EP1994863A2 - Fensterabdeckung - Google Patents

Fensterabdeckung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1994863A2
EP1994863A2 EP07109146A EP07109146A EP1994863A2 EP 1994863 A2 EP1994863 A2 EP 1994863A2 EP 07109146 A EP07109146 A EP 07109146A EP 07109146 A EP07109146 A EP 07109146A EP 1994863 A2 EP1994863 A2 EP 1994863A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
window covering
spool
rail
motor
covering material
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP07109146A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1994863A3 (de
Inventor
Tzong Fu Lin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whole Space Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Whole Space Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whole Space Industries Ltd filed Critical Whole Space Industries Ltd
Publication of EP1994863A2 publication Critical patent/EP1994863A2/de
Publication of EP1994863A3 publication Critical patent/EP1994863A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
    • E06B9/26—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds
    • E06B9/262—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds with flexibly-interconnected horizontal or vertical strips; Concertina blinds, i.e. upwardly folding flexible screens
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
    • E06B9/26—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds
    • E06B9/28—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds with horizontal lamellae, e.g. non-liftable
    • E06B9/30—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds with horizontal lamellae, e.g. non-liftable liftable
    • E06B9/32—Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
    • E06B9/26—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds
    • E06B9/262—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds with flexibly-interconnected horizontal or vertical strips; Concertina blinds, i.e. upwardly folding flexible screens
    • E06B2009/2622—Gathered vertically; Roman, Austrian or festoon blinds
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
    • E06B9/26—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds
    • E06B9/28—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds with horizontal lamellae, e.g. non-liftable
    • E06B9/30—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds with horizontal lamellae, e.g. non-liftable liftable
    • E06B9/32—Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor
    • E06B9/322—Details of operating devices, e.g. pulleys, brakes, spring drums, drives
    • E06B2009/3222—Cordless, i.e. user interface without cords

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to cordless window coverings.
  • Cordless blinds have been available for many years. These blinds have cords that run between the headrail and the bottom rail and are collected on spools or axles in the headrail or bottom rail. Spring motors or electric motors are provided to turn the spools or axles on which the cords are collected. Examples of cordless shades in which the cords are wound on spools connected to spring motors can be found in patents of Otto Kuhar and Ren Judkins. For example, Kuhar discloses a balanced cordless window covering in United States Patent Nos. 6,474,394 ; 6,234,236 and 6,079,471 . Judkins discloses a cordless blind which utilizes a constant force spring motor and lock mechanism in United States Patent No. 6,644,372 . Frequently each lift cord is wound on a separate spool. One difficulty that is encountered when lift cords are wound on multiple spools is that the cords must be wound and unwound evenly so that the bottom rail is always level.
  • Kuhar discloses a gear system that is used to connect the spring motors together. Because of the size and weight of the motors most cordless blinds place the motors in the headrail, although the motors have been placed in the center of the bottomrail. The location of the spring motors in the headrail is limited by other mechanisms such as a tilter that may be in the headrail. Consequently, there is a need for a lift mechanism for cordless blinds that enables the motors to be placed in any of a variety of locations as selected by the fabricator.
  • connection of primary and secondary cords requires a substantial length of cord between the connection point and rollers within the headrail to avoid the risk of entangling the connection point with the rollers.
  • the blinds disclosed by Cheng et al. require the primary cords to extend a substantial length between a roller and the secondary cord to ensure that no portion of the secondary cord extends to a roller when the blind is lowered. Such a length requires very long headrails.
  • the headrails for such blinds are often configured to have numerous rollers positioned throughout the length of the headrail to engage the primary cords and ensure the primary cords have the required length between the secondary cord and rollers.
  • the use of these extra rollers increases the cost of the window covering.
  • the headrail that houses the extra rollers may also be required to be taller to accommodate the multiple cord paths and rollers.
  • Many users prefer a narrow headrail that is less noticeable.
  • a narrow headrail cannot be used with the mechanism disclosed by Cheng et al.
  • the use of multiple rollers in the cord path also creates more friction in the system as compared to a cord path with no rollers.
  • the increased friction requires that a stronger spring motor or more powerful electric motor be used, which can increase the cost of the window covering.
  • I provide a window covering that has window covering material extending from a first rail and also has a double spool connected to the first rail.
  • a plurality of primary lift cords are connected to the first spool side of the double spool.
  • the primary lift cords extend from the first spool side and are connected to the window covering material such that rotation of the double spool in a first direction extends the window covering material away from the first rail and rotation of the double spool in an opposite second direction retracts the window covering material toward the first rail
  • At least one secondary cord is connected to the second spool side of the double spool.
  • the one or more secondary cords extend from the second spool side to one or more motors connected to the first rail.
  • the motors may be spring motors or electric motors.
  • each secondary cord is connected to a respective motor or plurality of motors.
  • a first spring motor and a second spring motor can be connected to respective secondary cords.
  • the first secondary cord can extend from the second spool side of the double spool to the first spring motor and the second secondary cord can extend from the second spool side of the double spool to the second spring motor.
  • the two spring motors could be spaced apart from or adjacent one another.
  • one secondary cord may extend from the second spool side of the double spool to a be connected to a set of interconnected spring motors.
  • the window covering material can be slats on ladders, woven woods, woven grasses, cellular materials, pleated materials, fabrics, or films.
  • the window covering can have a second rail connected to the window covering material.
  • the plurality of primary lift cords may extend from the first spool side to the second rail.
  • a first present preferred embodiment 10 has a headrail 1 that houses a plurality of rollers 3, a double spool 4, and a spring motor 13.
  • Window covering material 2 extends from the headrail to a bottom rail 7.
  • the headrail is preferably narrow and houses one or more spring motors 13 having spools 16.
  • Cradles 23 are provided to carry rollers 3 in the headrail 1 and a cover 41 is provided over each spring motor.
  • Primary lift cords 9 (shown in dotted line) are connected to the first spool side 22 of the double spool.
  • the primary lift cords extend from the first spool side 22, pass over rollers 3 and extend through the window covering material 2 to the bottom rail 7,
  • the primary lift cords 9 are unwound from the first spool side 22 of the double spool, which extends the window covering material 2 away from the headrail to lower the window covering.
  • the primary lift cords are wound about the spool, retracting the window covering toward the headrail to raise the window covering material.
  • a secondary cord 11 (shown in dot-dash line) is connected to the second spool side 24 of the double spool and extends from the second spool side 24 to the spring motor 13, The secondary cord is connected to spool 16 of the spring motor. Spool 16 is connected to the spring motor such that the spring motor biases spool 16 against rotation in the first direction.
  • the user When a user wishes to lower the window covering material 2 of the first present preferred embodiment 10, the user exerts a downward pulling force on the bottom rail 7 that must be greater than the biasing force of the spring motor 13.
  • the applied force causes double spool 4 and spool 16 to rotate in a first direction, lowering the window covering material by extending the window covering material 2 and bottomrail 7 away from the headrail.
  • the biasing force provided by the spring motor 13 maintains the window covering material at the desired location by preventing the spool 16 and double spool 4 from any further rotation in the first direction.
  • the upward force need only be sufficient to support a small fraction of the weight of the window covering material
  • the upward force provided by a user permits the biasing force provided by the spring motor 13 to rotate spool 16 in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, winding the secondary cord about spool 16.
  • the motion of the secondary cord causes the double spool 4 to rotate in the second direction, which winds the primary cords about the first spool side 22 of the double spool.
  • the window covering material 2 is retracted toward the headrail 1 as the primary cords are wound about the first spool side 22, raising the window covering material 2 and bottom rail 7.
  • the primary cords are wound on a single spool, i.e., one side of the double spool, they will be wound and unwound at the same rate. Consequently, the bottom rail 7 is always level when the window covering material 2 is lowered or raised.
  • headrails having various short or narrow configurations can be used because the double spool collects all the excess primary cords and secondary cord. Further, the use of the double spool eliminates the entanglement or "hang up" problems that can be caused when the secondary cord is directly connected to the primary cords.
  • Two or more spring motors could be connected together to turn a single cord collection spool which receives the secondary cord.
  • a second secondary cord 11a that runs between collection spool 16a attached to spring motor 13a and the second spool side 24 of the double spool to provide additional biasing force against rotation of the double spool in the first direction.
  • the additional spring motor 13a could be placed on an opposite end of the headrail as shown or on the same end of the headrail as spring motor 13. Indeed, the present design enables placement of the motor or motors anywhere within the headrail.
  • the double spool, rollers, and spring motors can be housed within the bottom rail.
  • the lift cords extend from the first spool side of the double spool to the window covering material and are connected to the headrail.
  • the window covering material is illustrated as a roman shade.
  • the window covering is illustrated as having spring motors 13, 13a in Figure 1 . It should be understood that electric motors can be used in combination with or in replacement of the spring motors. When electric motors are used, a remote control can be provided that is configured to actuate the electric motors to lower or raise the window covering

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Blinds (AREA)
  • Window Of Vehicle (AREA)
EP07109146A 2007-05-22 2007-05-29 Fensterabdeckung Withdrawn EP1994863A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US75179907A 2007-05-22 2007-05-22

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1994863A2 true EP1994863A2 (de) 2008-11-26
EP1994863A3 EP1994863A3 (de) 2011-01-12

Family

ID=39705285

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP07109146A Withdrawn EP1994863A3 (de) 2007-05-22 2007-05-29 Fensterabdeckung

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1994863A3 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9192267B2 (en) 2012-10-11 2015-11-24 Roman Tsibulevskiy Shower curtain technologies

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5531257A (en) * 1994-04-06 1996-07-02 Newell Operating Company Cordless, balanced window covering

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9192267B2 (en) 2012-10-11 2015-11-24 Roman Tsibulevskiy Shower curtain technologies

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1994863A3 (de) 2011-01-12

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