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
  • E06B9/40—Roller blinds
  • E06B9/42—Parts or details of roller blinds, e.g. suspension devices, blind boxes
  • E06B9/50—Bearings specially adapted 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
  • E06B9/56—Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor
  • E06B9/80—Safety measures against dropping or unauthorised opening; Braking or immobilising devices; Devices for limiting unrolling
  • E06B9/82—Safety measures against dropping or unauthorised opening; Braking or immobilising devices; Devices for limiting unrolling automatic
  • E06B9/90—Safety measures against dropping or unauthorised opening; Braking or immobilising devices; Devices for limiting unrolling automatic for immobilising the closure member in various chosen positions
• • 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
  • E06B9/56—Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor
  • E06B9/78—Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor for direct manual operation, e.g. by tassels, by handles
  • E06B2009/785—Operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures; Spring drums; Tape drums; Counterweighting arrangements therefor for direct manual operation, e.g. by tassels, by handles by belts, straps, bands, tapes, cords, tassels

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an operating mechanism for a roller blind or Roman blind.
• the invention is intended for opening and closing a roller blind, a Roman blind, an awning with horizontal slats or the like.
• roller blind or Roman blind is rolled up or unrolled from a rotatable tube, which at its free ends is suspended on bearings between two attachment elements.
• the operating mechanism also contains a gear mechanism to transfer the rotation of the sprocket to the tube.
• gear mechanism is for example a planetary gear mechanism, such that big forces can be transferred between the sprocket and the tube without any problem.
• the operating mechanism also comprises a locking mechanism, for example a ratchet mechanism, to let the roller blind or Roman blind hang at the desired height.
• a locking mechanism for example a ratchet mechanism
• Said known operating mechanisms have the disadvantage of not being very visually attractive because the drive side and the idler side are not symmetrical.
• the drive side, where the sprocket and the gear mechanism are mounted take up much more space than the idler side.
• Another disadvantage is that the height of the roller blind or Roman blind is only adjustable in steps. More specifically, this is because the height of every step depends on the number of teeth of the sprocket and of the gear mechanism.
• the known operating mechanisms with planetary gear transmissions are complex, maintenance sensitive and not very durable. Indeed, often the gear transmissions are made of plastic, which are nonetheless subjected to very high forces during operation. Moreover, often said mechanisms are mounted behind a window such that they can get very hot. Consequently the components of the mechanism may expand and block the mechanism or cause the components to age faster and render the mechanism unusable.
• the purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution to the aforementioned and other disadvantages.
• the invention relates to an operating mechanism for a roller blind or Roman blind, comprising a tube on which the blind can be rolled up and unrolled, whereby a drive side of the tube is provided with a drive mechanism and an idler side of the tube is provided with a clamping mechanism, whereby the drive mechanism comprises a first torque transmitting carriage to be applied at least partly in an open end of the drive side of the tube and a drive wheel that is connected to the first carriage in a torque transmitting manner, whereby the drive wheel is provided with a cord or the like to be able to drive the drive wheel, whereby the drive mechanism is further provided with a first attachment element for attaching the operating mechanism on the level of a window or the like, whereby the clamping mechanism comprises a second torque transmitting carriage to be applied at least partly in an open end of the idler side of the tube, an idler wheel that is connected to the second carriage in a torque transmitting manner, whereby the clamping mechanism is further provided with a second attachment element for attaching the operating mechanism on the level of the
• a major advantage of an operating mechanism according to the invention is that a very robust and user-friendly mechanism is obtained with a minimum of components.
• the operating mechanism according to the invention is therefore less maintenance sensitive and less prone to failure.
• the height of the blind is continuously adjustable and not in steps.
• the operating mechanism according to the invention is many times quieter during operation than traditional operating mechanisms.
• the spring that pushes the respective contact surfaces and brake surfaces against each other acts as a locking mechanism to keep the blind at the desired height.
• Another advantage is that the operating force of the operating mechanism also depends on the spring constant of the mounted spring. Consequently, adjusting the operating force can be easily done by changing the spring.
• Yet another major advantage of an operating mechanism according to the invention is that a visually attractive roller blind or Roman blind is obtained because the drive side and the idler side can be symmetrically executed and that the blind remains perfectly symmetrical and in the middle of the window.
• the first attachment element is also provided with a first brake surface that makes contact with a corresponding first contact surface provided to this end on the drive wheel such that both the drive side and the idler side are braked.
• the first brake surface and first contact surface, on the one hand, and the second brake surface and second contact surface, on the other hand also act as axial bearing and ensure the rotation of the tube in the attachment elements.
• the first attachment element and the second attachment element are identical to each other, but are obviously mounted in a mirrored way.
• the drive side and the idler side are located at opposite axial ends of the tube.
• the operating mechanism 1 for a blind 2 shown in figure 1 comprises a tube 3, on which the blind 2 can be rolled up or unrolled, said tube 3 being rotatably suspended between a first attachment element 4 and a second attachment element 5.
• the blind 2 is omitted in figures 1 to 3 , but is added in figures 6 and 7 .
• attachment elements 4,5 in this example are executed identically, such that the complete operating mechanism 1 also looks symmetrical. Obviously the attachment elements 4,5 are mounted in a mirrored way.
• the disassembled condition shows that at a drive side 6, the tube 3 is provided with a drive mechanism 7 and at an idler side 8 is provided with a clamping mechanism 9.
• the drive wheel 12 is provided with a groove 13 in which a cord 14 is applied to be able to drive the drive wheel 12.
• the cord 14 and drive wheel 12 can act as a pulley in this way.
• the drive wheel 12, on the side facing the first attachment element 4, is provided with a first contact surface 15.
• the first attachment element 4, on the side facing the drive wheel 12, is in turn provided with a first brake surface 16.
• the first carriage 10 is provided with axial grooves 17 along the outer contour, which correspond with protrusions 18 provided to this end on an inner wall of the tube 3.
• the grooves 17 and protrusions 18 can cooperate with each other in mounted condition such that a rotation of the drive wheel 12 and the first carriage 10 also causes a rotation of the tube 3.
• protrusions 18 and corresponding grooves 17 could also be one or more corresponding cams and recesses or the like.
• Said clamping mechanism 9 comprises a second torque transmitting carriage 19 which, in mounted condition, is partly applied in an open end 11 of the idler side 8 of the tube 3.
• the second carriage 19 is also provided with axial grooves 17, which correspond with the protrusions 18 on the inner wall of the tube 3.
• the clamping mechanism 9 further comprises an idler wheel 20 which is connected to the second carriage 19 in a torque transmitting manner.
• Said idler wheel 20 is provided with a second contact surface 21, which faces the second attachment element 5.
• Said second attachment element 5 is in turn provided with a second brake surface 22 which faces the second contact surface 21 of the idler wheel 20.
• the clamping mechanism 9 comprises a spring 23 which, in mounted condition, is tensioned between the second carriage 19 and the idler wheel 20.
• the attachment elements 4,5 also comprise a cover 4A and 5A, which cover the threaded holes.
• first carriage 10 and the drive wheel 12 are mounted on a shared first shaft 24, such that a rotation of the drive wheel 12 also causes a rotation of the first shaft 24 and the first carriage 10.
• Said first shaft 24 is also provided with a flat washer 25 that connects up against the first carriage 10.
• the second carriage 19 and the idler wheel 20 are in turn mounted on a second shaft 27, such that a rotation of the tube 3 and thus also the second carriage 19 also causes a rotation of the idler wheel 20.
• the second shaft 27 is in turn bearing-mounted by means of a second bearing 28 in the second attachment element 4.
• said first shaft 24 and second shaft 27 are bolts, but can also be custom-made components.
• the spring 23 is applied around the second shaft 27.
• the axes of the spring 23, the bore 29 in the second carriage 19 and the second shaft 27 lie in each other's extension in this example.
• the spring 23 has a greater diameter than the second shaft 27, around which the spring 23 is applied, the spring 23 can shift over the second shaft 27 in the axial direction, but also the second shaft 27 can shift in the central bore 29 of the second carriage 19.
• reaction force of the pressure between idler wheel 20 and second attachment element 5 ensures that the tube 3 is pushed in the direction of the first attachment element 4, such that the drive wheel 12 is also axially pushed against the first attachment element 4.
• the first contact surface 15 is therefore also pushed against the first brake surface 16.
• the idler wheel 20 is executed in two parts, i.e. an inner part 30 and an outer part 31 which are connected to each other in a torque transmitting manner. This is shown in more detail in the cross-section as shown in figure 5 .
• the outer part 31 is provided with a central bore 32, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the spring 23, such that the spring 23, in mounted condition of the operating mechanism 1, is tensioned between the second carriage 19 and the inner part 30. Indeed, it is the inner part 30 that is provided with the second contact surface 21 and that therefore must be pushed against the second brake surface 22.
• said aforementioned cavity 33 of the outer part 31 and the corresponding outer contour of the inner part 30 are polygonal but alternatively can also be provided with one or more corresponding cams and recesses such that the inner part 30 and outer part 31 are connected to each other in a torque transmitting manner.
• the inner part 30, can also be moved axially such that the second contact surface 21 can be pushed against the second brake surface 22 under the influence of the spring 23.
• the axial movement of the inner part 30 is partly made possible thanks to the play between the inner part 30 and outer part 31, and also thanks to the play between a head 34 of the second shaft 27 and the second carriage 19.
• said play ensures that the tube 3 is easy to mount between the already mounted first attachment element 4 and second attachment element 5.
• the tube 3 can first be attached to the first attachment element 4, after which the idler wheel 20 can be pushed in against the spring force and subsequently the tube 3 can be mounted in the second attachment element 5.
• the spring 23 will push the second shaft 27 in the direction of the second attachment element 5 such that the second shaft 27 is coupled with the second attachment element 5.
• the drive of the operating mechanism 1 is easier to understand based on the cross-section as shown in figure 6 , whereby a blind 2 is applied on the tube 3.
• the blind 2 opens or rolls up when the operating force B in the figure is exerted to the left of the cord 14 and is greater than the tangential force A.
• the blind 2 closes or unrolls when the operating force B in the figure is exerted to the right of the cord 14 and is greater than the tangential force A.
• the first bearing 26 and second bearing 28 guarantee that the total weight C, which is the sum of the operating mechanism 1, the blind 2 and the operating force B, can be rotated when the operating force B is exerted to the left or right of the cord 14.
• Adjusting the required operating force B to operate the operating mechanism 1 can be varied by replacing the applied spring 23 by a spring 23 with a different spring constant or by changing the compression of the spring 23.
• the compression of the spring 23 can also be changed by applying shims in the bore 29 of the second carriage 19.
• the variant shown in figure 7 is identical to the operating mechanism 1 shown in figures 1 to 6 , but differs in the idler wheel 20 and the second shaft 27.
• figure 7 shows that the idler wheel 20 is made in one piece and there is thus no inner part 30 and outer part 31.
• the exploded view of the clamping mechanism 9 in figure 8 shows that the second shaft 27 is also different from the variant described above.
• the second shaft 27 is an oblong body with two different cross-sections.
• a first part 35 has a circular cross-section while a second part 36 has a polygonal cross-section.
• the second part 36 could also have a substantially circular cross-section with a local cam or the like.
• the spring 23 is applied around the first part 35 of the second shaft 27 with circular cross-section and is tensioned in the bore 29 of the second carriage 19, between the second carriage 19 and the second part 36 with polygonal cross-section of the second shaft 27.
• the first part 35 of the second shaft 27 runs completely through the second carriage 19 and at its end is provided with a circlip 37 which limits the axial movement of the second shaft 27 relative to the second carriage 19.
• the opposite end of the second shaft 27, at the free end of the second part 36, is fittingly enclosed during the assembly in a cavity 38 of the idler wheel, with similar contours as the cross-section of the second part 36, such that the second shaft 27 and the idler wheel 20 are connected to each other in a torque transmitting manner.
• the idler wheel 20 is bearing-mounted in the second attachment element 5. It is understood that in this case the idler wheel 20 is provided with the second contact surface 21 which under the influence of the spring 23 is pushed against the second brake surface 22.
• the operating mechanism 1 can also be applied to Roman blinds or pleated blinds.
• the blind 2 is provided with at least two ropes that are wound or unwound on the tube 3. Said ropes are located at a distance of sixty centimetres from each other for example.
• cord 14 or the like can be provided with an extra weight to keep the cord 14 taut or to influence the operating force B of the operating mechanism 1.
• the brake surfaces 16,22 are provided on the attachment elements 4,5 and the contact surfaces 15,21 on the drive wheel 12 and the idler wheel 20 respectively, it is also possible that the contact surfaces 15,21 are provided on the attachment elements 4,5 and the brake surfaces 16,22 on the drive wheel 12 and the idler wheel 20.
• both on the idler side 8 and the drive side 6, are provided with brake surfaces 16,22 and contact surfaces 15,21 it is possible that only the idler side 8 is provided with a brake surface 22 and contact surface 21 and that the drive side 6 is not.
• an axial bearing must be provided on the drive side 6 to accommodate the spring force of the spring 23.
• Such axial bearing is for example a thrust bearing.
• the groove 13 in the drive wheel 12 can be absent if a drive wheel with teeth or a sprocket is used, whereby in such case the cord 14 can be replaced by a chain or ball chain.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Braking Arrangements (AREA)
• Blinds (AREA)

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Citations (2)

• 2024
  • 2024-01-15 BE BE20245016A patent/BE1032330B1/nl active IP Right Grant
  • 2024-10-28 EP EP24209264.1A patent/EP4644659A1/de active Pending

Patent Citations (2)

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