U.S. patent number 3,916,973 [Application Number 05/342,332] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-04 for venetian blind.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Firma Justin Huppe. Invention is credited to Mario Ammazzalorso, Heiko Coldewey, Wilfried Horst, Emil Schuppler.
United States Patent |
3,916,973 |
Schuppler , et al. |
November 4, 1975 |
Venetian blind
Abstract
A venetian blind is provided with the usual plurality of spaced
slats. Each slat has opposite outer edge portions which are turned
under to provide respective reentrant flanges having free edge
portions. Pairs of supporting cords for supporting and adjusting
the inclination of these slats are disposed on opposite sides of
the slats. Separate securing devices are provided for attaching the
slats to the supporting cords with the securing devices being
receivable between the slats and the reentrant flanges and having
locking parts adapted to engage the respective free edges and outer
securing edges of the slats to hold the securing devices in
position on the slats.
Inventors: |
Schuppler; Emil (Oldenburg,
DT), Ammazzalorso; Mario (Wardenburg, DT),
Coldewey; Heiko (Jeddeloh II, DT), Horst;
Wilfried (Oldenburg, DT) |
Assignee: |
Firma Justin Huppe (Oldenburg,
DT)
|
Family
ID: |
23341372 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/342,332 |
Filed: |
March 19, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
160/178.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E06B
9/384 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E06B
9/38 (20060101); E06B 9/384 (20060101); E06B
009/38 () |
Field of
Search: |
;160/178 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
186,404 |
|
Aug 1956 |
|
OE |
|
104,703 |
|
Jun 1966 |
|
DK |
|
Primary Examiner: Bell; J Karl
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Olson, Trexler, Wolters, Bushnell
& Fosse, Ltd.
Claims
We claim:
1. A venetian blind comprising a plurality of slats, each having on
each outer edge a turned under reentrant flange having a free edge;
pairs of supporting cords for supporting and adjusting the
inclination of the slats, the cords of each pair being disposed on
opposite sides of the slats; and separate securing devices for
attaching the slats to the supporting cords, there being one
securing area at said outer edge for each securing device, the
securing devices being receivable between the slats and the flanges
and having locking parts adapted to engage both the outer edge
securing areas and the free edge of a respective slat to hold the
securing devices in position on the slats.
2. A venetian blind according to claim 1 in which each securing
device is in the form of a substantially U-shaped bracket of which
the base is adapted to be attached to the associated supporting
cord, and each of the legs is formed with a locking part.
3. A venetian blind according to claim 2 in which each locking part
is in the form of a barb adapted to lock behind the free edge of
the flange.
4. A venetian blind according to claim 3 in which each leg has a
head part of enlarged cross section, the base connecting the head
parts of the two legs and being of smaller cross section.
5. A venetian blind according to claim 2 in which each of the
supporting cords is formed with a projecting loop for each slat,
the loop being receivable around the base of a securing device
prior to location of that securing device in a slat.
6. A venetian blind according to claim 2 in which each supporting
cord is formed with an opening therein for each slat, and each
securing device includes a pin receivable in one such opening.
7. A venetian blind according to claim 6 in which the bracket has a
forked head adapted to enclose the supporting cord on three sides
and to receive securely the pin.
8. A venetian blind according to claim 7 in which the forked head
is inclined at about 90.degree. to the plane of the U-shaped
bracket.
9. A venetian blind according to claim 6 in which rings are
inserted to the openings of the cords.
10. A venetian blind according to claim 1 in which each supporting
cord at intervals along its length is formed with preset bending
points.
Description
This invention relates to venetian blinds of the type in which the
slats have on their edges turned under flanges and the supporting
cords, which support and angularly adjust the slats, are connected
to the slats by separate securing devices.
For attachment of the slats by means of the securing devices each
supporting cord may have, for example, projecting loops of a strand
braided into the cord; those loops are produced at the correct
distances apart, i.e. in accordance with the pitch of the slats,
when the cord is manufactured. The securing devices hitherto used
for connecting the loops of the supporting cords with the slats
have been mushroom-shaped plastic knobs which are pushed from below
into holes in the slats and which, by their heads, hold the loops
in position.
Other securing devices have been proposed, in the form of plastic
plates which bridge the slats transversally on the underside.
Tongues extending inwards are punched out of these plastic plates
near the ends of the latter, one of the loops of the supporting
cords being held in each of the tongues.
The known plastic knobs suffer from the disadvantage that they are
comparatively loose in the slats, the constant action of the wind
on the blind causing the knobs to become worn and eventually to
come away from the slats; a further drawback resides in the fact
that these knobs are situated a considerable distance away from the
edge of the slat, so that the loops of the supporting cords must be
made correspondingly long. The result is that the slat cannot be
kept sufficiently taut.
The plastic bridging securing devices also suffer from the
disadvantage that the slats are guided with little accuracy, as
their tongue holding devices are at a considerable distance from
the edges of the slats. In addition, the tongue-shaped holding
devices open towards the inside and result in a serious risk that
under the effect of wind the loops may become unhooked, the entire
structure of the blind thus becoming endangered. Furthermore, these
bridging elements necessarily have a shape involving excessive
expense and labour if they are to embrace the flanged edges of the
slats as required.
An object of the invention is to provide a securing device for
blinds of the aforementioned type, which will be of simple
construction and at the same time enable the slats to be reliably
guided by the supporting cords of the blind and to be kept taut,
without involving wear.
According to the present invention, a venetian blind comprises a
plurality of slats, each having on each edge a turned under flange;
pairs of supporting cords for supporting and adjusting the
inclination of the slats, the cords of each pair being disposed on
opposite sides of the slats; and separate securing devices for
attaching the slats to the supporting cords, the securing devices
being receivable between the slats and the flanges and having
locking parts adapted to engage the slats and hold the securing
devices in position on the slats.
The blind according to the invention has the advantage that, on the
one hand, the securing devices are firmly connected to the slats,
without clearances, so that they cannot rub against each other and
cause wear as a result of movements due to wind, etc., while on the
other hand the connections between the supporting cords and the
securing devices are provided adjacent the edges of the slats; the
force and the guiding action of the supporting cords are thus
transmitted to the slats in an extremely favourable manner.
Each securing device may be located in an opening in the edge of
the associated slat, the locking part locking against the free edge
of the flange.
Where the supporting cords are connected by separate securing
devices with the respective slat, each securing device may take the
form of a substantially U-shaped bracket of which the base is
adapted to be attached to the associated supporting cord and each
of the legs is formed with a locking part, which may be a barb
adapted to lock behind the free edge of the flange.
Alternatively, each securing device may attach both the supporting
cords of a pair to a slat, the securing device transversally
bridging the slat, and being received between the slats and the
respective flanges of the slat.
Each supporting cord may be provided with an auxiliary thread woven
in zigzag or turned in and then looped out to form loops for
attachment to the slats, and the lay of the auxiliary thread can be
increased at certain points along the cord, in order to form a
pre-set bending point.
In a further alternative, the cords may be attached to the securing
devices by pins each of which extends through one perforation in a
supporting cord. In this case the U-shaped bracket may have a
fork-shaped head which passes round at least three sides of the
relevant supporting cord and to which the pin is affixed.
The invention will be more readily understood by way of example
from the following description of venetian blinds in accordance
therewith, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 shows in perspective a part of a slat of a venetian blind,
and the use of individual U-shaped securing brackets,
FIG. 2 is a section, on a larger scale and parallel to the
supporting cord, through the slat shown in FIG. 1, showing details
of the manner in which the securing bracket is secured underneath a
flange of the slat,
FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c are respectively a plan, a side view, and a
front view of the securing bracket used in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2,
FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows a different type of securing
device,
FIG. 5 is a side view of the securing device of FIG. 4, the blind
being in an obturating position,
FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively a plan view and a side view of the
securing device of FIGS. 4 and 5,
FIG. 8 is a part front view of a blind similar to that of FIG. 1,
but having supporting cords which are provided with pre-set bending
points,
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but with the slats held
together,
FIG. 10 is an enlarged section of the blind of FIG. 8, with one
single connecting point between the slat and the supporting
cord,
FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a further form of venetian blind, in
which the supporting cords have openings woven in them, and
FIG. 12 is a plan view of the connection of FIG. 11.
FIG. 1 shows a single slat 3 attached to two supporting cords,
through each of which passes a strand which at regular intervals
(the pitch corresponding to the distance between the respective
slats in the blind) is enlarged to form flexible loop-shaped
attachments 2 extending out of the cord 1. The slats 3 consist, for
example, of plastic or aluminium strips, and are provided on each
of their longitudinal edges with a turned under flange 4 which is
open on the inside of the slat 3, a continuous slot 5 being formed
between the flange and the slat proper.
In addition to a central opening 7 for a pull cord not shown in the
drawing, the slat 3 in FIGS. 1 and 2 has, on each flanged edge 4, a
slot-shaped perforation 6 into which is inserted a securing device
10 which will be described in detail farther on and by which the
slat 3 is connected with the adjacent cord 1. The two perforations
6 are aligned with the opening 7 in the lengthwise direction of the
slat.
The securing device consists of a securing bracket 10 which is
shown on larger scale in FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c and which, as viewed
from above, as in FIG. 3a, presents a U-shaped outline. The
securing bracket 10 is preferably made of a resilient plastics
material and has two parallel legs, each with a barb 11 on one
side. Each leg has a head 12, of greater cross section than the
remainder of the leg and the barbs 11 have surfaces which, when
mounted on the slat 3, rest against the flanges 4 and are adapted
to their contours. The base of the U-shaped device 10 is
constituted by an integral pin 13 bridging the heads 12.
In the assembly of the slat-type blind as shown in FIG. 2 each
securing device is inserted in a loop-shaped attachment 2 in such a
way that these two elements engage each other like the links of a
chain. The two barbs 11 which constitute locking parts are then
inserted from the outside through the perforation 6 and through the
slot 5 of the flange 4, until the two barbs 11 engage the rear edge
of the flange 4 at slot 5. The securing bracket 10 is thus locked
to the slat 3 so that it cannot become detached, and the slat 3 is
affixed to the cord 1. The distance between the rear edge of the
barb 11 and the front edge of the head part 12 is preferably
somewhat smaller than the width of the flange 4 on the slat 3, so
that this latter edge is clamped with a spring action and the
securing bracket 10 is held by the slat 3 with a certain
prestressing.
In FIG. 3c the securing bracket 10 is seen from the front. By
virtue of the reduced width of the pin 13 grooves are formed above
and below pin 13, those grooves being preferably formed in the
injection-moulded securing bracket 10 at the time when it is
produced. The side walls of these guide grooves provide a lateral
interference fit with the loop-shaped attachment 2 of the cord 1,
which surrounds the pin 13 of the securing bracket 10 relatively
tightly, when the blind is assembled, so that the cord 1 can at all
times reliably retain its preselected position in relation to the
relevant slat 3.
The arrangement of FIG. 4 differs from that shown in FIG. 1 in that
in this case each pair of cords 1 requires only a single securing
device in the form of a securing strip 20, which is provided at
each of its two ends with a hoop 21 to accommodate a loop-shaped
attachment 2. In FIGS. 6 and 7 this securing strip 20 is shown
separately and on a larger scale. The securing strip 20 is
preferably made from plastics or aluminium and is concave to match
the cross sectional shape of the slat 3. The hoops 21 form part of
a tongue 22 which protrudes in the manner of a bracket in the
direction of the concave side of the securing strip 20 and is
separated by two slots 23 from two lateral edge strips which have
the normal profile of the securing strip 20. The hoops 21 are thus
open to the convex side of the strip.
The securing strip 20 is also provided with a central lateral
extension 24 having a rectangular opening 25, through which the
pull cord, not shown in the drawing, will eventually pass when the
blind is assembled. As may be seen particularly in FIG. 7, two bars
26 are disposed along the longitudinal edges of the opening 25 and
extend upwards in the direction of the convex side of the strip 20.
The bars 26 act as locking parts for the strip 20, when the system
is mounted, as will be described hereinafter in greater detail.
In the mounting of the securing strip 20 to a slat as shown in FIG.
4, those loop-shaped attachments 2 of the pair of cords 1 which
correspond to the slat are first inserted in the slots 23 on both
sides of the tongue 22, until they engage the concave hoops. The
securing strip 20 is now inserted, from the end of the slat 3, so
that the strip ends enter the slots 5 and the strip 20 is moved
along the slat until the bars 26 enter the opening 7 of the slat 3.
The securing strip 20 is now firmly locked in position in relation
to the slat 3, and the hoops are closed by the adjacent flanges 4;
the cords 1 are thus firmly connected by their loops 2 with the
slat 3 so that they cannot become detached.
In FIG. 5 of the drawings the slat 3 is shown in a position
produced by adjusting the cords 1, such as occurs when the blind is
in the "screened" or obturating position.
In the modification shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the slat-type blind
is provided with supporting cords 31 having loops 32 braided into
them in place of loop-shaped attachments. These loops 32 may either
consist of openings formed in the fabric when the cords 31 are
being braided or be formed by special plastic loop inserts, which
are braided into the cord, at the required distances, when it is
produced. With this alternative form of the cord 31, securing
brackets 34 of plastic are required, which have a front part which
engages the flanges 4 of the slat 3 and which are constructed, and
equipped with barbs 11, in approximately the same manner as the
front part of the securing bracket 10 already described in relation
to FIGS. 1 to 3. The head part of this alternative securing bracket
34, however, takes the form of a fork 37 of which the branches
form, between them, a slot which accommodates the reversing cord 31
and which is offset by an angle of 90.degree. in relation to the
slot between the barbs 11. Each of the branches of the fork 37 is
provided with an aperture, a pin 36, with a head, being inserted
through the two mutually aligned apertures and affixed therein.
This pin 36 passes through the aperture of the relevant loop 32 in
the cord 31. This example likewise ensures that the cord 31 is
tightly guided in relation to the relevant slat 3.
FIGS. 8 to 10 show a further example of a slat-type blind. It
differs from that of FIGS. 1 to 3 by the fact that in this case the
supporting cord 41 has woven-in pre-set bending points 42. This
cord 41 has a woven-in auxiliary thread 43 which passes zigzag
fashion through the main strand of the cord 41 and is looped out at
certain points in order to form a loop-shaped attachment 44. In
this example the pre-set bending points 42 are produced by
prolonging the otherwise even zigzag lay of the auxiliary thread 43
in this position. In each such position, due to the prolonged lay
of the auxiliary thread, the cord 41 bends outwards towards the
side situated away from the auxiliary thread 43.
As may be seen from FIGS. 8 to 10, pre-set bending points of this
kind are provided on each side of a looped-shaped attachment 44 and
also in each case centrally between two adjacent slats 3. As may be
seen most clearly from FIG. 9, this system offers the great
advantage of ensuring that when the slats of the blind are pulled
together cords 41 always automatically fold outwards in the zone of
each slat 3 and cannot become jammed between the slats 3. The cords
41 are helped to fold outwards by the guide grooves in the securing
bracket 10. The pre-set bending point 42 provided in the middle
between two slats is offset by an angle of 180.degree. in relation
to the pre-set bending points 42 in the vicinity of the slat, so
that they can bend outwards in the opposite direction.
Finally, it should be pointed out that the loop-shaped attachments
2 in FIG. 1 and 44 in FIG. 10 surround the pin 13 of the securing
bracket 10 far more tightly than is implied by the clearances shown
in the drawings for reasons of clarity.
* * * * *