EP2307653B1

EP2307653B1 - Screening arrangement with a rotatory member accommodating a tilt cord

Info

Publication number: EP2307653B1
Application number: EP09761329.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Martin Birkkjaer; Verner Bech Jacobsen; Ove Kold
Original assignee: VKR Holding AS
Current assignee: VKR Holding AS
Priority date: 2008-06-10
Filing date: 2009-06-08
Publication date: 2014-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2029-06-08
Also published as: PL2307653T3; WO2009149710A1; EP2307653A1

Description

The present invention relates to a screening arrangement comprising a top element having a longitudinal direction, which is adapted to be positioned along a longitudinal direction of a top piece of a frame in a condition of use, and a height direction, which is adapted to be positioned along a longitudinal direction of a side piece of a frame in a condition of use, a screening device comprising a plurality of tiltable slats adapted to at least partly screening the aperture of the frame, and at least two vertical tilt cord in connection with said slats, said two tilt cords being positioned with a distance between each other in order to carry said slats, a mechanism in connection with each said tilt cord in order to tilt said slats between a first and a second predetermined position, said mechanism comprising a rotatory member accommodated in said top element.
Screening arrangements such as Venetian blinds are widely used for screening an opening of a building such as a window in order to screen the light directly penetrating into the building or to prevent persons from being able to look directly into the building. Hence, it is important to adjust the screening arrangement so that the visibility into the building is kept at a minimum, while the amount of light entering the building is suitable for the persons inside the building.
Therefore screening arrangements are designed with slats being tiltable in order to provide the above-described flexibility. In such screening arrangements the slats can be tilted so that they fulfil the need for light penetration and visibility. Slats of a screening arrangement can provide a light regulating effect by guiding the light penetrating through the slats up in the ceiling or down towards the floor.
Different ways of tilting the slats in a Venetian blind are known. For example it is well known to tilt the slats by rotating a rod, where the slats can be tilted from a horizontal position wherein the slats are oriented in a position allowing maximum light to penetrate the aperture to a vertical position wherein the slats provides a maximum screening of the aperture.
In typical Venetian blinds the slats are provided in at least two vertically-extending slat-supporting cord ladders each comprising a first and a second vertical member connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs. By pulling said first or second members of the cord ladders the slats can be tilted according to the need of the user. The cord ladders are typically connected to a relatively thin shaft extending in the longitudinal direction of a top element of the screening arrangement, which shaft is connected to a rod by a transmission such a as a worm gear. However, in some situations it is desirable with a design wherein the slats are tilted by other means than a rod.
Several attempts has been made to provide a more easy operable and gentle way of tilting slats of screening arrangements in a flexible way.
WO 2004/029397 discloses a screening arrangement for tilting slats of a screening device comprising a plurality of slats. The screening arrangement comprises a rotatable shaft in connection with tilt cords connected to the slats. The tilt cords and the shaft are connected by a disconnecting mechanism comprising a spring wound around the shaft. When rotating the shaft end portions of said spring is adapted to engage with end positions of the disconnecting mechanism in order to release the spring from the shaft. Thereby it is possible to rotate said shaft without tilting the slats. The shaft is rotated by a cord loop with a handle, which cord loop extends between an upper and a lower turning point of the window where the screening arrangement is installed. In order to provide a proper rotation of the shaft by moving the handle connected to the shaft, the shaft and the cord loop is connected by a geared transmission.
GB 2434824 discloses a mechanism for tilting slats of a Venetian blind by using a tilt assembly comprising a base portion with an aperture and a slide portion attached to the base portion. The base portion is fixed in relation to an aperture of a supporting bottom portion of a top element of a screening device. The side portion is slidably movable with respect to the base portion and respective ends of the tilt cord in connection with slats of the blind are connected to the slide portion. When the slide portion is moved in either longitudinal direction of the top element the slats are tilted from one position to another. The tilt portion is moved by means of cord loop, which is connected to the tilt assembly by means of a geared transmission.
US 3 294 153 discloses a screening arrangement with tiltable slats with a tilt cord connect to a rod assembly in the top element of the screening arrangement. The rod assembly is connected by cords to a rotary wheel positioned at one end of the screening arrangement, which may be turned by an operating handle in order to tilt the slats.
In the light of the above it is the object of the present invention to provide a screening arrangement comprising a tilt mechanism, which provides for a slim top element of the screening device.
These and further objects are met by a screening arrangement of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, which is further characterized in that said rotatory member has an axis of rotation being substantially parallel to the height direction of said top element, said mechanism further comprising a second assembly member, which is movable in the longitudinal direction of said top element, and wherein said rotatory member and second assembly members interact and provide a rotation of said rotatory member by moving said second assembly member between a first and a second end position corresponding to the first and second predetermined position, respectively, of said slats.
This provides for a very slim top element, with a mechanically simple mechanism for tilting the slats. By positioning the rotary member in such a manner, the height direction of the top element may be reduced to a considerable extent as the height of traditionally blinds, especially venetian blinds, are more or less defined by the diameter of the upstanding tilting wheel. This, in turn, has the advantage that the available area of the aperture for light admittance is correspondingly less affected.
In a preferred embodiment the rotatory member comprises at least on tooth, preferably at least two teeth, protruding either radially or axially from the surface of the rotatory member, which enhances the operation of the tilting mechanism and makes it useable with many different mechanism for rotating the rotatory member.
In yet a preferred embodiment the second assembly comprises at least one track or at least one tooth, more preferably at least two teeth, said track or tooth or teeth interact with the at least one tooth on the rotatory wheel.
In yet a preferred embodiment said mechanism comprises a rack and a pinion, with the pinion is comprised in connection with the rotatory wheel and the rack is comprised in connection with the second assembly member. This is a simple and very reliable connection. By positioning the rack side by side with the rotatary wheel the height of the top element might be minimzed.
In yet a preferred embodiment
In a structurally simple embodiment said rotatory member is adapted to accommodate at least a portion of said tilt cord.
In a development of this structurally simple embodiment said rotatory member comprises an at least partly circumferential recess for accommodating a portion of said tilt cord, which has shown to be especially useful for pulling the respective tilt cords of the screening device.
In a mechanically simple embodiment said tilt cord is fastened to said rotatory member by means of a hole or a recess in the periphery of the rotatory member.
In another mechanically simple embodiment said tilt cord is fastened to said rotatory member by means two cross-rungs at the end of the tilt cord.
In another structurally preferred embodiment, the rotation of said rotatory member is limited between a first and a second end position corresponding to the first and second predetermined positions of the slats.
In another embodiment, which makes it possible to use the screening arrangement for a roof window, said screening arrangement further comprises two side rails adapted to be connected to side pieces of a frame.
In a further development of this embodiment, which provides for easy manually use, the screening arrangement further comprises an operating handle in connection with said mechanism in connection with said tilt cord and being positioned on one of said side rails and moveable a longitudinal direction of raid side rail.
In a preferred simple mechanically development of this embodiment, said operating element is connected to a cord loop connected to said mechanism for tilting said slats.
In the following the invention will be described in further detail by means of examples of embodiments with reference to the schematic drawing, in which

Fig. 1 is a front view of a window provided with a screening arrangement in an embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 2 is a front view of a screening arrangement according to Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the screening arrangement of Fig. 1,
Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the screening arrangement of Fig. 1 in another position,
Fig. 5 is a front view of a top element of Fig. 1-4,
Fig. 5B schematically shows a cord loop used in a screening arrangement according to the invention,
Fig. 6 shows a detail of a top element,
Fig. 7 is a bottom view of a top element according to the invention,
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a tilt assembly according to the invention,
Fig. 9 shows a detail of a the tilt assembly of Fig. 8,
Fig. 10 shows another detail of the tilt assembly of Fig. 8,
Figs. 11 illustrate a further embodiment of assemblies for tilting the slats of a screening arrangement according to the invention.

Figs 1 to 4 show an embodiment of a screening arrangement generally designated 1. As shown in Fig. 1, 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 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 Fig. 1 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).
In the embodiment shown, the screening arrangement 1 is a Venetian blind comprising a screening device having a number of horizontal slats 80 and an operating element 71 connected by tilt cords 81 and operating cords (not shown). At its upper end edge, the screening 6 is fastened to a top element 4 and its opposed, lower end edge is fastened to the operating element 71. The operating element 71 and the slats 80 extend substantially in parallel to each other 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.
The top element 4 is adapted to be positioned at the sash top piece 21 such that a top rail 440 of the top element 4 extends in the first longitudinal of 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 2 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 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. 5. 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 is joined to the side rails 8, 9 in joints by means of angular brackets 85. Opposite ends of the operating element 71 are introduced into these side rails 8 and 9. Furthermore, each end of the top element 4 has an end piece 450 with a resilient portion 451, which end piece 450 is adapted to engage with respective bracket member (not shown) of a window frame.
In the embodiment shown, the operating element 71 is adapted to act as a handle during operation of the screening arrangement 1, i.e. when moving the operating element 71 and hence the slats 80 between a non-screening position and a screening position corresponding to the positions shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, in which the screening device 6 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.
In a typical embodiment the tilt cords 81 of the screening device 6 each comprises a first and a second cord connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs, which first and second cords in a condition of use extends in the above-mentioned height direction. The slats 80 of the screening device are each supported on one of said cross-rungs between said first and second cords of the tilt cords 81. The slats 80 may also be placed between two close-set cross-rungs or they may also be mounted directly to the vertical portions of the tilt cords 81. The top element 4 comprises an adjusting mechanism in connection with the cords 81 for commonly pivoting each of said slats 80 about their longitudinal direction, which in a condition of use corresponds to the above-mentioned width direction by moving said first and second cords of the tilt cords in vertically opposite directions. By moving said first and second cords of the tilt cords in vertically opposite directions, respective first and second screening surfaces of the slats 80 may be tilted to face either the front or back as defined above. Hence, in typical embodiments of such screening arrangement 1 the slats 80 may be tilted 180 degrees.
A handle 10 is provided on one of said side rails 8, 9 and is connected to said adjusting mechanism by means of a cord loop in order to move said first and second cords of the tilt cords 81 in vertically opposite directions.
Fig. 5 is a perspective front view of a top element 4 comprising two tilt assemblies 460. Each tilt assembly 460 comprises a first tilt assembly 470 (cf. Fig. 6) and second tilt assembly 480 (cf. Fig. 8), which are to be explained in more detail below. The first tilt assembly is a rotatory member. Furthermore is shown a portion of a cord loop 90 connected to said adjusting mechanisms 460, which cord loop 90 in a preferred embodiment is directly connected to a handle 10 positioned on one of said side rails 8, 9. The loop wheel 95 in the upper left corner of the screening arrangement 1 and a corresponding loop arrangement near the bottom sash piece 22, constitute in a manner known per se the turning points of the cord loop 90. As shown in Fig. 5B the cord loop 90 is adapted to extend from the cord loop wheel 95 at the left-hand upper corner of the top element 4, along the top element 4 and the side rail 9 to the right-hand lower corner of the sash. In the mounted position, the cord loop 90 is hidden behind the side rails 8, 9.
Alternatively one separate horizontal cord loop may be arranged in the top casing 4. This cord loop can again be connected to a vertical extending cord loop positioned in the one side rail 9. The two cord loops can be connected in the one side edge of the top casing 4 through a common rotating wheel in a manner known by a person skilled in the art.
Alternatively a horizontal cord loop can be driven directly by the rotation of a rotating rod extending from the top casing 4. In this configuration a gear mechanism is needed to translate the rotational movement of the external rod into rotation of the cord loop. The appropriate gearing depends of several factors, like how the external rod penetrates the top casing 4, etc.
Fig. 6 shows portion of the tilt assemblies 460 in a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein the first assembly member is a rotatory wheel 470. Each vertically extending cord of the tilt cords 81 of the screening device 6 are connected (not shown) to said rotatory wheels 470, respectively. The rotatory wheels 470 have an axis of rotation, which is substantially parallel to the height direction of the top element 4. The tilt cords 81 of the screening device 6 are guided through respective elongate apertures 486 of a supporting bottom portion 485 of the top element 4 and connected to tilt assemblies serving each tilt cord 81, respectively. The supporting bottom portion 485 may be adapted to accommodate and form a support for said rotatory wheels 470 as shown in Fig. 6. However, as shown in Fig. 8 in another embodiment, each tilt assembly 460 may further comprise a support portion 490 adapted to fit into the top element 4. The support portion 490 comprises an elongate aperture 491 corresponding to the elongate aperture 486 of the bottom support portion 485 of the top element 4. The support portion 490 is also adapted to receive and support a rotatory wheel 470 as a first assembly member and a second assembly member 480, which second member 480 in the shown embodiment is a plate having a first upper side 481 and a second lower side 482 comprising a first and a second track 483, 484. The support portion 490 is provided with first and second sidewalls 495, 497, adapted to guide the second assembly member 480 in the longitudinal direction of the top element 4. Evidently, the features of the support portion 490 may be an integral part of the top element 4. Furthermore, the second assembly member 480 is adapted to engage with and thereby rotate the first assembly member when the second assembly member is moved in the longitudinal direction of the top element 4.
The first assembly member 470 can take many other shapes than a wheel in order to provide a connection between the tilt cords and the second assembly member 480. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to embodiments wherein the axis of rotation corresponds to a symmetry axis of the wheel 470 or a symmetry axis of any other suitable rotatory member 470.
The rotatory wheels 470 comprise an at least partly circumferential recess 471 for accommodating a portion of said tilt cords 81. Hence, rotating the rotatory wheels 470 connected to the tilt cords 81 will pull the first and second cords of the tilt cord 81, respectively, and thereby tilting the slats 80 of the screening device.
Fig. 9 is a view according to fig. 8 wherein the second assembly member 480 has been removed. The rotatary wheel 470 in the shown embodiment comprises two pins 473, 474 on an upper surface 475 facing away from the bottom portion 493 of the support portion 490 of the tilt assembly 460. Said pins 473, 474 are adapted to engage with tracks 483, 484 provided on the lower side 482 of the second assembly member 480. When the second assembly member 480 is positioned between the side walls 495, 497 with the lower side 482 comprising tracks 483, 484 facing towards the support portion 490 and the pins 473, 474 of the rotatory wheel 470 engages with the tracks, the rotatory wheel 470 is rotated by moving the second assembly member in the longitudinal direction of the tilt assembly as indicated by the arrows A of Fig. 8. The tracks 483, 484 on the lower side 482 of the second assembly member 480 are further illustrated in Fig. 10.
As shown in the embodiment of Fig. 5 the second assembly member 480 may be moved in the longitudinal direction by means of a cord loop 90 connected to a handle 10 mounted to and slideable along a side rail 8, 9. However, instead of being manually operated the tilt assembly 460 may be operated by other means, e.g. by electrical operating means accommodated in the top element 4. In general the seconds assembly member 460 may be moved between a first and a second end position corresponding to the rotation of the slats 80.
The cord loop 90 may be divided in two parts having a first part extending in the longitudinal direction of a side rail 8, 9 and having it ends connected to the handle 10. The first part of the cord loop takes a turn in the top element 4 and at the opposite end of the side rail 8, 9. In the top element 4 the first part of the cord loop is connected to a transmission, which may comprise a gearing. A second part of the cord loop extends in the longitudinal direction of the top element taking a turn at a cord loop wheel 95 and in said transmission. The use of a cord loop 90 divided in two parts may provide for a facilitated installation of the screening arrangement and the use of a transmission makes it possible to further adjust the relation between a movement of the handle 10 and the rotation of the slats 80.
A screening arrangement where the rotatory member comprises at least on tooth, preferably at least two teeth, protruding either radially or axially from the surface of the rotatory member and where the second assembly comprises at least one track or at least one tooth, more preferably at least two teeth, said track or tooth or teeth interact with the at least one tooth on the rotatory wheel and provide a rotation of said first assembly member by moving said second assembly member between a first and a second end position corresponding to the first and second predetermined position, respectively, of said slats, has proven to result in a well functioning tilt function as well as a acceptable height of the top element.
In other conceivable embodiments the rotatory wheel 470 is provided with a pinion 510 on the surface 475 facing away from the supporting bottom portion 485 of the top element 4. In one embodiment the pinion 510 is adapted to engage with a rack 512 provided on the backside of the top rail 440, which rack 512 is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the top element 4 in order to provide a tilt mechanism. The pinion can be a separate part being connected to the wheel or being an integral part of the wheel.
Further the pinion may be incorporated into the periphery of the rotatory wheel. The teeth of the pinion may cover all or only part of the periphery of the rotatory wheel. In Fig. 11 the teeth covers approximately 60 percent of the periphery of the wheel.
It is evident that instead of being manually operated by a handle 10 such tilt assemblies and mechanisms may also be operated by other means, e.g. by electrical operating means accommodated in the top element 4 such as a linear actuator connected to a rack.
The preferred embodiments of a screening arrangement typically comprise two or more tilt cords 81, which must be operated simultaneously to obtain a proper tilting of the slats 80. Hence, the tilt mechanism for each tilt cord 81 must be connected to obtain a proper simultaneous operation. As for the embodiment of Fig. 5 this is obtained with the cord loop 90, but in case of a gearing such as a rack 512 and a pinion 510 shown in Figs. 11, a connection rod may provide a suitable connection between the two racks 512 to obtain a simultaneous operation of the tilt cords 81. If the two racks are connected by a rigid member the second assembly members will constitute one rigid member, which will be easy to operate by pushing or pulling. If the screening comprises a turning rod being part of the top element a gearing, like a rack and pinion, may be positioned between the turning rod and the rigid member.
Alternatively the two racks 512 may be connected to a cord loop. Further it is possible to let the two racks 512 constitute a part of a cord loop by connecting corresponding ends of the racks 512 with cord pieces.
The cord loop is in connection with an operating member being part of the top element. The operating member can be different types of members, like a traditionally turning rod, like an additional cord loop, like a ball chain, etc.
It is possible and preferably to have a gearing between the operating element and the cord loop or the rigid part, respectively. By changing the gearing the tilting operation can be fine tuned in order to achieve the best possible tilt characteristic.
The tilt cords 81 may be directly connected to holes or recesses in the periphery of the first assembly member 470 or the tilt cord 81 may be fastened to the first assembly member 470 by means of two cross-rungs at the end of the tilt cord 81 and have a clip holding the tilt cords 81 to ensure a durable fastening.
The expression "cord loop" is to be understood as a string of cord starting and ending approximately in the same position. But the cord string might be build up by separate cord pieces being connected by other element, e.g. the moving handle 10 positioned in one of the rails 8, 9, or by the second assembly member - whether being one, two or more separate members.
The invention should not be regarded as limited to the embodiments shown and described in the above, but several modifications ments shown and described in the above, but several modifications and combinations may be carried out without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A screening arrangement (1) comprising:
a top element (4) having a longitudinal direction, which is adapted to be positioned along a longitudinal direction of a top piece of a frame in a condition of use, and a height direction, which is adapted to be positioned along a longitudinal direction of a side piece of a frame in a condition of use,

a screening device (6) comprising a plurality of tiltable slats (80) adapted to at least partly screening the aperture of the frame, and at least two vertical tilt cords (81) in connection with said slats (80), said two tilt cords (81) being positioned with a distance between each other in order to carry said slats (80),

a mechanism (460) in connection with each of said tilt cords (81) in order to tilt said slats (80) between a first and a second predetermined position, said mechanism comprising a rotatory member (470) accommodated in said top element (4),

said rotatory member (470) has an axis of rotation being substantially parallel to the height direction of said top element (4),

said mechanism (460) further comprising a second assembly member (480, 512), which is movable in the longitudinal direction of said top element (4), and wherein

said rotatory member (470) and said second assembly member (480, 512) interact and provide a rotation of said rotatory member (470) by moving said second assembly member (480, 512) between a first and a second end position corresponding to the first and second predetermined position, respectively, of said slats (80), characterized in that

the rotatory member (470) comprises at least one tooth, preferably at least two teeth, protruding radially and/or axially from the surface of the rotatory member (470), and in that

the second assembly member (480, 512) comprises at least one tooth, more preferably at least two teeth, said tooth or teeth interact with the at least one tooth on the rotatory member (470) and provide a rotation of said rotatory member (470) by moving said second assembly (480, 512) member between a first and a second end position corresponding to the first and second predetermined position, respectively, of said slats (80).
A screening arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism comprises a rack (512) and a pinion (510), where the pinion (510) is comprised in connection with the rotatory member (470) and the rack (512) is comprised in connection with the second assembly member (480).
A screening arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the pinion (510) is integral with the rotatory member (470) and wherein the rack (512) is integral with the second assembly member (480).
A screening arrangement according to any of the claims 1-3, wherein said rotatory member (470) is adapted to accommodate at least a portion of said tilt cord (81) in at least partly circumferential recess (471).
A screening arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said tilt cord (81) is fastened to said rotatory member (470) by means of a hole or a recess in the periphery of the rotatory member (470).
A screening arrangement according to any previous claim, wherein the rotation of said rotatory member (470) is limited between a first and a second end position corresponding to the first and second predetermined positions of the slats (80).
A screening arrangement according to any previous claim, wherein the second assembly member (480) is connected to or being part of a cord loop being wholly or partly positioned in the top casing.
A screening arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said cord loop is in connection with an operating member being part of the top element (4).
A screening arrangement according to any of the previous claims, further comprising two side rails (8, 9) adapted to be connected to side pieces of a frame.
A screening arrangement according to claim 9, further comprising an operating handle (10) being positioned on one of said side rails (8, 9) and moveable a longitudinal direction of raid side rail (8, 9), said operating handle (10) is connected to or being part of a cord loop connected to said means for tilting said slats (80).
A screening arrangement according to any of the claims 1-3, wherein at least two second assembly members (480) are connected to constitute one rigid member movable in the longitudinal direction of said top element (4).
A screening arrangement according to claim 11, wherein said rigid member is in connection with an operating member being part of the top element (4).
A screening arrangement according to claim 8 or 11, wherein the operating member is a turning rod and wherein a gearing is present between the operating rod and the cord loop or the rigid part, respectively.
A screening arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the gearing is a rack and pinion.