GB2276650A - Tassel weight - Google Patents

Abstract

A tassel for the translation and tilt cords 24, 22 extending from the headrail or track of a vertical louvre or vane blind, said tassel comprising a body 10 which serves as a translation cord tensioning means; a translation cord return member 16 around which the translation cord 24 is looped and guide means 16 for guiding said tilt cord 22 and separating it from said translation cord 24. The invention also relates to a blind system utilizing said tassel. <IMAGE>

Description

TASSEL WEIGHT The present invention relates to a tassel for the translation and tilt cords or chains (referred to herein as "cords") of a vertical louvre or vane blind and to a vertical louvre or vane blind system including such a tassel.

The translation cord used to extend blind elements along the headrail or track of a vertical blind form a continuous loop extending over the entire length of the headrail or track. If the translation cord is not in tension it tends to sag between the individual blind elements. This sagging is both unsightly and can interfere with the working of the blind.

US-A-4335776 describes a construction in which the depending portions of the translation cord of a vertical slatted blind are kept in tension by a weighted tassel having a return pulley engaging the translation cord. A further solution is described in US-A-4845766 which describes a tensioning unit which is fixed to a wall surface by a screw attachment the tension in the translation cord being produced by a spring means acting on a slidable pulley block around which the translation cord is looped.

However, very often blinds not only have a translation cord (or chain) for their deployment along the headrail or track, but also an additional control cord (tilt cord) for adjusting the angular orientation of the vanes or slats of the blind. For convenience, the translation and tilt control cords are frequently arranged on the same side of the blind. In this arrangement the two cords easily become entangled and it is also difficult to distinguish between the cords. It is, of course, possible to use easily distinguishable translation and tilt cords for example, a translation cord and a tilt chain may be used, but this does not prevent these from becoming entangled.

US-A-4813469 describes a louvre blind control which is provided with longitudinal channels through which all depending control cord and chain portions pass. The singular cord or chain portion to be engaged is selected by button means and engaged by a cam and release bar arrangement. All blind movements are made by engaging the appropriate control cord or chain portion and pulling the control down. The control may be lifted back up in an idling mode without any engagement of the cord or chain enabling it to be pulled down again if necessary.

Successful operation of the control presupposes a thorough knowledge of the control on the part of the operator. An uninformed operator would find use of the control difficult.

US-A-4936369 describes a blind system in which the individual blind vanes or slats are translated along the headrail or track using a cord and axially orientated using a tilting rod. This reduces the number of cord or chain portions extending from the headrail or track. However, in blinds with exceptionally long headrails or tracks such a rod tilting mechanism is not always as reliable as the conventional bead chain and pulley tilting controls. One reason for this is the greater number of individual parts required to transmit the motive force applied to the rod to the individual vanes or slats. Also, as manipulation of the tilting rod very often does not take place vertically below the headrail or track, but rather at an angle to the vertical in a direction towards the operator, additional pivoting joints in the rod tilting mechanism are required.

This further weakens the overall structure. Such a deflection of the operating elements is not a problem if control cords or chains are used.

Against this background there is a substantial demand for a control tassel for the translation and tilting controls of a vertical louvre or vane blind which is both easy to use and reliable. Further, such a unit should preferably be cheap to produce and easy to install.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a tassel for the translation and tilt cords extending from the headrail or track of a vertical louvre or vane blind, said tassel comprising a body which comprises: a) a translation cord tensioning means; b) at least one translation cord return member around which the translation cord is looped; and c) a guide means for guiding said tilt cord and separating it from said translation cord.

According to a preferred embodiment the at least one translation cord return member is a pulley.

The guide means preferably comprises a guide channel through which the tilt cord is passed thereby preventing the translation and tilt cords becoming entangled. Typically the guide channel is defined by the body of the tassel itself. It is also suitable to separate the depending portions of the translation and/or tilt cord by for example, a constructional feature of the tassel body so that the depending portions also remain separated and do not become entangled.

The translation cord may be tensioned by a weight applied to the tassel. The tassel may be made of a heavy material for example, a metal thereby itself providing the necessary weight. Alternatively, the body of the tassel may contain a weight. To this end, the tassel body is typically hollow having a chamber capable of receiving a weight. A weight may also be attached externally to the tassel body although such an arrangement may not be as aesthetically appealing as the other alternatives.

In use the tassel engages the bottom of the translation cord loop passing around at least one translation cord return member of the tassel and the cord may pass freely through a guide channel defined by the body of the tassel. This arrangement is particularly suitable when the tilt cord is substantially longer than the translation cord. When the translation and tilt cords are of substantially the same length the bottom loop of the tilt cord may also be engaged by a tilt cord return member, such as a pulley.

In the situation that a tilt cord return member is employed it is useful to have a means of equalizing the tension between the translation and tilt cords. The means for equalizing the tension between the tilt and translation cords advantageously comprises: a) a tilt cord pulley around which the tilt cord is passed and which is mounted on a longitudinally slidable member within the body of the tassel; b) at least two translation cord return members fixed to the body of the tassel; and c) a translation cord return member mounted on said slidable member, the translation cord being looped around said fixed at least two translation cord return members and upwardly looped around said translation cord return member mounted on said slidable element, wherein the tension between translation and tilt cords is equalized by a weight within the tassel or by a spring element.

The spring element may be simply a spring attached between the slidable member and the body of the tassel or may be a spring biasing and anchor mechanism as described in the present applicant's US-A-4732202.

Preferably the tassel of the invention may be installed onto a blind system without the need to break the continuous loops of translation and tilt cords. For example, the tassels may be provided as a single element which may be installed directly or a series of elements which may be assembled with the translation and tilt cords between in their intended position. Typically, a two-part construction is suitable in this respect.

The present invention further provides a louvre or vane blind comprising a headrail or track along which a plurality of travellers which hold the vertical blind elements is transported, a translation cord for translating said blind holders along the headrail or track, a tilt cord for controlling the orientation of said blind elements and a tassel according to the invention.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures lA -and 1B are front and side elevations of one embodiment of tassel according to the invention; Figures 2A and 2B are front and side elevations of a second embodiment of tassel according to the invention; Figure 3A is a section taken along the line AA of Figure 3B, showing a third embodiment of tassel according to the invention; Figure 3B is a section taken along the line BB of Figure 3A; and Figure 3C is a plan view of the tassel of Figure 3A.

Referring first to Figures 1A and 1B, the tassel illustrated comprises a generally circular body 10 having front and rear circular plates 12,14 joined to one another adjacent the top by a fixed spacer member 16 which is secured to plate 12 and connected to plate 14 by a pin 18 upon which is rotatable a pulley 20 the diameter of which is rather smaller than the height of the spacer 16.

A guide channel 17 is defined between the front and rear plates 12,14 on either side of the spacer 18 and serves to guide a tilt cord in the form of a bead chain 22.

This passes freely between the front and rear plates and is in the form of a loop (not shown) below the tassel 10.

Also passing downwardly into the tassel is a translation cord 24, the lower part of which is looped around the pulley 16.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the translation cord 24 and the tilt cord 22 are kept neatly separated from one another, so that they cannot become entangled, the weight of the tassel 10 being adequate to tension the translation cord 24. It is preferred that the tassel 10 be heavier at the bottom than the top and suitable weights can be included for this purpose, for example in a cavity formed in the tassel. One way of doing this is to place a further weighted spacer similar to the spacer 18 adjacent the bottom of the plates 12,14 within the space 17, provided that this weight is narrower than the spacing between the two runs of the bead chain 22.

If reference is now made to Figures 2A and 2B, the embodiment illustrated therein comprises a main body portion 30, which may be hollow and provided at its lower end, as before, with a weight, and two guide passages 32,34 the latter being shown with a bridging web 36. Located within the hollow body 30 is a pulley 38 around which, in use, is passed the translation cord 24. A tilt cord in the form of a V chain 24 is guided by one of the guide passages 32. The other guide passage 34 is provided as an alternative arrangement which is shown with the centre web which can separate the two runs of the loop of the tilt chain 22.

As before, the weight of the tassel is sufficient to tension the translation cord 24 and the guide passage 32 or 34 adequately guides the tilt bead chain to keep it separated from the translation cord.

A further embodiment is illustrated in Figures 3A to C, in which the tassel body 40 comprises a rear wall 42, side walls 44 and a cover 46. The base 42 has associated therewith a guideway 48 in which is movable a slide 50 which carries a rotatable tilt cord bead chain pulley 52 and a rotatable translation cord pulley 54.

Mounted on the base 42 are two further pulleys 56,58.

As can be seen more particularly in Figure 3A, the tilt cord bead chain 22 is passed around the bead chain pulley 52 and the translation cord 24 passes first under pulley 56, then over pulley 54 and finally under pulley 58 before passing upwardly through the top of the tassel.

Because the slider 50 carries the bead chain pulley 52 and the second pulley 54 associated with the translation cord 24, there is an equalizing in the tension between the two cords. Thus, if the tension increases in cord 24 the slider will tend to move upwardly thereby increasing the tension in the cord 24. This assists in ensuring that the two cords do not become entangled.

Alternatively or additionally, a spring may be provided to urge the slider downwardly, being connected between the slider 50 and the base 42. For example again a weight may be provided in the lower part of the tassel alternatively or additionally to the above mentioned spring.

Claims (12)

1. A tassel for the translation and tilt cords extending from the headrail or track of a vertical louvre or vane blind, said tassel comprising a body which comprises: a) a translation cord tensioning means; b) at least one translation cord return member around which the translation cord is looped; and c) guide means for guiding said tilt cord and separating it from said translation cord.

2. A tassel according to claim 1, wherein said at least one translation cord return member is a pulley.

3. A tassel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said guide means comprises a guide channel for said tilt cord.

4. A tassel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guide channel is defined by the body of the tassel.

5. A tassel according to any preceding claim, which further comprises a tilt cord return member around which the tilt cord is passed.

6. A tassel according to claim 6, wherein the tilt cord return member is a pulley.

7. A tassel according to any preceding claim, which further comprises a means for equalizing the tension between the tilt and translation cords.

8. A tassel according to claim 7, wherein the means for equalizing the tension between the tilt and translation cords comprises: a) a tilt cord pulley around which the tilt cord is passed and which is mounted on a longitudinally slidable member within the body of the tassel; b) at least two translation cord return members fixed to the body of the tassel; c) a translation cord return member mounted on said slidable member; and d) a weight or spring element, the translation cord being looped around said at least two translation cord return members and upwardly looped around said translation cord return member mounted on said slidable element, the tension between the tilt and translation cords being equalized by the weight or by the spring element.

9. A tassel according to claim 8, wherein the spring element comprises a spring attached between said slidable element and the body of the tassel.

10. A tassel according to any preceding claim, wherein the translation cord tensioning means includes a weight.

11. A tassel for the translation and tilt cords of a louvre or vane blind, said tassel being substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in Figures 1A and 1B or Figures 2A and 2B, or Figures 3A, 3B and 3C of the accompanying drawings.

12. A louvre or vane blind comprising a headrail or track along which a plurality of travellers which hold the vertical blind elements is transported, a translation cord for translating said travellers along the headrail or track, a tilt cord for controlling the orientation of said blind elements and a tassel as defined in any one of claims 1 to 11, which tassel engages and guides the translation and tilt cords.