IES85838Y1 - Venetian blind manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A process for manufacturing Venetian blinds includes making a limited range 0!‘ preselected standard size blind assemblies each having a preset width and drop and having ovcrsized ladders and lift cords which extend below a bottom rail ofthe blind assembly. For 21 particular order a standard size blind assembly closest to requirement is selected. Any damaged slats are replaced. The drop is adjusted as required by adding or removing slats. Then the width is adjusted as required by cutting away excess material from each end ofthe blind assembly.

Description

Introduction This invention relates to the manufacture of venetian blinds.

A relatively large range of drops and widths are required when manufacturing Venetian blinds to order. This presents difficulties in operating a manufacturing process efficiently. Also, particularly with wooden Venetian blinds, the slats used can be relatively easily damaged or warp and a number of the slats may need to be replaced when the blind is inspected after manufacture. This can significantly add to the manufacturing time and cost.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming these problems.

Statements of invention According to the invention there is provided a process for manufacturing a Venetian blind of the type comprising a head rail and bottom rail with at least two spaced- apart ladders and lift cords extended therebetween with a plurality of slats mounted between the ladders, the process including: preparing a preselected standard size blind assembly having a preset width and drop and having oversized ladders and lift cords which extend below the bottom rail of the blind assembly; hanging the blind assembiy on a support; inspecting the blind assembly and repairing or replacing any substandard slats; ' setting a desirable drop, optionally removing or adding slats to the ladders as necessary and adjusting the position of the bottom rail on the ladders for setting the desirable drop; securing the ladders and lift cords at the bottom rail and cutting away excess material below the bottom rail from the ladders and lift cords; adjusting the width of the blind assembly if necessary to a preset desirable width by collapsing the blind assembly and cutting away excess material from each end of the blind assembly for forming a Venetian blind having a desired width and drop; and packing the Venetian blind.

In one embodiment of the invention the process includes replacing a substandard slat by: removing the substandard slat; adding a new slat by drawing each lift cord upwardly through associated slots in the slats through which the lift cord is threaded by an amount in excess of the distance between the new slat location and the bottom rail in the desirable drop position; cutting the lift cord; inserting the new slat and positioning the new slat on the ladders; leading a bottom portion of each lift cord upwardly through an associated slot in the new slat; joining a free lower end of a top portion of each lift cord, with a free upper end of the bottom portion of the lift cord; and drawing each lift cord downwardly through the slots in the new slat and the slats below the new slat.

In another embodiment the process includes: hanging the blind assembly on a support which comprises a ground engaging base having an upright post thereon, a carriage vertically movable on the post, a horizontal support arm on the carriage, hanging brackets being slidably mounted on the support arm; positioning a pair of hanging brackets on the support arm to receive the head rail of the blind assembly; mounting the head rail between the support brackets and fully deploying the slats; vertically adjusting the carriage on the post as necessary for allowing said slat deployment.

In a further embodiment the process includes engaging spring-loaded hanger arms of the hanger brackets with the head rail, each hanger arm having a hook at a lower end of the arm which engages under an in-turned lip at an upper rim of the upwardly open channel section head rail. in another embodiment the process includes adjusting the width of the blind assembly by mounting the collapsed blind assembly on a support table against a guide wall and projecting laterally outwardly of an end of the support table, rolling the support along parallel tracks for delivering the outer end of the blind assembly past a cutter blade for cutting excess material from the outer end of the blind assembly.

Detailed Description of the Invention The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an elevational view of apparatus used in the process; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail view, similar to Fig. 2, showing an alternative construction of apparatus; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a standard size blind assembly used in the process; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the blind assembly shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view showing portion of the blind assembly of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is another detail perspective view showing portion of the blind assembly of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is an elevational view of a blind cutting station used in the process; Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view showing portion of the blind cutting station; and Fig. 10 is a sectional elevational view of a packaged venetian blind formed by the manufacturing process of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a process for manufacturing a venetian blind according to the invention. Standard size blind assemblies are prepared. Each standard size blind assembly 10 comprises a blind assembly 15 (Fig. 4) having a head rail 16 and a bottom rail 17 with a pair of spaced-apart ladders 18, 19 and lift cords 20 extending therebetween. Each ladder 18, 19 essentially comprises a pair of parallel side rails 21, 22 interconnected by rungs 23. Each lift cord 20 is zig—zagged around the rungs 23 between a top and a bottom of the ladder 18, 19. A plurality of wooden slats 25 are mounted between the ladders 18, 19, being seated on the rungs . Each slat 25 has slots 26 passing through the slat 25, throughwhich the lift cords pass. The standard size blind assembly 15 has a preset width and drop. Also, it will be noted that each standard size blind assembly 15 is provided with oversize ladders 18, 19 and lift cords 20 which extend below the bottom rail 17 of the blind assembly 15. For example the ladders 18, 19 and lift cords 20 are 2.4 m long, whereas the preselected standard drop sizes might be 130 cm and 180 cm. Various preselected standard widths might also be provided for each preselected standard drop size ranging between about 45cm and 240 cm in 15 cm inten/als.

The standard size blind assembly 15 closest to the required size is chosen and hung on a support 30 (Figs. 1-3). The support 30 comprises a ground engaging base 31 having an upright post 32 thereon. A carriage 33 is vertically movable on the post 32 by means of a motor 34 and associated drive transmission (not shown). A horizontal support arm 36 is mounted on the carriage 33. A number of hanging brackets 38 are slidably mounted on the support arm. Each bracket 38 is secured to the arm 36 by a locking bolt 39 which engages through the bracket 38 with an associated nut 40 slidably captured within a re-entrant slot 41 in the support arm 36. Each bracket 38 may be provided with a groove 42 for reception of the head rail 16 of the blind assembly 15. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 3, spring loaded hanger arms 44 may be provided on each bracket 38 for engagement with the head rail 16. Hooks 45 at a lower end of each hanger arm 44 engage under an in-turned lip 46 at an upper rim 47 of the upwardly open channel section head rail 16.

The blind assembly 15 is suspended between a pair of the brackets 38 on the support arm 36. Then the carriage 33 can be vertically adjusted as necessary on the post 32 to a suitable height so that the slats 25 of the blind assembly 15 can be dropped into a fully deployed position as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The blind assembly 115 is then inspected. Any of the slats 25 which are damaged, or warped for example will be repaired if possible, or replaced. This is often necessary particularly with wooden slats 25 which because they are of natural material will warp relatively easily. Any slats 25 which need to be replaced are simply broken at the slots 26 and removed from the ladders 18, 19. To add a new slat 25, each lift cord is pulled upwardly through associated slots 26 in the slats 25 by an amount in excess of the distance between the new slat location and the bottom rail 17 in the desirable drop position. The lift cords 20 are then cut. This is shown in Fig. 7. A bottom portion 50 of each lift cord 20 is simply draped over the next lowermost slat 25 at the opening where the new slat 25 is to be inserted. The extended top portion 51 of the lift cord 20 is allowed hang down in front of the blind assembly 15. A new slat is then inserted onto the vacant rungs 23 of the ladders 18, 19 and is positioned with the slots 26 in alignment with the rungs 23. Then the bottom portion 50 of the lift cord 20 is inserted upwardly through the slots 26 in the new slat 25. A lower end 54 of the top portion 51 of each lift cord 20 is temporarily joined to a free upper end 55 of the bottom portion 50 of the lift cord 20. This can be done by a heat weld for example. Then each lift cord 20 is pulled downwardly through the slots 26 in the new slat 25 and in all the slats 25 below the new slat 25. Thus, advantageously a new slat can be readily easily inserted into the ladder without having to remove the lift cords or dismantle the blind assembly 15.

The required drop for the blind assembly 15 is then set by moving the bottom rail 17 either upwardly or downwardly on the ladders 18, 19 as required and also removing slats 25, or adding in additional slats 25 as required to achieve the required desirable drop.

Next the ladders 18, 19 and lift cords 20 are secured at the bottom rail 17 and excess material is cut away from the ladders 18, 19 and lift cords 20 below the bottom rail 17.

The slats 25 of the blind assembly 15 are then placed in the collapsed stored position against the head rail 16 and the blind assembly 15 is removed from the support 30.

If the width of the blind assembly 15 is correct, that is if it corresponds to the standard width of the blind assembly 15 then the blind assembly 15 is delivered for packaging.

However, if the width of the blind assembly 15 needs to be reduced to a desired width, then the blind assembly 15 is delivered to a cutting station 60 (Fig. 8). The collapsed blind assembly 15 is mounted on an L-shaped support table 62 having a flat tabletop 63 with an upstanding rear guide wall 64 perpendicular to the table top 63. The blind assembly 15 is mounted against the rear guide wall 64 and projecting laterally outwardly of an end of the support table 62 as shown in Fig. 9. The support table 62 is then rolled along parallel tracks 66 on a support frame 67. Rollers 68 on an underside of the table 62 engage the tracks 66. The rollers 68 have mutually perpendicular rotational axes and roll along mutually perpendicular track faces 72,73 each of which are inclined at 45° to the horizontal at an outer end of each track 66.

Rolling the support table 62 along the parallel tracks 66 delivers an outer end 69 of the blind assembly 15 past a blade 70 of a band saw 71 for cutting excess material from the outer end 69 of the blind assembly 15. Similar amounts are removed from each end of the blind assembly 15 to achieve the desired width.

The Venetian blind thus formed having a desired width and drop is delivered to a packing station for packaging for dispatch. The Venetian blind 80 is mounted in a carton 81 having two overlapping parts 82, 83 of U—section. Overlapping of side walls of the carton parts 81, 83 is such that the carton 81 is expandable to accommodate Venetian blinds 80 of different size.

It will be appreciated that by manufacturing a limited range of preselected standard sizes of blinds which can then be adjusted as necessary to customise the blinds for particular orders increases manufacturing flexibility and efficiency. Further, reject slats can be readily, easily and quickly replaced in the manner described.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (2)

1. A process for manufacturing a Venetian blind of the type comprising a head rail and bottom rail with at least two spaced-apart ladders and iift cords extended therebetween with a plurality of slats mounted between the ladders, the process including: preparing a preselected standard size blind assembly having a preset width and drop and having oversized ladders and lift cords which extend below the bottom rail of the blind assembly; hanging the blind assembly on a support; inspecting the blind assembly and substandard slats; repairing or replacing any settingadesirable drop, optionally removing or adding stats to the ladders as necessary and adjusting the position of the bottom rail on the ladders for setting the desirable drop; securing the ladders and lift cords at the bottom rail and cutting away excess material below the bottom rail from the ladders and lift cords; adjusting the width of the blind assembly if necessary to a-preset desirable width by collapsing the blind assembly and cutting away excess material from each end of the blind assembly for forming a Venetian blind having a desired width and drop; and packing the Venetian blind.

2. A process as claimed in claim [1 wherein the process includes replacing a substandard slat by: removing the substandard slat; adding a new slat by drawing each lift cord upwardly through associated slots in the slats through which the lift cord is threaded by an amount in excess of the distance between the new slat location and the bottom rail in the desirable drop position; cutting the lift cord; inserting the new slat and positioning the new slat on the ladders; leading a bottom portion of each lift cord upwardly through an associated slot in the new slat; joining a free lower end of a top portion of each lift cord, with a free upper end of the bottom portion of the lift cord; and drawing each lift cord downwardly through the slots in the new slat and the slats below the new slat. The process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the process includes: hanging the blind assembly on a support which comprises a ground engaging base having an upright post thereon, a carriage vertically movable on the post, a horizontal support arm on the carriage, hanging brackets being slidably mounted on the support arm; positioning a pair of hanging brackets on the support arm to receive the head rail of the blind assembly; mounting the head rail between the support brackets and fully deploying the slats; vertically adjusting the carriage on the post as necessary for allowing said slat deployment. A process for manufacturing a Venetian blind substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A Venetian blind whenever manufactured according to the process as claimed in any preceding claim.