FOLDABLE SHEER SHADE

A foldable sheer shade includes a supporting seat, a controlling module, a shade, and a receiving device. The controlling module is disposed to the supporting seat and includes a coiling rod. The shade has an end connected to the coiling rod. The shade includes a plurality of hollow portions arranged in an axial direction. The receiving device includes a box and a limiting member coupled to the box. The limiting member extends through one of the plurality of hollow portions of the shade. A portion of the shade below the limiting member is coiled to be received in a receiving space of the box and is positioned by the limiting member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a foldable shade and, more particularly, to a foldable sheer shade.

2. Description of the Related Art

In modern interior arrangement of home, collocation of various window shades is necessary for controlling the light or creating a special atmosphere. Sheer shades have the advantages of cloth and yarn as well as the functions of venetian blinds, coilable shades, and Roman shades. Furthermore, the light shielding effect of sheer shades can be easily adjusted. Thus, sheer shades are being used more and more in interior arrangement of home.

A sheer shade can be cut to a proper length in response to the demands in various spaces or in response to personal preferences and styles as well as the decoration. However, considering the overall aesthetic after cutting and avoiding damage to the sheer shade due to improper cutting, a user often cannot cut the sheer shade by himself or herself Thus, the user must seek help from a special factory or a store, which is inconvenient in use.

In light of this, it is necessary to improve the conventional method for adjusting the length of a sheer shade.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a foldable sheer shade permitting easy use and easy operation by a user to adjust a shade of the foldable sheer shade to a proper length.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a foldable sheer shade with improved assembly convenience.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a foldable sheer shade with lower manufacturing costs.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide foldable sheer shade with improved operational smoothness.

As used herein, the term “a” or “an” for describing the number of the elements and members of the present invention is used for convenience, provides the general meaning of the scope of the present invention, and should be interpreted to include one or at least one. Furthermore, unless explicitly indicated otherwise, the concept of a single component also includes the case of plural components.

As used herein, the term “coupling”, “engagement”, “assembly”, or similar terms is used to include separation of connected members without destroying the members after connection or inseparable connection of the members after connection. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be able to select according to desired demands in the material or assembly of the members to be connected.

The sheer shade of the present invention is also known as “Shangri-La shade”.

A foldable sheer shade according to the present invention includes a supporting seat, a controlling module, a shade, and a receiving device. The controlling module is disposed to the supporting seat and includes a coiling rod. The shade has an end connected to the coiling rod. The shade includes a plurality of hollow portions arranged in an axial direction. The receiving device includes a box and a limiting member coupled to the box. The limiting member extends through one of the plurality of hollow portions of the shade. A portion of the shade below the limiting member is coiled to be received in a receiving space of the box and is positioned by the limiting member.

Thus, in the foldable sheer shade according to the present invention, the limiting member can extend through one of the plurality of hollow portions of the shade, and the portion of the shade below the limiting member can be coiled to be received in the receiving space. Then, the limiting member is coupled to the box to position the shade, preventing the coiled portion from falling out of the receiving space. Thus, the user can easily adjust the shade to a proper length through simple operation, increasing the use convenience.

In an example, the box includes two channels, and two edges of the limiting member extend into the two channels to close an opening of the box. Thus, the coiled portion of the shade received in the receiving space is prevented from falling out via the opening, increasing the use convenience.

In an example, the box includes two resilient portions forming the two channels, respectively, and the limiting member presses against the two resilient portions to extend into the two channels. Thus, the structure is simple and easy to assemble, increasing the assembly convenience.

In an example, the controlling module includes a transmission unit and an elastic element. The transmission unit includes a first transmission wheel and a second transmission wheel. Two ends of the elastic element are coupled to the first transmission wheel and the second transmission wheel, respectively. Thus, the structure is simple and easy to be manufactured, reducing the manufacturing costs.

In an example, the elastic element is an S-shaped spring, a helical spring, or a coil spring. Thus, the elastic element is easy to be obtained, reducing the manufacturing costs.

In an example, the coiling rod includes a first end. The supporting seat includes a first cap having a first coupling portion. The first end of the coiling rod is rotatably coupled to the first coupling portion of the first cap. Thus, the structure is simple and easy to be manufactured, reducing the manufacturing costs.

In an example, the controlling module includes a transmission unit having a first transmission wheel, and the coiling rod includes a second end coupled to the first transmission wheel. Thus, the coiling rod can rotate jointly with the first transmission wheel, increasing the rotational smoothness.

In an example, the first transmission wheel includes a shaft, the second end of the coiling rod is coupled to the shaft. The shaft is in a form of a non-circular post. The second end of the coiling rod is in a form of a non-circular hole. Thus, relative rotation between the coiling rod and the first transmission wheel is prevented, increasing the rotational smoothness.

In an example, the portion of the shade below the limiting member is coiled towards the limiting member to form a coiled portion. The coiled portion and the receiving device together serve as a gravity balancing portion configured to be pushed or pulled by a user. Thus, the shade can be easily pushed upwards to a completely coiled state, increasing the use convenience.

When the terms “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “up”, “down”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, “side”, and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention, rather than restricting the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference toFIG. 1, a foldable sheer shade of an embodiment according to the present invention includes a supporting seat1, a controlling module2, a shade3, and a receiving device4. The controlling module2is disposed to the supporting seat1. An end of the shade3is connected to the controlling module2. A portion of the shade3is coiled in the receiving device4.

The supporting seat1can include a first cap11and a second cap12coupled to two ends of a frame13of the supporting seat1, respectively. The first and second caps11and12are preferably made of non-metal material. In this embodiment, the first and second caps11and12are formed by plastic material to reduce the overall weight of the supporting seat1.

The first cap11can include a first coupling portion14facing the second cap12. The second cap12can include a second coupling portion15facing the first cap11and aligned with the first coupling portion14. The forms of the first and second coupling portions14and15are not limited in the present invention nor should they be restricted by the forms shown in the figures of this embodiment. In this embodiment, each of the first and second coupling portions14and15is a post.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, the controlling module2is coupled to the supporting seat1and includes a casing21and a transmission unit22. The casing21can be adjacent to the first cap11or the second cap12. In this embodiment, the casing21is adjacent to the second cap12. Furthermore, the casing21is coupled to the second cap12. The transmission unit22is received and fixed between the casing21and the second cap12.

Specifically, the transmission unit22can include a first transmission wheel23and a second transmission wheel24. The first transmission wheel23can include a shaft25extending away from the second cap12. The shaft25is formed along a central axis and is preferably in the form of a non-circular post. Furthermore, the controlling module2can include an elastic element26having two ends coupled to the first and second transmission wheels23and24of the transmission unit2, respectively. The elastic element26can have an elastic structure, such as an S-shaped spring, a helical spring, or a coil spring.

Furthermore, the controlling module2includes a coiling rod27having opposite first and second ends28and29. The first end28can be in the form of a hole. The first end28is rotatably coupled with the first coupling portion14of the first cap11, such that the coiling rod27can rotate relative to the first cap11. The second end29is coupled with the shaft25of the first transmission wheel23. The second end29can be in the form of a non-circular hole for coupling with the shaft25. Thus, the shaft25is driven to rotate when the coiling rod27rotates and vice versa, permitting joint rotation of the coiling rod27and the shaft25.

With reference toFIG. 1, the shade3is coiled around the coiling rod27of the controlling module2. An end of the shade3can be fixed to the coiling rod27. The shade3and the coiling rod27can rotate jointly, permitting the shade3to be coiled upwards or extended downwards by pulling. The shade3can include a two-layer structure to provide a light adjusting function. The shade3can include a plurality of hollow portions31arranged in an axial direction.

Specifically, the shade3can include a front board32and a rear board33. The front board32and the rear board33are substantially parallel to each other and can be made of any suitable material, such as textiles, woven, nonwoven fabrics, etc. The shade3can further include a plurality of axially arranged separation boards34connected between the front and rear boards32and33. The plurality of axially arranged separation boards34can also be made of any suitable material, such as textiles, woven, nonwoven fabrics, etc. A hollow portion31is formed between any two adjacent separation boards34and the front and rear boards32and33. The plurality of axially arranged separation boards34can be connected between the front and rear boards32and33by any suitable means, such as sewing, adhesives, fasteners, etc. The present invention is not limited in this regard. When the shade3is extended, the relative position between the front and rear boards32and33can be adjusted, such that the plurality of separation boards34can tilt to control the light passing through the shade3according to needs.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 3, the receiving device4includes a box41and a limiting member42coupled to the box41. A portion of the shade3can be coiled and received in a receiving space S of the box41. Specifically, the box41can be substantially U-shaped and have two resilient portions43forming two channels44, respectively. Furthermore, an opening45is formed between the two resilient portions43and intercommunicates with the receiving space S. The opening45can face the coiling rod27of the controlling module2.

Furthermore, the limiting member42can extend through one of the plurality of hollow portions31of the shade3. The form of the limiting member42is not limited in the present invention as long as it is configured to close the opening45of the box41. In this embodiment, the limiting member42is in the form of a plate that can press against the two resilient portions43of the box41from above, such that two edges of the limiting member42can enter the two channels44.

With reference toFIGS. 1, 3, and 4, when it is desired to adjust the shade3to a proper length, the limiting member42extends through one of the plurality of hollow portions31of the shade3, as shown inFIG. 3, and the portion of the shade3below the limiting member42is coiled towards the limiting member42to form a coiled portion35that can be adjacent to the limiting member42. Then, the coiled portion35is placed into the receiving space S. The limiting member42presses against the two resilient portions43of the box41from above, such that two edges of the limiting member42extend into the two channels44to close the opening45. Thus, the coiled portion35is positioned in the receiving space S, preventing the coiled portion35from falling out via the opening45. As a result, a user can easily adjust the shade3to a proper length through simple operation, increasing the use convenience.

With reference toFIGS. 4 and 5, the coiled portion35and the receiving device4together serve as a gravity balancing portion F like weights. The gravity balancing portion F can be pushed or pulled by a user. Specifically, when it is not necessary to block the light by the shade3, the user can pull the shade3downwards by the gravity balancing portion F. On the other hand, the user can push the gravity balancing portion F to counterbalance the pulling force resulting from the weight of the gravity balancing portion F. Thus, the weight of the gravity balancing portion F no longer creates a torque on the coiling rod27. In this case, the elastic restoring force from the elastic element26of the controlling module2still creates a torque on the first transmission wheel23, thereby driving the first transmission wheel23to rotate the coiling rod27. Thus, the shade3can be easily pushed upwards to the coiled state, such that the shade3can be in a fully coiled state shown inFIG. 5.

In view of the foregoing, in the foldable sheer shade according to the present invention, the limiting member can extend through one of the plurality of hollow portions of the shade, and the portion of the shade below the limiting member can be coiled to be received in the receiving space. Then, the limiting member is coupled to the box to position the shade, preventing the coiled portion from falling out of the receiving space. Thus, the user can easily adjust the shade to a proper length through simple operation, increasing the use convenience.