EP2231986B1

EP2231986B1 - Screening device as add-on for a screening arrangement

Info

Publication number: EP2231986B1
Application number: EP20070817907
Authority: EP
Inventors: Søren Risager KNUDTZEN
Original assignee: VKR Holding AS
Current assignee: VKR Holding AS
Priority date: 2007-11-21
Filing date: 2007-11-21
Publication date: 2015-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 2027-11-21
Also published as: EP2231986A1; CN101868592A; CN101868592B; PL2231986T3; WO2009065403A1

Description

The present invention relates to a screening arrangement comprising a first screening device having a screening body adapted for screening an aperture of a frame and comprising an upper end edge and a lower end edge, said lower end edge being fastened to a first lower operating element extending in a first longitudinal direction defining, in a condition of use, a width direction, said first longitudinal direction being substantially perpendicular to a second longitudinal direction defining a height direction, a top element and an end piece adapted to be positioned at a top piece of the frame, two side rails adapted to be connected to side pieces of said frame, each side rail extending, in the condition of use, in the second longitudinal direction.
Normally such a screening device is mounted to a bracket or an end piece of a screening arrangement be it either as an add-on for an existing installation of a screening arrangement already comprising a screening device with a screening body or for installing a new screening device. In all cases restricted space and overview of the screening arrangement is a problem in order to providing a correct and fail-safe installation, since such screening devices are not intended to be installed by an artisan. Hence, under these circumstances a person not knowing of the underlying principles of operation must provide a correct and fail-safe mounting of a screening device to an existing or new installation of a screening arrangement, which is difficult to reach and even to see when reaching out to mount the screening device to a top piece of the screening arrangement. However, installed screening devices must be able to withstand a frequently and a sometimes violent use, because an unintended demounting of the screening device during use is highly inconvenient and may cause a damage to several parts of the installation.
One attempt at easing the mounting of a screening arrangement is described in Applicant's published European patent application EP 1 022 428 A1 disclosing all features of the preamble of claim 1.
From screening arrangements currently on the market, it is known to provide a coupling between a bracket of a screening arrangement and a screening device by providing said bracket with a circular shaped recess adapted to receive and fasten a ball connected to a cord being connected to a screening device. However, it is difficult to mount the ball in the bracket due to the above-mentioned space constraints. In another solution there is provided a cord restraint having a body comprising means for fastening a cord being connected to a screening device, a hemispherical protrusion adapted to engage with the recess of a bracket and a grip portion for facilitating mounting of the hemispherical protrusion into the bracket. This solution facilitates the mounting but does not make it further fail-safe. If the cords connected to the above-mentioned cord restraints are exposed to an excessive pull away from the bracket when mounted in the recess, the cord restraints will inadvertently be released from the bracket and probably cause a damage to the screening body of the screening device or even the bracket of the screening arrangement.
With this background is the object of the invention to provide a screening device, which provides for a facilitated and fail-safe installation to a screening arrangement.
This and further objects are met by the provision of a screening arrangement of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, which is furthermore characterized in that said screening arrangement furthermore comprises a second screening device having a screening body adapted for screening an aperture of a frame and comprising a lower end edge and an upper end edge, said upper end edge being fastened to a second upper operating element and the lower end edge fastened to a second lower operating element, each operating element extending substantially in parallel to each other in said first longitudinal direction, the second screening device having at least one cord system including a plurality of cords having at least one cord connected to a cord restraint comprising engagement members, that the end piece of said screening arrangement is holding the screening body of the first screening device of the screening arrangement and comprises reception means facing downwards in said second longitudinal direction, and that said engagement members are adapted to be moved upwards in said second longitudinal direction to cooperate with said reception means.
This provides an overall screening arrangement that is very flexible in use and which is also very easy to install. By using a cord restraint of the above-mentioned type for mounting the screening device to corresponding reception means of a screening arrangement, the cord restraint must only be moved in one direction towards the screening arrangement in order to provide a connection.
In a mechanically simple embodiment, which has shown to be especially suitable for providing a good engagement between the cord restraint and the screening arrangement, said reception means and engagement members are U-shaped.
In a further development of this embodiment, which provides for an even better engagement said cord restraint comprises at least one protrusion adapted to engage with reception means of said screening arrangement.
In another mechanically simple embodiment, which provides an improved installation the cord restraint comprises a first engagement member and a second engagement member for cooperating with the reception means of said screening arrangement, and said protrusion is positioned on one of said engagement members.
In a preferred development of this embodiment, which provides for an improved and even more failsafe installation of the second screening device said engagement members are connected at a first end and are adapted to be moved with respect to each other by means of at least one cord being connected to at least one of said engagement members.
Hence, the force applied to the engagement members by pulling the cords results in a better engagement between the cord restraint and the reception means of the screening arrangement. In a preferred embodiment said engagement members are adapted to be moved towards each other in a condition of use. However, in a further embodiment adapted for another design of the reception means of the screening arrangement, said engagement members are adapted to be moved apart from each other in a condition of use.
In another mechanically simple embodiment, which provides for a simple production and an easy assembly of the screening device prior installation, said cord restraint comprises fastening means adapted to fix at least one cord of said cord system. Hence, the cord system and the cord restraint can be connected very simply by means of a simple knot or a clip at one end of the cords.
In a mechanically simple design which has shown to provide an improved engagement between the cord restraint and the reception means of the screening arrangement, said means adapted for fixing a cord with respect to said cord restraint is positioned at the first end connecting the engagement members.
In a further development of this design, which also provides for a correct position of the cords with respect to the cord restraint, at least one of said engagement members is provided with further means adapted to fix and/or guide said at least one cord from said first engagement member to said second engagement member. In a particular preferred embodiment a cord is guided from the first engagement member to the second engagement member at a second end substantially opposite to the first end of the cord restraint. These embodiments provide for at correct position of the cords during installation and hence, facilitate a correct installation of the second screening device. Furthermore, by guiding the cords with respect to the cord restraint in the above manner, even a slight pull in the cords e.g. from the weight of the screening device hanging in the cords, will provide a solid connection between the cord restraint and the screening arrangement.
In another embodiment of the invention said cord restraint comprises a portion adapted to glide along a side rail of a screening arrangement. This ensures a correct position of the cord restraint with respect to the reception means of the screening device and thereby eases the installation.
In a further development of this embodiment said portion furthermore extends from the first end of the cord restraint thereby forming a grip adapted for holding the cord restraint during installation, which further facilitates a correct engagement between the cord restraint and the reception means of the screening arrangement.
In another aspect of this embodiment of the invention at least a part of said portion is releasably attached to the cord restraint.
By using a releasable template the installation process can be further facilitated without the use of any tools and by removing the superfluous portions of the cord restraint after installation there is provided a more pleasant and simple looking appearance of the installation.
Further objects of the invention are achieved by a method according to claim 15 for mounting a second screening device to reception means of a first screening device of such a screening arrangement.
In another embodiment of this method the cord restraint of the provided screening device further comprises a first engagement member and a second engagement member being connected at a first end and having at least one protrusion on said engagement members.
In a further development of this method according to the invention the method further comprises the steps of providing side rail fittings adapted to be temporarily mounted on said side rails, mounting said side rail fittings on the side rails, positioning the screening device between the side rails resting on the said side rail fittings, removing the side rail fittings.
By using fittings to be mounted on the side rail for providing a rest for the screening device during installation, the installation is facilitated and both hands are free to mount the cords correct with respect to the screening arrangement.
In a further development of this aspect the method further comprises the step of removing at least one additional fitting holding the operating elements and the screening body.
The additional fittings for holding the operating elements and the screening body also serves to manage the cords during transportation and during installation in order to ensure a correct installation of the cords with respect to the screening arrangement.
In another embodiment of the method said cord restraint is positioned in the side rails and moved towards the reception means of the screening arrangement.
In another embodiment of the method said cord restraint is positioned in the side rails with said first end pointing towards the bottom piece of the frame and moved towards the reception means of the screening arrangement.
In another embodiment of the method said cord restraint comprises a releasably attached portion, which is removed when the cord restraint has been mounted in the reception means of the screening arrangement.
In the following the invention will be described in further detail by means of examples of embodiments with reference to the schematic drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a front view of a window provided with a screening arrangement in an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 shows a front view of a detail of the screening arrangement of Fig. 1;
Figs 3 and 4 show, on a larger scale, perspective views of another detail of the screening arrangement of fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, the screening arrangement being shown in another condition;
Fig. 6 shows a detail of the screening arrangement corresponding to the position shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 7 shows, on a larger scale, a side view of a detail of the screening arrangement;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another detail of the screening arrangement of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a detail of Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is another view of a detail of Fig. 8;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of another detail of Fig. 8;
Fig. 12 is perspective view of the detail of Fig. 11;
Figs 13 and 14 are perspective view of other embodiments of the detail shown in Fig. 11 and 12;
Figs 15 and 16 are perspective views of further details of Fig. 8;
Figs 17 and 18 are perspective views of the details illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, and Figs. 11 and 13, respectively.

Figs 1 to 6 show an embodiment of a screening arrangement generally designated 1. As shown in Figs 1 and 5, the screening arrangement 1 is adapted to be mounted on a frame constituted by a sash 2 representing a window. The sash 2, in turn, is adapted to be connected with a stationary frame (not shown), which in a mounted position of the window lines an opening in a building. It is noted that the term "frame" is to be understood as incorporating any substantially rectangular structure positioned in any opening in a building, whether in a wall or the roof, and surrounding an aperture to be screened. Although the sash shown in Figs 1 and 5 is the sash of a roof window and the screening arrangement 1 is mounted on the sash 2 of the window, a screening arrangement according to the invention may just as well be mounted on the stationary frame instead of the sash and may also be utilized in connection with e.g. windows having a frame only, or in doors. The sash 2 has a top piece 21, a bottom piece 22 and two side pieces 23 and 24 surrounding an aperture, which is covered by a suitable panel element such as a glazing in the form of an insulating pane (not shown).
The screening arrangement 1 comprises two screening devices 100 and 200 to be described in further detail below. Furthermore, the screening arrangement 1 includes a top element 4 adapted to be positioned at the sash top piece 21 such that a top rail 440 of the top element 4 extends in a first longitudinal or width direction. Side rails 8, 9 are adapted to be positioned at the left-hand side piece 23 and right-hand side piece 24, respectively, to extend in the second longitudinal or height direction. The terms "left-hand" and "right-hand" refer to the orientation shown in for instance Figs 1 and 5 and are utilized for reasons of convenience only. Similarly, the terms "front" and "back" are utilized to denote the sides of the screening arrangement, "front" being the side intended to face inwards into the room of the building, and "back" the outwards facing side.
The first screening device is a roller blind, having in a manner known per se a spring-loaded roller bar at the top of the frame, from which bar the screening body is unrolled in order to obtain a screening position. In the embodiment shown, the first screening device 100 is a roller blind having black-out properties. A detailed description of an example of such a black-out blind is present in Applicant's international application No. PCT/DK2007/050049 . The first screening device 100 comprises a screening body 106 and an operating element 172, in the following referred to as first lower operating element 172. At its upper end edge, the screening body 106 is accommodated in the top element 4 and its opposed, lower end edge is fastened to the first lower operating element 172. The first lower operating element 172 extends in a first longitudinal direction defining a width direction. The first longitudinal direction is substantially perpendicular to a second longitudinal direction defining a height direction. Thus, the width direction is parallel to the top and bottom pieces 21 and 22 and the height direction to the side pieces 23 and 24 of the sash 2. In the top element 4, means for rolling-up the screening body are provided, for instance of the kind mentioned in the above-mentioned international application.
In the embodiment shown, the second screening device 200 is a pleated blind comprising a screening body 206 including a number of pleats of any suitable material, e.g. a textile material. The screening body 206 could also be a pleated blind having a cell structure. At its upper end edge, the screening body 206 is fastened to a second upper operating element 271 and its opposed, lower end edge is fastened to a second lower operating element 272. The second upper and lower operating elements 271, 272 extend substantially in parallel to each other in the first longitudinal or width direction.
Eventually, the screening arrangement comprises a plurality of cords constituting one or more cord systems to ensure proper operation of the screening arrangement. In principle, there should be one parallel guidance cord system for each operating element. However, it has turned out sufficient to utilize one parallel guidance cord system for the first screening device 100 and one parallel guidance cord system for the second screening device 200 as will be described in further detail below. Referring in particular to Fig. 6, there are thus two cord systems of the second screening device 200: A first, parallel guidance cord system and a second, holding cord system.
The first cord system, i.e. the parallel guidance cord system, comprises two cords, of which one cord 291 (cf. Fig. 6) being adapted to extend from the right-hand lower corner of the sash, up through or along the second upper operating element 271 and further up to the top element 4. The other cord (not shown) is routed in a mirror-inverted manner. Alternatively or additionally, there may, as shown, be a pretensioning device in the form of a spring 271a in the operating element 271. The cord 291 forms a loop 291a, the engagement between the loop 291a and the spring 271a being carried out in a manner known per se. The other operating element 272 may be provided with a similar parallel guidance cord system, or parallelism may be ensured by the second cord system, the holding cord system. The pre-tensioning devices entail that the cords are held at a suitable tension all of the time, thereby ensuring that the operating elements 271 and 272 are at all times kept substantially in parallel with the top and bottom pieces 21, 22 of the sash 2 during operation of the screening arrangement 1. In the mounted position, the cords are hidden behind the side rails 8, 9. The ends of the cords 291, 293 are connected to the screening arrangement near the top piece 21 as described in more detail below, and/or to the sash near the sash bottom piece 22 pieces in any suitable manner.
The second cord system, i.e. the holding cord system, comprises a holding cord 293 provided to extend in a closed loop. Referring to the embodiment shown, the route of the holding cord 293 extends from one end connected with the other end (for instance by means of a simple knot or in any other manner) at the upper corner of the sash through the operating element 271 through a first set of apertures of the screening body 206, and along the operating element 272, along the opposite sash side piece. The cord 293 makes a turn near the bottom sash piece 22 and returns to operating element 272, up through the screening body through a second set of apertures to operating element 271, through operating element 271 and up to the upper sash corner. Another holding cord (not shown) correspondingly runs in mirror-image fashion in relation to the central vertical axis of Fig. 6 between the diametrically opposite corners. To provide proper tension of the holding cord 293, a spring 272a is arranged in operating element 272. By the illustrated position of the spring 272a, an excellent parallel guidance of the operating element 272 is achieved, although a spring alternatively or supplementary could be arranged at one of the cord holders at the ends of the cords. These cords, too, may be held or guided in any suitable manner at the diametrically opposite corners of the frame or sash.
Installation of the entire screening arrangement 1 in a frame, for instance the sash 2 of Figs 1 and 5, is carried out in the following manner:

The first screening device 100 of the screening arrangement 1 is provided in its supply condition. At the installation site, the top element 4 is connected to the frame, i.e. for example the sash 2. In the embodiment shown and described in the above, this is thus carried out by guiding coupling members on the outer side of end pieces (not shown) of screening device 100 over bracket members positioned at the upper ends of each sash side piece. A bracket (not shown) for connection of the cord systems is fastened to the each of the side pieces 23, 24, near the bottom piece 22. Following this, the side rails 8, 9 are joined to the top rail 440 at the mitred ends by means of the angular brackets (not shown). A more detailed description of the manner of mounting the screening arrangement is disclosed in Applicant's copending international applications No. PCT/DK2007/050047 and PCT/DK2007/050157 .

In the step of joining the side rails 8, 9 to the top rail 440, each side rail 8, 9 is brought from a position, in which the side rail 8, 9 is out of alignment with the second longitudinal direction, to a position, in which the side rails 8, 9 are in alignment with the second longitudinal direction, during the step of connecting the side rails 8, 9 to the top rail 440.
Fig. 2 shows the first screening device 100 in a condition of use of the screening arrangement 1 but before the second screening device 200 has been mounted. Further details shown in Fig. 2 are top element 4 and side rails 8, 9. The screening arrangement 1 in the embodiment shown may either be delivered with the details shown in Fig. 2 in one package and the second screening device 200 in a further one. In the supply condition, a set of angular brackets (not shown) is connected to the top rail 440 of the top element 4. This operation is advantageously carried out by a suitable tool to secure that the angular brackets assume correct positions. The top rail 440 has two ends, which in the embodiment shown are mitred, and of which the left-hand mitred end 445 and the right-hand mitred end 446 are indicated in Fig. 2. The mitred ends 445, 446 are adapted to be joined to a respective mitred end of the side rails 8, 9. The top rail 440 has been joined to side, rails 8, 9 in joints by means of angular brackets. Opposite ends of the first lower operating element 172 are introduced into these side rails 8 and 9. Operating element 172 may now be moved to an arbitrary position in the sash aperture, thus providing adequate screening by means of the screening body 106. During operation, the operating element 172 is guided in the side rails 8, 9 by means of side guidance means in each end.
In Figs 3 and 4 the second screening device 200 of the screening arrangement 1 is shown in a supply condition attained at the manufacturer and indicating the condition or state, in which the second screening device 200 is supplied and delivered. As shown in Figs 3 and 4, the second screening device 200 is supplied in a condition, in which the operating elements 271, 272 and the screening body 206 are held together by means of two fittings 210. In the embodiment shown the fittings are identical to each other. Although not shown in detail, the cords 291 of the guidance cord system and the cords 293 of the holding cord system are secured in the fittings 210. Each operating element 271, 272 is provided with side guidance means 2701, 2702 in each end. The side guidance means are adapted for cooperation with a longitudinally extending track in the side rails 8, 9.
Fig. 5 shows the screening arrangement 1 in an intermediate position between the supply condition and the condition of use, as the operating elements 271, 272, the screening body 206 and the cords of the cord systems are still secured to each other by means of the fittings 210. The fittings 210 are releasably connected to the operating elements 271, 272 in any suitable manner, for instance by means of snap engagement means for cooperating with the operating elements 271, 272, respectively, to provide positive engagement with these elements. Other means for releasable connection are conceivable as well, including the use of adhesive, interlocking elements of for instance the VELCRO® type etc. The fittings 210 assist in the mounting of the screening arrangement by keeping the cords securely without the risk of entangling of the cords. Alternative means for holding the cords temporarily to the fitting include the use of a supplemental fitting separate from the fitting 210 and designed more or less exclusively for holding the cord, and may be quite simple. In principle, the cords could be attached temporarily to e.g. the second lower operating element 272 by adhesion.
In a preferred embodiment the second screening device 200 is mounted by first positioning the side guidance means 2701, 2702 of one end of the operating elements 271, 272 in one side rail e.g. 8 and then by means of a translatory motion of the screening device 200 in the plane constituted by the longitudinal direction of the rails 8, 9, positioning the side guidance means 2701, 2702 of the other end of the operating elements in the other side rail 9.
Further fittings 211 mounted on the side rails 8, 9 assist in the mounting of the second screening device 200 to the screening arrangement 1 by providing a position where the screening device can rest during installation until the cords 291, 293 of the cord system has been mounted to the screening arrangement. When the second screening device 200 is positioned between the side rails 8, 9 with the side guidance means 2701, 2702 in the tracks of the side rails 8, 9 as shown in the intermediate position between the supply condition and the condition of use of Fig. 5, the fittings 210 are removed in order to connect the cords 291, 293 of the cord system to the screening arrangement 1. First one end of the cords 291, 293 is fastened to the screening arrangement near the top piece 21 in a manner to be further described below. Then other ends of the cords 291, 293 are fastened to the brackets at each end of the side pieces 23, 24 near the bottom piece 22 in a manner know per se. When the cord system has been connected to the screening arrangement 1 the fittings 211 holding the second screening device can be removed and the second screening device is ready for use.
In the condition of use of the screening arrangement 1 shown in Fig. 1, the fittings 210 have been removed, and the cord systems attached properly as will be described in further detail below. The operating elements 271, 272 are movable independently of each other in the second longitudinal direction, for instance to the position shown in Fig. 1. In the embodiment shown, the operating elements 271 and 272 are adapted to act as handles during operation of the screening arrangement 1, i.e. when moving one or both of the operating elements 271 and 272 and hence the screening body 206 between a non-screening position corresponding to the position shown in Fig. 1 and a screening position, in which the screening body 206 covers the sash aperture partly or fully. However, instead of being manually operated, the screening arrangement may be operated by other means, e.g. by electrical operating means.
Fig. 7 is a side view showing details of a screening device 200 mounted on an end piece 410 of a screening arrangement 1 with reception means 411 (cf. Fig. 10) positioned at or near the top piece of the sash. The screening device 200 is connected to the end piece 410 by means of a cord restraint 450, which is connected to one end of the cords 291, 293 of the cord system illustrated in fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view only showing the end piece 410, the cord restraint 450 and parts of the cords 291, 293 connected thereto. Fig. 9 shows a first side 412 of the end piece 410 having opposing first 413 and second 414 walls extending form the surface of the first side 412 for cooperation with bracket members (not shown) positioned on the side pieces 23, 24 of a window sash 2. Within the area constituted by said first and second walls 412, 413 is provided a further third wall 415 also adapted for cooperation with bracket members positioned on a window sash 2. Said third wall 415 is only connected to the end piece 410 at one end and therefore being a slightly resilient tongue, which is an advantage when mounting the end piece on a bracket member. The end piece 410 also comprises a recess 411 for receiving a cord restraint 450 of a screening device 200. An end wall 416 and two side walls 417, 418 having a substantially U-shaped flange 420 constitute the recess 411. In the direction towards the end wall 416, which is the direction of mounting of the cord restraint 450 of a screening device 200, the flange 420 has a wedge shaped portion 421 along the side walls 417, 418. Hence, the walls 416, 417, 418 of the recess, the flange 420 and a second end wall 422 of the wedge shaped portions 421 of the flange 420, are adapted to restrain a cord restraint 450 of a screening device 200.
Fig. 10 shows the reception means 411 and the flange 424 from a second side 424 of the end piece 410 of a screening arrangement. The second side 424 further comprises a protruding element 425 for holding the screening body 106 of the first screening device 100 of the screening arrangement 1.
Fig. 11 shows a cord restraint 450 according to the invention comprising a first engagement member 455 and a second engagement member 456 connected to each other at a first end, which provides a U-shaped profile. In a preferred embodiment the cord restraint 450 is made of a light material such as plastic, which makes the engagement members resiliently movable towards each other. The second engagement member 456 comprises a wedge shaped protrusion 451 having a wedge wall 470. Hence, the wedge wall 470 and a surface 480 of the second engagement member 456 facing the first engagement member 455 constitutes a wedge shaped recess, which corresponds the wedge shaped portions 422 of the U-shaped flange 420.
Fig. 12 illustrates a cord restraint 450 with two arms 452, 453 protruding from the end connecting the engagement members 455, 456 and a recess 465 constituting means 454 for fastening a cord to the cord restraint 450. At a second end opposite to the end connecting the first engagement member 455 and the second engagement member 456, said engagement members 455, 456 comprises a circular shaped reces 463, 464, which constitute further means for guiding and fastening (cf. Fig. 14) a cord with respect to the cord restraint 450. The circular shaped recesses 463, 464 have an open end towards said second end formed by pins 459, 460 and 461, 462, respectively. Hence, a cord can be forced between the pins into the recesses 463, 464 in order to guide a cord from the second engagement member 456 to the first engagement member 455.
In Fig. 13 is shown a preferred embodiment of a cord restraint according to the invention, where said cord restraint 450 comprises a side portion 485 positioned at the second engagement member. The side portion 485 is adapted to provide the correct spacing between a side rail 8, 9 of a screening arrangement and the engagement members 455, 456 with respect to the reception means 411 of the screening arrangement 1. Hence, during installation of the screening device 200 it is possible to position the side portion 485 of cord restraint 450 towards a side rail or a track in a side rail and glide the cord restraint 450 along the side rail 8, 9 towards the reception means 411 of the screening arrangement 1. A second portion 486 extending from the cord restraint 450 can be used for holding the cord restraint 450 during installation, which is especially suitable when reaching for a screening arrangement 1 mounted at top piece 21 of a sash 2. During installation of a screening device with a cord restraint 450 according to Fig. 13, the cord restraint 450 is for instance held by two fingers in the second portion 486 and the first portion 485 is positioned in a track of the side rail 9 and moved along the side rail 9 in the second longitudinally direction until it reaches the reception means 411 of the end piece 410.
In a further development of this aspect of the invention at least a part of said portions 485, 486 are releasably attached to the cord restraint 450 as illustrated by the pins 490 in Fig. 14. In an embodiment that provides for an especially easy way of production, the connections between the releasably attached portions and the cord restraint are comprised by small pin connections 490 of the same material as the cord restraint. Hence, when the cord restraint 450 has been mounted in the reception means 411 of the screening arrangement, the portions used as templates for guiding and facilitating the installation procedure can be removed by breaking said pin connections 490. However, it is evident that the same result can be achieved in several other ways, for instance by means of dots of glue or a simple snap connection.
Figs. 15 and 16 show cords 291, 293 of a cord system connected to a cord restraint 450. The cords 291, 293 are connected to each other by means of a spiral clip 487. It is evident that the cords can be connected in any suitable manner such as a knot or a dot of glue, which furthermore fastens the cords to the cord restraint 450. The spiral clip 487 is positioned between the end connecting the engagement members 455, 456 and the two arms 452, 453 protruding from said end. The cords 291, 293 are guided from the spiral clip 487 in the recess 465 towards the opposite end of the second engagement member 456 into a circular shaped recess 464, which guides the cords 291, 293 to a circular recess 463 of the first engagement member 456.
When the cord restraint 450 is positioned in the reception means 411 of the end piece 410 as illustrated in Fig. 8, the cord restraint is held in its position due to the engagement between the wedges 421, 422 of the flange 420 and the wedge wall 470 of the second engagement member 456
During installation the inclined surface 488 of the wedge 451 is pushed across the corresponding inclined surfaces of the wedges 421, 422 of the reception means 411 until the wedge wall 470 passes said wedges of the reception means 411 and the cord restraint 450 is thereby connected to the end piece 410 by means of a snap connection as shown in Figs. 17 and 18. However, the cords 291, 293 connected to the screening arrangement improve the snap connection due to the force exerted on the cords from the screening device hanging in the cords. When the cords 291, 293 are pulled towards the bottom piece 22 of the sash, the engagement members 455, 456 will be pushed towards each other providing a better engagement between the reception means 411 of the end piece 410 and the cord restraint 450. Hence, if during operation of the screening device a strong force inadvertently is applied to the cords 291, 293 connected to the cord restraint 450, the cord restraint 450 will be even better fastened to the end piece 410. However, even the pull applied to the cords by the weight of the screening device hanging in the cords 291, 293 will ensure a secure connection between the end piece 410 and the cord restraint 450.
The invention should not be regarded as being limited to the described embodiments. Several modifications and combinations of the different embodiments according to claim 1 will be apparent to the person skilled in the art.

Claims

A screening arrangement (1) comprising:
a first screening device (100) having a screening body (106) adapted for screening an aperture of a frame and comprising an upper end edge and a lower end edge, said lower end edge being fastened to a first lower operating element (172) extending in a first longitudinal direction defining, in a condition of use, a width direction, said first longitudinal direction being substantially perpendicular to a second longitudinal direction defining a height direction,

a top element (4) and an end piece (410) adapted to be positioned at a top piece (21) of the frame,

a second screening device (200) having a screening body (206) adapted for screening an aperture of a frame and comprising a lower end edge and an upper end edge, said upper end edge being fastened to a second upper operating element (271) and the lower end edge fastened to a second lower operating element (272), each operating element (271, 272) extending substantially in parallel to each other in said first longitudinal direction, the second screening device having at least one cord system including a plurality of cords having at least one cord (291, 293) connected to a cord restraint (450) comprising engagement members (455, 456),

whereby the screening arrangement comprises reception means (411),

characterized in that

said screening arrangement furthermore comprises two side rails (8, 9) adapted to be connected to side pieces (23, 24) of said frame, each side rail (8, 9) extending, in the condition of use, in the second longitudinal direction; in that

said engagement members (455, 456) are adapted to be moved upwards in said second longitudinal direction to cooperate with the reception means (411), and in that

the end piece (410) of said screening arrangement is holding the screening body (106) of the first screening device (100) of the screening arrangement (1) and comprises said reception means (411) facing downwards in said second longitudinal direction.
A screening arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said reception means (411) and engagement members (455, 456) are U-shaped.
A screening arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cord restraint comprises at least one protrusion (451) adapted to engage with reception means (411) of said screening arrangement.
A screening arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the cord restraint comprises a first engagement member (455) and a second engagement member (456) for cooperating with the reception means (411) of said screening arrangement, and said protrusion (451) is positioned on one of said engagement members.
A screening arrangement according to any previous claim, wherein said engagement members (455, 456) are connected at a first end and are adapted to be moved with respect to each other by means of at least one cord (93) being connected to at least one of said engagement members (455, 456).
A screening arrangement according to any previous claim, wherein said engagement members (455, 456) are adapted to be moved towards each other in a condition of use.
A screening arrangement according to any previous claim, wherein said engagement members (455, 456) are adapted to be moved apart from each other in a condition of use.
A screening arrangement according to any previous claim, wherein said cord restraint (450) comprises fastening means (454) adapted to fix at least one cord of said cord system.
A screening arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said means (454) adapted for fixing a cord (93) with respect to said cord restraint is positioned at the first end connecting the engagement members (455, 456).
A screening arrangement according to claims 4 to 9, wherein at least one of said engagement members (455, 456) is provided with further means (457, 458) adapted to fix and/or guide said at least one cord (93) from said first engagement member (455) to said second engagement member (456).
A screening arrangement according to claims 4 to 10, wherein a cord (291, 293) is guided from the first engagement member (455) to the second engagement member (456) at a second end substantially opposite to the first end of the cord restraint (450).
A screening arrangement according to any previous claim, wherein said cord restraint (450) comprises a portion (485) adapted to glide along a side rail (8, 9) of a screening arrangement.
A screening arrangement according to claim 12, wherein said portion furthermore extends from the first end of the cord restraint (450) thereby forming a grip (486) adapted for holding the cord restraint (450) during installation.
A screening arrangement according to claim 12 or 13, wherein at least a part of said portion (485, 486) is releasably attached to the cord restraint.
Method for mounting a second screening device (200) to reception means (411) of a first screening device (100) of a screening arrangement according to claim 1 positioned in a frame, which screening arrangement comprising the first screening device (100) including a top element (4) and an end piece (410) positioned at a top piece (21) opposing a bottom piece of the frame, two side rails (8, 9) mounted on two opposing side pieces (23, 24) of said frame and extending in a longitudinal direction, said end piece (410) comprises reception means (411) facing downwards in said longitudinal direction and adapted for receiving a cord restraint (450) of the second screening device (200), which method comprising the steps of
providing a second screening device (200) comprising a screening body (206) adapted for screening an aperture of a frame and at least one operating element (271, 272), and at least one cord system including a plurality of cords having at least one cord (291, 293) connected to a cord restraint (450) comprising engagement members (455, 456),
positioning the second screening device (200) between the side rails (8, 9),
connecting at least one cord restraint (450) of the second screening device (200) to the reception means (411) of the first screening device (100) of the screening arrangement (1) by moving said cord restraint (450) upwards in said longitudinal direction to cooperate with said reception means (411),
connecting said cord system to a bracket positioned substantially at or near the bottom piece of the sash.
Method for mounting a second screening device (200) according to claim 15, wherein the cord restraint (450) of the provided screening device further comprises a first engagement member (455) and a second engagement member (456) being connected at a first end and having at least one protrusion (451) on said engagement members.
Method for mounting a second screening device (200) according to claim 15 or 16, further comprising the steps of
providing side rail fittings (211) adapted to be temporarily mounted on said side rails (8, 9),
mounting said side rail fittings (211) on the side rails (8,9)
positioning the second screening device (200) between the side rails (8, 9) resting on the said side rail fittings (211),
removing the side rail fittings (211).
Method for mounting a second screening device (200) according to claim 15 to 17, further comprising the step of removing at least one additional fitting (210) holding the operating elements and the screening body.
Method for mounting a second screening device (200) according to claim 15 to 18, wherein said cord restraint (450) is positioned in the side rails (8, 9) and moved towards the reception means (411) of the screening arrangement (1).
Method for mounting a second screening device (200) according to claim 16 to 19, wherein said cord restraint (450) is positioned in the side rails (8, 9) with said first end pointing towards the bottom piece of the frame and moved towards the reception means (411) of the screening arrangement (1).
Method for mounting a second screening device (200) according to claim 15 to 20, wherein said cord restraint (450) comprises a releasably attached portion (490), which is removed when the cord restraint has been mounted in the reception means (411) of the screening arrangement.