AU2009212839A1 - Track guided blind system - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: Slidetrack Blinds Pty Ltd Actual Inventor: Brian Lionel Zwar Address for Service: C/- MADDERNS, First Floor, 64 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Invention title: TRACK GUIDED BLIND SYSTEM Details of Associated Provisional Application No.: 2008904488 dated 29 August 2008. The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a track guided blind system. In particular, this invention relates to track guided blind (or awning) systems of the type which may be suitable for use as window and/or veranda blinds, clear blinds, sunshades, retractable awnings and the 5 like, although the invention need not be necessarily limited to these applications. An object of the present invention is to offer a useful alternative to known track guided blind and awning systems. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and 10 example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. For the purpose of this specification the word "comprising" means "including but not limited to", and the word 'comprises' has a corresponding meaning. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of this invention there is proposed a track guided blind system including a sheet of blind 15 material which is secured to a roller at one end and a drawbar at or toward the other, a guide track extending along each of a pair of sides of the sheet of blind material, where each guide track defines a first channel in which an end of the drawbar runs, and a second channel facing in a direction opposing that of the first channel in which a mounting for the guide track may be located. For the purpose of this specification the term "blind material" is intended to include any material 20 which may be used to form a blind, including, but not limited to materials such as fabrics, canvas, PVC etc. This blind material may be light blocking or at least partially light transmitting as the intended application dictates. In one form, each of the mountings is a mounting rail that is sized and adapted to nest in the second channel of one of the guide tracks. 25 In one form, the first channel of the guide track further includes a longitudinally extending slot opening into a longitudinally extending cavity, and wherein each of the side edges of the sheet of blind material are adapted to be retained in a respective longitudinal cavity.

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In one form, the guide track is a unitary component of constant cross section along its length that is manufactured by extrusion. In one form, the sheet of blind material has a bead or abutment extending along the side edges thereof so that the sheet of blind material extends through the slot and each of these beads or abutments is 5 retained in the longitudinal cavity of a respective guide track, and each bead or abutment is rectilinear in shape. In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a sheet of blind material for a track guided blind system which is attached to a roller at one end and a drawbar at the other, and which has side edges having beads or abutments extending there along, where each bead or abutment is rectilinear in 10 shape. In a further aspect, the disclosure may be said to include a method of mounting the above described track guided blind or awning system, the method including the steps of fixing the mounting rails and supports for the roller to support structure, and locating the guide tracks over the mounting rails. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be 15 understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of this disclosure it will now be described with respect to an exemplary embodiment which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein: 20 Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a track guided blind assembly; Figure 2 is a schematic view of the draw bar and guide track; Figure 3 is a detail cross-sectional view through the draw bar; Figure 4 is a detail cross-sectional view through the guide track; Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of an end cap for the drawbar; 25 Figure 6 is a detail cross-sectional view through both the draw bar and guide track; Figure 7 is detail cross-sectional view through the guide track in isolation; Figure 8 is detail schematic plan view of a portion of blind material; and Figure 9 is a detailed cross-sectional view through a drawbar illustrating a locking means according to a further embodiment. 5 In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to Figure 1, where an exemplary embodiment of a track guided blind or awning system I is illustrated. 10 The system I comprises a sheet of blind material 2, one end of which is attached to a spring loaded roller 4, while the other is attached to a drawbar 6. In this way the sheet of blind material 2 may be rolled on to or off of the roller 4 in a known fashion. There is a guide track 8 to each of a pair of side edges of the sheet of blind material 2, each track guide defining a channel 10 in which an end of the drawbar 6 runs. 15 This first channel 10 of the guide track 8 further includes a longitudinally extending slot 12 opening into a longitudinally extending cavity 14. The sheet of blind material 2 has longitudinal beads 16 formed along its side edges, where these beads 16 run in the longitudinal cavities 14 and where they are formed so as to have a shape and dimension which is greater than the width of the slot 12 so as to prevent their escape from the aforementioned 20 longitudinal cavities 14. Beads 16 may be rectangular in shape, where a pair of longer sides of this rectangular shape extend in a direction across the sheet of blind material 2. An advantage of the bead 16 being of rectangular shape (as described in the preceding paragraph) is that as the sheet of blind material 2 is rolled onto the roller 4 (i.e. as the blind is retracted) this bead 16 25 shape assists the bead 16 to roll neatly by virtue of the longer flat side surfaces of the rectangular shape lying over one another as successive layers of blind material 2 are rolled onto the roller 4. 4 Referring now to Figure 4, where it can be seen that a similar retention method is employed where the sheet of blind material 2 meets the drawbar 6. A longitudinal bead 20 or the like locates in a longitudinal cavity 22, where the bead 20 is formed so as to have a shape and dimension which is greater than the width of a slot 24; this then prevents the escape of the bead 20 from the 5 aforementioned longitudinal cavity 22. The drawbar 6 utilises a matching longitudinal bead and cavity located on an opposite side thereof to the blind material 2, to retain a weather strip or skirt 80 that locates in the longitudinal cavity. With reference to Figures 1 and 3, the guide track 8 includes a second channel 30 facing a direction opposing the first channel 10. 10 The system I further includes a pair of rectangular mounting rails 32, each of which is sized and adapted to nest in the second channel 30 of one of the guide tracks 8. In this exemplary embodiment, the drawbar 6, guide tracks 8 and mounting rails 32 are each aluminium extrusions of substantially constant cross-sectional shape along their respective lengths. More specifically, the guide tracks 8 have a cross-sectional shape that is generally 'H' shaped, in that 15 each guide track 8 is comprised of a pair of parallel flanges 200 bridged by a web 202 which extends between them. In this way, on one side of the web 202 there is formed the first channel 10, and on the otherside of the web 202 there is formed the second channel 30. The longitudinally extending slot 12 separates the web 202 lengthwise into two portions bridged by a bridging portion 204, so that defined between the bridging portion 204 and the web 202 portions to 20 either side of the slot 12 is the longitudinally extending cavity 14 into which the slot 12 opens. A plastic end cap 72 is used to close off the ends to the guide tracks 8. These end caps 72 can be omitted if the top or entry ends of the longitudinal slots 14 are deburred. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, it can be seen that the drawbar 6 includes means for locking the position of this relative to the guide tracks 8. This may include manually operable locking pins 40 25 having graspable portions 42 which locate in slots at either end of the drawbar 6. These pins 40 may be slid between a first position in which they engage an aligned hole in the guide track 8, locking the drawbar 6 in this position, and a second position in which they are clear of this hole so that the drawbar 6 may run freely in the guide tracks 8. The drawbar 6 may include end caps 50 providing pin aligning holes 52, and a drain hole 54 for releasing moisture that may run down the blind 2.

Referring now to Figure 8, where an alternate manually operable locking means is illustrated. This alternate locking means comprises first and second pin portions 300 and 302 connected by a cable 304 that extends between them. The second pin portion 302 is the portion that will engage in an aligned hole in the guide track 8, locking the drawbar in position. Second pin portion 302 is biased into 5 engagement by a compression spring 306 compressed between the end of second pin portion 302 and a tube 308 press fit into the aluminium extrusion that is the drawbar 6. A graspable portion 310 extends from second pin portion 302, where pin portion 302 and the slot (not shown) in which graspable portion 310 are located are both at and about the mid point of drawbar 6. In this way locking can be automatically (i.e. by spring 306) or manually effected, and manual locking 10 and unlocking can be effected remotely from the midpoint of the drawbar 6. By providing a series of spaced apart holes in the guide track 8, the blind 2 may be secured in a variety of locations against the bias of the spring loaded roller 4. Installation of track guided blind or awning system 1 of the type described above may be effected by securing the mounting rails 32 (typically with fasteners) to support structure (not illustrated), be this a 5 window frame or the like. The remainder of the blind assembly, this being inclusive of the blind 2 and the guide tracks 8, may be positioned for installation (i.e. the blind tensioned and aligned) by locating the second channel 30 in each of the guide tracks 8 over the mounting rails 32, and then fixing these relative to one another using rivets or the like when the proper tension and alignment has been achieved. !0 One advantage of this arrangement is that the cavity 70 (see Figure 4) defined between the mounting rails 32 and the second channel 30 in each of the guide tracks 8 provides ample space for the head of the fastener employed to fix the mounting rails 32 to the support structure. This may be particularly useful where a relatively large fastener must be employed, such as a masonry or concrete anchor bolt. An advantage of locating the guide tracks 9 over the mounting rails 32 is that the mounting rails 32 25 can be substantially hidden. In the event that the mounting rails 32 are not completely hidden by the guide tracks 8, then at least the exposed edge E of the guide rail 8 is less conspicuous than would be the exposed edge of the mounting rail should this nest the guide track in the reverse fashion. This exemplary embodiment then has superior aesthetic qualities in at least this respect. Although the disclosure has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most 30 practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognised that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Claims (20)

1. A track guided blind system comprising a sheet of blind material which is secured to a roller at one end and a drawbar at or toward the other, a guide track extending along each of a pair of side edges of the sheet of blind material, where each guide track defines a first channel in which an end of 5 the drawbar runs, and a second channel facing in a direction opposing that of the first channel, in which a mounting for the guide track may be located.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each mounting is a mounting rail that is sized and adapted to nest in the second channel of one of the guide tracks.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel of the guide track further includes a 10 longitudinally extending slot opening into a longitudinally extending cavity, and wherein each of the side edges of the sheet of blind material are adapted to be retained in a respective longitudinal cavity.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the guide track is a unitary component of constant cross section along its length.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the guide track is manufactured by extrusion. 15

6. The system of any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the sheet of blind material has a bead or abutment extending along the side edges thereof so that the sheet of blind material extends through the slot and each of these beads or abutments is retained in the longitudinal cavity of a respective guide track.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each bead or abutment is rectilinear in shape. 20

8. The system as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the roller is spring loaded.

9. The system as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drawbar includes means for locking the position of this relative to the guide track.

10. A sheet of blind material for a track guided blind system which is attached to a roller at one end and a drawbar at or toward the other, and which has side edges having beads or abutments 25 extending there along, where each bead or abutment is rectilinear in shape. 7 It.

The sheet of blind material of claim 10, wherein each bead or abutment is rectangular in shape, and a pair of longer sides of this rectangular shape extend in a direction across the sheet of blind material.

12. A guide track for a track guided blind system, the guide track comprising a first channel in 5 which an end of the drawbar runs, and a second channel facing in a direction opposing that of the first channel in which a mounting rail for the guide track may be located.

13. The guide track of claim 12, wherein the first channel of the guide track further includes a longitudinally extending slot opening into a longitudinally extending cavity and side edges of the sheet of blind material are adapted to be retained in the longitudinal cavities. 10

14. The guide track of either of claims 12 or 13, wherein the guide track is a unitary component of constant cross section along its length.

15. The guide track of claim 14, wherein the guide track is manufactured by extrusion.

16. A method of installing a track guided blind system as in any one of claims 1 through 9, the method including the steps of securing the mounting rails to a support structure, positioning the blind 15 and the guide tracks for installation by locating the second channel in each of the guide tracks over the mounting rails and then securing the guide tracks to the mounting rails when the proper tension and alignment for the sheet of blind material has been achieved.

17. A track guided blind system as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations. 20

18. A guide track for a track guided blind system as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations.

19. A sheet of blind material for a track guided blind system as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations.

20. A method of installing a track guided blind system as described in the specification with 25 reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying representations. R