GB2466004A

GB2466004A - Vertical blind slat holder

Info

Publication number: GB2466004A
Application number: GB0822203A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ian Howarth
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-12-05
Filing date: 2008-12-05
Publication date: 2010-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2028-12-05
Also published as: GB2466004B; GB0822203D0

Abstract

The vertical or louvre blind holder and safety system consists of a three sided U shaped clip for receiving the slats of the blind and a housing D for the blind's pulley cords F. Screws or adhesive can be used to secure the holder to the wall surrounding the blind, the fixing means attached to two faces A B of the clip. The clip also has an extending arm C for holding the blind slats in place. The housing D for securing the pulley cords may be separated into two compartments. The cords retained within the housing D are still able to control the blind.

Description

A Vertical/Louvre blind Holder and Safety System.

This invention relates to a system for holding vertical or Louvre window blinds neatly to the surrounding window structure and has incorporated a compartment for safely housing the pulley chords that control the movement of the vertical panel blinds.

Vertical blinds are a specific style of window furnishing also known as louvre blinds. Comprising of a head rail containing two sets of chords (usually beads and string) and any quantity of individual, vertically free hanging fabric panels or vanes (determined by the size of the window they furnish)which are controlled by pulley chords. Weights are sewn into the bottom end of the panels to ensure the blinds hang vertically within the window structure. One set of pulley chords (usually string) manoeuvres the panels along the head rail so as to compel or detract the blinds to the centre otto the ends of the rail and the other set of chords (usually beaded) swivel the vertical panels so that the view or sunlight in various degrees can be allowed to enter. The pulley chords hang freely at the end of the head rail and often have a weight attached to the ends to ensure they hang vertically within or adjacent to the surrounding structure. Vertical or louvre blinds are most commonly used for windows, conservatories and entrances in domestic and commercial premises. They are fitted either within a surrounding structure/recess such as in a window setting or are fitted without a recess such as in a conservatory.

Due to the free hanging nature of the fabric blinds and pulley chords they are susceptible to movement caused by wind from an open door or window and interference for example from young children or pets that have resulted in the blinds becoming damaged, a nuisance and a health and safety issue relating to examples in which there have sadly been cases of small children and pets suffering injury by entangling themselves in the blinds and or the pulley chords. Presently string and a hook, elastic bands or holders for curtains are used. There are several products that relate to safely holding the pulley chords but nothing that is specifically designed to hold back vertical panels without the need for tying nor is there a design that incorporates this with the chord pulley safety issue.

According to the present invention there is a system specifically for use with vertical/louvre blinds of the description above. Comprising of a single object that is bracket shaped with three sides at 90 degree angles to the next. Two of the sides are of similar dimension and have flat outer surfaces to enable either screw or adhesive fixing to a wall/surrounding window structure. The other side is longer and has the function of holding the vertical blind panels behind it (From here known as the holding arm or side C). Of the two fixing surfaces the first (from here known as side A) is to be fixed when vertical blinds are fitted within a recess and the second fixing surface (from here known as side B) is to be fixed when vertical blinds are fitted at 90 degrees to a structure that does not have a recess. Incorporated on the inside of surface A is a housing compartment D consisting of two parts.

The beaded pulley chords for one and the string pulley chords for the other.

In each application in which vertical blinds are fit (within a recess and without) the present invention is screw or adhesive fixed to the surrounding structure to which the vertical blinds are fit (side A within a recess and side B without a recess). When the blinds are detracted to the ends of the head rail the panels can be slid behind the holding arm or side C providing damage and/or nuisance limitation.

The pulley chords are each pushed into the separate housing compartments D restricting them so as to prevent the risk of interference. There is still enough space in the housing compartment D so that the pulley chords can be used by hand to manoeuvre the blinds but the length by which they hang freely is reduced as they are fixed to the surrounding structure. When the blinds are required to close the panels are slid back out from behind the holding arm C and controlled as desired. The chords can be brought out of the compartment D but it would not be possible to do so without handling the compartment D itself which is something only an adult could do.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of the holder and safety system.

Figure 2 shows the side view of the same holder and safety system inverted.

Figure 3 illustrates the holder and safety system (fig 1-2) in application, fixed within a recess of a surrounding window structure.

Figure 4 illustrates the holder and safety system (fig 1-3) in application, fixed at 90 degrees to a surrounding window structure with no recess.

Figure 5 illustrates the holder and safety system (fig 1-3) in either the application shown in fig 4 and showing the pulley chords contained within the housing compartment.

Figure 6 illustrates the holder and safety system (figl-5) holding the blinds and restricting the pulley chords.

In reference to the drawings figure 1 shows the plan view of the present invention identifying the two surfaces that can be fixed to a surrounding structure. They are A and B. Also shown is the holding arm C behind which the vertical/louvre panels would be held and the housing compartment D that retains the pulley chords. A side perspective of the same invention in figure one is seen in figure two, surface A would be fixed to a surrounding structure with a recess and surface B when there is no surrounding recess. The housing compartment D runs the full height of side A so as to increase the restriction of the pulley chords but not the full width so that there is enough room to screw fix the system to the surrounding structure.

Figure 3 shows surface A fixed within a recess G. The vertical/louvre panels E are held behind the holding arm C, whilst the pulley chords F are housed in compartment D. The head rail H from which the blinds hang is underside of the top of the surrounding window structure G. Figure 4 depicts the vertical/louvre blinds E hanging from a head rail H fitted to a surrounding structure I that has no recess.

Vertical/louvre blinds E are held behind holding arm C and the pulley chords contained in housing compartment D of the present invention (as in figures 1 and 2). Surface B is fixed to the surrounding structure I whilst surface A which has incorporated the housing compartment D is at 90 degrees to surrounding structure G, and in parallel with holding arm C. Figure 5 shows the pulley chords F contained in housing compartment D. Housing compartment D is incorporated into fixing surface A, whilst Surface B is at right angles to surface A. The holding arm C is parallel to A and D. Figure 6 shows the pulley chords F contained in housing compartment D and the vertical /louver panels E held behind holding arm C. Housing compartment D can be seen incorporated on fixing surface A, and fixing surface B joins both A and C to form a three sided, single part bracket shaped object.

Claims

Claims 1 A vertical/louvre blind holder and safety system comprising a three sided, bracket shaped, single part object with incorporated housing compartment, has means for holding or restraining vertical/louvre window blinds in two applications and has means for safely housing the pulley chords relating to vertical/louvre window blinds.
2 A vertical/louvre blind holder and safety system as claimed in claim 1, can be screw or adhesive fixed to the surrounding structure to which the blinds are fit and fixed either inside a recess or at 90 degrees without the need for a separate attachment.
3 A vertical/louvre blind holder and safety system as claimed in claim 1 and 2 allows the blinds to be slid behind and back out of the holding arm without the need for ties and is specifically for use with vertical/louvre window blinds.
4 A vertical/louvre blind holder and safety system as claimed in the preceding claims has a housing compartment which itself is comprised of two separate compartments into which the two pulley chords can be placed so as to limit the amount of free hanging chord.A vertical/louvre blind holder and safety system as claimed in the preceding claims has a housing compartment into which the pulley chords can be placed still allowing the pulley chords to be manually manoeuvred to control the blinds.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1 A vertical/louvre blind holder and safety system comprising a three sided, "u" shaped, single part object, that has means for holding and restraining vertical/louvre window blinds, features a separate housing compartment wherein the pulley cords of said blinds can be contained.2 A vertical/louvre blind holder and safety system substantially as described herein with reference to figures 1-6 of the accompanying drawing. *q.. * S S. * * o 0* S *5*. * . SS * *. * -S *S