Patent Publication Number: US-2023151684-A1

Title: Cord winding device with fine adjustment and correction and window blind using same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to cord winding technology for window blind and more particularly, to a cord winding device with fine adjustment and correction, and window blind using the cord winding device 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Please refer to  FIG.  1    first, which is a commonly known window blind  1  (for example: honeycomb blind or organ blind) that comprises a headrail  91 , two lift cords  92 , a blind body  93  and a bottom rail  94 . One side of the blind body  93  is installed on the bottom of the headrail  91 , and the other side of the blind body  93  is installed on the top of the bottom rail  94 . One end of each of the two lift cords  92  is tied to the headrail  91 , and is driven by the cord winding device in the headrail  91  to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The other ends of the two lift cords  92  are respectively pierced through the headrail  91 , the blind body  93  and the bottom rail  94 , wherein the other ends of the two lift cords  92  are respectively tied to a fastener  95  on the bottom of the bottom rail  94 . In this way, the blind body  93  of the window blind  1  can be driven by the cord winding device in the headrail  91  through the two lift cords  92  to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, thereby allowing the blind body  93  gradually achieve the effect of folding or stretching. 
     However, the window blind  1  disclosed above still needs improvement, i.e., since the cord length of the two lift cords  92  from the headrail  91  to the bottom rail  94  have a predetermined stroke design, if the two lift cords  92  unfortunately have inconsistent winding strokes during winding, it will indirectly cause the blind body  93  and the bottom rail  94  to appear uneven or skewed, which really makes the user quite inconvenient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. In order to solve the problems mentioned in the previous technology, the present invention to provide a window blind (for example: honeycomb blind or organ blind), which comprises two cord winding devices, is used to improve the uneven folding or skewing of the blind body caused by the unfortunate inconsistency of the winding stroke when the window blind is folded or stretched. 
     The window blind disclosed in the present invention comprises a headrail, two lift cords, a blind body, a bottom rail, and two cord winding devices. The headrail has the bottom thereof pierced with two spaced cord holes. The bottom rail has the bottom thereof pierced with two spaced mounting holes corresponding to the cord holes of the headrail. The two cord winding devices are respectively installed on the mounting holes of the bottom rail. Each cord winding device comprises a tubular member and an adjustment column. The tubular member comprises an outer peripheral wall, an inner peripheral wall opposite to the outer peripheral wall, a large tube portion, a small tube portion, a tube body respectively connecting the large tube portion and the small tube portion, a locking portion, an accommodating hole located on the connection between the large tube portion and the tube body of the tubular member and pierced from the outer peripheral wall to the inner peripheral wall, a ring-shaped blocking portion protruding radially inward from the inner peripheral wall near a distal end of the small tube portion, and a cord-guide hole located on said tube body near the small tube portion and passing from the outer peripheral wall to the inner peripheral wall. The locking portion has one end thereof connected to the tube body, and an opposite end thereof accommodated in the accommodating hole and protruding toward the inner peripheral wall. The adjustment column comprises a large diameter end, a small diameter end, a column body respectively connecting the large diameter end and the small diameter end, an adjustment slot recessed from a distal end of the large diameter end toward the small diameter end, a plurality of spaced limit portions recessed from the periphery of the large diameter end in the direction of the adjustment slot, a knot hole located on the column body, and a ring-shaped shoulder recessed radially from the periphery of the small diameter end. The adjustment column is pivoted in the small tube portion from the large tube portion of the tubular member by the small diameter end until the ring-shaped shoulder of the small diameter end of the adjustment column is blocked at the ring-shaped blocking portion of the small tube portion of the tubular member, so that the locking portion of the tubular member is clamped to the limit portions of the large diameter end of the adjustment column. The blind body has one side thereof set at the bottom of the headrail, and an opposite side thereof set at the bottom rail. Each lift cord has one end thereof tied to one respective cord winding device provided in the headrail after a predetermined stroke, and an opposite end thereof passed through one respective cord guide provided in the headrail, one respective cord hole, the blind body and the bottom rail and then tied to the adjustment column of one respective cord winding device, so that the two lift cords are driven by the respective cord winding devices of the headrail to be rolled or stretched. 
     In summary, in this way, the two lift cords are driven by the cord winding devices of the headrail to be rolled or stretched. Subject to the technical feature that the other ends of the two lift cords are respectively tied to the adjustment columns of the two cord winding devices, depending on the situation, you can select and fine-tune the adjustment column of the cord winding device on one side, so that one of the lift cords is gradually wound and covered on the adjustment column to indirectly drive the bottom rail and the blind body to gradually adjust to roughly parallel to the bottom of the headrail, thereby effectively achieving the effect of fine-tuning, correcting and resetting the blind body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an oblique top elevational view of a window blind according to the prior art. 
         FIG.  2    is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which mainly reveals that a window blind presents a smoothly expanded state. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic cross-sectional view of part of the components of  FIG.  2   , which mainly reveals that the window blind is in a smoothly folded state. 
         FIG.  4    is an exploded and enlarged schematic diagram of part of the components of  FIG.  2   , which mainly reveals the connection relationship between one of the cord winding devices of the window blind and a bottom rail. 
         FIG.  5    is an enlarged schematic diagram of some components similar to  FIG.  4   , which mainly exposes the observation position of the cord winding device from another angle. 
         FIG.  6    is an enlarged and partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of part of the components of  FIG.  2   , which mainly exposes the connection relationship between one of the cord winding devices and one of the lift cords of the window blind. 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic diagram of an enlarged and partial cross-sectional view of some components similar to  FIG.  6   , which mainly exposes the connection relationship between a tubular member and an adjustment column of one of the cord winding devices of the window blind. 
         FIG.  8    is a schematic cross-sectional view of some components similar to  FIG.  3   , which mainly reveals that the window blind is in an unevenly folded state. 
         FIG.  9    is an enlarged schematic view of part of the components and a partial cross-sectional view of the components of  FIG.  8   , which mainly reveals the connection relationship between one of the cord winding devices and the lift cord of the window blind that has not been fine-tuned and corrected. 
         FIG.  10    is a schematic diagram of an enlarged part of the components similar to  FIG.  8    and a cross-sectional view of a part of the components, which mainly reveals the connection relationship between one of the cord winding devices and the lift cord of the window blind being fine-tuned and corrected. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The applicant first states here that throughout the specification, including the preferred embodiment described below and the claims in the scope of patent application, the terms related to directionality are based on the directions in the drawings. The applicant first explains here that in the entire specification, including the embodiment described below and the various claims in the scope of the patent application, the nouns related to directionality are based on the directions of the diagrams listed in the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS of the present application. Secondly, in the preferred embodiment and drawings to be described below, the same element numbers represent the same or similar elements or their structural features. Moreover, the detailed structure, characteristics, assembly or use, manufacturing and other methods of the present invention will be described in the detailed description of the subsequent embodiments. However, those with ordinary knowledge in the field of the present invention should be able to understand that these detailed descriptions and the examples listed in the present invention are only used to support the explanation that the present invention can actually be implemented, and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. 
     Please refer to  FIGS.  2  to  4   , which are a window blind  2  (for example: honeycomb blind or organ blind) disclosed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which comprises a headrail  21 , two lift cords  22 , a blind body  23 , a bottom rail  25  and two cord winding devices  30 . The bottom of the headrail  21  is pierced with two cord holes  210  spaced apart. The bottom of the bottom rail  25  is provided with two spaced mounting holes  250 . The two cord holes  210  of the headrail  21  are respectively corresponding to the positions of the two mounting holes  250  of the bottom rail  25 , so that the two cord winding devices  30  are respectively set on the two mounting holes  250  of the bottom rail  25 . One side of the blind body  23  is installed on the bottom of the headrail  21 , and the other side of the blind body  23  is installed on the top of the bottom rail  25 . One end of each of the two lift cords  22  is tied to one respective cord winding device  211  provided in the headrail  21  through a predetermined stroke, so that the two lift cords  22  are driven by the respective cord winding devices  211  to present the state of winding or unwinding. The other ends of the two lift cords  22  are respectively passed through the two cord guides  213  provided in the headrail  21 , the two cord holes  210 , the blind body  23  and the bottom rail  25 , so that the other ends of the two lift cords  22  are respectively tied to the two cord winding devices  30  at the bottom of the bottom rail  25 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS.  2  to  7    together, any of the cord winding devices  30  comprises a hollow tubular member  40  and an adjustment column  50  pivoted in the tubular member  40 . The tubular member  40  comprises a large tube portion  41 , a small tube portion  43 , a tube body  45  respectively connecting the large tube portion  41  and the small tube portion  43 , and two locking portions  47  connecting the tube body  45 , wherein the large tube portion  41  and the small tube portion  43  are in coaxial communication. In addition, the tubular member  40  has an outer peripheral wall  401  and an inner peripheral wall  403  opposite to the outer peripheral wall  401 . The connection between the large tube portion  41  and the tube body  45  is radially recessed from the outer peripheral wall  401  to form a ring-shaped shoulder  42 . From the outer peripheral wall  401  of the ring-shaped shoulder  42  toward the direction of the inner peripheral wall  403 , two relatively disposed accommodating holes  421  are pierced. The opening direction of the two accommodating holes  421  is intersecting with the opening direction of the large tube portion  41  and the small tube portion  43  of the tubular member  40 . Preferably, the ring-shaped shoulder  42  can also only be provided with one accommodating hole  421 . In addition, the outer peripheral wall  401  at the junction of the ring-shaped shoulder  42  and the tube body  45  is recessed to form a recess  423 . The inner peripheral wall  403  near the mouth of the small tube portion  43  projects radially inward to form a ring-shaped blocking portion  431 . The tube body  45  close to the small tube portion  43  from the outer peripheral wall  401  toward the inner peripheral wall  403  is provided with two oppositely arranged cord-guide holes  451 . The opening direction of the two cord-guide holes  451  is intersecting with the opening direction of the large tube portion  41  and the small tube portion  43  of the tubular member  40 . Preferably, the tube body  45  can also only have one cord-guide hole  451 . One ends of the two locking portions  47  are respectively accommodated in the two accommodating holes  421  of the ring-shaped shoulder  42 , and each protrude a predetermined distance toward the direction of the inner peripheral wall  403 . The other ends of the two locking portions  47  are respectively connected to the tube body  45  and close to the two cord-guide holes  451 . In this way, one ends of the two locking portions  47  can each present a slight reciprocating pivotal motion between the outer peripheral wall  401  and the inner peripheral wall  403  of the tubular member  40 . Preferably, only one locking portion  47  can also be provided in accordance with the number of the accommodating hole  421  of the ring-shaped shoulder  42 . 
     Please refer to  FIGS.  5  to  7    together. The adjustment column  50  comprises a large diameter end  51 , a small diameter end  53  coaxially to the large diameter end  51 , and a column body  55  connected between the large diameter end  51  and the small diameter end  53 . In addition, the adjustment column  50  has an outer peripheral wall  501 . From the end of the large diameter end  51  of the adjustment column  50  toward the same axis of the small diameter end  53 , an adjustment slot  52  is recessed to provide an external tool to be embedded therein. The periphery of the large diameter end  51  of the adjustment column  50  is recessed radially in the direction of the adjustment slot  52  to form a plurality of spaced limit portions  54  so that each two adjacent limit portions  54  are connected to each other by a barrier  541 . The connection between the large diameter end  51  and the column body  55  is radially recessed from the outer peripheral wall  501  to form a ring-shaped shoulder  56  so that the adjustment column  50  gradually converges from the ring-shaped shoulder  56  toward the small diameter end  53 . In addition, the overall outer diameter of the adjustment column  50  is less than or equal to the inner diameter of the inner peripheral wall  403  of the tubular member  40 . The column body  55  of the adjustment column  50  is provided with a knot hole  551  through the column body  55 . The opening direction of the knot hole  551  of the column body  55  of the adjustment column  50  is intersecting with the opening direction of the large tube portion  41  and the small tube portion  43  of the tubular member  40 . The periphery of the small diameter end  53  of the adjustment column  50  is recessed radially to form a ring-shaped shoulder  531 . 
     The above are the technical features of the window blind  2  (for example: honeycomb blind or organ blind) and its components disclosed in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Next, we continue to disclose how the two cord winding devices  30  installed on the bottom rail  25  of the window blind  2  will cooperate with the operation mode of the overall window blind  2  and the desired effect: 
     First of all, please refer to  FIGS.  2  to  7    together, which are to install the two cord winding devices  30  on the two mounting holes  25  of the bottom rail  25  respectively. Since the outer diameter of the tube body  45  of the tubular member  40  of any cord winding device  30  is exactly in line with the aperture size of the mounting hole  250  of the bottom rail  25 , the two cord winding devices  30  can be respectively locked at the two mounting holes  250  of the bottom rail  25  by the tube body  45  of the respective tubular member  40 , so as to achieve the effect of preventing any cord winding device  30  from being easily disconnected from the bottom rail  25  of the window blind  2 . Preferably, subject to the technical feature that the tubular member  40  of any cord winding device  30  has the ring-shaped shoulder  42 , the two cord winding devices  30  are individually blocked at the aperture periphery of the two mounting holes  250  of the bottom rail  25  by the ring-shaped shoulder  42  of the respective tubular member  40  to prevent any cord winding device  30  from being pushed into the respective mounting hole  250  of the bottom rail  25  due to the careless force applied by the personnel during the assembly. 
     Secondly, please refer to  FIG.  4    to  FIG.  7   , subject to the technical feature that the overall outer diameter of the adjustment column  50  of any cord winding device  30  is less than or equal to the inner diameter of the inner peripheral wall  403  of the tubular member  40 , the small diameter end  53  of the adjustment column  50  is inserted from the opening of the large tube portion  41  of the tubular member  40  into the small tube portion  43  until the ring-shaped shoulder  531  of the small diameter end  53  of the adjustment column  50  is blocked on the ring-shaped blocking portion  431  of the small tube portion  43  of the tubular member  40 . Moreover, subject to the technical feature that the two locking portions  47  of the tubular member  40  correspond to and are limited to the two limit portions  54  of the large diameter end  51  of the adjustment column  50 , the adjustment column  50  has to be steadily locked in the tubular member  40 , so that the adjustment column  50  of any cord winding device  30  is no longer easily disconnected from the tubular member  40 . 
     Furthermore, please refer to  FIG.  2    to  FIG.  7    together. The other ends of the two lift cords  22  of the window blind  2  are respectively inserted through the two cord guides  213  provided in the headrail  21  and the two cord holes  210 , the blind body  23 , and the bottom rail  25 , and then respectively inserted through the cord-guide holes  451  of the tube bodies  45  of the tubular members  40  of the two cord winding devices  30 , and then passed through the knot holes  551  of the column bodies  55  of the respective adjustment columns  50  and tied and fixed thereto. In this way, subject to the technical feature that the opening direction of the cord-guide hole  451  of the tubular member  40  of any cord winding device  30  and the opening direction of the knot hole  551  of the column body  55  of the adjustment column  50  are respectively intersected with the opening direction of the large tube portion  41  and the small tube portion  43  of the tubular member  40  and the opening direction of the two mounting holes  250  of the bottom rail  25 , the other end of the lift cord  22  is first passed through the cord-guide hole  451  of the tube body  45  of the respective tubular member  40 , and then tied and fixed at the knot hole  551  of the column body  55  of the respective adjustment column  50 . In addition to preventing the other end of each the two lift cords  22  from being easily disconnected from the adjustment column  50  of the respective cord winding device  30 , it also allows the adjustment column  50  of the cord winding device  30  and the respective cord winding device  211  of the headrail  21  to be ingeniously drawn to each other through the two ends of the respective lift cord  22 . 
     Finally, please refer to  FIG.  2    to  FIG.  10    together. If, unfortunately, when the window blind  2  is folded or stretched, the winding strokes of the two lift cords  22  are inconsistent, which indirectly causes the blind body  23  and the bottom rail  25  to no longer be parallel to the bottom of the headrail  21 , which results in uneven or skewed folding of the blind body  23 , at this time, subject to the technical feature that the large diameter end  51  of the adjustment column  50  of any cord winding device  30  is recessed to form the adjustment slot  52 , a matching external hand tool (that is, as shown in  FIG.  4   , the adjustment slot is a hexagon socket type, of course, it can also be a straight type or a cross type, etc., and the foregoing are all known techniques that can be easily replaced and are not the technical features of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, so they will not be repeated) can be inserted into the adjustment slot  52  of the adjustment column  50  of any cord winding device  30  and then rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to let the respective lift cord  22  be gradually wound and covered on the column body  55  of the adjustment column  50 , and indirectly drive the bottom rail  25  and the blind body  23  to be gradually adjusted to be substantially parallel to the bottom of the headrail  21 , so that the blind body  23  and the bottom rail  25  can be restored to the smooth folding or stretching again. In this way, the blind body  23  can be effectively adjusted and corrected. 
     In addition, please refer to  FIG.  2    to  FIG.  10    together. It is worth mentioning that when the blind body  23  of the window blind  2  applies a clockwise or counterclockwise force to the adjustment column  50  of one of the cord winding devices  30  to start pivoting motion, subject to the technical feature that the two locking portions  47  of the tubular member  40  of the cord winding device  30  are respectively clamped to the two limit portions  54  of the large diameter end  51  of the corresponding adjustment column  50 , the adjustment column  50  is pivoted radially clockwise or counterclockwise to a predetermined position, so that the two limit portions  54  of the adjustment column  50  are limited and locked by the two locking portions  47  of the corresponding tubular member  40 . In this way, it will be able to effectively prevent the adjustment column  50  from rotating clockwise or counterclockwise arbitrarily. Preferably, subject to the technical feature that each two adjacent limit portions  54  of the adjustment column  50  are connected to each other by a barrier  541 , when the two locking portions  47  of the tubular member  40  are respectively restricted to any two adjacent limit portions  54  of the large diameter end  51  of the adjustment column  50 , it will not easily produce radially clockwise or counterclockwise rotation.