EP2514345B1

EP2514345B1 - Curtain rail

Info

Publication number: EP2514345B1
Application number: EP12164396.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jonathan Yu
Original assignee: Arlinea Industries Co
Current assignee: Arlinea Industries Co
Priority date: 2011-04-22
Filing date: 2012-04-17
Publication date: 2016-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2032-04-17
Also published as: EP2514345A3; TWM413442U; EP2514345A2

Description

Field of Invention

The invention relates to a curtain rail device, more particularly to a curtain rail device with an alterable ornamental member.

Background of Invention

The material of which a curtain rail is : made is generally representative of an appearance of the curtain rail. When replacement is not an option, the curtain rail may be hidden using curtain rail covers or decorated with ornamental members to achieve better aesthetics. However, curtain covers generally occupy relatively large spaces. Ornamental members, on the other hand, may fall off the curtain rail if not properly adhered to the curtain rail, which could be dangerous, and may be difficult to replace if otherwise.
DE 20 2009 014 368 U1 discloses a curtain rail device according to the preamble of claim 1. A pair of rail members extend in the longitudinal direction and are disposed in front of and connected respectively to top and bottom ends of the second upright wall of the rail body. The rail members and the second upright wall cooperate to serve as the first engaging section and to define a first engaging groove for removable engagement with the second engaging section of the ornamental member. Each of the rail members is substantially L-shaped and has a first segment projecting forwardly from the respective one of the top and bottom ends of the second upright wall, and a second segment extending from a distal end of the first segment toward the opposite one of said rail members. The ornamental member is, however, not inserted by movement along the longitudinal direction of the rail body. Rather, the ornamental member is pivotally snapped onto the rail body so that L-shaped legs of the ornamental member undercut the second segments of the rail members. A lateral movement of the ornamental member is not reliably excluded so that parts of the rail body might not be covered by the ornamental member. The coupling of the ornamental member with the rail body might be released inadvertently.
EP 1 733 660 A1 discloses a curtain rail device comprising a rail body and an ornamental member. The ornamental member and the rail body are engaged in a positive-fit manner by a positive-fit dovetail coupling. For this purpose a central groove is provided in the front surface of the rail body extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail body. Thereby the ornamental member can be replaced by insertion along the longitudinal direction. A reliable coupling requires tight tolerances of the groove of the rail body and of the corresponding protrusion on the ornamental member, which results in relatively high forces required when moving the ornamental member relative to the rail body for replacement. Further, a lateral movement of the ornamental member relative to the rail body is not reliably prevented.

Summary of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an enhanced curtain rail device with an ornamental member that can be easily replaced and reliably and precisely secured to the rail body.
This problem is solved by a curtain rail device according to claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments are the subject-matter of the dependent claims.
According to the present invention the second engaging section of the ornamental member is substantially T-shaped and comprises a first segment that extends rearwardly from the ornamental section and a second segment that is connected to a rear end of the first segment and that cooperates with the first segment and the ornamental section to define a pair of second engaging grooves for respective removable engagement with the second segments of the rail members, so that the second engaging section of the ornamental member engages fittingly the first engaging section of the rail body.

Overview on Drawings

Other feature and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a curtain rail device according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view to illustrate an engagement of the preferred embodiment and a curtain fabric;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view to illustrate an assembly relationship between a rail body and an ornamental member of the curtain rail device;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment illustrating one modification of the ornamental member; and
Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating another modification of the ornamental member.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of a curtain rail device according to the present invention is adapted to be connected to a curtain fabric 4, and includes a rail body 1, an ornamental member 2, and a pair of stop members 5.
The rail body 1 extends in a longitudinal direction (L1), and has a bottom portion that is adapted to be connected to the curtain fabric 4, and a front portion that is formed with a first engaging section 15 extending in the longitudinal direction (L1). The curtain fabric 4 is disposed under and connected to the rail body 1, and serves to block or obscure light from a corresponding window 3. The first engaging section 15 of the rail body 1 is engaged removably with the ornamental member 2.
Specifically, the rail body 1 in this embodiment is made of aluminum, formed through an extrusion process, and includes a first upright wall 12, a second upright wall 13 disposed in front of and parallel to the first upright wall 12, and a connecting wall 14 interconnecting the first and second upright wall 12, 13. The connecting wall 14 cooperates with the first and second upright wall 12, 13 to define a lower engaging groove 11 that opens downwardly and that is adapted to be removably engaged with the curtain fabric 4.
The rail body 1 further includes a pair of rail members 16 extending in the longitudinal direction (L1), and disposed in front of and connected respectively to top and bottom ends of the second upright wall 13. Each of the rail members 16 is substantially L-shaped, and has a first segment 161 projecting forwardly from the respective one of the top and bottom ends of the second upright wall 13, and a second segment 162 extending from a distal end of the first segment 161 toward the opposite one of the rail members 16. The rail members 16 and the second upright wall 13 cooperate to serve as the first engaging section 15 and to define a substantially T-shaped first engaging groove 17.
The ornamental member 2 may be made of wood, plastic, resin, metal, glass, cement or porcelain, and has a second engaging section 22 that engages removably the first engaging section 15 of the rail body 1, and an ornamental section 21 that is connected to a front end of the second engaging section 22 and that is disposed in front of the front portion of the rail body 1. In this embodiment, the ornamental section 21 is an elongated plate for covering the front portion of the rail body 1. The second engaging section 22 is substantially T-shaped, and has a first segment 221 that extends rearwardly from the ornamental section 21, and a second segment 222 that is connected to a rear end of the first segment 221 and that cooperates with the first segment 221 and the ornamental section 21 to define a pair of second engaging grooves 223 for respective removable engagement with the second segments 162 of the rail members 16.
Preferably, the second engaging section 22 of the ornamental member 2 is configured to engage fittingly the first engaging groove 17 of the first engaging section 15 of the rail body 1. Moreover, configuration of the first and second engaging section 15, 22 is not limited to such, e.g., in other embodiments, the second engaging section 22 may be formed with a groove, while the first engaging section 15 may be formed with an elongated protrusion to be inserted fittingly into the groove of the second engaging section 22.
The stop members 5 are coupled respectively to lateral sides of the rail body 1 for preventing movement of the ornamental member 2 relative to the rail body 1 along the longitudinal direction (L1), and are fastened to the rail body 1 with screws. In the case where replacement of the ornamental member 2 is required, one or both of the stop members 5 may be removed from the rail body 1 to enable removal of the ornamental member 2 from the rail body 1 and subsequent insertion of a replacement ornamental member 2 along the lateral side of the rail body 1.
It should be noted that implementation of the ornamental section 21 is not limited to a flat plate. In other embodiments, the ornamental section 21 may be configured such that a forward-facing ornamental surface 211 thereof is a ripple surface (see Fig. 4) or a bullet-shaped surface (see Fig. 5). In addition, the forward-facing ornamental surface 211 may be carved and/or painted to aesthetically enhance the curtain rail device. Furthermore, the ornamental member 2 may be configured to be shorter than the rail body 1 so as to enable insertion of a plurality of the ornamental members 2 into the rail body 1.

Claims

A curtain rail device adapted to be connected to a curtain fabric (4), said curtain rail device comprising:
a rail body (1) extending in a longitudinal direction (L1) and having a bottom portion that is adapted to be connected to the curtain fabric (4) and a front portion that is formed with a first engaging section (15) extending in the longitudinal direction (L1); and

an ornamental member (2) having a second engaging section (22) that engages removably said first engaging section (15) of said rail body (1) and an ornamental section (21) that is connected to a front end of said second engaging section (22) and that is disposed in front of said front portion of said rail body (1); wherein

said rail body (1) comprises

a first upright wall (12);

a second upright wall (13) disposed in front of and parallel to said first upright wall (12);

a connecting wall (14) interconnecting said first and second upright walls (12, 13), and cooperating with said first and second upright walls (12, 13) to define a lower engaging groove (11) that opens downwardly and that is adapted to be engaged with the curtain fabric (4); and

a pair of rail members (16), which extend in the longitudinal direction (L1) and are disposed in front of and connected respectively to top and bottom ends of said second upright wall (13), said rail members (16) and said second upright wall (13) cooperating to serve as said first engaging section (15) and to define a first engaging groove (17) for removable engagement with said second engaging section (22) of said ornamental member (2); and

each of said rail members (16) is substantially L-shaped and has a first segment (161) projecting forwardly from the respective one of said top and bottom ends of said second upright wall (13), and a second segment (162) extending from a distal end of said first segment (161) toward the opposite one of said rail members (16);

characterized in that said second engaging section (22) is substantially T-shaped and comprises a first segment (221) that extends rearwardly from said ornamental section (21) and a second segment (222) that is connected to a rear end of said first segment (221) and that cooperates with said first segment (221) and said ornamental section (21) to define a pair of second engaging grooves (223) for respective removable engagement with said second segments (162) of said rail members (16), so that said second engaging section (22) of said ornamental member (2) engages fittingly said first engaging section (15) of said rail body (1).
The curtain rail device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pair of stop members (5) coupled respectively to lateral sides of said rail body (1) for preventing separation of said ornamental member (2) from said rail body (1).