Patent Application
20140235387
The present invention relates to the field of window coverings. More particularly, it relates to an active tensioning device for a looped cord of a window covering system.
It is common for window covering systems to include a continuous or jointed looped cord as controlling member, for a user to operate the window covering system. Window covering systems including such a looped cord are often referred to as endless cord drive systems, where a user actuates or rotates the looped cord in one direction to raise (or open) the shading elements and actuates or rotates the looped cord in an opposite direction to lower (or close) the shading elements.
One of the major drawbacks of such endless cord drive systems is that, to be easily operable by a user, the looped cord often extends downward such that it can be within the reach of children or toddlers. In such cases, the looped cord can pose important security issues, as it can cause entanglement and even strangulation of a child playing with the looped cord. To address this issue, many countries have enacted regulations requiring that endless cord drive window covering systems be provided with a tensioning device that holds the looped cord in a tensioned configuration and therefore reduces the associated security hazards.
For example and without being limitative, numerous tensioning devices (also known as tie down devices) attachable to a structure, such as a wall or a window frame, to maintain the cord in a tensioned configuration, are known in the art. These tensioning devices often include a pulley, around which a bottom section of the looped cord travels, to allow the looped cord to displace or rotate freely thereabout when operated by a user for raising (or opening) or lowering (or closing) the shading element. However, in many cases, these devices allow the looped cord to be operated even if the tensioning device has not been attached to the structure. Consequently many users do not take the time to attach the tensioning device to the structure, which results in the tensioning device not fulfilling its security purpose.
To alleviate this problem, numerous active tensioning devices have been proposed where the looped cord is prevented from being operated properly, unless the tensioning device is installed appropriately and maintains the looped cord in a tensioned configuration. Regulations requiring manufacturers to provide such active tensioning devices for endless cord drive window covering systems are also being enacted in different countries.
Known active tensioning devices however tend to present several drawbacks. In many cases, the proposed active tensioning devices are unaesthetic as a result of the moving parts required for preventing the looped cord to be operated properly when the device is not attached to a structure. Moreover, known active tensioning devices include mechanical components such as resilient members, screws and/or other types of moving parts, which contribute to increase the manufacturing and assembly costs of the devices, as well as the risks of breakage and/or malfunction during use.
In view of the above, there is a need for an improved active tensioning device which, by virtue of its design and components, would be able to overcome or at least minimize some of the above-discussed prior art concerns.
According to a first general aspect, there is provided an active tensioning device for a looped cord of a window covering system. The active tensioning device comprises a body having a channel configured to receive a section of the looped cord therein. The channel being formed between a first wall allowing the section of the looped cord to slide thereon and a second wall having at least one cord engaging member engageable with the section of the looped cord. The active tensioning device is displaceable with respect to the looped cord between an inoperative configuration where the looped cord contacts the second wall of the channel and an operative configuration where the looped cord contacts the first wall of the channel. The active tensioning device is balanced to be urged towards the inoperative configuration by gravity.
In an embodiment, the active tensioning mechanism further comprises a fixation member connectable to the body. The fixation member is securable to a structure for maintaining the body in the operative configuration.
In an embodiment, the active tensioning mechanism comprises a plurality of fixation members adaptable to a plurality of structural interfaces. Each one of the plurality of fixation members is connectable to the body of the active tensioning device.
In an embodiment, the body of the active tensioning device comprises two symmetrical interlocking sections.
Other objects, advantages and features will become more apparent upon reading the following non-restrictive description of embodiments thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar elements. The embodiments, geometrical configurations, materials mentioned and/or dimensions shown in the figures or described in the present description are preferred embodiments only, given solely for exemplification purposes.
Moreover, although the embodiments of the active tensioning device and corresponding parts thereof consist of certain geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated herein, not all of these components and geometries are essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense. It is to be understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art, that other suitable components and cooperation thereinbetween, as well as other suitable geometrical configurations, may be used for the active tensioning device, as will be briefly explained herein and as can be easily inferred herefrom by a person skilled in the art. Moreover, it will be appreciated that positional descriptions such as “above”, “below”, “left”, “right” and the like should, unless otherwise indicated, be taken in the context of the figures and should not be considered limiting.
Referring generally to
In the illustrated embodiment, the looped cord 12 is a ball chain cord where beads 14 or stops are interconnected directly to each other or are mounted on a common thread 16. One skilled in the art will however understand that in alternative embodiments, the cord 12 can be of other types. For example and without being limitative, the cord 12 could be a rope, a single or multi-filament thread, a wire, a twine, or another type of chain.
The active tensioning device 10 includes a body 20 with a channel 22 configured to receive a section of the looped cord 12 therein. The body 20 can be made of any material offering sufficient sturdiness to allow the tensioning device 10 to engage the bottom section of the looped cord 12 and maintain the looped cord 12 tensioned, when configured in the operative configuration, as will be described below. For example and without being limitative, the body 20 may be made of moulded plastic such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, and/or acrylic. Other materials offering similar characteristics could also be used in the construction of the body 20.
The channel 22 formed in the body 20 is bordered on a first side by a first wall 24 and on a second side by a second wall 28. The first wall 24 and the second wall 28 are connected together by connecting walls 26 spaced apart from one another. The first wall 24 is a smooth wall allowing the looped cord 12 to slide thereon, without hindering the movement of the looped cord 12 thereabout. The second wall 28 has at least one cord engaging member 30 which engages the looped cord 12.
When a looped cord 12 is provided within the channel 22 formed in the body 20 of the active tensioning device 10, the body 20 is positionable or pivotable about the looped cord 12 between an operative configuration (shown in
As can be seen in
As can be seen in
Now referring to
In another alternative embodiment where the looped cord 12 is not a ball chain cord, other configurations could be provided for the cord engaging member 30, the only requirement being that the cord engaging member 30 engages the cord 12 to prevent displacement of the cord 12 with respect to the second wall 28. For example and without being limitative, a tapered and cord-engaging void section could be provided to frictionally engage the cord 12.
In order to provide an active tensioning device 10 where the window covering system is prevented from being operated, unless the tensioning device 10 has been installed properly, the tensioning device 10 is balanced such that it is urged towards the inoperative configuration by gravity. Such a balancing of the active tensioning device 10 results from the center of gravity of the body 20 of the tensioning device 10 being located away from the second wall 28, i.e. a majority of the weight of the active tensioning device 10 is distributed away from the second wall 28. In the Illustrated embodiment of
In an embodiment, an offset mass element (not shown) is positioned in the balancing section 40 in order to provide such a balancing.
Therefore, when a window covering system having a looped cord 12 and an active tensioning device 10 such as the one described herein is initially installed, the active tensioning device 10 is naturally moved to the inoperative configuration at the bottom of the looped cord 12 by gravity. Given that the window covering system cannot be operated properly when the active tensioning device 10 is in the inoperative configuration, as previously explained, users are compelled to manually position the tensioning device 10 in the operative configuration, and affix the tensioning device 10 to a structure such that it is maintained in this operative configuration, before the window covering system can be operated efficiently. Different mounting methods or techniques can be used to affix the tensioning device 10 to a structure. For example and without being limitative, the tensioning device 10 could be directly bonded, nailed or screwed to the surface. As will be described later, in an embodiment, the active tensioning device 10 includes a fixation member connected to the body 20 of the active tensioning device 10 to be easily affixed to an adjacent structure by a user.
Now referring to
One skilled in the art will understand that in alternative embodiments, the sections 60 of the body 20 could present a different design or configuration than the one illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiments of
The use of two symmetrical interlocking sections 60 such as the one described above allows the body 20 of the active tensioning device 10 to be manufactured at a low production cost, since a single mold can be used to produce a single design of sections 60. The produced sections 60 can subsequently be paired, each pair of sections 60 being interlocked to form the body 20 of the tensioning device 10. It will be noted that the pair of sections 60 can be assembled with one another without the use of any additional mechanical component, the sections simply being friction or press fitted with one another to allow the body to be easily assembled or taken apart if necessary.
Even though the use of symmetrical interlocking sections may be advantageous, in alternative embodiments, the body 20 of the active tensioning device 10 may be formed of asymmetrical sections or be manufactured as a single one-piece component.
In an embodiment, the active tensioning device 10 includes a fixation member 50 to be easily affixed by a user to an adjacent structure. For example and without being limitative, active tensioning devices 10 with a fixation member 50 are shown in
As can easily be seen in
In the illustrated embodiment of
Referring to
Once again, even though the use of symmetrical interlocking sections may be advantageous, in alternative embodiments, the fixation member 50 may be formed of asymmetrical sections.
Referring to
The diversity of the design of the fixation member 50 provides versatility for the active tensioning device 10, by allowing the body 20 to be combined to a fixation member 50 that is appropriate for the structure to which the active tensioning device 10 is to be affixed. As a result, the active tensioning device 10 can be affixed in many different positions and to many different structures easily and without resulting in a crossing of the looped cord 12.
For example, the fixation member of
Moreover, in certain circumstances the fixation member 50 can be connected to the body 20 of the active tensioning device 10 before being attached to the structure or after being attached thereon. Connection of the fixation member 50 to the body 20 of the active tensioning device 10 after being attached to the structure is particularly relevant when the frame 51 presents a compact shape, as shown in
In an embodiment, the connecting member 50 should be connected to the body 20 of the active tensioning device 10 only once the active tensioning device 10 has been moved to the operative configuration, such that the connecting member does not create an undesirable imbalance of the body 20 of the active tensioning device 10. Therefore, in an embodiment, the active tensioning device is initially provided without such a connecting member 50. The connecting member 50 should be connected with the active tensioning device 10 only once a user has positioned the active tensioning device 10 in the operative configuration and either has attached the active tensioning device 10 to a structure or is about to do so.
In the embodiment of
Finally, as can better be seen in
Referring to
One skilled in the art will understand that in an embodiment where no fixation member 50 is provided, complementary cap covers could be inserted into the void section 62 from the opposed outer faces 69 of the body 20.
As can be understood from the above description, the active tensioning device 10 described above includes no mechanical components such as resilient members, screws and/or other moving parts to provide the active tensioning capabilities of the mechanism. Only the fixation of the device 10 onto the structure requires fixating means such as screws or nails.
Several alternative embodiments and examples have been described and illustrated herein. The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary only. A person skilled in the art would appreciate the features of the individual embodiments, and the possible combinations and variations of the components. A person skilled in the art would further appreciate that any of the embodiments could be provided in any combination with the other embodiments disclosed herein. It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein. Accordingly, while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/765,270 filed Feb. 15, 2013, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61765270 | Feb 2013 | US |
