GB2360311A

GB2360311A - Carrier for vertical louvre blind

Info

Publication number: GB2360311A
Application number: GB0024964A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Perry Day
Original assignee: HARRIS PARTS Ltd
Current assignee: HARRIS PARTS Ltd
Priority date: 2000-02-01
Filing date: 2000-10-12
Publication date: 2001-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-12
Also published as: GB0002134D0; GB0024964D0; GB2360311B

Abstract

A carrier for a vertical louvre blind comprises a moulded plastics housing 2 with a spacer element projecting from one side and also having at least one guide element 24,30 projecting form at least one side and a recess or recesses 34,28 in the opposite side(s) to receive the corresponding guide element 30,24 of an adjacent carrier. The guide elements may serve to a draw cord therethrough (element 30) or to guide the spacer 21 of an adjacent carrier (element 24). The housing may be open at the top to receive a worm gear, cog gear and hook. The specification also discloses an end drive unit with a pulley (57, Figs 5,6) for guiding a draw element and a feed tube (55, Figs 5,6) for the draw element projecting axially along the headrail. It also discloses a support (80, Fig 8) for the tilt rod which actuates the worm gearing to rotate turn the carrier hooks, the support being positioned between groups of carriers and having a first aperture (81) through which the tilt rod passes and a second aperture (82) in which the draw cord is gripped by means of a spring-loaded plunger (83).

Description

2360311 1 Harris Parts Limited VERMAL LOUVRE BLINDS

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to blinds which include an array of vertical louvres or slats which are suspended from a headrail of inverted channel section. The individual louvres are suspended from carriers or trucks which are mounted in the headrail and which can be moved along the headrail by means of a draw element (e.g. a cord) which extends along the headrail and is attached to the end carrier. The carriers are provided with spacers which link them together so that the carriers pull one another along the headrail in one direction whilst abutment of the carriers effects movement of the carriers in the opposite direction. The louvres are suspended from the carriers by means of hooks, and a tilt rod which extends through the carriers is operably coupled to the hooks such that rotation of the tilt rod results in retation of the hooks and hence causes simultaneous rotation of all the louvres.

BACKGROUND

Whilst many different arrangements of carrier exist, in many countries there is a generally accepted industry standard for the cross-sectional dimensions of the headrail. Furthermore, in some countries such as the UK, the width 2 of the standard headrail is relatively narrow (about 30 mm), which places very tight constraints on the arrangement of the carriers.

In all of the carriers which are currently on the market the spacer is provided by an elongate metal or plastics strip which is fixed to the top of the carrier. The spacer strip is also slidably engaged \Mth theadjacent carrier, and a lug or hook at the free end of the spacer strip engages one or more stops formed on the adjacent carrier to determine the maximum spacing between the two carriers. In order to ensure that the spacers act smoothly without jamming they must be adequately guided. The stops must also be well supported to prevent them from flexing and becoming disengaged from the tab or hook of the adjacent carrier.

Carriers are also generally provided with guide passages for the draw cord. These passages take up additional space within the body of the carrier and act as a further constraint on the arrangement of the carder.

Existing carriers are not easy to assemble and invariably the assembly is carried out by hand which adds considerably to the cost. Firstly, the spacer must be engaged with the carrier body. Also, the louvre hook and its associated drive components (e.g. a cog and worm gear) must all be inserted into the carrier, sometimes from the top and sometimes from the bottom, and sometimes from both directions. Apart from assembly of the carriers themselves it is also necessary to thread the draw cord through the carriers, which is not always easy to achieve. It is generally advantageous to simplify assembly of the blind.

There is also a general requirement to make the blind mountings as 3 aesthetically attractive as possible. For this reason a carrier with an open bottom is often regarded as undesirable. It has recently been proposed to engage the spacer with a cover which clips onto the main body of the carrier and which also contains guide passages for the draw cord. Whilst this allows the drive components to be inserted from the top it does not make assembly of the carrier any easier. Furthermore, the cover increases the number of components, adding extra component costs to the labour costs associated with assembly.

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of vertical louvre blind which is generally easy to assemble, is reliable in operation with a long service life, and is aesthetically attractive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect, the present invention proposes a carrier for a vertical louvre blind which includes a moulded plastics housing having a spacer element projecting from one side thereof for engagement with an adjacent carrier and a rotatable suspension element projecting from its lower end for suspending a louvre therefrom, in which the housing has an integrally moulded guide element projecting from one side thereof, the opposite side of the housing being recessed to receive the corresponding guide element of an adjacent carrier when the carriers are mounted in a headrail.

Thus, by extending the carrier to one side and recessing the opposite side, the carders can still abut each other without increasing the spacing between the louvres, but on the other hand, the arrangement allows more freedom in 4 the design of the carrier. For example, the top ofthe housing can be open to facilitate assembly of the carrier through the top of the housing.

In one form, the guide element could include at least one aperture which extends longitudinally of the headrail for receiving a draw element. Thus, the length of the apertures can be sufficient to guide the draw element without risk of wear. Furthermore, when the carriers are drawn together they can abut closely to provide minimum spacing of the louvres whilst, at the same time, leaving the top of the housing clear to assist assembly. The guide elements can also abut closely to aid threading of the draw element during assembly of the blind.

In another form, the guide element could be adapted to guide the spacer strip of an adjacent carrier. Thus, the guide element may comprise a platform having upstanding walls on opposite sides thereof and stop means which projects from the said walls. The spacer strip may The integrally moulded with the housing. By Moulding the spacer strip integrally with the housing the component count is reduced and assembly of the carrier is simplified.

The guide element preferably has provision for fixing the draw element in the aperture. Such provision could take various forms, e.g. a bore for receiving a grub screw. Although the draw element will only be fixed in the case of an end carrier, assembly of the blind is simplified since it is not necessary to fit a special carrier at the end of a group, nor it is nECessary to mould special end carriers so that manufacturing costs are reduced.

According to a second aspect, the invention further provides an end drive unit for attachment tothe end of a headrail in a vertical louvre blind, in which the unit includes a pulley for guiding a draw element for moving carriers along the headrail and a feed tube which projects axially of the headrail in use for guiding the draw element towards the carriers. The feed tube thus reduces wear on the draw element and also improves assembly of the blind by guiding the draw element through the carriers.

The end drive unit may include a drive pulley for engagement with a tilt rod which extends along the headrail.

The invention further provides a tilt rod support for placement between the carriers, the support containing a tilt rod aperture for receiving and supporting a tilt rod, and a further aperture for receiving a draw element, the support containing a spring-loaded plunger which is arranged to slidably grip the draw element within the second aperture.

The invention includes a vertical slat blind having a headrail, a series of carriers as set forth above mounted in the headrail and mutually coupled together, a louvre rotatably suspended from each of the carriers, a tilt rod extending longitudinally of the headrail and operably engaged with the carriers for effecting rotation of the louvres, and a draw element connected to the end carrier for moving the carriers along the headrail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings:

6 Figure 1 shows an end portion of a vertical louvre blind headrail, viewed from below, including a carrier and an end drive unitwhich is shown partially rer-noved from the headrail and with certain components omitted for clarity; Figure 2 is a general view of the carrier housing shown in Fig. 1 1 Figure 3 is a bottom view of the carrier housing; Ficiure 4 is a side view of the assembled carrier as seen from one end of the headrail; Fic iure 5 is a side view of the end drive unit shown in Fig. 1 as seen from the side of the headrail,.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the end drive unit, Figure 7 is a plan view of an idle end cap for use with the headrail, and Figure 8 is a side view of a centre support for a tilt rod within the headrail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows an extruded metal headrail 101 of a vertical louvre blind for 7 installation in a window opening. The headrail contains a carrier 102 and an end drive unit 103. In such a blind, a number of such carriers 102 are slidably received in the headrail for movement along its length. The carriers can,.if desired, be provided with pairs of opposing wheels or rollers (not shown) to assist movement along the headrail. The illustrated headrail 101 is of inverted channel section having a top wall 104 and depending side walls 105, 106 provided with opposed inturned flanges 107 and 108. The side walls are formed with opposing grooves 109 and 110 adjacent to the top wall 104 for use in fixing the headrail. A rotatable tilt rod (not shown) extends longitudinally within the housing, passing through all the carriers 102. The blind louvres (not shown) are each suspended vertically from one of the carriers 102.

Each carrier includes a housing 1 which is shown in detail in Fig.s 2 to 4. The housing is moulded of plastics and is substantially rectangular in plan view, having a pair of side walls 2 and 3, a pair of end walls 4 and 5, and a bottom wall 6 (Fig. 3). The side walls 2 and 3 contain a pair of opposed apertures 7 and 8 for locating a worm gear 9 (Fig. 4) which, in use, is drivably engaged on the tilt rod which extends on axis A. The worm gear 9 is drivably engaged with a cog gear 10 (indicated in outline in Fig. 4) which is located inside the housing by a part-cylindrical formation 12. The end wal 5 is recessed at 14 to conform to the shape of the formation 12. The gear is rotatable about a substantially vertical axis B and is mounted on the shaft of a conventional louvre hook 15 (Fig. 4) which snap-engages through an aperture 16 in the bottom wall 6 (Fig. 3) to suspend a vertical louvre in use. The cog gear 10 can either be moulded with the shaft or engaged on the shaft with a slipping clutch arrangement, in known manner. It will thus be appreciated that rotation of the tilt rod causes the louvre hook and hence the 8 louvre to rotate about the axis B. The end walls 4 and 5 are both recessed at their lower ends, 17 and 18, (Fig. 4) to receive the inwardly-directed flanges 107, 1108 of the headrail which thus guide the carrier during longitudinal sliding movement.

During assembly of the carrier the worm gear, cog gear and hook can all be inserted through the open top of the housing 1, which normally remains open in use.

Above the worm gear. aperture 7 a guide platform 20 is moulded on the housing to project outwardly from the side wall 2. The platform leads into an integrally-moulded spacer strip 21, orientated to extend longitudinally of the headrail, which terminates in a hook 22. A pair of guide walls 23 and 24 project upwardly on opposite sides of the platform 20, each having an inwardly directed stop pin 25, 26. A single pin could be provided, bridging the guide walls 23 and 24, if desired. During assembly of the blind, the hook 22 is engaged around the pins 25 and 26 of an adjacent carrier so that the strip 21 may slide on the platform 20 of said adjacent carrier in known manner. The maximum spacing of the carriers is thus determined by engagement of the hook 22 with the stops 23, 2,4 of the adjacent carrier. The opposite side wall 3 is recessed at 28 so that when the carriers move together the platform 20 is received in the housing of the adjacent carrier. By this means, a minimum spacing between the louvres can be maintained.

Although the use of an integral spacer as described reduces the component count it would also be possible to use a conventional metal or plastics spacer which is inserted through the opposed walls 2 and 3 after insertion of the 9 internal components.

Above the cog gear 10 a guide block 30 is moulded on the housing to project outwardly from the side wall 3. The guide block contains three parallel passages 31, 32 and 33 (Fig. 4) which extend longitudinally of the headrail. Although three separate passages are shown it is possible for the passages to be joined along their adjacent longitudinal sides, in effect forming a single through-passage. In the assembled blind, a draw cord (not shown) is threaded through the passages so that the cord is prevented from becoming trapped during operation of the blind. The opposite side wall 2 is recessed at 34 so that when the carriers move together the block 30 is received in the housing of the adjacent carrier abutting the inner end of the respective guide block 30. Thus, close mutual spacing of the louvres is again maintained, and in addition, the passages 31 to 33 are mutually aligned and conjoined to form continuous passages through the carriers. The guide block is sufficiently long to eliminate wear on either the housing or the cord due to movement of the cord through the carriers. In addition, the cord can conveniently be affixed to the end carrier by inserting a grub screw through an aperture 36, 37 or 38 in the underside of the guide block (Fig. 2), which intercepts the respective passage 31, 32 or 33. Thus, movement of the draw cord along the headrail effects movement of the end carrier, which in turn moves the other carriers as explained above. In order to prevent stripping of the thread it may be desirable to place a push-on metal sleeve 40 over the guide block of the end carrier, shown separately in Fig. 4. The sleeve contains threaded apertures 41-43 which align with the apertures 36-38 to receive the grub screws.

The carrier is thus easy to assemble, utilises few parts (a minimum of three), simplifies assembly be avoiding the need for a specially adapted end carrier, optimises use of the space available when the size of the headrail is limited, is aesthetically attractive, and is reliable in operation giving a long service life.- Although the spacer strip and guide block are mounted at opposite ends of the housing their position is relatively unimportant. For example, the spacer strip could be mounted centrally between two guide blocks so that the draw cord runs up one side of the housing and down the other.

The end drive unit 103 is shown in general view in Fig. 1 and in elevation in Fig.s 5 and 6. The unit is again moulded of plastics and includes a rectangular end cap 50 which may be engaged with the headrail 101 by friction, grub screws or by snap engagement for example. A drive pulley 51 is rotatably mounted on the outer face of the end cap, drivably engaged on the tilt rod (not shown). A ball cord, chain or similar element (also not shown) is drivably engaged around the pulley 51 so that, by pulling the element, the tilt rod can be rotated which in turn simultaneously changes the angle of the louvres as described above. An arcuate cow[ 53 projects from the end cap 50 to guide and retain the drive element around the top portion of the pulley 51.

The opposite inner face of the end cap 50 is provided with a doublebarrelled feed tube 55 which projects longitudinally of the hE,.,adrail in axial alignment with two of the passages 31, 32 and 33. The outer end of the feed tube is provided with a chamfer 56 to centre the tube with the respective passages when the carriers 102 are close together. The opposite end of the feed tube is disposed tangentially to a double guide pulley 57 which is mounted within 11 a cover 58 formed on the end cap 50. The cover has a bottom opening 59 so that the pulley 57 is partly exposed. In assembling the blind the two opposite ends of a draw cord can be inserted through the opening 59 between the respective halves of the pulley 57 and the end cap 50 and as they pass around the pulley they are guided by the cover 58 to enter the respective barrels of the feed tube 55. Since the end of the feed tube is centred with the aligned passages in the guide blocks 30 the cord will continue to feed through the passages of the carriers without risk of snagging. It will be appreciated that the precise configuration of the draw cord depends of the configuration of the blind, e.g. whether the blind is single or double, but since cord configurations will be well known to those skilled in the art they will not be described here in detail. The arrangement described greatly simplifies assembly of the vertical louvre blind, and indeed, may open the way to fully or semiautomated assembly. For example, by rotatably driving the double pulley 57 using friction drive applied through the opening 59 or gearing engaged with the pulley or its axle for example, the pulley may be used to drive the cord through the feed tube and carders.

The opposite idle end cap 70 is shown in plan view in Fig. 7. It is provided with an idler pulley 71, rotating about a vertical axis, enclosed by an arcuate guide wall 72 which guides the cord around the pulley to return it along the headrail.

In the case of a double blind it is generally necessary to provide a sliding centre support between the two groups of carriers to provide additional support for the tilt rod. Often the support is moved by magnetic engagement between the support and an end carrier, which is generally unreliable and adds to the component and assembly cost. The support shown in Fig. 8 12 comprises a housing 80 with an aperture 81 for receiving and supporting the tilt rod and a further aperture 82 for receiving the draw cord. The housing contains a moulded plunger 83 having a rounded head which bears against the draw cord within the aperture 82 under the action of a compression spring 84. Thus, the support normally moves with the draw cord, and hence with the end carrier to which the cord is attached, but on the other hand the support can still slide relative to the cord when required. The plunger and spring are inserted through a side opening 85 in the housing 80 during assembly of the support.

Claims

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present

in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas which, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

13 CLAIMS 1. A carrier for a vertical louvre blind which includes a moulded plastics housing having a spacer element projecting from one side thereof for engagement with an adjacent carrier and a rotatable suspension element projecting from its lower end for suspending a louvre therefrom, in which the housing has an integrally moulded guide element projecting from one side thereof, the opposite side of the housing being recessed to receive the corresponding guide element of an adjacent carrier when the carriers are mounted in a headrail.
2. A carrier according to Claim 1, in which the guide element includes at least one aperture which extends longitudinally of the headrail in use for receiving a draw element.
3. A carrier according to Claim 2, in which the guide element is arranged such that the guide elements of adjacent carriers can abut each other when the carriers are mounted in a headrail.
4. A carrier according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the guide element has provision for fixing the draw element in the aperture.
5. A carrier according to Claim 4, in which such provision for fixing the draw element is in the form of a bore for receiving a grub screw.

14
6. A carrier according to Claim 1, in which the guide element is adapted to guide the spacer strip of an adjacent carrier.
7. A carrier according to Claim 6, in which the guide element incorporates a platform having upstanding walls on opposite sides thereof and stop means which projects from the said walls.
8. A carrier according to any preceding claim, in which the spacer strip is integrally moulded with the housing.
9. A vertical louvre blind including a headrail containing a plurality of carriers according to any preceding claim.
10. A vertical louvre blind having a headrail, a series of carriers according to any preceding claim mounted in the headrail and mutually coupled together, a louvre rotatably suspended from each of the carriers, a tilt rod extending longitudinally of the headrail and operably engaged with the carriers for effecting rotation of the louvres, and a draw element connected to the end carrier for moving the carriers along the headrail.
11. A vertical louvre blind substantially as described with reference Vb P934 to the drawings.

11. A vertical louvre blind according to Claim 9 or 10, including an end drive unit for attachment to the end of the headrail, in which the unit includes a pulley for guiding a draw element for moving carriers along the headrail and a feed tube which projects axially of tihe headrail in use for guiding the draw element towards the carriers,
12. A vertical louvre blind according to Claim 11, in which the end drive unit includes a drive pulley for engagement with a tilt rod which extends along the headrail.

13. A vertical louvre blind according to any of Claims 9 to 12, including a tilt rod support for placement between the carriers, the support containing a tilt rod aperture for receiving and supporting a tilt rod, and a further aperture for receiving a draw element, the support containing a spring-loaded plunger which is arranged to slidably grip the draw element within the second aperture.

14. A carrier for a vertical louvre blind substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

15. Avertical louvre blind substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

o Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1 A carrier for a vertical louvre blind which includes a moulded plastics housing having a spacer element projecting from one side thereof for engagement with an adjacent carrier and a rotatable suspension element projecting from its lower end for suspending a louvre therefrom, in which the housing has an integrally moulded guide element projecting from one side thereof, the opposite side of the housing being recessed to receive the corresponding guide element of an adjacent carrier when the carriers are mounted in a headrail such that the guide elements of adjacent carriers can abut each other, in which the guide element includes a plurality of apertures which extend longitudinally of the headrail in use for receiving a draw element.

2, A carrier according to Claim 1, in which the guide element has provision for fixing the draw element in one of said apertures.

3. A carrier according to Claim 2, in which such provision for fixing the draw element is in the form of a bore for receiving a grub screw.

4. A carrier according to any preceding claim, in which the spacer strip is integrally moulded with the housing.

5. A vertical louvre blind including a headrail containing a plurality of carriers according to any preceding claim.

P934 6. A vertical louvre blind according to Claim 5 in which the carriers are mutually coupled together and a louvre is rotatably suspended from each of the carriers, a tilt rod extending longitudinally of the headrail and operably engaged with the carriers for effecting rotation of the louvres, and a draw element is connected to the end carrier for moving the carriers along the headrall.

7. A vertical louvre blind according to Claim 5 or 6, including an end drive unit for attachment to the end of the headrail, in which the end drive unit includes a pulley for guiding a draw element for moving carriers along the headrail and a feed tube which projects longitudinally of the headrall in use for guiding the draw element towards the carriers.

8. A vertical louvre blind according to Claim 7, in which the end drive unitincludes a drive pulley for engagement with atilt rodwhich extends along the headrail.

9. A vertical louvre blind according to any of Claims 5 to 8, including a tilt rod support for placement between the carriers, the tilt rod support containing a tilt rod aperture for receiving and supporting a tilt rod, and a further aperture for receiving a draw element, the tilt rod support containing a spring-loaded plunger which is arranged to slidably grip the draw element within the second aperture.

10- A carrier for a vertical louvre blind substantially as described with reference to the drawings.