Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
217678~
Venetian blinds
The invention relates to Venetian blinds with at least
one draw chain, with chain links which are hinged to one another
and are connected to tiltable, blade-like louvre slats, and with
at least one adjustable chain with chain links which are hinged
to one another and are connected to louvre slats, the blinds
being guided via the draw chain links in stationary guides and
whereby the chain links of the adjustable chain overlap the
louvre slats.
Blinds of this type are known for example from DE-B 10
79 310, DE-OS 34 37 346 and WO 93/21417. However these blinds
have the disadvantage what they consist on the one hand of
relatively many individual parts; this has an adverse affect
both on the costs of warehousing these parts and also on
installation costs, and on the other hand additional mechanical
working of several parts of these blinds is necessary; this
likewise has an adverse affect on the production costs of these
blinds.
Furthermore, a blind is known from EP-A 382 172 wherein
the adjustment chain overlaps the draw chain and which has the
same disadvantages.
A blade store with blades which have bordered
longitudinal edges and which are connected to metal strips is
known from CH-PS 400 525. These bordered longitudinal edges with
hooks which are attached to the metal strips form hook-shaped
joints which can raise and lower the blades controlled by a
corresponding relative motion of the metal strips.
A blind is known from EP-A 460 521 wherein the
la 21 76 783ndividual parts are interconnected by way of hook-shaped joints.
The problem of the invention is to devise a blind of
the type mentioned initially which for the most part prevents
the aforementioned disadvantages.
This problem is solved by the fact that the louvre
slats of the blinds overlap the draw chain links, that the
adjustable chain links overlap the louvre slats, and that the
joints between the draw chain links, the adjustable chain links,
and between the louvre slats and the draw chain links or the
ajustable chain links consist of hook-shaped hinged joints, and
that the hinged parts of the hinges which connect the draw chain
links with the louvre slats in the area of overlap and are
associated with the draw chain links, are positioned lower than
the hooks at the upper edge of the draw chain links which provide
a connection with an adjacent draw chain link.
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The blind according to the invention with very high
functionality has the advantage that the blind consists of a
very few parts, its parts or sections can be produced in any
manner, for example, by extrusion or roll forming, in which the
hook-shaped hinged joints can be produced by extrusion in one
pass. Upon assembly, the individual parts need only be pushed
into one another more on their hook-shaped hinged joints; this
greatly simplifies installation.
According to one embodiment of the invention, it can
be provided that on each end of the louvre slat there is a
projection which on its upper longitudinal edge has a hinged
part for connection to the assigned draw chain link and on its
lower longitudinal edge a hinged part for connection to the
assigned adjustable chain link, in which according to one
especially preferred embodiment of the invention it can be
provided that the louvre slats are made hollow and that the
projections are insert parts which are partially pushed into the
blind slats.
The embodiment mentioned last has the advantage that
the louvre slats which based on their length are especially
cumbersome to handle need only be cut off straight since the
hinged parts for connection to the draw chain links and
adjustable chain links are located on the insert parts which can
likewise be cut off straight.
According to one preferred embodiment of the
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invention, it can be provided that the joints between the
draw chain links and the adjustable chain links in the closed
state of the blind are flush with one another and that on the
draw chain links there are upper and lower free spaces in
which the hinged parts of the ad~ustable chain links are held
in the closed state of the blind. In this way it is ensured
that the blind can be rolled into roller boxes without
stresses arising within the blind slats and that the outer
surface of the blind in the closed state has a completely
uniform appearance.
- According to another preferred embodiment of the
invention it can be provided that the joints between the draw
chain links or adjustable chain links consist of a hook on
the upper longitudinal edge of the draw chain links or
adjustable chain links and a groove on their lower
longitudinal edge and that according to another development
it is provided that the hooks in the grooves are movably held
in the direction of motion of the blind and that the louvre
slats on their upper longitudinal edge have a bridge and on
their lower longitudinal edge have a groove which fit into
one another in the closed state of the blind when it is
pushed together. In this way there was a groove-spring
connection between the individual louvre slats in the closed
state of the blind, by which there is increased security
against sagging of the blind according to the invention.
Especially in wide blinds can the problem arise
that the louvre slats, especially in the raised state, sag,
by which, aside from an unattractive appearance, functioning
problems of the blind can occur.
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According to one embodiment of the invention it is
therefore proposed that at least one other center draw chain
of draw chain links is provided which is connected via a
hook-shaped joint to the assigned draw chain link, in which
the blind according to the invention can be developed such
that the louvre slats in the area of the draw chain are
divided and the two parts are spaced away from one another by
the width of the draw chain links, that the two parts of the
louvre slats are interconnected via a connecting part and
that the connecting part on its upper longitudinal edge has
a hook which with this additional hook on the draw chain link
forms the joint between them. This embodiment of the
invention in turn enables especially the need to cut off the
long and cumbersome louvre slats only straight, the louvre
slats being connected to the draw chain links via the
connecting part.
In this case it can furthermore be provided that
the connecting part on either side is inserted into the
hollow louvre slats; this further simplifies the assembly of
the blind.
Other features and advantages of the invention
follow from the subclaims and the subsequent description of
the sample embodiments of the invention with reference to the
drawings.
Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the left side of
a blind slat according to the invention viewed from the
building side,
Figure 2 shows the right side of the blind slat in
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the assembled state,
Figure 3 shows a schematic overhead view of the
left end of a blind slat,
Figure 4 shows a section through the blind slat of
Figure 32 along line IV-IV,
Figure 5 shows a section through a blind slat
according to the invention along line V-V in Figure 3,
Figure 6 shows a section through the blind slat
according to Figure 5, in which however the raising process
of the blind is shown,
- Figure 7 shows a section through the blind slat
along line VII-VII in Figure 3,
Figure 8 shows a side view of two blind slats
hooked to one another in the closed state, but not pushed
together,
Figure 9 shows the blind slats of Figure 8, however
in the opened state,
Figure 10 shows an exploded view of a blind slat
according to the invention in the area of a center draw
chain,
Figure 11 shows a section through the blind slat
along line XI-XI in Figure 10, in the partially raised state,
Figure 12 shows the blind slat of Figure 11 in the
closed state,
Figure 13 shows a section through the blind slat of
Figure 10 along line XIII-XIII,
Figure 14 shows a side view of another embodiment
of a blind slat according to the invention in the raised state,
Figure 15 shows a view of the blind slat of Figure
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,
14 in the closed position and
Figures 16 through 19 show cross sections of the
individual parts of the blind slat of Figures 14 and 15,
specifically
Figure 16 shows the louvre slat,
Figure 17 shows an insert part for connecting the
louvre slat to a draw chain and an adjustable chain link,
Figure 18 shows an adjustable chain link and
Figure 19 shows a draw chain link.
Figure 1 partially shows a blind slat which
comprises the b~ind according to the invention. A blind slat
consists according to the invention of louvre slat 1 which is
connected via insert part 2 to draw chain link 4. To raise
louvre slats 1 each louvre slat has adjustable chain link 3
which is connected to insert part 2. Figure 1 shows only the
left end of a blind slat in which the right end of the blind
slat which is not shown is built preferably in mirror-image.
Louvre slat 1 of Figure 1 is made hollow and has on
its upper longitudinal edge bridge 13 and on its lower
longitudinal edge groove 12, bridge 13 fitting into groove
12 of the adjacent blind slat in the closed and pushed-
together state of the blind.
In cavity 31 of louvre slat 1 upper hook-shaped
strip 9 and lower hook-shaped strip 10 are formed which
interact with hinged parts 7 and 8 of insert part 2 if the
latter is pushed into louvre slat 1, by which the insert part
2 can be permanently connected to louvre slat 1.
Hinged part 7 on the upper longitudinal edge of
insert part 2 and hinged part 8 on the lower longitudinal
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edge of the insert part are used for hinged connection to
draw chain link 4 and adjustable chain link 3.
Draw chain links 4 and adjustable chain links 3
have on their upper longitudinal edge hooks 14 or 17 and on
their lower longitudinal edge grooves 15 and 16 into which
hooks 14, 17, of the adjacent draw chain and adjustable chain
links fit (see Figure 9). Adjustable chain links 3 and draw
chain links 4 have an essentially identical cross section, in
which however for adjustable chain links 4 rear wall 32 of
the draw chain links with hook-shaped strip 5 (Figures 4 and
6) is omitted. In this way adjustable chain links 3 can lie
over the projections formed as insert parts 2 on louvre slats
1 and outside surface 33 of adjustable chain links 3 is flush
with outside surface 34 or 35 of the draw chain links 4 and
louvre slats 1. Hook-shaped strips 5 and 6 in the cavity of
draw chain links 4 are used for rigid connection of the
latter to slats which correspond to louvre slats 1, however
they cannot be raised; this can be the case for the uppermost
blind slats of a blind. Connections of draw chain links 4 to
these slats likewise take place via insert parts 2.
As is especially apparent from Figures 1 and 2,
draw chain links 4 have lap-shaped prolongation 18 which is
overlapped both by insert parts 2 as well as by adjustable
chain links 3. On the upper longitudinal edge of lap-shaped
prolongation 18 hinged part 2 is formed; its cross sectional
shape corresponds to hook-shaped strip 9 in cavity 31 of
louvre slat 1. Hinged part 21 on prolongation 18 forms with
hinged part 7 on insert part 2 the joint between louvre slat
l and draw chain link 4. Insert part 2 for this reason
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projects roughly out of louvre slat 1 as far as corresponds
to the width of lap-shaped prolongation 18. The width of
adjustable chain links 3 corresponds likewise roughly to the
width of lap-shaped prolongation 18.
Above and below prolongation 18 on draw chain links
4 are free spaces 19 and 20 in which hook 17 and groove 16 of
the adjustable chain links find space if the blind is closed.
It is apparent that all parts of the blind slats
with the exception of the draw chain links are cut off
straight on their ends, by which their production can be done
simply and cheaply. Lap-shaped prolongation 18 on draw chain
link 4 is preferably formed from draw chain link 4 by metal
cutting.
Upon comparison of the louvre slats with draw chain
links 4 it can still be established that they have
essentially the same cross sectional shape with the
~ifference that bridge 13 on the upper longitudinal edge of
the louvre slats is not made hook-shaped and that rear or
inner arm 36 of groove 12 is shortened in order not to
prevent the louvre slats from being raised.
Overall for closed blinds pushed together according
to the invention, without additional means both an inner and
an outer continuous surface are formed; this not only has an
optically advantageous effect, but also offers good
protection against sagging.
Figure 8 shows the blind in the drawn apart, but
not raised state (see Figure 9), i e., that hooks 14 and 17
of draw and adjustable chain links 4, 3 lie on the lower edge
of grooves 15, 16 so that louvre slats 1 can be easily
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raised. If conversely the blind is pushed together, hooks
14, 17 are pushed into groves 15, 16, like bridges 13 into
grooves 12 on louvre slats 1. This prevents the possibility
of raising louvre slats 1 by force.
Figure 10 shows one embodiment of a blind slat, in
an exploded view, which is supported by an additional center
draw chain. Louvre slat 1 is divided by a straight cut into
two parts, these two parts being interconnected by one
connecting part 23 which is pushed into hollow cavities 31 of
louvre slats 1. Draw chain link 22 has basically the same
shape as draw chain links 4, however front wall 37 with hook-
shaped bridge 6 being omitted. For connection to hook-shaped
strip 5 on draw chain link 22 connecting part 23 on its upper
longitudinal edge has hook 30 which is formed like hinged
part 7 on insert part 2.
In order to ensure as stable as possible a
connection of two louvre slats 1 by connecting part 23, the
latter has a cross sectional shape by which cavities 31 are
essentially completely occupied in louvre slats 1. In
addition, connecting part 23 on its front side however has
undercut grooves 27, 28 into which correspondingly formed
projections of cover 24 fit. Cover 24 on connecting part 23
is used to close the gap between the two parts of louvre slat
1 which is formed by the fact that they are spaced from one
another by the width of draw chain link 22 in order that draw
chain link 22 can lie completely against the rear wall of
connecting part 23. In this way it is ensured that both the
rear side and also the front side of the blind slat has a
continuous flat surface.
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It can be established that the embodiment of a
center draw chain described with reference to Figures 10
through 13 in conjunction with louvre slats 1 can be used
even in any other arrangements of draw and adjustable chains,
as were not described here.
Figure 14 shows another embodiment of the blind
according to the invention which with the exception of the
hinged connections of louvre slats 1 agrees with adjustable
chain links 3 and draw chain links 4 and insert part 2
compared to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 through 9. The
same parts therefore have the same reference numbers.
The important advantage of the embodiment described
in conjunction-with Figures 14 through 19 lies in that the
opening angle of louvre slats 1 is greatly enlarged compared
to the embodiments described above and can also be up to
roughly 150 and even more, as shown in Figure 14. This is
enabled by the special configuration of insert part 2 with a
cross section which has a shape bent roughly in a double S.
By means of this configuration in the middle region of insert
part 2 two concave free spaces 40, 41 are formed in which
joints 14, 15 of draw chain links 4 and 16, 17 of adjustable
chain links 3 in the entirely raised state of the blind find
space as shown in Figure 14.
In order to reliably prevent unhooking of hinged
connection 42, 45 between insert part 2 and draw chain link
4 as well as hinged connection 43, 44 between insert part 2
and adjustable chain link 3 and at the same time to enable
the large swivel angle of louvre slats 1, strips 46 and 47-of
hinged parts 43, 45 on adjustable chain links 3 and draw
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chain links 4 have depressions 48, 49 into which free
longitudinal edges 50, 51 on insert part 2 fit. In this way
bearing points or swivelling axes are formed for movement of
insert part 2 on adjustable chain link 3 or on draw chain
link 4.
Hinged parts 43, 45 on adjustable chain link 3 and
on draw chain link 4 have boundary surface 52, 53 in the
shape of an arc essentially opposite depressions 48, 49; the
centerpoints of the curvature of the boundary surface lie in
depressions 48, 49. Accordingly hinged parts 42, 44 have
areas 54, 55 bent in the shape of an arc which correspond to
boundary surfaces 52, 53 in the shape of an arc; the
centerpoints of the curvature of these areas are formed by
longitudinal edges 50, 51 of insert part 2.
Curved areas 54, 55 on insert part 2 abut one
straight area 56, 57 each, on the free end of which are
longitudinal edges 50, 51 which are preferably made rounded
off.
According to straight areas 56, 57 on insert part
2, on strips 46, 47 on adjustable chain link 3 or on draw
chain link 4 there are straight areas 58, 59 which together
with straight areas 56, 57 on insert part 2 limit the opening
motion of louvre slat 1, as is shown in Figure 14.
By means of the configuration of joints 42, 45 or
43, 44 according to the invention in conjunction with the
special cross sectional shape of insert part 2 it is possible
to make the opening angle of one louvre slat 1 very large.
Furthermore high lever forces in the joints are prevented
which can occur when the entire blind held only via
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adjustable chain links 3 hangs freely down. Due to the high
opening angle the lever arm between joints 42, 45 and 43, 44
is much smaller than when the opening angle of louvre slat 1
would be only about 90, by which the forces acting on these
joints decrease significantly.
It goes without saying that the special embodiment
of joints 42, 45 described in conjunction with Figures 14
through 19 between insert part 2 and draw chain link 4 or
joints 43, 44 between insert part 2 and adjustable chain
link 3, as well as the special cross sectional shape of
insert part 2 are not limited to the described blind, but can
be used for any blind which has a draw chain and an
adjustable chain for a Venetian blind, essentially regardless
of the rem~;n;ng configuration of the individual parts of the
blind.
In summary the invention can be described according
to the invention as follows:
The Venetian blinds have at least one draw chain
with chain links which are hinged to one another and which
are connected to tiltable, blade-like louvre slats, and at
least one adjustable chain with chain links which are hinged
to one another and which are connected to the louvre slats.
The blind is guided via the draw chain links in stationary
guides. Louvre slats 1 overlap draw chain links 4 and
adjustable chain links 3 overlap louvre slats 1. The joints
between draw chain links 4, adjustable chain links 3, and
between louvre slats 1 and draw chain links 4 or adjustable
chain links 3 consist of hook-shaped hinged connectlons 7,
21; 8, 11; 14, 15; 16, 17; 42, 45; 43, 44.
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On each end of louvre slat 1 is projection 2 which
on its upper longitudinal edge has hinged part 7 for
connection to the assigned draw chain link and on its lower
longitudinal edge hinged part 8 for connection to assigned
adjustable chain link 3. Louvre slats 1 are made hollow and
projections 2 are insert parts which are in part pushed into
louvre slats 1.
