Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02566182 2006-10-27
DEVICE FOR WINDING SUSPENSION CORD OF BLIND
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a device for winding a suspension cord of a
blind, and
more particularly to a device for winding a suspension cord of a blind, which
arranges the
suspension cord on a cord spool in sequence through a guide means and adjusts
the output
torque of the cord spool by using the friction force applied to the cord spool
by an adjusting
means.
Related Art
A cordless blind utilizes a spring housing as a power source, and the torque
applied to
a cord spool by the spring housing is balanced out with the torque applied to
the cord spool
by the gravity of the blind. Therefore, the blind can be kept at any position.
The relevant technology has been disclosed in some U.S. patents. U.S. Patent
Publication No. 5,706,876 has disclosed that a suspension cord is wound when a
roller
shade bar is rotated, and a power spring is disposed in the roller shade bar
to generate the
power of rotation for winding the suspension cord.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 5,813,447 has also disclosed that the roller shade
bar is
rotated and moved in an axial direction to arrange the suspension cords along
the surface of
the roller shade bar, thereby preventing the suspension cords from
intertangling together.
However, the structure for winding the suspension cords is complicated and the
space for
the roller shade bar to move in an axial direction is limited. Therefore, such
structure is
unsuitable for a blind with a large size or long suspension cords.
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U.S. Patent Publication No. 5,133,399 and U.S. Patent Publication No.
5,328,113
have disclosed that the cord spool has a taper and the spring housing is also
used as a power
source. The suspension cords can be arranged on the surface of the cord spool
automatically when being wound. Therefore, the structure for winding the
suspension
cords is simple. In U.S. Patent Publication No. 5,133,399, spiral grooves are
formed in the
surface of the cord spool for accommodating suspension cords, however, a long
suspension
cord needs an accordant spiral groove of the cord spool, thus, the cord spool
should be of a
larger size for completely accommodating= a long suspension cords. Therefore,
the cord
spool should have different sizes for the length of the suspension cord varies
with different
occasions for fitting a blind. Spiral grooves formed in the surface of the
cord spool must
increase the manufacturing cost. In U.S. Patent Publication No. 5,328,113, the
cord spool
shapes like a taper, such that the suspension cord may be arranged on the cord
spool with a
taper automatically when winding a suspension cord. However, there is no guide
mechanism between the suspension cord and the cord spool, and the portion with
a taper is
far away from the position where the suspension cord corresponds to the cord
spool. As
such, the suspension cord will be easily seized during the later stage of
winding the
suspension cord due to the absence of the guide of the taper, resulting in the
non-smoothness in winding the suspension cord. Additionally, the torque of the
spring
housing will be attenuated as the time passes and the frequency of use
increases. The
attenuated torque of the spring housing cannot be balanced out with the torque
applied to
the cord spool by the gravity of the blind. Therefore, the blind cannot be
fixed due to the
gravity thereof, and such problem cannot be solved until the spring housing is
replaced.
Additionally, the size of the blind should be slightly adjusted depending on
different
installation occasions. Thus, the gravity of the blind is various, while the
torque of the
spring housing is constant, resulting in that the spring housing cannot be
completely
suitable for the blinds with different sizes.
However, the device for winding a suspension cord without using the spring
housing
often suffers from the problem of the non-smoothness in winding the suspension
cord.
Therefore, the smoothness in winding the suspension cord becomes a topic to be
studied.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforementioned problems needed to be solved, the device for
winding a
suspension cord of a blind provided by the present invention may arrange the
suspension
cord on a cord spool in sequence and can compensate the torque of a power
resilient
element for the blinds of different sizes.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a device for winding a suspension
cord of
a blind which is used to wind a suspension cord passing through at least one
covering
material of a blind. The device for winding a suspension cord of a blind
comprises a
power resilient element, a pedestal, a cord spool, a guide means and an
adjusting means.
The cord spool is pivoted to the pedestal and driven by the power resilient
element to rotate,
such that the suspension cord is guided by the guide means to be wound about
the cord
spool smoothly and sequentially. Additionally, the adjusting means is mounted
on the
pedestal to apply a friction force to the cord spool to damp the rotation of
the cord spool,
thereby balancing out the torque applied to the cord spool by the power
resilient element
and the torque applied to the cord spool by the covering material of the
blind.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a module for winding a suspension
cord
of a blind, which is used to wind a suspension cord passing through at least
one covering
material of a blind. The module for winding a suspension cord of a blind
comprises a
pedestal, a cord spool, and a guide means. The cord spool is pivoted to the
pedestal and is
rotated to wind the suspension cord. The guide means has a guide portion,
which is used
to guide the suspension cord to be wound about the cord spool and arrange the
suspension
cord along the cord spool in sequence.
In the present invention, the guide means guides the suspension cord such that
the
suspension cord is wound about the cord spool by a specific angle, and with
the taper of the
cord spool, the suspension cord is arranged on the cord spool in sequence.
When the cord
spool is connected to the power resilient element as a power source for
rotation, the present
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invention further provides the adjusting means. The adjusting means applies
friction force
to the cord spool to adjust the torque of the cord spool. When the present
invention is
applied to the blinds with different sizes, or the power resilient element has
an insufficient
torque due to the attenuation of the elastic force, the torque applied to the
suspension cord
by the cord spool can be constant by reducing the friction force. Therefore,
the device for
winding a suspension cord of a blind provided by the present invention can
wind the
suspension cord about the cord spool smoothly and can be used for the blinds
of different
sizes by adjusting the torque applied to the suspension cord by the cord
spool.
Furthermore, when the elastic force of the power resilient element attenuates,
the torque of
the cord spool can also be adjusted to achieve the efficacies of being
commonly used,
conventional assembling, and subsequent adjustment.
The features and practice of the preferred embodiments of the present
invention will
be illustrated below in detail with reference to the drawings.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent
from the
detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that
the detailed
description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of
the invention,
are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications
within the
spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the
art from this
detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed
description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not
limitative of the
present invention, and wherein:
FICz 1 is a combined diagram of the present invention;
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FIG 2 is an exploded view of the present invention;
FICz 3 is a schematic view of the connecting relation between the guide means,
the
suspension cord, and the cord spool of the present invention;
FIG. 4A is a schematic view of the connection of the adjusting means and the
pedestal
in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIO 4B is a schematic view of the operation of the adjusting means and the
pedestal
in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FICx 5 is a schematic view of the connection of the adjusting means and the
pedestal
in the second embodiment of the present invention; and
FICz 6 is a schematic view of the connection of the adjusting means and the
pedestal
in the third embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Please refer to FIGs. 1 and 2 of a combined diagram and an exploded view of
the
present invention. As shown in FIGs. 1 and 2, a device for winding a
suspension cord of a
blind is used to make the suspension cord 110 passing through at least one
blind covering
material 100 to wind about a cord spool 300 by rotation. The blind covering
material 100
may be a honeycomb pleat or a common blind slat.
One end of the cord spool 300 is connected to a power resilient element 700
through a
rotating shaft 910, and a pedestal 310 and a guide means 330 are mounted to a
top rail 900.
The pedestal 310 is adjacent to the guide means 330 and used for bearing the
cord spool
300 to be rotated. The suspension cord 110 passes through the pedestal 310
from bottom
to top, then passes through the guide means 330 laterally, and is finally
wound about the
cord spool 300.
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An adjusting means 500 is further disposed on the pedestal 310 and is used to
adjust
the resistance force occurring when the cord spool 300 is rotated, so as to
solve the
problems that the elastic force of the power resilient element 700 is
attenuated after
long-term usage and the blinds of different sizes require different elastic
forces.
5. Furthermore, a cover 800 has one end buckled in the pedestal 310, and the
other end
pivoted to one end of the cord spool 300 far away from the pedestal 310, such
that the two
ends of the cord spool 300 are respectively pivoted to the pedestal 300 and
the cover 800.
Therefore, the cord spool 300 may be rotated smoothly.
The power resilient element 700 is a spring housing, which uses a power spring
as a
power source. The power spring may be used to generate torque, and it is a
constant force
spring.
The rotating shaft 910 passes through the axle center of the cord spool 300,
and is
connected to one or more power resilient elements 700 with one end or both two
ends
thereof, and passes through multiple devices for winding a suspension cord
disposed on in
the top rai1900.
Please refer to FIG 3 of a schematic view of the connecting relation of the
guide
means 330, the suspension cord 110, and the cord spool 300 of the present
invention. As
shown in FICx 3, a first hole 311 is formed in the bottom of the pedesta1310,
a second hole
313 is formed in one side of the pedestal 310 facing the guide means 330, and
a third hole
331 is formed in the guide means 330 opposite to the second hole 313. A guide
portion is
formed on two sides of the guide means 330 adjacent to the periphery of the
third hole 331
in the circumferential direction of the surface of the cord spool 300. In this
embodiment,
the guide portion is a spiral groove 333. After passing through the first hole
311, the
second hole 313 and the third hole 331, the suspension cord 110 is spirally
wound along the
spiral groove 333, so as to be wound on the surface of the cord spool 300
smoothly.
Additionally, in order to arrange the suspension cord 110 automatically and
smoothly, a
taper 301 is formed on the position wherein the cord spool 300 winds the
suspension cord
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110. The diameter of the taper 301 is increased along the length direction
from the cord
spool 300 to the end pivoted to the pedestal 310. As such, when the suspension
cord 110
is wound about the cord spoo1300 along the spiral groove 333, and due to
influence of the
gravity of the blind, the suspension cord 110 wound about the cord spool 300
slides to the
taper 301 with a small diameter, such that the suspension cord 110 may be
arranged on the
cord spoo1300 automatically and sequentially.
Besides, an annular accommodation space fonned between the cover 800 and the
cord
spool 300 is used to accommodate the suspension cord 110 wound around the cord
spool
300, and the space between the cover 800 and the cord spool 300 is slightly
greater than the
diameter of the suspension cord 110 and smaller than the double diameters of
the
suspension cord 110, such that the suspension cord 110 is wound about the cord
spoo1300
sequentially and smoothly and prevented from being wound about the cord spool
300
overlappedly.
Please refer to FIGs. 4A and 4B of a schematic view of the connection and a
schematic view of the operation of the adjusting means and the pedestal in the
first
embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGs. 2, 4A, and 4B, the
adjusting
means 500 includes a fixed plate 510, a tablet 530, a resilient element 550,
and a knob. The
fixed plate 510 has a bump 511 extending from both ends thereof. A hole 317 is
respectively opened in the two side walls 315 of the pedesta1310, such that
the bumps 511
of the fixed plate 510 is buckled in the holes 317 and then the fixed plate
510 is buckled in
the pedestal 310. A through hole 513 is opened in the fixed plate 510 along
the side wall
315. The tablet 530 is an arc plate 531, and a sliding bar 533 extends from
one side of the
arc plate 531. The sliding bar 533 penetrates through the through hole 513,
such that the
tablet 530 may slide up and down with respect to the fixed plate 510. When the
fixed plate
510 is fixed on the pedesta1310, the tablet 530 presses against the surface of
the cord spool
300.
A bolt hole 515 is formed beside the through hole 513, and the knob has a
screw axis
571. A screw thread is formed on a part of the surface of the screw axis 571
to be
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screw-connected to the bolt hole 515. Furthermore, the free end of the screw
axis 571 has
a retaining ring 573 extending along the outer circumference of the screw axis
571. A
second hole 535 is opened beside the sliding bar 533 of the tablet 530, such
that the
retaining ring 573 of the screw axis 571 passes through the second hole 535
and presses
against the circumference of the second hole 535, therefore, one end of the
knob may slide
in the second hole 535.
A resilient element 550 is fitted in the knob and placed between the tablet
530 and the
fixed plate 510, so as to be compressed by the tablet 530 and the fixed plate
510 to generate
an elastic force, which drives the tablet 530 to face the cord spool 300. . As
such, the tablet
530 can constantly press against the retaining ring 573 and press the surface
of the cord
spool 300, so as to form damping effect through the friction force
correspondingly
generated by the positive pressure on the surface of the cord spool 300, and
reduce the
torque when the cord spoo1300 is driven to rotate by each of the resilient
elements 700 and
the rotating shaft 910.
Of course, the arc plate 531 at the lower end of the tablet 530 can be
directly pressed
on the surface of the cord spool 300. However, in this embodiment, a blade
spring 537
respectively extends from the left side and right side of the arc plate 531.
The blade
springs 537 press against the cord spool 300, and adjust the height of the
tablet 530 by
rotating the knob, so as to adjust the application force applied by the blade
springs 537
pressing against the cord spoo1300.
Therefore, the relational expression of the torque Ts applied to the cord
spool 300 by
the power resilient element 700, the torque Tf applied to the cord spool 300
by the friction
force generated by the tablet 530 pressing against the cord spool 300, and the
torque Tc
generated when the suspension cord 110 holds the cord spool 300 is Ts+Tf==T,,.
The rotation of the cord spool 300 is hindered by the toque Tf, thus it can be
balanced out with the torque T. Therefore, the torque Tfcan be changed by the
application
force generated when the tablet 530 presses against the cord spool 300,
thereby adjusting
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the torque of the cord spool 300. When the resilient element 700 has
attenuated elastic
force after long-term usage, the torque TS is reduced. The pressure applied to
the cord
spool 300 by the tablet 530 is reduced by adjusting knob, so as to reduce the
resistance
force of the torque Tf on the cord spoo1300. As such, the torque Ts and the
torque T,, can
be balanced out with each other. In another aspect, when assembling, due to
the different
sizes of windows, blinds should be suitably cut accordingly, thus the torque
Tc changes as
well. However, the torque TS is generally constant. Therefore, when the torque
Tc
changes, the pressure applied to the cord spoo1300 by the tablet 530 may be
used to change
the toque Tf. Similarly, the torque Ts a nd the torque T. can be balanced out
with each
other.
Please refer to FIG. 5 of a schematic view of the connection of the adjusting
means
and the pedestal in the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown
in FICx 5, the
fixed plate 510 and the pedestal 310 are integrally formed. Therefore, a
through hole 318
and a bolt hole 319 are opened in one side wall of the pedestal 310 opposite
to the adjusting
means 500, and the relationship between the pedestal 310 and the adjusting
means 500 is
the same as that in the above-mentioned embodiment and will not be described
any more.
Please refer to FIC'z 6 of a schematic view of the connection of the adjusting
means
and the pedestal in the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in
FIG. 6, a
through hole 318 and a bolt hole 319 are formed in one side of the pedestal
310. The
adjusting means 500 includes a tablet 530 and a knob 570. The tablet 530 has a
sliding bar
533 extending from one end thereof, wherein the sliding bar 533 passes through
the through
hole 318, such that the tablet 530 is fitted on the pedestal 310 and may slide
vertically, and
the lower end of the tablet 530 presses against the surface of the cord
surface 300. The
knob 570 has a screw axis 571 extending from one end thereof, and the screw
axis 571 is
screw-connected to the bolt hole 319 and pivoted to the tablet 530 with the
back end thereof.
A collar 575 is further disposed above the tablet 530 to prevent the tablet
530 from
dropping outside the rotating shaft 571. As such, the tablet 530 may adjust
the pressure
generated when the tablet 530 presses against the cord spoo1300 through
rotating the knob
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570.
The pedestal, the cord spool, and the guide means may be combined to form a
module
for winding a suspension cord of a blind. Such module is driven by the
suspension cord or
the power resilient element to rotate the cord spool, and can be commonly used
in a blind
winding structure with or without the suspension cord.
Therefore, the device for winding a suspension cord of a blind provided by the
present
invention can adjust the torque of the power resilient element to be suitable
for blinds with
different sizes, and also can be used to reduce the limitation on the torque
of the power
resilient element when the torque of the power resilient element is decreased,
such that the
torque applied to the blind by the power resilient element is increased, so as
to compensate
the attenuated elastic force. Furthermore, the device for winding a suspension
cord of a
blind according to the present invention is equally applicable to other types
of blinds,
including but not limited to, curtain, cellular shade and the like.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be
varied in
many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the
spirit and scope
of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one
skilled in the art are
intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
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