Abstract:
The invention includes apparatus for controlling the lift and tilt of a horizontal window blind. A tilting drum, conic cord-gathering shaft, torsion spring and support cradle may be combined to provide lift and tilt adjustment with a single rotational control. An angular surface near one end of the cord-gathering shaft deflects winding coils of a lifting cord down the length of the cone. The torsion spring and spring stops in the device allow tilt adjustment to take place in conjunction with the rotation of the cord-gathering shaft. The preferred embodiment includes a cord cover to guide the coils as the diameter of the cord-gathering shaft decreases.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the priority date of U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/367,308 filed on Mar. 25, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates to the field of window blinds. More specifically, the invention is a mechanism for a horizontal window blind for controlling the lift of the blind slats as well as the tilt of the blind slats.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In the construction of horizontal blinds, particularly in wood blinds, two kinds of controls are desired. The blind should have a control to lift the slats of the blind. In addition, the blind should permit control over the tilt of the slats. Traditionally, two separate operating mechanisms were used to provide the desired control. One device would exclusively control the lifting of the blind while another independent device would control the tilt position of the slats. A single mechanism controlling both functions is preferred.  
           [0004]    There are a limited number of prior art mono-controlled lifting and tilting mechanisms. One such system is disclosed in Rude et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5, 228,491. In this device, the tilting function is controlled by the position of flexible plastic arms that may be adjusted by rotation of a shaft on which the tilters are centered. A frictional relationship between the tilter and the shaft allows the flexible tilter to rotate with the shaft rotation in either direction until stopped at limit positions. However, the complex structure of the tilter, which itself provides the varying frictional force on the shaft as a function of the weight of the slats of the blind, limits the application of the device. The structure is difficult to manufacture and may not be appropriate for heavier blinds because the weight makes tilting more difficult. Moreover, when winding the lifting cord, unnecessary transverse movement in addition to rotation is utilized to manage the coils of the lifting cord.  
           [0005]    Another such system is disclosed by Marocco, U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,356. This system makes use of tape as the lifting medium. A winding reel collects the tape when the blind is lifted. However, the system does not provide a workable solution for managing a lifting cord. Moreover, tape lift systems are not practical for lifting some blinds such as large wood blinds. Inner holes in the wood have inherently very sharp edges that cause cutting of the tape and will lead to lift failure.  
           [0006]    One other known mechanism relies on the constant rotation of the shaft to achieve a tilt. In this invention, the two sides of the ladder cord are joined together in a loop and placed in a V-groove of the tilting mechanism. Constant rotation of the mechanism drags the cord along and creates a tilt. At the same time the lift cord, which is attached to the rotating shaft portion of that mechanism, gathers on the shaft. However, tilting horizontal slats with a V-groove device was never a preferred way of achieving a tilt. The positioning of the slats cannot be accurately controlled. Sometimes, especially on lightweight blinds, the device is not reliable because almost the entire weight of the blind in being supported by the lift cord. This leaves the ladder cord with out much tension in the V-groove and can lead to tilt failure.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    An objective of the invention is to provide an apparatus that can serve to lift and tilt the slats of window blind with a single user control.  
           [0008]    A further objective is to provide such a device that functions with a lifting cord without transverse motion of a winding drum.  
           [0009]    A still further objective is to provide such a device that is economical and simple to manufacture.  
           [0010]    Additional objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure of the invention that follows.  
           [0011]    The invention is an apparatus to control the lift and tilt of slats of a horizontal blind. The means for lifting includes a cord-gathering shaft which preferably is a truncated cone fixed to a lifting cord to facilitate coiling of the lifting cord when rotated. A deflecting surface positioned around one end of the shaft directs coiling of the lifting cord onto the surface of the cone and in turn moves previously wound coils across its surface towards the opposite end. With a conic surface or cone that gradually and continuously reduces in diameter, coils furthest from the deflecting surface wrap loosely while coils nearer to the deflecting surface wind tightly. The preferred embodiment of the deflecting surface is an angular one such that the coils wind at an angle less than 90 degrees relative to the central rotational axis of the cord-gathering shaft. A cover for the shaft provides a guide for the coils moving along the shaft.  
           [0012]    The apparatus also preferably includes a means for tilting the slats that works in conjunction with part of the rotation of the cord-gathering shaft. A tilting drum fixed to a ladder cord raises and lowers alternate sides of the ladder cord when a drum key on the tilting drum is forced to move by the rotation of a torsion spring frictionally wrapped on an axle portion of the cord-gathering shaft. The drum key is positioned between the moving ends of a torsion spring. The axle rests in a support with a brace to prevent longitudinal movement of the axle portion but permit rotation. A means for limiting the rotation of the torsion spring on the support limits the arc of the tilt of the slats by reducing the frictional hold of the torsion spring on the axle. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a partial cut away perspective view of the assembled components of the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is another partial cut away perspective view of the assembled components of the invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is an alternative perspective view of some of assembled components of an alternative embodiment of the invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a plan view of the cord-gathering shaft of the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the cover, tilting drum, torsion spring and cord-gathering shaft with partial sectioning of the cover and tilting drum to depict the angled surface of the invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is the side elevation partial section of the components of FIG. 6 with a lift cord;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7A is a partial side view of a preferred angled surface;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is a side plan view of a tilting drum of the invention with ladder cord and slats of a blind;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is a perspective of a headrail of a horizontal window blind;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of some components of an embodiment of the invention without features for tilting a blind;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 10 partially assembled;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 10 completely assembled. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]    As illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 4 , the invention includes a horizontal blind control that includes a tilting drum  2 , torsion spring  4 , cord-gathering shaft  6 , cord cover  8  and support cradle  10 . The components may be installed in a headrail H of a blind B. When combined with a turning shaft  12 , a clutch  13  to rotate the shaft, a ladder cord  14  or ladder tape, a lifting cord  16 , the components perform the dual functions of lifting the slats S of the blind B and/or tilting the slats S of the blind B to provide the desired level of shading or obstruction of light through a window on which the blind is installed. The preferred embodiment of each of the structures of the above components and a description of their operation are each addressed in turn.  
         [0027]    The tilting drum  2  as the name implies is a component involved in achieving the function of tilting the slats S. The tilting drum  2  is configured to rest within the support cradle  10  when combined with the cord-gathering shaft  6  such that it can tilt in the directions illustrated by line T in FIG. 8. The tilting drum  2  receives an axle end  17  of the cord-gathering shaft  6  through a cylindrical orifice  18 , about which, the tilting drum  2  can tilt. This tilting results in a proportionate raising and lowering of edges of the slats S on the ladder cord  14  when fixed to the tilting drum  2 . In general, the exterior cylindrical surface  19  of the tilting drum  2  when fixed to the ladder cord provides a strong structure for supporting the ladder cord  14  when the drum bears the load of the slats S.  
         [0028]    The tilting drum  2  has a two-sided drum key  20 . The key  20  facilitates movement of the tilting drum  2  when either end of the torsion spring  4  rotates to apply a force against a side of the drum key  20 . As such, the key  20  is fixed or integrated with the structure of the tilting drum  2 . The key&#39;s structure also protrudes from the tilting drum  2  so that it may be positioned between the two ends of the torsion spring  4 . The sides of the key  20  have sufficient surface area so as to ensure contact with either end of the torsion spring  4  upon movement of the torsion spring  4 . The functioning of the key  20  in conjunction with the torsion spring  4  is described in more detail below.  
         [0029]    The tilting drum  2  also has an angled surface  22  on one side of the drum. The surface is cylindrical ring truncated at an angle. The angled surface  22  encircles one portion of the cord-gathering shaft where the lifting cord  16  will coil. The angled surface  22  serves as a deflecting surface to move and align coils of the lifting cord  16  onto and across the cord-gathering shaft  6 . The coils will align at an angle A (shown in FIGS. 6 and 7) equivalent to the angle of the angled surface  22 . Since the tilting drum  2  will tilt partially forward or back with the rotation of the cord-gathering shaft  6 , the angled surface  22  is preferably designed so that the angular deflection of the lifting cord  16  is relatively constant regardless of the movement of the tilting drum  2  on which the angled surface  22  is incorporated. The preferred embodiment of the angled surface  22  is an acute one such that the coils wind at an angle A less than 90 degrees relative to the central rotational axis of the cord-gathering shaft.  
         [0030]    As illustrated in FIG. 7A, a preferred angle A of the angled surface  22  is derived by an imaginary right triangle with a base BT that is equivalent to the diameter of a portion of the lifting cord  16  on the surface of the cord-gathering shaft  6  and against the angled surface  22  and the vertical height VT of the length between the base BT and a point P where a second cord portion positioned on the cord-gathering shaft and against the angled surface opposite the first cord portion contacts the angled surface  22 . A portion of the angled surface  22  then forms the hypotenuse HT of the imaginary right triangle. Preferred lifting cords typically include 0.9 mm, 1.2 mm and 1.2 mm in diameter but others may be utilized. The angled alignment of coils on the cone facilitates movement of the coils when deflected along the cone and when they are unwinding from the cone. Moreover, since the coils wind about the cone at an angle, fewer turns of the cone permit more lifting cord to wind when compared to the same number of turns with coils winding perpendicularly to the central rotational axis of the cone.  
         [0031]    The torsion spring  4  is a spring of several turns. The spring&#39;s coils are formed around a diameter smaller than the diameter of the axle end  17  of the cord-gathering shaft  6  so that when the torsion spring  4  is at rest, its coils have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the axle end  17 . Thus, when the torsion spring  4  is installed on the axle end  17 , a force is stored in the torsion spring  4  that will create a frictional force against the axle end  17 . This frictional force will cause the torsion spring  4  to rotate with the rotation of the axle end  17 . Each end of the spring protrudes out from a center of the coils of the spring to form protruding spring ends  24 . The spring ends  24  have a sufficient length to contact the drum key  20  and stops  26  on the support cradle  10 . The stops  26  serve as a means for limiting the rotation of the torsion spring  4 . When one of the spring ends  24  is rotationally forced against one of the stops  26 , the torsion spring  4  will be forced to de-coil, thereby reducing the frictional force on the axle end  17 , allowing the axle end  17  to turn within the torsion spring  4 . When the force of the spring end against the stop ceases, the torsion spring  4  will re-coil to return the frictional force that coordinates movement of the torsion spring  4  with the axle end  17 .  
         [0032]    As seen in the drawings and particularly FIG. 5, the cord-gathering shaft  6  provides a structure for gathering the lifting cord  16  in coils when the slats S are lifted. The cord-gathering shaft  6  preferably includes an integrated axle end  17  and truncated cone  28 . An opening through the axle end  17  is keyed to receive the turning shaft  12  so that the cord-gathering shaft  6  rotates with the turning shaft  12 . The truncated cone  28  is the surface on which the lifting cord  16  will wind in coils. The truncated cone  28  continuously and gradually slopes from larger diameter end  30  to a smaller diameter end  32 . In a preferred embodiment, the larger diameter of the cone is approximately 0.625 inches and the smaller diameter is approximately 0.5 inches and the distance between these diameters is approximately 4.0 inches. However, the preferred slope is a one degree decline. This sloping is important because an insufficiently sloped cord-gathering shaft would impede lifting of the blind as a greater number of coils of the lifting cord gather about on a near cylindrical shaft. As discussed in more detail herein, the continuous slope provides the benefit of gradually relieving tension of the coils that wind onto the truncated cone  28  as they move from the larger diameter end  30 , where they are first tightly formed, to the smaller diameter end  32 , where they are loosely but orderly gathered.  
         [0033]    For convenience, the cord-gathering shaft  6  also has an optional cord plug  34 . The plug can serve the purpose of keeping the smaller diameter end  32  of the cord-gathering shaft  6  centered about the turning shaft  12 . It also can provide a means for fixing the lifting cord to the cord-gathering shaft  6  so that the cord will coil about the cord-gathering shaft  6  when the turning shaft  12  is turned. A notch  38  in the truncated cone  28  allows the cord plug  34  to be installed on the cord-gathering shaft while the lifting cord  16  is fixed within. Other means for fixing the lifting cord to the cord-gathering shaft will be apparent to those skilled in the art.  
         [0034]    The ordered gathering of the lifting cord  16  onto the cord-gathering shaft  6  is assisted by the additional function of an optional cord cover  8 . The cord cover  8  is a partial cylinder that may be removably attached to the cord-gathering shaft  8  by an insertion tab  33 . A slot  35  along the surface of the cord cover  8  facilitates its removal. The internal surface of the cover  8  and external surface of the truncated cone  28  form a gap  36  as best illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The distance across the gap  36  is larger than the diameter of the lifting cord  16  and preferably less than twice the diameter of the lifting cord  16 . This allows loosened coils on the cord-gathering shaft  6  to traverse the surface of the truncated cone  28  as they are forced along the truncated cone  28  without tangling or jumping between adjacent coils of the lifting cord  16 . As a result, the coils of the lifting cord  16  will generally have a diameter that is approximately equivalent to the changing diameter of the truncated cone  28  as the coils move from the larger diameter end  30  to the smaller diameter end  32 . In this way, the cord cover  8  serves as a transverse guide for the lifting cord  18  as it gathers on and near the surface of the truncated cone  28 .  
         [0035]    The support cradle  10  serves as a rotational support for the tilting drum  2  and the cord-gathering shaft  6  in the headrail. It also serves to prevent the cord-gathering shaft  6  from any longitudinal movement within the headrail of the blind. The support cradle  10  has a brace  40  in which the axle end  17  of the cord-gathering shaft will rotate. A corresponding groove  42 ,in the axle end  17  of the cord-gathering shaft  6  fits within the brace  40 . As previously noted, the support cradle  10  has stops  26  on both sides of the brace  40 . Each of the stops  26  provide a limit position for the rotation of the torsion spring  4  in the brace  40  when one of the spring ends  24  rotates to a position against one of the stops  26 . Additionally, the support cradle has a guide hole  44 . The guide hole  44  is positioned on the support cradle  10  to guide or direct the lifting cord  16  to the face of the angled surface  22  of the tilting drum  2  when the tilting drum  2  is installed within the support cradle  10 .  
         [0036]    With the exception of the torsion spring  4  and the lifting and ladder cords or ladder tape, the components of the invention are preferably made from a durable plastic in an injection molding process. The torsion spring  4  preferably is made from music wire. These and other appropriate materials for constructing the invention will be recognized by those skilled in the art.  
         [0037]    The operation of the combined components of the preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described. When a user pulls an optional control cord attached to a clutch  13  (shown in FIG. 9), the turning shaft  12  will begin to rotate in one direction. Other means for rotating the turning shaft  12  are known in the art also be combined with the invention such as a motor. This rotation of the turning shaft  12  also rotates the cord-gathering shaft  6  and its axle end  17 . As the axle end  17  rotates, the torsion spring  4  will also rotate. When one of the spring ends  24  presses against a drum key  20 , the tilting drum  2  will rotate with the torsion spring  4  and the cord-gathering shaft  6  in the support cradle  10 . This will in turn cause the slats S to tilt in a corresponding direction as one side of the ladder cord  14  or ladder tape is raised and the opposing side lowered due to the rotation of the tilting drum  4  since the ladder cord  14  is fixed to the tilting drum  4 .  
         [0038]    However, when the other of the spring ends  24  contacts one of the stops  26  on the support cradle  10 , the spring will de-coil, thus reducing the frictional force on the cord-gathering shaft. As a result, the cord-gathering shaft  6  will continue to rotate but the torsion spring  4  and tilting drum  2  will rotate no further. Consequently, no further tilt of the slats S will result with the continued rotation of the turning shaft  12  in the same direction. In this way, a partial rotation of the turning shaft  12  can serve to tilt the slats S.  
         [0039]    Since the lifting cord  16  is fixed to one end of the cord-gathering shaft  6 , the initial and continued rotation of the turning shaft  12  will cause the winding of the lifting cord  16  onto the conic surface  28  of the cord-gathering shaft. Since the lifting cord  16  passes through the guide hole  44  in the support cradle  10 , the lifting cord will begin to coil tightly near the larger diameter  30  of the conic surface  28  against the angled surface  22 . During winding, these tight coils near the angled surface  22  will provide a frictional contact around the cord-gathering shaft  6 . This frictional contact will bear the load of the slats S and with continued turning of the cord-gathering shaft  6  will raise the slats S.  
         [0040]    During continued raising, as illustrated in FIG. 7, previously wound coils of the lifting cord  16  will move across the cord-gathering shaft  6  in the direction D of the smaller diameter  32  of the conic surface  28  as they are deflected away from the angled surface  22  of the tilting drum  2  from the insertion of newly formed coils between the angled surface and the previously wound coils of the lifting cord  16 .  
         [0041]    Depending on the force of the load being lifted by the cord, as the wound coils are deflected away from the tilting drum  2 , the coils further away from the angled surface  22  will cease to provide significant frictional contact with the cord-gathering shaft  6  as the diameter of the cord-gathering shaft  6  gradually reduces. By gradually reducing the frictional hold of coils further from the angled surface  22 , the required deflection force necessary to move or slide all of the wound coils along the cord-gathering drum is decreased. This decrease also reduces the force necessary to turn the turning shaft  12 . Despite the loosening coils, the cord cover  6  maintains the coiled portions of the lifting cord in a neat, easily unwindable fashion by guiding them to have coiled diameters that are comparable to the varying diameters of the cord-gathering shaft  6 . Absent a definitive change in diameters of the cone, the cord would become difficult to wind as it gathers on the cone.  
         [0042]    In a similar manner, when the user pulls the control cord rotating the turning shaft  12  in the opposite direction, the torsion spring  4  will tighten on that axle end  17  of the cord-gathering shaft  6 . As the torsion spring rotates the other of the spring ends  24  will push on the opposite side of the drum key  20 , which will also rotate in the same direction, causing the slats S to tilt in the other direction. The rotation of the tilting drum  2  and the tilting of the slats S will stop when the other of the spring ends  24  contacts the stop  26  of the support cradle  10 . If the user continues to rotate the cord-gathering shaft, the rotation will unwind the lifting cord  16  without further tilting the slats S.  
         [0043]    The above-described invention provides many advantages over the prior art that would be recognized by those skilled in the art. Since the weight of the blind is suspended from the rigid arms of the tilting drum, and not flexible tilter arms. Tilting is advantageously achieved by an independent torsion spring. Thus, the weight of the blind does not have a great influence on tilting capability. The particular structure permits the apparatus to be installed closely to the edges of the blind, which has advantages in fabrication of vinyl slot blinds and foe-wood blinds. Furthermore, the manufacture of the components is simpler than other prior art devices. The assembly of the unit is not direction dependent, which has big advantages in narrow blinds fabrication.  
         [0044]    While the invention has been described with regard to a particular embodiment, it is to be understood that the features are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Those skilled in the art would understand that other variations can be made without departing with the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. For example, one skilled in the art would recognize that some of the components or portions thereof associated with the lifting function may be utilized independently from other components associated with the tilting function and vice versa. For example, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 depict a lifting device without corresponding structure to perform tilting of any attached slats. In this embodiment, the support cradle  10  has an angled surface  22  fixed to it rather than a tilting drum. In this embodiment, since the support cradle  10  does not move with the rotation of the cord-gathering shaft  6 , the angled surface  22  does not rotate.