Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With particular frame or frame carrier
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-20
2001-06-12
Nguyen, John Q. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With particular frame or frame carrier
C242S397000, C160S171000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244532
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to lifting mechanisms and more specifically to a system and apparatus for winding a lifting cord.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Window coverings or blinds such as awnings, mini-blinds, Venetian blinds, or folded blinds generally have two or more lifting cords, one near each end of the blind. One end of each lifting cord is attached to the free end of the blind, while the other end is attached to the lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism may be as simple as a pull cord and clutch or as complex as a remote controlled motor. No matter what the lifting mechanism is, the owner of the blind desires that the free end of the blind remain level during the winding and unwinding of the blind.
Keeping the free end of the blind level is important both for esthetic and mechanical reasons. If the free end of the blind does not remain level, the most expensive decor may appear cheap. Moreover, this may be a source of irritation for the owner or operator. In addition, the chance that the lifting mechanism will jam or that there will be uneven wear on the mechanism increases when the free end of the blind does not remain level. These problems are multiplied as the length of the blinds increases or as the blinds get wider, which requires more lifting cords to be added.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and apparatus for winding a lifting cord. The device comprises a rotatable shaft, a wrapping guide and a winding drum mounted on the rotatable shaft such that the winding drum rotates with the shaft and is free to move axially along the shaft. One end of the lifting cord is attached to the winding drum. The wrapping guide is configured to engage the lifting cord such that as the shaft and winding drum rotate, the lifting cord wraps around the winding drum in even turns without overlapping and forces the winding drum to travel axially along the shaft. This means that the free end of the blind will remain level during winding and unwinding.
The present invention also provides a system for winding two or more lifting cords. The system comprises an elongated frame having a plurality of openings through which a top end of each lifting cord enters the elongated frame, a shaft rotatably fixed within the elongated frame, two or more winding drums mounted on the shaft, and two or more wrapping guides mounted within the elongated frame. Each winding drum is mounted above each opening in the elongated frame such that each winding drum rotates with the shaft and each winding drum is free to move axially along the shaft. Each lifting cord enters the elongated frame through one of the openings and attaches to one of the winding drums. Each wrapping guide is configured to engage one of the lifting cords such that as the shaft and winding drums rotate, the lifting cords wrap around the winding drums in even turns without overlapping and force the winding drums to travel axially along the shaft.
Other features and advantages of the present invention shall be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and further advantages of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGS. 1A-1D
illustrate a winding device in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 2
illustrates an alternative wrapping guide in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3
illustrates a winding device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention with a blind and tilt cord;
FIG. 4
is a close up view of the winding device in
FIG. 3
; and
FIG. 5
illustrates one end of a blind as it is being raised using one embodiment of the present invention.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4623012 (1986-11-01), Rude et al.
patent: 4955421 (1990-09-01), Torti
patent: 5070927 (1991-12-01), Chen
patent: 5103888 (1992-04-01), Nakamura
patent: 5123472 (1992-06-01), Nagashima et al.
patent: 5178200 (1993-01-01), Hagen
patent: 5184660 (1993-02-01), Jelic
patent: 5318090 (1994-06-01), Chen
patent: 5328113 (1994-07-01), de Chevron Villette et al.
patent: 5645118 (1997-07-01), Lagarde
BTX Holdings, Inc.
Gardere Wynne & Sewell LLP
Nguyen John Q.
Shiells Theodore F.
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