MXPA99003127A - Chain and cord security device for blinds ajus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a blind cord security device for use in the control of an adjustable blind having a rim control cord and a rim control chain when enclosing the rims in the housing within which it is disposed a rotating wheel, adapted to engage with the ring of the chain around it and a receiver of the U-shaped receiver ring adapted to receive the cord ring in a peripheral groove formed therein. The receiver is mounted inside the box to allow limited longitudinal, but not lateral, movement of the receiver inside the box. The spring is arranged inside the box between the receiver and the upper part of the box, to normally eject the receiver from the top of the box to provide slack in the cord as a result of stretching the cord over time as a result of the or

Description

SAFETY DEVICE FOR CHAIN AND CORD FOR ADJUSTABLE BLINDS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns a chain and cord safety device for use with horizontal and vertical panel blinds, whereby the hanging ring ends of the control chain The shutter and the control cord of the shutter are used to open and close the shutter panels and to open or close the shutter itself they are enclosed as a security measure. In the horizontal or vertical conventional blinds, two cords and / or control chains are used to control the operation of the blind. The cords or chains hang from the box for the blind, which extends transversely in a window or door opening. A bead or chain is used to control the rotational movement of the louver panels in relation to the opening to open or close the louver. The other is used to physically move the panels either horizontally or vertically with respect to the opening, to selectively position the louver panels in their operating position with respect to the opening or to separate the louver panels from the opening. The cords or chains hang from the box in the form of rings, a selected side of which is pulled manually to produce the function associated with that cord or chain. Preferably, ref. 29476 both rings are formed on the same side of the box for ease of operation. It has been found that the use of unprotected hoops presents a safety hazard to young children, since the hoops are located in a conventional manner near the floor. The hoop can be placed around the child's neck to result in clogging or in extreme cases strangulation, or the hoop can be placed in the child's mouth which in addition to the obvious lack of hygiene, can result in choking if try to chew. Consequently, there is a need for devices that provide ease of use of the blind controls as long as they avoid the hazard presented by the use of cord rings and unprotected chains. In addition, as long as a chain does not stretch in use over time, even when it is under tension, a cord will stretch over time, to loosen up after a period of use, in a very similar to the prior art control devices that use combined chain and string control systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: According to the present invention, a string and cord safety device for use in controlling an adjustable blind having a rim control cord and a rim control chain uses a box that is generally rectangular in cross section with sides and a bottom; which are normally closed and a top or top within which a wheel adapted to engage with the ring of the chain is rotatably disposed and within which a cord ring receiver having a semicircular bottom portion adapted to receive the cord ring is mounted to allow limited, but not lateral, longitudinal movement of the receiver within the box, to be normally ejected from the top of the box, the top or top provides access to the interior of the box, for allow the chain ring to engage with the wheel and the cord ring to engage with the lower portion of the cord receiver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of the string and cord security device of the present invention, installed for use with a blind vertical, the use of the vertical blind is for purposes of illustration only, since the present invention is equally applicable to horizontal blinds; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the chain and cord security device of Figure 1 shown in its disassembled form; Figure 3 is a sectional front elevational view of the chain and cord security device of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the chain and cord security device of Figure 2, taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to that of Figure 4 of an alternative embodiment of a string and cord security device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to Figure 1, a partial view of a vertical blind 10 is shown which has a sliding track box 12 on which a plurality of vertical panels 14 depend in a conventional manner. A ring chain 16 and a ring bead 18 depend on one end 20 of the box 12 in a conventional manner. The chain 16 is used to control the longitudinal rotational adjustment of the panels and the cord 18 is used to pull the panels laterally toward or extend the panels laterally outwardly from the end 20 in a conventional manner. A box 22 of the cord and chain safety device according to the present invention encloses the ring ends (not shown) of the chain 16 and the cord 18. In the preferred embodiment, the box 22 is attached to a wall or another structural construction element (not shown) by a joining element 24 to maintain a greater tension on the cord 18 than would otherwise arise if the weight of the box 22 only depended on providing the tension, as will be explained subsequently in the present With reference now to Figures 2, 3 and 4, the box 22 illustrated in Figure 1 is shown in its disassembled form. As seen in Figure 2, the box 22 includes a first box member 26, a second box member 28, a chain coupling wheel 30, and a cord coupling receiver 32, together with a spring 34 and a mounting bolt 36. The junction plate 24 has a pair of vertical walls 24A, 24B joined together by a horizontal base plate 24C. Each of the vertical walls 24A, 24B has a bolt-receiving opening or hole 38, axially aligned with each other, through which the bolt 36 extends to provide a rotatable mounting for the wheel 30 as best shown in the figures. 3 and 4. The wall 24A of the tie plate also has a pair of mounting openings or holes 40 formed therein to allow attachment of the tie member 24 to a wall by conventional fasteners and the horizontal base plate 24C has a pair of mounting grooves 42 formed therein to facilitate attachment of the connecting element 24 to a floor or sleeper, if desired instead of the wall joint. The first box element 26 and the second element 28 of box have several complementary structural features to assist in the alignment of the two box elements, when assembled, to provide the unit box 22 illustrated in Fig. 1. Thus, the second box member 28 has an upper pin 44 and a lower bolt 46 that fits into complementary recesses 48, 50, formed in the first case member 26. In addition, the first case member 26, has a pair of leaves 52 that fit in complementary slots 54, formed in the second element of box 28. The first box member 26 has a bolt receiving opening or hole 56, centrally disposed in the lower portion thereof and the second box member 28 has a second similar opening or hole 58 formed therein, to be aligned axially with the opening or opening 56 of the first box element when the two box elements 26, 28 are assembled together by coupling the complementary elements 44 and 48, 46 and 50, 52 and 54. In this arrangement, the bolt 26 extends through an opening or mounting hole 60 axially disposed in the wheel 30, such that the wheel 30 is rotatably mounted within the the box 22. The wheel 30 has a plurality of spokes 62 that engage with the chain extending radially outwardly adjacent the opening 60. Each of the spokes has a notch 64 formed therein to accept connecting links 66 together the balls 68 which form the chain 16, while retaining the balls 68 between the adjacent rays 62, in such a way that the wheel 30 rotates as the chain 16 is pulled to adjust the panels 14. The receiver 32 which is Coupled with the cord is U-shaped with a lower portion 70 in general semicircular, with a peripheral slit 72 receiving the cord formed therein to extend upwardly away from the lower portion 70. A pair of shoulders 74 are formed on the receiver 32 to extend transversely outwardly of the slit 72. The shoulders 74 they are coupled with a pair of complementary recesses or recesses 76 formed in the first and second box elements 26, 28 to allow longitudinal movement of the receiver 32 in the box 22, while preventing lateral movement of the receiver 32 therein.

The receiver has a protuberance 78 formed on its upper surface. The protrusion or protrusion engages the spring 34 at one end thereof. A retaining bolt 80 is formed on the inside of the second case member 28 (see Figure 3) to engage the other end of the spring 34 to retain the spring 34 within the case 22 and propel the receiver 32 downward in the distance of the upper part of the case 22. A retaining plate 82 formed in the first case member 26 to be located between the wheel 30 and the receiver 32 limits the downward movement of the receiver 32 under the influence of the spring 34. A plate separator 84 extends upwardly from each end of the retainer plate 82, which serves to separate the ring from the chain 16 within the case 22 from the contact with the cord ring 18 within the case, as best shown in FIG. Figure 3. The upper part of the second case member 28 has openings or holes 86 on both sides of the upper bolt 44 to provide the entry and exit of the chain 16 and the cord 18. The first case member 26 has openings or holes complementary (not shown in figure 3). In service, the case 22 is opened as shown in Fig. 2, by removing the bolt 36. The chain 16 and the cord 18 are installed around the wheel 30 and the receiver 32 respectively, as shown in Fig. 3. after the respective lengths or lengths of the chain and rings of the cord have been adjusted to provide the desired tension in the cord 18. Then, the device is reassembled by inserting the bolt through the box elements 26, 28 and the wheel 30. Then, the box 22 is attached to the attachment plate "24 by the bolt 36 and the entire assembly is fixed to the desired surface by the use of the attachment plate 24 and appropriate fasteners (not shown). Failure to use the junction plate 24 may result in insufficient tension being applied to the cord 18 by the receiver 32 and the spring 34 after a period of use because the cord was not initially under maximum tension, for degrade m This is the performance of the device of the present invention. In Figures 2, 3 and 4, the box 22 is configured in such a way that the wheel 30 and the receiver 32 are arranged one above the other in vertical alignment, with the receiver 32 on top. While this is the presently preferred configuration of this embodiment of the invention, it is of course within the scope of the invention to reverse these relative arrangements, such that the wheel 30 is above the receiver 32, by an appropriate change in the relative dimensions of them. Figure 5 illustrates, in cross-section, an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which, the wheel and the receiver are in horizontal alignment, instead of vertical alignment. In the embodiment of figure 5, a box 22 'has a first box element 26' and a second box element 28 '. A junction plate 24 'has a bolt 36' extending therethrough to join the box 22 'to the junction plate. The bolt 26 'passes through the wheel 30, which may be identical to the wheel 30 of figure 2. A receiver 32' differs from the receiver 32 of figure 2, in that there is a longitudinal groove 100 formed in the body of the receiver 32 'to allow the bolt 26' to pass through the receiver, thereby enabling the receiver 32 'to move longitudinally with respect to the box in order to apply the appropriate tension to the cord 18. A retainer plate 102 extends inwardly from the inside face of the first case member 26 'to retain the spring 34 in place against the receiver 32' at a protrusion 78 '. The remaining details of the structure and operation of the alternative embodiment of Figure 5 will be evident from the above description of the structure and operation of the embodiment of Figures 2, 3 and 4. The present invention has been described in terms of the details of its currently preferred embodiments. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, that various changes can be made in the specific structures described herein, which do not deviate from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims hereof and the equivalents of the various elements of the invention. The claims. It is noted that, in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates.

Claims (12)

1. Claims Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. A blind cord security device for use in the control of an adjustable shutter having a rim control cord and a control chain of ring, characterized in that it comprises: a box with a hollow interior, the box is generally rectangular in lateral cross section with sides and a bottom which are normally closed and an upper part or top; a wheel adapted to be coupled with the ring of the chain; and first mounting means attached to the housing to rotatably mount the wheel in the hollow interior of the box; a cord ring receiver having a semicircular lower portion adapted to receive the cord ring around it; second mounting means attached to the box for mounting the receiver within the hollow interior of the box to allow a limited longitudinal, but not lateral, movement of the receiver within the box; predisposition or tilt means disposed within the box between the receiver and the top or top of the box to normally eject the receiver from the top; means formed in the upper part of the box to provide access for the chain and cord to the inside of the box to allow the chain ring to engage with the wheel, and the cord ring to engage with the lower portion of the chain. cord receiver; and selectively operable means for opening and closing the box to allow installation and removal of the chain ring around the wheel and the cord ring around the receiver. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes means selectively operable to allow the opening and closing of the box for the installation and selective separation of the ring of the chain and the ring of the cord. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first mounting means include a bolt that is selectively removable to allow opening and closing of the box. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes joining plate means for attaching the device to a support surface. 5. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that it includes joining plate means for joining the device to a support surface. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that it includes a connecting plate for joining the device to a support surface, the joining plate is selectively joined to the box by the bolt, the bolt extends transversely through and beyond the box to be in selective coupling with the junction plate. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the predisposing means includes a spring in engagement with the receiver and a retainer formed inside the box. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the predisposing means includes a spring in engagement with the receiver and a retainer formed inside the box. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the predisposing means includes a spring in engagement with the receiver and a retainer formed inside the box. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the predisposing means includes a spring in engagement with the receiver and a retainer formed inside the box. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the predisposing means includes a spring in engagement with the receiver and a retainer formed inside the box. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the predisposing means includes a spring in engagement with the receiver and a retainer formed inside the box.