Claims
- 1. An operating device for a Venetian blind which includes an elongated top housing, a horizontally disposed shaft journalled in the top housing, a plurality of horizontal slats suspended one above another from the top housing, each of the slats having two opposite longitudinal sides, a bottom rail disposed below the slats, a plurality of pull ropes, each of the pull ropes having a first end which passes through the housing and through the slats and which is mounted to the bottom rail, and a second end which extends out of the housing, a plurality of pairs of tilting cords disposed on the opposite longitudinal sides of the slats and having upper ends secured to the shaft and lower ends mounted on the bottom rail, and plurality of suspending strings disposed below each of the slats and interconnecting the tilting cords, said operating device comprising:
- a hollow base adapted to be disposed in the top housing, said hollow base including a pair of side plates which form a receiving space therebetween, and a limiting rod extending transversely between said side plates and disposed at a peripheral portion of said receiving space, said hollow base being adapted to permit extension of the second ends of the pull ropes and the shaft into said receiving space;
- a locking seat mounted pivotally to said side plates and disposed in said receiving space on one side of said limiting rod such that the pull ropes are extendible between said locking seat and said limiting rod,
- wherein said hollow base and said locking seat are adapted to permit extension of the shaft of the Venetian blind thereinto;
- a biasing member mounted on said hollow base for biasing said locking seat to pivot toward said limiting rod so that said locking seat is adapted to clamp releasably the pull ropes against said limiting rod; and
- a rotary tilt control unit mounted within said locking seat, said tilt control unit including a first gear having a first vertical axis, a second gear engaging said first gear and having a second vertical axis parallel to said first vertical axis, a horizontal bevel gear coupled to said second gear and coaxial with said second gear, a vertical bevel gear adapted to be coupled to the shaft of the Venetian blind and engaging said horizontal bevel gear, and an operating rod connected to said first gear, said operating rod being operable to cause axial rotation of said gears so as to result in corresponding axial rotation of the shaft to adjusting tilting angles of the slats, said operating rod being further operable to move said locking seat away from said limiting rod against biasing action of said biasing member so as to release the pull ropes.
- 2. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein said first gear of said rotary tilt control unit has an axial hole, said operating rod including an elongated sleeve connected to said first gear and communicated with said axial hole, said axial hole and said elongated sleeve being adapted to permit passage of the second ends of the pull ropes therethrough, said elongated sleeve having a length sufficient to conceal major portions of the pull ropes that extend through said first gear, said elongated sleeve further having an outer surface with at least one hook projection adapted for hooking end portions of the pull ropes that extend out of said elongated sleeve thereon.
- 3. The operating device according to claim 2, wherein said operating rod further includes a tubular connector having an upper end connected securely to said first gear and a lower end formed with an opposite pair of first pivot lobes, and an annular connector connected pivotally to said first pivot lobes about a first axis, said elongated sleeve having an upper end formed with an opposite pair of second pivot lobes which are connected pivotally to said annular connector about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis.
- 4. The operating device according to claim 2, further comprising at least one retaining ring which is sleeved on said elongated sleeve and which has said hook projection formed thereon.
- 5. An operating device for a Venetian blind which includes an elongated top housing, a horizontally disposed shaft journalled in the top housing, a plurality of horizontal slats suspended one above another from the top housing, each of the slats having two opposite longitudinal sides, a bottom rail disposed below the slats, a plurality of pull ropes, each of the pull ropes having a first end which passes through the housing and through the slats and which is mounted to the bottom rail, and a second end which extends out of the housing, a plurality of pairs of tilting cords disposed on the opposite longitudinal sides of the slats and having upper ends secured to the shaft and lower ends mounted on the bottom rail, and plurality of suspending strings disposed below each of the slats and interconnecting the tilting cords, said operating device comprising:
- a hollow base adapted to be disposed in the top housing, said hollow base including a pair of side plates which form a receiving space therebetween, and a limiting rod extending transversely between said side plates and disposed at a peripheral portion of said receiving space, said hollow base being adapted to permit
- a locking seat mounted pivotally to said side plates and disposed in said receiving space on one side of said limiting rod such that the pull ropes are extendible between said locking seat and said limiting rod; and
- a biasing member mounted on said hollow base for biasing said locking seat to pivot toward said limiting rod so that said locking seat is adapted to clamp releasably the pull ropes against said limiting rod;
- wherein said biasing member includes a retaining rod extending transversely between said side plates and disposed at another peripheral portion of said receiving space opposite to said limiting rod, and a pair of torsion springs, each of which is sleeved on said retaining rod and has a first end abutting against a respective one of said side plates of said hollow base and a second end, said second ends of said torsion springs being connected to one another to form a biasing portion which abuts against said locking seat for biasing said locking seat to pivot towards said limiting rod.
- 6. An operating device for a Venetian blind which includes an elongated top housing, a horizontally disposed shaft journalled in the top housing, a plurality of horizontal slats suspended one above another from the top housing, each of the slats having two opposite longitudinal sides, a bottom rail disposed below the slats, a plurality of pull ropes, each of the pull ropes having a first end which passes through the housing and through the slats and which is mounted to the bottom rail, and a second end which extends out of the housing, a plurality of pairs of tilting cords disposed on the opposite longitudinal sides of the slats and having upper ends secured to the shaft and lower ends mounted on the bottom rail, and plurality of suspending strings disposed below each of the slats and interconnecting the tilting cords, said operating device comprising:
- a hollow base adapted to be disposed in the top housing, said hollow base including a pair of side plates which form a receiving space therebetween, and a limiting rod extending transversely between said side plates and disposed at a peripheral portion of said receiving space, said hollow base being adapted to permit extension of the second ends of the pull ropes and the shaft into said receiving space;
- a locking seat mounted pivotally to said side plates and disposed in said receiving space on one side of said limiting rod such that the pull ropes are extendible between said locking seat and said limiting rod; and
- a biasing member mounted on said hollow base for biasing said locking seat to pivot toward said limiting rod so that said locking seat is adapted to clamp releasably the pull ropes against said limiting rod;
- wherein said locking seat is formed with a teethed retaining protrusion for enhanced friction with the pull ropes, and
- wherein said side plates of said hollow seat are formed with aligned pivot holes, said locking seat having opposite first and second tubular extensions mounted pivotally on said side plates in said pivot holes, said locking seat further including a retaining sleeve which is sleeved securely on said first tubular extension and which is formed with said retaining protrusion.
- 7. The operating device according to claim 6, wherein said first tubular extension has an outer surface formed with an axially extending rib, said retaining sleeve having an inner surface formed with an axially extending groove for engaging said rib.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/844,406, filed on Apr. 18, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,405.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
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844406 |
Apr 1997 |
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