 22 that can be fastened
horizontally. For
this traveling movement, a pull cord, which runs over deflecting means at one
end of the
support rail 22 and is guided as an endless loop over a deflecting roller 19
at the lower end
of a sectional rail 8, is guided through the slat carriage in a support rail
22, so that the pull
cord passes through the grip body 21 of an operating device with a leading end
da or leading
section and with a return end 6b or return section.
The horizontal blind according to the example in Figure 2 has horizontal slats
24,
which are fastened hanging on a pull cord at spaced locations one on top of
another. This
cord can be wound on a shaft, which is mounted in a horizontally fastened
support rail 22,
and exits at one end of the support rail 22. A drive wheel 28, via which the
pull cord 6 is
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laid in a vertically extending loop analogously to the example in Figure 1, is
fastened to this
end of the shaft, so that it is guided over a deflecting roller 19 at the
lower end of a
stationarily arranged sectional rail 8, on which a grip body 21 of an
operating device can be
moved up and down and be optionally coupled with the leading end or the return
end of the
S pull cord 6 due to frictional engagement.
According to the representation in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the grip body 21 is
comprised
of two grip body pants 1 and 2, whose division is located approximately in the
vertical central
plane. The two grip body parts 1 and 2 surround a vertically extending and
stationarily
arranged sectional rail 8, which has an H-shaped cross-sectional profile
corresponding to
Figure 5. Thus, channels, into which the two pull cord ends 6a and 6b are
placed, are
formed on the two open sides of the H. The pull cord running over the
deflecting roller 19
at the lower end of the sectional rail 8 is thus arranged hidden in the
sectional rail 8, and
it does not represent a hazard of strangling for small children.
In the exemplary embodiment according to Figures 3, 4 and 5, clamping bodies
4a and
4b made of clamp rollers placed loosely into the recesses are arranged in
recesses of both
grip body parts 1 and 2. They have a jacket surface that is corrugated or is
made rough in
another manner. The limiting walls of each of the two recesses cooperating
with this jacket
surface converge toward one another in the manner of a wedge, and one of these
two
limiting walls is arranged in an undercut, which is opposite the respective
clamp roller 4a and
4b in relation to the pull cord 6 passing through the recess. In the case of a
displacement
of the grip body 21 in relation to the pull cord 6, firm coupling of the grip
body 21 with the
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pull cord 6 can be achieved by frictional engagement by means of one of the
two clamp
rollers 4a or 4b. A switching rod 9a or 9b, which is movably guided in the
grip body 21
approximately in parallel to the pull cord 6 and cooperates with wedge
surfaces 26 or 27 on
a switching slide 3, is associated with each clamping body 4a and 4b. The end
of each
S switching rod 9a or 9b facing the switching slide 3 is provided with
corresponding
countelwedge surfaces. The wedge surfaces 26 and 27 are arranged in recesses
of the
switching slide 3 with opposite direction of inclination, so that a
displacement of the
switching rod 9a or of the switching rod 9b can be alternatively achieved by a
displacement
of the switching slide 3 in the grip body 21. In the example, a displacement
of the switching
slide 3 to the right brings about an axial displacement of the switching rod
9b in the
downward direction, and a displacement of the switching slide 3 to the left
brings about an
axial displacement of the switching rod 9a in the downward direction. This
axial
displacement of the switching rods 9a and 9b takes place against the action of
a spring 10.
In the direction of displacement of the switching slide 3, the recesses with
the wedge surfaces
1S 26 and 27 are located at a distance from each other that is greater than
the distance between
the counterwedge surfaces on the switching rods 9a and 9b. It is achieved as a
result that
the switching rods can be operated only alternatively, so that a clamping
connection is also
possible only with one of the two pull cord ends 6a or 6b. The recesses with
the wedge
surfaces 26 and 27 of the switching slide 3 preferably have a profile, which
also acts as an
end position locking means for the two switching positions. To achieve an
initial friction
between the circumference of the clamp rollers 4a or 4b and the corresponding
pull cord end
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6a or 6b, spring-loaded pressing pieces Sa and Sb are arranged under the clamp
rollers 4a
and 4b, preferably in the direction toward the clamp rollers, and these
pressing pieces Sa and
Sb move the corresponding clamp roller 4a or 4b when the switching rod 9a or
9b is axially
displaced by one of the springs 10 into a recess of the switching slide 3, in
order to bring
S about a clamping coupling of the grip body 21 with the corresponding pull
cord end.
The exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 6 through 8 corresponds to the
description given for Figures 3 through S, with the exception that the above-
described clamp
rollers are replaced with respective clamping bodies lla and llb, which are
arranged,
pivotable around an axis extending at right angles to the pull cord, in the
recess of the grip
body 21. Further details become apparent from the graphic representation in
Figures 6 and
7. .
In the two exemplary embodiments according to Figures 3 through S as well as 6
through 8, a frictionally engaged coupling of the grip body 21 with one of the
two pull cord
ends 6a or 6b can be achieved by a horizontal movement of the switching slide
3 via the
1S clamping means. The respective other pull cord end is released from its
clamping coupling
with the grip body 21 by an axial displacement of the switching rod 9a or 9b.
In the exemplary embodiment according to Figures 9 and 10, the clamping means
for
the frictionally engaged coupling of the grip body 21 with the pull cord ends
6a and 6b are
designed corresponding to the description given for the examples shown in
Figures 3 through
S or possibly also the description for Figures 6 through 8. In addition, a
spindle shaft 16
passes through a channel of the grip body 21. A spindle nut segment 1S, whose
threads can
CA 02201209 1999-11-15
be pressed against the spindle thread by overcoming the force of a spring and
can be
engaged with same, is movably arranged in the grip body 21 radially to the
longitudinal axis
of the spindle shaft 16. A spring 18 is supported by the grip body 21, on the
one hand, and
by a collar edge of the spindle nut segment 15, on the other hand. A switching
lever 14,
S which is mounted pivotably in the grip body 21, can be pivoted by the force
of a finger via
a pushbutton 13 projecting outwards, so that the threads of the spindle nut
segment 15 and
of the spindle shaft 16 become engaged, and the spindle shaft can be rotated
in one direction
or the other by a movement of the grip body 21 in the upward or downward
direction, in
order to pivot, e.g., the slats of a vertical blind in one direction. or the
other. Figure 10
shows the engaged position of the threads of the spindle nut segment 15 and of
the spindle
shaft 16. Figure 9 shows the resting position stabilized by the spring 28.
Instead of the
operating device for a spindle shaft 16 passing through the grip body 21,
which was explained
in connection with Figures 9 and 10, only a small hand wheel 17, whose knurls
are arranged
laterally from openings of a sectional cover cap 20 at the lower end of the
sectional rail 8,
is arranged for its operation according to the example in Figure 11. The
deflecting roller
19 for the pull cord 6 is arranged under this small hand wheel 17. The example
in Figure
10 clearly shows that the pull cord 6 and the sectional rail 8 do not have to
be led up to the
lower end of the blind in each case, but they may end at any height if it is
accepted that the
movement of the pull cord may take place in sections, possibly by grasping it
again, using the
mechanism accommodated in the grip body 21.
The example according to Figure 11 also shows that the spring 7 loading the
clamp
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rollers 4a and 4b is accommodated in a blind hole of the respective pressing
piece 5a and
5b.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 12-15, the pull cord 6 is movably guided in
a
vertically extending and stationarily arranged profiled rail 31. The profiled
rail has an H-
shaped cross section in this case, which can be recognized especially clearly
in Figure 13.
The rail 31 can also have an S-shape as shown in Figure 16. Two open channels
32 and 33
are formed due to the H-shaped cross section of the profiled rail 31. The pull
cord 6 is thus
enclosed on three sides.
The pull cord 6 is deflected at its lower end by a deflecting roller 19, which
is
rotatably mounted at the lower end of the profiled rail by means of a shaft
34. Alternatively
the deflecting roller can also be any other suitable guide or deflecting
structure.
To make it possible to grasp the pull cord or its leading and trailing ends,
the profiled
rail 31 is sized to have two grip means form as access openings or recessed
grips 35 and 36.
In this case, the leading end or side 6a can be grasped by the recessed grip
35, and the
trailing end 6b can be grasped by the recessed grip 36. The recessed grips are
arranged
vertically offset in relation to one another. An excessive reduction in the
cross section of the
profiled rail due to the recessed grips 35, 36 is avoided as a result.
At its upper end and at its lower end, the profiled rail 31 also has a cover
37 and 38
each. The covers 37, 38 have a beaker-shaped design and are pulled over the
top and lower
ends of the profiled rail 37, respectively. The upper cover 37 comprises in
this case a tube
42 with an upper cover sleeve 41 and a lower cover sleeve 43. This design
offers the
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advantage that the upper cover can always be adjusted to the actual length of
the profiled
rial 31, because the tube 42 is cut off corresponding to the length of the
profiled rail 31.
The upper and lower cover sleeves 41, 43 are used to cover cut edges on the
tube 42. The
upper cover 41 has on its front side an opening 40, through which the pull
cord 6 is led into
the interior of the cover 37. The pull cord 6 is completely enclosed by the
covers 37 and 38.
As is shown in Figure 2, the pull cord can be pulled out of the respective
channels 32 and
33 of the profiled rail 31 in the area between the covers 37, 38 only. As a
result, there is
only a very small free loop 39, by which the pull cord 6 can be grasped by
hand and be
operated by pulling in the downward direction. Due to the geometric conditions
and the
tension in the pull cord 6, the loop 39 is just large enough for comfortable
access to the pull
cord 6 to be guaranteed. On the other hand, the loop 39 is small enough so
that not even
small children can put their heads into the loop 39. As a result, the
strangulation of small
children by the pull cord 6 is ruled out. Thus, an accident hazard is reliably
avoided with
very simple means. In addition, the pull cord 6 can be operated directly by
hand, as usual.
There is no need to getting used to, or learning, the gripping elements of the
prior art.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in
detail
to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be
understood that the
invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
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