a. Field of Invention
This application pertains to window shades and other window coverings, and more particularly to any cord-operated window or door covering systems, wherein a guard is provided for the cord (or chain) that makes the cord inaccessible.
b. Description of the Prior Art
Many different window and door covering systems and other treatment systems are presently available that can be used by residential, commercial and industrial consumers to cover a window or for other decorative purposes. Some of these systems may include window blinds, venetian blinds, roman shades, vertical blinds, and so on. A typical system of this kind includes a window covering element, a mechanism for raising, lowering, or otherwise opening or closing the window covering element and one or more cords used to control the mechanism. The cord may be a string, a rope, a continuous chain of plastic or metal beads, etc.
A problem associated with all such systems is that the cords may be openly accessible, for example, to children and may cause injuries if used incorrectly.
Some suggestions have been made in the past for solving these problems. For example, electronic systems have been designed that eliminate the need for a cord. However such electronic systems are too expensive and complicated for many situations. The present application provides a means of avoiding access to open window covering control cords.
A window treatment constructed in accordance with this invention includes a cover; header supporting the cover, the header including a mechanism for controlling an operation of the cover; and a cord system coupled to the mechanism for operating the cover. The cord system includes a cord engaging said mechanism, and an elongated housing arranged for mounting under said header, the housing having a peripheral channel accepting the cord, the cord and the housing cooperating to allow selective movement of the cord to operate said cover without exposing said cord.
In one embodiment, the housing is formed with a cutout sized and shaped to allow manually grasping said cord to move said cord vertically.
In another embodiment the system includes a manual slider slidably mounted on the housing and arranged to engage a portion of the cord to selectively move the cover up or down.
The housing includes two lateral portions extending along the length of the housing and having respective peripheral channels. A cord used to operate the window dressing includes a first portion passing along a first of said lateral portions and a second portion passing along a second of said lateral portions.
The cord can be selected from one of a bead, a strap, a chain, a string, and a rope.
The system optionally further includes a tensioning member for tensioning the cord.
In another aspect of the invention, a cord system for a window treatment for covering an architectural opening with a cover is presented. The cover is selectively operated by a mechanism controlled, all operated by a cord and a cord system. The cord system includes an elongated housing constructed for mounting adjacent to the cover. The housing includes a body with a peripheral channel accepting the cord. A cord activating element sized and shaped for manual grasping and movement of the cord with respect to the housing along the channel.
In one embodiment, the activating element includes a cutout in the housing and the channel, the cutout being large enough to allow a person to grasp the cord and move it longitudinally.
In another embodiment, the activating element includes a slider having a slider body formed with a vertical opening. The vertical opening is sized and shaped to receive the housing, the slider including a first cord engaging member extending into the channel to engage a portion of the cord, wherein moving the slider longitudinally along the housing causes the cord to move together with said slider.
In one embodiment, the slider includes a button disposed on said slider and extending into the channel to selectively engage the cord portion.
Preferably, the slider body has a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the button being accessible for manual manipulation from said first lateral side.
The cord system further includes a second button accessible from the second lateral side, wherein the first button engages a first portion of said cord and said second button engages a second cord portion, said first and second buttons being alternatively activated while said slider is moved in a pumping action to move said cord in a first direction. A bracket interconnects the first and second buttons.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly starting with
In any event, according to this invention, a cord assembly 212 is provided on one side of the opening 200. The assembly 212 is attached to, or at least positioned near the header 204 to allow contains a cord (described and discussed in more detail later) to pass into the header 204 and engage the mechanism 210 to control the operation of cover 206 as just described.
Cord assembly 212 is now described in conjunction with the remaining figures. Starting with
Depending on the size, shape and weight of the cover 206, the cord 18 can be a string, a rope, a beaded chain, or other well-known long and thin member. The cord 18 can be made of a woven, knit, twisted, or braided material that can be natural or synthetic. However, for the following description, the cord 18 is descried as being made of a plurality of interconnected beads 18A forming a continuous chain. In this embodiment, the beads 18A are either molded from a plastic material, or are formed from a metallic allow.
As discussed above, central portion 12 is preferably thin to make the whole housing 10 light and inexpensive. The channel 16 is preferably formed by a curved wall 20 defining a passageway 20A for the cord 18. The passageway 20A has a partial circular cross section sized and shaped to match and receive the cord 18. Preferably the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the channel 16 is larger than the thickness of central section 12 as shown to allow cord 18 to move relatively freely through the channel without undue friction.
The passageway 20A holds, protects and guides cord 18 as it moves around the housing 10 and it preferably subtends an arc in the range of 90-180 degrees when viewed in cross-section.
Alternatively, if it is desired to protect the cord from the user or the user from the cord 18, the channel 16 can be shaped to surround cord either partially or completely. In the latter case, the passageway 20A is complete enclosed and is tubular. This latter configurations is more difficult to install since the cord must be threaded through the passageway 20A rather than training it around the housing 10.
At least on one side of the housing, a hand-sized cutout is formed in the channel 18, such as at 22 that may be typically 5-8″ high. The cord 18 passes through this cutout and the cutout is sized and shaped to allow a user to grab the cord 18 and move it up or down. Preferably, the height or size of the cutout 22 is limited to insure that a free length of cord 18 visible through the cutout 22 cannot be pulled of the housing 10 easily and cause accidents. In an alternate embodiment, two cutouts 22, 22A are provided, one on each side of the housing 10. The cord in one cutout is then pulled downwardly to move the cover 206 in one direction while the cord 18 is pulled downwardly in the other cutout to move the cover 206 in the other direction. As described above, in some cases, the cord in one cutout or the other is moved to cause the cover to open or close without actually moving it.
Depending on the size of the cord, the size of the window dressing, the height at which the window dressing is installed and other factors, the housing 10 can be made as a unitary element that is installed right below the mechanism 210, for example, by mounting it on a wall of the opening 200. Alternatively, (e.g., for taller openings 200), the housing 10 can be made of several modular pieces with a top piece 30 having a generally rectangular shape that extends downwardly from the header 204 and a bottom piece 32 that is formed with a semicircular portion 34 for turning the cord around, as can be seen in more detail in
In its simplest configuration, the housing and/or cord are sized and the housing is mounted in a way designed to insure that the cord is under tension. In this configuration, there will always be some rubbing between the cord and the housing. Therefore the housing should be made of a plastic material with a low coefficient of friction. This configuration may be difficult to implement in some configurations, especially for large and long housings. Therefore, it is advantageous to provide the housing with a means of tensioning the cord. One such tensioning means includes an idler roller 40 (see
The housing 10 is further formed with two vertical slots 44 with the shaft 42 being captured in the slots in a manner that allows it to move up and down. A compression spring 46 is arranged to apply a biasing force on the shaft 42 in the downward direction. The spring 46 applies a force on the idler roller 40 through shaft 42 thereby tensioning the cord 18. The spring 46 and wheel 40 are sized and arranged to insure that at its lowest position, the wheel 40 does not protrude from the housing 10. As a result of the tension applied by the wheel 40 on cord 18, the cord 18 has very little play in it even in the cutouts 22, 22A.
As discussed above, in one embodiment of the invention, the housing 10 is mounted below but separate from the header 204 so that the cord 18 comes out of the header 204 passes through the passageway formed around the housing 10 and then back into the header 204.
In another embodiment, the housing 10 is attached to the header 204. For example, as shown in
In another embodiment (
In another embodiment shown in
In another embodiment, instead of, or in addition to the cutouts 22, 22A, a slider 100 (shown in
The shell 102 has two sidewalls 108, 110. At least one of the sidewalls, such as 110 is fluted as at 106 to allow a person to grip the slider switch 100 comfortably. The other sidewall 108 includes at least one indentation 109 for the thumb of a person.
A bracket 112 extends transversally within the shell and is connected to two buttons 114, 116. The bracket 112 is sized and shaped to allow sufficient room within the opening 104 for the housing 10 to move with respect to the slide switch 100 without any interference. In order to insure that the bracket is strong enough, it may be shaped with two sections, one on each side of the flat housing 10. Buttons 114, 116 are sized and shaped to extend inwardly between the portions of the wall 20 defining 16 without any interference therewith.
Each button 114, 116 is attached to a shoe 118, 120 that has a respective surface 115, 117 shaped and sized to fit over and create an interference fit with a portion 19 of the cord 18 within the opening 104. For example, if the cord 18 is made of a spherical beads 18A, then the shoes 118, 120 have partial spherical indentations on one side that match the size and spacing of the beads
In one embodiment, the slider switch 100 is made with detents (not shown) or other similar well known means which maintain the bracket 112 in either of two positions. In one position shown in
Pushing button 114 inward shifts the bracket 112 to its second position. In this position, the show is disengaged from cord portion 19. On the other hand, shoe 120 now engages the portion 21 of cord 18.
This arrangement allows the user to grasp the slider 100 and pimp it up and down very quickly to raise or lower the cover 206 rapidly. For example, if the slider is initially in position shown in
The cord 18 can be moved rapidly in the other direction as well by reversing the above sequence. This operation is a quick, easy and safe way to operate the cord.
In another embodiment, detents are provided to set the bracket 112 in a third position in which both shoes engage the cord (thereby blocking it from moving). In another embodiment, the slider switch is provided with detent that hold the bracket in a neutral position in which neither shoe engages the cord thereby allowing the slider to be moved up and down freely without moving chord 18.
As previously mentioned, the slide switch shown so far in the figures is well suited to engage a beaded cord 18 however, it may not operate so well with beadless cords.
Numerous modifications may be made to the invention without departing from its scope as defined in the appended claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 61/426,572 filed Dec. 23, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
19226 | Schleier | Jan 1858 | A |
3022819 | Lampret | Feb 1962 | A |
3050803 | Hulterstrum | Aug 1962 | A |
3123182 | Malone et al. | Mar 1964 | A |
3123351 | Graber | Mar 1964 | A |
3633646 | Zilver | Jan 1972 | A |
4813469 | Scott | Mar 1989 | A |
4846766 | Glatzel | Jul 1989 | A |
5125447 | Suggs | Jun 1992 | A |
5167268 | Mao | Dec 1992 | A |
5513687 | Tuzmen et al. | May 1996 | A |
5553653 | Rozon | Sep 1996 | A |
5577543 | Jelic | Nov 1996 | A |
5595232 | Benthin | Jan 1997 | A |
5676188 | Cadorette | Oct 1997 | A |
5752558 | Lin | May 1998 | A |
5797441 | Benthin | Aug 1998 | A |
5845696 | Chou | Dec 1998 | A |
6085824 | Cadorette | Jul 2000 | A |
6463987 | Nevins | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6792999 | Cross et al. | Sep 2004 | B2 |
20030111188 | Cross et al. | Jun 2003 | A1 |
20050205219 | Hsu | Sep 2005 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20120160431 A1 | Jun 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61426572 | Dec 2011 | US |