Abstract:
A window assembly comprising a window frame and a window sash is disclosed. The sash is supported on the window frame for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position. The sash supports an insulated glass unit with an internal blind and includes a primary operator connected to the blind so that linear movement of the primary operator causes movement of said blind. When the sash is closed, a secondary operator supported in the window frame engages the primary operator so that linear movement of the secondary operator causes a corresponding linear movement of the primary operator.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention concerns the field of fenestration products and, more specifically, to windows provided with internal Venetian blinds and operators therefor. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     In a prior art search directed to the subject invention, the following US Patents were noted: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,401,790; 5,699,845; 5,497,820; 4,913,213; 4,611,648; 4,274,469; 3,366,159; and 2,878,667. In addition, UK Patent Application No. 2,252,349 was noted. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an inside operator for controlling a primary operator for controlling a Venetian type blind that is in an insulated glass unit comprising two spaced glass panes. The insulated glass unit is supported in a sash frame which is supported on a window frame for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, as is the case, for example, with casement type windows and awning type windows. The primary operator may be one that controls the tilt orientation of the Venetian type blind slats or one that controls the vertical position of the bottom of the blind so as to raise and lower the blind. The primary operator is carried in the sash frame. The primary operator is supported in a longitudinally extending slot for longitudinal movement therein and may be operably connected to a slat tilt mechanism so that longitudinal movement of the primary operator effects a corresponding change in the tilt orientation of the slats. Alternatively, the primary operator may be operably connected to a mechanism for raising and lowering the blind so that longitudinal movement of the primary operator raises or lowers the blind. From the inside of the window frame, access to the primary operator is limited and access often requires the removal of a screen or a storm window from the window frame. 
     The inside operator is carried in the window frame and is supported for longitudinal movement within a longitudinally extending slot. When the window sash is open, the inside operator does not engage the primary operator and longitudinal movement of the inside operator has no effect on the position of the primary operator provided in the window sash. When the window sash is closed, arms or prongs provided on the inside operator operably engage a boss portion of the primary operator so that, when the primary operator and the inside operator are aligned, longitudinal movement of the inside operator effects a corresponding longitudinal movement of the primary operator. When the window sash is closed and the operators are not aligned, longitudinal movement of the inside operator will bring the operators into alignment so that the prongs engage the boss and subsequent longitudinal movement of the inside operator effects a corresponding movement of the primary operator. In the case where the primary operator is operably connected to a slat tilt mechanism, longitudinal movement of the inside operator, when the window sash is closed and the inside operator and the primary operator are aligned, effects a corresponding change in the tilt orientation of the slats. In the case where the primary operator is operably connected to a mechanism for raising and lowering the blind, longitudinal movement of the inside operator, when the window sash is closed and the operators are aligned, raises or lowers the blind. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an operator for controlling a Venetian type blind carried in a pivoting window sash, even when access to the sash is restricted, for example, by a screen or a storm window. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an inside operator for controlling the longitudinal position of a primary operator which is operably connected to a tilt mechanism for controlling the tilt orientation of the slats of a Venetian type blind carried in a pivoting window sash. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an inside operator for controlling the longitudinal position of a primary operator which is operably connected to a mechanism for raising or lowering a Venetian type blind carried in a pivoting window sash. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an inside operator with arms or prongs that are operable to engage a boss provided on a primary operator so that longitudinal movement of the inside operator effects a corresponding longitudinal movement of the primary operator. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an inside operator with arms that engage a boss on a primary operator when they are aligned wherein longitudinal movement of the inside operator when the boss and the arms are not aligned will bring the arms and the boss into alignment and engagement. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an inside operator that can be moved longitudinally to control the tilt orientation of the slats of a Venetian type blind carried in a casement window sash without the need to remove a screen or other object that effectively closes the casement window frame. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an inside operator that can be moved longitudinally to raise or lower a Venetian type blind carried in a pivoting window sash without the need to remove a screen or a storm window or another object that effectively closes the pivoting window frame. 
     These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by persons skilled in the art who study the following description and the accompanying drawings which, although thorough, are merely illustrative. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an inside view of a casement type window unit including a Venetian type blind in between panes of glass in an insulated glass unit in the casement window sash. 
         FIG. 2  is an upper perspective view of the casement window unit with the sash in an open position. 
         FIG. 3  is an inside view of the casement window unit shown in  FIG. 1  with the slats of the Venetian type blind in an open tilt orientation. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an inside operator according to one example of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is atop view of an inside operator aligned with a primary operator in a first position. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of an inside operator aligned with a primary operator in a second position. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of an inside operator not aligned with a primary operator. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of an inside operator touching but not aligned with a primary operator. 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of an inside operator touching and nearly aligned with a primary operator. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of an inside operator aligned with a primary operator. 
         FIG. 11  is an upper perspective view of a window unit with a pivoting window sash in an open position with an internal Venetian type blind with slats in an open tilt orientation. 
         FIG. 12  is an upper perspective view of a window unit with a pivoting window sash in an open position with an internal Venetian type blind with slats in a closed tilt orientation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , a window unit of the pivoting casement type is indicated generally at  10 . The window  10  comprises a window frame  12  and a sash  14  mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis relative to the window frame  12 . The invention also can be embodied in a window unit having a sash  14  that pivots about a horizontal axis such as an awning type window (not shown). An insulated glass unit  16  is supported in the sash  14  and a Venetian type blind  18  is enclosed within the insulated glass unit  16 . A primary operator  20  is supported on the sash  14 . 
     The primary operator  20  comprises a housing  22  and a slider  24  mounted for longitudinal movement within the housing  22 . A raised boss  26  is provided on the slider  24  for facilitating finger control of longitudinal movement thereof. The slider  24  is operably connected to apparatus (not shown) inside of the insulated glass unit  16  in the sash  14  so that longitudinal movement of the slider  24  is translated into rotational movement of the slats in the blind  18 . One such apparatus is available from OEM Shades under the name TOPSLIDE INTERNAL GLASS BLIND SYSTEM. The apparatus is described by OEM Shades as follows: “A top mounted external magnet assembly controls the blind with a movable finger controlled slide device. The slide device moves the external magnet laterally left or right, which drives an internal magnet with which it is coupled. Moving the slide device left or right on the outer magnet assembly will tilt the blind.” Other apparatus for translating longitudinal movement of a slide device or slider into rotational movement of blind slats are now known and may be developed in the future and they are to be considered to be apparatus for translating longitudinal movement of a slider into rotational movement of blind slats for purposes of this invention. The slats of the shade  18  are open when the slider  24  is moved to the left, as in  FIG. 3 , and the slats of the shade  18  are closed when the slider  24  is moved to the right, as in  FIG. 1 . 
     Unlike some prior art designs, the window frame  12  includes a head frame insert  28  which has a bottom edge  30  that is positioned below the height of the primary operator  20 . An inside operator  32  is supported on the head frame insert  28 . The inside operator  32  comprises a housing  34  and a slider  36  mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the head frame insert  28  which is part of the window frame  12 . A boss  38  is provided on a front face  40  of the slider  36 . The front face  40  is seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3  and faces the room in which the window unit  10  is supported. On a rear face  42  of the slider  36  there are first and second prongs or arms  44  and  46 . 
     The prongs  44  and  46  are shown in more detail in  FIG. 4 . The prong  44  comprises a first end  48  supported on the slider  36 . The prong  44  further comprises a second, free end  50 . The prong  46  comprises a first end  52  which is supported on the slider  36  and further comprises a second, free end  54 . A contact surface  56  is provided near the free end  50  of the prong  44  and a contact surface  58  is provided near the free end  54  of the prong  46 . As explained below, the contact surfaces  56  and  58  are operable to selectively engage the boss  26  of the primary operator  20  so that longitudinal movement of the slider  36  of the inside operator  32  is translated into longitudinal movement of the slider  24  of the primary operator  20  when the sash  14  is closed. 
     In  FIG. 5 , the inside operator  32  and the primary operator  20  are spaced apart a fixed distance as they would be when the sash  14  is closed.  FIG. 5  shows the operators  20  and  32  in an aligned condition. The free ends  50  and  54  of the prongs  44  and  46  are positioned on either side of the boss  26  of the primary operator  20 . The contact surface  56  of the prong  44  is adjacent to a contact surface  60  on one side of the boss  26  and the contact surface  58  of the prong  46  is adjacent to a contact surface  62  on the other side of the boss  26 . 
     Longitudinal movement of the slider  36  of the inside operator  32  from the position shown in  FIG. 5  to the right, for example, to the position shown in  FIG. 6 , effects a corresponding longitudinal movement of the slider  24  ( FIG. 2 ) of the primary operator  20  to the right to the position shown in  FIG. 6 . Longitudinal movement of the slider  36  is transmitted to the slider  24  in this case by co-action between the contact surface  56  of the prong  44  and contact surface  60  of the boss  26 . Thus, longitudinal movement of the slider  36  to the right causes corresponding longitudinal movement of the slider  24  of the primary operator  20  to the right. 
     Longitudinal movement of the slider  36  of the inside operator  32  from the position shown in  FIG. 6  to the left, for example, to the position shown in  FIG. 5 , effects a corresponding longitudinal movement of the slider  24  ( FIG. 2 ) of the primary operator  20  to the left to the position shown in  FIG. 5 . In this case, longitudinal movement of the slider  36  is transmitted to the slider  24  by co-action between the contact surface  58  of the prong  46  and contact surface  62  of the boss  26 . Thus, longitudinal movement of the slider  36  to the left causes corresponding longitudinal movement of the slider  24  to the left. In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the primary operator  20  is aligned with the inside operator  32  and vice-versa. 
     The prongs  44  and  46  are yieldingly rigid. When not subjected to any force, the free end  50  is spaced a fixed distance X ( FIG. 4 ) from the slider  36  and the free end  54  is also spaced a fixed distance from the slider  36 . If a force is applied to the free end  50  in the direction of the slider  36 , the prong  44  will flex as indicated in dotted lines in  FIG. 4 . When the prong  44  flexes this way, the distance between the slider  36  and the free end  50  is reduced, for example, to a distance X′. When the prong  44  is flexed, it is biased to return to its not flexed condition. This feature solves problems that can arise when the primary operator  20  and the inside operator  32  are not aligned and the sash  14  has been pivoted to the closed position, as discussed below. 
     In  FIG. 7 , the operators  20  and  32  are spaced apart as they would be when the sash  14  is closed but the primary operator  20  and the inside operator  32  are not aligned. The prongs  44  and  46  are positioned to the right of the boss  26  and longitudinal movement of the slider  36  does not affect the longitudinal position of the primary operator. 
     In  FIG. 8 , the operators  20  and  32  are spaced apart as they would be when the sash  14  is closed and the primary operator  20  and the inside operator  32  are not aligned. The slider  36  has been moved to the left from the position shown in  FIG. 7  until a portion of the prong  44  is touching the right side of the boss  26 . The contact surface  56  of the prong  44  is not engaged with the contact surface  60  of the boss  26 . 
     In  FIG. 9 , the operators  20  and  32  are spaced apart as they would be when the sash  14  is closed and the primary operator  20  and the inside operator  32  are not aligned. The inside operator  32  has been moved to the left from the position shown in  FIG. 9  so that co-action between the prong  44  and the boss has caused the prong  44  to flex and the free end  50  of the prong  44  is in contact with an upper contact surface  64  of the boss  26 . The prong  44  is prevented from assuming a not flexed condition although the prong  44  is biased to return to a not flexed condition. The contact surface  56  of the prong  44  is not adjacent to or in contact with the contact surface  60  of the boss  26  and the contact surface  58  of the prong  46  is not adjacent to or in contact with the side contact surface  62  of the boss  26 . 
     As the inside operator  36  is moved longitudinally to the left from the position shown in  FIG. 7  through the positions shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the boss  26  co-acts with a contact surface  66  on the housing  22  of the primary operator  20  preventing the primary operator  20  from moving longitudinally to the left beyond the position shown in  FIGS. 7 through 10 . When the slider  36  reaches the position shown in  FIG. 10 , the inside operator  32  and the primary operator  20  are aligned. In the  FIG. 10  condition, the free end of the prong  44  enters a recess indicated generally at  68  and the contact surface  56  of the prong  44  can engage the contact surface  60  of the boss  26 . When the slider  36  of the inside operator  32  is moved to the right from the position shown in  FIG. 10  to the position shown, for example; in  FIG. 5 , engagement between the contact surfaces  56  and  60  causes movement of the boss  26  of the primary operator to the right, also. Now that the operators  20  and  32  are aligned, the longitudinal position of the primary operator will now be controlled by longitudinal movement of the inside operator  32 . 
     Thus, it will be seen that when the sash  14  is closed and the primary operator  20  and the inside operator  32  are aligned, the longitudinal position of the primary operator  20  is controlled by longitudinal movement of the inside operator  32 . When the sash  14  is closed and the primary operator  20  and the inside operator  32  are not aligned, longitudinal movement of the inside operator  32  will bring them into alignment whereupon the longitudinal position of the primary operator  20  is again controlled by longitudinal movement of the inside operator  32 . 
     In  FIGS. 2 ,  11 , and  12 , the sash  14  is shown in an open position, i.e., it has been pivoted outwardly away from the window frame  12 . A screen S is supported in the window frame.  12  so that access to the primary operator  20  on the sash  14  is prevented from inside of the window  10 . The screen S might as well be a storm window or other transparent or translucent panel. When the sash  14  is closed, a person on the inside of the window  10  can operate the primary operator  20  with the inside operator  32  without having to remove the screen S or the like from the window frame  12 . When the sash  14  is open, the inside operator  32  is ineffective because the primary operator  20  and the inside operator  32  are not engaged and can&#39;t engage. With the sash  14  open; longitudinal sliding movement of the inside operator-slider  36  has no effect on the longitudinal position of the primary operator slider  24 . 
     The positions of the operators  20  and  32  in  FIGS. 2 ,  11  and  12  are such that, when the sash  14  is closed, the operators  20  and  32  will be aligned and longitudinal movement of the inside operator slider  32  will effect a corresponding longitudinal movement of the primary operator slider  26 . If the positions of the operators  20  and  32  are such that, when the sash  14  is moved from an open position to the closed position, the operators  20  and  32  will be not aligned but longitudinal movement of the inside operator slider  36  will bring the operators  20  and  32  into alignment as described above. 
     The inside operator  32  can be adapted to control the longitudinal position of a primary lift operator. In  FIG. 1 , a sash primary lift operator is indicated generally at  70 . The primary lift operator  70  comprises an actuator  72  mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in a track  74 . Such a primary lift operator is available from OEM Shades under the designation SSLT and is described as a magnetically coupled blind lift mechanism for installation in sealed insulated glass units. The lift position of a blind is controlled by the position of an externally mounted magnet assembly which is coupled to a corresponding internal magnet assembly. Thus, the actuator  72  may be an externally mounted magnet assembly and may be provided with a boss  76  for engagement by prongs of an inside operator (not shown) corresponding with the inside operator  32 . Such an inside operator would be mounted for sliding movement on a portion of a window frame, such as a jamb frame insert  77  which is partially shown in  FIG. 1  and would extend at least the length of the track  74 . This arrangement would correspond with the arrangement previously described where the inside operator  32  is mounted on the head frame insert  28 , for longitudinal sliding movement. The inside operator may be provided with a lock mechanism for positively locking the inside operator in a particular longitudinal position. A primary blind lift operator is also available from OEM Shades and it includes a magnet although the invention is suitable for use in conjunction with other lift operators. 
     The prong  46  ( FIG. 4 ) may comprises a first, proximal leg  78  and a second, distal leg  79  and they form an angle Z between them when the prong is not flexed. The first leg  78  and a corresponding first leg of the prong  44  extend away from each other and the second leg  79  and a corresponding second leg of the prong  44  extend towards each other. When a prong is flexed, the angle between the first leg and the second leg gets smaller as indicated by dotted lines in  FIG. 4  for the prong  44 . Good results have been observed with prongs made from an automotive grade of polypropylene. 
     The prongs  44  and  46  may be modified so that each includes a brace like the brace  80  shown on prong  46  in  FIG. 4 . The brace  80  and a corresponding brace provided on prong  44  connect the outside of the first leg  78  of the prong  46  and the outside of the corresponding first leg of the prong  44  to the slider  36 . The braces prevent or minimize any change in the angle between the first legs and the slider  36  when the prongs are flexed. In this case, most or all of the flexure takes place at an elbow  82  shown on prong  46  and at a corresponding elbow on prong  44 . In this configuration, good results have been obtained in the case where prongs including braces corresponding with the brace  80  are configured so that the angle between a first leg and a second leg of a prong changes, as between the flexed and the unflexed condition, between about 15 and 35 degrees. A preferred range is between about 20 and 30 degrees. When the prongs include braces and one of the prongs is flexed, it is preferred that the upper surface  64  of the boss  26  and the second leg of the flexed prong form an angle between them of about zero degrees to 10 degrees. The prongs  44  and  46  are preferably symmetrical, as shown in the drawing Figures. 
     It will be appreciated that the inside operator of the present invention can be adapted to a wide variety of applications. These will be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the field of fenestration considering the foregoing detailed description of the invention.