Patent Abstract:
The present invention relates to double fabric blinds and, more particularly, to a device for adjusting a fabric angle of the double fabric blinds, which is capable of finely adjusting an degree of openness of a front sheet, wherein a plurality of balls are sequentially held in a holding groove, e.g., as four or eight balls, inserted into an insertion groove of a rotation component, wherein the plurality of balls are rotated in a guide groove of a stopper by approximately 90 degrees or 45 degrees, thereby improving safety and omitting the use of a conventional string.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to double fabric blinds and, more particularly, to a device for adjusting a fabric angle of double fabric blinds. 
     2. Background Art 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , double fabric blinds generally use a double fabric, in which a front sheet  1  and a rear sheet  2  woven from mesh are coupled to a plurality of connection fabrics  3  extending between the front sheet  1  and the rear sheet  2 , as a fabric for blinds  4  wound around a winding rod  6 . Each of the connection fabrics  3  has a substantially S-shaped section and is connected in the longitudinal direction such that the front sheet  1  is spaced at a predetermined distance apart from the rear sheet  2 . The front and rear sheets  1  and  2  are formed from a transparent material woven from mesh, and the plurality of connection fabrics  3  are formed from a translucent material which is more flexible than those of the front and rear sheets  1  and  2 . The fabric  4  for the double fabric blinds allows light from the outside to be transmitted therein via the front and rear sheets  1  and  2  when the connection fabrics  3  are spread. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , when one of the front and rear sheets  1  and  2  moves upward, the various connection fabrics  3  are folded, and thus the front sheet  1  and the rear sheet  2  are almost in contact with each other. Simultaneously, since the plurality of connection fabrics  3  are in contact with each other, the blinds enter a translucent state in which light is transmitted through the front and rear sheets  1  and  2 , but is at least partially obscured. 
     Turning to  FIG. 3 , roll blinds  9  have been manufactured by using the fabric  4  of the double fabric blinds. Roll blinds  9  can include an upper case  6 , which is coupled to the winding rod  5  for winding the fabric  4  of the double fabric blinds, and a lower end bar  7  having a weight on the lower end of the double fabric. Also, a driving roller  8  is disposed on one end of the winding rod  5  so as to move the double fabric in the vertical direction, and an adjustable string  8   a  for rotating the driving roller  8  is provided. In this state, when the adjustable string  8   a  is pulled, the double fabric for blinds  4  moves downward while the driving roller  8  is rotated. The connection fabric  3  disposed between the front sheet  1  and the rear sheet  2  moves downward in the folded state, and when the fabric for blinds  4  moves down to the bottom, the folded connection fabrics  3  are spread due to the weight of the lower end bar  7 . 
     Since conventional roll blinds have a structure in which a plurality of vanes are spread due to the weight of the lower end bar only when the double fabric moves down to the bottom, there is a limitation in that the roll blinds include no elements for allowing a user to spread the folded connection fabric at a desired position, particularly at the middle or upper positions of the double fabric, and/or adjust a spread angle of the connection fabric. Also, the conventional design includes a drop-down string (adjustable string  8   a ) which poses a safety hazard for children who may become entangled in the string. 
     To solve the abovementioned limitation, “blinds with adjustment for the angle of a double fabric” are disclosed in Korean patent gazette No. 10-943408, a previously owned patent also owned by the present applicant. Since the double blinds of the previously registered patent include a driving body, an angle adjustment component, two rollers, and two adjustable strings, the structure of the blinds in this configuration is relatively complicated. Although a degree of openness of the front sheet of the double fabric is adjustable via a friction member of the angle adjustment component, the abrasiveness (and associated coefficient of friction) of the friction member may deteriorate after being used for a long time, reducing the degree of openness to which the double fabric can be adjusted. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     One Aspect of the present invention provides adjusting of double fabric blinds and, more particularly, a device for adjusting the fabric angle of the double fabric blinds, which is capable of finely adjusting a degree of openness of such a fabric since a plurality (e.g., four or eight) of balls are sequentially held and inserted in a holding groove of a rotation component, and are rotated in a guide groove of a stopper at 90 degrees or 45 degrees, thereby reducing accidents since an adjustable string is not used. Also, the device can be easily operated since a separate lower end bar is formed on the lower ends of the front sheet and rear sheet, which can provide the same function as a handle. 
     To achieve the abovementioned functions, embodiments of the present invention provide a device for adjusting the fabric angle of double fabric blinds, comprising: a cover provided with an insertion hole having a hook protrusion formed therein, wherein coupling protrusions are disposed symmetrical to each other on the inner circumferential surface of the cover and protrude outward; a rotation component having coupling grooves which are coupled to the coupling protrusions of the cover, disposed symmetrical to each other on the outer circumferential surface of the rotation component, and recessed inward, and insertion grooves and a coupling hole formed in the inner circumferential surface of said rotation component, wherein a plurality of balls are inserted into the insertion grooves and a stopper is coupled to the coupling hole; a stopper having a shaft insertion hole which passes through same and has a coupling groove coupled to the hook protrusion of a spring at the lower end of said stopper, so as to be inserted into the coupling hole of the rotation component, and guide grooves, inclined grooves, and holding grooves in the outer circumferential surface of same, wherein the guide grooves and inclined grooves allow the balls to be rotated, and the holding grooves hold the balls; a fixing shaft, the front of which has the coupling protrusion coupled to a washer and the rear of which has the spring coupled to the hook protrusion projecting outward, inserted into the shaft insertion hole of the stopper; and blinds which have the plurality of balls inserted into the insertion grooves of the rotation component, to adjust the angle of the double fabric by moving in the guide groove and coupling the stopper to the rotation component. The device is characterized in that when the rotation component is rotated after four balls are inserted into the guide groove of the stopper and the rotation component is coupled to the stopper, a degree of openness of the double fabric is adjusted while the four balls are sequentially held by the holding groove as the rotation component is rotated at 90 degrees. 
     The present invention can provide the following technical effects. 
     First, a user may easily and simply adjust the degree of openness of the double fabric as desired. 
     Second, the opened angle of the double fabric may be finely adjusted by controlling the number of the balls inserted into the insertion grooves of the rotation component. 
     Third, the device of the present invention is effective in that a ball chain or an adjustable string is not used, thereby improving safety for the user. 
     Fourth, the device has a simple structure and reduces malfunctions from occurring during operation, thereby also reducing manufacturing costs. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1-3  are views illustrating a configuration and operation of conventional double fabric blinds. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating double blinds of applicant&#39;s previously registered patent disclosed in Korean patent gazette No. 10-943408. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective exploded view illustrating the configuration of a device for adjusting a fabric angle of double fabric blinds according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of the device for adjusting the fabric angle of double fabric blinds according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a rotation component is coupled to a cover of the device for adjusting the fabric angle of double fabric blinds according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which all elements of the device for adjusting the fabric angle of double fabric blinds according to embodiments of the present invention are coupled to each other. 
         FIGS. 9-15  are views illustrating a state in which the device for adjusting the fabric angle of double fabric blinds according to embodiments of the present invention is used. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Reference number  300  represents a body of a device for adjusting a fabric angle of double fabric blinds according to embodiments of the present invention. The body  300  includes: a cover  310  having a hook protrusion  312  on which a coupling protrusion  311  is formed; a rotation component  320  having an outer circumferential surface on which coupling grooves  321  disposed symmetrically relative to each other are formed, and an inner circumferential surface in which an insertion groove  322  and a coupling hole  323  are formed; a stopper  330  having a shaft insertion hole  332  and a coupling groove  331  formed on one surface of the outer circumferential surface of the stopper  330 ; the stopper having a guide groove  333 , an inclined groove  334 , and a holding groove  335  formed on the outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein a ball  350  is rotated in the guide grooves and inclined grooves  333  and  334  and held in the holding groove  335 ; and a fixing shaft  340 , the front of which has a coupling protrusion  342  coupled to which a washer  341  and the rear of which is coupled to a spring  344  having a hook protrusion  343  protruding outward. 
     The cover  310  has an insertion hole and a hook protrusion in which coupling protrusions are formed symmetrical to each other on the inner circumferential surface of the cover, protruding outward. Also, a plurality of protrusions  314  coupled to a winding drum around which the double fabric is wound are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cover  310 . Any desired number of protrusions  314  can be provided on cover  310 . The coupling grooves  321 , which are symmetrical to each other and can be in the form of semicircular grooves, are formed in the outer circumferential surface of the rotation component  320 . The coupling hole  323  having the insertion grooves  322 , where a plurality of balls  350  are inserted, can be formed in the inner circumferential surface of the rotation component. 
     The insertion groove  323  can have a semicircular shape and extend in a longitudinal direction within the rotation component  320 , which is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Also, the plurality of balls  350  can be inserted into the insertion groove  323  and used as discussed herein. In particular, four balls  350  can be inserted into the insertion groove, or eight balls  350  may alternatively be inserted for use. In other embodiments, more than eight balls  350  may be used if desired. The fixing shaft  340  is inserted into the coupling hole  323  of the rotation component  320 . The stopper  330  is a pipe which can have a cylindrical shape. The coupling groove  331 , to which the hook protrusion  343  of the spring  344  is coupled, is formed on one area of the inner circumferential surface of the stopper and has a predetermined length. The shaft insertion hole  332  is formed in the stopper. The guide grooves and inclined grooves  333  and  334 , in which each of the balls  350  is moved, and the holding groove  335  for holding the ball  350  are formed in the outer circumferential surface of the stopper  330 . 
     One surface of the ball  350  contacts the guide groove  333  of the stopper  330 , and another surface of the ball contacts the insertion groove  322  of the rotation component  320 . Thus, the rotation component  320  may hold a rotation according to the movement of the ball  350 . The coupling protrusion  342 , to which the washer  341  is coupled, is formed on the front of the fixing shaft  340 , and the spring  344  having the hook protrusion  343  protruding outward is coupled to the rear of the fixing shaft. A coupling groove  345  is formed in the central portion of the rear surface of the shaft  340  so that a coupling protrusion of a bracket is inserted. The hook protrusion  343  of the spring  344  can be disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the fixing shaft  340  and coupled to the coupling groove  331  of the stopper  330  as described above, and thus, the stopper  330  is held by the hook protrusion. 
     A method for operating the abovementioned device to adjust the fabric angle of the double fabric blinds according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 9-13 . First, the coupling protrusion of the bracket is coupled to the coupling groove  345  formed in the rear surface of the fixing shaft  340 , and a rotor rotated due to the elastic force of a well-known spring is mounted on a spring on a surface opposite the rear surface of the fixing shaft. Further, the winding drum, around which a double fabric  110  made of a connection fabric  113  connecting a front sheet  111  and a rear sheet  112  is wound, may be coupled and fixed to the protrusion  314  of the cover  310 . Lower end rods  371  and  372  are provided on the lower ends of the front and rear sheets  111  and  112 , respectively. Each of the lower end rods  371  and  372  can have a cylindrical shape and the same length as the width of the fabric. A string provided with a handle may be provided at the lower side of the lower end rod  371  of the front sheet for use. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the lower end rod  371  of the front sheet may be gripped and pulled downward in a state in which the double fabric  110  is entirely wound around the winding drum, thereby moving the double fabric in the vertical direction. The four balls  350  located in a front side of the insertion groove  322  of the rotation component  320  are rotated in the guide groove  333  of the stopper  330 . Simultaneously, the double fabric moves downward while the rotor on the opposite side is loading the spring. The fixing shaft  340  is in a fixed state, and the stopper  330  is rotated in a direction opposite to that of the spring  344  wound in a state in which the hook protrusion  343  of the spring  344  is coupled to the stopper. Simultaneously, the double fabric moves downward while the rotation component  320  is engaged with the stopper  340  and the four balls  350 , and the cover  310  inserted into the coupling groove  321  of the rotation component  320  are rotated in the same direction. 
     To allow sunlight to be transmitted to the inside by adjusting an degree of openness of the double fabric  110  in a state in which the double fabric  110  has moved downward to the lowest end, when the lower end rod  372  of the rear sheet is gripped and pulled downward as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , a first ball  350  of the four balls  350  moves along the inclined groove  334  and is located and stopped in the holding groove  335  as illustrated in  FIG. 12 , and simultaneously, the front sheet  111  moves upward to open the double fabric  110  as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . In particular, the first ball  350  of the four balls is held in the holding groove  335  when the rotation component  320  is rotated by 90 degrees to adjust the degree of openness of the double fabric, and when the lower end rod  372  of the rear sheet is pulled downward again, a second ball  350  is held in the holding groove  335  when the rotation component  320  is rotated by 90 degrees to further increase the degree of openness of the double fabric. 
     As described above, as the rotation component  320  is rotated by 90 degrees, the plurality of balls  350  may be sequentially held in the holding groove  355  to finely adjust the degree of openness of the double fabric. Also, according to embodiments of the present invention, eight balls  350  can be coupled to the insertion grooves  322  of the rotation component  320 , and the stopper  330  is inserted into the rotation component  320 , and thus the balls  350  are located in the guide groove  333  formed in the outer circumferential surface of the stopper  330 . In this state, as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , when the lower end rod  372  of the rear sheet is gripped and pulled downward, the first ball  350  of the eight balls is held in the holding groove  335  when the rotation component  320  is rotated by 45 degrees to adjust the degree of openness of the double fabric, and when the lower end rod  372  of the rear sheet is pulled downward again, the second ball  350  is held in the holding groove  335  when the rotation component  320  is rotated by 45 degrees to further open the degree of openness of the double fabric. 
     As described above, as the rotation component  320  is rotated by 45 degrees, the eight balls  350  may be sequentially held in the holding groove  355  to finely adjust the degree of openness of the double fabric. In this state, when the lower end rod  372  of the rear sheet is pulled downward such that the roller turns more than a holding angle, the ball  350  is removed from the holding groove  335  as illustrated in  FIGS. 14 and 15 . Simultaneously, the rotor on the opposite side is rotated as the spring loses its tension. The cover, to which the winding drum is coupled, is rotated and causes the double fabric  110  to move upward. The ball  350  may be located in the guide groove  333  of the stopper  330 , which is the initial state.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4