Patent Application
20110247174
This invention relates to traverse rods in general and, more particularly, to a simplified traverse rod system for manipulating hanging objects.
Traverse rods (e.g., curtain rods) are generally designed to support and manipulate hanging objects such as curtains, drapes, window coverings, wall coverings, or any other hanging objects relative to a span of a window, wall, or ceiling. Because oftentimes traverse rods are incorporated into a room's décor, traverse rods often include various aesthetic features such as painted colors or designs, embossments, stenciling, plating, veneering, or other surface enhancement. Traverse rods may also include decorative end caps and/or finials at their ends to further enhance aesthetic appeal.
To facilitate manipulation of objects hanging from a traverse rod, a traverse rod often exists as part of a larger traverse rod system that allows a user to manipulate the hanging objects without directly touching the hanging objects themselves. Traverse rod systems generally include a cord that is secured to one or more master carriers positioned along a longitudinal span of the traverse rod. The master carriers as well as numerous subordinate carriers are affixed to rings that either completely or partially encircle the traverse rod. In turn, the rings directly or indirectly couple with the one or more hanging objects. When the cord is moved in one direction or another, the master carriers and their associated rings traverse the traverse rod, either pushing or pulling the subordinate carriers and their associated rings such that the hanging objects move between open and closed positions. The cord, the master and subordinate carriers, and the rings may be configured to achieve a desired manipulation of the hanging objects, including, for example, a single-direction open-and-close operation or a dual-direction open-and-close operation in which the hanging objects open from the center outward towards opposing ends of the traverse rod.
Because the traverse rod is itself aesthetically significant, there have been attempts to conceal the less attractive cord and carriers behind, within, or partially within the traverse rod in order to improve the appearance of the rod. In this regard, some traverse rods include tracks along a top or a back side of the rod. The master and subordinate carriers run along the track and are at least partially concealed from view. In order to prevent interference between the rings and the traverse rod, which can erode the aesthetically appealing surface of the traverse rod over time, the track and the carriers are generally configured to support the rings at a distance from the rod such that when the carriers travel along the track, the rings traverse the rod without contacting or resting upon any portion of the traverse rod.
This approach requires a more intricate traverse rod in which a supporting track for the master and subordinate carriers must be formed or inserted within or behind the rod, thereby increasing the time and cost associated with manufacturing the traverse rod system. In addition, because the rings are held a distance apart from the traverse rod, generally all of the rings must be associated with a carrier or some other type of buttressing structure, thereby increasing the complexity and number of parts required of the traverse rod system since each of the rings is directly supported by something other than the traverse rod itself. Moreover, because this approach can result in a busy or disorderly appearance, conventional traverse rods are often placed within separately manufactured outer rods or fascias such as, for example, external wooden rods that have been routed out. This approach conceals the workings of the less attractive traverse rods within, but adds even greater complexity to the system and requires manufacturers of traverse rod systems to obtain parts from additional suppliers.
The present invention relates to an aesthetically appealing traverse rod system for drawing or manipulating hanging objects such as, for instance, curtains, drapes, window coverings, wall coverings, tapestries, and the like. The inventors have recognized that existing traverse rod systems are deficient in many meaningful ways and that there is a need for a simplified traverse rod system in which an exterior of the traverse rod directly supports one or more rings either partially or fully encircling the traverse rod, thereby relieving the need concealing fascias or for internal tracks within the traverse rod as well as a number of additional supporting or buttressing structures that serve to hold the rings a distance apart from an exterior of the traverse rod.
In particular, a first aspect of the present invention includes a traverse rod system that includes a longitudinally extending tube and one or more rings at least partially encircling the tube. The tube includes an opening that extends along an upper length of the tube. The traverse rod system also includes a cord carrier that is freely suspended from the rings into the tube through the opening. The cord carrier secures a portion of a cord such that when the cord moves relative to an interior of the tube, the rings traverse an exterior of the tube.
The tube, the rings, and the cord carrier may be formed of any appropriate material including, for example, metal (e.g., steel or aluminum), plastic, or wood. In addition, the tube may be any appropriate length or diameter, and the number and/or diameter of the rings may be sufficient to accommodate the length and/or diameter of the tube. In addition, the tube may be a hollow member or it may be a solid member having an inset channel that defines the opening that extends along the upper length of the tube. In addition, the rings may rest directly upon the upper length of the tube such that they slide along the upper length of the tube when the traverse rod system is in operation. To ease the sliding motion between the upper length of the tube and the rings, the rings may include a low-friction lining about their inner diameters. This lining may be formed of any appropriate material such as, for instance, a clear thermoplastic polymer.
The tube may also include a number of decorative features such as painted colors or designs, embossments, stenciling, plating, veneering, or other surface enhancements. In one implementation, the tube may also have a curvature. For instance, the tube may be curved outward away from an associated surface (e.g., a wall, a window, etc.). The level of curvature or radius of curvature may be a function of the diameter of the tube and/or a configuration of the cord carrier (e.g., a length, a shape, a thickness of the cord carrier).
The tube may also include first and second longitudinal edges that border first and second sides of the opening, respectively. In one implementation, one or more edge guards may be associated with each of the first and second longitudinal edges. The edge guards may be formed of any appropriate material and may be configured to envelop each of the first and second longitudinal edges of the tube. Thus, in one embodiment, the rings may rest or bear upon the edge guards such that they do not slide or rub directly against the upper surface of the tube when traversing the tube.
The traverse rod system may also include a pulley mechanism that is affixed within each end of the tube such that the cord may be tensioned or suspended between the two pulley mechanisms in a manner that allows the cord to circulate within the interior of the tube. Each of the pulley mechanisms may include one or more roller bearings that are operably coupled to a pulley housing. When the cord moves relative to the interior of the tube, the cord carrier that secures a portion of the cord may also move relative to the interior of the tube, causing the rings that are attached to the cord carrier to traverse the exterior of the tube.
In another implementation, the traverse rod system may also include an object carrier coupled to each of the rings. The object carriers may be configured to engage a hanging object or objects such that when the rings traverse the exterior of the tube, the object carriers and associated hanging objects also traverse the exterior of the tube. The object carriers may be any appropriate structure capable of coupling the hanging objects to the rings.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a traverse rod system that includes a longitudinally extending tube having a tube exterior, a tube interior, and an opening that extends along an upper length of the tube. The traverse rod system also includes a first ring that at least partially encircles the tube and rests upon a bearing surface of the tube exterior, a cord suspended within the hollow tube interior, and a first cord carrier that is fixably coupled to the first ring and extends into the hollow tube interior. The cord has a first portion and a second portion, and the cord carrier secures the first portion of the cord such that when the first cord portion moves in a first direction relative to the tube interior, the first ring moves in the first direction relative to the tube exterior.
The longitudinally extending tube may include first and second longitudinal edges bordering first and second sides of the opening, and in one implementation, the bearing surface of the tube exterior may include one or more edge guards that envelop each of the first and second longitudinal edges. In this embodiment, the rings may bear upon the edge guards rather than directly upon the tube exterior, thereby protecting the tube exterior from wear during operation of the traverse rod system. In another embodiment, inner diameters of the rings may include low-friction linings to achieve a similar purpose.
In another implementation, the first cord carrier may be freely suspended from the first ring into the hollow tube interior. In addition, the cord may be suspended between a first pulley mechanism affixed at a first end of the hollow tube interior and a second pulley mechanism affixed at a second end of the hollow tube interior such that the cord may circulate within the hollow tube interior. Moreover, each of the first and second pulley mechanisms may comprise one or more roller bearings that are operably coupled to a pulley housing. Specifically, the first and second pulley mechanisms may be configured such that when the first portion of the cord moves in the first direction relative to the tube interior, the second portion of the cord moves in a second direction relative to the tube interior. The first and second directions may be opposite directions. Further, when the first portion of the cord moves relative to the hollow tube interior, the first cord carrier also moves relative to the hollow tube interior and, in turn, the first ring traverses the tube exterior.
In yet another embodiment, the traverse rod system may also include a second ring at least partially encircling the tube and a second cord carrier that is fixably coupled to the second ring and that extends through the opening and into the hollow tube interior. The second ring may rest upon the bearing surface of the tube exterior, and the second cord carrier may secure the second portion of the cord such that when the first portion of the cord moves in the first direction, the second ring traverses the tube exterior in the second direction.
In addition, one embodiment of the traverse rod system may include first and second object carriers that are fixably coupled to the first and second rings. The first and second object carriers may be configured to engage first and second hanging objects such that when the first portion of the cord moves in the first direction, the first and second hanging objects move in the first and second directions, respectively. To ensure that the first and second hanging objects close fully, the first object carrier may include a first overlap arm and the second object carrier may include a second overlap arm. The first and second overlap arms may be configured to overlap when the first and second cord carriers are positioned at an approximate midpoint along the tube.
As discussed above, the longitudinally extending tube, the first and second rings, the first and second cord carriers, and the first and second object carriers may be formed of any appropriate material(s) including, for example, metal (e.g., steel or aluminum) or plastic. In addition, the longitudinally extending tube may have any appropriate length or diameter, and the first and second the rings may be configured to accommodate the diameter of the tube. The tube may also include a number of decorative features and, in one implementation, the tube may have a curvature. The radius of curvature may be a function of various system parameters including, for example, the diameter of the tube and/or a configuration of the cord carrier (e.g., a length, a shape, a thickness).
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a traverse system for manipulating hanging objects. The traverse system includes a rod, one or more rings at least partially encircling the rod, a cord carrier coupled with the rings, and a cord that is longitudinally suspended within an interior of the rod. The rod includes first and second end portions bordering a longitudinally extending center portion. In addition, the rod has an inner annular wall that is uniformly offset from an outer annular wall and an opening extending along an upper length of the cylinder. The cord is fixably attached to the cord carrier such that moving the cord relative to the rod moves the rings relative to the rod. Other than the cord carrier and the cord, the interior of the longitudinally extending center portion of the rod is substantially free of structure relating to the traverse rod system.
In one embodiment, the outer annular wall comprises a bearing surface that supports the rings. In another embodiment, the cylinder has first and second edges bordering the opening, and the bearing surface comprises one or more edge guards that envelop each of the first and second edges.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and further advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description describes exemplary embodiments of a traverse rod system. Specifically, the description details embodiments of a traverse rod system for drawing or manipulating one or more hanging objects (e.g., curtain panels, drapery panels, window coverings, wall coverings, tapestries, and any other hanging objects) along a traverse rod. The following description should be understood as exemplifying the invention without limiting it. In addition, while various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that further modifications and adaptations of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art.
Unfortunately, many traverse rod systems with improved aesthetics exhibit several disadvantages. For example, in an effort to prevent damage to aesthetically appealing traverse rods, existing traverse rod systems employ carriers that slide along tracks that are built into the traverse rods. Full or partial rings are attached to the carriers, and the tracks and/or the carriers are configured to hold each of the rings at a distance from the traverse rod as the rings traverse a length of the traverse rod. In addition, existing traverse rod systems have an inner traverse rod and an outer fascia, each supplied by a different source. As discussed above, these systems are complex and expensive to manufacture in that they require specialized machining or other manufacturing techniques and a cumbersome number of outsourced parts.
Generally, the traverse rod system described below includes a cord-drawn system that fully conceals system mechanics within the traverse rod using a simple, elegant design in which the rings bear upon the rod itself without wearing or damaging a surface of the traverse rod. Because the rings bear directly upon the traverse rod, the rod does not require any type of track to support structures that hold the rings apart from the traverse rod, thereby simplifying the system and reducing the number of requisite parts.
In one embodiment shown in
The tube 12 may have any appropriate length and diameter dimensions necessary to span a desired distance and/or to support the weight of a desired hanging object. In addition, the tube 12 may be formed of any appropriate material including, for instance, metal (e.g., steel, aluminum, etc.), plastic, or wood. The opening 15 may be a machined slot or it may be formed as part of a manufacturing process associated with the tube 12 (e.g., extrusion, injection molding or die casting). The tube 12 may also include various desirable aesthetic features. For instance, a pattern may be painted or embossed upon the tube 12 or the tube 12 may be covered with fabric, appliqués, texturing, plating, veneering, or the like. In another example shown in
In this embodiment, several rings 140-6 encircle the tube 12. While the rings 140-6 shown in
The first and second longitudinal edges 17, 19 of the tube 12 may form a bearing surface upon which the rings 140-6 may rest, as shown in
The edge guards 36 and/or the ring linings 21 may be formed of any appropriate low-friction material. For example, in one embodiment, the edge guards 36 and/or the ring linings 21 may be formed of a clear thermoplastic polymer such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In other embodiments, the edge guards 36 and/or the ring linings 21 may be tinted or colored to further enhance the aesthetics of the traverse rod system 10.
The edge guards 36 may be applied to the first and second longitudinal edges 17, 19 in any appropriate manner. For example, the edge guards 36 may have an adhesive backing, may be press fit onto the first and second longitudinal edges 17, 19, or they may be adhered to the first and second longitudinal edges 17, 19 using a separate adhesive (e.g., a spray adhesive). Similarly, the ring linings 21 may be applied to the rings 14 in any appropriate manner.
A number of cord carriers 20 may be attached to one or more of the rings 140-6. For instance, in the embodiment shown in
For example, in the embodiment shown in
In reverse, the user may move the cord 18 in a clockwise direction denoted by an arrow D. In response, the first portion of the cord 38 moves in the direction of arrow E, and the second portion 40 of the cord 38 moves in the direction of arrow F. This, in turn, moves the cord carrier 201 as well as the attached rings 142-3 in the direction of arrow E and the cord carrier 202 as well as the attached rings 144-5 in the direction of arrow F. Because the rings 141-3 and 4-6 are interconnected via the hanging objects 50 (
Notably, the positioning of the cord carriers 20 may be dependent upon a manner in which a user desires to manipulate the hanging object or objects 50. For example, while
End caps 30 may fit within each of the first and second ends 11, 13 of the tube 12. The end caps 30 may be friction fit into the ends 11, 13 of the tube 12 or they may be secured within the first and second ends 11, 13 of the tube 12 using any number of appropriate fasteners (e.g., threaded screws, rivets, pins, etc.). In one embodiment, decorative finials 32 may be attached to the end caps 30 to provide additional adornment to the traverse rod system 10. Alternatively, the end caps 30 and the decorative finials 32 may be combined in a decorative end cap 30 such that the finials 32 are not attached separately.
In one embodiment shown in
In further detail,
To suspend or tension the cord between the first and second ends 11, 13 of the tube 12 such that the user may manipulate the cord carriers 20 by moving the cord 18, a pulley housing 26 may be positioned at each of the first and second ends 11, 13 of the tube 12, as shown in
The pulley housing 26 may include two roller bearings 28, each spanning a distance between the parallel sides 27 of the pulley housing 26. The roller bearings 28 may be affixed between the parallel sides 27 of the pulley housing 26 in any appropriate manner, including, for instance, using a press fit or any appropriate fastener or fasteners (e.g., threaded screws, rivets, pins, etc.). Each of the roller bearings 28 may be configured to accommodate a diameter, D, of the cord 18 (e.g., ⅛ inch) such that the cord 18 may be positioned about the roller bearings 28 at each of the first and second ends 11, 13 of the tube 12, as shown in
While the embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character. For example, certain embodiments described above may be combinable with other described embodiments and/or arranged in other ways. Accordingly, it should be understood that only example embodiments and variants thereof have been shown and described.
