GB2142072A

GB2142072A - Venetian blinds

Info

Publication number: GB2142072A
Application number: GB08317163A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Charles Piercey
Original assignee: TECHNICAL BLINDS Ltd
Current assignee: TECHNICAL BLINDS Ltd
Priority date: 1983-06-24
Filing date: 1983-06-24
Publication date: 1985-01-09
Also published as: AU2971584A; GB8317163D0; FR2549129A1

Abstract

To ensure uniform operation of a long (i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the slats) non-retractable venetian blind, the ends of the slats are mounted on carriers 8 pivotally mounted at 7 on arms 5, 6 formed on nylon brackets 4 located in a channel extending along an extruded aluminium support beam 1. Each bracket 4 is individually anchored to the beam 1 by a projection 3 located in a slot in one wall of the channel. Therefore, when as a result of heating the beam 1 expands relatively to the brackets they remain evenly distributed along the beam. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Support assemblies for use in venetian blinds This invention relates to non-retractable venetian blinds, that is blinds in which pivotable slats are mounted at spaced intervals on brackets extending from longitudinal side members or beams which in use are fixed in relation to the opening to which one blind is applied.

Such blinds are described in British patent specifications Nos. 1,414,322 and 1,540,717 wherein are described assemblies comprising an elongated beam formed with a longitudinal channel into which are irreversibly pressed (in a direction perpendicular to the channel) brackets each formed with two co-planar arms, each for supporting a pivotable slat carrier.

It has been found that in certain pysical conditions, for example wide temperature variations or the necessity for providing a blind of substantial length (e.g six meters in a direction perpendicular to the slats) uniform operation of the blind along its entire length can be adversely affected. For example, when the slats at one end of the blind are completely closed, those at the other end may be only partially closed. It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a support assembly for use in a venetian blind that substantially eliminates the aforesaid disadvantage.

According to the present invention a support assembly for the ends of the slats on a nonretractable venetian blind comprises an elongated beam formed with a longitudinal channel and bracket members each having at least one extending arm for supporting a pivotable slat carrier, the bracket members being secured in a row in the channel and each bracket member being individually anchored against longitudinal movement along the channel, the beam being made of a material having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the material from which the bracket members are formed.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect one construction in accordance therewith will now be described in some detail, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an elongated support assembly for use in a venetian blind, and Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line Il-Il in Figure 1.

An extruded aluminium beam 1 provides support for the ends of the slats at one side of a venetian blind. It will be appreciated that a similar beam and associated parts is provided at the other side of the opening to which the blind is applied for supporting the ends of the slats on that side. The beam 1 is formed with flanges 2 by which it can be fixed to a wall at one side of the opening. A channel 3 is formed along the edge of the beam remote from the flanges 2 and receives brackets 4 each formed with arms 5, 6 formed with pivots 7 on which are pivoted slat carriers 8. By way of explanation, the two carriers 8 shown on the right hand side of Figure 1 are in the positions for holding the blind fully open and on the left hand side for the closed state of the blind.An extruded aluminium bar 9 pivoted at points 10, 11 to the carriers 8 is reciprocable to control the degree to which the blind is opened or closed.

The brackets 4 with the arms 5, 6, as well as the slat carriers 8 are made of a plastics material, very advantageously nylon which may contain a filler inhibiting the effect of ultra-violet light. Each bracket 4 comprises a flange 4a and web 4b. Each bracket 4 is fitted into the channel 3 by pressing the bracket in the perpendicular direction with respect to the channel. When once inserted the bracket cannot be withdrawn because latch formations in the web 4b engage inclinations 12 on the channel 3 to prevent this.

An important feature of each bracket 4 is that it is formed on one side with a lateral downwardly facing projection 13 which, when the bracket is mounted, fits into a corresponding slot in the side wall 3a of the channel 3. This arrangement of interfitting projection and slat results in each bracket being anchored in the longitudinal direction with respect to the beam 1. Therefore, when a temperature increase results in an expansion of the aluminium relatively to the plastics material which has a comparatively low coefficient of thermal expansion, the distribution of the brackets remains even and there is no accumulation of the plastics parts which fails to match the extent of the bar 9.

In Figure 1 the brackets 4 are shown bearing on one another at lines 14. However, when differential expansion as aforesaid occurs some separation between the brackets will occur at these lines 14.

Each bracket 4 has an arm 5 at one end and an arm 6 substantially at its centre so that when the brackets are in contact the separation between adjacent arms all along the beam is constant. However, in the event of the beam 1 expanding relatively to the brackets 4 the separation between each arm 6 and the arm Son the adjacent bracket increases very slightly but this has been found not adversely to affect the operation of the blind.

In general, the arrangement particularly described above has been found, even in the case of very long blinds, e.g. Six metres, and where there are substantial temperature variations and in conditions where the hydroscopic property of the plastics material is sensitive, to enable the blind to operate uniformly over its entire area.

A further object of the invention is that it provides for extreme ease and speed of assembly in that it obviates the use of any extra fixings such as screws or rivets to hold the bracket members in position.

1. A support assembly for the ends of the slats in a non-retractable venetian blind, the assembly comprising an elongated beam formed with a longitudinal channel and bracket members each having at least one extending arm for supporting a pivotable slat carrier, the bracket members being secured in a row in the channel and each bracket member being

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Support assemblies for use in venetian blinds This invention relates to non-retractable venetian blinds, that is blinds in which pivotable slats are mounted at spaced intervals on brackets extending from longitudinal side members or beams which in use are fixed in relation to the opening to which one blind is applied. Such blinds are described in British patent specifications Nos. 1,414,322 and 1,540,717 wherein are described assemblies comprising an elongated beam formed with a longitudinal channel into which are irreversibly pressed (in a direction perpendicular to the channel) brackets each formed with two co-planar arms, each for supporting a pivotable slat carrier. It has been found that in certain pysical conditions, for example wide temperature variations or the necessity for providing a blind of substantial length (e.g six meters in a direction perpendicular to the slats) uniform operation of the blind along its entire length can be adversely affected. For example, when the slats at one end of the blind are completely closed, those at the other end may be only partially closed. It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a support assembly for use in a venetian blind that substantially eliminates the aforesaid disadvantage. According to the present invention a support assembly for the ends of the slats on a nonretractable venetian blind comprises an elongated beam formed with a longitudinal channel and bracket members each having at least one extending arm for supporting a pivotable slat carrier, the bracket members being secured in a row in the channel and each bracket member being individually anchored against longitudinal movement along the channel, the beam being made of a material having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the material from which the bracket members are formed. In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect one construction in accordance therewith will now be described in some detail, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an elongated support assembly for use in a venetian blind, and Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line Il-Il in Figure 1. An extruded aluminium beam 1 provides support for the ends of the slats at one side of a venetian blind. It will be appreciated that a similar beam and associated parts is provided at the other side of the opening to which the blind is applied for supporting the ends of the slats on that side. The beam 1 is formed with flanges 2 by which it can be fixed to a wall at one side of the opening. A channel 3 is formed along the edge of the beam remote from the flanges 2 and receives brackets 4 each formed with arms 5, 6 formed with pivots 7 on which are pivoted slat carriers 8. By way of explanation, the two carriers 8 shown on the right hand side of Figure 1 are in the positions for holding the blind fully open and on the left hand side for the closed state of the blind.An extruded aluminium bar 9 pivoted at points 10, 11 to the carriers 8 is reciprocable to control the degree to which the blind is opened or closed. The brackets 4 with the arms 5, 6, as well as the slat carriers 8 are made of a plastics material, very advantageously nylon which may contain a filler inhibiting the effect of ultra-violet light. Each bracket 4 comprises a flange 4a and web 4b. Each bracket 4 is fitted into the channel 3 by pressing the bracket in the perpendicular direction with respect to the channel. When once inserted the bracket cannot be withdrawn because latch formations in the web 4b engage inclinations 12 on the channel 3 to prevent this. An important feature of each bracket 4 is that it is formed on one side with a lateral downwardly facing projection 13 which, when the bracket is mounted, fits into a corresponding slot in the side wall 3a of the channel 3. This arrangement of interfitting projection and slat results in each bracket being anchored in the longitudinal direction with respect to the beam 1. Therefore, when a temperature increase results in an expansion of the aluminium relatively to the plastics material which has a comparatively low coefficient of thermal expansion, the distribution of the brackets remains even and there is no accumulation of the plastics parts which fails to match the extent of the bar 9. In Figure 1 the brackets 4 are shown bearing on one another at lines 14. However, when differential expansion as aforesaid occurs some separation between the brackets will occur at these lines 14. Each bracket 4 has an arm 5 at one end and an arm 6 substantially at its centre so that when the brackets are in contact the separation between adjacent arms all along the beam is constant. However, in the event of the beam 1 expanding relatively to the brackets 4 the separation between each arm 6 and the arm Son the adjacent bracket increases very slightly but this has been found not adversely to affect the operation of the blind. In general, the arrangement particularly described above has been found, even in the case of very long blinds, e.g. Six metres, and where there are substantial temperature variations and in conditions where the hydroscopic property of the plastics material is sensitive, to enable the blind to operate uniformly over its entire area. A further object of the invention is that it provides for extreme ease and speed of assembly in that it obviates the use of any extra fixings such as screws or rivets to hold the bracket members in position. CLAIMS

1. A support assembly for the ends of the slats in a non-retractable venetian blind, the assembly comprising an elongated beam formed with a longitudinal channel and bracket members each having at least one extending arm for supporting a pivotable slat carrier, the bracket members being secured in a row in the channel and each bracket member being individually anchored against longitudinal movement along the channel, the beam being made of a material having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the material from which the bracket members are formed.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1, in which each bracket member is an elongated member formed with two coplanar arms located so that when the bracket members are in contact end to end, the spacing between adjacent arms along the line thereof is substantially constant.

3. An assembly according to Claim 2, in which one of the arms on each bracket member is at one end of the bracket member and the other arm is substantially at the centre of the bracket member.

4. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the beam is an aluminium extrusion and the bracket members are formed from a plastics material.

5. An assembly according to Claim 4, in which the plastics material is nylon.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each bracket member is arranged to be pressed into the channel in a direction perpendicular to the channel, the bracket member and channel being shaped to prevent the bracket member then being withdrawn in that direction, and each bracket member being formed with a lateral projection that fits into a slot in a side wall of the channel when the bracket member is pressed into the channel, the projection and slot serving to anchor the bracket member against longitudinal movement along the slot.

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a slat carrier is pivotally mounted on each arm and the slat carriers are connected by a reciprocable bar for moving the slat carriers between positions corresponding to fully open and fully closed conditions of a blind, the bar being made of the same material as the beam.

8. A support assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the bracket members are secured to the elongated beam by causing the bracket members and beam to interengage without the use of extra fittings.

9. A support assembly for the ends of the slats in a non-retractable venetian blind, the assembly comprising an elongated beam and bracket members each having at least one extending arm for supporting a pivotable slat carrier, the bracket members being secured in a row along the elongated beam and each bracket member being individually anchored against longitudinal movement along the beam by causing the bracket members and beam to interengage without the use of extra fittings and the beam being made of the material having a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the material from which the bracket members are made.

10. A support assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.