GB2477849A

GB2477849A - Overlapping head portions of gliders for curtains

Info

Publication number: GB2477849A
Application number: GB201102043A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maurice Laydon; Gary Moore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-02-15
Filing date: 2011-02-07
Publication date: 2011-08-17
Also published as: GB201102043D0; GB201002496D0

Abstract

A glider 1 for hanging curtains from a track (3, Fig 4) comprising a head portion 7 which is received in the track 3 and a curtain retaining body portion 9 that, in use, extends below the track. The head portion 7 is shaped to mesh with head portions of adjacent gliders when a plurality of such gliders are pushed together such that a profile of the body portion of the glider overlaps a profile of the head portion of each of the two adjacent gliders of the stack (25, Fig 5). The head portion may be fixed relative to the body portion. The head portions have step shapes such that an upper step of the head portion of a first glider extends over the lower step of a head portion of an adjacent glider. The upper and lower steps may be lune shaped. The head portion may have a protuberance and a recess for receiving the protuberance of one of the adjacent gliders. The lower step may comprise two lune shaped segments 14a, 14b which define the receSS.

Description

CURTAIN GLJDER

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 require 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, 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.

in GB2457075 there is disclosed a stackable curtain glider that solves or at least mitigates the above problems as it allows a plurality of the stacked gliders to be mounted on the curtain track as a single unit, speeding up the hanging of the curtain. Each glider comprises a pivotable head portion such that a plurality of the gliders can be stacked together as a block when the head portion of each glider is in an upright orientation but can glide on a track when the head portion is in a horizontal gliding orientation, However, it has been found that in certain tracks, pulling the glider along the track via the curtain can cause the head portion to rotate from the gliding orientation to the upright orientation allowing the glider to fall out of the track.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a glider for hanging curtains from a track comprising a head portion to be received in the track and a curtain retaining body portion that, in use, extends below the track, the head portion shaped to mesh with head portions of adjacent gliders when a plurality of such gliders are stacked together such that a profile of the body portion of the glider overlaps a profile of the head portion of each of the two adjacent gliders of the stack.

As the profiles of the head portions of the two adjacent gliders overlap with the profile of the body portion of the glider therebetween, the space required when the gliders are stacked together for insertion into a track is reduced compared to known gliders that, when stacked, simply abut together at an outmost periphery of the head portion. Furthermore, falling of the glider from the track can be avoided by fixing the head portion relative to the body portion. It will be understood that in the preferred embodiment, the head portion is fixed relative to the body portion but in other embodiments, the head portion may be able to rotate about a vertical, but not horizontal, axis.

In one arrangement, the head portion is shaped to mesh with head portions of the two adjacent gliders when the gliders are stacked together such that the body portion of the glider abuts the body portion of each of the two adjacent gliders. The body portion may comprise flat surfaces that abut with corresponding flat surfaces of the body portions of the adjacent gliders when the gliders are stacked together. In this way, when stacked together the gliders form a stable block that can be easily loaded onto a track substantially simultaneously, as a single unit, spceding up the hanging of a curtain.

The head portion may have a step shape such that an upper step of the head portion extends over a lower step of the head portion of one of the adjacent gliders. The upper step may comprise a lune, preferably crescent moon, shape (in plane geometry). The lower step may comprise one or more lune shaped segments (in plane geometry).

The head portion may have a protuberance and a recess for receiving the protuberance of one of the adjacent gliders. The lower step may comprise two lune shaped segments spaced apart to define the recess.

The protuberance when received in the recess may act to guide and maintain the gliders in place in the stack. The protuberance may extend below part of the upper step. In this way, the protuberance and recess may be hidden from view when the plurality of gliders are stacked together, which may be aesthetically appealing to the user.

The glider may comprise a neck that attaches the head portion to the body portion the neck sized to extend through a slot (which the head portion cannot fit through) in the track, in use. The head portion may comprise a cut-out section for receiving an upper part of the neck. The neck may be cylindrical and cut-out section semi-circular. The cut-out section may be in the lower step of the head portion.

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.

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, with the glider of the invention comparatively more gliders can be stacked into the same width stack. This is because the curtain gliders can be stacked very close together, with their respective body portions touching. The more curtain gliders that can be fitted into a stack of the same height, the more curtain gliders can be loaded at one time.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a stack of gliders according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a glider for hanging curtains from a track comprising a head portion to be received in the track and a curtain retaining body portion that, in use, extends below the irack and the head portion shaped to mesh with head portions of adjacent gliders when a plurality of such gliders are stacked together such that body portions of adjacent gliders of the stack abut, 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 perspective view of a curtain glider in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the curtain glider of Figure 1 from below; Figure 3 shows a plan view of the curtain glider shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2; Figure 4 shows two curtain tracks suitable of use with the curtain glider of Figures 1 to 3; Figure 5 shows a plurality of gliders as shown in Figures 1 to 3 stacked together: and Figures 6 shoes a plan view of the gliders stacked together.

Figures 1 to 3 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 portion of a curtain glider. Two examples of such tracks 3 are shown in Figure 4.

The curtain glider 1 comprises a head portion 7 to be received in the track 3 and a body portion 9 that, in use, extends below the track 3. The head portion 7 is shaped so as to cooperate with the gliding surfaces 5 of a curtain track 3. In plan view, the head portion 7 has a substantially circular profile with a cut-out section 2 leading to recess 4. However, other shapes of head, for example square, rectangular, or oval, may be used where appropriate. The head portion 7 is connected to the body portion 9 by a neck 21 so as to be fixed relative to the body portion 9.

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.

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

A curtain may be reusable or disposable.

A curtain can be removed from the body portion 9 so that the curtain can be replaced. The body portion 9 comprises two hinged "arms" ISa, lSb, wherein, in use, the body portion 9 extends through a hole in a curtain and arm lSb is bent back on itself substantially 180° such that the curtain is held between arms iSa and iSb. The arms iSa, lSb are secured together using a releasable clasp, comprising male element 17a and female element 17b, which extends through the curtain, 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 bo removable from the body portion, and may be permanently fixed, for example, using adhesive.

The body portion 9 further comprises thickened region 8 to which the arm iSa is connected. The thickened region defines two flat, abutment surfaces 8a, 8b. The thickened region 8 comprises location members in the form of raised areas 31 and complementary indentations 33. When a plurality of gliders 1 are stacked together, the abutments surfaces 8a,8b abut surfaces 8b, 8a on adjacent gliders 1 and the raised areas 31 are arranged to fit into indentations 33 on an adjacent glider 1, in order to assist in aligning and maintaining the curtain gliders 1 in a stack.

The curtain glider 1 is also shaped to receive a removable locking member, so that a plurality of gliders 1 can be held together in a stack.

In this embodiment, the body portion 9, in particular, the thickened region 8 comprises a locking aperture 35. The locking aperture 35 is shaped to receive a blade 37 of a key 39 (shown in Figure 5) when he 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.

The head portion 7 has a step shape comprising an upper step 12 and a lower step comprising two lune shaped segments 14a, 14b. The lune shaped segments 14a, 14b are spaced apart to define the recess 4 and shaped to define cut-out section 2. The upper step 12 has a crescent moon shape and comprises an outer wall 16 extending around a periphery, in this embodiment the outer arc, of the upper step 12.

The head portion further comprises a protuberance 18 extending below the upper step 12 and arranged to be located in the recess 4 of an adjacent glider 1 when a plurality of gliders 1 are stacked together.

Referring to Figure 3, in plan view a profile (outline) of the head portion 7 extends beyond, ie is wider than, a profile of the body portion 9 in one direction (in this embodiment, in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the planar body portion 9).

When stacking conventional gliders together, the fixed heads of the gliders engage leaving a large space between the body portions of adjacent gliders meaning that it may not be possible to fit many gliders into the small space that is usually available for loading gliders onto a track.

However, because of the shape of the head portion 7 of the glider 1, when a plurality of gliders I are stacked together, the head potion 7 of each glider 1 can mesh with head portions 7 of adjacent gliders 1 such that (when viewed in plan) the profile of the body portion 9 overlaps the profile of the head portion 7 of each of the two adjacent gliders 1 of the stack. In particular, the upper step 12 of the head portion 7 extends over the lower step l4a, 14b of one of the adjacent gliders I with the inner arc of the crescent moon shaped upper step 12 corresponding to the outer arc of the upper step of the adjacent glider 1. The protuberance 18 is received in the recess 4 of an adjacent glider 1. A plurality of stacked gliders 1 is shown in Figures 5 and 6. In this way, the body portion 9 can abut with the body portions 9 of adjacent gliders 1 without a gap therebetween.

A curtain attached to the gliders I is folded into pleats when the gliders 1 are stacked.

In use, a staclc 25 of gliders 1 can be mounted onto a curtain track 3 in one motion, as it is able to bchave 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 25 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 1 necessary to hang a curtain, so that a curtain can be hung in a single motion. Where more gliders 1 are needed, more than one stack 25 can be loaded.

Once the head portions 7 of the gliders 1 are located in the track 3, the gliders 1 can be separated along a curtain track 3 by pulling the curtain.

Pulling the curtain causes the gliders to move along the track 3 and spread out, unfurling the pleated curtain.

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 head portions 7 meshed together.

It is envisaged that a stack 25 of curtain gliders 1 (with or without a curtain attached) might be supplied locked together as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Alternatively, a user might assemble a locked stack 25 of curtain gliders themselves. A locked stack 25 can be loaded onto a curtain track as a single block or unit. Keeping a stack 25 locked together during loading has the advantage that the head portions 7 of the curtain gliders 1 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 25, 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.

As the head portion is fixed such that it cannot rotate about a horizontal axis, the glider 1 cannot fall from the track 3 through the longitudinal slot 11 in the track 3 as the head portion 7 is too big to fit through the slot 11.

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

suitable shape.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A glider for hanging curtains from a track comprising a head portion to be received in the track and a curtain retaining body portion that, in use, extends below the track, the head portion shaped to mesh with head portions of adjacent gliders when a plurality of such gliders are stacked together such that a profile of the body portion of the glider overlaps a profile of the head portion of each of the two adjacent gliders of the stack.
2. A glider according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is fixed relative to the body portion.
3. A glider according to claim 1, wherein the head portion is able to rotate about a vertical, but not horizontal, axis relative to the body portion.
4. A glider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head portion is shaped to mesh with head portions of the two adjacent gliders such that the body portion of the glider abuts the body portion of each of the two adjacent gliders.
5. A glider according to claim 4, wherein the body portion comprises flat surfaces that abut with corresponding flat surfaces of the body portions of the adjacent gliders.
6. A glider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head portion has a step shape such that an upper step of the head portion extends over a lower step of the head portion of one of the two adjacent gliders.
7. A glider according to claim 6, wherein the upper step is lune shaped.
8. A glider according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the lower step comprises one or more June shaped segments.
9. A glider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head portion has a protuberance and a recess for receiving the protuberance of the one of the adjacent gliders.
10. A glider according to claim 9 when dependent through to claim 8, wherein the lower step comprises two lune shaped segments spaced apart to define the recess.
11. A glider according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the protuberance extends below part of the upper step.
12. A glider according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the glider comprises a neck that attaches the head portion to the body portion, the neck sized to extend through a slot in the track, in use.
13. A glider according to claim 12, wherein the head portion comprises a cut-out section for receiving an upper part of the neck of one of the two adjacent gliders.
14. A stack of gliders, each glider being in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.
15. A glider substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
16. A stack of gliders as described herein with reference to and as shown in Figures 5 and 6.