Flexible or portable closure – partition – or panel – Plural strip – slat – or panel type – Venetian blind type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-26
2003-09-16
Purol, David M. (Department: 3634)
Flexible or portable closure, partition, or panel
Plural strip, slat, or panel type
Venetian blind type
C160S17200V
Reexamination Certificate
active
06619367
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to window coverings, and more specifically, to window blinds of the type having slats, control cords, and control cord holes in the slats. These types of window blinds usually allow a peeping Tom to peer through the control cord holes even when the blinds are fully closed. The problem is compounded when the window blinds are recessed within a window casing, creating gaps along the sides between the ends of slats and the window casing sides.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are various devices designed enhancing the general performance of window blinds having slats, such as venetian blinds. These included vertical, cloth cord hole covering strips and horizontal, cloth cord hole slat strips, which were sewn together in the form of a ladder when, viewed from the side of the blind. These strips were installed at the factory, were not removable, and could not be retroactively added to existing window blinds.
Typical of other devices is U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,514 issued to Roy Felcetto on Feb. 1, 1994.
Another patent was issued to Petrus Hennequin on Oct. 7, 1980 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,455. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 2,205,156 was issued to W. A. Rowley on Jun. 18, 1940 and still yet another was issued on Apr. 11, 1939 to E. Johanson as U.S. Pat. No. 2,153,893.
Hunter Douglas (R) has new (1999) miniblinds in the prior art. These miniblinds have a slat tilt axis off-center width on the horizontal slat allowing the slat center hole to be made much smaller for deterring Peeping Toms. In viewing the cord mechanism from the side which looks like a rope ladder, the slat tilt axis is located close to the rear vertical control cord and not the center width of the slat. The rear vertical control cord is mostly stationary during a tilt operation with the front vertical control cord shifting position up and down. This improvement is only available on newly manufactured blinds. This design is in the public domain and is used by several current blind manufacturers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,514
Inventor: Roy P. Felcetto
Issued: Feb. 1, 1994
A window guard for a Venetian blind hung window consisting of oppositely disposed sleeves, the sleeves being adapted to be affixed to opposite ends of a window frame, each sleeve containing a rotator extending substantially the length of the sleeve to form an assemblage, each sleeve and rotator being slotted along their lengths, said slots permitting the slats of a venetian blind to extend within the assemblages and move reciprocally and pivotally therein, each rotator having a series of equally spaced extensions which, upon selective rotation of the rotator, prevents reciprocated and/or pivotable movement of the blind.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,455
Inventor: Petrus J. Hennequin
Issued: Oct. 7, 1980
This invention relates to a locking device for a raisable or liftable venetian blind in which the bottom rail of the venetian blind includes an end piece extending into and guided by the side housing of the blind and in which a flexible lifting member engages the end piece of the bottom rail to raise and lower the same. A spring urged pivoted latch is provided within the lower portion of the housing which automatically engages over the end piece of the bottom rail when it is in the lowered position and the tension in the lifting member is relaxed. Thus the blind is locked in the down position. When tension is applied to the lifting member to lift the blind, the lifting member moves the latch out of locking engagement with the end piece permitting the blind to be raised.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,205,156
Inventor : W. A. Rowley
Issued: Jun. 18, 1940
This invention provided securing means whereby blinds could be made substantially burglarproof. A blind's construction is provided wherein latch means are employed for securing the slats of the blinds in a fixed position against being raised or lowered.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,153,893
Inventor: E. Johanson
Issued: Nov. 19, 1938
This invention relates to clamps and provides a clamp which is especially designed for use in connection with a Venetian blind and serves releasably to hold a plurality or group of the slats of the blind against tilting during cleaning or dusting thereof.
While these devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.
Therefore, it is believed that a need exists for a vision blocking device for use on window blinds, which is unobvious, economical, removable, and retroactively installable on modern window blinds.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Objects and Advantages
A primary object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that prevents peeping Toms from gazing through the control cord holes in the slats of typical window blinds. Peeping Toms can currently peer or else video tape with telephoto lenses through the cord holes and through the edge gaps of fully closed miniblinds. For profit World Wide Web sites have been set up showing pictures of partially undressed and fully undressed unsuspecting females who have been candidly and without expressed consent been videotaped by such peeping Toms. The full video identities of these women who are people's wives, mother's and daughters are shown to a worldwide audience. Many of these sites are out of US jurisdiction, so, there is no way to legally stop this activity. The best option is to stop the activity at its source.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a device that is simple to install on existing window blind installations, without the use of special tools or expertise.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a device that is inexpensive.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a device which includes a slat cover strip and edge cover strip which can be of whatever color or pattern is necessary to properly blend with the existing window blinds and the room interior.
Another object of the present invention is to allow the clip to be of different colors to match the window blind color.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a decorator item where the slat cover strips and edge cover strips can serve to accent the solid blind color, the slat and edge cover strips can have cartoon characters to decorate children's bedrooms, the slat and edge cover strips can have a person's name or family crest, and other decorative or accent uses.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a device that allows the slat and edge cover strip to be easily removed for cleaning or altering colors of the slat and edge cover strip.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a device that is easily removable in its entirety for addition to another window blind or to change colors or patterns.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a device that does not interfere in any way with the tilt closing, tilt opening, raising or lowering of the blinds.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that prevents peeping Toms from gazing through the gaps created at the ends of the window blinds in those installations where the window blinds are recessed within a window casing.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device that detachably fastens about a window blind slat, and provides one or more loops through which a vision block member, such as a slat cover strip, is threaded, such that, when the slat is closed, the slat cover strip is positioned proximate the control cord hole in the slat about which the device is fastened.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a device that detachably fastens about the window blind slat in such a manner that the control cords are not crimped or redirected.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of
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