TAPE SPACER

Abstract: A tape spacer for securing the ladder tape of a venetian blind slat of a given width. It includes a body (10) having a length slightly greater than the width of the slat. A single hook (16) is provided on one end and two laterally spaced hooks (20 and 24) on the other end. The body is angled to position these loosely adjacent the edges and the handle (28) is then operated to spring the third hook (24) over the other edge of the slat.

Description: The present invention relates to a tape spacer for securing the ladder tape of a venetian blind to a blind slat of a given width. It is conventional in certain types of venetian blind to secure the uppermost slat firmly to the associates rungs of the ladder means such as a ladder cord usually with a spacer of generally rectangular shape, this having hooks on opposite sides of the spacer body to enable the body to be secured snugly against the associated slat, with the rung of the ladder sandwiched between the slat and the spacer body. Such a structure is illustrated in US-A-2678688. This works very satisfactorily but can be quite a difficult and time consuming operation to position the relatively small spacer on the slat which makes the fitting uneconomic, especially when used with the latest type of thin, small venetian blind slats, e.g. 12 or 18 mm in width; such positioning holds the risk of failure or slat damage. It is now proposed, according to the present invention, to provide a tape spacer for securing the ladder means of a venetian blind to a blind slat of a given width defined by first and second slat edges, said spacer comprising a body of a length slightly in excess of said given width, a single, first projecting part at one end of the body adapted to holdingly cooperate with the first edge of the slat and second and third projecting parts at the other end of the body and projecting from the same face of the body as the first part, the second and third projecting parts being laterally spaced from one another, with the first projecting part being positioned, in the lateral direction of the body between the second and third projecting parts, so that the spacing between the first and second projecting parts is equal to or slightly greater than the width of the slat to facilitate simultaneous positioning of the first and second projecting parts over the first and second slat edges, the spacer then being turnable to a position whereby the third projecting part can be made to abuttingly engage said second slat edge to hold the spacer in place. With such a structure it is relatively easy to position the first and second hooks because the distance between them is approximately equal to the width of the slat, so that one either needs only a very slight pushing force on the slat edges or none at all to put the spacer onto the slat. A simple turning of the spacer then holds these two hooks firmly in place and all that one has then to do is to bring the third hook over the second edge of the slat. This can be facilitated if the hook is mounted on a resilient arm, which is flexible towards the second hook to enable the third hook to be brought to grip the second edge with little or no slat pinching. The operation can be made even simpler if the resilient arm is provided with an extension handle, to enable a greater lever force to be exerted to bring the third hook into place, and said external handle is preferably provided with a point of weakness whereby said handle can be broken off easily after use. A spacer body can have a number of configurations, but advantageously the resilient arm is angled on one lateral side of the body towards said third hook and a rigid arm portion of said body is angled on the other lateral side towards said second hook. In order further to facilitate holding the ladder means, preferably the end portions of the body are each provided with a recess to receive the rungs of the ladder adjacent where they join the upright side members of the ladder. Advantageously said body is a generally plate-like member, preferably but not necessarily, of plastics material, which is bowed to enable it to be engaged snugly with a concave face of a bowed venetian blind slat. In order that the invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of tape spacer according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section of the spacer along the line II-II of Figure 1; and Figures 3 and 4 are schematic views showing the spacer being positioned on the lower side of a slat. Referring first to Figures 2 and 3, there is indicated therein a spacer according to the invention, including a body 10 mounted on a venetian blind slat 12 having a first edge 13 and a second edge 14. The body 10 is provided adjacent the first edge 13 with a first hook 16 bent downwardly, to project from one face of the body 10, as indicated in Figure 2. The body 10 includes a substantially rigid laterally extending body portion 18 provided with a second hook 20, similar to the hook 16 and also bent downwardly to project from the same face. A resilient arm 22 is also formed on the body 10 and is angled in the opposite direction and has, at its free edge, a third hook 24 of similar shape to the first and second hooks. A gap 26 is provided between the resilient arm 22 and the body portion 18, the arm 22 being capable of being flexed towards the second hook 20. Forming an extension to the resilient arm 22 is an external handle 28. At the point where the external handle 28 meets the resilient arm 22, there are two points of weakness 30 for a reason to be explained later. At the centre, the body 10 is provided with recess 32 for the passage of a lift cord of the venetian blind (if provided) and at the ends, the body is provided with recesses 34 for accommodating a rung of the ladder where it joins the upright side cords of the ladder. In operation, with a ladder type in place and having a ladder tape rung 36 extending across the slat, and upright cords 38 extending vertically, the spacer of the invention is positioned as shown in Figure 3 over the rung 36. In this orientation, the first hook 16 and the second hook 20 are located just outwardly of the edges 13 and 14 respectively, the distance between the hooks 16 and 20 being slightly greater than the width of the slat 12. By operation of the handle 28, the spacer is rotated anticlockwise and the first and second hooks 12 and 16 engage the edges 13 and 14 respectively. Continued operation of the handle 28 in this manner causes the arm 22 to flex inwardly, so that the third hook 24 is moved towards the second hook 20 and can thus be engaged over the edge 14 to retain the spacer in place. The handle 20 can then be broken, twisted or cut off at the points of weakness 30. The recesses 34 are then located at the junction of the ladder tape rung 36 with the upright cords 38. It will be appreciated that the positioning of the spacer of the invention is extremely simple and can be carried out much more quickly and readily than hitherto.

Claims: 1. A tape spacer securing the ladder means (36,38) of a venetian blind to a blind slat (12) of a given width defined by first and second slat edges (13,14) said spacer comprising a body (10) and first and second projecting parts (16,20) at opposite ends of said body adapted to hold and cooperate with the first and second slat edges (13,14) to retain the spacer in place, characterised in that said body (10) is of a length slightly in excess of said given width, in that said a first projecting part is a single projecting part (16) which is provided at one end of the body and adapted to hold and cooperate with said first edge (13) of the slat (12), in that said second and third projecting parts (20,24) are provided at the other end of the body (10), and projecting from the same face of the body as the first part (16), the second and third projecting parts (20,24) being laterally spaced from one another, with the first projecting part (16) being positioned, in the lateral direction of the body between the second and third projecting parts (20,24), so that the spacing between the first and second projecting parts (16,20) is equal to or slightly greater than said given width of the slat (12) to facilitate simultaneous positioning of the first and second projecting parts (16,20) on the first and second slat edges (13,14), the spacer then being turned to a position whereby the third projecting part (24) can be made to abuttingly engage said second slat edge (14) to hold the spacer in place. 2. A tape spacer according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one of the projecting part (16,20,24) has a notch or recess firmly to accommodate the associated edge (13,14) of a blind slat (12). 3. A tape spacer according to claim 2, characterised in that the projecting parts (16,20,24) are hooks. 4. A tape spacer according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the third projecting part (24) is mounted on a resilient arm (22), flexible towards the second projecting part (20), to enable the third projecting part (24) to be sprung onto said second slat edge (14). 5. A tape spacer according to claim 4, characterised in that said resilient arm (22) is provided with an extension handle (28), to enable a greater lever moment to be exerted to bring the third projecting part (24) into place. 6. A tape spacer according to claim 5, characterised in that said extension handle (28) is provided with a point of weakness (30) whereby said handle (28) can be broken off after use. 7. A tape spacer according to claim 4, 5 or 6, characterised in that said resilient arm (22) is angled to one side of the body (10), towards said third projecting part (24), and in that a rigid arm portion (18) of the body (10) is angled to the other lateral side towards said second projecting part (20). 8. A tape spacer according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the end portions of the body are each provided with a recess (34) to receive a rung (36) of the ladder means adjacent where it joins the upright side members (38) of the ladder means. 9. A tape spacer according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said body is a generally plate-like members, which is bowed to enable it to be engaged snugly with a concave face of a bowed venetian blind slat. 10. A tape spacer according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said body portion (10) is provided with at least one aperture or recess for the passage of a venetian blind lift means.

Inventors: OSKAM, HERMAN
Applicants: HUNTER DOUGLAS INDUSTRIES B.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E06B9
IPC codes: E06B9