Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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AN OPERATION GROUP FOR AUTOMATICALLY WINDING UP CURTAINS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to winding up curtains, to be
applied to windows and the like.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
As it is known, the above mentioned curtains are unwound
from a winding roll, with a downward movement, up to a
position, in which a desired darkening, partial or total,
is reached.
The known devices for stabilizing the curtain in
different positions, in which it is arranged, as well as
for facilitating its winding up, are connected to the
winding roll.
Basically, there are. two kinds of curtains, one is
automatically wound up and the other is manually wound
up.
The first type includes elastic means, which are
gradually loaded due to the roll rotation, during the
curtain unwinding, and which can supply a reaction force
strong enough to wind up the roll automatically, after
having suitably released a stop device, situated in the
roll.
The stop device is aimed at acting automatically in order
to stabilize the curtain when the unwinding action is
stopped, after the desired position has been reached.
The second type of curtains includes elastic means
analogous to the first type, but calibrated in such a way
that the reaction force supplied thereby is a function of
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the curtain weight, in proportion to the unwound quantity
thereof .
In the latter case, the curtain position is substantially
auto-stabilised and the above mentioned stop device is
not necessary.
However, a pulley is mounted coaxial and integral with
the winding roll, and is operated by a chain to wind up
and unwind the curtain.
The above mentioned elastic means, present in the first
and second type, usually include at least one helical
spring, whose ends are fastened respectively, to the
winding roll and to a motionless element; consequently,
the roll rotation, during the curtain unwinding,
determines the spring torsion with the increase of the
load, and consequently, of the elastic reaction.
Obviously, the curtain good working depends on the
correct reaction of the elastic means, which is
calibrated by an initial pre-loading of the elastic
means, performed usually by known pre-loading means,
situated near the winding roll end.
The stop device of the automatically winding up curtains
is connected to the relative pre-loading mechanism, in
the same operation group.
The construction of the above mentioned group is
complicated and expensive, because in includes many
elements having complicated shapes.
Another disadvantage derives from the fact that the
dimensions of the group depend on the room inside the
winding roll, which is rather limited.
What above results in inevitable complication of the
moulds for production of these elements, as well as of
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their assembly, and consequently in high production
costs.
The so obtained group has a limited strength, which
increases the breaking risk when the curtain is opened or
closed.
Moreover, the group cannot be applied to manually winding
up curtains, which do not require the stop device, as
specified above.
The construction of curtains of the latter type needs a
particular pre-loading mechanism, otherwise, it is
necessary to set the group stop device to an inoperative
condition.
~bviously, the dimensions of the above mentioned
curtains, either of one or of another type, can be very
different, according to their application.
Consequently, the diameters of the used winding rolls are
different, in accordance with the curtain dimensions, and
it is necessary to provide appropriate pre-loading
devices.
Actually, it is necessary to produce specific elements in
accordance to different production needs, elements which
are not interchangeable, although substantially and
functionally similar.
This causes a series of well known drawbacks, concerning
costs and handling, which is in contrast with modern
production criteria and the trend to unify the elements
as much as possible.
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The object of the present invention is therefore to avoid
the above mentioned functional and productive drawbacks
by proposing an original operation group for curtains
with a winding roll.
The group, according to the invention, must be highly
reliable and very simple to construct as well as to
assemble, with respect to the known groups.
For the same reason, the proposed group must be extremely
versatile, so as to fulfill various production needs.
Another object of the present invention is to propose a
group, which can be easily adapted to be mounted on the
winding rolls of different diameters, without changing
the parts forming it.
The above mentioned objects are achieved, in accordance
with the contents of the claims, by an operation group
for wind up curtains unwinding from and winding on a
winding roll, the operation group including:
a mechanism for imposing and stabilizing a pre
established pre-loading value for first elastic means,
present in said winding roll;
a stop device for locking said winding roll and
stabilizing said curtain in any unwound position; and
a hub for supporting the roll at least at one of its
ends;
said operation group being characterized in that the
mechanism is connected to a first end of said roll and
said stop device is connected to a second end of the roll
and forms the hub .
3O BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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The characteristic features of the invention, which are
not evident from what has been said above, will be better
explained in the following description of a preferred
embodiment of the proposed group, in accordance to the
contents of claims and with the help of the enclosed
drawing tables, in which:
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the proposed
operation group and the inner means of the winding
roll;
- Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of pre-
loading mechanism of the proposed group;
- Figure 3 is a view of the same mechanism of Figure
2, in assembled configuration;
- Figure 4 is a perspective exploded view of a stop
device of the proposed operation group;
- Figure 5 is a view of a first adapter ring to be
used in the proposed group;
- Figure 6 is a view of a second adapter ring to be
used in the proposed group.
BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
With reference to the above mentioned figures, the
reference letter G indicates the proposed operation
group, designed to be connected to the winding roll 3 of
automatically winding up curtains.
The operation group G includes a mechanism l, a stop
device 90 and a hub 9.
The mechanism 1 is aimed at imposing and stabilizing a
predetermined pre-loading value for first elastic means
2, formed by an helical spring situated inside the
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winding roll 3 and aimed, in known way, at supporting the
weight of the curtain unwound from the roll 3, as well as
at facilitating the curtain winding up on the roll 3.
In the illustrated, non limiting example the mechanism 1
includes a sleeve 4, a barrel 5, introduced into the
sleeve 4, and second elastic means 6, situated between
the sleeve and the barrel.
Front side acting clutch means 7, situated between the
sleeve and the barrel, are defined by a plurality of
spaces 70, regularly spaced apart, made in the sleeve 4,
and by complementary claws 71 made in a disc 51 formed by
the barrel 5.
The barrel 5 can move axially between two positions P1,
P2.
When the barrel 5 is in the position P1, the clutch means
7 are connected and when the barrel is in the position
P2, the clutch means are disconnected.
Therefore, in the position Pl, the barrel 5 is driven
into rotation along with the sleeve 4, while in the
position P2 it can freely rotate with respect to the
sleeve.
The second elastic means 6 are situated inside the sleeve
4 and act, in axial direction, on a cup 52, likewise
formed by the barrel 5, so that the claws 71 and the
spaces 70 are mutually engaged in absence of other
forces.
Due to the assembling necessities, the barrel 5 is formed
by two pieces 5a, 5b (Figure 2), which are connected,
e.g. by wrench coupling and screw means 53.
A prismatic shank 50, formed by the piece 5b, extends
externally with respect to the sleeve 4, when the
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mechanism 1 is assembled (Figure 3 ) , while an axial hole,
not shown, facing the opposite side with respect to the
shank 50, is made in the piece 5a.
The mechanism 1 is to be connected to a end 3a of the
winding roll 3, in such a way that:
- the sleeve 4 is coaxially integral with the end 3a;
- the barrel 5 is slidingly keyed, by the axial hole,
on a grooved shaf t 8 , made in known way inside the
winding roll 3 and motionless with respect to the
latter;
- the barrel 5 is driven into rotation along with the
proximal end 2a of the spring 2 of the winding roll
3, to which the remaining end is fastened, by a
connecting pin 13, attached for rotation to the roll
3 .
In particular, the proximal end 2a of the spring 2
slides, coupled with the shaft 8, in a way completely
known and not shown in detail:
For this purpose, the proximal end 2a is fastened to a
bushing 2b, which is slidingly coupled with the shaft 8
by suitable grooves and corresponding complementary
protrusions made in the shaft 8 and the bushing 2b.
When the assemblage is finished, it is possible to adjust
the value of the first elastic means 2 pre-loading,
acting manually or with suitable instruments, on the
prismatic shank 50, first to make the barrel 5 slide
axially from the position P1 to the position P2, thus
disengaging the clutch means 7 and then, to increase or
reduce the pre-loading by rotating the barrel 5 with
respect to the sleeve 4, in one direction or the other.
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The release of the barrel 5 makes it slide axially in the
opposite direction, from the position P2 to the position
P1, due to the elastic reaction of the second elastic
means 6, and consequently the clutch means 7 become
engaged.
In case the claws 71 and the spaces 70 are not aligned
during the release of the barrel, the barrel 5 is driven,
by the first elastic means 2, so as to rotate a bit, just
until the claws 71 enter the respective spaces 70.
The angular amplitude of the above-mentioned rotation is
very limited, inversely proportional to the number of
claws 71 and spaces 70, but anyway it does not affect in
noticeably way the imposed pre-loading.
The winding roll - mechanism assembly is aimed at being
mounted on support means 10, situated beside thee end 3a
(Figure 3), so that the shank 50 is coupled with a
complementary seat 10a, made in the support means 10 and
that the barrel 5 is brought to the position P2, in which
the clutch means 7 are disengaged.
In this way, the roll 3 is free to rotate in one
direction, to unwind the curtain, and in the other
direction, to wind up the curtain, with the defined pre-
loading of the first elastic means 2.
The hub 9 is aimed at being connected to the remaining
end of the winding. roll 3, to allow the latter to be
fastened to corresponding support means, not shown, e.g.
like the ones present at the opposite end 3a.
The above mentioned stop device 90, as it has already
been referred to in the introductory statement, acts
automatically to stabilize the curtain in the desired
position.
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The stop device 90 of the operation group G proposed by
the present invention is so constructed as to form the
hub 9 and is positioned at the end of the winding roll 3
corresponding to the latter, that is the end without the
mechanism 1.
According to shown non-limiting example, the stop device
90 includes two cylindrical elements 90a, 90b, the first
of which is integral with the corresponding roll 3 end,
similarly to the sleeve 4, while the second is introduced
into the first one, similarly to the barrel 5, and is
prevented from rotating by a relative prismatic shank 91
coupled with a seat of the corresponding support means.
Two balls 93, situated between the two elements 90a, 90b,
are introduced freely into first radial seats 190a formed
by the first element 90a.
Second radial seats 190b, of suitable shape, are made in
said second element 90b: the unwinding of the curtain is
free, independently from the roll 3 rotation speed.
When the curtain reaches the desired position, the
unwinding operation is stopped; by allowing a short going
back of the curtain, which is pulled by the first elastic
means 2 and tends to wind up, the balls 93 are allowed to
engage, due to gravity, with the second seats 190b, so
that the roll 3 becomes locked.
In order to unlock the stop device 90, it is necessary to
operate the curtain by unwinding it by another short
piece, then to release it suddenly: the sudden roll
rotation in the winding up direction, determined by the
first elastic means 2, keeps the balls 93 in the first
seats 190a, due to the centrifugal force, so that the
curtain can be completely wound up on the roll 3.
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Finally, the operation group includes two optional
elements to be used in case the dimensions of the winding
roll 3 are bigger than the one concerned so far, as
belonging to another dimension category.
Figure 5 shows a first adapter ring 30, which is aimed at
being fitted on the sleeve 4; on the opposite side,
another identical first adapter ring 30 is fitted onto
the first cylindrical element 90a.
The adaptor ring 30 is made in such a way as to maintain
the constraints existing between the roll 3, the sleeve 4
and the element 90a, with respect to rotation.
Figure 6 shows a second adaptor ring 300, including two
half-rings 300a to be mounted in a corresponding position
of the connecting pin 13. The section is aimed at
fastening the connecting pin to the roll 3.
The adaptor ring 300 is made in such a way as to maintain
the constraint existing between the roll 3 and the
connecting pin 13, with respect to rotation.
The use of the adaptor rings 30, 300 allows to use the
same operation group for rolls of different diameters,
which is evidently positive for the costs reduction.
The proposed operation group is extremely versatile, due
to the fact that the stop device 90 is physically
separated from the mechanism 1.
This offers clear advantages for constructive simplicity
of the relative components, advantages which result in
easy assembly, strength and, last but not least, low
production costs.
.Another advantage, deriving from the constructive
characteristics of the mechanism 1, described in the
example, concerns the easiness, with which the pre-
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loading. of the first elastic means 2 can be adjusted,
without risking that a clumsy movement can unload them
completely.
The safety of the mechanism 1 is well seen when, for any
reason, the roll must be disassembled from the supports:
actually, as soon as the prismatic shank 50 is removed
from the relative seat 10a, the barrel 5 is brought, by
the action of the second elastic means 6, back to the
position P1, in which the clutch means 7 are mutually
engaged, so that the pre-loading of the first elastic
means 2 is kept at the prefixed value.
It should be understood that the foregoing description of
the invention is intended merely to be illustrative
thereof, and that other embodiments, modifications, and
equivalents may be apparent to those skilled in the art
without departing from the scope of the claims appended
thereto
