U.S. patent application number 12/122966 was filed with the patent office on 2009-11-19 for window shade.
This patent application is currently assigned to SUZHOU HONGYI ORNAMENT MATERIAL CO.. Invention is credited to Chih-Yung Wang.
Application Number | 20090283222 12/122966 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41315014 |
Filed Date | 2009-11-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090283222 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Chih-Yung |
November 19, 2009 |
WINDOW SHADE
Abstract
A window shade includes an upper track, a lower track, a shade
assembly, a lift cord means and a bead chain means. The lift cord
means includes two boxes located in the upper track at two sides
thereof and a flattened cord winding on the periphery of a jutting
ring located in each box. By coupling a transmission axle with a
transmission means located at one side of the bead chain means a
concurrent transmission can be formed. Thereby the bead chain can
aid retraction of the shade assembly through the transmission means
to reduce transmission load of the bead chain means. The bead chain
means of a suitable loading capability can be selected according to
the weight of the shade assembly to reduce the load of the
transmission means to facilitate extension of the shade
assembly.
Inventors: |
Wang; Chih-Yung; (Pingtung
County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe, PLLC
P.O. BOX 1364
FAIRFAX
VA
22038-1364
US
|
Assignee: |
SUZHOU HONGYI ORNAMENT MATERIAL
CO.
|
Family ID: |
41315014 |
Appl. No.: |
12/122966 |
Filed: |
May 19, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
160/84.01 ;
160/354 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E06B 9/262 20130101;
E06B 2009/2627 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
160/84.01 ;
160/354 |
International
Class: |
A47H 5/00 20060101
A47H005/00; A47H 23/00 20060101 A47H023/00 |
Claims
1. A window shade, comprising: a hollow and elongate upper track
which has openings at two ends wedged respectively by an anchor
seat and a first latch hole, a second latch hole and a trough
formed at the bottom thereof; an elongate lower track which is
spaced from the upper track at a lower side and has a wedge trough
and openings at two ends thereof wedged respectively by an edge
sealing element corresponding to the wedge trough; a shade assembly
which is located between the upper track and the lower track and
has a beehive slat which has an upper end and a lower end formed
respectively a first wedge plate and a second wedge plate to wedge
respectively in the trough of the upper track and the wedge trough
of the lower track to connect to the upper track and the lower
track; a lift cord means which is located in the upper track and
run through by two sides of a transmission axle, and includes a box
and a lid coupling with each other, a jutting ring located in the
box and a flattened cord winding on the periphery of the jutting
ring that has a latch element at one end latching on the jutting
ring; the box having two corresponding elastic latch elements
extended from the bottom thereof to wedge in the first latch hole
and the second latch hole for anchoring and a threading slot
between the two elastic latch elements to be threaded through by
the flattened cord; and a bead chain means located on the opening
of another side of the upper track and includes a first box and a
second box that are coupled together and a transmission means
hinged in the first box and the second box; the transmission means
including at least a barrel, an elastic element held in an inner
lower half portion of the barrel that has two ends formed
respectively a first lug and a second lug corresponding to each
other, a coupling ring held in an inner upper half portion of the
barrel above the elastic element, a movable element which has one
end coupling with the first box, a hinge element held in the first
box, a bead chain driving the transmission means and a rotary
element located in the second box and wound by the bead chain.
2. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the slat is selectively a
beehive slat, a Venetian blind slat assembly or a pleated blind
slat assembly.
3. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the first wedge plate, the
second wedge plate and the shade assembly have respectively an
aperture corresponding to the first latch hole and the second latch
hole of the upper track.
4. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the box has a housing
chamber at one side, a first opening at the bottom end of the
housing chamber, a recess formed on the periphery and a latch
cavity at each of corners thereof.
5. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the lid has a latch flange
on the periphery, a second opening on one end and a tenon at each
of corners thereof.
6. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the jutting ring is located
in the box and has an inner round strut and an outer annular ring,
the inner round strut having a hinge hole in the center, the outer
annular ring having a latch slot formed on the periphery
thereof.
7. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the lift cord means has two
ends coupled respectively with an anchor element which has an axle
hole formed thereon to be fastened to the transmission axle to
prevent the lift cord means from moving to a left side and a right
side.
8. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the first box has a first
wedge flange and coupling holes on the periphery of one side, a
strut which has a housing trough and a coupling hole at a front end
thereof, and a second wedge flange on the periphery of another side
thereof.
9. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the second box has a
housing compartment at one side that has a strut and a flattened
strut and a coupling hub above the housing compartment.
10. The window shade of claim 9, wherein the housing compartment
has an inclined guiding trough.
11. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the movable element has a
round stem at one end that has a first axle hole and an arched
strut extended from a distal end thereof, the arched strut having
two ends formed respectively a plane.
12. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the hinge element has an
annular flange and an arched strut at one side, the arched strut
having a second axle hole on another side.
13. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the rotary element has a
plurality of notches on the periphery, a stub shaft extended from
one side and a cavity formed on another side thereof.
14. The window shade of claim 1, wherein the bead chain means has a
gear set pivotally coupled on one side of the transmission means
located at one side of the first box and the second box.
15. The window shade of claim 14, wherein the gear set has a first
gear and a plurality of second gears that are engaged with each
other, the second gears being engaged with teeth formed on a
coupling member at one side of the first box to form concurrent
transmission.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a window shade and
particularly to a window shade movable through concurrent
transmission of a lift cord means and a bead chain means to
facilitate retraction or extension of a shade assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There are many different types of window shades on the
market such as Venetian blinds, pleated window shades, roman shades
and the like. They mainly aim to be installed at doors and windows
of houses to block sunshine and serve decorative purpose. According
to different user's requirements, the general window shades can be
divided into one type which has a shade structure driven by a lift
cord to control retraction and extension, and another type which
has a longer window shade. When the longer window shade is
retracted, the resulting size is larger, especially if the lift
cord is a round one. The round lift cord tends to slip left and
right after retraction. Moreover, moving stability of the lift cord
for the longer window shade is not desirable. The longer the window
shade, the greater imbalance occurs to the window shade. It becomes
more difficult to control the movement of the longer window shade
through the lift cord. Transmission load of the transmission means
is greater. As a result, the lift cord and transmission means are
prone to damage after a period of time. The lift span of the longer
window shade suffers. Moreover, the transmission means of the
longer window shade wears off easily, and has to be replaced
frequently. Retraction or extension of the longer window shade also
is more difficult. There are still rooms for improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention aims to provide a window shade to
resolve the aforesaid problems of the conventional longer window
shade that is more difficult to retract and causes too heavy of
transmission load on the transmission means by providing a novel
transmission means which incorporates a lift cord means and a bead
chain means to generate concurrent transmission to facilitate
retraction and extension of the window shade.
[0004] To achieve the foregoing object, the window shade of the
invention mainly includes an upper track, a lower track, a shade
assembly, a lift cord means and a bead chain means. The shade
assembly is located between the upper track and the lower track
that are spaced from each other. The lift cord means has two boxes
located at two sides of the upper track and a flattened cord
winding on the periphery of a jutting ring held in each box. By
coupling a transmission axle with a transmission means located at
one side of the bead chain means, the lift cord means and the bead
chain means can be transmitted concurrently.
[0005] The window shade thus constructed can achieve the following
benefits: 1. during retraction of the window shade, the bead chain
of the bead chain means drives the transmission means, so that the
lift cord means and the bead chain means transmit concurrently.
With the aid of the bead chain means, the lift cord means can
extend or retract the shade assembly easier, and transmission load
of the bead chain means can be reduced; 2. when the retracted
longer window shade is to be lowered and extended, the weight of
the shade assembly which is much greater than the bead chain means
can reduce the transmission load of the transmission means. Hence
the power needed to extend the longer window chain can be
reduced.
[0006] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the lift cord means of the
invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the bead chain means of the
invention.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a side view of the bead chain means in a
transmission condition.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the shade assembly and
lift cord means of the invention in an extended condition the
flattened cord stretched.
[0013] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the bead
chain means of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the bead chain means in a
use condition according to FIG. 7.
[0015] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of yet another embodiment of the
bead chain means of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of the bead chain means in
a transmission condition according to FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, a window shade according to
the invention mainly includes an upper track 10, a lower track 20,
a shade assembly 30, a lift cord means 40 and a bead chain means
50.
[0018] The upper track 10 is hollow and elongate, and has openings
11 and 12 at two ends to be wedged in respectively by an anchor
seat 13, and has a first latch hole 14 and a second latch hole 15
and a trough 16 at the bottom thereof.
[0019] The lower track 20 is elongate and spaced from the upper
track 10 at a lower side, and has a wedge trough 21 and openings 22
and 23 at two ends to be wedged in by edge sealing elements 24
corresponding to the wedge trough 21.
[0020] The shade assembly 30 is located between the upper track 10
and the lower track 20, and includes a slat 31 which may be a
beehive slat, a Venetian blind slat assembly or pleated blind slat
assembly. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the slat 31 is a
beehive slat with an upper end and a lower end forming respectively
a first wedge plate 32 and a second wedge plate 33 to be wedged
respectively in a trough 16 of the upper track 10 and the wedge
trough 21 of the lower track 20, and to be coupled with the upper
track 10 and the lower track 20. The first and second wedge plates
32 and 33 and slat assembly 30 have respectively apertures 321, 331
and 311 corresponding to the first and second latch holes 14 and 15
of the upper track 10.
[0021] Also referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, the lift cord means 40 is
located in the upper track 10 and run through by two sides of a
transmission axle 45, and has two elastic latch elements 414 at the
bottom to be wedged in the first and second latch holes 14 and 15
for anchoring. It mainly includes a box 41 and a lid 42 coupling
with each other, a jutting ring 43 located in the box 41, and a
flattened cord 44 winding on the periphery of the jutting ring 43.
The flattened cord 44 has a latch element 441 at one end to be
anchored on the jutting ring 43.
[0022] The box 41 has a housing chamber 410 at one side, a first
opening 411 at a bottom end and a recess 412 on the periphery, and
latch cavities 413 formed at the corners thereof, and with two
corresponding elastic latch members 414 extended from the bottom
thereof to be wedged in the first and second latch holes 14 and 15
of the upper track 10. There is a threading slot 415 formed between
the two elastic latch elements 414. The lid 42 is formed in a shape
mating the box 41 to cover the housing chamber 410, and has a latch
flange 421 wedging in the recess 412, and tenons 422 wedging in the
corresponding latch cavities 413. It also has a second opening 423
at one end corresponding to the first opening 411. The jutting ring
43 is held in the housing chamber 410 of the box 41, and has an
inner round strut 431 and an outer annular ring 432. The inner
round strut 431 has a hinge hole 4311 in the center corresponding
to the first opening 411 on the box 41 and the second opening 423
on the lid 42. The outer annular ring 432 has a latch slot 4321 on
the periphery to be wedged in by the latch element 441 at one end
of the flattened cord 44 for anchoring so that the other end of the
flattened cord 44 can be wound on the outer peripheral surface of
the outer annular ring 432. Finally, the other end of the flattened
cord is threaded through the apertures 321, 311 and 331 of the
first wedge plate 32, slat 31 and second wedge plate 33, and
fastened to the bottom of the second wedge plate 33.
[0023] Also referring to FIG. 1, there are anchor elements 46 with
an axle hole 461 formed thereon disposed at two ends of the lift
cord means 40 and run through by the transmission axle 45. The axle
hole 461 has a screw hole 462 to be fastened by a fastening element
463 such as a screw to anchor the lift cord means 40 at two sides
and prevent the lift cord means 40 from moving to the left and
right on the transmission axle 45.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the bead chain means 50 is
wedged in the opening 12 of the upper track 10, and includes a
first box 51, a second box 52 and a transmission means 53 hinged in
the first box 51 and the second box 52.
[0025] The first box 51 has a first wedge flange 511 and apertures
512 on the periphery. The first wedge flange 511 is wedged in the
opening 12 of the upper track 10, and has a strut 514 with a
housing trough 513 and a coupling hole 5131 formed at the front end
thereof, and a second wedge flange 515 on another side with a wedge
trough 516 formed on the periphery thereof.
[0026] The second box 52 is formed in a shape mating the first box
51, and has a housing compartment 521 with an opening at a lower
side to cover the first box 51. The housing compartment 521 has a
strut 522 and a flattened strut 523 corresponding to and latching
on the aperture 512 and second wedge flange 515. The housing
compartment 521 further has a coupling hub 524 corresponding to the
housing trough 513.
[0027] The transmission means 53 includes at least:
[0028] a hollow barrel 531 made of metal to be coupled with the
inner rim of the housing trough 513 of the strut 514;
[0029] an elastic element 54 which is coupled on an inner lower
side of the barrel 531, and has two ends forming a first lug 541
and a second lug 542;
[0030] a hollow coupling ring 55 coupling on an inner upper portion
of the barrel 531 above the elastic element 54;
[0031] a movable element 56 which has a round stem 561 coupling
with the coupling hole 5131 of the first box 51. The round stem 561
has a first axle hole 562 at one end to be wedged by the other end
of the transmission axle 45, and an arched strut 563 at a distal
end that has two planes 564 to latch the first and second lugs 541
and 542 of the elastic element 54 to form rotary coupling;
[0032] a hinge element 57 which has a flange 571 and an arched
strut 572 at one side. The flange 571 is coupled with the housing
trough 513 of the first box 51, and the arched strut 572 is
inserted in the coupling ring 55 corresponding to the arched strut
563. The arched strut 572 has a second axle hole 573 formed on
another side;
[0033] a bead chain 58 formed by stringing a plurality of beads 581
in an equal interval; and
[0034] a rotary element 59 which has a plurality of notches 591
formed on the periphery to hold the beads 581, and is held in the
housing compartment 521 of the second box 52, and has a stub shaft
592 to be coupled with the second axle hole 573 of the arched strut
572, and a cavity 593 at another side opposing the second axle hole
573 to be coupled with the coupling hub 524 of the second box
52.
[0035] When in use and the shade assembly 30 is to be extended,
pull manually the bead chain 58 of the bead chain means 50, the
beads 581 drive the rotary element 59 to turn counterclockwise, and
the transmission axle 45 turns concurrently to drive the flattened
cord 44 at two sides of the lift cord means 40 to stretch;
meanwhile, the slat 31 of the shade assembly 30 also is extended
(referring to FIG. 6). By contrast, pull manually the bead chain
means 50 to turn. clockwise, the beads 581 drives the rotary
element 59 to turn clockwise, and the transmission axle 45 is
turned concurrently to drive the flattened cord 44 in a retracting
condition, and the slat 31 is retracted.
[0036] Refer to FIGS. 7 and 8 for another embodiment of the
invention. In this embodiment, the housing compartment 521a of the
second box 52a has an inclined guiding trough 520a covered by the
first box 51a which has an inclined wedge element 510a. Therefore,
the beads 581 of the bead chain 58 can slide along the guiding
trough 520a to the front end of the bead chain means 50a to
facilitate moving operation of the bead chain 58.
[0037] When the invention is in use for a lengthy and heavier
window shade, referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a bead chain means 60 of
a suitable loading capability to mate the weight of the lengthy
window shade is selected, and a gear set 64 is provided and hinged
on one side of the transmission means 63 at one side of the first
and second boxes 61 and 62. The gear set 64 has a first gear 641
and a plurality of second gears 642 engaged on the periphery
thereof. The second gears 642 are engaged with teeth 651 formed on
a coupling member 65 at one side of the first box 61. Thus a
concurrent transmission can be formed. As a result, two lift cord
means (not shown in the drawings) can perform retraction with the
aid of the bead chain means 60 to effectively reduce the
transmission load of the transmission means 63. To extend the
retracted shade assembly (not shown in the drawings) of a lengthy
window shade downwards, the transmission load of the transmission
axle (not shown in the drawings) also can be reduced through the
aid of the bead chain means 60 of the suitable loading capability
set forth above.
* * * * *