AU8923901A - Multiple roller - Google Patents

Description

P/00/01 1 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Multiple roller The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Freeh ills Carter Smith Beadle Melbourne\003937129Prne5Nomb201(:6)pg2 Printed 5 November 2001 (15:16) page 2 MULTIPLE ROLLER FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to a multiple roller for blinds and in a particular nonlimiting aspect relates to a driven multiple roller for blinds which can be used with straight or bent or curved blinds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: Roller blinds are commonly used in many commercial and domestic situations for screening windows, skylights and the like. Typically such blinds comprise a single cylinder around which the blind is wound. A mechanism to lower or retract the blind through rotation of the cylinder is generally provided.

"In more complex applications where more than one window needs to have a blind, there may be several cylinders, one for each window. Where the cylinders are ooooo in a straight line, the cylinders may be joined and a drive means such as an electric motor may be used to raise and lower the blinds.

ooooo However, where the windows make an angle with each other or are curved, because the cylinders for rolling and unrolling the blinds are at an angle to each other they may typically require a separate electric motor for each cylinder.

Apart from substantially increased costs involved with providing separate motors for each cylinder, additional switching, wiring or other arrangements need to be made for the independent motors. Furthermore, where it is desired that the Melbourne\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42) 3 rolling and unrolling of the blinds should occur in unison, there may be a need to provide an indexing mechanism to ensure that the rate of rolling and unrolling of the blinds is kept in step.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a relatively simple construction for rolling and unrolling blinds in unison.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION: For this purpose the invention provides in one aspect a roller for blinds including" a plurality of serially arranged roller means with opposed ends forming an 10 assembly, each opposed end being formed with a bore mounting brackets for mounting the ends of the assembly; and a pair of bearings engaging the bores of the roller means said bearings S including a spherical portion which slidably fits within said bores and a drive shaft for transferring drive from one of the roller means to the next extends through each pairofbearings.

The roller means are preferably tubular cylinders formed of any suitable material such as metal (eg. aluminium), wood or plastic.

Drive means may be associated with one or more of the roller cylinders. The drive means may comprise an electric motor. Alternatively the drive means may comprise a mechanical driven arrangement such as a personally efforted clock Melbourne\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42) 4 work, or spring loaded mechanism.

The drive means to be provided at one end of the assembly. The drive means may comprise a motor mounted onto the mounting bracket.

The electric motor may include a drive system which extends into the tube forming a roller cylinder.

The roller cylinder bearings may be formed of a low friction material such as teflon or glass filled nylon. They may include a circumferential flange. The flange may form a flange bearing upon which one of the ends of the tube forming the roller cylinder bears. The flange may be formed of the same low friction material as the 10 spherical portion.

o The drive shaft may be solid or flexible. Suitably, the central portion of the drive shaft may be flexible. It may be secured for rotation by the roller cylinder.

•Securement may be by way of a drive boss fitting with a tube forming the roller cylinder. The drive boss may be attached to an end piece on the flexible shaft.

15 Suitably the construction of the roller is such that a single drive means may be arranged to drive at least two roller cylinders. The roller cylinders may be disposed at an angle to each other or they may form a straight line. Thus the roller cylinders may make an angle of 0 to 90 between adjacent roller cylinders depending upon the use to which they are to be put.

The roller cylinder bearings may be mounted on one or more intermediate Melbourne\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42) brackets. Where the roller cylinders are in a straight line, there may be one intermediate bracket between each pair of adjacent roller cylinders. Thus the roller cylinder bearings may be mounted in back to back relationship on each intermediate bracket.

However, where the roller cylinders are arranged at an angle to each other it is possible that there may be a single or a pair of two mounting brackets between adjacent ends of roller cylinders. Thus one roller cylinder bearing may be mounted on each of the two intermediate brackets.

In another approach, where the roller cylinders are arranged in a straight line 10 or at an angle to each other there may be a single intermediate bracket with mounting faces angled to each other for mounting the roller cylinder bearings.

S.Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a roller for blinds according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a partial cross section taken through a shortened portion of the straight configuration of assembled roller assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows an alternative construction for a bent roller.

Melbourne\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42) 6 The numerals identifying the various elements in the drawings are listed in the attached integer list.

INTEGER LIST: 1. Roller 3. Roller tube Roller tube 7. Motor bracket 9. End bracket 11. Motor 10 13. Rotor drive wheel 15. Tooth 17. Slot 19. Screw 21. Rivet 23. Drive boss Rivet Melbourne\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42) 27. Bore 29. End piece 31. Flexible shaft 33. End piece 35. Grub screw 37. Aperture 39. Spherical bearing 40. Bore 41. Flange bearing 43. Intermediate bracket 44. Bore 45. Screw *oooo DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS: Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings there is shown a roller generally designated 1 having two roller tubes 3 and 5. The roller rubes are aluminium cylinders.

A motor bracket 7 is provided for mounting above a window to hold one end Melbourne\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42) 8 of the roller. The oppose end of the roller is held by the end bracket 9. A motor 11 is attached to the motor bracket 7 by screws 19. The motor bracket 7 includes a rotor 13 which can be slid into the bore of the roller tube 3. The motor may include a tooth 15 which slides into the slot 17 provided on the roller tube 3.

Rivets 21 are secured to the end of the rotor 13 through the roller tube 3 to ensure that the roller tube 3 turns with the rotor 13 when the motor 11 is operating.

A drive boss 23 is also secured within the roller tube 3 by the rivets 25. The drive boss is formed with a bore 27 adapted to receive the end piece 29 of the flexible shaft 31. The opposite end of the flexible shaft terminates in an end piece 33 which in turn fits into a drive boss 23 similarly arranged within the roller tube 5. A grub screw 35 which fits through the aperture 37 in the roller tubes screws down through the drive boss to hold the end pieces of the flexible shaft in place.

A spherical bearing 39 having a bore 40 and a flange 41 which acts as a bearing as well is mounted on an intermediate bracket 43. The spherical bearing 39 extends into the bore of the roller tube 3 in a slidable fit arrangement which allows the roller tube to be manoeuvred to an angle with respect to the intermediate bracket. A similar spherical bearing 39 is mounted on the opposite side of the intermediate bracket and is in turn similarly fitted within the end of the roller tube Screws 45 hold both spherical bearings together on the intermediate bracket 43 in back to back relationship. Thus it can be seen when the various components are assembled as is shown in Figure 2, drive from the motor is transferred to the first roller tube 3 which in turn transfers it via the boss 23 and flexible shaft through the Melboume\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42) 9 bore 40 of the spherical bearings and the bore 44 of the intermediate bracket into the second boss 23. This in turn causes the second roller tube to rotate at the same rate of angular rotation as the first.

Where it is desired that the two roller tubes 3 and 5 be at an angle to each other, a further intermediate bracket 43 as shown in Figure 3 may be provided so that each of the spherical bearings provided between the ends of the adjacent roller tubes are mounted on an individual intermediate bracket in the manner shown. The flexible portion of the flexible shaft 31 serves to transfer drive between the two roller tubes. It may be formed of any suitably strong flexible material. It may be formed as concentric windings of spring steel wire. The arrangement of roller tubes can be extended beyond the end bracket if more roller tubes are desired. Typically the arrangement may be used to drive up to 10 roller tubes although it is preferred S"that the number of roller tubes driven by a single motor is not greater than five.

ooooo Where more than five roller tubes are to be driven it may be appropriate to provide a motor at each end of the roller.

The terms comprise or comprising as used throughout the specification are to be interpreted in their inclusive sense, ie. the use of these terms does not preclude additional elements or integers.

Melbourne\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42)

Claims (12)

1. A roller for blinds including a plurality of serially arranged roller means with opposed ends forming an assembly each opposed end being formed with a bore; mounting brackets for mounting the ends of the assembly; and a pair of bearings engaging the bores of the roller means said bearings including a spherical portion which slidably fits within said bores and a drive shaft for transferring drive from one of the roller means to the next extends through each pair of bearings.

2. The roller of claim 1 wherein the roller means are tubular.

3. The roller of claim 1 or 2, including drive means associated with one or more of said roller means.

4. The roller of claim 3 wherein the drive means is selected from a motor, or 15 mechanical driven mechanism such as a clockwork or spring loaded drive mechanism.

The roller of claim 3 or 4, wherein the drive means is provided at one end of the assembly.

6. The roller of any preceding claim, wherein the bearings are formed from low friction material such as Teflon or glass filled nylon.

The roller of any preceding claim, wherein the drive shaft is flexible.

8. The roller of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the drive shaft is rigid.

9. The roller of any preceding claim, wherein a single drive means drives at least two roller means with the roller means in line or at an angle to each other.

Melboume\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42) The roller of any preceding claim, wherein the bearings are mounted on a intermediate bracket.

11. The roller of any preceding claim, wherein a separate drive means is arranged at either end of the assembly.

12. A roller for blinds substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings 15th High Street Pty Ltd By its Registered Patent Attorneys Freehills Carter Smith Beadle 5 November 2001 *c Melboume\003936922 Printed 5 November 2001 (12:42)