A PIECE OF CLOTH FOR DECORATING A ROLLER BLIND, A KIT OF SUCH PIECES AND A ROLLER BLIND

Abstract: The roller blind is for use in connection with roof windows mounted in pitched roofs and comprises a preferably spring-loaded roller tube (1) which is mountable at the top of the frame or sash structure of the window and a flexible roller blind cloth (2) rolled up thereon as well as means for retaining the roller blind cloth (2) when rolled out against the spring-load on the roller tube (1) at least in a fully rolled-out condition of the roller blind cloth (2), in which the roller blind cloth (2) in at least a comparatively narrow, ribbon-shaped zone (4) in parallel with the roller tuber (1) is designed for fastening an edge portion of an additional cloth (3) of flexible material, such that the additional cloth (3) when the roller blind cloth (2) is rolled out, will hang freely down therefrom and when the roller blind is rolled up follow the roller blind cloth (2) during its rolling up on the roller tube (1).

Description: A PIECE OF CLOTH FOR DECORATING A ROLLER BLIND, A KIT OF SUCH PIECES AND A ROLLER BLIND The present invention relates to a piece of cloth of flexible material. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a roller blind for use in connection with roof windows mounted in pitched roofs, comprising a preferably spring-loaded roller tube which is mountable at the top of the frame or sash structure of the window and a flexible roller blind cloth rolled up thereon as well as means for retaining the roller blind cloth when rolled out against the spring-load on the roller tube at least in a fully rolled out condition of the cloth. Such a roller blind is a common thing for many people in their everyday life. It is known to provide such roller blinds with pictures, patterns and/or colours to give them an attractive apperance in rolled out or rolled down condition. Thus a polyester strip having adhesive on both sides for use in connection with adhesion of decorative material on a roller blind is known from US-A-4 907 636. Furthermore, US-A-5 400 848 discloses a translu¬ cent, but not transparent roller blind formed from a cloth on which a number of decorative figures has been glued/mounted, said figures partially overlapping, whereby a blind surface of varying layer thickness and subsequently translucency is obtained, as the decor¬ ative figures are also translucent. US-A-5 203 395 discloses an adjustable width window shade having a gathered ruffle at the bottom portion thereof. The ruffle is at one end detachable in view of the adjustment. It will not be able to roll up along with the shade on account of its thickness. DK-C-64631 discloses a roller blind with transmitting openings, which blind hangs down verti¬ cally. A piece of a laterally displaceable cloth with corresponding light transmitting openings is suspended on the roller blind with the purpose through its lateral displacement of opening or closing the light transmitting openings of the roller blind. The lat¬ erally displaceable piece of cloth is not decorated and serves no decorative purpose. The object of the present invention is to provide further possibilities of decorating a roller blind. This is according to a first aspect of the inven¬ tion obtained by means of a piece of cloth of flexible material which is characterized in being decorated and having a top edge portion which is horizontal relative to the decoration and which is adapted to be fastened to the cloth of a roller blind such that the piece of cloth when the roller blind cloth is unrolled will hang freely down therefrom and which when the roller blind is rolled up will follow the roller blind cloth during its rolling up on its roller tube. The upper edge portion is preferably provided with fastening means such as for instance an adhesive, a zip, Velcro tape, snap fasteners or the like. Preferably several such pieces of cloth constitute a kit. The object is met according to a second aspect of the invention by means of a roller blind of the type stated by way of introduction, which roller blind is characterized in that the cloth in at least a compara¬ tively narrow, ribbon-shaped zone in parallel with the roller tube is designed for fastening an edge portion of an additional cloth of flexible material, such that the additional cloth when the roller blind cloth iε rolled out, will hang freely down therefrom and when the roller blind is rolled up follow the roller blind cloth during its rolling up on the roller tube. Hereby is obtained that an additional cloth with a decorative appearance can be mounted on the cloth of the roller blind, whereby an additional decorative effect is obtained. The roller blind cloth and the additional cloth may in said zone or edge portion, respectively, be provided with means for detachable fastening of the additional cloth, which means may comprise a zip, snap fasteners, Velcro tape, adhesive tapes or the like. Hereby is obtained that the additional cloth and consequently its decorative effect may be renewed. The object of the invention is met according to a third aspect in that the blind is provided with at least one additional cloth of flexible material fas¬ tened in a zone in parallel with the roller tube in such a way that the additional cloth when the roller blind cloth is rolled out will hang freely down there¬ from and when the roller blind cloth is rolled up it will follow the roller blind cloth during its rolling up on the roller tube. The difference between the three aspects is popularly speaking that according to the first aspect decorative pieces of cloth are provided which may be mounted on a roller blind, whereas a roller blind according to the second aspect is prepared for the fastening of such an additional decorative piece of cloth, which according to the third aspect is fastened. The roller blind cloth is preferably provided with several of said zones which are preferably positioned such that the one or the additional cloths, when the roller blind cloth is rolled out, is/are fastened thereto at substantially equally spaced distances within an area which from the roller tube extends downwards to approx. 2/3 of the fully rolled out length of the roller blind cloth. Hereby, the opportunity is provided for mounting several additional pieces of cloth, whereby a spatial effect is obtainable which corresponds to the one known from theatre coulisses. The effect may be further enhanced by suitable deco¬ ration of the cloth of the roller blind itself. When the cloth of the roller blind according to the second aspect of the invention is designed for the fastening of a further cloth, it is to be understood that there are position indications in form of markings for the placing of the edge area of the additional cloth when it is to be fastened, for instance by sowing or gluing, or the roller blind cloth is provided with said means for detachable fastening of the additional cloth. The reason why the additional cloth is to be fastened in a zone in parallel with the roller tube is that an additional cloth fastened in an oblique zone would give problems at the rolling up, because the obliquely fastened cloth would be prone to cause a skew rolling up of the roller blind cloth on the roller tube. It is, however, to be understood that a small deviation from strictly parallel will not impede the rolling up of the roller blind and therefore falls within the scope of the invention. In respect of the number of additional cloths and their fastening means, the number is only limited by the consideration that at a given use there may be limited room for the roller tube with fully rolled up roller blind. It is to be understood that the additional cloth may extend over a bigger or smaller width of the roller blind, provided that it or they, if several are placed in a row, be placed symmetrically relative to the centre of the roller blind, as problems may otherwise arise in form of a skew rolling up. It should further be understood that the addi- tional cloth may be slit, for instance in form of frills. The invention will now be explained in detail by means of an example of an embodiment with reference to the drawing, the sole figure of which schematically shows a perspective view of a rolled down roller blind in an imaginary window. The figure shows a roller blind known per se with a roller tube 1 and a roller blind cloth fastened thereon, said roller blind cloth being in this case rolled out. The roller tube 11 may be spring-loaded in order to roll up the roller blind cloth 2 or a cord control (not shown) of known type may be provided for rolling up and/or rolling down the roller blind cloth 2. On the roller blind cloth three additional pieces of cloth 3 are fastened, said pieces being fastened to the roller blind cloth 2 in narrow lanes 4 in parallel with the roller tube 1. The additional cloths 3 have different shape and impression or painting, thus providing together a three-dimensional picture when hanging down from the roller blind cloth 2. The cloths 3 are of a flexible material such that they may follow the roller blind cloth 2 during its rolling up on the roller tube 1. The cloths may be permanently or detachably fastened in any suitable way.

Claims: P A T E N T C L A I M S 1. A piece of cloth of flexible material c h a r¬ a c t e r i z e d in being decorated and having a top edge portion which is horizontal relative to the decoration and which is adapted to be fastened to the cloth (2) of a roller blind such that the piece of cloth (3) when the roller blind cloth (2) is unrolled will hang freely down therefrom and which when the roller blind is rolled up will follow the roller blind cloth (2) during its rolling up on its roller tube (1) . 2. A piece of cloth according to claim l, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the upper edge portion is provided with fastening means such as for instance an adhesive, a zip, Velcro tape, snap fas- teners or the like 3. A kit consisting of several pieces of cloth according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that different pieces of cloth are adapted to be fastened at varying distance from one end of the roller blind in the rolling down direction. 4. A roller blind for use in connection with roof windows mounted in pitched roofs, comprising a prefer¬ ably spring-loaded roller tube (1) which is mountable at the top of the frame or sash structure of the window and a flexible roller blind cloth (2) rolled up thereon as well as means for retaining the roller blind cloth (2) when rolled out against the spring-load on the roller tube (1) at least in a fully rolled out condi¬ tion of the roller blind cloth (2), c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that the cloth (2) in at lest a compara¬ tively narrow, ribbon-shaped zone (4) in parallel with the roller tube (1) is designed for fastening an edge portion of an additional cloth (3) of flexible material, such that the additional cloth (3) when the roller blind cloth (2) is rolled out, will hang freely down therefrom and when the blind is rolled up follow the roller blind cloth (2) during its rolling up on the roller tube (1) . 5. A roller blind according to claim 4, c h a r - S a c t e r i z e d in that the roller blind cloth (2) and the additional cloth (3) in said zone (4) or edge portion, respectively, are provided with means for detachable fastening of the additional cloth, which means may comprise a zip, snap fasteners, Velcro tape, 0 adhesive tapes or the like. 6. A roller blind for use in connection with roof windows mounted in pitched roofs, comprising a prefer¬ ably spring-loaded roller tube (1) which is mountable at the top of the frame or sash structure of the window 5 and a flexible roller blind cloth (2) rolled up thereon as well as means for retaining the roller blind cloth (2) when rolled out against the spring-load on the roller tube (1) at least in a fully rolled out condi¬ tion of the cloth (2), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in 0 that the roller blind cloth (2) is provided with at leaεt one additional cloth (3) of flexible material fastened in a zone (4) in parallel with the roller tube (1) in such a way that the additional cloth (3) when the roller blind cloth (2) is rolled out will hang 5 freely down therefrom and when the roller blind cloth (2) is rolled up it will follow the roller blind cloth (2) during its rolling up on the roller tube (1) . 7. A roller blind according to claimε 4-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the roller blind 0 cloth (2) is provided with several of said zones (4) . 8. A roller blind according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said zones (4) are preferably positioned such that the one or the addi¬ tional cloths (3) , when the roller blind cloth (2) is 5 rolled out, is/are faεtened thereto at substantially equally spaced distances within an area which from the roller tube (1) extends downwards to approx. 2/3 of the fully rolled out length of the roller blind cloth (2) .

Inventors: MOELLER BRENT, MOELLER, BRENT
Applicants: MOELLER BRENT, RASMUSSEN KANN IND AS, MOELLER, BRENT, V. KANN RASMUSSEN INDUSTRI A/S
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E06B9
IPC codes: A47G5, A47H23, E06B9