GB2180284A - Roller blind bracket - Google Patents

Abstract

The bracket contains a circular hole (17) from which radiate three rectangular slots (19) for the non-rotatable mounting at one end of the blind, each formed with respective part-circular portions (20) for the rotatable mounting at the other end of the blind. The same form of bracket can thus be used at both ends of the blind. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roller blind holder This invention relates to a roller blind holder, and has as its object the provision of such a holder in a form which is economic to produce and convenient and effective in use.

According to the invention, a roller blind holder comprises means for mounting the holderto a wall, ceiling orothersurface, and an opening configurated so that it can receive and support, in use, either a cylindrical end of a roller blind rod in a rotational manner, ora non-circularsection end of a roller blind rod in a non-rotational manner.

By this means a holder ofthe invention can be used at opposite ends ofthe roller blind, instead of having to provide different forms of holder at the respective two ends to support the cylindrical end and the non-circularsection ends respectivelyofthe roller blind rod.

Preferablytheopening is in the form of a rectangu lar slot with part-circular opposite sides formed therein, with the centre ofthe circle being co-incident with the centre of the slot and having a diameter greaterthan the width of the slot. The part-circular sides formed in the longer sides of the slot form a location forthe cylindrical rotatable end ofthe roller blind end, whilst the other end ofthe roller blind, which is usually a rectangular rod, can non-rotatably locate in the rectangular slot.

Desirablyth ree of such openings are formed in the holder, at 900 to each other, and a selected one can be used depending on the orientation in which the holder is fixed to its supporting surface.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roller blind holder constructed in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 shows a cylindrical end of a roller blind rod rotatably engaged with the holder, and Figure 3 shows a rectangular rod at the other end of the roller blind, non-rotatably engaged with the holder.

The holder shown in the drawings is made from sheet metal and is of one piece construction. The holder comprises a flat, central part 10 O of ofsubstantially square form at one side of which a flat, rectangular part 11 is bent up at 16 at an angle of 90 therefrom. At the opposite side of the part 10, a further part 12 is also bentfrom the part 10 at 900 thereto, to lie facing and parallel to the part 11. Howeverthe part 12 is only approximately halfthe height ofthe part 11, as its end is further bent over at 900 away from the part 10, to form a roller blind support portion 13which lies in a plane parallel to the part 10. The end ofthe portion 13 is rounded, as shown.

To allowthe holderto be fixed to a chosen surface, in use, it is necessary to provide means for fixing the holder in a variety of different orientations. Accordingly the holder has two different pairs of spaced fixing holes. One pair of spaced holes 14 is provided in the part 11 and the other pair 15 is provided in the central part 10. The holes are all substantiallythe same distance from the bend line 16 between the parts 10 and 11 and the holes in the part 10 are respectively aligned with the holes in the part 11. The holes 14 are adjacent respective parallel sides 1 Oa, 1 Ob of the part 10 and the holes 15 are adjacent respective parallel sideslla,llbofthepartll.

The support portion 13 is formed with a circular hole 17 from which fourequi-angularly spaced, rectangular slots radiate. The centre ofthe hole 17 lies on a centre line of the holder mid-way between the sides 1 0a, 1 Ob, 11a and 11 b.Two oftheslots are aligned with this centre line, whilst the other two are at 900 thereto.

One of the slots, shown as 18, which is formed in the part 12 is longerthanthe other slots 19 and terminates atthe bend line between the parts 10 and 12. The longer sides of each of the other slots 19, which sides extend from the hole 17, are formed with respective part-circular portions 20. The portions 20 are part of a circle whose centre is co-incidentwiththecentre ofthe slot 19, and whose diameter is largerthan the width of the slot 19. However the diameter is such that straight portions of the slot sides remain at either side of each part-circular portion, with the end surface 21 of the slot 19 also remaining straight.

The configuration of each ofthe slots 19 isto allow reception of either end of a roller blind rod, so that although the two ends ofthe rod are different, the sameform of bracket or holder can be used to support each end.

Figure 2 shows howthe cylindrical end 22 of a roller blind 23 can be rotatably received in one ofthe slots 19, with the end 22 being supported bythe partcircular surfaces 20. Similarly Figure 3 shows how the other end ofthe roller blind, in the form of a rectangular rod 24, can be non-rotatably received in one ofthe slots 19, being supported by the end surface 21 and between straight portions ofthe slot. The rectangular rod is connected to a spindle inside the roller blind tube, so thatthe spring is compressed when the blind is drawn down, and rewinds the blind when a locking mechanism is released.

Which of the slots 19 to be used, will depend upon the orientation ofthe holder, and this, in turn, will be governed by the shape and size of the location where the roller blind is required. The holes 14 are provided to permitface-fixing ortop4ixing, whilst the holes 15 permit side-fixing of the holder. The end 22 or rod 24 will always be disposed in the lowermost vertical slot oftheslots 19.

If the roller blind is of particularly large diameter, it is advantageoustotop4ixthe holderto a surface, if possible, so that the ends ofthe roller blind will be in the slots 19 respectively disposed furthestfrom the part 11 and thus the surface to which the holders are fixed, thereby providing maximum space forthe roller blind.

Alternatively by face-fixing the holders at the ends of the blind, the blind will have its ends in respective slots at 90" to the slot 18, and thus the blind will be closerto an upper surface above the blind than if the holders were top4ixed.

It will be apparentthatthe ends ofthe roller blind can be engaged in an appropriate one of the slots 19 by passing them through the slot 18, which effectively lies in a plane behind and at 90' to the plane containing the slots 19, andthrough the hole 17.

The sizes ofthe slots 19 themselves, as well as the size of the part-circular surfaces 20, are selected to accommodate standard sizes of roller blind. However for other sizes of roller blinds, holders with larger or smaller slots could be provided.

The provision of maligned holes in the holders of the invention provides the facility for attaching a net curtain wire therebetween, as the relative positioning ofthe fixing holes forthe ends ofthe wire isthe same whateverthe orientation of the holders.

The holder is preferably a metal pressing, but it could be formed completely or partly as a moulding.

Claims (13)

1. Arollerblindholdercomprising meansfor mounting the holder to a wall, ceiling or other surface, and an opening configured so that it can receive and support, in use, either a cylindrical end of a roller blind rod in a rotational manner,ora non-circularsection end of a roller blind rod in a non-rotational manner.

2. A holder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the opening defines opposite faces in which respective part-circular portions are provided, thefaces forming said non-rotational location for said non-circular section end and the part-circular portions forming said rotational locationforsaid cylindrical end, in use.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the opening is parallel sided and the part-circular portions in said sides respectively are part of a circle having its centre on the longitudinal centre line ofthe opening and its diameter greaterthanthe distance between the sides.

4. A holder as claimed in Claim 3,wherein the centre of the circle is at the centre of the slot.

5. A holder as claimed in Claim3 or Claim 4, wherein there arethree such openings disposed at 900 to one another.

6. A holder as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the opening is closed at one end only.

7. A holder as claimed in Claim 6,#ivherein the three openings radiate from a central circular opening.

8. A holder as claimed in Claim 7, formed from sheet metal.

9. A holder as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the openings and circular opening extendthroughthe thickness ofthesheet metal, so thatthe openings are in the form of closed ended slots radiating from a circular hole.

10. A holder as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the openings and circular hole are disposed in an end part which is parallel to a central part, and separated therefrom by an intermediate part at 90 or substan tially90 tosaid end and central parts,afourth slot radiating from said circular hole at 90'to each of its neighbouring slots and extending through said in termediate part to allow access of said roller blind rod ends into said otherthree slots.

11. A holder as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the central part has a pair of fixing holes for securing the holderto a surface, in use.

12. A holder as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11, comprising a further end part which is at an end of the central portion remote from said intermediate part, thefurtherend part being parallel or generally parallel to said intermediatepartandatthesamesideofthe central portion thereas, and having a pairoffixing holes therein.

13. A roller blind holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.