Patent Application
20070089841
The invention relates generally to window coverings such as blinds and shades and more particularly to a bracket and head rail for mounting the window covering to a surface.
A typical window covering consists of a head rail located at the top of a window that supports the body or panel of the blind such as slats, fabric, woven elements, cellular structure or the like that cover the window or other architectural feature. The body or panel of the window covering is typically movable relative to the head rail such that it can be raised or lowered to uncover or cover the window. In the case of a slatted window covering such as a Venetian blind the slats are also movable to open and/or close the lowered covering. Typically, the body or panel of the window covering is moved by lift cords and/or tilt cords or wands that are connected to the window covering and are manipulated by the end user. It is also known to move the body or panel of the window covering using a motor such as an electric motor or spring motor.
Because the window covering can be relatively heavy and is subject to forces from the manipulation of the tilt and lift cords, it is important to have a secure system for mounting the window covering to the supporting surface. Moreover, it is important that the mounting system be easily mounted to both the head rail and the supporting surface because window coverings are often installed by non-professionals. Finally, it is important that the mounting system be visually appealing such that it does not interfere with the look of the window covering.
Thus an improved head rail and mounting bracket for a window covering is desired.
The system of the invention comprises a bracket having a first wall and a second wall that extends substantially perpendicular to the first wall. The first wall, second wall or both walls can be secured to a supporting surface such as a wall or ceiling. Both the first wall and the second wall are provided with through holes for receiving screws or other fasteners for securing the bracket to the supporting surface. The first and second walls are arranged such that the head rail can be located between the walls. The first wall includes a recessed pocket for receiving the rear upper edge of the head rail and a flange that extends under the front upper edge of the head rail. A biased latch member, attached to either the first or second walls, extends into the area bounded by the first and second walls. The latch member includes a protrusion that engages the rear bottom edge of the head rail to clamp the head rail in the bracket. A relatively sharp barb, formed on the latch, engages the back wall of the head rail to prevent lateral movement of the head rail relative to the bracket. In one embodiment the bracket is stamped and formed from a single flat piece of material such as steel such that the bracket of the invention is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Referring to
A biased latch 12 extends from adjacent the back wall 2 into the space bounded by the back wall 2 and top wall 4. In the embodiment of
The top wall 4 is formed with a number of through holes 22 for receiving fasteners such as screws for mounting the bracket 1 to a substantially horizontal surface such as a window frame, ceiling, window molding or the like. Flanges 24 and 26 extend from top wall 4 to engage the head rail as will hereinafter be described. Flanges 24 and 26 include recessed pockets 28 and 30, respectively, that are aligned with one another and dimensioned so as to fit over the upper edge of the head rail back wall. Top wall 4 terminates in a lip 32 that is also comprised of extending portions 34 and 36 of flanges 24 and 26, respectively.
To manufacture the bracket of the invention, a flat piece of steel or other rigid material is cut by stamping or other process into a blank having the outline and cut outs shown in the drawings. The barb or protrusion 20 is punched out of latch 12. Flanges 8, 10, 24 and 26 are formed by bending the portions defining the flanges relative to the top wall 4 and back wall 2. The top wall 4 is bent relative to the back wall 4 to create the basic L-shape. The latch 12 is bent relative to either the top or back walls at living hinge 14 and the protrusion 16 and lever 18 are formed at the end of latch 12. Thus the bracket of the invention can be made simply and inexpensively.
A head rail 40 is shown mounted to the bracket 1 in
To mount the head rail 40 on a support surface, bracket 1 is attached to a surface such as a wall, ceiling, window frame, molding or the like by screws or other fasteners that extend through the through holes 6 and/or 22 and into the surface. The bracket may be mounted to the surface using other attachment devices. In a typical application the more than one bracket will be used to mount the head rail covering to the surface where the brackets are mounted in a common plane.
Once bracket 1 is mounted to the supporting surface, head rail 40 is located with edge 42 fully inserted in pockets 28 and 30 and lip 32 located below upper edge 46. Head rail 40 is rotated such that the lower edge 50 is moved towards latch 12 (clockwise as shown by arrow A in
The invention has been described with specific reference to “window coverings”. The use of the term “window covering” has been used herein to simplify the description. It is to be understood that the bracket and window covering may be used to cover structures such as doors or other architectural features or may be used as a room divider or the like.
Specific embodiments of an invention are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention has other applications in other environments. Many embodiments are possible. The following claims are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention to the specific embodiments described above.
