Patent Publication Number: US-6910517-B1

Title: Equalizing connector for multi-cord architectural covering

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/416,728 filed on Oct. 7, 2002, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to architectural coverings and treatments. More particularly, the present invention relates to releasable, breakaway safety devices for use with corded architectural coverings. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Many types of architectural coverings and treatments such as Venetian-style blinds, cellular or pleated shades, and variants of these (herein represented without restriction merely by “architectural covering”), generally utilize one or more internal cords, commonly referred to as “lift cords.” In an architectural covering, the lift cords are typically anchored to a lower rail and run upward through a shade or blind into an upper rail. Generally, more than one lift cord is required in relatively wide architectural coverings to provide uniform and level support of the lower rail. 
   The manipulable ends of these cords, which exit the upper rail through a cord-lock mechanism, are typically joined with a tassel and are used by an operator to pull on the cords for raising and lowering the lower rail and shade. Optionally, the portion of the lift cords exiting the upper rail may be joined together and affixed to a single extension cord and tassel using a connector. The connector is often referred to as an “equalizer” or “equalizing connector,” because the lift cords may be knotted to the connector during manufacture, giving a manufacturer an opportunity to “equalize” the functional length of each cord (by knot placement or otherwise), to ensure all lift cords share the load of the lower rail and shade equally. 
   In recent years, cases have been documented in which a person, typically a baby or small child, perhaps in playing with such lift cords, becomes entangled in the exposed lift cords and is injured. When the lift cords are permanently interconnected by a cord equalizer or a cord tassel, the exposed lift cords can function as a noose that may choke or asphyxiate a child. For at least the foregoing reason, there is a need for an improved equalizing connector and architectural covering that overcomes the limitations of the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A connector is provided for releasably connecting a manipulating cord to the lift cords of an architectural covering. In an embodiment of the invention, the connector includes a resiliently compressible inner assembly and an outer shell. The inner assembly is connected to the manipulating cord of the architectural covering. The outer shell includes at least two shell sections that are releasably mounted on the inner assembly. Each shell section is secured to an individual lift cord. Outward movement of the lift cords and/or compression of the inner assembly releases the outer shell from the inner assembly. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of an architectural covering that includes a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 1A  is a detailed front elevation view of the connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the connector of  FIG. 1  illustrating a pair of lift cords secured to the connector in an assembled state; 
       FIG. 3A  is a cross-sectional view of an outer shell section embodiment for use in the connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of another outer shell section embodiment for use in the connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the connector of  FIG. 1  showing the connector in a partially disassembled state due to outward movement of the lift cords; and 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the connector of  FIG. 1  showing the connector in a partially disassembled state due to compression of an inner assembly of the connector. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now to the drawings, the preferred illustrative embodiments of the present invention are shown in detail. Although the drawings represent some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated to better illustrate and explain the present invention. Further, the embodiments set forth herein are not intended to be exhaustive or otherwise limit or restrict the invention to the precise forms and configurations shown in the drawings and disclosed in the following detailed description. 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , an architectural covering  18  is shown that includes a connector  20  for attaching a manipulatable extension cord  22  to two or more lift cords  24  that facilitate raising and lowering of a shade  26 . Shade  26  may comprise various types of adjustable and non-adjustable configurations, including without limitation, Venetian-style blinds, cellular or pleated shades, and variants thereof. 
   In an exemplary embodiment, shade  26  is secured along its lower edge  28  to a lower rail  30  and along its upper edge  31  to an upper rail  32  (sometime referred to as a “head rail”). Lift cords  24  are trained through a latch mechanism  34  in upper rail  32  and then over pulleys or guides (not shown) and downwardly through shade  26  to secured engagement with lower rail  30 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Latch mechanism  34  releasably engages cords  24  to hold shade  26  and lower rail  30  in a desired vertical position. 
   The term “cord,” as used herein, should not be limited to the members shown in the drawings and may include various types of support members, including without limitation, tapes, ribbons, chains and the like, provided these members are flexible and capable of supporting the weight of lower rail  30  and shade portion  22 . Also, the terms “lower” and “upper” are used herein to generally describe the illustrated relationship between rails  30  and  32 , respectively. However, the features of the present invention may be employed in other architectural covering designs, such as those coverings employing side-to-side and other shade deployment configurations that do not necessarily include an “upper” or “lower” rail. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 2 , an embodiment of connector  20  is shown in detail. In the illustrated embodiment, connector  20  includes an outer shell  36  and a resiliently compressible inner assembly  38 , which together exhibit a common vertical axis A—A. Outer shell  36  and inner assembly  38  are made from a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as plastic, metal and the like. Inner assembly  38  is anchored to the manipulable extension cord  22 , which may include a tassel  40  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) attached to a distal end thereof. 
   In a particular configuration, outer shell  36  includes a pair of shell sections  42 ,  44  that are each anchored to an individual lift cord  24 . Lift cords  24  may be anchored to shell sections  42 ,  44  in any suitable manner, including without limitation, tying each lift cord  24  into a knot  45  that is larger than a through-hole  46 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3A . Alternatively, lift cords  24  may be fixed to an anchoring member  48  that is larger than through-hole  46 , as shown in  FIG. 3B . It will be appreciated that shade  26  may be configured with any number of lift cords  24  and outer shell  36  with a corresponding number of shell sections. 
   In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , inner assembly  38  includes a lower member  50  having a flange  52  that engages an upward facing tab  54  on a lower end of each shell section  42 ,  44 . Inner assembly  38  also includes an upper member  56  that is biased by a resiliently compressible member  58 , such as a compression spring, away from lower member  52 . Upper member  56  includes an upwardly directed flange  60  that engages a radially inwardly directed upper edge  62  of each shell section  42 ,  44 . A smooth upper surface  64  of flange  60  may be tapered radially inward to permit upper edge  62  of shell sections  42 ,  44  to slide across flange  60 . As the spring force of resiliently compressible member  58  forces upper and lower members  56 ,  52  apart, shell sections  42 ,  44  are drawn radially inward toward axis A—A due to the declination of upper surface  64 . Upper edge  62  of shell halves  42 ,  44  are also drawn toward axis A—A when a downwardly directed force is applied to extension cord  22 . 
   In contrast, an outwardly directed force applied to either of lift cords  24 , or shell halves  42  and  44  directly, will cause upper edge  62  of shell halves  42 ,  44  to pivot away from inner assembly  38 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The smooth upper surface  64  of flange  60  permits shell halves  42 ,  44  to become disengaged from inner assembly  38  with only a minimal lateral force. Once the upper portion of each shell half  42 ,  44  is disengaged from inner assembly  38 , there is little or no spring force acting to keep flange  52  and lower end  54  of each shell half  42 ,  44  engaged, and the components fall apart. 
   Optionally, upper member  56  of inner assembly  38  may also include an extension  66  that extends upward from flange  60  beyond shell halves  42 ,  44 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , downwardly directed pressure on extension  66  compresses resiliently compressible member  58 , allowing shell halves  42 ,  44  to fall away from inner assembly  38 . As will be appreciated, a child that becomes entangled in the exposed portion of lift cords  24  will cause outward movement of lift cords  24  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ) and/or compression of the inner assembly  50  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 5 ), which releases outer shell  36  from inner assembly  50  and prevents injury. 
   Among other features, connector  20  is readily assembled and can be configured with any number of outer shell pieces to accommodate multiple lift cords. Connector  20  enables equalization of the exposed cord lengths, such as by knotting or attaching a separate anchoring member to the cords, for example. Connector  20  provides reliable, low force breakaway release of closed-loop lift cords in a multi-cord architectural covering, but does not tend to separate under the influence of normal operating forces. 
   The present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, which are merely illustrative of the best modes for carrying out the invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that the method and apparatus within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby. This description of the invention should be understood to include all novel and non-obvious combinations of elements described herein, and claims may be presented in this or a later application to any novel and non-obvious combination of these elements. Moreover, the foregoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or element is essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this or a later application.