GB2457075A

GB2457075A - Curtain gliders

Info

Publication number: GB2457075A
Application number: GB0801906A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maurice Laydon; Gary Moore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-02-01
Filing date: 2008-02-01
Publication date: 2009-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 2028-02-01
Also published as: GB0801906D0; GB2457075B

Abstract

A glider 1 for hanging a curtain 11 comprises a head portion 7 and a body portion 9, wherein the head portion 7 is movable relative to the body portion 9 between a first position and a second position. The glider 1 may be arranged so that a plurality of gliders (Figure 6a, 25) can be stacked when their respective heads 7 are in the first position and can glide along a track 3 when their heads are in the second position. Also provided is a stack of gliders (Figure 9, 40) comprising a locking region (Figure 7, 35) shaped to receive a removable member (Figure 10, 39), wherein a glider (Figure 7, 10) may include a locking aperture (Figure 7, 35) to receive a removable locking member (Figure 10, 39) such that a plurality of stacked gliders Figure (10, 10) may be releaseably locked together.

Description

CURTAIN GLIDERS

This invention relates to gliders for hanging curtains from a track. The invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to gliders which facilitate loading a plurality of such gliders onto a track.

Gliders, also termed runners', are a commonly used means for hanging curtains from a track. Such gliders are arranged to move along the track, so as to allow a curtain to be opened or closed by pulling the curtain to draw the gliders along the track. Many gliders may be needed to hang a single curtain or blind, commonly in the order of ten or twenty to one hundred, for example, fifty gliders. Each glider must usually be loaded Onto the track one by one, meaning that hanging a curtain can be very time consuming. Curtains are often hung from a ceiling or other high point in a room, such that hanging a curtain can be awkward, and often requires the person doing the hanging to work at height, for example, standing on a ladder. *

* *. * In addition, over time a curtain that has been hung may become dirty, *. 20 such that it may be desirable to remove the curtain, in order to wash and re-hang it, or dispose of it and replace it with a new curtain. Washing or replacing curtains is particularly important in locations where hygiene is * very important, for example in hospitals, where curtains on wards can harbour germs and infection. However, replacing curtains can be very labour intensive because of the time necessary to hang the replacement curtains. Depending on the type of track and gliders used, it can take between 15 and 45 minutes to change a curtain. Thus changing all the curtains on a single hospital ward can be a substantial task.

We have found it desirable to provide a curtain glider that simplifies the process of hanging a curtain.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide glider comprising a head portion and a curtain retaining body portion, the head portion being moveable relative to the body portion between a first position and a second position. The glider may be arranged so that a plurality of such gliders can be stacked when their respective heads are in the first position, and can glide along a track when their respective heads are in the second position.

In use, the head portion may be moveable relative to a curtain track (as well as the body) in a direction different to a gliding direction (the direction a glider slides along the track), that is, a direction different to the longitudinal extent of the track.

A plurality of such curtain gliders in the first position may be stacked :. together so that their body portions are substantially adjacent, to form a block. The head portions of the gliders may be aligned when in the stack. * S..

When the curtain gliders are stacked in this way, a plurality of gliders can be loaded onto a track substantially simultaneously, as a single unit, speeding up the hanging of a curtain. The gliders may not be stacked when in the second gliding position.

There may be twenty-five to fifty gliders in a stack, for example, allowing twenty-five to fifty gliders to be hung in one hanging motion. In contrast, using conventional gliders twenty-five to fifty hanging motions would be required to hang the same number of gliders.

In addition, because it is possible to load a large number of gliders in a single hanging motion as one unit, it is feasible to load the gliders whilst standing on the floor, or on a low step. This is not usually possible when a large number of gliders must be hung individually, as the person hanging the gliders quickly becomes tired whilst holding the weight of a curtain above their head for an extended time.

A glider may be arranged so that the head portion is pivotable relative to the body portion. The glider may comprise a hinge connecting the head portion to the body portion, in order to allow the head to pivot between the first (nested) and second (gliding) positions. The hinge may be a living hinge, also known as a flexure bearing. Such a hinge is simple to manufacture.

Once loaded, the gliders are arranged to assume the gliding position, and in that position the gliders function substantially as a conventional glider.

The gliders may not function as a conventional glider in the first position.

A curtain glider head portion may be arranged to move from the first position into the second gliding position under the force exerted by the weight of a curtain held by the body portion. The gliders may be arranged to assume the gliding position under the weight of the glider * **.

body itself, so that the gliders may be loaded onto the track before a curtain is attached. Thus, in either of those embodiments, the gliders automatically assume the gliding position when they are loaded onto a curtain track, under the influence of gravity. * * * S. * ** . S S *

* The head of a glider may extend beyond the body by a distance X in at least one direction when the head is in the second position, and not extend beyond the body, or extend beyond the body by a distance that is less than X in that same direction when the head portion is in the first position.

Preferably the head portion substantially does not extend beyond the body portion in when the head portion is in the first position.

A glider may be substantially flat when the head is in the first position.

A channel may be provided in the head portion of the glider to receive a neck of the body portion, to assist the glider in assuming a flat profile.

Curtain tracks are often attached to a horizontal surface, such as a ceiling or window frame, closely butted up against a vertical surface, such as a wall or window frame. Thus there is often only a limited amount of space available for loading curtain gliders onto a track. With conventional curtain or blind gliders, even if they could be assembled into a stack (which is difficult given the shape of their heads), very few gliders could be included in the stack before the stack would be too large to fit in the limited space available.

In contrast, where a glider has a flat profile, as in the first position in at least some embodiments, comparatively more gliders can be stacked into the same height stack. This is because the curtain gliders can be stacked very close together, with their respective bodies and heads touching. The * S.* more curtain gliders that can be fitted into a stack of the same height, the more curtain gliders can be loaded at one time. S..

S

A glider may be provided with location members to align the head portion of that curtain glider with the head portion of another glider, to allow the curtain gliders to be easily assembled into a stack.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a stack of gliders, each glider comprising a head portion and a curtain retaining body portion, the head portion being moveable relative to the body portion between a first stacked position and a second gliding position.

According to yet another aspect of the invention a stack of gliders comprises a locking region shaped to receive a removable locking member. The stack can be held together as a single, integral unit by inserting a removable locking member into the locking region. The locking member may be replaceable.

The locking region may comprise an aperture through the stack. The locking member may comprise a key having at least two orientations, wherein the key can be removed and/or reinserted in one orientation, and cannot be removed and/or inserted in another orientation.

At least one glider may be provided with location members to align the head portion of that glider with the head portion of another glider in the stack. The location members may alternatively, or additionally, serve to align the locking region of at least one glider with the locking region of another glider in the stack. All of the gliders in the stack may be provided with such location members. *S.. * S *

::..: According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a glider * a..

shaped to receive a removable locking member, so that a plurality of stacked curtain gliders can be releasably locked together using the locking member. **S. * I S

I:. Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a curtain glider in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the curtain glider of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows two curtain tracks suitable for use with the curtain glider of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows (a) a bottom perspective view and (b) a top perspective view of a curtain glider head in a gliding position; Figure 5 shows (a) a front view, (b) a perspective view and (c) a rear view of a curtain glider head in a nested position; Figure 6a shows a stack of the curtain gliders of Figures 1 to 5; Figure 6b shows curtain gliders being pulled from a stack; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of another curtain glider in a gliding position; Figure 8 shows the curtain glider of Figure 7 in a nested position; * S.. * . .

*::::* Figure 9 shows a stack of curtain gliders including a locking system in an open position; S..... * .

Figure 10 shows the stack of curtain gliders of Figure 9 with the locking system in a closed position; Figure 11 shows two curtain glider locking system keys; Figure 12 shows an alternative curtain track; Figure 13 shows a stack of curtain gliders suitable for use with the track of Figure 12; Figure 14 shows (a) a side view and (b) a perspective view of a curtain glider from the stack shown in Figure 13; and Figure 15 shows another glider hinge arrangement.

Figures 1 and 2 show a curtain glider 1 suitable for use with a curtain track 3 of the sort having interior gliding surfaces 5 adapted to receive the head of a curtain glider. Two examples of such tracks 3 are shown in Figure 3.

The curtain glider 1 comprises a head portion 7 and a body portion 9.

The head portion 7 is shaped so as to cooperate with the gliding surfaces of a curtain track 3. The head portion 7 shown is substantially disc-shaped. However, other shapes of head, for example square, rectangular, or oval, may be used where appropriate.

The body portion 9 is arranged to receive a curtain 11. The word "curtain" is used broadly herein, to include any sort of hanging screen, es.. including blinds, made from a flexible material, including fabric, plastic * *..

or paper. A curtain may be reusable or disposable. * a

The curtain glider 1 is made from a flexible plastic, such as polypropylene. In this embodiment the curtain glider is moulded as a single piece.

A curtain can be removed from the body portion 9 so that the curtain can be replaced. The body portion 9 in use extends through a hole 13 in a curtain and is bent back on itself substantially 180°. The curtain is then held between two "arms" 15. The arms are secured together using a releasable clasp 17 which extends through the curtain, as assists in attaching the curtain firmly to the glider 1.

Alternatively, the curtain may be fixed to the body portion 9 in any suitable way. For example, the curtain glider need not extend through a hole in the curtain, and the curtain may instead be sandwiched or gripped by the curtain glider. The curtain need not be removable from the body portion, and may be permanently fixed, for example, using adhesive.

The head portion 7 is connected to the body portion 9 in such a way that the head portion 7 is moveable relative to the body portion between a first position, shown in Figure 5, in which the gliders can be nested together, and a second gliding position, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. In the example shown, the head portion 7 is able to pivot relative to the body 9 as a result of a hinge, in this case a living hinge 19 (that is, a single thin flexible piece of plastic, which does not require two components to slide relative to one another) connecting the head 7 to a neck 21 of the body 9.

:. In the gliding position, the glider looks similar to a conventional curtain ::.: glider, with the head oriented so that a gliding surface 22 of the head is * able to contact the gliding surfaces 5 of the track 3, to allow the glider 1 to move smoothly along the track. In that position, the head is oriented relative to the body so that a central plane 24 of the head 7 is *:::: substantially perpendicular to a curtain 11 that is held by the body 9. The glider cannot be easily stacked when in the gliding position. * * . * S.

Conversely, in the nested position, the head is oriented so that a plurality of gliders can be stacked closely together, with the outer surfaces of their respective bodies 9 touching. A stack 25 of curtain gliders 1 attached to a curtain 11 is shown in Figure 6a. The curtain 11 held by the gliders is shown folded into pleats when the gliders are stacked. In this position, the glider does not function well as a curtain glider, and cannot glide easily along a track.

In the example shown, in the nested position the central plane 24 of the head is substantially parallel to the curtain 11 held by the glider. The head 7 comprises a channel 23 so that the head 7 of the glider can be folded flat against the neck 21 of the glider body 9. Thus when the head is in the nested position, the glider is substantially flat.

In use, the stack 25 of gliders can be mounted onto a curtain track 3 in one motion, as it is able to behave as a single unit. The stack 25 may comprise any number of gliders, for example twenty-five, thirty or fifty.

The number of gliders in a stack is determined to some extent by the space available for loading the gliders, that is, the space available between an end of the curtain track and an adjacent surface, such as a wall. Where there is sufficient space, or where few gliders are needed, a stack may comprise all the gliders necessary to hang a curtain, so that a curtain can be hung in a single motion. Where more gliders are needed, more than one stack can be loaded. *

* *. S Figure 6b demonstrates how the gliders can be separated along a curtain track 3 of the type shown in Figure 3 by pulling the curtain in the direction shown by arrow 27 (only the far side of the curtain track 3 is :. shown in Figure 6b -the near side is omitted for clarity). Pulling the :. curtain causes the gliders to move along the track 3 and spread out, unfurling the pleated curtain. As each glider separates from the stack 25, the head of the glider has space to turn within the track, and is able to move from the first nested position into the second gliding position. The head moves relative to the body and the track in a direction indicated by arrow 29, which is different to the direction in which the curtain gliders slide along the track, indicated by arrow 27. The weight of the curtain 11 itself provides sufficient force to move the glider head from the first position into the second position, by pulling each glider downwardly away from the stack. Alternatively, the gliders may be arranged so that the weight of the glider itself is sufficient to cause the glider head to move from the first position to the second position, so allowing the gliders to be loaded onto a track without the curtain being attached.

Using curtain gliders of the type described allows a large number of gliders to be loaded onto a curtain track substantially simultaneously, as a unit, because the gliders can be closely stacked with their heads in line.

This has not previously been possible with gliders designed for tracks having interior gliding surfaces, which must usually be loaded individually. This means that for a curtain requiring 90 gliders, for example, 90 glider hanging operations are required in order to hang the curtain. In contrast, using the gliders described herein, the curtain could be hung using perhaps two, three or four motions, greatly reducing the time and effort needed to hang an identical curtain.

Because conventional gliders have a fixed head adapted to engage with the ::..: gliding surfaces of the track, stacking the gliders together so that their S..

heads remain in line is difficult or impossible. Even if they could be stacked, such existing gliders have a wider cross-section than those described herein (comparable to the diameter of the head, rather than the thickness of the body), meaning that it is not possible to fit many gliders *:*. into the small space that is usually available for loading gliders onto a track. Using the gliders described herein it is possible to fit far more gliders into a given space, allowing many more gliders to be loaded simultaneously.

Figures 7 and 8 show an embodiment of a curtain glider 10 that is provided with location members in the form of raised areas 31 and complimentary indentations 33. The raised areas 31 of a first curtain glider 10 are arranged to fit into the indentations 33 on an adjacent curtain glider, in order to assist in aligning the curtain gliders into a stack. The raised areas and indentations also resist the curtain gliders sliding over one another, and hence resist the stack sliding apart.

The curtain glider 10 is also shaped to receive a removable locking member, so that a plurality of such gliders can be held together in a stack. In this case the curtain glider is provided with a locking region in the form of a locking aperture 35. The locking aperture 35 is shaped to receive the blade 37 of a key 39 (shown in Figure 11) when the key 39 is in one orientation, but to resist the passage of the blade 37 of the key 39 when the key 39 is in another orientation.

When a stack 40 of curtain gliders 10 has been assembled, the key can be inserted through the locking apertures 35 of the stack. The location members 31 and 33 assist in aligning the locking apertures 35.

Alternatively, a stack 40 may be assembled onto a key 39. This may be especially beneficial in an embodiment that is not provided with location S. * members, for example.

* S. *

S *SSS*

* : Figure 9 shows a stack with a key extending through the stack in an unlocked position. In this position the key 39 can be removed from the *:::: stack and reinserted into the stack as often as required. From this *:*. unlocked position, the key can be turned to the locked position depicted in Figure 10. In the locked position the stack is held firmly together by the key, which cannot be removed without damaging the key and/or the gliders.

It is envisaged that a stack of curtain gliders (with or without a curtain attached) might be supplied locked together as shown in Figure 10.

Alternatively, a user might assemble a locked stack of curtain gliders themselves. A locked stack can be loaded onto a curtain track as a single block or unit. Keeping a stack locked together during loading has the advantage that the heads 9 of the curtain gliders 10 are locked in alignment with one another, so that the stack can slide smoothly onto a track. In embodiments without a locking member it may be possible for gliders to become misaligned during loading, for example if the person hanging the gliders loses grip on the stack.

Once the stack has been loaded, the key can be turned to the unlocked position, removed from the stack, and retained by the user. The curtain can then be unfurled by pulling the gliders along the track as described above. It is not possible to properly unfurl the curtain without first removing the key from the locked stack of gliders.

The key can be kept and stored, so that it can be used again, perhaps to lock together the gliders of a curtain that is removed. Alternatively, the key can be discarded safely into a bin. * S S

It will be appreciated that gliders other than those described above can * *** benefit from being locked together so as to allow them to be easily loaded onto a curtain track as an integral unit. For example, some curtain gliders are adapted to run on a track 30 having an exterior gliding surface 41, of the type shown in Figure 12. An example of such a curtain *:*. glider, additionally incorporating the locking mechanism described above, is shown in Figures 13 and 14.

As is conventional, the curtain glider 100 comprises a head portion 70 having gliding surfaces 220 shaped to engage with the exterior gliding surfaces 41 provided on the track 30. The curtain glider 100 also comprises a body portion 90 that is fixed relative to the head portion, and that is adapted to receive a curtain (not shown).

In addition to those conventional features, the curtain glider also comprises a locking region in the form of channel or aperture 350, which is shaped to receive a locking member, such as the blade 37 of a key 39.

As described above, a number of such curtain gliders can be locked together into a block 400, and loaded simultaneously. Once the gliders have been loaded the key can be removed, and retained by the user.

Curtain gliders as described herein facilitate the loading of multiple gliders at the same time. This simplifies the process of hanging a curtain, and reduces the time needed to change a curtain from between 15 and 45 minutes to between two and ten minutes. The ease of hanging a curtain using the gliders described can encourage staff, for example in a hospital, residential home or school, to change the curtains more often, thus encouraging a more hygienic environment.

:. Gliders as described herein can be made of any material, for example metal or plastic. Both the head and the body of the glider could be any S.,.

suitable shape. * S

* 20 Furthermore, any type of flexible joint, an example of which is a hinge, *:::: could be used to allow the head of a glider to move relative to the body of a glider. An alternate hinge arrangement to a living hinge is shown in Figure 15, comprising a socket 43 adapted to receive a complimentary region, such as a bar, on a glider head (not shown).

It will be appreciated that the profile of the glider need not be flat when the glider is in the nested position. Instead, the head may be at an acute angle with the plane of the curtain, provided that the gliders are still able to stack closely (with their bodies less than 1mm, preferably less than 0.5mm, apart), and preferably with their bodies touching.

Claims

1. A glider for hanging a curtain comprising a head portion and a body portion, the head portion being moveable relative to the body portion between a first position, and a second position, the glider arranged so that a plurality of such gliders can be stacked when their respective heads are in the first position, and can glide along a track when their respective heads are in the second position.

2. A glider according to claim 1 wherein the head portion is moveable relative to the track in a direction different to a gliding direction.

3. A glider according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the head portion is pivotable relative to the body portion.

*::::

4. A glider according to claim 3 further comprising a hinge connecting the head portion to the body portion. * *p*

5. A glider according to claim 4 wherein the hinge is a living hinge.

e:..

6. A glider according to any preceding claim wherein the head portion is arranged to move from the first position into the second gliding position under the force exerted by the weight of the body portion and/or a curtain held by the body portion.

7. A glider according to any preceding claim wherein the head of the glider substantially does not extend beyond the body portion when the head is in the first position.

8. A glider according to claim 7 wherein the head portion comprises a channel shaped to receive a neck of the body portion.

9. A glider according to any preceding claim wherein the glider is provided with location members to align the head portion of that glider with the head portion of another glider.

10. A glider according to any preceding claim s haped to receive a removable locking member, so that a plurality of stacked gliders can be releasably locked together using the locking member.

11. A stack of gliders for hanging a curtain, the stack comprising a locking region shaped to receive a removable locking member.

12. A stack of gliders according to claim 11 wherein the locking region comprises an aperture through the stack.

13. A stack of gliders according to any one of claims 11 or 12 further comprising a removable locking member. * **.

14. A stack of gliders according to claim 13 wherein the locking member is replaceable. * **. * . *

*:.

15. A stack of gliders according to claim 14 wherein the locking member comprises a key having at least two orientations, wherein the key can be removed and/or reinserted in one orientation, and cannot be removed and/or inserted in another orientation.

16. A stack of gliders according to any one of claims 11 to 15 wherein at least one glider is provided with location members to align the locking region of that glider with the locking region of another glider.

I

17. A glider for hanging a curtain shaped to receive a removable locking member, so that a plurality of stacked gliders can be releasably locked together using the locking member.

18. A stack of gliders for hanging a curtain, each glider comprising a head portion and a body portion, the head portion being moveable relative to the body portion between a first stacked position and a second gliding position.

19. A stack of gliders according to claim 18 comprising a locking region shaped to receive a removable locking member. e.. * S S

SS S

* S. S

20. A curtain glider substantially as described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

*.. SS* *** 15

21. A stack of curtain gliders substantially as described herein, with *:::: reference to the accompanying drawings. S. S

S S S * 55