U.S. patent application number 13/848898 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-25 for pleated curtain glider unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to UNI-SOLEIL ENT. CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is JOE DEWAYNE WICKER, UNI-SOLEIL ENT. CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to YU-TING KAO, JOE DEWAYNE WICKER.
Application Number | 20140284005 13/848898 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51568255 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140284005 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KAO; YU-TING ; et
al. |
September 25, 2014 |
PLEATED CURTAIN GLIDER UNIT
Abstract
A glider unit for pleated curtain comprises a sliding carriage
and a fastener. The sliding carriage has a female snap-fit portion
provided at its bottom for engaging with the fastener. The fastener
has a combining section for fixing with a curtain fabric. The outer
edge of the female snap-fit portion is formed as an arc segment,
whereby the curtain fabric can be compliant with the arc segment so
as to form regularly pleated pattern and smooth fabric surface
during the closing of the curtain. Two pulleys pivotally coupled by
a shaft are respectively mounted at both sides of each sliding
carriage for moving on a curtain track. A plurality of balls are
disposed between each pulley and the shaft so as to facilitate the
rolling of each pulley without much application of force, so that
opening and closing of the curtain can be accomplished in less
laborious effort required.
Inventors: |
KAO; YU-TING; (TAINAN CITY,
TW) ; WICKER; JOE DEWAYNE; (MEMPHIS, TN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
UNI-SOLEIL ENT. CO., LTD.
JOE DEWAYNE WICKER |
Tainan-City
Memphis |
TN |
TW
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
UNI-SOLEIL ENT. CO., LTD.
Tainan City
TN
WICKER; JOE DEWAYNE
Memphis
|
Family ID: |
51568255 |
Appl. No.: |
13/848898 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
160/84.06 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47H 15/04 20130101;
A47H 13/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
160/84.06 |
International
Class: |
A47H 15/04 20060101
A47H015/04 |
Claims
1. A glider unit for pleated curtain, comprising: a sliding
carriage having two pulleys provided at both sides thereof
respectively, said two pulleys being pivotally coupled with each
other by a shaft; a plurality of balls being disposed between each
said pulley and said shaft; a female snap-fit portion being
provided at the bottom of said sliding carriage and an arc segment
being formed on the outer peripheral edge of said female snap-fit
portion; a groove being provided in said female snap-fit portion,
said groove having an opening with wider dimension at outside and
smaller dimension at inside being provided at its bottom, a
circular bore in conjunction with said opening being also provided;
two stop portions being respectively provided at both sides of said
opening; a fastener having a male snap-fit portion for engaging
with said female snap-fit portion of said sliding carriage, said
male snap-fit portion having a head portion for fitting into said
groove and a neck portion with a smaller diameter right below said
head portion for fitting into said circular bore after passing
through said opening; and a combining element for fixing with a
curtain fabric being provided at one end of said male snap-fit
portion.
2. The glider unit for pleated curtain as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said combining element is a buckle ring for engaging with a
corresponding buckle plug of said curtain fabric.
3. The glider unit for pleated curtain as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said combining element is a C-shape socket for engaging
with a corresponding buckle plug of said curtain fabric.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Fields of the invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a glider unit for pleated
curtain, more particularly to a novel glider unit for pleated
curtain that has the effect of regularity in pleating, smoothness
of fabric surface in pleating, and less laborious effort in the
opening and closing of the curtain.
[0003] 2. Descriptions of Related Art
[0004] Generally, accompanying with rapid progress on technology
and science as well as improvement in living standard of people,
requirement on living environment quality is also gradually raised.
In terms of accommodation, doors and windows are important items of
housing equipment which not only relates to day lighting and
ventilation needs but also provides windproof and waterproof
functions. Hence, escalation on living environment quality
attributes to the good design of doors and windows, whereas
curtains are used to cover the doors and windows, and also to
provide the functions of aesthetic, light-blocking and
light-obscuring. As the tone, style and pattern of the curtain has
direct impact on overall effect of the entire home, curtains are
naturally the focus in refurbishment facelift. If curtains with
different colors or floral pattern are altered in the house, they
will tend to enrich the total appearance of the dwelling place and
to create the atmosphere of happiness in the house. Conventionally,
curtains are hung on a curtain track. A plurality of glider units
are slidably disposed at the bottom face of the curtain track so as
to hold a curtain fabric thereon. As shown in the FIGS. 6 to 7, in
a glider unit, a sliding carriage (5), among a group of sliding
carriages provided at equal interval on a cord body, has pulleys
(51) pivotally provided at both sides thereof, the pulleys (51)
being mounted on inner sides of the curtain track (9) to slide
thereon. A combining section (6) is provided at the bottom end of
each sliding carriage (5) for coupling with a curtain fabric (7).
In assembling, a cord body (8) is used to connect a plurality of
sliding carriages (5) in series as a whole, and the top edge of the
curtain fabric (7) is fixed on the combining section (6) provided
at the bottom of the sliding carriages (5). In this way, when the
cord body (8) is pulled by a user, each sliding carriage (5)
linking together moves with its pulleys (51) rolling forward on the
curtain track so as to bring the curtain fabric (7) into opening or
closing state.
[0005] However, as the outer edge of each sliding carriage (5) is a
right angle portion (52), the curtain fabric (7) will abut against
the right angle portion (52) of each sliding carriage (5) when the
curtain fabric (7) is opened to form pleats in practical
implementation. Thus, failing to have a smooth pleated arc formed
thereon, the curtain fabric (7) is formed with a protruding portion
(71) instead.
[0006] Furthermore, as each sliding carriage (5) and its two
pulleys (51) are pivotally coupled together only by a shaft (53)
and thus a surface contact is formed between the pulleys (51) and
the shaft (53), the frictional resistance between each pulley (51)
and the shaft (53) becomes too large in usage. A user has to apply
bigger force to offset the frictional resistance when pulling the
cord body (8), so as to open or close the curtain fabric (7).
Therefore, this will cause too much laborious to conduct the
operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The main object of the present invention is to provide a
glider unit for pleated curtain that can improve the defects of
conventional curtain fabric containing: pleating irregularity of
curtain fabric which may cause larger volume; and more laborious
effort consumed in operating the curtain fabric to open or
close.
[0008] The object and the effect of the glider unit for pleated
curtain of the present invention can be achieved by the following
skill.
[0009] A glider unit for pleated curtain, comprising a sliding
carriage and a fastener. The sliding carriage has a female snap-fit
portion provided at its bottom for engaging with the fastener. The
fastener has a combining section for coupling with a curtain
fabric. The outer edge of the female snap-fit portion is formed as
an arc segment, whereby the curtain fabric can be compliant with
the arc segment so as to form regular pleated pattern and smooth
fabric surface in the closing of the curtain. Two pulleys pivotally
coupled by a shaft are respectively mounted at both sides of the
sliding carriage for moving on a curtain track. A plurality of
balls are disposed between each pulley and the shaft.
[0010] According to the glider unit for pleated curtain, wherein
the combining element is a buckle ring for engaging with a
corresponding buckle plug.
[0011] According to the glider unit for pleated curtain, wherein
the combining section is a C-shape socket for engaging with a
corresponding buckle plug.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective exploded view of the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective assembly view of the
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a sectional assembled view of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the pleating state of the
present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the
present invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the pleating state of a
prior art.
[0018] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] The technical contents, objects and effects of the present
invention will become more apparent by the detailed description of
preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with
accompanying drawings.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view showing the glider
unit for pleated curtain of the present invention. As shown in the
figure, the glider unit (1) comprises a sliding carriage (2) and a
fastener (3).
[0021] The sliding carriage (2) has two pulleys (22) provided at
its both sides respectively, the two pulleys (22) being pivotally
coupled with each other by a shaft (21). There is an annular groove
(221) provided in the interior of each pulley (22) and a plurality
of balls (222) are disposed in the annular groove (221). The balls
(222) are disposed to be in rolling contact with the
circumferential surface of the shaft (21) so that the frictional
resistance between each pulley (22) and the shaft (21) is reduced.
When each sliding carriage (2) is put in the inside of a curtain
track (B) as shown in FIG. 3, the sliding carriage (2) can roll
smoothly within the curtain track (B). A female snap-fit portion
(23) is provided at the bottom of each sliding carriage (2) and a
groove (231) is provided in the female snap-fit portion (23). The
groove (231) has an opening (232), with wider dimension at outside
and smaller dimension at inside, provided at its bottom; and a
circular bore (233) in conjunction with the opening (232) is also
provided. Two stop portions (234) are respectively provided at both
sides of the opening (232). Moreover, the outside edge of the
female snap-fit portion (23) is designed to be a circular curve
segment.
[0022] The fastener (3) has a male snap-fit portion (31) for
engaging with the corresponding female snap-fit portion (23) of the
sliding carriage (2).
[0023] The male snap-fit portion (31) has a head portion (311) for
fitting into the groove (231) and a neck portion (312) with smaller
diameter for fitting into the circular bore (233) after passing
through the opening (232). Further, a combining element (32) for
coupling with a curtain fabric (A) is provided at one end of the
male snap-fit portion (31).
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, in the implementation of
assembling, a cord body (C) is used to connect a plurality of
sliding carriages (2) in series as a whole, and the sliding
carriages (2) are put into a curtain track (B) fixed on the wall so
that the pulleys (22) of each sliding carriage (2) can roll on the
inside of the curtain track (B). On the other hand, a plurality of
buckle plugs (A1) are fixed on the top end of the curtain fabric
(A) at equal interval. Each buckle plug (A1) is fitted into a
corresponding combining element (32) of the male snap-fit portion
(31). Then, the fastener (3) can be combined with a corresponding
sliding carriage (2) by fitting the head portion (311) and the neck
portion (312) of the male snap-fit portion (31) respectively into
the groove (231) and the circular bore (233). The head portion
(311) can be reliably fixed in the groove (231) further by the
pulling downward from the weight of the curtain fabric (A) itself
and by the limit effect of the stop portion (234). In this manner,
the curtain fabric (A) can be hung on the glider unit (1), and
pleat arch can be smoothly formed between two glider units (1)
during closing of the curtain fabric (A) so as to achieve aesthetic
decoration effect.
[0025] One aspect of the combining element (32) can be formed as a
buckle ring as shown in FIG. 1. After the combining element (32)
formed as a buckle ring is press-fitted into a corresponding buckle
plug (A1), each fastener (3) can be combined with the curtain
fabric (A).
[0026] Alternatively, the combining element (32) can be formed as a
C-shape socket for engaging with a corresponding buckle plug (A1),
whereby the fastener (3) can be combined with the curtain fabric
(A).
[0027] Referring to FIG. 4, when the curtain fabric (A) passes over
an arc segment (235) formed on the outer edge of the female
snap-fit portion (23), the curtain fabric (A) can be compliant with
the curvature of the arc segment (235) so as to form smooth and
regular pleating. In this manner, a regular and smooth pleating
effect can be achieved during the closing of the curtain fabric
(A).
[0028] Furthermore, as a number of balls (222) are disposed between
each pulley (22) and the shaft (21) of each sliding carriage (2),
the frictional resistance between each pulley (22) and the shaft
(21) can be significantly reduced by the point contact of the balls
(222) with the peripheral surface of the shaft (21). The opening
and closing operation of the curtain fabric (A) can be conducted in
less laborious and easier way during the pulling on the cord body
(C) by a user.
[0029] It is apparent from the above structure and implementation,
the present invention has the following advantages, when comparing
with conventional structure.
[0030] 1. By the fitting between the neck portion and the circular
bore and further by the pulling downward from the weight of the
curtain fabric itself and by the limit effect of the stop portion,
the head portion of the male snap-fit portion can be reliably fixed
in the groove.
[0031] 2. When the curtain fabric passes over the arc segment
formed on the outer edge of the female snap-fit portion, the
curtain fabric can be compliant with the curvature of the arc
segment so as to form smooth pleating. In this manner, a regular
and smooth pleating effect can be achieved during closing of the
curtain fabric.
[0032] 3. As a number of balls are disposed between each pulley and
the shaft of each sliding carriage, the frictional resistance
between each pulley and the shaft can be significantly reduced.
Therefore, the opening and closing operation of the curtain fabric
can be conducted in less laborious and easier way during the
pulling of cord body by a user.
[0033] The abovementioned description of embodiment of the present
invention is only for illustrative purpose, not for limitation.
Variations and modifications made without departing from the spirit
and the scope of the present invention are still considered to be
within the scope of the present invention.
[0034] Summing up above, the above embodiments of this invention
can achieve expected effects, and the specific structure disclosed
herein has been unprecedented in the same category of product, even
has not been opened to the public before application.
* * * * *