BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a winding device for a window shade and, more particularly, to a safe winding device for a cordless Roman shade.
Privacy and beauty of living environments are important issues to modern people. Thus, window shades become almost a necessity in every house for decoration of windows to improve the taste of living while avoiding peeking and shielding the sun.
Regulations regarding pull cords for controlling movement of the shades or shade moving mechanisms have been adopted in many countries that valve product safety (particularly children safety). As a result, cordless shade winding or moving mechanisms are demanded.
FIG. 7 shows a conventional Roman shade including an upper frame 81 for support and fixing. A shade 82 includes an upper end fixed to a side of the upper frame 81. The shade 82 includes a plurality of separation lines. Vertically spaced rings 84 are mounted along each separation lines. A resilient winding mechanism 83 is directly or indirectly coupled to the upper frame 81. A winding string 85, 85A is extended through the rings 84 on each separation line and fixed to the bottommost ring 84. Thus, the shade 82 is folded when the winding strings 85 are wound by the resilient winding mechanism 83. The winding string 85A includes an actuation block 86 at a bottom end thereof. The actuation block 86 is larger than the diameter of the bottommost ring 84A on the associated separation line. When the winding string 85A is wound by the resilient winding structure 83, the actuation block 86 presses against the bottommost ring 84A and, thus, moves the shade 82. However, many winding strings 85 and 85A are required, causing the risk of entanglement. Children are liable to be strangled by any entangled winding string 85, 85A.
Thus, a need exists for a winding device for a window shade with increased safety.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves this need and other problems in the field of safety of window shades by providing, in a preferred form, a winding device for a cordless Roman shade including an upper frame. A shade includes an upper end engaged with a side of the upper frame. A resilient winding mechanism is directly or indirectly coupled to the upper frame. A winding cloth includes an upper end engaged with a distal end of a winding route of the resilient winding mechanism. The winding cloth further includes a lower end engaged with a lower end of the shade. When the resilient winding mechanism moves in a winding direction, the winding cloth is wound, and the shade is folded. By providing the winding cloth for folding the shade, strangling by the winding cloth is less likely to occur, providing enhanced safety.
Preferably, the winding device further includes a second shade. The upper frame includes a second side opposite to the first side. An upper end of the second shade is engaged with the second side of the upper frame. The second shade has a portion connected to the first shade. The second shade is folded when the winding cloth is wound while the resilient winding mechanism moves in the winding direction.
Preferably, the portion of the second shade is connected to the first shade by a plurality of connecting members spaced in a vertical direction. Each of the plurality of connecting members has a first end connected to an inner face of the first shade and a second end connected to an inner face of the second shade. A space is defined by each of the plurality of connecting members. The winding cloth extends through the spaces defined by the plurality of connecting members.
Preferably, the winding cloth has a width of at least 10 cm.
Preferably, a channel is formed in a front edge of each of the plurality of connecting members. A rod extends through each of the channels, reinforcing a regular wound state of the first shade of balanced upward or downward movement.
The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The illustrative embodiments may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings where:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a window device having a single shade according to the preferred teachings of the present invention.
FIG. 1A shows an enlarged view of a circled portion of FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows a rear elevational view of the winding device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 2A shows an enlarged view of a circled portion of FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a winding device having two shades according to the preferred teachings of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a front elevational view of the winding device of FIG. 3 in an unfolded state.
FIG. 5 shows a front elevational view of the winding device according to the preferred teachings of the present invention in a folded state.
FIG. 6 shows a partial, exploded, perspective view of the winding device according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows a front elevational view of a conventional window shade.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIGS. 1-6, a winding device for a cordless Roman shade according to the preferred teachings of the present invention includes an upper frame 1 for support and fixing. A first shade 2 has an upper end engaged with a side of the upper frame 1 by such as hook and loop fasteners respectively on the side of the upper frame 1 and an inner face of the upper end of the first shade 2, providing easy mounting and detachment. The first shade 2 can be in the form of gauze or thin cloth. A resilient winding mechanism 3 is directly or indirectly coupled to the upper frame 1. In an example of indirect coupling, the upper frame 1 has an end member 7 on each of two ends thereof, and the resilient winding mechanism 3 is mounted between the end members 7, indirectly mounting the resilient winding mechanism 3 to the upper frame 1. A winding cloth 4 has an upper end engaged with a distal end of a winding route of the resilient winding mechanism 3. The distal end of the winding route is the distal, free end of the winding route when the resilient winding mechanism 3 uses various springs for resilient winding. Thus, the winding cloth 4 is wound when the resilient winding mechanism 3 moves in a winding direction. A lower portion of the winding cloth 4 is fixed to a lower end of the first shade 2. Thus, the first shade 2 is folded when the winding cloth 4 is wound while the resilient winding mechanism 3 moves in the winding direction. The winding cloth 4 has a width of at least 10 cm or even wider, providing a piece of cloth of a certain width.
Although the above-mentioned structure achieves the safe effect, the winding device according to the preferred teachings of the present invention can include a second shade 5 to prevent the winding cloth 4 from being accessed by children, as shown in FIG. 3. As an example, in a case that the first shade 2 is too thin, the second shade 5 can shield the light. The second shade 5 has an upper end fixed to the other side of the upper frame 1 opposite to the side to which the upper end of the first shade 2 is engaged. A portion of the second shade 5 is fixed to the first shade 2. Thus, the second shade 5 is folded when the winding cloth 4 is wound due to movement of the resilient winding mechanism 3 in the winding direction. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of connecting members 6 is provided for connection between the first and second shades 2 and 5. Each connecting member 6 includes an end connected to an inner face of the first shade 2. The other end of each connecting member 6 is connected to an inner face of the second shade 5. The first and second shades 2 and 5 move jointly due to provision of the connecting members 6.
To allow balanced winding of the winding cloth 4 in the upward direction and balanced unwinding of the winding cloth 4 in the downward direction, a channel 24 is formed in a front edge of each connecting member 6. Namely, a channel 24 is provided at each of a plurality of folding marks 21 of the first shade 2 spaced in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 1A. A rod 22 is extended through each channel 24. FIG. 3 shows that the lowest rod 22 is partially pulled out of the channel 24. This enhances the stability of each folding mark 21, so that the first shade 2, after being wound, presents a regular wound effect of balanced upward or downward movement.
To assure passage of the winding cloth 4, a space P is defined by each connecting member 6. These spaces P form a passageway for the winding cloth 4 to extend downward.
With reference to FIG. 1, winding, returning energy is created in the resilient winding mechanism 3 when the first shade 2 is moved to the unfolded state. With reference to FIG. 3, a weigh rod 23 is mounted to a lower edge of the first shade 2. The weight of the weight rod 23, the balance between the first shade 2 and the resilient winding mechanism 3 can not be broken easily by external force while the first shade 2 is in the unfolded state. FIG. 4 shows the first shade 2 in the unfolded state. Since the cordless Roman shade uses the resilient winding mechanism 3 instead of a pull cord, the user can move the first shade 2 downward to a further unfolded state or move the first shape 2 upward 2 to break the balance such that the resilient winding mechanism 3 can release the winding, returning energy. Since the upper end of the winding cloth 4 is fixed to the distal end of the winding route of the resilient winding mechanism 3, the winding cloth 4 is moved upward and wound, as shown in FIG. 5. The bottommost connecting member 6 (FIG. 3) is moved upward and comes in contact with and is slightly impeded by an upper connecting member 6. At the same time, the first shade 2 is folded upward. The procedure continues until the first shade 2 is moved to a desired position. The folding marks 21 of the first shade 2 spaced in the vertical direction provide regular folding. The folding marks 21 can be located in the positions aligned with the connecting members 6, allowing more regular winding of the first shade 2 and even the second shade 5.
Since the winding cloth 4 is a single piece of cloth of a certain width, uniform winding effect can be obtained while presenting a smooth appearance instead of untidiness. Furthermore, preparation of the winding cloth 4 is simple and easy, saving time and costs. Further, the winding cloth 4 is less likely to entangle, significantly reducing the risk of strangling a playful child near the winding device.
With reference to FIG. 1, the resilient winding mechanism 3 can further include a winding buffering device 9. The winding buffering device 9 can be of a conventional design. The winding buffering device 9 prevents impact resulting from uncontrolled resilient force of the resilient winding mechanism 3, reducing the damage and reducing the impact noise thereby avoiding irregular winding effect. Thus, the Roman shade can present an aesthetic appearance due to provision of the winding device according to the preferred teachings of the present invention. Furthermore, by adjusting the resilient winding mechanism 3, the upward, winding speed of the first shade 2 actuated by the resilient winding mechanism 3 can be adjusted, as shown in FIG. 3. Further, a pull ring 41 can be added to the lower section of the winding cloth 4. When the first shade 2 is in a wound state, the pull ring 41 can be pulled downward to move the first shade 2 to the unfolded state while creating the winding, returning energy in the resilient winding mechanism 3. Then, the pull ring 41 is pulled again to release the winding, returning energy, moving the first shade 2 upward. Thus, the first shade 2 can present a wound state shown in FIG. 5. Further, the winding buffering device 9 can adjust a position fixer to adjust the positioning spacing of the winding device according to the preferred teachings of the present invention, so that the winding cloth 4 can be positioned in any of a plurality of positions spaced by the positioning spacing, providing the effect of a Roman shade without using a pull cord.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the essence of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.
Patent Application
20120267056
