GB2548229A

GB2548229A - Blind system for windows

Info

Publication number: GB2548229A
Application number: GB1702153.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cid Quintas Jesus
Original assignee: Sistemas Delfin SL
Current assignee: Sistemas Delfin SL
Priority date: 2017-02-03
Filing date: 2017-02-09
Publication date: 2017-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-09
Also published as: GB2548229B; ES1176836Y; ES1176836U; GB201702153D0

Abstract

A blind system comprising an exterior frame having a headrail 1, a pair of lateral guide profiles 12 and a lower profile 13 connected to each other by upper and lower pairs of brackets 4,6, the head rail housing an elongate hollow tube or drum 2 with a ribbed inner surface 200, a flexible blind 3 wound onto the drum, the drum having reels 21 mounted to its end by toothed protrusions 210, the reels rotatably mounted on the upper brackets via smooth openings 23 and having a perimeter groove 211 for receiving a wire, rope of belt 5, each wire passing through the guide profiles 12, via rollers 45,61 mounted on the brackets, to a lower bar 8 attached to the bottom of the blind and slideable in U-shaped channels of the guide profiles, each wire terminating in retention tensioners 91 housed in the lower bar and joined to each other by a spring 9 to maintain tension in the wires.

Description

BLIND SYSTEM FOR WINDOWS OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present specification defines a blind system for windows that can also be used for shutters or mosquito nets by means of which the user can operate said blind in comfortable and stable manner, the system is formed by an exterior frame housing a mechanism by means of which the user operates the blind so that it raises and lowers in a safe and stable manner, it also has a plurality of anchoring means which secure the frame to the window opening and a retention element which allows the bar of the blind to be supported at the desired height.

Taking this aspect into account, the present invention is intended for the industrial sector of window and enclosure manufacturers and more specifically the manufacturers of shutter, blind and mosquito net systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is generally known by the public that blinds, shutters or mosquito nets are a type of light enclosure which are unfolded vertically, there being a wide variety of fabrics, mechanisms and finishing shapes. It is for this reason that it can be understood that in this industrial sector there is a wide variety of systems which improve the conventional blind systems formed by the upper winding mechanisms and a lower counterweight which makes the cloth or fabric stretch and a rope or mechanism which allows the raising or lowering of said blind to be manually actuated.

These blind systems have evolved to more sophisticated and complex types which allow them to not only be placed and protect the window, but form part of the window itself.

In this sense, patent US2015184449 is highlighted for example which defines an improved type of blind which is displaced vertically and, in addition to having the conventional lower counterweight, has a novel removable mechanism which differs in its nature and objective from the present invention and the necessary components which define the mechanism differ technically from each other. In relation to this background, the patent GB1312611 defines a mechanism which has upper tubular windings, but which has conventional elements, lateral adjustment springs in the winding tube and manual actuation for the vertical movement of the blind or shutter.

The patents EP2053193 and GB1008899 are also highlighted which define systems for blinds with a mechanism consisting of an upper winding and a manual actuation mechanism with rope which displaces the blind vertically, in which for example in the first patent the blind is guided along its laterals so that the displacement is correct and uniform, but in both cases in comparison with the present invention, they also differ both in their nature and in the movement mechanism and anchoring and retention elements.

In line with these previous backgrounds, the patent US2002100562 is also highlighted which defines a system including a dual guide mechanism by means of which the insulation is improved, but which also has the conventional technical elements which differ from the technical elements highlighted in the present invention.

Lastly, the patent GB2423328 is highlighted which discloses a mechanism for foldable enclosures which includes a perimeter frame which has an upper cover to protect the folded material in which at the ends, it has securing elements which are anchored to the laterals of the window, a lateral guide and a lower clip for fixing the height of the enclosure which causes the actuation bar to clip or couple on the laterals, this clip being actuated by a central handle for which manual actuation with rotation is required in order to implement the brake. However, and although this patent introduces some novel concepts in these types of articles, as has been previously mentioned, this invention is intended for a foldable enclosure without an upper winding drum and therefore the mechanism which allows the vertical movement of the blind varies and includes different lateral anchors. In addition, the present invention is distinguished from this background in that it has a retention element consisting of a spring which allows the blind to be supported at the desired height without requiring a rotational movement to be made in order to brake and without it being necessary to clip the bar on the laterals so that it maintains the height which causes the mechanism to wear with continued use and may lose the tension of the lateral clip.

Therefore, unlike the existing systems, in the same system, the present invention allows the blind to be displaced vertically in a guided manner, it allows the system to function for rolled blinds and not only folded blinds, by means of a plurality of anchoring means on its laterals it allows its perfect coupling on the laterals of the window opening and it has a displacement mechanism housed in the frame which, together with a retention element, allows the height to be regulated such that the cloth of the blind is always tense without having to perform manual forces or rotations.

Owing to all the above, it is considered that the present invention constitutes an inventive solution which is distinguished in configuration, structure and characteristics from the existing blind, shutter or mosquito net systems and has a versatile solution with evident and economical operational benefits. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The system described in the present invention is defined by an exterior frame which protects and guides a rolled blind and which has a lifting and lowering mechanism which allows the blind to remain tense at all times and the height can be regulated as the user desires.

Therefore, an upper headrail is provided in the frame with variable shapes such as rounded or rectilinear which allows a tube to be housed in its interior into which the blind is wound. This headrail has two lateral covers which close the supports at the top from which the movement of the blind is initiated.

The blind is wound owing to an upper hollow tube which has interior ribs which reinforce the cylinder longitudinally while serving to secure the joining at its ends with two side walls of the tube. These two side walls of the tube are elements in the form of a reel with a toothed protrusion which is coupled in the ends of the winding tube. In said reel, there is a groove through which the rope, wire or belt is coupled which causes the rest of the elements of the system to move. These two side walls on their rear face have two smooth openings which serve so that the lateral supports of the system are coupled into them by means of a smooth protrusion. Both the protrusions and the openings are smooth to allow the free movement or rotation of the winding tube.

The cloth or material of the blind is fixed to the winding tube by conventional means, such as by a self-adhesive tape or implementing a longitudinal notch in the winding tube in which the winding plate is fitted which fixes the end of the cloth of the blind. In any case, this is the point which marks the starting of the winding of the cloth or material of the blind.

It should be highlighted that the lateral supports have two pivots perpendicular to each other, given that the pivot of the headrail is coupled into a groove made for such purpose in the headrail so that they fit together, and there is a guide pivot which is coupled into a groove made for such purpose in the lateral guide profiles. These supports have a roller coupled into a support which allows the movement of the wire or rope such that the wire coming from the side wall can be redirected vertically towards the lower part of the frame.

The entire upper part is closed by two lateral covers of the headrail which are coupled both to the lateral supports due to an internal projection of the cover, like to the upper headrail itself and to the lateral guide profiles.

The lateral guide profiles are profiles joining the upper headrail to its winding tube and the lateral support to the lower profile of the frame and its two lateral brackets. These lateral guide profiles are profiles in a U shape which protect the ropes or wires generating movement and guide the lower bar via which the other end of the material of the blind is anchored.

The lateral brackets are located at the lower corners which have supports with rollers which gather the wire coming from the upper lateral support and return it vertically towards the lower bar of the blind. These brackets have two pivots, one guide pivot which enables the fixing of the lateral guide profile and the other closing pivot which enables the fixing to the lower profile of the frame. In order to close the entire exterior perimeter frame, there are lower corner piece covers by means of which the entire exterior perimeter of the frame is given continuity and allows said frame to be secured.

The lower bar is another profile with a surface channel which allows the coupling of a closing plate via which the lower part of the material of the blind is fixed. In this way, the material or cloth of the blind remains fixed both at the top to the winding tube and at the bottom to the lower bar. The bar at the bottom has another channel made in order to place some type of felt or damping element, if desired. The laterals of the bar remain closed by two stops which have an opening through which the rope, wire or belt of the mechanism is introduced. The opening of said stops has a configuration which allows the inclusion of a roller fixed by a shaft. This roller gathers the wire coming from the lower bracket and introduces it inside the bar.

The final end of each wire, rope or belt which starts from each one of the two upper side walls, ends fixed to a retention tensioner. These two retention tensioners are joined together by means of a spring such that the wire, rope or belt is always tensed. This means that the movement of said wires is always stable and therefore the bar has a stable descending or lifting movement. Given that the wire is maintained in its position unless a vertical force is produced in the bar carried out by the user, the bar will remain fixed and stable at said height due to the fact that the spring and the retention tensioners cause the ropes not to move. In this way, the handles or clipping elements existing in the existing mechanisms are not required. At this point, it should be highlighted that the spring can have different shapes, or they can even be double springs.

In order to finish the general explanation of the system, it should be mentioned that in order to secure the exterior perimeter or frame of the blind to the window opening, a plurality of lateral anchors are provided along both lateral guide profiles which are fixed by means of securing screws to said profiles in conjunction with a series of exterior grooves existing in said profile, while each lateral anchor has a perpendicular plate with a movable tab which is fixed, tightened and secured in the window opening provided.

In order to complete the description that is being given and with the aim of aiding a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, as an integral part of the same, a set of drawings accompany said description wherein the following has been represented in an illustrative and non-limiting manner:

Figure 1 is a free perspective representation of the system of the blind for windows object of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a free perspective representation of an upper lateral support.

Figure 3 is a free perspective representation of the joining in each one of the upper corners of the system in which the winding tube receives the end of the cloth or material of the blind and in which said tube is coupled in a side wall which is in turn secured on the lateral support of the previous figure and in which the wire descends vertically towards the lower part of the system.

Figure 4 is a free perspective representation of a lower lateral bracket which receives the wire coming from the upper part of the system.

Figure 5 is a free perspective representation of the lower bar of the blind which receives the lower end of the cloth of the blind and which is closed at its ends by two stops which receive the wire of the lower bracket of the previous figure and introduces it towards the internal retaining element in the bar itself.

Figure 6 is a free perspective representation of the coupling in an upper corner between the lateral support, the winding tube and one of the lateral guide profiles which protect the wires and guide the lower bar of the previous figure.

Figure 7 is a free perspective representation of the coupling in a lower corner between a lateral bracket and the lower profile of the frame and in one may observe the connection between the lower bar and the said bracket by means of the wire or rope of the mechanism.

Figure 8 is a perspective representation of the retaining element formed by the spring and the two retaining tensioners.

Figure 9 is a free perspective representation of the internal composition of a retaining tensioner of the previous figure.

Description of the drawings

Figure 1 represents a preferred embodiment of the system of the blind for windows as a whole which is formed by an exterior frame in which there is an upper headrail (1), in this figures with rounded shapes, which allows a hollow tube (2) to be housed in its interior in which the blind (3) is wound, the headrail (1) having two lateral covers (11) with rounded shapes matching the configuration of the headrail which close lateral supports (4) at the top from which the movement of the blind (3) is initiated and which are connected to lateral guide profiles (12) at whose other end there are brackets (6) which are secured to the lower profile (13) of the frame, said covered corners having lower covers (14) and therefore there is continuity and stability in the assembly of the frame and in which the lateral guide profiles (12) protect the wires, ropes or belts (5) which cause the movement of the system and guide the lower bar (8) of the blind which has a retaining element formed by a spring (9) and two retention tensioners (91) which allow the ropes (5) to be fixed and stabilised and therefore to fix the bar (8) at the desired height. With the aim of securing the exterior perimeter or frame of the blind to the window opening, along both lateral guide profiles (12), a plurality of lateral anchors (120) are provided which are fixed by means of screw type securing to said profiles in conjunction with a series of exterior grooves existing on said profile, while each lateral anchor has a perpendicular plate with a movable tab (121) which is fixed, tightened and secured in the window opening provided.

Going into further detail and also taking into account the rest of the figures, the blind (3) is wound owing to a hollow upper tube (2) which has internal ribs (200) which reinforce the cylinder longitudinally while serving to secure the joining at its ends to two side walls (21). In the case of this preferred embodiment, said hollow tube (2) has a longitudinal notch (201) in which a winding plate (22) is fitted via which one of the ends of the material of the blind (3) is fixed. In addition, the side walls (21) of the tube are elements in the shape of a reel with a toothed protrusion (210) in which it is coupled at the ends of the winding tube (2). In said disc, there is a groove (211) in which the rope, wire or belt (5) is coupled which causes the rest of the elements of the system to move. In this side wall (21) of the winding tube, the wire, rope or belt (5) is anchored and tensed so that it is the initial starting point and circular movement of said wire. The side walls (21) have two smooth openings (23) in their rear faces which serve so that the lateral supports (4) of the system are coupled into them by means of a smooth protrusion (43) which they have on their front face.

The lateral supports (4), as is observed for example in Figure 2, have two pivots perpendicular to each other, one pivot of the headrail (41) which is coupled in grooves (100) made for such purpose in the headrail (1) so that they fit into each other and there is a guide pivot (42) which is coupled into a groove made for such purpose in the lateral guide profiles (12). These supports have a roller (45) coupled into a support (44) which allows the movement of the wire or rope (5) such that the wire coming from the side wall (12) can be redirected vertically towards the lower part of the frame, as is represented in Figure 3.

The lateral guide profiles (2) are profiles in a U shape which protect the ropes or wires (5) and guide the lower bar (8) via which the other end of the material of the blind (3) is anchored, as is represented in Figure 6.

As can be observed in Figure 4, the lateral brackets (6) are located in the lower corners. Each bracket has a support (64) with a roller (61) which gather the wire coming from the upper lateral support (4) and return it vertically towards the lower bar (8) of the blind. These brackets have two pivots, one guide pivot (62) which enables the fixing of the lateral guide profile (12) and the other a closing pivot (63) which enables the fixing to the lower profile of the frame (13).

In the Figures 5 and 7, it can be observed that the lower bar (8) is another profile, with an upper surface channel (82) which allows the coupling of a closing plate (24) via which the lower part of the material of the blind (3) is fixed. The bar at the bottom is closed with a closing plate (81) which can have another channel (810) made for being able to place another type of felt or damping element if desired. The laterals of the bar (8) are closed by two stops (7) which have an opening (710) through which the rope, wire or belt (5) of the mechanism is introduced, said opening (710) having a configuration which allows the inclusion of a roller (71) fixed by a shaft (72), this roller (71) being responsible for gathering the wire (5) coming from the lower bracket (6) and introducing it inside the bar (8).

The final end of each wire (5), as is observed in Figure 8, ends fixed to a retention tensioner (91). These two retention tensioners (91) are joined together by means of spring (9), in this preferred embodiment, a single spring, such that the wire or rope (5) is always tensed. In Figure 9, the internal composition of each retention tensioner (91) can be observed which is formed by a double piece in which its support portion (92) has an outer ring (911) which receives the end of the wire (5) and introduces it towards the interior in which it is locked by the action of slight grooves (922) and fixed in tension holes (921) which allow the wire (5) to be tensed so that the cloth (3) is perfectly stretched and a coupling piece (93) with a plurality of protrusions (930) which is coupled into hollows (920) made in the support piece (92) for the fixing between both pieces and which also lock the wire (5) in said connection, in addition to having an anchoring ring (910) in which both ends of the spring (9) are locked.

With the nature of the invention sufficiently described, the terms which have been drafted in this specification should be considered in a broad, and non-limiting, sense as well as the description of the manner of putting it into practice and it must be taken into account that the essence of the invention referred to is what is specified below in the following claims.

Claims

1. A blind system for windows, formed by an exterior frame in which there is an upper headrail (1), which allows a hollow tube (2) to be housed in its interior in which the blind (3) is wound, the headrail (1) having two lateral covers (11) with rounded shapes that close lateral supports (4) at the top that are connected to lateral guide profiles (12) which have a plurality of lateral anchors (120) and in whose other end there are lateral brackets (6) which are secured to the lower profile (13) of the frame, said corners being covered with lower covers (14), there therefore being continuity and stability in the assembly of the frame, and in which the material or cloth of the blind (3) is secured between the hollow tube (2) and a lower bar (8), wherein the system is characterised in that the tube (2) in which the blind (3) is wound has ribs (200) on the inside and is closed at its ends by two side walls (21) in the form of reels with a toothed protrusion (210) and with a perimeter groove (211) in which the wire, rope or belt (5) is coupled and fixed and which have smooth openings (23) at their rear faces for the coupling of the supports (4) by means of a smooth protrusion (43) which they have at their front face; in that each support (4) has a roller (45) coupled to a support (44) for the vertical transmission of the movement of the wire or rope (5) coming from the side wall (21); in that the lateral guide profiles (2) are profiles in a U shape which protect the ropes, wires or belts (5) and guide the lower bar (8) via which the other end of the material of the blind (3) is anchored; in that the lateral brackets (6) located in the lower corners have a support (64) with a roller (61) which gather the wire (5) coming from the upper lateral support (4) and return it vertically towards the lower bar (8) of the blind; and in that the lower bar (8) is another hollow profile whose ends are closed by two stops (7) which have an opening (710) that houses a roller (71) fixed by a shaft (72) and through which the rope or wire (5) is introduced inside of the bar (8) up to retention tensioners (91), these retention tensioners (91) being joined together by means of a spring (9).

2. The blind system for windows according to claim 1, characterised in that each lateral support (4) has two pivots perpendicular to each other, one being the pivot of the headrail (41) which is coupled in grooves (100) made for such purpose in the headrail (1) and the other a guide pivot (42) which is coupled in a groove made for such purpose in the lateral guide profiles (12).

3. The blind system for windows according to claim 1, characterised in that the lateral guide profiles (12) have exterior grooves in which the plurality of lateral anchors (120) are anchored, being secured to each other by means of screwing.

4. The blind system for windows according to claim 3, characterised in that the lateral anchors (120) have a perpendicular plate with a tab (121) for securing in the window opening.

5. The blind system for windows according to claim 1, characterised in that each lateral bracket (6) has two pivots, one being the guide pivot (62) which enables the fixing to the lateral guide profile (12) and the other being the closing pivot (63) which enables the fixing to the lower profile of the frame (13).

6. The blind system for windows according to claim 1, characterised in that the lower bar (8) has an upper surface channel (82) which allows the coupling of a closing plate (24) and lower fixing of the material of the blind (3) and has a lower closing plate (81).

7. The blind system for windows according to claim 6, characterised in that the lower closing plate (81) has a channel (810) made for a felt or damping element.

8. The blind system for windows according to claim 1, characterised in that each retention tensioner (91) is formed by a double piece in which its support portion (92) has an outer ring (911) which receives the end of the wire (5) and an anchoring ring (910) in which an end of the spring (9) is locked and one coupling piece (93) which closes over the support portion (92).

9. The blind system for windows according to claim 8, characterised in that the support piece (92) has slight grooves (922), holes (921) for the tension of the wire (5) and a plurality of hollows (920) made so that protrusions (930) existing in the coupling piece (93) can be anchored in said hollows.