Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
,
. . ,
WINDOW BLIND AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING SLATS THEREOF
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to window blinds, and more
particularly to a
window blind that is structurally simple and easy to assemble. Also disclosed
is a method
for assembling slats of the window blind.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Taiwan Patent Publication No. 1320449 discloses a window
blind that has a
plurality of connecting members. Each of the connecting members passes through
the
through holes formed on the slats from above, and each of the connecting
members has its
first end connected to the rear vertical portion of the ladder-like rope. The
second of the
connecting member is formed with a loop or knot that allows a lifting cord to
pass
therethrough, so that the lifting cord can only move vertically but not
transversely. In
addition, the second end of the connecting member after passing through the
through hole
of the slat can be fixed using a fixing portion formed by a metal sheet or a
knot to prevent
the second end of the connecting member from coming off the slat upwardly.
[0005] In the prior patent, however, while the connecting member
is flexible, the
small through hole makes it time-consuming to pass the connecting member
through the
through hole from above. Besides, after the time-consuming threading
operation, there is
an additional step to use the metal sheet to hold the second end of the
connecting member
or to knot the second end of the connecting member, making the overall
assembling work
more difficult. Once any of the assembled slats gets damaged and needs to be
replaced, it
is necessary to detach the metal sheet or unknot the second end before taking
further
maintenance or repair actions. Hence, the prior patent is not perfect in terms
of assembling,
design and operation, and improvement is therefore desirable.
1
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a
window blind
that is structurally simple and easy to assemble, in which its slats are
prevented from
excessive transverse displacement.
[0007] To achieve the foregoing objective, the window blind of the
present
invention comprises an upper beam, a lower beam, two ladder-like ropes, two
pairs of
lifting cords, and a plurality of slats. The two ladder-like rope are
connected between the
upper beam and the lower beam and each have a front vertical portion, a rear
vertical
portion, a plurality of transverse portions, a plurality of first ring
portions, a plurality of
second ring portions, and a plurality of third ring portions. The front
vertical portion and
the rear vertical portion are parallel to each other. The plural transverse
portions are
vertically equidistant and connected between the front vertical portion and
the rear vertical
portion. The plural first ring portions are vertically equidistant and
connected to the front
vertical portion. The plural second ring portions are vertically equidistant
and connected to
the rear vertical portion. The plural third ring portions are vertically
equidistant and
connected to the front vertical portion and the plural third ring portions and
the plural first
ring portions are located at two opposite sides of the front vertical portion.
Two pairs of
lifting cords extend downward from the upper beam and have their bottoms
connected to
the lower beam. One said lifting cord of each said pair passes through the
plural first ring
portions of one said ladder-like rope, the other lifting cord of each said
pair passes through
the plural second ring portions of one said ladder-like rope. The plural slats
are connected
between the upper beam and the lower beam and mounted on the transverse
portions of the
two ladder-like ropes, respectively. Each of the slats has two ends thereof
each provided
with a through hole and a slot, the through hole being adjacent to a front
edge of the slat
and receiving one segment of the third ring portion of one said ladder-like
rope, so that the
2
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
front edges of the slats are mounted around and linked together by the third
ring portions
of the ladder-like ropes. The slot extends from one side of the slat and is
communicated
with the through hole and allows the segment of the third ring portion of one
said
ladder-like rope to pass therethrough.
[0008] It is thus clear from the above that, with the through holes and
the slots of
the slats, the window blind of the present invention can have the ladder-like
ropes
assembled with the slats conveniently and firmly without using other
components,
Meanwhile, to replace any damaged slats, the slats can be easily disassembled
from the
ladder-like ropes.
[0009] Preferably, the slot extends from the front edge of the slat to be
communicated with the through hole. Thereby, the segment of the third ring
portion of the
ladder-like rope is inlaid into the slot of the slat from the front edge of
the slat, and then
inlaid into the through hole of the slat along the slot of the slat, thereby
accomplishing
assembly of the slat.
[0010] Preferably, the slot of the slat has a first extending segment and
a second
extending segment perpendicular to the first extending segment. The first
extending
segment extends from the front edge of the slat in a width direction of the
slat to a rear
edge of the slat, and the second extending segment extends from one end of the
first
extending segment in a length direction of the slat to the through hole and is
communicated with the through hole. Thereby, the segment of the third ring
portion of the
ladder-like rope is inlaid into the first extending segment of the slot of the
slat from the
front edge of the slat, and then moves along the second extending segment of
the slot of
the slat, and is eventually inlaid into the through hole of the slat from the
second extending
segment of the slot of the slat, thereby accomplishing assembly of the slat.
[0011] Preferably, the through hole has a round cross-section, and the
through hole
is located between the front edge of the slat and the second extending segment
of the slot,
3
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
so that the through hole is tangent to the second extending segment of the
slot. This
prevents the segment of the third ring portion of the ladder-like rope in the
through hole
from moving into the slot and accidentally coming off the slat.
[0012] Preferably, the two slots are arranged as being transversely
symmetrical.
[0013] Preferably, the first ring portion is equal to the second ring
portion in terms
of size and is smaller than the third ring portion in terms of size.
[0014] Preferably, the first ring portion and the second ring portion are
in a
front/rear-opposite arrangement, and the first ring portion and the third ring
portion are in
a staggered arrangement along an extending direction of the front vertical
portion.
[0015] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method
for
assembling the slats of the aforementioned window blind, which involves
mounting one
said slat on the transverse portions of the two ladder-like ropes; and
inlaying the segment
of the third ring portion of each said ladder-like rope into the slot of the
slat, and inlaying
the segment to the through hole of the slat through the slot of the slat, so
that the front
edges of the slats are linked together by third ring portions of the ladder-
like rope.
[0016] The present invention will be described with reference to the
preferred
embodiments and it is understood that the embodiments are not intended to
limit the scope
of the present invention. Moreover, as the contents disclosed herein should be
readily
understood and can be implemented by a person skilled in the art, all
equivalent changes
or modifications which do not depart from the concept of the present invention
should be
encompassed by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a window blind of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a slat of the window blind of the
present
invention;
4
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
[0019] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of Circle A of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a partial, exploded view of the window blind of the
present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a partial, top view of the window blind of the present
invention;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the window blind of
the present
invention; and
[0023] FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, showing the slats tilted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] The following preferred embodiments when read with the
accompanying
drawings are made to clearly exhibit the above-mentioned and other technical
contents,
features and effects of the present invention. It is to be noted first that
throughout this
document, including embodiments described herein and the appended claims, all
the
directional terms shall be interpreted based on the directions as the relevant
components
shown in the drawings. Unless otherwise noted, like elements will be
identified by
identical numbers throughout all figures.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, a window blind 10 of the present invention
comprises
an upper beam 20, a lower beam 22, two ladder-like ropes 30, two pairs of
lifting cords 40,
and a plurality of slats 50 (with a number not limited herein).
[0026] The upper beam 20 and the lower beam 22 are arranged in an
up/down-opposite arrangement.
[0027] The two ladder-like ropes 30 are connected between the upper beam
20 and
the lower beam 22. Each of the ladder-like ropes 30 has a front vertical
portion 31, a rear
vertical portion 32, a plurality of transverse portions 33, a plurality of
first ring portions 34,
a plurality of second ring portions 35 and a plurality of third ring portions
36. The
transverse portions 33, the first ring portions 34, the second ring portions
35 and the third
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
ring portions 36 are each quantitatively equal to the slats 50. Also referring
to FIG. 4
through FIG. 6, the front vertical portion 31 and the rear vertical portion 32
are parallel to
each other, and both have their respective tops extending into the upper beam
20 to
combined with a shared angle adjusting mechanism (not shown) for adjusting the
tilt angle
of the slats 50. Since the angle adjusting mechanism is known in the prior art
and is not
the characteristic of the present invention, the details thereof is omitted
herein. The
transverse portions 33 are connected between the front vertical portion 31 and
the rear
vertical portion 32 by means of sewing or weaving, and are vertically
equidistant. The first
ring portions 34 are connected to the front side of the front vertical portion
31 by means of
sewing or weaving, and are vertically equidistant. The second ring portions 35
are
connected to the rear side of the rear vertical portion 32 by means of sewing
or weaving,
and are vertically equidistant. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4 through FIG.
6, the first ring
portion 34 and the second ring portion 35 are in a front/rear-opposite
arrangement, and the
first ring portion 34 is equal to the second ring portion 35 in terms of size.
The third ring
portions 36 are connected to the rear side of the front vertical portion 31,
and are vertically
equidistant. The third ring portions 36 and the first ring portions 34 are in
a staggered
arrangement along an extending direction of the front vertical portion 31.
Additionally, as
shown in FIG. 4, the third ring portion 36 is greater than both the first ring
portion 34 and
the second ring portion 35 in terms of size.
[0028] The
two pairs of lifting cords 40 have their respective tops extending into
the upper beam 20 to combined with a shared altitude adjusting mechanism (not
shown)
for adjusting the altitude of the slats 50. Since the altitude adjusting
mechanism is known
in the prior art and is not the characteristic of the present invention, the
details thereof is
omitted herein. The two pairs of lifting cords 40 have their respective
bottoms connected
to the lower beam 22, so that the lower beam 22 can be lifted with the two
pairs of lifting
cords 40 are pulled. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, in each pair
of the lifting
6
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
cords 40, one cord passes through the first ring portions 34 of the ladder-
like rope 30, and
the other cord passes through the second ring portions 35 of the ladder-like
rope 30, so that
each pair of the lifting cords 40 can only move vertically but not
transversely.
[0029] The slats 50 are arranged between the upper beam 20 and the lower
beam
22 and are parallel to each other. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, each of the
slats 50 is
mounted on the transverse portions 33 of the two ladder-like ropes 30. The
front edge 51
of the slat 50 is adjacent to the front vertical portions 31 of the two ladder-
like ropes 30,
and the rear edge 52 of the slat 50 is adjacent to the rear vertical portions
32 of the two
ladder-like ropes 30. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 4, the slat
50 has its two
ends each provided with a through hole 53 and a slot 54. The through hole 53
is close to
the front edge 51 of the slat 50 and has a round cross-section. The two slots
54 at the two
ends are formed symmetrically. Each of the slots 54 has a reversed-L shape,
composed of
a first extending segment 55 and a second extending segment 56 perpendicular
to the first
extending segment 55. The first extending segment 55 of the slot 54 extends
from the front
edge 51 of the slat 50 in the width direction of the slat 50 to the rear edge
52 of the slat 50.
The second extending segment 56 of the slot 54 extends from the first
extending segment
55 in the length direction of the slat 50 to the through hole 53. The through
hole 53 is
located between the front edge 51 of the slat 50 and the second extending
segment 56 of
the slot 54 and is tangent to and communicated with the second extending
segment 56 of
the slot 54.
[0030] To assemble the ladder-like rope 30 and the slat 50, as shown in
FIG. 4
through FIG. 6, the slat 50 is first mounted on the transverse portions 33 of
the two
ladder-like ropes 30, and one segment of the third ring portion 36 of the
ladder-like rope
30 is inlaid into the first extending segment 55 of the slot 54 of the slat 50
from the
opening formed by the first extending segment 55 of the slot 54 of the slat 50
at the front
edge 51 of the slat 50. Then the segment is moved to the second extending
segment 56 of
7
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
the slot 54 from the first extending segment 55 of the slot 54, and passes
through the
through hole 53 of the slat 50 from the second extending segment 56 of the
slot 54, so that
the third ring portion 36 of the ladder-like rope 30 is mounted around the
front edge 51 of
the slat 50. As the ladder-like rope 30 and the slat 50 are such assembled,
the slat 50 is
prevented from excessive transverse displacement. Since the through hole 53
and the
second extending segment 56 of the slot 54 are in a tangent relationship, and
the slot 54 is
in a reversed-L shape, even when the assembled slat 50 is lifted, lowered or
tilted, the
segment of the third ring portion 36 of the ladder-like rope 30 inlaid in the
through hole 53
is unlikely to move into the second extending segment 56 of the slot 54,
thereby
effectively preventing the third ring portion 36 of the ladder-like rope 30
from accidentally
coming off the slat 50.
[0031] Replacement of a damaged slat 50 can be easily achieved by pulling
the
segment of the third ring portion 36 of the ladder-like rope 30 inlaid in the
through hole 53
of the damaged slats 50 out of the through hole 53 through the slot 54, and
having a new
slat 50 assembled with the third ring portion 36 of the ladder-like rope 30 as
described
above. The replacement is simple and rapid.
[0032] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, since the through hole 53 is located
at the
front edge 51 of the slat 50, when all the slats 50 are tilted up or down, the
through holes
50 can be covered by the overlapped portion of two adjacent slats 50, so that
the through
holes 50 are hindered from sight, thereby ensuring the blind's aesthetic and
users' privacy.
Furthermore, since the third ring portion 36 is made of a relatively thin
rope, each two
adjacent slats 50 when tilted up or down can be more close to each other,
thereby
minimizing the interval therebetween that may allow light to leak in, and in
turn
improving the light-shading effect of the blind.
[0033] It is thus clear from the above that, with the through holes 53
and the slots
54 of the slats 50, the window blind 10 of the present invention can have the
ladder-like
8
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
ropes 30 assembled with the slats 50 conveniently and firmly without using any
knot or
other components, Meanwhile, to replace any damaged slats 50, the slats 50 can
be easily
disassembled from the ladder-like ropes 30.
9
CA 3059392 2019-10-21
