AU2014404285B2

AU2014404285B2 - Suspension unit for a curtain device

Info

Publication number: AU2014404285B2
Application number: AU2014404285A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michel FRAUCHIGER; Simon Schopfer
Original assignee: Silent Gliss International AG
Current assignee: Silent Gliss International AG
Priority date: 2014-08-19
Filing date: 2014-08-19
Publication date: 2019-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 2034-08-19
Also published as: EP3182865B1; JP2017528196A; EP3182865A1; US20170231413A1; AU2014404285A1; WO2016026520A1; ES2738180T3

Abstract

The invention relates to a suspension unit for a curtain device comprising at least one curtain guide and at least one curtain that is suspended on a plurality of said suspension units with a guide element (3) for guiding the suspension unit in said curtain guide. The suspension unit comprises an element (1) to which a curtain suspension (2) for securing a curtain to the suspension unit, and said guide element (3), are connected. At least said element (1) consists of at least two different material sections (20, 30) which differ in terms of hardness.

Description

Suspension Unit for a Curtain Device

This invention relates to a suspension unit body for a suspension device with at least one track in which the suspension unit is movably borne. The suspension unit is designed as roller unit or as sliding unit.

For installation of curtains, these curtains are often provided with a multiplicity of suspension units on an upper edge, such as rollers or gliders, which are borne in a track in a way movable in longitudinal direction. The track can be mounted e.g. on a ceiling or a wall. Depending upon the construction of the suspension unit various problems can arise when pulling or pushing the suspension units in the track, such as, for example, too great a friction between individual components of the curtain device, noise generation from the movement in the track, e.g. through vibrations, sluggish or rough movement during pulling or pushing of the suspension units and noise through interaction of the suspension units among themselves.

is Known from DE 3400118 is e.g. a roller unit in which a body consists of a first material and a roller, of a second material, running through the body. Thereby achieved is a reduction of noise during the movement of the roller units on the running surface of a track. The roller is produced in one piece in a two-component injection molding method. First a shaft part is produced from a plastic and then races are formed on the shaft part by means of which the roller unit is seated on the track. The material for the races is an elastic, and thus noise-reducing, plastic material. Through an axial channel in the shaft part, the material is injected into the race regions outside on the shaft part, whereby the channel is also filled up, so that the roller has a noise-damping filling. A damping of the noise generation by the body, which carries the roller, is not foreseen.

DE 19539825 shows gliders with a base body for insertion in a track. The base body has a molded-on elastic carrying element which is produced in a two-component technique. The elastic carrying element serves as a catch and snap-fitting connection between the gliders and the track. The particular shaping or molding of the elastic carrying element is made possible owing to the twocomponent technique, so that this element can be easily inserted into the track.

Problems during movement of the suspension unit in the track, as mentioned by way of example above, are not taken into account with this construction. Instead the elastic material has a braking effect in the track.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a suspension unit for a curtain device and a curtain device which reduce the above-mentioned problems, in particular contribute to noise reduction during actuation of the curtain device and facilitate use of the curtain device.

This object is achieved by the invention by means of a suspension unit according to claim 1 and a curtain device according to claim 15. Advantageous embodiments and further embodiment examples are described in the dependent io claims.

A suspension unit for a curtain device according to the present invention has a body, to which at a first end a guide element is connected and at a second end a curtain suspension is connected. The guide element is provided for guiding the suspension unit in a curtain guide of the curtain device such as e.g. a is track or a rail. The guide element can be pulled or pushed along the curtain guide. Provided for attachment of a curtain to the suspension unit, is the curtain suspension, such as e.g. a ring, a hook, a grommet or the like. According to the invention, at least the body is made up of at least two different material sections which differ in their hardness. This means that provided is at least a first hard material section and a second, soft material section, whereby the hard material of the hard material section is harder in relation to the soft material of the soft material section. The different material sections can be of the same substance, but however with differing material characteristics with respect to hardness. Also different substances can however be used for the hard and the soft material section. The body of the sus25 pension unit is preferably designed as two-component body. It should however not be excluded that a third or still a further material section is used for the suspension unit whose hardness differs from the first and the second material section.

By means of the construction of the body out of two material sections of different hardness, the body can at least partially absorb or dampen tensions and vibrations which arise e.g. through the movement of the suspension unit, through interaction with the curtain guide or through force effects from the pulling during actuation of the suspension unit, thus e.g. when pulling open or closed a curtain in the curtain guide. This leads to a reduction of the noise generation during the op3 eration of the curtain and reduces the necessary application of force for actuation of the curtain.

The suspension unit is suitable for any type of curtain installations with a curtain guide, for example for textile curtains or vertical blinds, for shading or partitioning of rooms, on windows or on walls.

The body of the suspension unit can be designed as a frame or a type of open housing with lateral supports. The body is substantially box-shaped with the guide element on the upper, first end and the curtain suspension on the lower, second end. The supports are preferably provided on the outer edges of the body and extend from the upper to the lower end, the ends forming a termination of the body. The frame is preferably made of a hard material, and interim spaces between the supports are covered or filled with a soft material at least on opposite sides of the body. The hard material gives the frame a certain stiffness, while the soft material serves for support and damping. An interior space between the sup15 ports can be covered or at least almost filled with a soft material. This means that the inner sides of the frame or respectively of the supports and also the end terminations can be covered with the soft material. The interior space can also be filled completely with the soft material. The frame preferably has a circumferential region of hard material around the upper and the lower end and/or in circumferential direction around the lateral supports. Thus there exists an uninterrupted region of hard material around at least one of these circumferential directions. This construction gives the body stability.

In a curtain guide of a curtain device, as a rule, a multiplicity of suspension units are strung behind one another in order to hold a curtain. In a variant of the body in which opposite sides are filled with soft material, these sides are preferably situated in pulling direction of the suspension unit, thus forming in pulling direction a front and a rear side of the body. The front and rear sides of the body of the individual suspension units are situated opposite one another and can bump into each other when they are moved in the curtain guide. The soft material pref30 erably protrudes beyond the supports of the frame at least in direction of impact. The suspension units therefore hit one another with a surface made of soft material, whereby the impact and thus an impact noise can be damped.

The damping features depend, on the one hand, on the type of substances used and, on the other hand, on the volumetric and dimensional relations of the material sections. These are adapted to the conditions of a particular curtain device. In principle, the same substance can be used for the hard and the soft material sections, however with differing hardness. Used can be e.g. polyoxymethylene (POM), polypropylene (PP), or polyamide (PA). Different substances can also be used however. The named substances are particularly suitable for the hard material section. The soft material section be a caoutchouc such as is known e.g. by the name of Santoprene™, polyether block amide or PEBA or Pebax®, Hytrel®, Crastin® PBT or ABS Novodur®.

In a body according to the invention, an interim space volume between two supports of hard material can be filled with a soft material. The interior space between the supports of the body can also be lined with a soft material. The body preferably has a soft material in an upper region between the supports, to which the guide element is connected. This soft end region can form a kind of damping cushion for the guide element. The soft material section is thereby predominantly is not situated on an outer side of the body, but instead the body is terminated predominantly by a hard material. The hard material section can encompass e.g. the terminal ends of the frame, which span the supports of the frame.

The guide element has a connection (44) or a shaft (8) through a region (11) of the body (1) filled with a soft material.

In a first embodiment of a suspension unit according to the invention a roller device is provided as guide element on the first, upper end of the body, which roller device is borne or rests in a rollable way on the curtain guide. The roller device has a shaft through a part of the body filled with a soft material. This can be e.g. the above-described soft end region of the frame. The roller device preferably has two rollers, which are connected to the shaft and protrude beyond the body on both sides, so that they can rest and roll on the curtain guide of the curtain device, as is already known. The movement of the rollers, respectively of the shaft in the body, can be damped by the soft region. Furthermore, during pulling or pushing of the curtain, an actuation of the suspension units is transmitted to the rollers in a damped way. Vibrations and swinging movements which arise with the movement of the suspension unit are thus hardly transmitted to the body.

Preferably a shaft bearing sleeve of hard material is provided in the region filled with a soft material at the end of the body, through which sleeve the shaft of the roller device extends. The shaft bearing sleeve is held in a damped way in the soft material. Alternatively, the shaft bearing sleeve can be connected to the hard material of the body, for example through crosspieces or ribs. The hard material of the shaft bearing sleeve makes possible, on the other hand, a reduction of the friction when the shaft turns in the shaft bearing sleeve, compared with the soft material. A pulling or pushing of the curtain is thereby facilitated. The shaft bearing sleeve can be designed as bearing bushing and can securely guide the roller device.

The roller device itself can also be produced in a two-component construction. The shaft preferably has outside a hard material which e.g. slides well in the shaft bearing sleeve, and the rollers have a soft material at least on the outside so that a rolling on the curtain guide is damped.

In a second embodiment of a suspension unit according to the invention, a sliding element is provided as guide element on the first, upper end of the body, which sliding element is borne in a sliding way on the curtain guide. On the is outer side of the sliding element, which abuts the curtain guide, the sliding element consists of a hard material. Compared with a soft material, the hard material on the outer side facilitates the sliding on the surface of the curtain guide. The sliding element preferably has a soft material in an interior region. For example, the sliding element can be constructed around the soft region at the end of the frame, as described above. The outwardly situated hard material of the sliding element can be connected to the frame of the body. For example, the sliding element is designed as end termination of the body. The hard material of the sliding element can however also be offset with respect to the supports of the frame of the body and be connected to the body via the soft inner region. Alternatively, the sliding element can be a separate element of the suspension unit and can be borne in the body of the suspension element, for example in the soft end region of the frame, in a similar way as described above for the roller device. The materials used for the sliding element correspond substantially to the materials or substances of the body.

In a variant, the suspension unit can receive the guide element in a floating way, so that the guide element is slightly movable relative to the body. The floating bearing preferably takes place through an accommodation of the guide element in the soft material section of the body. The guide element can be borne on the body e.g. by means of a connection or a shaft which extends through a re35 gion of the body filled with a soft material. The soft material is sufficiently flexible so that it can yield slightly during movement of the guide element. Thus the guide element is slightly movable relative to the hard material section of the body. The bearing can take place e.g. through the accommodation of the shaft of the roller device or of the sliding element in the soft material section. In particular the float5 ing accommodation can be achieved through bearing of the shaft bearing sleeve in the soft material section. By means of the floating bearing, a damping of the movement of the guide element can take place, as described above.

In an embodiment of the suspension unit, at a second end of the body the soft material section of the body has a bearing of soft material for movable bearing of the curtain suspension. The bearing can be provided e.g. by a slit or an opening through which an anchor-like counter bearing of the curtain suspension can be led, so that it abuts firmly on the soft material. Alternatively the curtain suspension can also be shaped in a fixed way on the body.

A further aspect of the invention relates to the advantageous design of is the body for a suspension unit and a curtain device with at least one curtain guide and at least one curtain, which is suspended on a plurality of suspension units with a guide element for guiding of the suspension units in the curtain guide. The suspension units are designed in accordance with the above-described features.

The invention has been described with reference to a plurality of em20 bodiments. The individual technical features of one embodiment can absolutely be used also in combination with another embodiment with the described advantages. The description of the inventive technical features is thus not limited to the respective embodiment.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are presented in the fol25 lowing with reference to the drawings, which serve merely explanatory purposes and are not to be interpreted in a limiting way. Features of the invention disclosed by the drawings should be considered as belonging to the disclosure of the invention individually and in any combination. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a first embodiment of a suspension unit with a roller device according to the invention,

Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional partial view of the first embodiment of the suspension unit according to Figure 1,

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section through a first longitudinal axis through the suspension unit according to Figure 1,

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through a longitudinal axis, orthogonal to the first longitudinal axis, through the suspension unit according to

Figure 1,

Figure 5 shows an exploded view of a body of the first embodiment of the suspension unit according to Figure 1,

Figure 6 shows a three-dimensional view of a second embodiment of a suspension unit with a first sliding element according to the invention, io Figure 7 shows a longitudinal section through the suspension unit according to Figure 6,

Figure 8 shows a three-dimensional view of a third embodiment of a suspension unit with a second sliding element according to the invention,

Figure 9 shows a longitudinal section through the suspension unit ac15 cording to Figure 8,

Figure 10 shows an exploded view of a body of the third embodiment of the suspension unit according to Figure 8 and

Figure 11 shows a three-dimensional view of a fourth embodiment of a suspension unit with a roller device according to the invention,

Figure 12 shows a longitudinal section through a first longitudinal axis through the suspension unit according to Figure 11,

Figure 13 shows a longitudinal section through a longitudinal axis, orthogonal to the first longitudinal axis, through the suspension unit according to Figure 11,

Figure 14 shows an exploded view of a body of the fourth embodiment of the suspension unit according to Figure 11.

Figures 1 to 14 show different embodiments of a suspension unit for a curtain device according to the present invention with different guide elements, which has a body 1, a curtain suspension 2 for attachment of a curtain to the body 1 and a guide element 3 for guiding the suspension unit in a curtain guide of the curtain device. The guide element 3 connects to a first, upper end of the body 1 and the curtain suspension 2 connects to a second, lower end of the body 1. The body 1 consists of at least two different material sections, which differ in their hardness. The body is produced in an injection molding method, for example. Materials or substances are used as described above. The same reference numerals io shall be used for comparable elements in the different embodiments with comparable functions. In particular the bodies 1 of the different embodiments have a similar structure, so that its description can be referred to for all embodiments.

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a suspension unit for a curtain device according to the present invention with a guide element in the form of a is roller device. The structure of the body 1 will be described with reference to Figure 5. The body 1 is composed of a hard material section 20, a soft material section 30 and a shaft bearing sleeve 12 of hard material. The hard material section 20 and the soft material section 30 can each be composed of a plurality of regions of a hard or a soft material or such a substance. Although in the exploded view the in20 dividual parts are shown as separate elements, in order to render the details more visible, the body is however designed as one piece.

The hard material section 20 is designed as frame and has lateral supports 4 at four edges of the hard material section. On a front and a rear side open interim spaces are formed, between the supports 4, in the form of aperture 18. The frame is open on both sides. The supports 4 are connected to one another by a terminal end 6 in the form of an arch-like bridging structure and below by a bottom element 16. Provided in the bottom element 16 is a slit or slot for introduction of the curtain suspension. In the interior between the supports 4 an interior space 17 of the frame is formed.

The soft material section 30 is designed in a precisely fitted way for the interior space 17 of the hard material section 20 and abuts on its inner sides, except in the region of the bottom element 16, which remains free of soft material. In particular the soft material section 30 has on the front and rear side an interim space filling 5, an upper soft region 11 and a central soft region 15. The interim space filling 5 penetrates between the supports of the hard material section 20.

The upper soft region 11 has an axial passage 19, which extends from one side to the other side of the body in a way perpendicular to a pulling or pushing direction of the suspension unit. The central soft region 15 fills the interior space 17 approximately in the upper half of the body, so that an interim space 14 remains free in the lower half. Protruding downwardly from the central soft region 15 are extensions 13, which form a lining of the inner side of the supports 4.

The shaft bearing sleeve 12 is constituted by a sleeve with a length, so that the sleeve protrudes slightly beyond the passage 19 of the soft material section 30; for this see also Figure 2. The shaft bearing sleeve 12 has on its circumio ference a multiplicity of ribs 21, which lie in grooves in the inner circumference of the passage 19.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the interim space fillings 5 of the soft material section protrude on the front and rear side beyond the supports 4 of the hard material section. In the other regions around the circumference of the body the is outside of the body is composed of hard material. On the front and the rear side of the body there is predominantly a soft material situated outside.

Inserted in the bottom element 16 of the hard material section 20 is the curtain suspension 2. On a lower end the curtain suspension has a curtain fastener 9 in the form of a ring. On the upper end an anchor element 10 is provided, which is hung in the bottom element 16 and comes to lie in the interim space 14 of the body 1. Alternatively other designs are also possible as curtain suspension, such as e.g. shown in the embodiment of Figures 11 to 14 or as is known from the state of the art.

Provided as guide element 3 on the upper end of the body 1 is a roller device, which has rollers 7 and a shaft 8. The shaft 8 extends through the shaft bearing sleeve 12 and disposed on both ends of the shaft 8 is one roller 7 each. The rollers 7 protrude beyond the sides of the body 1, so that they rest on a curtain guide of a curtain device and are able to be guided thereby. The rollers 7 are rotatable with respect to the body 1. The shaft 8 of the guide element 3 runs through the upper soft region 11 of the soft material section. Preferably the soft material of the upper soft region 11 is flexible in such a way that the shaft 8 is slightly movable within the soft region 11. Thus a kind of floating bearing of the shaft can take place. Alternatively, the shaft bearing sleeve can be connected to the hard material section e.g. through rigid crosspieces or ribs, so that the shaft bearing sleeve is fixed relative to the body and guides the shaft 8 in a stationary way.

If a multiplicity of suspension units are inserted in a curtain guide for guiding a curtain, these units can be moved in the usual way in a longitudinal di5 rection of the curtain guide, for example by pulling on the curtain. The suspension unit preferably has on the body 1 laterally on the hard material section a pull cord attachment 22, however, on which a pull cord can be attached, which connects together the individual suspension units. By pulling on the cord in one direction or the other, the suspension units can be moved along the curtain guide. The pull io cord attachment can be achieved e.g. by means of a clamp.

For curtain positioning the suspension units are moved along the curtain guide. Tensions, swinging movements or vibrations arising thereby are damped by means of the soft material in the body 2, as mentioned at the beginning. If the individual suspension units bump into one another, the interim space is fillings 5 of the soft material of the individual suspension units hit one another, so that noise generation is reduced.

It can be seen from Figure 2 that the shaft bearing sleeve 12 protrudes laterally beyond the upper soft region 11. The rollers 7 on the shaft 8 are thus kept spaced apart from the soft material 11, so that the rollers 8 are not braked by the soft material.

Shown in Figure 3 is the suspension unit in a longitudinal section through the front and rear side. As described previously, the curtain suspension 2 with the anchor element 10 is hung in the bottom element 16 of the hard material section, and the shaft 8 of the roller device lies in the shaft bearing sleeve 12 in the upper soft region 11, which is covered upwardly by the terminal end 6 of the hard material frame. The interim space fillings 5 protrude beyond the front and rear side. The interior space of the hard material frame is filled at least in the upper half with soft material by means of the upper soft region 11 and the central soft region 15. The central soft region 15 passes over into the interim space fillings 5 and the extensions 13. Below the central soft region 15 an interim space 14 remains free, in which the anchor element 10 can be inserted and borne in a movable way. Despite the portion of soft material, the body has a sufficient stiffness, owing to the structure of the hard material section, in order to be able to guide a curtain in the curtain guide.

Shown in Figure 4 is the suspension unit in a longitudinal section through the side of the body 1. The shaft 8 of the roller device extends through the shaft bearing sleeve 12, which protrudes on both sides beyond the upper soft region 11. The rollers 7 are fixed at the ends of the shaft 8 by axle caps 23. A spac5 ing remains between the inner side of the rollers 7 and the outer side of the upper soft region 11 and also the terminal end 6. As already mentioned, the rollers can be composed of hard material on the outside and have in the interior a soft material, which e.g. abuts a shaft of hard material.

Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of a suspension unit according to io the present invention which has a sliding element as guide element. The body 1 and the curtain suspension 2 correspond to those of the first embodiment as it is shown in Figures 1 to 5. The sliding element comprises two gliders 40, which are disposed on the body 1 on the right and the left and protrude beyond this body.

The gliders 40 are designed as elements with an oval or elliptical outer circumfer15 ence, with which the gliders abut on or against the curtain guide of a curtain device and are able to be shifted thereon. The gliders 40 preferably have a hard material section on the outer circumference. The gliders 40 can have a region of soft material inside.

As can be seen from Figure 7, the gliders 40 are borne on the body 1 in the same way as the rollers 7 of the first embodiment. Reference is therefore made also to the description in this respect. The gliders 40 are disposed substantially at both ends of the shaft 8, which extends through the body 1. The shaft 8 is provided in the soft end region 11 of the body 1. The soft end region 11 can damp the movements of the gliders 40. There is a floating bearing of the gliders 40, as already explained above. Provided between the soft end region 11 and the shaft 8 is once again a shaft bearing sleeve 12 made of a hard material, so that there is good sliding ability between the hard shaft 8 and the hard shaft bearing sleeve 12 when the shaft 8 rotates in the shaft bearing sleeve 12.

The gliders 40 in this embodiment are borne in a movable way relative to the body 1. With a shifting of the suspension unit on the curtain guide, on the one hand, the gliders 40 can roll with their outer circumference on the curtain guide and thus assume an optimal position for the sliding movement. On the other hand, the body 1 with the curtain suspension 2 can be tilted relative to the curtain guide and thus can also assume an optimal position for the shifting of the suspen12 sion unit. Resulting therefrom is a simple sliding of the suspension units along the curtain guide and a reduction of the force necessary to do this.

Provided in Figures 8 to 10 is a third embodiment of a suspension unit according to the invention with a sliding element as guide element, which is fixed relative to the body. The body 1 is designed on its upper end in a way corresponding to the previous embodiments, and has a hard material section 20 with terminal end 6 and supports 4 and a soft material section 30 with a passage 19 in the upper region and interim space fillings 5, as previously described. In this embodiment the soft material section 30 of the body 1 extends from the upper to the lower end io in the hard material section 20. At its lower end the body 1 has a flat bottom element 16, on which a curtain suspension 2 is provided in a fixed way. The curtain suspension 2 is preferably designed in one piece with the body 1 and thus belongs to the hard material section of the suspension unit. The curtain suspension 2 has a curved part protruding downward from the body 1 as curtain fastener 9, which is forms a passage, so that a curtain can be attached to the curved part, for example by hooking, clipping or sewing.

As shown in Figure 8, the sliding element has two gliders 40‘, which protrude on both sides in an upper region of the body 1 and are able to rest on a curtain guide. The shape of the gliders 40' corresponds substantially to the shape of the gliders 40 of the second embodiment. As can be seen from Figure 10, the gliders 40' are rigidly connected to one another through an elongated connection 44. The connection 44 is of cylindrical design, <and> has on the outer circumference a plurality of ribs 45 running in longitudinal direction. The connection is comparable to the shaft bearing sleeve 12 of the previous embodiments. Alternatively the connection 44 could also have an elongated form with an angular outer circumference.

Die connection 44 of the gliders 40' is disposed in a torque-proof way in the passage 19 of the soft material section 30, as shown in Figure 9. The ribs 45 engage in recesses in the circumference of the passage 19, in order to prevent a rotation of the connection 44 in the body 1. The connection 44 is preferably of hard material. Through the bearing of the connection 44 in the soft material section 30 of the body 1, the gliders 40' are borne in a floating way relative to the body 1.

With movement of the connection 44 in the material section 30 the soft material can deform in a flexible way and damp the movement of the gliders 40‘.

The individual elements of the suspension unit in the form of the body 1, the curtain suspension 2 and the guide element 3 are in this embodiment rigid with respect to one another. The suspension unit is preferably produced by a twocomponent injection molding process, as previously described.

With a displacement of the suspension unit along the curtain guide, the suspension unit can roll away on the oval or elliptical contact surfaces of the gliders 40' so that the suspension unit can be tilted relative to the curtain guide and can assume a smooth-running position. The movements of the suspension units along the curtain guide of the curtain device are damped by the soft material sec10 tions of the suspension units, so that noise generation is diminished and an easy adjustment of a curtain of the curtain device becomes possible.

Figures 11 to 14 show a fourth embodiment of a suspension unit for a curtain device according to the present invention with a guide element in the form of a roller device, comparable to the first embodiment. Structural elements with the same function are designated by the same reference numerals. The body 1 comprises a hard material section 20 and a soft material section 30. Integrated in the hard material section 20 is a shaft bearing 50, which is formed by means of crosspieces 51 on the upper end of the hard material section 20.

The hard material section 20 acts as a frame and again has lateral sup20 ports 4 at four edges of the hard material section. The frame is open on both sides. On the front and rear side the apertures 18 are filled in by the interim space filling 5. The supports 4 are connected to one another above by a terminal end 6 and below by a bottom element 16. Provided in the bottom element 16 is a keyhole-type opening with a narrow entry region 53 and a round bearing region 54, whose diameter is greater than the width of the entry region 53. Formed in the interior between the supports 4 is the interior space 17 of the frame. The hard material section 20 has a pull cord attachment 22, to which a pull cord can be fixed which connects together the individual suspension units.

The soft material section 30 is designed for the interior space 17 of the hard material section 20 in a form-fitting way and abuts its inner sides, except in the region of the bottom element 16 over the entry region 53 and bearing region

54. The soft material section 30 has in this embodiment a gap 55, which extends parallel to the shaft bearing 50. The gap 55 runs somewhat farther than to the middle of the soft material section 30. It can also be longer, however. The gap 55 does not completely divide the soft material section 30, however. The gap 55 is situated approximately between the upper soft region 11 and the central soft region 15. Furthermore the soft material section 30 has an axial passage 19. The gap 55 of the soft material section 30 and the crosspieces 51 of the hard material section 20 are best seen in Figure 14. The suspension unit is provided in fact as a single piece, the crosspieces 51 coming to lie in the gaps 55. The upper soft region 11 and the central soft region 15 of the soft material section 30 thereby surround the shaft bearing 50 of the hard material section 20.

In a way similar to that of the embodiment of Figure 1, the interim space io fillings 5 of the soft material section protrude on the front and rear sides beyond the supports 4 of the hard material section, as can be seen in Figure 11. In the other regions around the circumference of the body, the outside of the body is constituted by hard material. On the front and rear side of the body, predominantly a soft material is situated outside.

is Inserted into the bearing region 54 in the bottom element 16 of the hard material section 20 is the curtain suspension 2. Borne at the lower end of the curtain suspension is the curtain fastener 9 in the form of a ring. Provided on the upper end is the anchor element 10, which is hung in the bearing region 54. Foreseen above the ring bearing is a horizontal bearing surface 56, from which a verti20 cal extension 57 protrudes upwardly, which ends with the anchor element 10. The extension 57 is designed round with two opposite flat areas 58. The diameter of the extension 57 in the region of the flat areas 58 corresponds to the width of the entry region 53. The diameter of the extension 57 in the circular region is bigger and corresponds to the diameter of the bearing region 54. The diameter of the an25 chor element 10 is bigger than the diameter of the bearing region 54.

To insert the curtain suspension 2 into the bearing region 54, the extension 57 is aligned to the entry region 53 in such a way that it can be pushed through this entry region. In the bearing region 54 the extension 57 is rotated by about 90° so that the extension 57 no longer fits through the entry region 53. The bearing surface 56 thereby comes to be situated on the lower side of the bottom element 16 and the anchor element 10 on the upper side of the bottom element 16. The curtain suspension 2 is securely held in this position in the body 1.

Provided as on the upper end of the body 1 is again a roller device as guide element 3 comprising rollers 7 and shaft 8. The shaft 8 extends through the

2014404285 17 Aug 2018 shaft bearing 50, and disposed on both ends of the shaft 8 is one roller 7 each.

The rollers 7 protrude beyond the sides of the body 1, so that they rest on a curtain guide of a curtain device and can be guided thereby. The shaft 8 of the guide element 3 runs through the upper soft region 11 of the soft material section 30, as already described with respect to the embodiment according to Figure 1.

Shown in Figure 12 is the suspension unit in a longitudinal section through the front and rear side. As previously described, the curtain suspension 2 with the bearing surface 56, the extension 57 and the anchor element 10 is held in the bearing region 54 of the bottom element 16. The shaft 8 of the roller device lies io in the shaft bearing 50, which lies in the upper soft region 11. The interim space fillings 5 protrude beyond the front and rear side. The interior space of the hard material frame is filled, at least in the upper half, with soft material. Below the central soft region 15 an interim space 14 remains empty in which the anchor element 10 can be inserted in a movable way and borne.

is Shown in Figure 13 is the suspension unit in a longitudinal section through the sides of the body 1. The shaft 8 of the roller device extends through the shaft bearing 50, which shaft protrudes on both sides beyond the upper soft region 11. The rollers 7 are attached at the ends of the shaft 8. As Figure 13 shows, the soft material section 30 in this direction is narrower than the hard mate20 rial section 20, so that the hard material protrudes beyond the upper soft material section 11 and the central soft material section 15. Thus, on their inner sides, the rollers 7 are situated opposite the hard material on which they slide more easily when rolling than on the soft material.

In this specification, the terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising” or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a system, method or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

List of Reference Numerals

body	19	passage
curtain suspension	20	hard material section
guide element	21	ribs
support	22	pull cord attachment
interim space filling	23	cap
terminal end	30	soft material section
rollers	40, 40‘	gliders
shaft	44	connection
curtain fastener	45	ribs
anchor element	50	shaft bearing
upper soft region	51	crosspiece
shaft bearing sleeve	53	entry region
extension	54	bearing region
interim space	55	gap
central soft region	56	bearing surface
bottom element	57	extension
interior space	58	flat area

interim space

Claims

Claims

A suspension unit for a curtain device, having a body (1) to which is connected a curtain suspension (
2), for attaching a curtain to the suspension unit, and a guide element (
3), for guiding the suspension unit in a curtain guide of the curtain device, wherein the body (1) has a hard material section (20) of a hard material and a soft material section (30) of a soft material, which differ in their hardness, and the body (1) has a frame with lateral supports (
4) which belong to the hard material section (20) and interim spaces (18) between the supports (4) are covered or filled with the soft material at least on opposite sides of the body (1) and between the supports (4) of the frame an interior space (17) is covered, or at least partially filled with the soft material.

The suspension unit according to claim 1, wherein the soft material section (30) protrudes beyond the hard material section (20) at least in direction of movement of the suspension unit in the curtain guide.

The suspension unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (1) is connected to the guide element (3) via a connection (44) or a shaft (8).

The suspension unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide element has the connection (44) or the shaft (8) through a region (11) of the body (1) filled with the soft material.

The suspension unit according to the preceding claim, wherein a shaft bearing (50) or a shaft bearing sleeve (12) made of the hard material is provided in the region (11) of the body (1) filled with the soft material.

The suspension unit according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein provided as the guide element (3) is a sliding element with gliders (40; 40‘), which are borne in a sliding way on the curtain guide, or a roller device with rollers (7), which are borne in a rollable way on the curtain

2014404285 18 Jan 2019 guide, and the guide element (3) is composed of the hard material on its outer side which abuts the curtain guide.

7. The suspension unit according to the preceding claim, wherein the sliding element or the roller device has an inner volume with the soft material.
5 8. The suspension unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein provided as the guide element (3) at a first end of the body (1) is a sliding element, which is borne in a movable way in the body (1).
9. The suspension unit according to any one of the claims 6 or 7, wherein the gliders (40‘) are rigidly disposed on the connection (44), which io extends through a region (11) of the body (1) filled with the soft material.
10. The suspension unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (1) has at a second end a bearing made of the soft material for movable bearing of the curtain suspension (2).
11. The suspension unit according to any one of the preceding claims,

15 wherein a substance of the hard material section (20) consists of polyoxymethylene (POM), polypropylene (PP), or polyamide (PA) and a substance of the soft material section (30) consists of caoutchouc.
12. A body for a suspension unit for a curtain device according to any one of the preceding claims, which consists of at least two different material

20 sections (20, 30) that differ in their hardness.
13. A curtain device with at least one curtain guide and at least one curtain which is suspended on a plurality of suspension units with a guide element (3) for guiding of the suspension units in the curtain guide, the suspension units being designed according to any one of the claims 1 to

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