GB2205888A

GB2205888A - Window blind assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2205888A
Application number: GB08814491A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Samantha Hay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-06-20
Filing date: 1988-06-17
Publication date: 1988-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-17
Also published as: GB8814491D0; GB2205888B; GB8714480D0

Abstract

In a roller window blind (9) a musical box (5) is fixed within the roller (1) with its operating spindle (6) protruding from one end of the roller and supporting that end of the roller. The blind roller (1) may be formed intermediate its ends with a window (11) behind which a lamp (13) is located, the blind (9) being formed with a window (10) arranged to register with the window (11) in the roller when the blind is lowered. The supply of current to the lamp (13) is cut off when the blind is raised. <IMAGE>

Description

WINDOW BLIND ASSEMBLY The subject of this invention is a window blind assembly and particularly a window blind assembly for- use in a childgs bedroom.

According to the invention a window blind assembly incorporating a roller presenting at opposite ends stub axles arranged to engage fixed supporting brackets and a blind wrapped around the roller is characterized in that a musical box incorporating a music producing mechanism having an operating spindle is fixed within the roller with the operating spindle protruding concentrically from one end of the roller and constituting the stub axle at that end of the roller, said operating spindle being formed to be entrained by the supporting bracket at that end of the roller whereby to be held against rotation as the roller rotates.

The roller may be of the type used in a blind of the spring roller type, i.e. the roller may additionally incorporate spring mechanism arranged to be wound up as the blind is lowered and to be operative to raise the blind automatically when released.

The music producing mechanism of the musical box may be of the automatic type e.g. spring driven, the operating spindle then being the winding spindle for the spring mechanism.

Where the roller is of the spring roller blind type there may be incorporated in the blind mechanism a brake shoe bearing against the roller so that the rate of return of the roller to raise the blind is controlled.

The operating spindle may be entrained in the associated bracket by being formed at its outer end with at least one flat, said flattened outer end projecting through a non-circular hole in the bracket supporting that end of the blind whereby the operating spindle is held against rotation when the roller rotates.

The blind roller may be formed intermediate its ends with a window which may be transparent or translucent and in that case will support an electric lamp located behind the window, the roller being fitted with a projecting button-type switch arranged to break an electric circuit to the lamp when the button is depressed and to make an electric circuit to the lamp when the button is released, the lamp being connected to an external source of supply of electric current and the blind being formed with a cut-out portion which registers with the window in the roller when the blind is in the lowered position, the blind in its raised position obscuring the lamp and being operative to press the button so that the electric circuit to the lamp is broken.

The roller may be fitted on one end with two concentric contact rings engaged by spring-loaded contacts carried by the bracket supporting that end of the roller, the spring-loaded contacts being connected to the external source of supply of electric current.

The source of supply of electric current may be a transformer connected to the mains supply whereby to provide a low voltage current for the lamp, or may be a photo-electric device attachable to the window to be obscured by the blind so that light falling on the photo-electric device during the day charges a rechargeable cell which is connected to the contact pins.

The window in the roller may be a portion cut out of the roller or the roller may be formed of three tubular portions the centre one of which is formed of a transparent or a translucent material.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view looking at a blind in the lowered position, said blind being arranged to operate as a spring roller blind and being arranged to be operative as a night light, Fig. 2 is a section to a scale larger than that of Fig. 1 showing in greater detail the end of the roller containing the musical box and Fig. 3 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow showing the end of the operating spindle of the musical box.

In the drawings, 1 denotes a blind roller mounted in brackets 2 attached to the upper crossbar 3 of a window case. The roller 1 incorporates spring roller mechanism 4 arranged to be wound up when the blind is lowered and to be operative to return the blind to the raised position when the blind is released. 5 denotes a musical box fixed to the roller within the roller 1, the operating spindle 6 of the music box being formed with flats 7 as indicated in Fig. 3, the flattened portion of the operating spindle 6 protruding through an elongated hole 8 in the bracket 2 supporting that end of the roller 1. The blind 9 is formed with a window 10 which is arranged to register with a window 11 formed in the roller 1 when the blind is in the lowered position, a lamp socket 12 being fixed within the roller 1 and supporting a lamp 13 in a position opposite the window 11 in the roller 1.One end of the roller, as illustrated, the end adjacent the musical box, is fitted with two contact rings 14 and 15 engaged by spring-loaded contact pins 16 and 17 respectively, the two contact pins being connected to a source of supply of electric current 18 which may be a transformer or a photo-electric cell device which may be attached to a pane of the window to be obscured by the blind. The contact rings 14 and 15 are connected by an electric cable 19 to the lamp socket 12 by way of a switch device the operative part of which is a spring-loaded button 20 arranged to protrude from the surface of the roller 1 when the switch is in the circuit-made position.

In practice, when the blind 9 is in the raised position it wraps completely the roller 1 and when covering over the window 11 in the roller 1, it presses the button 20 and depresses this button so that the circuit to the lamp 13 is broken and the lamp is not operative. When the blind is pulled downwardly stressing the spring mechanism 4 of the spring roller device the roller 1 in rotating rotates with it the musical box 5 but the operating spindle 6 of the musical box being entrained within the fixed bracket 2 is prevented from rotating and, where the musical box is of the spring-operated type, winds up the spring mechanism of the musical box. Where the musical box is not of the automatic type the operating spindle rotates idly.When the blind reaches the fully lowered position the window 10 in the blind comes opposite the window 11. in the roller 1 and exposes the lamp 13. The pressure of the blind against the button 20 is removed since it is no longer engaged by the blind and the button 20 springs outwardly closing the circuit to the lamp so that the lamp becomes illuminated and acts as a night light. When the blind is to be raised, in the usual operation of a spring roller blind a sharp pull on the bottom end of the blind 9 releases the spring roller mechanism and causes the blind to retract to become wound on to the roller.

The musical box 5 now being rotated in the reverse direction relatively to the operating spindle 6 becomes operative, either by operation of own spring mechanism or, where it is not of the automatic type, by the force of the spring roller mechanism, and emits its melody. This continues until the blind has reached its raised position in which the blind itself now presses on the button 20 and breaks the circuit to the lamp 13. The current suppy to the lamp 13 is by way of the contact pins 16 and 17 and the contact rings 14 and 15. This arrangement eliminates twisting of the cable 19 conveying electric current to the lamp 13.

In some constructions of spring-operated automatic musical box there is a sufficient resistance to forcing the winding spindle to rotate in the direction in which it naturally rotates when the musical box is emitting the music and this may be sufficient to slow down the action of the spring roller in rotating the blind. Where the musical box is of the type where a force on the winding spindle would either damage the musical box or cause the music to be emitted at an unnatural speed there may be provided a brake mechanism which reduces the speed of the rising blind to that necessary to provide music at the proper speed. The retarding force on the roller may be provided by the contact pins 16 if these pins are spring loaded strongly enough. Otherwise some well known form of brake shoe may be incorporated somewhere on the roller preferably at the end containing the spring mechanism Since it may take any one of many well known forms such a brake device is not illustrated.

Claims

1. A window blind assembly incorporating a roller presenting at opposite ends stub axles arranged to engage fixed supporting brackets and a blind wrapped around the roller characterized in that a musical box incorporating a music producing mechanism having an operating spindle is fixed within the roller with the operating spindle protruding concentrically from one end of the roller and constituting the stub axle at that end of the roller, said operating spindle being formed to be entrained by the supporting bracket at that end of the roller whereby to be held against rotation as the roller rotates.

2. A window blind assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the roller is of the type used in a blind of the spring roller type, i.e.

the roller additionally incorporates spring mechanism arranged to be wound up as the blind is lowered and to be operative to raise the blind automatically when released.

3. A window blind assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the music producing mechanism of the musical box is of the automatic type.

4. A window blind assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the musical box is spring driven, the operating spindle of which is the winding spindle for the spring mechanism of the blind roller.

5. A window blind assembly according to claim 2,characterized by the incorporation in the blind mechanism of a brake device operative to cause the rate of return of the roller to raise the blind to be controlled.

6. A window blind assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating spindle is entrained in the associated bracket by being formed at its outer end with at least one flat, said flattened outer end projecting through a non-circular hole in the bracket supporting that end of the blind roller whereby the operating spindle is held against rotation when the roller rotates.

7. A window blind assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that theblind roller is formed intermediate its ends with a window behind which an electric lamp is located within the roller, the roller being fitted with a projecting buttontype switch arranged to break an electric circuit to the lamp when the button is depressed and to make an electric circuit to the lamp when the button is released, the lamp being connected to an external source of supply of electric current and the blind being formed with a window which registers with the window in the roller when the blind is in the lowered position, the blind in its raised position obscuring the lamp and being operative to press on the button so that the electric circuit to the lamp is broken.

8. A window blind assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the source of supply of electric current is a photo-electric device attachable to the window to be obscured by the blind and so arranged that light falling on the photo-electric device during the day charges a rechargeable cell connected to the contact pins.

10. A window blind assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the window in the roller is a portion cut out of the roller.

11. A window blind assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the roller comprises three co-axial tubular portions the centre one of which is formed of a transparent or a translucent material whereby to constitute the window.