Patent ID: 6394169
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: E06B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A carrier and spacer assembly for an architectural covering comprising a plurality of elongate, vertically-extending, covering portions, said assembly comprising:a longitudinally-arrayed plurality of carriers, each of which is moveable longitudinally between first and second positions and is adapted to be connected to an upper end portion of one of the covering portions; the plurality of carriers including a lead first carrier, a second carrier, adapted to be moved longitudinally by longitudinal movement of the first carrier, and a third carrier, adapted to be moved longitudinally by longitudinal movement of the second carrier; a longitudinally-extending tilt rod, along which the carriers are slidably arranged and can be moved longitudinally between the first and second positions; in one of the positions, the carriers being spaced apart along the tilt rod, and in the other position, the carriers being adjacent to one another at a longitudinal end of the tilt rod; means for pulling the first carrier along the tilt rod between the first and second positions; and means for moving the other carriers, with the first carrier, along the tilt rod between the first and second positions; the moving means including a longitudinally-arrayed plurality of longitudinally-extending spacers, each of which is provided between a pair of adjacent carriers; each spacer having a leading end portion which extends towards the first position and engages a carrier and a trailing end portion which extends towards the second position and engages an adjacent carrier; the trailing end portion of each spacer and the leading end portion of the adjacent spacer being longitudinally overlapped; wherein the leading end portion of each spacer engages a carrier at a first location to transfer a pulling force from the carrier to the spacer when the carrier is moved longitudinally towards the first position, and the trailing end portion engages an adjacent carrier at a second location to transfer the pulling force from the spacer to the adjacent carrier when the carrier is moved longitudinally towards the first position, the first location being a first lateral distance from the tilt rod and the second location being a second lateral distance from the tilt rod, the first lateral distance being greater than the second lateral distance, whereby the carriers are easier to move longitudinally towards the first position.