Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Pleating type – With preformed pleats
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-18
2002-10-15
Johnson, Blair M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Pleating type
With preformed pleats
C160S17300V
Reexamination Certificate
active
06463985
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to a lower beam structure of folding blind, which has less components so that the cost for the material and the molds is reduced and the manufacturing procedure is simplified and speeded. In addition, the assembling procedure of the lower beam structure is simplified and speeded so that mass-production is possible. After assembled, a press body exerts a downward pressure onto the folding slat and the shade slat so that the folding slat and the shade slat are prevented from slipping out of the lower beam and are more firmly located.
FIG. 1
shows the lower beam structure of a conventional folding blind including a folding slat assembly
10
, a shade slat
11
, an inner fitting bar
12
, several connecting bodies
13
, a lower beam
14
and two lateral plugs
15
. Several pull cords
101
are sequentially passed through the folding slat
102
. The top ends of the pull cords
101
are fixed on the upper beam (not shown). The shade slat
11
has a length equal to that of the folding slat
102
. The shade slat
11
is formed with several cord holes
111
corresponding to the pull cords
101
. The inner fitting bar
12
has a reverse U-shaped cross-section and a length equal to that of the folding slat
102
. The horizontal section of the inner fitting bar
12
is formed with several cord holes
121
corresponding to the pull cords
101
. The ends of the vertical sections of the inner fitting bar
12
are inward bent to form two retaining legs
122
with a certain width. The two retaining legs
122
define therebetween a receiving channel
123
. The connecting body
13
is a circular block formed with a cord hole
131
. The lower beam
14
has a U-shaped cross-section and a certain length. The ends of the vertical sections of the lower beam
14
are inward bent to form two stop strips
141
with a certain width. The two stop strips
141
define therebetween a receiving slide channel
142
. The lateral plug
15
is a stepped body having a small dimension section serving as a plug section
151
.
When assembled, as shown in
FIG. 2
, the shade slat
11
is first overlaid on the top face of the lowest folding slat
102
. The pull cord
101
is passed through the cord hole
111
to extend from bottom face of the lowest folding slat
102
by a certain length. Then, the extending pull cord
101
is further passed through the cord hole
121
of the inner fitting bar
12
and the cord hole
131
of the connecting body
13
and tied on the connecting body
13
. At this time, by means of the stop of the connecting body
13
, the pull cord
101
is prevented from detaching from the cord holes
121
,
111
of the inner fitting bar
12
and the shade slat
11
. The connecting body
13
is restricted and received in the receiving channel
123
of the inner fitting bar
12
. Then, the shade slat
11
, inner fitting bar
12
and the connecting body
13
are together fitted into the receiving slide channel
142
of the lower beam
14
. The shade slat
11
is stopped by the stop strips
141
from upward separating from the lower beam
14
. Also, the lowest folding slat
102
is sandwiched between the shade slat
11
and the inner fitting bar
12
and preliminarily located. Finally, the plug sections
151
of the two lateral plugs
15
are plugged into two ends of the receiving slide channel
142
of the lower beam
14
to complete the assembly.
The above conventional structure has some shortcomings as follows:
1. The structure has numerous components. In addition, the inner fitting bar
12
has a considerable length equal to that of the folding slat
102
. Therefore, the cost for the material of such structure is relatively high.
2. The numerous components necessitate more molds so that the cost for the molds is increased. Moreover, the shade slat
11
and the inner fitting bar
12
are formed with several cord holes
111
,
121
. This complicates the manufacturing procedure.
3. When assembled, the pull cord
101
is first passed through the cord hole
111
of the shade slat
11
and then passed through the cord hole
121
of the inner fitting bar
12
and tied on the connecting body
13
. Finally, the shade slat
11
, inner fitting bar
12
and the connecting body
13
are together fitted into the lower beam
14
for restricting and fixing the folding slat
102
. These assembling steps are complicated and will lower the production efficiency. Therefore, it is impossible to mass-produce the folding blind.
4. The folding slat
102
, shade slat
11
and inner fitting bar
12
are transversely fitted into the lower beam
14
. Thereafter, they can freely transversely slide within the lower beam without restriction. It often takes place that they slip out of the lower beam
14
so that a user often needs to reassemble these components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a lower beam structure of folding blind, which has less components so that the entire structure is simplified and the cost for the material is reduced.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above lower beam structure in which the components are simplified so that the cost for the molds is reduced. Moreover, it is unnecessary to form any cord hole on the shade slat so that the manufacturing procedure is simplified and speeded.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above lower beam structure the assembling procedure of which is simplified and speeded and so that mass-production is possible.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above lower beam structure in which after located, the press body exerts a downward pressure onto the folding slat and the shade slat, whereby the folding slat and the shade slat are prevented from freely sliding within the lower beam. Therefore, the folding slat and the shade slat will not slip out of the lower beam and it is unnecessary to frequently reassemble the components.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above lower beam structure in which when the pull cord is wound in the snap notches of the press body, the pull cord is engaged in the snap notches and preliminarily fixed with the press body. Accordingly, when assembled, the pull cord is prevented from freely detaching from the press body. Therefore, the assembling procedure is facilitated and speeded.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above lower beam structure in which the press body is not only applicable to single-layer folding blind, but also applicable to double-layer folding blind. Therefore, the application range is wider.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:
REFERENCES:
patent: 2592995 (1952-04-01), Anderle
patent: 2697487 (1954-12-01), Nelson
patent: 2812022 (1957-11-01), Lawson
patent: 2861631 (1958-11-01), Anderle
patent: 4607677 (1986-08-01), Comeau
patent: 4750310 (1988-06-01), Holcombe
patent: 5918656 (1999-07-01), Daniels et al.
patent: 6062292 (2000-05-01), Bryant
Ching Feng /Blinds Ind. Co., Ltd.
Johnson Blair M.
Troxell Law Office PLLC
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