GB2447453A

GB2447453A - Bracket for blind cord

Info

Publication number: GB2447453A
Application number: GB0704721A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Richardson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-12
Filing date: 2007-03-12
Publication date: 2008-09-17
Also published as: GB0704721D0

Abstract

A bracket 40 mountable to a glazing bar 14 without screws for attachment of a blind supporting wire, string or rail. The bracket may have two arms 42, wherein one end of each arm is adapted, preferably by having at least one resiliently formed projection, to be trapped between the glazing bar and a glazing panel 30 and supported by the glazing bar. The two arms may be connected together by a bridging member 44. The bracket may have mounting means 46 for supporting the wire etc., the mounting means may be part of the bridging member. A gasket (34 Fig. 2) may be provided on the glazing bar. The arms and bridging member may be manufactured from a moulded plastic.

Description

Title: Improvements in or relating to blinds

Description

This invention concerns improvements in and relating to blinds for glazing panels, particularly, but not exclusively to blinds for conservatory roofs.

Conservatories have a glazed roof formed of glazing panels supported between glazing bars. In sunny weather, it is often desirable to provide some form of a screen to reduced the sun's intensity through the conservatory roof and in cold weather, it is often desirable to provide some form of a screen to prevent the warm air from escaping. For this purpose blinds are provided for roof glazing panels. Typical blinds for roof glazing panels comprise a sheet of fabric folded in concertina fashion secured at one end to a rail and slidable on support wires/strings passing through the folds of the fabric. The rail is secured to the glazing bar by brackets and screws.

Most conservatories have a radius end or apex, whereby adjacent glazing bars are not parallel to each other. In order to provide a blind system on the radius S... * * 555

end or apex, the distal end of the support wires and the brackets have to be I. * ** S * secured to the glazing bar by mounting means and screws. S..

Referring to Figures IA and lB. a conventional blind 10 and its rail 12 is *5 S : , shown. The rail 12 is secured to a glazing bar 14 via a bracket 16 and screws.

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The blind 10 is folded in concertina fashion and slidable on support wires/strings 18 and 20 passing through the folds of the blind 10. The distal end of the outer S 2 support wire 20 is secured to the glazing bar 14 by securing means 22. Likewise, the securing means 22 is screwed directly into the glazing bar 14.

Referring to Figure 2, a conventional glazing bar 14 comprises an extruded aluminium bar 24 a clad above and below with cappings 26, 28 of uPVC, between which glazing panels 30 are fixed. Gaskets 32, 34 are provided respectively on cappings 26, 28 to seal against glazing panels 30. The aluminium bar 24 functions as a support and provides channels for drawing water away. Because the support wires are screwed or tapped into the glazing bar 14, the integrity of the glazing bar 14 is reduced and this may cause drainage water to seep into the conservatory, if the screw holes are not fully sealed or allow condensation to collect around screws and cause unsightly corrosion. Most importantly, screwing any holes into the glazing bars 14 may render the manufacturer's warranty invalid. Furthermore, most conservatory blind manufacturers generally use a standard sized bracket for mounting the blinds to the conservatory roofs, wherein the brackets have various apertures adapted for receiving screws, such that the bracket can be secured in various positions and to various types of conservatory roofs. Most often or not, when the bracket is secured to the radius end or apex of *SSI * * S..

the conservatory roof, the edge of the bracket may extend beyond the glazing bar S. ** * ** S * as shown in Figure 1, which adversely affects the appearance of the conservatories. S. S

* 1 An object of this invention to provide a bracket for securing anchoring ****,S * means of a blind system to a glazing bar that aims to alleviate the above-mentioned problems. S 3

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a bracket mountable to a glazing bar without screws for attachment of a blind supporting wire string or rail.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching blind supporting wire string or rail to a conservatory roof without screws using a bracket mounted to a glazing bar.

The bracket preferably comprises two arms, wherein one end of each arm is adapted to be trapped between the glazing bar and a glazing panel and supported by the glazing bar.

Preferably the bracket comprises mounting means for attachment of a support wire or string for the blind. For attaching rails to glazing bars, two mounting means will usually be provided.

Preferably the one end of each arm comprises at least one resiliently formed projection adapted to engage, in use with the inner edge of the glazing bar.

Preferably the or each resiliently formed projection locates on the glazing bar by a snap-fit action. Preferably the or each projection is adapted to allow easy insertion and engages with the glazing bar when a force in the opposite direction to * . I...

insertion is applied to the bracket. *. *.

: Preferably the base of each arm is provided with a series of grooves ** 1 adapted to engage with a gasket provided on the glazing bar.

: Preferably the arms are separate and identical components.

* Preferably the arms are connected together by a bridging member, wherein the bridging member includes said mounting means. Preferably when connected I 4 the arms and the bridging member are substantially U-shaped in cross-section.

Preferably the mounting means is positioned centrally on the bridging member.

Preferably the bridging member is shaped to correspond with the lower capping of the glazing bar. Preferably the mounting means extends beyond the surface of the bridging member to provide adequate clearance gap for the blind system, so that the blind system or its associated components does not contact the bridging member or glazing bar during operation. Preferably the arms and the bridging member are formed moulded from plastics material, such as PVC, ABS or the like. Preferably the colour of the arms and the bridging member are similar to the colour of the capping of the glazing bar. Alternatively, the arms and the bridging member may be of clear plastics material.

In one preferred embodiment the arms may be formed of wire members bent to form closed and open ends. Preferably said at least one resiliently formed projection or clip is provided at the open end of each arm. Preferably the arms are secured together by said mounting means. Preferably each wire member has a first narrow part leading to a wider second part formed at the closed end to : accommodate said mounting means. Preferably said mounting means comprises S... * . I...

a peg having first and second ends, wherein the first end is adapted for securing S. *S : * said bar or support wire of the blind system to the glazing bar and the second end has an annular groove adapted to mutually engage with the wider second part of e S * the wire member, such that the annular groove secures the arms in position.

*5*SSS Brackets of the invention may be slid along a glazing bar into a desired position. The weight or clamping effect of the glazing helps to keep a bracket in position. Because the bracket can be slid along a glazing bar it can be repositioned without any damage to the glazing bar of the type caused by screws

in prior art systems.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with S reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures IA and I B show examples of a conventional conservatory blind; Figure 2 shows an example of a conventional glazing bar; Figure 3A shows a perspective view of a bracket according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3B shows a perspective view of securing arms according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3C shows a perspective view of a bridging member according one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4A shows a side view of the bracket shown in Figure 3A for securing a blind secured to a glazing bar; Figure 4B shows a perspective view of the bracket shown in Figure 3A for S.. securing the blind secured to the glazing bar; S... * . **..

Figure 4C shows a schematic view of the bracket shown in Figure 3A for S. *S * .* S * securing the blind secured to the glazing bar; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the bracket according to a second * embodiment of the present invention; *....S * S Figure 6 shows a side the bracket shown in Figure 5; Figure 7A shows an exploded view of the securing arm according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7B shows an exploded view of the securing arm according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the mounting means according to the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9A shows a side view of the bracket shown in Figure 5 for securing the blind secured to the glazing bar; Figure 9B shows a perspective view of the bracket shown in Figure 5 for securing the blind secured to the glazing bar; and Figure 9C shows a schematic view of the bracket shown in Figure 5 for securing the blind secured to the glazing bar.

A blind 10 and glazing bar 14 have been described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 3A, a perspective view of one embodiment of a bracket 40 according to the present invention is shown. The bracket 40 comprises : two arms 42, which are connected together by a bridging member 44. The * * * S..

bridging member 44 comprises mounting means 46 for securing anchoring means *5 *S * S. S * of the blind system to bridging member 44, which will be discussed below.

Referring to Figures 3A, 3B and 4, one end of each arm 42 is provided with two

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: resiliently formed inclined projections or clips 48, wherein the arm 42 is adapted S.....

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to be trapped between the glazing bar 14 and the glazing panel 30, in which the projections or clips 48 engage with the inner edge of the glazing bar 14 and restricts the removal of the arm 42.

Referring to Figures 3A, 3B and 3C, the other end of the arm 42 is provided with projections 50 adapted to engage with projections 52 provided on the side of the bridging member 44, such that the arms 42 is locked on the bridging member 44. The bracket 40 is substantially Ushaped in cross-section and its internal profile substantially corresponded to the external profile of the lower capping 28.

The thickness of the base 54 ranges between 0.5 to 4mm, such that the thickness does not impede the operation of the gasket 34.

Each arm 42 is provided with a lip 56, which engages with the gasket 34 and the capping 28, and restricts further insertion of the arm 42. Refemng to Figure 3B, the arms 42 identical in shape and composition.

Referring to Figures 4A to 4C, the bridging member 44 is provided with said mounting means 46 for receiving and securing support wire 18 of a blind system to the glazing bar 14, such that holes are not required to be drilled into the S. glazing bar 14. The mounting means 46 is positioned centrally on the bridging * S..

member 44, wherein the mounting means 46 extends beyond the surface of the *S ** bridging member 44 to provide an adequate clearance gap for the blind, so that the blind system does not contact the bridging member 44 or glazing bar during : operation. For attachment of blind supporting rails to glazing bars, two mounting S..

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means 46 may be provided. S 8

Referring to Figure 3B, the arm 42 is provided with a plurality of grooves 58 at its base 54. When the blind 10 is secured to the bracket 30, the mass of the blind 10 causes the grooves 58 to engage with the gaskets 34 and restrict lateral movement of the arm 42. However, the bracket 40 can freely move laterally when the mass is removed from the bracket 40, so that the user can adjust the position of bracket 40.

The arms and the bridging member are moulded from plastics material, such as uPVC, ABS or the like, wherein their colour can be identical to the colour of the lower capping 28 of the glazing bar 14.

Referring to Figures 5 to 7B, another embodiment of the bracket 60 according to the present invention is shown. in this embodiment the bracket 60 comprises two arms 62, wherein each arm 62 is identical and formed of a wire member 64 bent to form closed 66 and open 58 ends, wherein the open end 68 is adapted to receive retaining means 70. The retaining means 70 comprises a resiliently formed inclined projection 72 adapted to be trapped between the glazing bar 14 and the glazing panel 26, in which the projection 72 engages with the inner edge of the glazing bar 14 and restricts the removal of the arm 62. In addition, the retaining means 70 comprises two apertures 74 adapted to receive S ** * S. S * the open cnd 68.

The diameter of wire member 64 is in a range between 0.5 to 4mm, such that the width does not impede the operation of the gasket 34.

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When the blind 10 is secured to the bracket 60, the mass of the blind 10 causes the wire member 64 to engage with the gaskets 34 and restrict lateral movement of the arm 62. However, the bracket 60 can freely move laterally when the mass is removed from the bracket 60, so that the user can adjust the position of bracket 60.

In order to form the bracket 60, two arms 62 are connected together by mounting means 76. Referring to Figure 7B, the wire member 64 is bent in way such that the closed end 56 has a wide part 78 leading to a narrower part 80, wherein the wide part 78 is adapted to accommodate the mounting means 76.

Referring to Figure 8, the mounting means 76 comprises a peg 82 having first 84 and second 86 ends, wherein the first end 84 having means for receiving and securing the support wire 18 of the blind system to the glazing bar 14, such that holes are not required to be drilled into the glazing bar 14. The second end 86 comprises an annular groove 88 adapted to mutually engage with the wider part 78 of the wire member 64, such that the annular groove 88 secures the arms 62 in position. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, when connected the arms 62 and the mounting means 76 are substantially U-shaped in cross-section.

Referring to Figures 9A to 9C, the mounting means 76 extends beyond the arms 62 to provide an adequate clearance gap for the blind, so that the blind * *** system does not contact the arms 62 or glazing bar during operation.

The wire member 64 is formed from a metallic wire such as steel, stainless steel or aluminium. In an alternative embodiment, the wire member 64 is painted or covered with a plastic or rubber sheath. The colour of paint and plastic or * rubber sheath can be similar to the colour of the lower capping 28 of the glazing bar 14.

Claims

S CLAIMS

1. A bracket mountable to a glazing bar without screws for attachment of a blind supporting wire string or rail.

2. A bracket as claimed in claim 1, comprising two arms, wherein one end of each arm is adapted to be trapped between the glazing bar and a glazing panel and supported by the glazing bar.

3. A bracket as claimed in claim 1 or 2 comprising a mounting means for attachment of a support wire or string for the blind.

4. A bracket as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the one end of each arm comprises at least one resiliently formed projection adapted to engage, in use, with the inner edge of a glazing bar.

5. A bracket as claimed in claim 4, wherein the or each resiliently formed projection locates on the glazing bar by a snap-fit action.

6. A bracket as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the or each projection is adapted to allow easy insertion and engages with the glazing bar when a force in s. the opposite direction to insertion is applied to the bracket.

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7. A bracket as claimed in anyone of claims 2 to 6, wherein each arm has a

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base provided with a series of grooves adapted to engage with a gasket provided on the glazing bar.

8. A bracket as claimed in anyone of claims Ito 7, wherein the arms are separate and identical components.

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9. A bracket as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the arms are connected together by a bridging member, wherein the bridging member includes said mounting means.

10. A bracket as claimed in claim 9, wherein when connected the arms and the bridging member are substantially U-shaped in cross-section.

11. A bracket as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein the mounting means is positioned centrally on the bridging member.

12. A bracket as claimed in claim 9 or 10 having two mounting means.

13. A bracket as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the mounting means extends beyond the surface of the bridging member to provide adequate clearance gap for the blind system.

14. A bracket as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the arms and the bridging member are formed from moulded plastics.

15. A bracket as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 13, wherein each arm is formed of a wire member bent to form closed and open ends.

16. A bracket as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least one resiliently formed projection or clip is provided at the open end of each arm.

17. A bracket as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the arms are secured * ** * * together by said mounting means.

18. A bracket as claimed in claim 15, 16 or 17, wherein each wire member has *1 S *5 * a first narrow part leading to a wider second part formed at the closed end to * * accommodate said mounting means.

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19. A bracket as claimed in claim 18, wherein said mounting means comprises a peg having first and second ends, wherein the first end is adapted for securing said bar or support wire of the blind system to the glazing bar and the second end having an annular groove adapted to mutually engage with the wider second part of the wire member, such that the annular groove secures the arms in position.

20. A blind system mounted to a conservatory roof using brackets as claimed in anyone of claims ito 19.

21. A bracket for attachment of a wire or string for a blind for conservatory roof substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figures 3 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

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