Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Plural strip – slat – or panel type – Venetian blind type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-09
2001-06-05
Johnson, Blair M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Plural strip, slat, or panel type
Venetian blind type
C160S17610V, C160S900000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240998
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opening and closing device for a window blind, in which respective louvers are suspended on a plurality of runners, for closing the window blind by widening distances between the louvers in a louver group and opening the window blind by stacking the louvers in the louver group.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in the window blind of this type, a top or lead runner is pulled by a drive cord to sequentially draw the louvers from one by one from the louver attached to the top runner for folding the louver to open the window blind.
Therefore, when the window blind is opened up halfway, the louvers in the louver group are moved in a condition where they are stacked at the leading end of the opening to cause substantial load on a drive shaft for opening and closing the window blind, to damage the runner and/or drive shaft by wearing, or to degrade appearance.
On the other hand, in general, when a tilt shaft is pivoted by pulling a tilt cord, a carrier of all of runners extending through the tilt shaft are rotated simultaneously to vary angles of the louvers all together. When the louvers are placed in closed condition, the louvers are partially overlapped in back and forth direction constantly as viewed from the front side.
When the louver is in normal flat plate shape, partial overlap of the louvers in back and forth direction causes overlap of flat planes. This is the same even when the orientation of the louvers are turned over by reversing the front and back surfaces of the louvers by pivoting about 180° all together by the tilt shaft. In either case, it is possible to open the window blind by sequentially pulling up the louver of the top runner. On the other hand, since partial overlap of the louvers in back and forth direction is overlap of the flat planes, to be substantially the same closed condition, therefore light blocking effect and continuity of color and/or pattern as viewed from the front side are not varied.
However, as disclosed in Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. Heisei 7-14623, in case of the window blind, in which the louver is curved in opposite direction in left and right halves to be formed into cross-sectionally reversed S-shaped configuration in order to provide wavy solid appearance, louvers are overlapped with fitting the curves with each other as shown in FIG.
1
A. On the other hand, when the front and back surfaces of the louvers
4
are reversed by pivoting in the direction shown by arrow over about 180° all together by the tilt shaft, curves are mated in back-to-back relationship as shown in FIG.
1
B. In either case of
FIGS. 1A and 1B
, when the window blind is opened by pulling from the louver coupled with the top runner in these conditions, a difficulty is encountered. Also, gaps are formed between adjacent louvers to cause degradation of light blocking effect. Furthermore, the gaps are perceived as large step as viewed from the front side to potentially degrade continuity of color and/or pattern.
In the condition shown in
FIG. 1B
, it becomes possible to establish overlapping direction with fitting the curves similarly to
FIG. 1A
, by further pivoting the louvers
4
in the same direction to forcedly switch back and force positional relationship of portions mutually located in back to back relationship. However, by simultaneous pivot motion by the tilt shaft, it is not possible to reverse the louver all together to the position where the back and forth positional relationship of the portions of the louvers is switched. Therefore, it is not possible to reverse the louvers to the position same as FIG.
1
A.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the first object of the present invention to provide a window blind opening and closing device which can permits sequential drawing of louvers in a louver group from an end runner side opposite to the prior art to solve problems of damaging of runners and a drive shaft due to wearing, can provide good appearance, and can open and close the window blind without interference even with the window blind using shaped louver in reversed S-shaped configuration in cross section.
It is the second object of the present invention to establish the same condition as reversed front and back surfaces of the louver as the condition where the louvers are not reversed even with the window blind using shaped louver in reversed S-shaped configuration in cross section.
According to the present invention, an opening and closing device for a window blind, in which louvers are hanged on carriers respectively carried by runners in a runner group traveling along a rail for opening and closing the group of louvers, and the carriers are rotated by a tilt shaft extending through the runner group for varying orientation of the louvers in unison, comprises:
a runner driving endless belt for driving an endless belt;
runner connecting portions provided with a given interval on the runner driving endless belt;
belt connecting pins provided in respective runners and movable between engaging positions to engage with the runner connecting portions and retracted positions released away from the runner connecting portions;
springs for biasing respective of the belt connecting pins to the engaging positions for engaging with the runner connecting portion;
means for defining receptacle openings on rear surfaces in traveling direction of respective runners; and
belt connecting pins actuating projection provided on front surfaces of the runners and entering into the receptacle openings to drive the belt connecting pins to the retracted position against a force exerted by the spring when one preceding runner is stacked on one runner.
With the construction set forth above, by driving the runner driving endless belt to circulate in one direction to stop the end runner at first. Then, the second runner approaches the end runner to be stacked thereon. Into the receptacle opening of the second runner, the belt connecting pin actuating projection is projected to drive the belt connection pin of the second runner to retract to release from the runner connecting portion of the runner driving endless belt to stop the second runner in the condition stacked with the end runner. The runner driving endless belt is further driven in the same direction to circulate to stop the third runner with neatly stacking on the second runner. Into the receptacle opening of the third runner, the belt connecting pin actuating projection is projected to drive the belt connection pin of the third runner to retract to release from the runner connecting portion of the runner driving endless belt to stop the third runner in the condition stacked with the end runner.
Accordingly, the louver group can be sequentially folded forwardly from the end runner.
In the preferred construction, the runner connecting portions of the runner driving endless belt may be holes.
A pinion rotatable about the tilt shaft for varying orientation of the louvers in the louver group in unison and a cam for rotating the pinion with engaging with the belt connecting pin actuating projection projecting from the receptacle opening, may be provided within each runner and a rack portion meshing with the pinion may be provided on the belt connecting pin. Also, a cam engaging with the belt connecting pin actuating projection projecting from the receptacle opening for retracting the belt connecting pin against the spring, may be provided in the belt connecting pin.
An end stopper is fixed to one end in the rail and a belt connecting pin actuating projection may be provided for retracting the belt connecting pin by projecting into the end runner into the receptacle opening.
A runner restricting stopper is provided on a top runner arranged at the leading end among the runners for restricting travel of the top runner relative to the rail and releasing from restricted state, and stopper actuating member may be provided on the top runner for actuating the runner restricting stopper to a travel restricting
Johnson Blair M.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Yugengaisha Misuzu
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