Patent Publication Number: US-7717154-B2

Title: Window coverings

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a window coverings and particularly to an improved window coverings with a slat assembly adjustable to a selected elevation after retracted or extended. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A conventional window coverings has a slat assembly which cannot be rolled up or lowered again after retracted or extended to further move the slat assembly separately and longitudinally to alter the elevation. As a result users cannot adjust the indoor luminary condition as desired. It still has problems such as not very practical, not stable operation and the like. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention aims to provide an improved window coverings that allows a slat assembly already being retracted or extended by a first lift cord and a second lift cord to be moved longitudinally again at a desired elevation to facilitate adjustment of indoor luminary condition. 
   To achieve the foregoing object, the improved window coverings of the invention mainly includes an upper elongated member, a lower elongated member, a slat assembly, a first lift cord, a second lift cord and a lift cord retracting and releasing control means. The lift cord retracting and releasing control means is located at one side of the upper elongated member. The lower elongated member is spaced from the upper elongated member at a lower position. The slat assembly has a upper end and a lower end coupled respectively to the upper elongated member and the lower elongated member. The first lift cord has one end fastened to the lift cord retracting and releasing control means and other end threading through the upper elongated member. The second lift cord has one end wound around the lift cord retracting and releasing control means and threading through the upper elongated member. 
   By means of such a structure the following functions can be achieved: through the first lift cord, second lift cord and lift cord retracting and releasing control means, the slat assembly can be rolled up or extended downwards; then through the coupling relationship between the first lift cord and second lift cord and the lift cord retracting and releasing control means, the slat assembly can be further lifted or lowered for a selected distance; after the slat assembly is moved to the selected elevation it can be anchored through the lift cord retracting and releasing control means. Thus the elevation of the slat assembly can be altered to adjust the indoor luminary condition as desired. 
   The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is another exploded view of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the invention showing the slat assembly retracted by the second lift cord. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means for retracting the slat assembly. 
       FIG. 6  is another top view of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means for retracting the slat assembly. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the invention showing the slat assembly released by the first lift cord. 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means for extending the slat assembly. 
       FIG. 9  is another top view of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means for extending the slat assembly. 
       FIG. 10  is an exploded view of another embodiment of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means of the invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means of the invention. 
       FIG. 12  is a schematic view of the invention showing the winding spool of the latch spool set and the upper axle sleeve in a coupling condition. 
       FIG. 13  is a schematic view of the invention showing the upper axle sleeve of the latch spool set moving in a downward condition. 
       FIG. 14  is a schematic view of the invention showing the upper and lower axle sleeves of the latch spool set in a coupling condition. 
       FIG. 15  is a top view of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means for retracting the slat assembly. 
       FIG. 16  is another top view of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means for retracting the slat assembly. 
       FIG. 17  is a top view of the first lift cord for extending the slat assembly. 
       FIG. 18  is an exploded view of yet another embodiment of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means of the invention. 
       FIG. 19  is a schematic view according to  FIG. 18  in an assembled condition. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Please refer to  FIG. 1 , the window coverings  10  according to the invention mainly includes an upper elongated member  20 , a lower elongated member  30 , a slat assembly  40 , a first lift cord  50 , a second lift cord  60  and a lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70 . The upper elongated member  20  has a trough the hold the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  which can wind and release the first lift cord  50  and the second lift cord  60 . The upper elongated member  20  further has a plurality of openings running through the bottom such as a first opening  21  and a second opening  22  shown in the drawing. 
   The second elongated member  30  is spaced from the upper elongated member  20  at a lower position. The slat assembly  40  has a slat and lift cord means  80  which has a upper end and a lower end fastened respectively to the upper elongated member  20  and the lower elongated member  30 . The first lift cord  50  has one end fastened to the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  and other end threading through the first opening  21  of the upper elongated member  20 . The second lift cord  60  has one end fastened and wound around the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  and other end threading through the second opening  22  of the upper elongated member  20 . Thereby through the first lift cord  50 , second lift cord  60  and lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  the slat assembly  40  can be steadily rolled up and extended downwards at a selected elevation. 
   Also referring to  FIGS. 2 through 6 , the first and second openings  21  and  22  are located on other side of the upper elongated member  20  opposing the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70 . The lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  is located on an inner side of the first and second openings  21  and  22  to latch and anchor the first and second lift cords  50  and  60 . The lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  mainly includes a seat  71 , a ratchet and gear set  72 , a driving gear  73 , an auxiliary gear set  74 , an locating member  75  and an upper lid  76 . The seat  71  is a box with a hollow upper portion and a notch  710  at one side to receive the lift cord means  80 . The seat  71  further has a recess  711  on an upper end and the interior divided into a first housing compartment  712 , a second housing compartment  713  and a housing space  714  formed between them. The first housing compartment  712  holds a spindle  7121  to couple with a roller  7120  and a shaft  7122 , and a bucking member  7123  at an upper position, and an anchor post  7124  and a strut  7125  on a lower position. The second housing compartment  713  has a flat bottom which has an aperture  7131  formed thereon, and a directing trough  7132  at one corner opposing the aperture  7131 . The directing trough  7132  is latched with a pulley  7133 . The housing space  714  has a through hole  7141  at the bottom of one side and an anchor strut  7142  at another side, and a slant rectangular opening  7143  at the bottom to hold the driving spool  73 . The housing space  714  further holds a movable element  715  which has an aperture  7151  at one end and a locating bar  7152  and a trough  7153  at the bottom end. The trough  7153  holds a spring  716  which has one end  7161  latched on the locating bar  7152  and other end  7162  coupled on the anchor strut  7142  so that the movable  715  is movable in the housing space  714  through the elastic force of the spring  716 . The ratchet and gear set  72  is held in the first housing compartment  712 , and includes at least a winding spool  721 , a stopper  722  and an elastic element  723 . The winding spool  721  is coupled on the shaft  7122  of the first housing compartment  712 , and has a gear  7211  on an upper end, a winding trough  7212  at a middle portion and a ratchet spool  7213  at a lower end. The winding trough  7212  is wound by the lift cord means  80 . The stopper  722  is pivotally coupled on the anchor post  7124  of the first housing compartment  712  and has a latch end  7221  at one end to form a latch condition with the ratchet spool  7213  and a boss  7222  at other end. The elastic element  723  has one end  7231  to latch on the boss  7222  and other end  7232  coupled on the strut  7125 . Thereby the stopper  722  can be swiveled about an axis. The boss  7222  aims to anchor the first lift cord  50 . When the boss  7222  is moved the latch end  7221  is moved in the opposite direction. The driving gear  73  has a first axle  731  run through the center that is movable in the slant rectangular opening  7143 . The auxiliary gear set  74  is held in the second housing compartment  713  and has a gear  741  with a second axle  7411  run through the center. The second axle  7411  has a flat surface and a channel  7412  at one end. The second axle  7411  runs through the aperture  7131  of the second housing compartment  713 . The gear  741  has a winding trough  742  at a middle portion to be wound by the second lift cord  60 , and a groove  743  at a lower end to hold one end  7441  of an elastic element  744  and other end  7442  latched in the channel  7412  of the second axle  7411 . The locating member  75  is coupled in the recess  711  and has a first coupling hole  751 , a rectangular hole  752  and a second coupling hole  753  to receive respectively the ratchet and gear set  72 , driving gear  73  and auxiliary gear set  74 , and a coupling opening  754  at one side to hold the roller  7120 . Thereby the locating member  75  is located on an upper position of the seat  71  to allow the ratchet and gear set  72  and the auxiliary gear set  74  to form a more secure coupling and positioning relationship. The upper lid  76  is located on an upper position of the seat  71  and has a plurality of openings formed thereon. As shown in the drawings, the openings includes a first opening  761 , second opening  762 , third opening  763  and rectangular opening  764  to be coupled with the spindle  7121 , shaft  7122 , second axle  7411  and first axle  731 . 
   Also referring to  FIG. 3 , the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  is located on the upper elongated member  20  to control movement of the slat assembly  40  cooperative with the first and second lift cords  50  and  60 . One end of the first lift cord  50  is fastened to the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  and other end threading through the first opening  21  of the upper elongated member  20 . The second lift cord  60  has one end fastened and wound around the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70  and threading through the second opening  22 . 
   Also referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , when in use for the slat assembly  40  on the window coverings  10 , pull the second lift cord  60  to move the auxiliary gear seat  74  so that the elastic element  744  at the bottom is wound; the auxiliary gear seat  74  rotates in the clockwise direction; the driving gear  73  also is turned and moved upwards to engage with the ratchet and gear set  72  so that the ratchet and gear set  72  rotates in the same direction as the auxiliary gear set  74  does. While the ratchet and gear set  72  rotates the winding trough  7212  on the winding spool  721  winds the lift cord means  80 ; the latch end  7221  of the stopper  722  latches on the ratchet spool  7213  at the lower end of the winding spool  721  (referring to  FIG. 6 ), hence the slat assembly  40  is rolled upwards at a selected elevation. When the second lift cord  60  is pulled downwards continuously, the slat assembly  40  can be rolled up further again. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , when the slat assembly  40  is lowered and extended at a selected elevation, the first lift cord  50  may be pulled downwards to return the driving gear  73  to a lower position so that the ratchet and gear set  72  is separated from the driving ear  73 , and the latch end  7221  engaged with the ratchet spool  7213  is moved in the opposite direction and disengaged. Thereby the lift cord means  80  wound by the winding trough  7212  is not latched by the latch end  7221 , and can be released and lowered (referring to  FIG. 9 ). Thus the slat assembly  40  also can be lowered and extended at a selected elevation. As a result the indoor luminary condition can be adjusted as desired. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70   a  may also include at least a frame  71   a , an auxiliary spool set  72   a  and a latch spool set  73   a . The frame  71   a  has a hollow housing chamber  710   a , axle holes  711   a , a coupling opening  712   a  and a plurality of apertures including a first aperture  713   a  and a second aperture  714   a  on an upper position and a lower position as depicted in another embodiment shown in the drawings. The frame  71   a  further has an opening  715   a  at one side to allow the lift cord means  80   a  to thread through. The auxiliary spool set  72   a  is pivotally coupled on the axle holes  711   a  and includes at least a winding spool  721   a , an elastic element  722   a , an axle sleeve  723   a  and a roller  724   a . The winding spool  721   a  has a spool seat  7211   a  which has a boss  7212   a  extended from an upper position. The boss  7212   a  has a trough  7213   a  and a through hole  7214   a  running through the center thereof. There is a latch trough  7215   a  formed on the periphery thereof. The elastic element  722   a  is coupled on the boss  7212   a  and has respectively a hook  7221   a  and  7222   a  at an inner end and an outer end to be latched on the latch trough  7215   a  and the latch spool set  73   a . The axle sleeve  723   a  has an axle hole  7231   a  which is coupled with the through hole  7214   a  and a center hole  7341   a  of the roller  724   a  which has a groove  7242   a  to allow the lift cord means  80   a  to move, and an axle  725   a  is provided to run through the axle hole  7231   a  of the axle sleeve  732   a  and the axle holes  711   a  of the frame  71   a  for anchoring to hinge the auxiliary spool set  72   a  at one side of the frame  71   a.    
   Also referring to  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 , the latch spool set  73   a  is hinged on the coupling opening  712   a , and includes at least a winding spool  731   a , an upper axle sleeve  732   a , a lower axle sleeve  733   a , a winding spool  734   a , an upper coupling member  735   a , a lower coupling member  736   a , and a stopper  737   a . The winding spool  731   a  has a spool seat  7311   a  which has a winding groove  7312   a  to allow the second lift cord  60   a  to wind thereon, and a boss  7313   a  formed thereon. The boss  7313   a  has a trough  7314   a  and a through hole  7315   a  running through the center of the spool seat  7311   a . There is a latch trough  7316   a  formed on the periphery thereof to be latched by the hook  7222   a  formed at the outer end of the elastic element  722   a . The upper and lower axle sleeves  732   a  and  733   a  are held in the through hole  7315   a  of the winding spool  731   a  and the winding spool  734   a  that have respectively an engaging portion  7321   a  and  7331   a  at one distal end thereof, and an axle hole  7322   a  and  7332   a  in the center. The upper axle sleeve  732   a  has a latch end  7324   a  at other end that has a shank  7232   a . The shank  7323   a  is coupled with an arched detent member  7325   a  from an outside and a slant latch trough  7326   a  on a lower half portion to allow a pin  7327   a  to move thereon. The lower axle sleeve  733   a  has a pin hole  7333   a  on the periphery close to the engaging portion  7331   a  to hold an locating bar  7334   a  to fix the lower axle sleeve  733   a  on the winding spool  734   a . The winding spool  734   a  is located at the bottom of the spool seat  7311   a  and has a coupling opening  7341   a  in the center to hold the lower axle sleeve  733   a , and a winding groove  7242   a  on the periphery to allow the lift cord means  80   a  to wind thereon, and a ratchet spool  7343   a  at the bottom. The ratchet spool  7343   a  has a recess  7344   a  at one end to hold a spring  7345   a . The upper coupling member  735   a  is held in the coupling opening  712   a  to allow an axle  7354   a  to run through to anchor the latch spool set  73   a  on another side of the housing chamber  710   a . The upper coupling member  735   a  further has a detent member  7351   a  at the top and a wedge boss  7352   a  extended from the detent member. The wedge boss  7352   a  has a housing through  7353   a  inside to hold the upper axle sleeve  732   a  coupled with the arched detent member  7325   a . The lower coupling member  736   a  aims to support the spring  7345   a . The stopper  737   a  is hinged on the second aperture  714   a  and has a latch end  7371   a  at one end engaged with the ratchet spool  7343   a  at the bottom of the winding spool  734   a . It has a threading hole  7372   a  close to the latch end  7371   a  to fasten the first lift cord  50   a  and an opening  7373   a  at other end to be latched by one end  7381   a  of an elastic element  738   a . The elastic element  738   a  has another end  7382   a  latched on the second aperture  714   a . By means of the elastic element  738   a , the stopper  737   a  can be swiveled about one point so that when the first lift cord  50   a  is pulled the latch end  7371   a  is moved in the opposite direction. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14 , when the window coverings  10  is in use and the slat assembly  40  is retracted, pull the second lift cord  60   a  downwards, the winding spool  721   a  of the auxiliary spool set  72   a  is wound and engaged with the winding spool  731   a  of the latch spool set  73   a  through the elastic element  722   a . When the winding spool  731   a  is moved counterclockwise the second lift cord  60   a  also is wound thereon. The upper axle sleeve  732   a  coupled on the winding spool  731   a  is moved downwards through the slant trough  7326   a  to drive the engaged winding spool  734   a  held on the lower axle sleeve  733   a  to wind the lift cord means  80   a . Meanwhile the upper axle sleeve  732   a  is rotated to drive the arched detent member  7325   a  until it is stopped at the latch end  7324   a . Through the latch end  7371   a  at one end of the stopper  737   a  and the ratchet spool  7343   a  at the bottom of the winding spool  734   a , a latched condition is formed. Hence the lift cord means  80   a  winding on the winding spool  734   a  is wound in the same direction as the winding spool  731   a  does. Namely when the second lift cord  60   a  is pulled once, the slat assembly  40  can be retracted upwards to a desired elevation. When the pulling force is released, the second lift cord  60   a  returns through the elastic force of the elastic element  722   a  already wound on the winding spool  731   a  (referring to  FIGS. 15 and 16 ). 
   Referring to  FIGS. 14 and 17 , when the slat assembly  40  is extended and lowered to a selected elevation, pull the first lift cord  50   a  downwards, the latch end  7371   a  at one end of the stopper  737   a  escapes the ratchet spool  7343   a , the lift cord means  80   a  wound on the winding groove  7342   a  of the winding spool  734   a  is not latched by the latch end  7371   a  of the stopper  737   a . Hence the lift cord means  80   a  on the winding groove  7342   a  is lowered to allow the slat assembly  40  to be extended at the selected elevation. As a result users can adjust the indoor luminary condition as desired. 
   Refer to  FIGS. 18 and 19  for yet another embodiment of the invention. The winding spool  721   a  of the lift cord retracting and releasing control means  70   b  has a housing chamber  7214   b . An upper lid  76   b  is provided corresponding to the housing chamber and has a tenon  765   b  engaged with the housing chamber  7214   b  through a lubricant. Thus the lift cord means  80   a  can be retracted and released smoothly.