Abstract:
A method and a device for quickly feeding slats transversely into U-shaped troughs, simultaneously inserting multiple slats into ladder cords, staking the stringed slats, and spacing the assemblies of stringed slats for easy handling are disclosed. The device uses a slat dispatcher and sucking roller to place the slats into U-shaped troughs. Then the salts are transversely pushed into inter-rung openings of ladder cords at the same time. The slats stringed by the ladder cords as an assembly are collected upward and piled. The piled assemblies are spaced for easy handling.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to manufacturing of window blinds, and more particularly, to a method and a device for quickly feeding slats transversely into U-shaped troughs, simultaneously inserting multiple slats into ladder cords, staking the stringed slats, and spacing the assemblies of stringed slats for easy handling. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Suspensible horizontal window blinds have long been popular among consumers for their pleasing appearances and easy operation. The fact that such a device has not been completely replaced over so many years since its first introduction demonstrates its economical and practical values. 
         [0005]    As known, a horizontal window blind is typically composed of slats that are stringed and hung by two to four ladder cords. By operating a rotating drum atop the ladder cords, the slats can be rotate to allow light to pass between the slats or to overlap and block light. A control cord vertically linking the slats is provided for a user to operate, thereby downward spreading or upward collecting the slats. 
         [0006]    Throughout manufacturing process for such a horizontal window blind, it is the most labor-consuming procedure to insert numerous slats, one by one, into two to four ladder cords that hang the slats. To date, this procedure still mainly relies on manual operation. While a mach for assembling slats was designed many years ago, the machine still has to insert slats to ladder cords one by one, and its shortcomings include: 
         [0007]    1. Numerous slats have to be successively arranged through complicated steps with low efficiency. For example, to make a window blind with 36 slats, the machine has to operate its shuttle 36 times. 
         [0008]    2. For assembling slats of different numbers or different lengths, the machine has to reset jigs and operating programs, being inconvenient. 
         [0009]    3. The machine is structurally complicated. In case of slat jamming or operation interruption, the troubleshooting is usually time-consuming, thus delaying manufacturing. 
         [0010]    4. Each of this kind of machines requires an exclusive operator to operate and monitor, causing increased labor costs. 
         [0011]    5. The stringed slat assembly is loose so it has to be removed from the machine manually and is unfavorable for subsequent processing. 
         [0012]    In view that the traditional assembling processes are far from being satisfying to the modern times where accuracy, efficiency and profitability are required everywhere, the inventor of the present invention has taken long time in research and development before herein proposing an improved assembling machine and method for making window blinds. The disclosed method and device for transverse slat feeding, multi-slat stringing, stringed slat piling and slat assembly spacing for manufacturing of window blinds allow plural slats to be transversely inserted to ladder cords in a single operation, and allow slat assemblies stringed by ladder cords to be piled up for separate storage that facilitates subsequent processing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    In order to improve the known technology for window blind assembling, the present invention uses a slat dispatcher to stack a plurality of slats in a slat cradle and a sucking roller next to the cradle to suck the slats on by one successively. The sucked slats are placed into vertically aligned U-shaped troughs, respectively. 
         [0014]    The present invention further has a piling unit that includes piling supporters. When raised, the piling supporters positions ladder cords. After the slats are dispatched, a pushing board behind the U-shaped troughs horizontally pushes the slats from the U-shaped troughs to between rungs of the ladder cords. Then the piling supporters of the piling unit lift to prop up the slats stringed by the ladder cords, thereby forming piled assemblies of stringed slat. 
         [0015]    Then, a spacing unit before the stringed and piled slats uses its spacing pins on its chains to separate the piled slat assemblies, so that a worker can easily handle the piled slat assembly with his/her single hand, thereby facilitating subsequent processing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is also a perspective view of the present invention, taken from a different viewpoint; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of main components of a slat dispatching unit, a slat stringing unit and a piling unit the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a slat dispatcher of the slat dispatching unit of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the slat dispatcher of the slat dispatching unit of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of main components of the slat dispatching unit and the piling unit of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  illustrates slat inserting operation of the slat dispatching unit and slat stringing unit of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  illustrates slat inserting operation of the slat dispatching unit and slat stringing unit of the present invention from a different viewpoint; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are perspective drawings illustrating slat piling operation of the piling unit of the present invention; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a side drawing illustrating slat piling operation of the piling unit of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    According to the present invention, a method and device for transverse slat feeding, multi-slat stringing, stringed slat piling and slat assembly spacing for manufacturing a window blind are herein described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the device of the present invention has a machine base  1  on which a slat dispatching unit  2 , a slat stringing unit  3 , a piling unit  4  and a spacing unit  5  are provided. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the slat dispatching unit  2  on the machine base  1  has a pair of symmetrical posts  21  and  21 ′. One of the posts is provided with a control panel  211 . A rotatory shaft  23  is hung between the posts  21  and  21 ′ and driven by a servomotor M 1 . The rotatory shaft  23  has two ends equipped with rolling wheels  24  and  24 ′. The posts  21  and  21 ′ are atop installed with rolling wheels  25  and  25 ′. Belts  26  and  26 ′ are mounted around each pair of the vertically aligned rolling wheels  24 ,  24 ′ and  25 ,  25 ′. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a slat dispatcher  27  is arranged between the belts  26  and  26 ′. The slat dispatcher  27  has a front edge equipped with a slat cradle  271  for receiving plural stacked slats S 1  to be stringed, and has one side provided with a sucking roller  273  receiving air from an air compressor and driven by a servomotor M 2  through a belt pulley  272 . The sucking roller  273  is hollow and peripherally formed with equidistant sucking vents  274 . The slat dispatcher  27  further has a transverse rod  275  close to the sucking roller  273 . The transverse rod  275  comprises a plurality of evacuating pins  276 . In addition, an evacuating finger  277  is deposited below the sucking roller  273 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , a slat stringing unit  3  is settled on the machine base  1  beside the sucking roller  273 . The slat stringing unit  3  comprises a pillar  31  and a pushing board  34 . The pillar  31  holds vertically aligned, equidistant U-shaped troughs  32 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , a sliding guide  33  is arranged on the machine base  1  corresponding to the U-shaped troughs  32 . The pushing board  34  is installed in the sliding guide  33  to be driven by a servomotor M 3  through a belt pulley  35 . The pushing board  34  stretches into each said U-shaped trough  32 . 
         [0032]    As can be seen in  FIG. 7 , a piling unit  4  is upright set on the machine base  1  corresponding to the U-shaped troughs  32 . The piling unit comprises abreast frames  41  and  41 ′. The frames  41  and  41 ′ are linked by a rotatory shaft  43  that is driven by a servomotor M 4 . The rotatory shaft  43  has two ends equipped with rolling wheels  44  and  44 ′ while the frames  41  and  41 ′ are atop installed with rolling wheels  45  and  45 ′, respectively. Belts  46  and  46 ′ link the vertically aligned rolling wheels  44 ,  44 ′ and  45 ,  45 ′. Each of the belts  46 ,  46 ′ is affixed with a piling supporter  47  or  47 ′. 
         [0033]    Before each of the frames  41  and  41 ′, there are ladder-cord rolling wheels  48 ,  48 ′ and  48 ″ coming as a set for guiding an introduced ladder cord W. At the beginning, a slat S 1  to be assembled is inserted between rungs of the ladder cords W and then supported by spacing pins  57 ,  57 ′ of a spacing unit  5 , which will be illustrated in detail below. Thereby, the ladder cords W are suspended upright such that each inter-rung opening of the ladder cords W is aligned accurately with one said U-shaped trough  32  and one pair of slat-guiding members  49 ,  49 ′. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  9 ,  10  and  11 , the spacing unit  5  is set on the machine base  1  in front of the piling unit  4 . The spacing unit  5  has abreast slanting frames  51 ,  51 ′ quantitatively equal to the frames  41 ,  41 ′ of the piling unit  4 . The slanting frames  51 ,  51 ′ support therebetween a rotatory shaft  53  driven by a servomotor M 5 . The rotatory shaft  53  has two ends equipped with gear wheels  54  and  54 ′ while the two slanting frames  51 ,  51 ′ are atop provided with gear wheels  55  and  55 ′, respectively. Chains  56  and  56 ′ link the vertically aligned gear wheels  54 ,  54 ′ and  55 ,  55 ′. The chains have equidistant spacing pins  57  and  57 ′. The two sets of gear wheels  54 ,  55  and  54 ′,  55 ′ are set slantwise so that their upper ends are close to the top of the piling unit  4 . 
         [0035]    Between the frames  41 ,  41 ′ of the piling unit  4  and the slanting frames  51 ,  51 ′of the spacing unit  5 , there are equidistant slat-guiding members  49  and  49 ′ for guiding the slats into the ladder cords and supporting the inserted slats S 2 . 
         [0036]    The servomotors M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 , M 5  and the control panel  211  are electrically connected to a control circuit so that the control circuit uses its built-in programs and circuit to control the servomotors M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4  and M 5  to start, to operate or to stop. 
         [0037]    In operation, for initiating the assembling process, a slat S 1  to be assembled is set in inter-rung openings of the ladder cords W and placed on the spacing pins  57  and  57 ′ of the spacing unit  5  so that the ladder cords W are hung upright with each of their inter-rung openings accurately aligned with one said U-shaped trough  32  and a set of the slat-guiding members  49  and  49 ′. Then, plural slats S 1  to be assembled are stacked in the slat cradle  271  of the slat dispatcher  27 . 
         [0038]    By operating a switch on the control panel  211 , the servomotor M 1  of the slat dispatching unit  2  is driven to rotate the rotatory shaft  23  and in turn the belts  26  and  26 ′ so as to lift the slat dispatcher  27  to a standby position. Then the sucking roller  273  of the slat dispatcher  27  sucks air while rotated by the belt pulley  272  driven by the servomotor M 2 . As the sucking roller  273  rotates and takes in air, the bottommost one of the slats S 1  stacked in the slat cradle  271  is attached to and move downward with the rolling sucking roller  273 . In virtue of the evacuating pin  276 , there is only one slat S 1  sucked at one time. When the slat S 1  is conveyed to a lower position, the evacuating finger  277  below the sucking roller  273  evacuates the slat S 1  from the sucking vents  274  of the sucking roller  273 , so that the slat S 1  falls into the upmost one of the vertically aligned U-shaped troughs  32 . The slat dispatcher  27  then lowers more each time according to the interval between the U-shaped troughs  32  ad repeats the foregoing operation, until each of the U-shaped troughs  32  receives a slat. Afterward, the slat dispatcher  27  lifts and returns to its standby position. 
         [0039]    Subsequently, the servomotor M 3  activates to drive the belt pulley  35 , so that the pushing board  34  stretching into all the U-shaped troughs  32  makes all the slats S 1  in the U-shaped troughs  32  move toward the piling unit  4 , and makes each of the slats S 1  accurately enter the corresponding inter-rung openings of the ladder cords W along the slat-guiding members  49  and  49 ′, thereby accomplishing one multi-slat stringing. After the slats S 1  are inserted into the ladder cords W, the pushing board  34  returns to its standby position. 
         [0040]    After the foregoing multi-slat stringing work, the servomotor M 4  drives the rotatory shaft  43  and the belts  46 ,  46 ′of the piling unit  4 , and makes the piling supporters  47  and  47 ′ receiving the bottommost stringed slat S 2  move upward, so that all the slats stringed by the ladder cords W are collected upward to form a piled assembly of stringed slats S 3 . Afterward, the piling supporters  47  and  47 ′ return to their standby position. 
         [0041]    At this time, the servomotor M 5  of the spacing unit  5  in front of the piling unit  4  drives the slanting chains  56  and  56 ′ to move, and makes the spacing pins  57  and  57 ′ that are most closet to and now supporting the piled assembly of stringed slats S 3  to move forward while the piling supporters  47  and  47 ′ of the piling unit  4  return to their standby position. Thereby, plural piled assemblies of stringed slats S 3  are separated, so that a worker can easily cut the ladder cords W and handle one piled assembly of stringed slats S 3  with his/her one hand. The piled assembly of stringed slats S 3  facilitates handling and subsequent processing. The invention thus achieves transverse slat feeding, multi-slat stringing, stringed slat piling and slat assembly spacing in the manufacturing of window blinds.