VENETIAN BLIND

A venetian blind includes an upper beam, a lower beam, and multiple slats arranged between the upper and lower beams and each having a through hole and a slot communicating with the through hole. Two ladder tapes link the upper and lower beams and each have a first warp, a second warp, a plurality of wefts connected between the first and second warps and supporting the slats. One of the ladder tapes has a plurality of second ring portions passing through the through holes through the slots. A first lifting cord is provided adjacent to the first warp of one of the ladder tapes, and a second lifting cord is provided adjacent to the second warp of one of the ladder tapes and passes through the second ring portions of one of the ladder tapes. As such, the present invention is structurally simple and easy to be assembled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to venetian blinds and more particularly, to a venetian blind that is structurally simple and easy to be assembled.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 7,556,080B2 discloses a window blind that has a plurality of connectors. Each of the connectors passes through the holes formed on the slats from above. Each of the connectors has a first end connected to the rear vertical portion of the ladder, and each of the connectors has a second end formed with a loop portion for a lifting cord to pass therethrough, so that the lifting cord can only be moved vertically but not transversely. In addition, after passing through the holes of the slats, the second end of the connector can be provided with a stopper formed by a metal sheet or a knot to prevent the connector from slipping off the slats.

In the prior patent, however, although the connector is flexible, the small hole diameter makes it time-consuming to pass the connector through the hole from above. Further, after the time-consuming threading operation, there is an additional step to use the metal sheet to hold the second end of the connector or to knot the second end of the connector, making the overall assembling work more difficult. Once any of the assembled slats gets damaged and needs to be replaced, it is necessary to detach the metal sheet or unknot the second end before taking further maintenance or repair actions. Hence, the prior patent is inconvenient in terms of assembling, and improvement is therefore desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a venetian blind that is structurally simple and easy to be assembled, in which its slats are prevented from excessive transverse displacement.

To attain the above objective, the venetian blind of the present invention comprises an upper beam, a lower beam, a plurality of slats, two ladder tapes, and a lifting cord assembly. The lower beam is located below the upper beam. The slats are arranged between the upper and lower beams Each of the slats has one end thereof provided with a through hole and a slot passing through the top and bottom surfaces of the slat and communicating with the through hole. The ladder tapes are connected between the upper and lower beams and each have a first warp, and a second warp opposite to the first warp, and a plurality of wefts connected between the first and second warps and supporting the bottom surfaces of the slats. Further, one of the ladder tapes has a plurality of second ring portions passing through the through holes through the slots. The lifting cord assembly includes a first lifting cord arranged adjacent to the first warp of one of the ladder tapes, and a second lifting cord arranged adjacent to the second warp of one of the ladder tapes and passing through the second ring portions of one of the ladder tapes.

It can be seen from the above that through the through holes and the slots of the slats, the venetian blind of the present invention allows the ladder tapes to be assembled with the slats conveniently and firmly without using other tools: meanwhile, the damaged slats are easily disassembled from the ladder tapes for repair or replacement. Further, the venetian blind of the present invention prevents the slats from excessive transverse displacement through the ring portions and the through holes, such that the slats40can be aligned automatically.

Preferably, the ladder tape with the second ring portions further includes a plurality of a first ring portions connected with the first warp. The first lifting cord passes through the first ring portions.

Preferably, the venetian blind further comprising two said lifting cord assemblies. The second lifting cord of one of the lifting cord assemblies passes through the second ring portions of one of the ladder tapes.

Preferably, the other of the ladder tapes further includes a plurality of first ring portions connected with the first warp. The first lifting cord of the other of the lifting cord assemblies passes through the first ring portions of the other of the ladder tapes.

Preferably, each of the slats has two ends thereof each provided with the slot and the through hole. The venetian blind further comprises two said lifting cord assemblies. The other of the ladder tapes includes a plurality of the second ring portions. The second lifting cords of the lifting cord assemblies pass through the second ring portions of the ladder tapes.

Preferably, the ladder tapes each have a plurality of first ring portions connected with the first warp. The venetian blind further comprises two said lifting cord assemblies. The first lifting cords pass through the first ring portions and the second lifting cords pass through the second ring portions.

Preferably, the slot has a first extending segment extending from a second edge of the slat in a width direction of the slat to a first edge of the slat, and a second extending segment extending from one end of the first extending segment in a length direction of the slat to the through hole. The through hole passes through the top and bottom surfaces of the slat and is located between the second edge of the slat and the second extending segment of the slot.

Preferably, the second extending segment is perpendicular to the first extending segment.

Preferably, the slot extends inclinedly from a second edge of the slat to a first edge of the slat.

Preferably, the second ring portion has an upper segment fixed to the second warp at a first position above the wefts and a lower segment fixed to the second warp at a second position spaced apart from the first position and above the wefts when the slats are in an open state and perpendicular to the second warps.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS.1and2, a venetian blind10of a first embodiment of the present invention comprises an upper beam20, a lower beam22, a plurality of slats30, two ladder tapes40, and two lifting cord assemblies50.

The upper beam20and the lower beam22are arranged in an up-down manner.

The slats30each have a top surface31, a bottom surface32opposite to the top surface31, a first edge33, a second edge34opposite to the first edge33, two through holes35through the top and bottom surfaces31,32, two openings36formed at the second edge34, and two slots37through the top and bottom surfaces31,32and each have a first extending segment372extending from the second edge34of the slat in a width direction of the slat30to the first edge33of the slat30, and a second extending segment374perpendicular to the first extending segment372and extending from one end of the first extending segment374in a length direction of the slat30to the through hole35. The through hole35is located between the second edge34of the slat30and the second extending segment374of the slot30.

As shown inFIG.3, it is worth mentioning that the slot37can be formed in an inclined manner from the second edge34of the slat30to the first edge33of the slat30. This can increase the structural strength of the slat30.

The two ladder tapes40are connected between the upper beam20and the lower beam22and each have a first warp41, a second warp42opposite to the first warp41, and a plurality of wefts43connected between the first and second warps41,42and supporting the bottom surfaces32of the slats30. In this embodiment, the ladder tapes40each have a plurality of first ring portions44connected with the first warp41and a plurality of second ring portions45connected with the second warp42. Further, the second ring portion45passes through the through hole45through the slot37and has an upper segment452fixed to the second warp42at a first position P1above the wefts43and a lower segment454fixed to the second warp42at a second position P2spaced apart from the first position P1when the slats40are in an open state S1and perpendicular to the second warps42. The second position P2can, but not limited to, be located above or below the wefts43.

The lifting cord assemblies50each include a first lifting cord51passing through the first ring portions44of one of the ladder tapes40, and a second lifting cord52passing through the second ring portions45of one of the ladder tapes40.

It can be seen from the above that through the through holes35and the slots37of the slats30, the venetian blind10of the present invention allows the ladder tapes to be assembled with the slats30conveniently and firmly without using other tools: meanwhile, the damaged slats30are easily disassembled from the ladder tapes40for repair or replacement. Further, the venetian blind10of the present invention prevents the slats30from excessive transverse displacement through the second ring portions and the through holes35, such that the slats30can be aligned automatically.

It is worth mentioning that the venetian blind10can be changeable in structure according to actual needs.

As shown inFIGS.4to6, the first ring portions44of the left and right ladder tapes40are eliminated; that is, the second lifting cords52passes through the second ring portions45of the left and right ladder tapes40, and the first lifting cords51are arranged adjacent to the first warp41of the left and right ladder tapes40.

As shown inFIGS.7to9, the first and second ring portions44,45of the right ladder tape40are eliminated; that is, the first and second lifting cords51,52of the left the lifting cord assembly50pass through the first and second ring portions44, of the left ladder tape40, and the first and second lifting cords51,52of the right the lifting cord assembly50are arranged adjacent to the first and second warp41,42of the right ladder tape40. In this embodiment, the slat30has one through hole35and one slot37at one end thereof.

As shown inFIGS.10to12, the first ring portions44of the left ladder tape and the second ring portions45of the right ladder tape40are eliminated; that is, the first lifting cord51of the left lifting cord assembly50is arranged adjacent to the first warp41of the left ladder tapes40, and the second lifting cord52of the left lifting cord assembly50passes through the second ring portions45of the left ladder tape40. The first lifting cord51of the right lifting cord assembly50passes through the first ring portions44of the right ladder tapes40, and the second lifting cord52of the right lifting cord assembly50is arranged adjacent to the second warp42of the right ladder tape40. In this embodiment, the slat30has one through hole35and one slot37at one end thereof.

As shown inFIGS.13to15, the first ring portions44of the left ladder tape40, and the first and second ring portions44,45of the right ladder tape40are eliminated; that is, the first lifting cord51of the left lifting cord assembly50is arranged adjacent to the first warp41of the left ladder tape40, and the second lifting cord52of the left lifting cord assembly50passes through the second ring portions45of the left ladder tape40. The first and second lifting cord51,52of the right lifting cord assembly50are arranged adjacent to the first and second warps41,42of the right ladder tape40. In this embodiment, the slat30has one through hole35and one slot37at one end thereof.

FIG.16shows a venetian blind12of a sixth embodiment of the present invention that comprises three ladder tapes40. As shown inFIGS.17-19, the left and right ladder tapes40include the first and second ring portions44,45, and the middle ladder tape40has no first and second portions44,45; alternatively, the second ring portions45can be provided at the left and right ladder tapes40, and the first portions44can be provided at the middle ladder tape40. As such, the venetian blind12of the present invention prevents the slats30from excessive transverse displacement through the second ring portions45and the through holes35, such that the slats30can be aligned automatically.