Patent Publication Number: US-2019195014-A1

Title: Wand for a blind assembly

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to a wand for use with a blind assembly. More particularly the invention relates to a wand which may be retrofitted to an existing blind assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In this specification where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of the common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned. 
     A blind assembly has a blind component (or fitting) that is rotatable to, for example, extend and retract a window covering such as a window blind. Such assemblies typically have a drive mechanism that is rotatable about a spindle, and engages a cord (for example a beaded cord or chain). Operation of the cord causes the drive mechanism to rotate about the spindle. For example, the cord may be pulled in one direction to rotate the fitting in a blind extending direction and the cord may be pulled in an opposite direction to rotate the fitting in a blind retraction direction. 
     In cord operated blind assemblies, the cord is usually in the form of a loop which hangs approximately vertically from the assembly to allow easy operation by the user pulling on the cord. However, the problem with a hanging cord loop is that it presents a safety risk especially to small child. In particular, the loop may become entangled around the neck of a child and present a strangulation risk. 
     A number of solutions have been proposed to mitigate against this risk. In particular, devices known as wands have been proposed and sold which comprise a device to substantially enclose a cord loop. This minimizes the risks of the loop being accessed to form an expanded loop which may pose the child safety risk. 
     A typical wand of this type is described in WO201113402. As described this wand includes a rigid elongated member which has a pair of wheels, one at either end and around which the cord is looped. The relative sizes of the cord loop and the elongated member is selected such that movement of the loop perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member is limited. One wheel at one end of the elongated member is rigidly attached to constitute the drive mechanism for the spindle. 
     Accordingly such wands require integral rigid fixing to the blind assembly. As such these wands are part of the original blind assembly upon installation or if attempted to be fit retrospectively require the blind assembly to be disassembled and reinstalled. This adds to the cost of the blind assembly and its installation. 
     The present invention seeks to provide a simple means to incorporate a wand type safety device into an existing installed blind assembly though of course, if desired, it can be incorporated in the initial blind assembly. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a wand for a blind assembly comprising: 
     (a) an elongated member, 
     (b) a rotatable member located at or adjacent one end thereof. 
     (c) a guide member located at or adjacent another end thereof; and 
     (d) a cord having a loop, 
     wherein the loop passes from a position remote from the rotating member, engages the rotating member, passes about the guide member and returns to the remote position after reengagement of the rotating member, 
     wherein the loop adjacent to or within the elongated member is retained between the rotating member and the guide to restrict movement of the loop perpendicularly of the elongated member, and 
     wherein the loop remote from the rotating member is adapted to engage and rotate a drive member of a blind assembly. 
     Typically, the rotatable member is a wheel, mounted for rotation in or on the elongated member. The wheel will usually have a plurality of positions to selectively retain the cord in position. So if the cord is beaded, at least one of the beads will be located in a depression at one of the wheel positions. 
     Typically, the elongated member is substantially tubular and the cord is at least partially located within the elongated member. 
     Typically, the guide member comprises a guide pathway to receive at least part of the cord and a biasing member to bias the guide pathway in a direction away from the rotatable member to cause the cord passing therebetween to be under tension. The guide pathway may be defined by a surface of a cylindrical member which is urged in the desired direction by a mounted spring device. 
     This lack of perpendicular slack in the cord loop improves safety by not permitting an undesirable loop to form which may be a hazard to children. 
     If the cord is beaded, rotation of the rotatable member will cause the beads and depressions in the rotatable member to engage, such that the beaded coil on one side of the rotatable member will be pulled in the direction of the biasing member, and the coil on the other side of the rotatable member will equally be pulled away from the direction of the biasing member. This feature also improves the safety of the assembly as the amount of cord in the guide member and the biasing member is kept consistent. 
     Additionally this arrangement may exhibit less operational nose due to the cord loop adjacent the elongated body being under tension. 
     Unlike conventional wands, the wand of the invention may be both installed when installing a new blind assembly or also be a retrofit to an existing blind system. This is possible by reason of not requiring an end of the elongated member to directly engage the drive member of the blind assembly. This means that it is possible to retrofit the wand on an existing blind assembly without having to replace the winder mechanism. 
     This means no special attachment device needs to be present. With the wand of the current invention, the cord loop outside the elongated member can be engaged about the drive member simply and easily. The chain wheel in the rotatable member limits the length of cord loop inside or adjacent the elongated member and restricts the movement of the cord perpendicular to the elongated member. 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below, along with accompanying figures that illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. While the invention is described in connection with such embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any embodiment. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. 
     For the purpose of example, numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purposes of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present invention is not unnecessarily obscured. 
     For the purposes of providing a clear description of the present invention, terms such as “up”, “down”, “left” and “right” are used in the below descriptions. This terminology will be understood to be for illustrative purposes only, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various embodiments/aspects of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which, 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a blind assembly with a wand according to one aspect of the invention in the installed position. 
         FIG. 2  depicts front, side and perspective views (A, B and C) of a wand accordingly to an aspect of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a perspective assembly view of the wand of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view and partial view B (circled) of the wand according to  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view and partial view D (circled) of the wand according to  FIG. 2  in a partially disassembled form. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view and partial view E (circled) of the wand according to  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view and partial view G (circled) of the wand according to  FIG. 2  in a partially disassembled form. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts a blind assembly  100  comprising a blind  101  which is rolled onto a cylinder  102 . Rotation of the cylinder  102  in different directions cause the blind  101  to either retract or extend. The cylinder  102  is engaged on a spindle (not shown) which is located at the right end of the cylinder  102 . The drive member  103  extends from the spindle with a flange  104 , a rotatable wheel  105  and a cover  106 . A beaded cord  107  is located about wheel  105 . Pulling on portion of the cord  107  causes the wheel  105  to rotate the drive member  103 . This cause cylinder  102  to rotate and the blind to extend or retract. 
     The wand  108  has a beaded cord loop portion  109  which is located about wheel  105 . The other end of this loop portion  109  enters a rotatable member  110 . As shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 , the rotatable member  110  comprises a housing of two parts  111  and  112 . Part housing  111  includes an axle mount  113 . Axle mount  113  receives the wheel  114  and permits the wheel  114  to rotate freely thereabout. Wheel  114  (as more clearly shown in  FIG. 5 ) has a number of regularly spaced radial openings  115  and arms  116  which together are able to retain beads  117 . The other housing part  112  covers the wheel  114  and may be fastened to the axle mount  113  with screw  118 . 
     Wheel  114  is located in one end of elongated tubular member  119  and fixed in position by screw  120 . Elongated member  119  may be of any suitable length sufficient to enclose the beaded cord  107  over a sufficient length to assist prevention of the formation of a potentially dangerous loop. It is unnecessary that elongated member  119  be completely enclosed as shown in  FIG. 2  and may have a longitudinal opening  121 . 
     At the other end of elongated tubular member  119  is a guide member  122 . As more particularly shown in  FIGS. 2, 6 and 7  the guide member  122  comprises a housing of two parts  123  and  124 . Part housings  123  and  124  includes matching linear slots  125 . Located in these slots  125  when the part housings  123  and  124  are connected (via pin  126 ) is a cylinder member  127 . Cylinder member  127  has corresponding arms  130  which when assembled located for sliding movement in linear slots  125 . 
     Cylinder member  127  has a pin projection  128  extending in the axial direction of elongated tubular member  119 . A spring  129  envelops the pin projection  128  at one end. The other end of the spring  129  sits in the parts housing  123  and  124 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , cord  107  extends from the wheel  114  down both internal surfaces of the elongated tubular member  119  and about part of the circumferential surface of cylinder  127 . Cylinder member  127  under the influence of spring  129  is urged away from the rotatable member  110  and places the cord  107  in tension between the rotatable member  110  and the cylindrical member  127 . 
     Pulling on cord  107  in a blind-extending direction causes the wheel  114  of the rotatable member  110  to rotate. The rotation of wheel  114  engages openings  115  and arms  116  with beads  117  and therefore cord  107  on one side of the wheel  114  to pull that portion of the cord  107  in the direction of cylindrical member  127 . The rotation of wheel  114  also causes the openings  115  and arms  116  on the opposite side of the wheel  114  to take up beads  117  and therefore the cord  107  from the direction of the cylindrical member  127 . 
     In this arrangement, wheel  114  restricts the movement of the cord  107  in a direction perpendicular to the elongated tube  119 . Therefore the risk of a loop of the cord  107  forming which would prevent a safety hazard to a child is minimized. 
     Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention. 
     The word ‘comprising’ and forms of the word ‘comprising’ as used in this description and in the claims does not limit the invention claimed to exclude any variants or additions.