US20120241103A1

US20120241103A1 - Window blind assembly

Info

Publication number: US20120241103A1
Application number: US13/053,058
Authority: US
Inventors: Shih-Ming Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-03-21
Filing date: 2011-03-21
Publication date: 2012-09-27

Abstract

A window blind assembly includes a top rail, a drawable curtain unit, a protective netting, and a pull cord unit. The drawable curtain unit is hung from the top rail, and has a curtain section with a cord-connecting part. The protective netting is hung from the top rail, is disposed at one side of the drawable curtain unit, and includes a fabric net that defines a cord space. The pull cord unit includes at least one connecting section extending into the cord space and being connected securely to the cord-connecting part of the curtain section of the drawable curtain unit.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a window blind assembly, more particularly to a window blind assembly provided with a protective netting for protecting a child playing therewith from accidental strangulation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional window blind assembly is exemplified as a roman blind 1 that includes a top rail 10 adapted to be disposed at a top edge of a window, a drawable curtain 11 hung from the top rail 10, and a pull cord 13 for drawing up and lowering the drawable curtain 11. Further, the drawable curtain 11 is provided with two sets of vertically aligned connecting buckles 12 that are connected to a rear side of the drawable curtain 11, and that are vertically spaced apart from each other. The pull cord 13 includes an operating section 131 disposed in front of the drawable curtain 11 for allowing user operation to draw up or lower the drawable curtain 11, and a pair of connecting sections 132. Each of the connecting sections 132 of the pull cord 13 extends through a corresponding set of the buckles 12, and has a connecting end 133 that is attached to a lowest one of the buckles 12 in the corresponding set.
Generally, the connecting end 133 of each of the connecting sections 132 is fixedly attached to the lowest ones of the buckles 12 so as to prevent release of the pull cord 13 from the drawable curtain 11. However, such an arrangement is dangerous for children playing with the pull cord 13. In particular, the arrangement as such can lead to accidental strangulation when the pull cord 13 is wound on the neck of a child playing with the pull cord 13.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a window blind assembly provided with a protective netting to enhance safety during use.
Accordingly, a window blind assembly of the present invention comprises a top rail, a drawable curtain unit, a protective netting, and a pull cord unit . The drawable curtain unit is hung from the top rail, and has a first curtain section with a cord-connecting part. The protective netting is hung from the top rail, is disposed at one side of the drawable curtain unit, and includes a fabric net that defines a cord space. The pull cord unit includes at least one connecting section extending into the cord space and being connected securely to the cord-connecting part of the first curtain section of the drawable curtain unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional roman blind;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a window blind assembly provided a protective netting according to this invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the window blind assembly of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 2 for illustrating the configuration of the protective netting;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the window blind assembly of the preferred embodiment for illustrating a state where a drawable curtain unit of the window blind assembly is drawn up; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 6 for illustrating the configuration of the protective netting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, a preferred embodiment of a window blind assembly of the present invention is shown to be in the form of a roman blind. The roman blind includes a top rail 2 adapted to be disposed at a top edge of a window, a drawable curtain unit 3 hung from the top rail 2, a protective netting 4 hung from the top rail 2 and disposed at a rear side of the drawable curtain unit 3, and a pull cord unit 5 for drawing up and lowering the drawable curtain unit 3 and the protective netting 4.
In this embodiment, the top rail 2 includes a pair of vertical walls 21 spaced apart from each other in a front-rear direction, and a horizontal connecting wall 22 interconnecting the vertical walls 21. The vertical walls 21 and the horizontal connecting wall 22 cooperate to define an accommodating space 23 having a downward slit.
The drawable curtain unit 3 includes an upper curtain segment 37 hung from the top rail 2, and a lower curtain segment 38 disposed below and connected to the upper curtain segment 37. The lower curtain segment 38 consists of a first curtain section 33 disposed below and connected to the upper curtain segment 37, and a bottom section 32 disposed below and connected to the first curtain section 33. The upper curtain segment 37 consists of a mounting section 31 fixedly disposed in the accommodating space 23 of the top rail 2, a second curtain section 34 disposed above and connected to the first curtain section 33 of the lower curtain segment 38, and a third curtain section 35 hung from the mounting section 31. The second curtain section 34 is disposed between the first and third curtain sections 33 and 35, and is disposed below and connected to the mounting section 31 through the third curtain section 35. It should be noted that, in other embodiments, the upper curtain segment 37 of the drawable curtain unit 3 may include one or more of the second curtain section 34 if desired.
The first curtain section 33 of the lower curtain segment 38 includes a horizontal cord-connecting part 331, and a first suspendable part 332 parallelly spaced apart from and above the cord-connecting part 331. The second curtain section 34 of the upper curtain segment 37 includes a horizontal first pullable part 341, and a second suspendable part 342 parallelly spaced apart from and above the first pullable part 341. In this embodiment, the first pullable part 341 is parallelly spaced apart from and above the first suspendable part 332. The third curtain section 35 of the upper curtain segment 37 includes a horizontal second pullable part 351, and a third suspendable part 352 parallelly spaced apart from and above the second pullable part 351. Further, the drawable curtain unit 3 further includes a plurality of weighting rods 36, and each of the cord-connecting part 331, the first suspendable part 332, the first pullable part 341, the second suspendable part 342, the second pullable part 351 and the third suspendable part 352 is configured to receive a respective one of the weighting rods 36.
Further referring to FIG. 5, the protective netting 4 includes a fabric net 41 hung from the top rail 2 and folded to form a cord space 42. The fabric net 41 has a size matching that of the drawable curtain unit 3, and includes a top end 414 fixedly connected to the top rail 2 and a bottom end 415 sewn to the bottom section 32 of the lower segment 38 of the drawable curtain unit 3. The fabric net 41 further includes a plurality of first connection parts 411 connected to the cord-connecting part 331 of the lower curtain segment 38, and two sets of vertically aligned second connection parts 412 connected to the first and second pullable parts 341 and 351 of the upper curtain segment 37. In this embodiment, the first and second connection parts 411, 412 are connected to the cord-connecting part 331 and the first and second pullable parts 341, 351 by machine sewing at fixed points, respectively. Moreover, each horizontally adjacent two of the second connection parts 412 in a corresponding set are spaced apart from each other by a specified distance.
The pull cord unit 5 includes a pair of pull cords 51, and a roller mechanism 52 disposed on the horizontal connecting wall 22 of the top rail 2 for stopping and releasing the pull cords 51 in a conventional manner. Each of the pull cords 51 includes a connecting section 511 extending into the cord space 42, and an operating section 512 disposed at a front side of the drawable curtain unit 3 opposite to the protective netting 4. In particular, the connecting section 511 extends into the cord space 42 between the adjacent two of the second connection parts 412 in the corresponding set, and has a connecting end 514 fixedly connected to the cord-connecting part 331 of the first curtain section 33 of the lower curtain segment 38. Accordingly, the pull cord unit 5 is capable of drawing up and lowering the drawable curtain unit 3 and the protective netting 4.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, when it is desired to draw up the window blind assembly of this embodiment, both of the operating sections 512 of the pull cords 51 are pulled at the same time so that the connecting sections 511 of the pull cords 51 pull the cord-connecting part 331 of the drawable curtain unit 3 and the first connection parts 411 of the protective netting 4 to move upwardly. When the cord-connecting part 331 is adjacent to the first pullable part 341 of the second curtain section 34 and continuously moves upwardly, the cord-connecting part 331 may pull the first pullable part 341 to move upwardly. Ina similar manner, the second pullable part 351 of the third curtain section 35 may move upwardly. Thus, the protective netting 4, and the bottom section 32, as well as the first, second and third curtain sections 33, 34, 35 of the drawable curtain unit 3 may be completely drawn up.
While drawing up the drawable curtain unit 3, the roller mechanism 52 is configured for stopping the pull cords 51 so as to keep the drawable curtain unit 3 at a desired position. Since the roller mechanism 52 is well known to those skilled in the art, details thereof will be omitted herein for the sake of brevity. Further, in other embodiments, the pull cord unit 5 may alternatively include a single pull cord having a pair of connecting sections.
In summary, since the connecting sections 511 of the pull cords 51 are disposed in the cord space 42 in the protective netting 4, a child cannot play with the pull cords 51, thereby protecting the child from accidental strangulation.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A window blind assembly comprising:

a top rail;

a drawable curtain unit hung from said top rail, and having a first curtain section with a cord-connecting part;

a protective netting hung from said top rail, disposed at one side of said drawable curtain unit, and including a fabric net that defines a cord space; and

a pull cord unit including at least one connecting section that extends into said cord space and that is connected securely to said cord-connecting part of said first curtain section of said drawable curtain unit.

2. The window blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said first curtain section of said drawable curtain unit further includes a first suspendable part spaced apart from and above said cord-connecting part;

said drawable curtain unit further includes a second curtain section disposed above and connected to said first curtain section, said second curtain section having a pullable part spaced apart from and above said first suspendable part, and a second suspendable part spaced apart from and above said pullable part;

said fabric net of said protective netting has a first connection part connected to said cord-connecting part, and a second connection part connected to said pullable part; and

said second connection part is formed with a passage for said connecting section therethrough.

3. The window blind assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pull cord unit includes a pair of pull cords each of which includes said connecting section extending into said cord space and being connected to said cord-connecting part of said first curtain section of said drawable curtain unit, and an operating section disposed at another side of said drawable curtain unit opposite to said one side.

4. The window blind assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said drawable curtain unit further includes a plurality of weighting rods, and each of said cord-connecting part, said first suspendable part, said pullable part and said second suspendable part is configured to receive a respective one of said weighting rods.

5. The window blind assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said drawable curtain unit further has amounting section mounted to said top rail and connected to said second curtain section, and a bottom section disposed below and connected to said first curtain section.

6. The window blind assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said drawable curtain unit further includes a plurality of weighting rods, and each of said cord-connecting part, said first suspendable part, said pullable part and said second suspendable part is configured to receive a respective one of said weighting rods.

7. The window blind assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said drawable curtain unit further has amounting section mounted to said top rail and connected to said second curtain section, and a bottom section disposed below and connected to said first curtain section.

8. The window blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pull cord unit includes a pair of pull cords each of which includes said connecting section extending into said cord space and being connected to said cord-connecting part of said first curtain section of said drawable curtain unit, and an operating section disposed at another side of said drawable curtain unit opposite to said one side.

9. The window blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fabric net is folded to form said cord space.