CA1275035A - Locking device for use with a blind assembly - Google Patents

Locking device for use with a blind assembly

Info

Publication number
CA1275035A
CA1275035A CA000508884A CA508884A CA1275035A CA 1275035 A CA1275035 A CA 1275035A CA 000508884 A CA000508884 A CA 000508884A CA 508884 A CA508884 A CA 508884A CA 1275035 A CA1275035 A CA 1275035A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
end rail
blind
movable end
rail
movable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA000508884A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Richard N. Anderson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hunter Douglas Canada Inc
Original Assignee
Hunter Douglas Canada Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hunter Douglas Canada Inc filed Critical Hunter Douglas Canada Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1275035A publication Critical patent/CA1275035A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A locking device for use with a blind assembly where the blind assembly has a fixed end rail and a movable end rail with a blind extending between the end rails. The locking device has a base portion adapted to be connected to a side member of a wall opening and the device is adapted when in a locking position to engage a portion of the movable end rail to prevent the movable end rail moving towards the fixed end rail and thus towards a blind open position.

Description

; V ~7S0~5 A LOCE~ING DEVICE F5)R USE WITH A ~LIND ASSEMBLY

Field of the Invention This invention relates to a locking device for use wlth a blind as~embly to prevent in~dvertent movement of the blind 5 a sembly from a clo~ed po~ition to an op.en po~ition. More particularly the invention relateq to a locking device adapted for use with a blind assembly compri~ing a i~ed end rail, a movable end rail and a blind extending between the two end rails where the blind i3 moved toward~ open and ~ closed positions by movemen of the movable end rail.

BacXground of t_e Invention ~ lind assemblies as used ~ith boats or recreational vehicles ~ubject to vibration and movement often include a 15 cable guide ~ystem extending between opposite sides of a wall opening, for example a window opening or a porthole opening, where the cable guide system contains and guides a movable end rail and where the blind extends between the movable end rail and an end rail fixed to a ~ide of the wall opening. The
2~ blind in such instances may comprl e a plurality of slats or a pleated ~abri~-like material and the blind i3 opened by movement of the movable end rail towards a fixed end rail and is closed by movement of its movable end rail away from the fixed end rail.
Normally in such inqtallations the cable guide sy~tem connectlng the movable end rail a~sures that the movable end rail will remain in place after manual movement to a particular position by an operator. However, in many instances, particularly where the blind assembly i5 subject 30 to vibration or excessive movement as may occur in a boat or a recretional vehicle, the movable end rail may be inadvertently mov~d toward~ a blind open position.
It is therefore an object of my invention to provide for a locking device which will prevent inadvertent moYement of a ~ir 7~ ~5 blind a~sembly towards an open position where the blind assembly comprises a fixed end raily a movable end rail and a bllnd extending between the end rail~.

General Descri tion of the Invent1on _ _P
Broadly a locking device according to my invention i8 adapted for use with a blind as~embly which i8 mounted in a wall opening and which comprises a fixed end rail, a movable en~ rail and a blind extending between the two end rails : 10 where the blind i8 moved ~owards open and closed positions by movement of the movable end rail. The locking device incl~des a base portion which i~ adapted to be connected to a side of the wall opening 80 a9 to engage a part of a movable end rail to prevent its movement towards a bllnd open 15 position.
Preferably the locking device includes a resilient finger portion which i9 connected at o~e end to the base portion and i9 adapted to engage at its free end with a part o~ the movable end rail when in a locking position. The 20 resilient finger further is adapted to be moved out of engagement with the movable end rail to an unlocked position to allow movement of the end rail toward~ the fixed end rail and consequently opening of the blind.
The free end of the re~ilient finger may lnclude a 25 beveled ~urface ending in a locking shoulder with the surface adapted to engage a pro jection on the end of the movable end rail such that when the movable end rail i8 ~oved towards a blind closed position, the projection will lide along the beveled ~urface to force the finger portion towards an : 30 unlocked positionO When the projection slides beyond the end of the beveled surface, the finger portion will sn~p to a locking po~ition where ~ts locking shoulder engages a ~ide of the projection on the movable end rail.
The ba e portion to which the resilient finger is connected and which is adapted to be affixed to a side of a . .
,.. . .

~i~75~;~5 wall opening is preferably engaged by a cap member for fixing the ba~e member to the side of the wall opening. This cap member may conveniently include an operating cable turning means by which an operating cable, which acts a~ a mean~ for 5moving the movable end rail, may be guided through sub3tantially 1~0. In a preferred form of the invention, thi~ turnlng means comprises a roller rotatably mounted with~n the cap member.
~he por~ion of the end rail which ~s contacted by the 10 free end o ~he resilient finger may conv~niently compri~e an end cap mounted on the end of the movable end rail and which has therevn a cable connecti~n means by whic~- an operating cable i9 secured to the movable end rail and where the free end of the finger portion engages this operating cable 15 connection means.
The locking device compri~ing the base portion and the finger portion as well as the cap member may be conveniently cast from a pla~tic material ~hereby construction costs are minimized. 0 srief Description of the~
Figure 1 is an exploded per~pective view of a locking device according to the invention a used witb a blind constru~tion:
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a locking device according to the invention in locking engagement with an end of a movable end rail;
Figure 3 is a front view of the locking device of Figure 2 shown in locking engagement with a movable end rail;
30 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a cap member utilized for securing the locking device of Figures 1-3 t~ the side of a wall opening; and, Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the manner in which the locking device according to the invention is mounted to the cap member of Figure 4.

~ s `~

scription of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figure 1 there i8 illustrated a blind assembly 1 having a fixed lower end rail 2 and an upper movable end rail 3 adapted to be mounted :in a wall opening, 5 not shown. A plurality of slats 4 are carried between the fixed end ra{l 2 and the movable end rail 3 by mean~ o tape ladders 5 and 5'.
The bottom fixed end rail 2 includes a conventional tilt rod 6 on which are mounted tilt rolls 7 a~d 7' which connect 10 with the tape ladders 5 and 5' such that ~when the rod 6 i8 rotated by means of tilt control knob 8 the ~lat3 may be tilted to open and closed position~.
In the blind assembly shown~ an operating cord 10 is connected at one end with the movable end rail 3 by means of 15 a cable connection means 11 contained in an end cap 12 fitted into the end of the movable end rail 3. Cable 10 extends from the cable connection means 11 through a cable turning means 13 which is ~ixed relative to the side of a window opening.
The cable 10 then extend~ vertically downwardly to the fixed 20 end rail 2 where it is turned 90 through the end 14 of the fixed end rail. From the end 14 of the fi~ed end rail, the cable extends within the end rail to a further turning point 15 where the cable is turned 90 and extends upwardly through hole~ 16 containea in the slats to connect with the end ~lat 25 3 at point 17.
A further operating cable 10' i~ included in the ~ystem and extends through the ~ixed end rail in the same manner as cable 10 but connect~ with the opposite end of the movable end rail, not shown.
The result of thi~ particular cable guide system i~ that the blind assembly will tend to remain in place no matter which po~ition the end rail is manually moved. ~1s i9 because the cable 10 extending between the end of the end rail 3 and the turning po int 13 will shorten as the end rail ~ ~3 i~ moved upwardly while the portion of ~he cable b~twe~n the ~nd rail 3 and point 15 in the fixed end rail ~ill lengthen an egual amount with the result that ~he tension in both ends of the cable 10 i8 the ~ame. However, in some instances, the 5 end rail will not remain in place, and particulaly when the end rail is i~ blind closed position, that i3 when it is at the top of its movem~nt away from the fixed end rail, the end rail can inadvertently move downwardly to open the blind assembly. This may occur when the blind assembly i9 10 subjected to severe vibration or pounding as ~ay occur in a recreational vehicle over a rough road or in a boat in rough seas .
In order to prevent this inadvertent opening of the : blind assembly, a locking device 20 is provided ~o as to 15 engage and lock the movable end rail again~t inadvertent movement when the end rail is in a blind closed position.
Referring to the figures, the locking device 20 comprises a ba~e portion 21 which as shown in Figure 3 is adapted to be fixed against a side 22 of a wa}l openiDg. ~he locking device 2~ includes a resilient finger portion 23 which i~ fixed at one end to the base portion 21 and which has a free end 24 at its other end. End 24 includes a beveled gurface 25 and a locking ~houlder 26. A~ shown in Figure 3, the locking shoulder 26 engages a side of the cable connecting means 11 25 Of the end cap 12 mounted on the:~nd rail 3. As shown in Fiyure 2 the cable 10 is threaded through a hole in the cable connection means 11 by which the cable i~ connected to the movable end rail.
When the end rail 3 is moved in an upward direction, the
3~ cable connection means 11 engages the beveled surface 25 and : slide~ along the length thereof to force the resilient finger port:ion 23 outwardly of the end rail until ~uch time a~ the end of the cable connection means 11 ~lide~ beyond the locking shoulder 26. At this point the resilient ~inger 23 35 will snap towards the end of the end rail to a locking ~'75~35 po~ition where the locking shoulder 26 engage~ the bottom of the cable means ll to securely lock the end rail from downward movement towards the fixed end rail 2 and thus securely locking the blind as3e~bly from movement to an open .
5 position.
When it is desired to open the blind manual means may be used to move the resilient finger 23 away from the end o~ the movable end rail 3 to allow the ca~le connection means ll to disengage from the locking shoulder 26 ancl the movable end 10 rail to ~ove the end towards the fixed end rail.
The locking device compri~ing the re~ilient finger portion 23 and base portio~ 21 are ~ecured to the ~ide 22 of the wall opening by me~ns of a cap member 30 which contains the operating cable turning means 13. Both the cap member 30 15 and the base portion 21 are adapted to be held to the ~ide wall 22 by means of ~crews 33.
As shown in Figure 4, the turn~ng means 13 comprises a roller 34 which ~it~ into recess 35 contained in the cap member. The cable lO passes over the roller 34 and 20 do~nwardly between the cap portion 30 and base portion 21 to the fixed end rail. ~y this construction, the locking device may e combined with the cable turning means to present a small combined structure both of which may be secured to the side of a wall opening by the same fastening mean~ 33.
The movable end rail 3 is provided with a handle 40 connected to the end rail by screws 41 in order to impart movement to the end rail so as to open and clo~e the blind assembly.
While I have described and shown the movable end rail 30 po~itioned above the~fixed end rail so that the blind assembly is closed by raising the movable end rail, it is apparent that the 3tructure could be reversed l80'. That is, the fixed end rail 2 could be po~itioned above the movable end rail so that the blind would be closed by lowering the 35 movable end rail toward the bottom of the wall opening.

Claims (4)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A blind assembly including a locking device, said blind assembly mounted in a wall opening and comprises a fixed end rail, a movable end rail, a blind extending between the end rails, and means for moving said movable end rail relative to said fixed end rail to move said blind towards open and closed positions; said locking device including a base portion adapted to be connected to a side member of said wall opening, a resilient finger portion connected at one end to said base portion and adapted at its opposite free end to engage with a part of said movable end rail when in a locking position and to be moved out of engagement with said part when moved to an unlocked position, the free end of said resilient finger portion includes a beveled surface ending in a locking shoulder adapted to engage a projection on an end of said movable end rail when said movable end rail is in a blind closed position whereby when said movable end rail is moved towards a blind closed position, said projection will slide along said surface to move said finger portion towards an unlocked position until said projection moves beyond the end of said surface at which point the finger portion will snap to a locked position with the locking shoulder engaging a side of said projection thereby preventing movement of said movable end rail to a blind open position, said means for moving said movable end rail including an operating cable for moving said movable end rail and a cap member adapted to connect said base portion to a side member and wherein said cap member includes operating cable turning means by which said operating cable is guided through substantially 180°.
2. A blind assembly according to claim 1 wherein said cable turning means comprises a roller rotatably mounted within said cap member.
3. A blind assembly according to claim 1 wherein said free end is adapted to engage an operating cable connection means contained on an end cap mounted on an end of said movable end rail and forming said part of said end rail.
4. A blind assembly including a locking device, said blind assembly mounted in a wall opening and comprises a fixed end rail, a movable end rail, a blind extending between the end rails, the means including an operating cable for moving said movable end rail relative to said fixed end rail to move said blind towards opened and closed positions; said locking device including a base planar portion adapted to be connected to a side member of said wall opening, a depending flange defined by a resilient finger portion connected at one end to said planar base portion and adapted at its opposite free end to engage with a part of said movable end rail when in a locking position and to be moved out of engagement with said part when moved to an unlocked position, the free end of said resilient finger portion includes a beveled surface ending in a locking shoulder adapted to engage a projection on an end of said movable end rail when said movable end rail is in a blind closed position whereby when said movable end rail is moved towards a blind closed position, said projection will slide along said surface to move said finger portion towards an unlocked position until said projection moves beyond the end of said surface at which point the finger portion will snap to a locked position with the locking shoulder engaging a side of said projection thereby preventing movement of said movable end rail to a blind opened position; and a plate shaped cap member adapted to connect said base portion to a side member, said cap member including as recess containing operating cable turning means by which said operating cable is guided through substantially 180°.
CA000508884A 1985-05-13 1986-05-12 Locking device for use with a blind assembly Expired - Fee Related CA1275035A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US73355385A 1985-05-13 1985-05-13
US733,553 1985-05-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1275035A true CA1275035A (en) 1990-10-09

Family

ID=24948104

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000508884A Expired - Fee Related CA1275035A (en) 1985-05-13 1986-05-12 Locking device for use with a blind assembly

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1275035A (en)

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Legal Events

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