A venetian blind including vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders is described. Each ladder comprises (i) first and second vertical members connected by cross-rungs, (ii) slats, each slat being supported on a cross rung of each ladder, (iii) an adjusting mechanism for pivoting the slats about their longitudinal axes by moving the vertical members in opposite directions, (iv) a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to the first vertical member, and (v) an engagement mechanism on the auxiliary tilt cord and the first vertical member for moving the first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length upwardly with upward movement of the auxiliary tilt cord to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to the first vertical member above or below the intermediate location. The engagement mechanism including (a) a guiding loop on the first vertical member, (b) a bead fixed on the auxiliary tilt cord and vertically spaced away from the guiding loop and (c) an engaging collar slidably positioned on the auxiliary tilt cord between the guiding loop and the bead, the auxiliary tilt cord extending through the guiding loop. The bead is adapted to engage the engaging collar and move the engaging collar toward the guiding loop to engage the guiding loop when the auxiliary tilt cord is moved upwardly. The blind including a winding drum for winding the auxiliary tilt cord and moving the cord upwardly after the adjusting mechanism has moved the first and second vertical members in opposite directions.
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4. A venetian blind including:
at least two vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders, each ladder comprising first and second vertical members connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs;
a plurality of horizontally-arranged slats, each slat being supported on one of said cross rungs in each of said ladders and between said first and second vertical members;
an adjusting mechanism for commonly pivoting each of said cross rungs and each of said slats about its longitudinal axis by moving said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions;
a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt that is adjacent to a first vertical member of a ladder and can be moved vertically in a direction;
engaging means, on said auxiliary tilt cord and said adjacent first vertical member of said ladder, for moving said adjacent first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length vertically in said direction with vertical movement of said auxiliary tilt cord in said direction, so as to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member above or below said intermediate location; and
manipulating means for moving said auxiliary tilt cord vertically in said direction which comprises a winding drum, attached to said auxiliary tilt cord, for winding said auxiliary tilt cord only after said adjusting mechanism has moved said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions.
0. 24. A venetian blind including:
at least two vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders, each ladder comprising first and second vertical members connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs;
a plurality of horizontally-arranged slats, each slat being supported on one of said cross-rungs in each of said ladders and between said first and second vertical member;
an adjusting mechanism for commonly pivoting each of said slats about its longitudinal axis by moving said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions;
a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to a first vertical member of a ladder and can be moved vertically in a direction; and
engaging means for moving said adjacent first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length vertically in said direction with vertical movement of said auxiliary tilt cord in said direction, so as to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member above or below said intermediate location; said engaging means including:
an engaging collar slidably positioned about said auxiliary tilt cord and said adjacent first vertical member adjacent a cross-rung; and
a bead fixed on said auxiliary tilt cord and vertically spaced away from said engaging collar; said bead being adapted to engage said engaging collar and thereafter move said engaging collar toward one of the adjacent cross-rungs when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved vertically in said direction;
and said engaging collar being adapted to engage said cross-rung when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved further vertically in said direction.
1. A venetian blind including:
at least two vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders, each ladder comprising first and second vertical members connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs;
a plurality of horizontally-arranged slats, each slat being supported on one of said cross rungs in each of said ladders and between said first and second vertical members;
an adjusting mechanism for commonly pivoting each of said slats about its longitudinal axis by moving said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions;
a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to a first vertical member of a ladder and can be moved vertically in a direction;
engaging means, on said auxiliary tilt cord and said adjacent first vertical member of said ladder, for moving said adjacent first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length vertically in said direction with vertical movement of said auxiliary tilt cord in said direction, so as to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member above or below said intermediate location; said engaging means including: a guiding loop on said first vertical member; a bead fixed on said auxiliary tilt cord and vertically spaced away from said guiding loop; and an engaging collar slidably positioned on said auxiliary tilt cord between said guiding loop and said bead; said auxiliary tilt cord extending through said guiding loop; said bead being adapted to engage said engaging collar and thereafter move said engaging collar toward said guiding loop when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved vertically in said direction; and said engaging collar being adapted to engage said guiding loop when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved further vertically in said direction.
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0. 25. The venetian blind of claim 24 wherein said engaging collar is between a pair of said vertically spaced cross-rungs, and said auxiliary tilt cord can be moved upwardly to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to the first vertical member below said intermediate position.
0. 26. The venetian blind of claim 24 which comprises at least two, vertically extending auxiliary tilt cords, each of which is adjacent to a first vertical member of one of said ladders.
0. 27. The venetian blind of claim 24 comprising a plurality of engaging collars that are slidably mounted about said auxiliary tilt cord and said first vertical member between each adjacent pair of cross-rungs of said first vertical member.
0. 28. The venetian blind of claim 27 comprising a plurality of beads that are spaced along said auxiliary tilt cord, each of the plurality of beads associated with one of the plurality of engaging collars.
0. 29. The venetian blind of claim 24 comprising a plurality of engaging collars that are slidably mounted about said auxiliary tilt cord and said first vertical member between selected pairs of cross-rungs of said first vertical member.
0. 30. The venetian blind of claim 29 comprising a plurality of beads that are spaced along said auxiliary tilt cord, each of the plurality of beads associated with one of the plurality of engaging collars.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a venetian blind, the slats of which can be tilted to different angles relative to one another (i.e., variably tilted). When the slats of such a blind have been tilted, so that they are closed in a normal fashion, the slats of a lower portion of the blind, in front of a room window, can be tilted to an open position to provide a view of the outside, while at the same time, the slats of the blind's upper portion can be left tilted in a closed position to reduce the amount of sunlight coming into the room. Alternatively, an upper portion of the blind can be tilted to an open position to admit some sunlight into the room, while at the same time, the slats of the blind's lower portion can be left tilted in a closed position to provide privacy in the room and/or reduce the amount of sunlight in the room, for example to prevent glare from interfering with the use of computer or television screens in the room.
2. Description of the Art
Venetian blinds have generally included: a horizontally-elongated head rail; a plurality of horizontally-elongated slats beneath the head rail and parallel to it; and at least two slat-supporting ladders movably suspended from the head rail and supporting the slats in vertically spaced apart relationship. In this regard, each ladder generally has had front and rear, vertically-extending members that have been connected to each other by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs. Supported on each cross-rung, between the vertically-extending members of its ladder, has been one length-wise side of a slat. The head rail generally has had an adjusting mechanism for moving the ladders, so that the vertically-extending members of each ladder move in opposite vertical directions relative to one another, to pivot each slat about its length-wise axis.
It has also been known to provide a venetian blind with a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord to provide variable tilting of its slats. The auxiliary tilt cord has been adapted to engage at least one of the vertically-extending members of the blind's ladders, at an intermediate location along its height, and when manipulated, to adjust the angle of pivot of the slats below the intermediate location. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,427,266, 2,719,586, 2,751,000, 4,940,070, EP 0 620 355 and JP(A) 8-210060. Although such a blind has been reasonably successful in providing a room with both privacy and some sunlight, the blind has generally been rather complicated to manufacture and use.
In accordance with this invention, a venetian blind is provided which includes a plurality of horizontally-elongated slats; at least two ladders supporting the slats in vertically spaced apart relationship; an adjusting mechanism for moving the vertical members of each ladder in opposite vertical directions, relative to one another, to pivot each slat about its length-wise axis; and an auxiliary tilt cord which can be moved vertically and can engage a vertically-extending member of one of the ladders at an intermediate location along the height of the one ladder; and wherein a plurality of regularly-spaced guiding loops are along the height of the one ladder; and wherein the auxiliary tilt cord comprises:
Advantageously, this blind also includes: means for adjusting the angular pivot of the slats, below the intermediate location along the height of the one ladder, which comprises:
Also in accordance with this invention, a venetian blind is provided which includes a plurality of horizontally-elongated slats; at least two ladders supporting the slats in vertically spaced apart relationship; an adjusting mechanism for moving the vertical members of each ladder to move in opposite vertical directions, relative to one another, to pivot each slat about its length-wise axis; and an auxiliary tilt cord which engages a vertically-extending member of one of the ladders at an intermediate location along the height of the one ladder; and which also includes means for adjusting the angular pivot of the slats below the intermediate location along the height of the one ladder, comprising:
Advantageously, this blind also includes a plurality of regularly-spaced guiding loops along the height of the one ladder; and the auxiliary tilt cord comprises:
Further aspects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description below of specific embodiments and the drawings thereof, in which:
as shown in FIG. 8, the function of the guiding loops 21 of the blind 1 could be incorporated into the engaging collars 25. In this regard, a plurality of collars 25 could be slidably mounted about each auxiliary tilt cord 14, 15 and about its associated rear vertical member 17, 19, between each adjacent pair of cross-rungs 29 or between selected pairs of cross-rungs of the rear vertical member 17, 19.
Guiding loops 21 are preferably used in the blinds of this invention. However, when no guiding loops are used, both a rear vertical member 17, 117, 217, 19, 119, 219 and its associated auxiliary tilt cord 14, 114, 214, 15, 115, 215 could be within the central passage 27 of each collar 25.
There are preferably only two or three, particularly only two, of the beads 23 and of the engaging collars 25 on each auxiliary tilt cord 14, 15 of the blind 1, but there could, if desired, be five to ten of each on each auxiliary tilt cord. Likewise, there are preferably ten or more guiding loops 21 on each rear vertical member 17, 19, depending on the length of the vertical member, but there could, if desired, be only five to ten guiding loops.
Preferably, each tilt swivel 9, 11 of the blinds 1, 101, 201 of this invention can both move the rear and front, vertical members 17, 117, 217, 18, 118, 218 and 19, 119, 219, 20, 120, 220 of one of the ladders 5, 105, 205, 7, 107, 207 in opposite vertical directions and move vertically the associated auxiliary tilt cord 14,114, 214, 15, 115, 215 in response to movement of the cord loop 8 or tilter 108, 208. However, if desired, rotation of the winding drum 34 of each tilt swivel 9, 11 could be controlled by different means (e.g., a separate pull cord connected to the top of both auxiliary tilt cords) from the cord loop or tilter which controls rotation of the adjusting pulley 31. Such separate means would allow lower portions of the blind, when fully open, to be selectively closed by simply actuating such separate means to pull both auxiliary tilt cords upwardly.
Moreover, the normal closed position of the slats 13, 113, 213 of the blinds 1, 101, 201 could alternatively be downwardly-inclined from rear to front, and the abnormal closed position of the blind could be downwardly-inclined from front to rear.
Furthermore, a blind of this invention could have the ladders 5, 7 of the blind 1 with their regularly spaced guiding loops 21 and also have the auxiliary tilt cords 14, 15 of the blind 1, extending through the guiding loops but have the tubular elements 230 of the blind 201 only on each auxiliary tilt cord between pairs of vertically adjacent loops. In such a blind, the length L of the tubular elements would be smaller than the second pitch P2 of the loops and have a predefined relation to the first pitch P1 of the cross-rungs of the ladders.
Yet further, a blind of this invention could have a single common winding drum for the auxiliary tilt cords 14, 114, 214, 15, 115, 215, which would not be operatively connected with the tilt swivels 9, 11 of the ladders 5, 105, 205, 7, 107, 207 but would be operate by a separate manually operable cord loop.
In addition, a conventional, downwardly-extending, spacer bracket (not shown) could be mounted on the rear of the head rail 3, 103, 203 of a blind of this invention, adjacent the point of entry of each auxiliary tilt cord 14, 114, 214, 15, 115, 215 into the bottom of the head rail. The bracket could thereby serve to route the auxiliary tilt cord rearwardly of the bracket before the tilt cord enters the head rail, to keep it from rubbing against the adjacent rear vertical member 17, 117, 217, 19, 119, 219 where they both enter the head rail.
Dekker, Nicolaas, Horsten, Antonius Johannes Josephus
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| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Mar 25 2001 | HORSTEN, ANTONIUS JOHANNES JOSEPHUS | Hunter Douglas Industries BV | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 026421 | /0875 | |
| Mar 26 2001 | DEKKER, NICOLAAS | Hunter Douglas Industries BV | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 026421 | /0875 | |
| Jul 21 2003 | Hunter Douglas Industries BV | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
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