WO2007085533A1

WO2007085533A1 - Device for obscuring apertures in buildings

Info

Publication number: WO2007085533A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/050265
Authority: WO
Inventors: Salvatore Lupo
Original assignee: Salvatore Lupo
Priority date: 2006-01-26
Filing date: 2007-01-11
Publication date: 2007-08-02
Also published as: AU2007209443A1; ITMI20060131A1; DE212007000019U1

Abstract

The device (1) for obscuring apertures (4) in buildings comprises a tubular element (2) applicable along an upper part (3) of the aperture (4) and supports a blind (5) presenting alternate transparent strips (7) and opaque strips (6). The blind (5) defines two superposed laps (8, 9) arranged to obscure the aperture (4) when the transparent strips (7) of one lap (8, 9) are superposed on the opaque strips (6) of the other lap (9, 8) and to allow light to pass when the transparent strips (7) of one lap (8, 9) are superposed on the transparent strips (7) of the other lap (9, 8). Each of the ends of the laps (8, 9) is fixed to the tubular element (2) such that when the tubular element (2) is rotated both the laps (8, 9) of the blind (5) wind onto or unwind from the tubular element (2).

Description

DEVICE FOR OBSCURING APERTURES IN BUILDINGS

The present invention relates to a device for obscuring apertures in buildings. Buildings are known to be provided with apertures open towards the outside to enable air and light to pass from and to the building interior.

These apertures are associated with doors or windows enabling the opening to be closed to prevent or at least limit air or wind entry from the outside and limit heat transfer with the outside. Blinds are usually fitted to the apertures, enabling the aperture to be obscured to prevent or limit light entry into the building.

Blinds have recently been developed which enable not only the extreme conditions to be achieved in which the aperture is completely obscured or completely open to prohibit or allow light access to the building, but present a third condition in which the aperture is partially obscured, i.e. the blind allows only partial light passage.

For example, EP 1 564 362 describes a device comprising an upper tubular element carrying a blind defining two superposed laps provided with a plurality of alternately transparent and opaque strips. The blind has one lap fixed to the tubular element and the other lap secured to a fixed frame.

During use, when the tubular element is rotated, one of the blind laps winds onto or unwinds from the tubular element, partial obscuring of the room inside the building being achieved when the transparent strips are mutually superposed. However the described traditional device presents numerous drawbacks including, in particular, the fact that if the upper element has only a small diameter a large number of revolutions of the upper element are required for the blind to wind onto it, or alternatively if a device is required which enables the blind to be wound onto the upper tubular element with a small number of revolutions of the tubular element, a tubular element must be provided of large diameter, with a consequent large weight and overall size.

The technical aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a device which enables the stated technical drawbacks of the known art to be eliminated.

Within the scope of this technical aim, an object of the invention is to provide a device which enables the blind to be easily and rapidly operated for its opening and closure, without the need to provide a tubular element of excessively large dimensions and weight.

The technical aim, together with this and further objects, are attained according to the present invention by a device in accordance with claim 1.

Other characteristics of the present invention are defined in the subsequent claims.

Advantageously, the device enables the blind to be adjusted very precisely and, in particular, enables the aperture to be completely obscured while limiting the risk of a gap remaining at the bottom of the blind through which light can enter the building. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the device of the invention, illustrated by way of non- limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention; Figure 1 A is a side view of the tubular element of Figure 1 ;

Figure 2 is a side view of the device without a second side support;

Figure 3 is a section through an end piece of the device of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of the device of the invention.

With reference to the figures, these show a device for obscuring apertures in buildings indicated overall by the reference numeral 1.

The device 1 comprises a tubular element 2 applicable along an upper part 3 of the aperture 4. The tubular element 2 supports a blind 5 presenting alternate transparent strips 6 and opaque strips 7 and defining two superposed laps 8, 9.

The laps 8,9 are arranged to obscure the aperture 4 when the transparent strips 7 of one lap (for example the lap 8) are superposed on the opaque strips 6 of the other lap (for example the lap 9) and to allow light to pass when the transparent strips 7 of one lap 8 are superposed on the transparent strips 7 of the other lap 9.

Each of the ends of the laps is fixed to the tubular element such that when the tubular element 2 is rotated both the laps 8, 9 of the blind 5 wind onto or unwind from the tubular element 2. Preferably, the laps 8, 9 embrace the tubular element 2, one on one side and the other on the opposite side (as shown in Figure 1A).

The blind 5 carries a weighting end piece 11 and presents a continuous U-folded shape, the ends of the arms of the U being fixed to the tubular element 2 and the end piece 11 being positioned at the central portion of the U.

The end piecel 1 is slidably connected to the blind 5 and preferably comprises an idly rotatable roller 12 dragged by the blind 5.

Alternatively the roller can be fixed, i.e. not rotatable together with the blind 5, and the blind 5 can slide thereon.

The end piece 11 also comprises a pair of first supports 13 provided with rotatable connections (such as bushes) 14 to the roller 12, and an elongate weighting element 15 interposed between the supports

13 and defining, together with the roller 12, a gap 17 though which the blind 5 passes.

That edge of the element 15 facing the roller 12 is provided with a curved surface having an elongate end 15a which is intended to face the interior of the room in which the device is applied and which projects beyond the gap 17 to prevent light passing from the outside to the inside of the building through the gap 17.

As shown in the accompanying figures, the strips 6, 7 of the blind 5 extend horizontally when the blind is mounted; the transparent strips 7 have a height less than the opaque strips 6, the transparent strips 7 preferably having a height substantially equal to one quarter of the circumference of the tubular element 2. The tubular element 2 presents a longitudinal groove 18 to retain the ends of the laps of the blind 5, a fillet 19 being inserted into the longitudinal groove 18 to block the blind laps 8. The ends of the tubular element 2 are rotatably connected, via rotating bushes 20, to a pair of second supports 21 fixable to the wall or ceiling by metal or plastic plates 22 fixed to or formed integrally with the second supports 21.

On a least one of the second supports 21 the device presents an operating element 23 for rotating the tubular element 2 and operable for example by a chain 24. The device can also be provided with an upper cover 25.

The operation of the device of the invention is apparent from that described and illustrated and is substantially as follows. Figures 1 , 1A show the device at rest, with the blind 5 completely extended. When the tubular element 2 is rotated as indicated by the arrow F the blind 5 winds on said tubular element 2 (Figure 2); in this manner the blind 5 can be raised open or (by rotating the tubular element 2 in the opposite direction to the arrow F) be extended.

When the blind 5 is completely extended (as indicated in Figure 1 ), passage to the completely obscured or partially obscured configuration is achieved by rotating the tubular element 2 so that the transparent strips 7 become mutually superposed (to allow partial passage of light) or the strips 7 become superposed on the strips 6 (to prevent passage of light).

Because of the particular size of the transparent strips 7 the blind 5 can be adjusted with only limited vertical translation of the end piece 11 , to prevent a large gap remaining below the end piece 11 through which light can pass.

It has been found in practice that the device of the invention is particularly advantageous, being of extremely simple structure and very easy to operate.

The device conceived in this manner is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover all details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice the materials used and the dimensions can be chosen at will according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims

1. A device for obscuring apertures in buildings, comprising a tubular element applicable along an upper part of said aperture and supporting a blind presenting alternate transparent and opaque strips and defining two superposed laps arranged to obscure the aperture when the transparent strips of one lap are superposed on the opaque strips of the other lap and to allow light to pass when the transparent strips of one lap are superposed on the transparent strips of the other lap, characterised in that each of the ends of said laps is fixed to the tubular element such that when the tubular element is rotated both the laps of the blind wind onto or unwind from said tubular element.

2 A device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said laps embrace said tubular element, one on one side and the other on the opposite side.

3. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said blind carries a weighting end piece.

4. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said blind presents a continuous U-folded shape.

5. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ends of the arms of said U are fixed to said tubular element.

6. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said end piece is positioned at the central portion of the U.

7. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said end piece is slidably connected to said blind.

8. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said end piece comprises an idly rotatable roller dragged by said blind.

9. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said end piece comprises a pair of first supports provided with rotatable connections to said roller, and also an elongate weighting element interposed between said supports and defining, together with said roller, a gap though which the blind passes.

10. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the roller is fixed and the blind slides thereon.

11. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that that edge of the elongate weighting element facing the roller is provided with a curved surface having an end which is intended to face the interior of the room in which the device is applied and which projects beyond the gap to prevent light passing from the outside to the inside of the building through the gap.

12. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the strips of said blind extend in the horizontal direction when the blind is mounted.

13. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transparent strips have a lesser height than the opaque strips.

14. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the transparent strips have a height substantially equal to one quarter of the circumference of the tubular element.

15. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the tubular element presents a longitudinal groove to retain the ends of the blind laps.

16. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a fillet is inserted into the longitudinal groove to block the blind laps.

17. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ends of the tubular element are rotatably connected to a pair of second supports fixable to the wall or to the ceiling.

18. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by presenting, on at least one of said second supports, an operating element for rotating said tubular element.