Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02874351 2014-12-11
WINDOW BLIND APPARATUS
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Application No. 61/915,023
filed on December 12, 2013. The above identified patent application is herein
incorporated by reference in
its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to window blind apparatuses. More
specifically, the
present invention provides window blinds comprising a plurality of slats
arranged in a horizontal orientation
and disposed in a stacked orientation, wherein the slats include an M-shaped
cross section adapted to allow
air to pass through the spaces between the slats while preventing light from
passing therethrough.
[0003] Conventional blinds include a plurality of rectangular slats that
can be tilted so that
= the slats are disposed horizontally, or so that the slats are
substantially vertical and contact one another in
order to block light. However, when conventional blinds are tilted so as to
block light, the blinds also
prevent air from passing therethrough since the slats contact one another
forming a solid barrier. Thus, a
user is unable to allow air to flow into a room while also blocking light from
outside of the window.
Therefore, there is a need for a window blind apparatus that allows air to
flow therethrough while
simultaneously blocking light from outside of the window.
= DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0004] Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that
relate to window blind apparatuses.
These include devices that have been patented and published in patent
application publications. These
devices generally relate to window blinds comprising a series of slats
arranged in a stacked configuration and
adjustable so as to either allow light to pass therethrough or so as to block
light from passing therethrough.
The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present
disclosure, which are herein described
for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the
present invention, and further
highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
[0005] One such device, U.S. Published Patent Application
Number 2010/0263804 to
Shprung discloses window blinds that allow air to pass therethrough but not
light. The window blinds
comprise several louvers positioned on top of one another. Each louver
comprises two halves connected to
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one another by a cylindrical rod that serves as an axis, wherein the halves
are positioned at an angle relative
to one another. Thus, Shprung discloses a device wherein the orientation of
each louver or slat is adjustable,
and Shprung fails to disclose blinds having an M-shaped cross section.
[0006] U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2011/0192551 to Rance
discloses a
window blind assembly that allows a person inside of the room to see out of
the room, but that prevents a
person outside of the room from seeing into the room. The assembly includes
alternating first and second
slats wherein the first slats are semi-mirrored. A source of illumination is
provided to illuminate the second
slats, and so that light is reflected thereby towards the first slats. Thus,
Rance fails to disclose window blinds
that allow air to pass therethrough while preventing light from passing into a
room.
[0007] U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2012/0234506 to
Defenbaugh et al.
discloses a slatted blind wherein the slats can be closed to create a light
blocking blind. The slats can be
supported by a tilt cord, and the slats are connected to the tilt cord so that
when a slat is rotated to a closed
position, the slat is suspended from the rung. A protrusion may be formed in
the back of the slats such that
the rung pushes on the protrusion to force the slat against an adjacent slat
when tlle blind is closed. Thus,
Defenbaugh fails to disclose window blinds that allow air to pass therethrough
while preventing light from
passing therethrough.
[0008] Finally, U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2004/0065418 to
Colson
discloses a covering for an architectural opening in the form of a Venetian
blind. The device includes rungs
that support slats in a horizontal orientation. The device includes guide
cords that can be shifted vertically in
order to cause the slats to tilt. The slats can be moved between a horizontal
orientation and a substantially
vertical orientation in order to block light. Thus, Colson fails to disclose
window blinds that allow air to pass
therethrough, but that prevents light from passing therethrough. Further,
Colson fails to disclose blinds
having a zig-zag or M-shaped cross section.
[0009] These prior art devices have several known drawbacks.
Devices in the prior art
generally relate to window blinds of various construction for preventing light
from passing into a room.
However, the device,s are not adapted to allow air to flow through the blinds
while simultaneously preventing
light from passing therethrough. The prior art devices fail to disclose window
blinds having rigid slats with a
zig-zag or M-shaped cross section. Thus, the devices in the prior art are not
suited for allowing air to flow
therethrough while preventing light from shining into a room.
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[0010] In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is
submitted that the present
invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and
consequently it is clear that there is
a need in the art for an improvement to existing window blind devices. In
this regard the instant
invention substantially fulfills these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the
known types of window
blinds now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new
window blind apparatus wherein the
same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when allowing air
to flow into a room while
blocking light from outside of the window.
[0012] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a new and improved
window blind apparatus that has all of the advantages of the prior art and
none of the disadvantages.
[0013] It is another object of the present invention to provide a window
blind apparatus
comprising a zig-zag cross section so as to prevent light from passing
therethrough.
[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
window blind apparatus
comprising a plurality of slats arranged in a horizontal orientation, wherein
there is space between each slat
through which air can flow.
[0015] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide
a window blind apparatus
having a pull cord for raising and lowering the blinds as desired by the user.
[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a window
blind apparatus that
may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are
commensurate with durability.
[0017] Other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent
from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Although the characteristic features of this invention
will be particularly pointed out
in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and
used may be better understood
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after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings wherein
like numeral annotations are provided throughout.
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the
window blind apparatus
of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a side view of an embodiment of the window
blind apparatus of the
present invention.
[0021] FIG. 3 shows a front planar view of the window blind apparatus of
the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like
reference, numerals are
used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the window
blind apparatus. For the
purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention,
the preferred embodiment will
be discussed as used for preventing sunlight from entering a room while
allowing air to flow therethrough.
The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be
considered to be limiting in any
respect.
[0023] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an
embodiment of the
window blind apparatus of the present invention. The present invention
provides window blinds 11
comprising a plurality of slats 13. Each slat 13 is disposed in a horizontal
orientation, and the slats 13 are
arranged in a stacked orientation such that the slats 13 are vertically
aligned. Each of the slats 13 comprises
the same shape and dimensions so that the slats 13 are substantially
identical. The slats 13 include a zig-zag
cross section, wherein elongated rectangular members are connected to one
another at an angle so as to form
a zig-zag shape. Preferably, the slats 13 comprise an M-shaped cross section.
The slats 13 are rigid and the
shape of each slat 13 remains constant during use.
[0024] The uppermost portion of the window blinds 11 includes a
housing 20 having a flat
upper end with sidewalls extending downward therefrom. The housing 20 is
adapted to enclose the rollers
on which the cables required to raise and lower the plurality of slats 13 arc
positioned. This helps to prevent
the rollers from being damaged and also conceals the rollers from view to
provide an aesthetically pleasing
appearance.
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[0025] The slats 13 are connected to one another via a plurality
of support cables 15
attached an one end to the housing. Preferably, a pair of support cables 15
are disposed on each end of the
slats 13, wherein a first support cable 15 is on the front 12 of the slats 13,
and a second support cable 15 is on
the rear 14 of the slats 13. The support cables 15 are disposed in a vertical
orientation and extend through
apertures on each slat 13. The support cables 15 serve to organize and arrange
the slats 13 and help to guide
the slats 13 as they are raised or lowered. The slats 13 are spaced from one
another at a fixed interval and are
secured in fixed relation by means of stoppers 16 disposed along the support
cables 15.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a side view of an
embodiment of the
window blinds device of the present invention. The, slats 13 are disposed on
support cables 15 on a front end
12 and rear end 14 thereof. Each slat 13 comprises apertures for the support
cables 15 to pass through. The
support cables 15 include stoppers 16 disposed at fixed intervals along the
length thereof for separating the
slats 13 to create space therebetween. Thus, the stoppers 16 are sized so as
to be unable to pass through the
apertures on the slats 13. The space between the slats 13 allows for air to
flow therethrough so that when the
blinds are in use, air can still flow through the blinds.
[0027] The slats 13 comprise a zig-zag cross section, and more
preferably comprise an M-
shaped cross section. The zig-zag cross section of the slats 13 helps to
prevent light from passing through
the blinds and into the room in which the window blinds 11 are installed. The
M-shaped cross section
provides three folds so that each slat 13 has four sections. The use of
multiple sections helps to make the
blinds opaque to prevent light from shining through the blinds. The slats 13
are arranged such that the front
end 12 and rear end 14 thereof are angled downwards. This orientation further
helps to block sunlight from
the exterior of the window from passing through the window blinds 11.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a front planar view of the
window blinds
device of the present invention. The window blinds 11 of the present invention
function similarly to
traditional window blinds. The housing 20 encloses rollers 21, 22, 23 on which
the cables used to support
the slats 13 are positioned. In the illustrated embodiment, support cable
rollers 21, 22 are positioned adjacent
the ends of the housing 20 and have the support cables 15 disposed thereon. As
the blinds are drawn upward
so as to reveal the window, the support cable rollers 21, 22 wind the support
cable 15 thereon to eliminate the
slack in the support cables 15. The support cable rollers 21, 22 are spring
biased so as to allow the rollers 21,
22 to wind the support cables 15 therearound. In alternate embodiments, the
support cables 15 may be
permanently affixed to the housing 20 at the upper ends thereof and no support
cable rollers are used. In
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such embodiments, as the slats 13 are drawn to a closed position, the support
cables 15 will bunch along the
slats 13.
[0029] The housing 20 further encloses a pull cable roller 23.
The pull cable roller 23
includes the pull cable 17 disposed thereon. The pull cable 17 includes a
first end having a handle 18 thereon
for a user to grasp when drawing the blinds open or closed, and the second end
of the pull cable 17 is secured
to the lowermost slat 13. In this way, when the user pulls the handle 18 of
the pull cable 17, the lowermost
slat 13 is drawn upward and pulls the other slats 13 upward so as to reveal
the window. Additional pull cable
rollers 23 may be used in order to evenly apply the pulling force along the
length of the window blinds 11.
The pull cable roller 23 may further include a locking mechanism so that the
blinds can be maintained in a
desired positioned, such as fully drawn or partially drawn. No statement is
made regarding the exact
configuration or number of rollers used to support the blinds.
[0030] It. is therefore submitted that the instant invention has
been shown and described in
what_is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is
recognized, however, that
departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious
modifications will occur to a
person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is
to be realized that the optimum
dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include
variations in size, materials, shape, form,
function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily
apparent and obvious to one skilled
in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the
drawings and described in the
specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
[0031] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative
only of the principles of the
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily
occur to those skilled in the art, it
is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and
accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to,
falling within the scope of the
invention.
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