CA3209334A1 - Blind - Google Patents

Abstract

A blind includes two rails, a tilting mechanism, a ladder cord, plural slats and a restricting cord. The ladder cord includes a first longitudinal cord, a second longitudinal cord, plural bearers and plural limiting members. Each bearer has two ends respectively connected to a first position on the first longitudinal cord and a second position on the second longitudinal cord for supporting the corresponding slat. Each limiting member extends from a third position of the second longitudinal cord and forms a limiting loop after passing through a through hole of the closest slat. The restricting cord is parallel to the second longitudinal cord and passes through the limiting loops as each of its fixing portions is fixedly coupled with one of the second longitudinal cord and the corresponding limiting loop, wherein a segment of the restricting cord defined by any two neighboring fixing portions is less than a predetermined length.

Description

BLIND
Background of the Disclosure Field of the Disclosure [0001] The present disclosure relates to a blind, and more particularly relates to a blind can prevent the slats of it from being taken out and can fully close the slats to effectively block light leakage, and is safe to use.
Description of the Prior Art

[0002] A conventional window blind includes a headrail, a bottom rail, several slats, a ladder cord and a tilting mechanism. The headrail is for being fixed on a window frame or the wall to suspend the slats and the bottom rail. The ladder cord includes a front strip, a rear strip, and several weft strings provided between the front and the rear strips in a spaced parallel alignment, making the whole ladder cord shaped like a ladder with several steps. The tilting mechanism is disposed inside the headrail. The top ends of the front and the rear strips are coupled with the tilting mechanism, so that the ladder cord is suspended below the headrail.
The slats are disposed on the respective steps and supported by the respective weft strings. The tilting mechanism can retract the front strip and release the rear strip at the same time, or reversely, release the front strip and retract the rear strip at the same time, to tilt the slats for adjusting the amount of light passing through the gaps between the slats.

[0003] However, since the slats are simply placed on the respective steps of the ladder cord, the slats can be easily taken out from the corresponding steps because the slats are not restricted from moving. Moreover, since the ladder cord is usually made of soft strands, and the weft strings are usually slightly longer than the length of a shorter side of each slat, when the slats are tilted, particularly in a closed state in which the slats are almost vertical, the tilted slats would have slipped downward from their lower sides in different distances.
Under this circumstance, the slats on the respective steps are arranged non-uniformly, causing not only messy appearance of the window blind but also light leakage through the slats, which affects the effects of shielding light and protecting user privacy. Furthermore, the strips, cords and Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 strings of the window blind may be drawn by a child and accidentally wound on the neck of the child.
Summary of the Disclosure

[0004] In light of the above reasons, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a blind that solves the problems of the current window blinds, which includes the slats easily displacing in the lateral direction, frequent light leakage when the slats are closed, and safety concerns related to the cords of the window blinds.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a blind can be transformed between a first state and a second state with different amount of light passing therethrough. The blind includes a first rail, a second rail below the first rail, a tilting mechanism disposed on the first rail, at least one ladder cord connected to the tilting mechanism, plural slats situated between the first and second rails, and a restricting cord adjacent to the second longitudinal cord and extending along the same direction as the second longitudinal cord.

[0006] The ladder cord includes a first longitudinal cord, a second longitudinal cord, plural bearers and plural limiting members. The first longitudinal cord has plural equally spaced first positions. The second longitudinal cord is parallel to and spaced from the first longitudinal cord, having plural second positions and plural third positions, in which the third positions are each respectively adjacent to the corresponding second positions. When the blind is in the first state, the horizontal heights of the second positions of the second longitudinal cord respectively correspond to the horizontal heights of the first positions. The bearers are disposed between the first longitudinal cord and the second longitudinal cord, as two ends of each bearer are respectively connected to the corresponding first position on the first longitudinal cord and the corresponding second position on the second longitudinal cord. The limiting members each have one end disposed on the corresponding third position of the second longitudinal cord.

[0007] The slats are each supported by the corresponding bearers and each have a through hole adjacent to the second longitudinal cord. Each of the limiting members forms a limiting loop after passing through the through hole of the closest one of the slats. When the tilting mechanism drives the first and second longitudinal cords to move in the opposite Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 directions, the bearers change their angles along with the up-and-down dislocation of the first and second longitudinal cords, and also bring the slats to tilt concurrently, by which the blind is transformed from the first state in which the slats are parallel to and spaced from each other to the second state. The second state can be a fully-closed state.

[0008] The restricting cord passes through the limiting loops formed by the limiting members, thereby keeping the through hole of each of the slats passed through by one of the restricting cord and the corresponding limiting member. The restricting cord comprises plural fixing portions spaced apart from each other. A segment of the restricting cord defined by any two neighboring fixing portions is less than a predetermined length. Each of the plural fixing portions is fixedly coupled with a closest position on the second longitudinal cord or a closest one of the limiting loops.

[0009] The blind of the present disclosure has the following advantages. Firstly, since the limiting members are each fixed to the second longitudinal cord, each penetrating the through holes of the corresponding slats and together restricted by the restricting cord, the slats are restricted from moving horizontally and prevented from being drawn out of the ladder cord.
Secondly, as being restricted by the limiting members, the tilted slats can slide downward in uniform distances when the blind is in a fully-closed state, in which the slats overlap each other with uniform overlapping areas and are closed finely, thereby preventing light leakage through the slats. Thirdly, since the segment of the restricting cord defined by any two neighboring fixing portions is less than the predetermined length, the restricting cord is prevented from producing a loop that is big enough for the head of a child to pass through when being pulled at any angle, and the blind of the present disclosure has no danger to children.
Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] The present disclosure will be understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the blind according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the blind in FIG. 1 omitting the first rail thereof;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a lateral view of the blind in FIG. 1 omitting the first rail, driving member and operating rod thereof;

[0014] FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of the blind in FIG. 3;

[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the ladder cord in FIG. 3;

[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the blind in FIG. 1, seen from another view angle;

[0017] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the circle A in FIG. 6;

[0018] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the blind according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, seen from the same view angle as FIG. 6;

[0019] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the circle B in FIG. 8;

[0020] FIG. 10 is a partial schematic diagram of the blind according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the blind in FIG.
3 in the second state;

[0022] FIG. 12 is a partial exploded view of the blind in FIG. 6.
Detailed Description

[0023] In the following paragraphs and the accompanying drawings, the features and the implementations of several embodiments of the present disclosure are described in more detail along with the accompanying drawings. The features and the implementations described in the following paragraphs can be adopted solely or in combination with each other. In addition, the embodiments can be modified in various forms, as disclosed in the following paragraphs, and should not be limited to the embodiments described in the following paragraphs. Unless specified otherwise, the same reference characters refer to the same components.

[0024] The technical features provided in the present disclosure are not limited to the specific structures, uses, and applications described in the embodiments. The language used in the descriptions is illustrative and descriptive language which can be understood by the person of ordinary skill in the art. The terms regarding directions mentioned in the specification, Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 including "front", "rear", "up", "down", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inside", and "outside", are illustrative and descriptive terms based on common usage scenarios, and manifests no intent to limit the scope of claims.

[0025] Furthermore, the definite and indefinite articles "a" and "the" and the numerical term "one" used in the specification referring to components of singular form do not exclude the concept of plural form. Equivalences known by one having ordinary skill in the art should be also included. All conjunctions used in similar situations should be interpreted in the broadest ways. The specific shapes, structural features, and technical terms described in the descriptions should also be interpreted to include equivalent structures and techniques which could achieve the same functionality.

[0026] The blind of the present disclosure is transformable between a first state and a second state with different amount of light passing through the blind. The blind of the present disclosure comprises a first rail, a second rail, a tilting mechanism, at least a ladder cord, plural slats and at least one restricting cord. The amount of the ladder cord may be determined by the length of a longer side of each of the slats. The amount of the restricting cord may be equal to the amount of the ladder cord but is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the blind includes plural ladder cords and only one restricting cord, while the one restricting cord corresponds to one of the plural ladder cords. Please refer to FIGs.1 and 2, which show a blind 100 in the first state according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The blind 100 comprises a first rail 1, a second rail 2, a tilting mechanism 3, a pair of ladder cords 4 and plural slats 5. The first rail 1 can be fixed on a window frame or the wall. The second rail 2 is situated below the first rail 1. The tilting mechanism 3 is disposed inside the first rail 1, comprising a shaft 30, a pair of drums 31, a driving member 33 and an operating rod 34. The drums 31 are axially disposed on the shaft 30. When the driving member 33 drives the shaft 30 to rotate, the drums 31 concurrently rotate in the same directions as the shaft 30. The operating rod 34 is in mechanically communication with the driving member 33 and exposed outside the first rail 1.
Users can operate the operating rod 34 to drive the shaft 30 to rotate.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15

[0027] In this embodiment, the two ladder cords 4 are parallel to each other and respectively coupled with the drums 31 of the tilting mechanism 3. Referring to FIGs. 3 and 4, as the ladder cord 4 on the left side in FIG. 1 is taken as an example herein, the ladder cord 4 comprises a first longitudinal cord 41, a second longitudinal cord 42, plural bearers 43 and plural .. limiting members 44. The second longitudinal cord 42 is spaced apart from the first longitudinal cord 41 and mostly parallel to the first longitudinal cord 41, e.g., the parts of the second longitudinal cord 42 near the first rail 1 and/or the second rail 2 may not be parallel to the first longitudinal cord 41. The top ends of the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second longitudinal cord 42 are fixedly coupled with the different sides of the drum 31. Each of the bearers 43 has two ends connected to the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second longitudinal cord 42, respectively, thereby being located between the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second longitudinal cord 42.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 5, the first longitudinal cord 41 has plural first positions P1 which are equally spaced apart from each other. The second longitudinal cord 42 has plural .. second positions P2 respectively corresponding to the first positions Pl.
More specifically, when the blind 100 is in the first state, the second positions P2 are respectively at the same horizontal height as the first positions Pl. The second longitudinal cord 42 further has plural third positions P3 respectively adjacent to the second positions P2. In this embodiment, each of the third positions P3 is adjacent to and situated above the corresponding second position P2. However, the relative positions of the third positions P3 with respect to the corresponding second positions P2 are not limited thereto. At least a part of the third positions P3 may be respectively situated below the corresponding second positions P2 or in any other relative positions as long as apart from the corresponding second positions P2 within a specified spacing distance.

[0029] Please refer to FIGs. 3 and 4. On the premise that the blind 100 is in the first state, the first position P1 on the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second position P2 on the second longitudinal cord 41 which are at the same horizontal height are defined to be a set. Two ends of each bearer 43 are respectively connected to the first position P1 and the second Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 position P2 of a set, such that the bearers 43 are each horizontally disposed between the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second longitudinal cord 42. Moreover, referring to FIG. 1, since the two ladder cords 4 are parallel to each other, the two bearers 43 disposed on the respective ladder cords 4 at the same horizontal height are defined to be a set, and the slats 5 is each supported by a set of the bearers 43 of the respective ladder cords 4 to be in a horizontal state.
Therefore, the slats 5 are arranged along a vertical direction and located between the first rail 1 and the second rail 2.

[0030] Please keep referring to FIGs. 3 and 4. Each of the limiting members 44 has an end 441 disposed on the respective third positions P3 on the second longitudinal cord 42. In this embodiment, each of the limiting members 44 is a loop formed by bending a string as two ends of the string are fixed to the corresponding third position P3 of the second longitudinal cord 42.
In another embodiment, the limiting member is a whole string loop and a selected part of it is connected to the second longitudinal cord 42. Besides, in this embodiment, the first longitudinal cord 41, the second longitudinal cord 42, the bearers 43 and the limiting members 44 are woven together as a whole, wherein the limiting members 44 are strings that are thinner than the second longitudinal cord 42. In some other embodiments, the bearers 43 and the limiting members 44 are fixed to the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second longitudinal cord 42 by stitching, adhesion or additional connecting members.

[0031] Please refer to FIGs. 6 and 7. Each of the slats 5 comprises a through hole 51 located adjacent to the second longitudinal cord 42. Since the limiting members 44 are each disposed on the respective third positions P3 of the second longitudinal cord 42 while each third position P3 is adjacent to a corresponding one of the second positions P2, each limiting member 44 is adjacent to a corresponding one of the slats 5. Each of the limiting members 44 passes through the through hole 51 of the corresponding slat 5, which is also the closest one of the slats 5, and forms a limiting loop 442 after passing therethrough.

[0032] In this embodiment, the blind 100 further comprises a pair of restricting cords 6, as the amount of the restricting cords 6 may be equal to the amount of the ladder cords 4.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 Referring to FIGs. 3 and 4, again taking the ladder cord 4 on the left side in FIG. 1 as an example, the restricting cord 6 is disposed adjacent to the second longitudinal cord 42 of the ladder cord 4, and extends along the same direction as the second longitudinal cord 42.
The restricting cord 6 is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal cord 42, passing through the limiting loops 442 formed by all the limiting members 44 disposed on the second longitudinal cord 42 after the limiting members 44 have passed through the corresponding slats 5. In the same way, another restricting cord passes through the limiting loops formed by all the limiting members disposed on the second longitudinal cord of another ladder cord after the aforesaid limiting members have passed through the corresponding slats 5.

[0033] In some embodiments, the two restricting cords are connected to the respective ladder cords in the same way. Taking the restricting cord 6 in FIG. 3 as an example, the restricting cord 6 comprises plural fixing portions 61, 61a and 61b spaced apart from each other and each fixedly coupled with the positions on the second longitudinal cord 42 which are closest to the respective fixing portions 61, 61a and 61b, by a knot. In other words, each of the fixing portions 61, 61a and 61b of the restricting cord 6 is coupled with a closest position on the second longitudinal cord 42 sequentially, so that the restricting cord 6 would not be bended. In such a condition, if any one of the slats 5 is subjected to an external force so that its corresponding limiting member 44 is pulled out from the through hole 51 of the aforesaid slat 5 where it previously passed therethrough, the restricting cord 6 will be concurrently pulled into and penetrate the through hole 51 of the aforesaid slat 5, by which the position of the through hole 51 of the aforesaid slat 5 is continuously limited and the aforesaid slat 5 is prevented from large-scale horizontal movement. Since the through hole 51 of each slat 5 is kept threaded through by the restricting cord 6 or the corresponding limiting member 44, the slats 5 can only move within a limited range and cannot be taken out from the ladder cords 6.
It is worthy to note that using merely one restricting cord connected to one of the plural ladder cords can also function for preventing the slats from being taken out from the ladder cords.
E.g., in some other Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 embodiments, the blind includes three ladder cords and only one restricting cord, while the one restricting cord is connected to the middle one of the ladder cords.

[0034] In the current embodiment, the restricting cord 6 comprises a segment Si and a segment S2, wherein the segment Si is defined by the fixing portion 61 and the fixing portion 61a, and the segment S2 is defined by the fixing portion 61a and the fixing portion 61b. The segments Si and S2 are both set to be less than a predetermined length for avoiding a loop that is big enough to allow the head of a child to pass through from being produced when the restricting cord 6 is pulled in any way and under any circumstance. In accordance with head circumference of general children, the predetermined length is preferably less than 22 centimeters. The amount of the fixing portions of the restricting cord 6 is not limited thereto, and can be adjusted according to the length of a longitudinal side of the dropped blind, as long as the segment of the restricting cord defined by any two neighboring fixing portions is less than the predetermined length.

[0035] Referring to FIGs. 8 and 9, which show a blind 200 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Similar to the blind 100 in the first embodiment, the blind 200 likewise comprises a first rail 1, a second rail 2, a tilting mechanism (not shown in FIG.
8), a pair of ladder cords 4 and plural slats S. Each of the ladder cords 4 comprises a first longitudinal cord 41, a second longitudinal cord 42, plural bearers 43 and plural limiting members 44. The first longitudinal cord 41 comprises plural first positions (not designated) thereon, and the second longitudinal cord 42 comprises plural second positions (not designated) each corresponding to the respective first positions of the first longitudinal cord 41. The second longitudinal cord 42 further comprises plural third positions (not designated) each respectively adjacent to the second positions. Each bearer 43 has two ends respectively connected to the corresponding first position and the corresponding second position. The slats 5 are each respectively supported by the bearers 43. Each of the limiting members 44 is connected to the corresponding third position P3 and passes through the through hole of the closest one of the Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 slats 5. After each limiting member 44 has passed through the through hole of the closest slat 5, the part of each limiting member 44 passed therethrough forms a limiting loop 442.

[0036] The difference between the blind 200 in the present embodiment and the blind 100 in the first embodiment is that the blind 200 comprises two restricting cord 6'. Taking the restricting cord 6' on the right side in FIG. 8 as an example, the restricting cord 6' is parallel to the second longitudinal cord 42 and passes through the limiting loops 442, which are formed by the limiting members 44 disposed on the second longitudinal cord 42 after they have passed through the through holes 51 of the corresponding slats 5. The restricting cord 6' comprises plural fixing portions 61', 61a' and 61b', each of which is fixedly coupled with the closest one of the limiting loops 422. A segment of the restricting cord 6' defined by any neighboring two of the fixing portions 61', 61a' and 61b' is less than the predetermined length, and the predetermined length may be 22 centimeters.

[0037] In the first and the second embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the fixing portions 61, 61a, 61b, 61', 61a' and 61b' of the restricting cords 6 and 6' is fixedly coupled with the closest position on the second longitudinal cord 42 or the closest limiting loop 442 by a knot, which can be but not limited to an overhand knot. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, at least part of the fixing portions 61, 61a, 61b, 61', 61a' and 61b' can be fixedly coupled with the closest positions on the second longitudinal cord 42 or the closest limiting loops 442 by stitching, adhesion or additional connecting member. Referring to FIG. 10, which shows a blind 300 of the third embodiment of the present disclosure, the blind 300 comprises at least one connecting member 7. The connecting member 7 may be but not limited to a snap-fit clip fastener made of metal. As shown in FIG. 10, the connecting member 7, i.e., the snap-fit clip fastener, fastens the fixing portion 61" of the restricting cord 6" to the closest position on the second longitudinal cord 42, which is a place on the second longitudinal cord 42 substantially closest to the fixing portion 61". More specifically, the snap-fit clip fastener has two pieces each have an end pivotally connected to each other for clamping the fixing portion 61" and the Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 second longitudinal cord 42 together, and the other ends of the respective pieces can be snap-fitted to each other.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 11, which illustrates the blind 100 in FIG.
3 in the second state, when the tilting mechanism 3 dives the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second longitudinal cord 42 to move in opposite directions, i.e., upward and downward, the bearers 43 are tilted along with the upward and the downward movements of the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second longitudinal cord 42 as they are being staggered. Along with the bearers 43, the slats 5 are also tilted, such that the blind 100 transforms from the first state in which the slats 5 are parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other, as shown in FIG. 3, to the second state as shown in FIG. 11. In the present embodiment, when the blind 100 is in the second state, each of the positions P2 is horizontally higher than the corresponding position Pl.
Under this circumstance, as each slat 5 has a first side edge and a second side edge opposing to the first side edge, the second side edge of each slat 5 is close to the first side edge of the neighboring slat 5, and the amount of light passing through the blind 100 becomes lesser in comparison to that in the first state.

[0039] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the second state is a fully-closed state (not shown). When the blind has been transformed from the first state in which light is allowed to pass through the blind to the second state, each slat has been tilted from a horizontal position to a close-to-vertical position, in which the first side edge of each slat is stacked on and in contact with the second side edge of the neighboring slat for shielding light.
At the same time, each of the second positions is horizontally lower than the corresponding first position, as they were at the same horizontal level when the blind was in the first state. In still another embodiment, the second state is a fully-closed state (not shown). When the blind has been transformed from the first state in which light is allowed to pass through the blind to the second state, each slat has been tilted from a horizontal position to a close-to-vertical position, in which the second side edge of each slat is stacked on and in contact with the first side edge of the neighboring slat for shielding light. At the same time, each of the second positions is Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 horizontally higher than the corresponding first position, as they were at the same horizontal level when the blind was in the first state.

[0040]
The length of each limiting member 44 is only required to be set as ensuring the limiting loop 442 formed thereby allowing the restricting cord 6 to pass therethrough, and not affecting the movement of the slats 5 while the slats 5 are tilted by the corresponding bearers 43. The above-mentioned specified spacing distance between the second position P2 and the third position P3 in each set depends on the length of the limiting members 44, and is preferably set to remain the second longitudinal cord 42 straight as not being bended by the limiting members 44 after the restricting cord 6 has passed through the limiting loops 442.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 12, in the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the blind 100 further comprises two anchoring members 8 corresponding to the respective ladder cords 4, and the second rail 2 has two locating holes 21 at the bottom. Taking the ladder cord 4 and the restricting cord 6 on the right side in FIG. 6 as an example, the bottom ends of the first longitudinal cord 41, the second longitudinal cord 42 and the restricting cord 6 are put into the locating hole 21 corresponding to the aforesaid ladder cord 6, after which the anchoring member 8 is plugged into and fixed to the locating hole 21. The configuration of the locating holes 21 is not limited thereto as the locating holes may be disposed on the other surfaces of the second rail 2. In some other embodiments, the second rail 2 has three locating holes, and the bottom ends of the first longitudinal cord 41, the second longitudinal cord 42 and the restricting cord 6 are inserted into the respective locating holes, after which an anchoring member is plugged in and fixed to each of the locating holes.

[0042]
Please refer to FIG. 3, FIG. 6 and FIG. 12. In the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the fixing portion 61 of the restricting cord 6 is located at the top end of the restricting cord 6, as well as the fixing portions 61a and 61b are located between the top end and the bottom end of the restricting cord 6. In other words, the bottom end of the restricting cord 6 is not defined as one of the fixing portions and is fixed to the locating hole 21 of the second rail 2 with the bottom ends of the first longitudinal cord 41 and the second longitudinal Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15 cord 42. In some other embodiments, the plural fixing portions of the restricting cord 6 are located at the top end, the bottom end and the length of the restricting cord 6 between the top and the bottom ends, respectively. In this case, the bottom end of the restricting cord 6, i.e., the fixing portion, is fixedly coupled with a closest position on the second longitudinal cord 42 or a closest one of the limiting loops 422.

[0043] In conclusion, the blinds 100, 200 and 300 of the present disclosure comprise plural limiting members 44 each of which forms a limiting loop 422 after passing through the through hole 51 of the closest slat 5, and plural restricting cords 6, 6' and 6" respectively passing through the limiting loops 422 formed by the limiting members 44 disposed on the corresponding ladder cord 4, so that the slats 5 can only move within a limited range and cannot be taken out from the ladder cords 4. When the blinds 100, 200 and 300 are transformed from the first state to the second state, the slats 5 are tilted and move uniformly. In this way, the slats 5 can approach to a fully-closed state in which the slats 5 overlap each other with uniform overlapping areas for blocking light leakage through the slats 5 and protecting user privacy.
Moreover, since the fixing portions 61, 61a, 61b, 61', 61a' 61b' and 61" of the restricting cords 6, 6' and 6" are respectively fixedly coupled with the closest positions on the second longitudinal cord 42 or the closest the limiting loops 442, and a segment of the respective restricting cords 6, 6' and 6"defined by any two fixing portions thereof is less than the predetermined length, the restricting cords 6, 6' and 6" are prevented from producing loops which may cause danger to children when being pulled.

[0044] The embodiments described above are only some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. All equivalent structures which employ the concepts disclosed in this specification and the appended claims should fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Date Recue/Date Received 2023-08-15

Claims (12)

What is claimed is:

1. A blind transformable between a first state and a second state allowing different amount of light passing through the blind, the blind comprising:
a first rail;
a second rail, situated below the first rail;
a tilting mechanism, disposed on the first rail;
at least one ladder cord, connected to the tilting mechanism, comprising:
a first longitudinal cord, comprising plural first positions thereon spaced substantially equally apart from each other;
a second longitudinal cord, substantially parallel to and spaced from the first longitudinal cord, the second longitudinal cord comprising plural second positions and plural third positions thereon, wherein when the blind is in the first state, the second positions respectively correspond to the first positions in horizontal heights, and the third positions are respectively adjacent to the second positions;
plural bearers, situated between the first longitudinal cord and the second longitudinal cord, each of the bearers having two ends respectively connected to the corresponding first position of the first longitudinal cord and the corresponding second position of the second longitudinal cord; and plural limiting members, each of the limiting members having one end disposed on the third positions of the second longitudinal cord respectively;
plural slats, situated between the first rail and the second rail, the slates being respectively supported by the bearers, and each of the slats comprising a through hole adjacent to the second longitudinal cord, wherein each of the limiting members forms a limiting loop after passing through the through hole of the closest one of the slats; when the tilting mechanism drives the first longitudinal cord and the second longitudinal cord to be up-and-down dislocated, the bearers are tilted along with movements of the first longitudinal cord and the second longitudinal cord, and tilt the corresponding slats supported thereby, such that the blind transforms from the first state in which the slats are parallel to each other and spaced from each other to the second state in which the slats are tilted; and a restricting cord, adjacent to the second longitudinal cord and extending along the same direction as the second longitudinal cord, passing through the limiting loops formed by the limiting members for keeping the through hole of each of the slats passed through by one of the restricting cord and the corresponding limiting member; the restricting cord comprising plural fixing portions spaced apart from each other, each of the fixing portions being fixedly coupled with the second longitudinal cord or one of the limiting loops, wherein a segment of the restricting cord defined by any two neighboring fixing portions is less than a predetermined length.

2. The blind of claim 1, wherein the restricting cord is substantially parallel to the second longitudinal cord, and each of the fixing portions of the restricting cord is fixedly coupled with a closest position on the second longitudinal cord or a closest one of the limiting loops.

3. The blind of claim 1, wherein the predetermined length is less than twenty-two centimeters.

4. The blind of claim 1, wherein each of the fixing portions of the restricting cord is fixedly coupled with one of the second longitudinal cord and the corresponding limiting loop by a knot.

5. The blind of claim 1, wherein each of the fixing portions of the restricting cord is fixedly coupled with one of the second longitudinal cord and the corresponding limiting loop by stitching or adhesion.

6. The blind of claim 1, further comprising at least one connecting member for fixedly coupling one of the fixing portions of the restricting cord with the second longitudinal cord or the corresponding limiting loop.

7. The blind of claim 6, wherein the connecting member is a snap-fit clip fastener for fastening the fixing portion of the restricting cord to one of the second longitudinal cord and the corresponding limiting loop.

8. The blind of claim 1, wherein the fixing portions of the restricting cord are distributed on two ends of the restricting cord and the length of the restricting cord between the two ends of the restricting cord.

9. The blind of claim 1, further comprising at least one anchoring member fixedly coupled with the second rail, wherein the first longitudinal cord and the second longitudinal cord are connected to the second rail through the at least one anchoring member.

10. The blind of claim 9, wherein the restricting cord has a first end connected to the second rail through the at least one anchoring member, and the fixing portions of the restricting cord are distributed on a second end of the restricting cord and the length of the restricting cord between the first end and the second end of the restricting cord.

11. The blind of claim 1, wherein each of the third positions of the second longitudinal cord is adjacent to and situated above the corresponding second position.

12. The blind of claim 1, wherein each of the third positions of the second longitudinal cord is adjacent to and situated below the corresponding second position.