Patent Description:
Such a fastening element is known per se in various variants in the relevant field for detachably fastening one of the horizontal slats of a blind to a ladder cord bridge. In a blind with ladder tape, the tilting of the slats in the ladder tapes can also take place with ladder cords hidden from view by the ladder tapes.

The object of the present invention is to adapt the known fastening element and thereby provide an operating mechanism for tilting the slats in a venetian blind with ladder tapes without the use of ladder cords.

In order to achieve this object the invention is defined by a fastening element according to claim <NUM>, an assembly according to claim <NUM>, a window covering according to claim <NUM> and a method according to claim <NUM>. The assembly according to the present invention further comprises a tilt control cord adapted to be wrapped around the cord spool when in use such that the ends of the tilt control cord extend to the slat to which the fastening element is to be fastened, wherein the assembly includes second fastening means for fastening the ends of the tilt control cord to the fastening element, such that said operating mechanism can tilt said slats of said window covering comprising said ladder tapes without the use of ladder cords, wherein the first fastening means are formed by bent ends of the short sides of the body of the fastening element for clamping engagement about the slat.

In a venetian blind with ladder tapes and ladder cords, a cord spool is already present for raising and lowering the lift cords and for tilting the ladder cords, which cord spool is usually provided with a V-shaped groove in which the ladder cord can be received clampingly. By using the assembly with the fastening element according to the present invention, the tilt control cord can be wrapped around the cord spool already present and fastened to one of the slats. Subsequently, a package of slats comprising slats and ladder tapes can simply be suspended from the relevant slat, for instance by having the relevant slat run at least partly under a ladder tape bridge. The use of ladder cords in a venetian blind with ladder tapes is then no longer necessary. This has the additional advantage that the assembly of the slat package on the head rail of the blind is much simpler and can therefore be carried out faster and without tools.

An example of a fastening element known per se is described in
The application continues on page <NUM>, line <NUM>, of the English translation as filed <CIT>. In the known fastening element, the end of a ladder cord is clampingly received between the fastening element and the slat to which the fastening element is mounted. This clamping makes the known fastening element unsuitable for carrying the load of an entire package of slats.

Another example of a fastening element known per se is described in <CIT>. Described herein is an exterior sunblind with several fastening elements, each of which functions as a connecting bridge for the lift cords.

In a general preferred embodiment of the fastening element according to the present invention, the second fastening means are arranged on the side of the elongate body of the fastening element facing away from the slat. Preferably, the fastening element is fastened against the underside of the slat and is hidden from view as much as possible.

In a first preferred embodiment of the assembly according to the present invention, the second fastening means comprise two bridges, each having a tilt control cord slot, wherein a space is provided between each bridge and the elongate body, and wherein the ends of the tilt control cord are provided with a boss such as a knot or a bead, wherein the bosses are intended to be accommodated in the spaces. The tilt control cord can be hooked into the fastening element in a simple manner.

In a second preferred embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the second fastening means comprise first and second cooperating connecting means, wherein the first connecting means are arranged on the elongate body of the fastening element and wherein the second connecting means are arranged at the ends of the tilt control cord. Various connecting means are suitable, such as press studs, hooks and eyes, to facilitate attachment of the tilt control cord to the fastening element.

In a third preferred embodiment of the assembly according to the present invention, the fastening element consists of two parts which are releasably connectable and the second fastening means are arranged to fix each part of the fastening element to one of the ends of the tilt control cord. The tilt control cord is herein integrated into the fastening element. The attachment to the slat takes place by connecting the two parts of the fastening element to each other, for example by means of a snap connection.

In a further preferred embodiment of the assembly according to the present invention, the first fastening means are formed by bent short sides of the body of the fastening element for clamping engagement around the slat.

According to a practical preferred embodiment of the assembly according to the present invention, the body of the fastening element is provided with a through-hole for lift cords of the window covering.

Preferably, the fastening element comprises plastic.

The present invention also relates to a window covering comprising a head rail, a slat package comprising two or more ladder tapes and a series of slats extending horizontally in the ladder tapes and an operating mechanism for tilting the slats, wherein the operating mechanism comprises a cord spool for positioning in the head rail.

In addition to the known window covering with ladder cords and ladder tapes, an alternative window covering is known in the relevant art using only ladder tapes. This alternative window covering includes a complex spool, which is adapted for tilting the ladder tapes.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved window covering with an alternative operating mechanism for tilting the slats.

The window covering according to the present invention is thereto characterized in that the operating mechanism further comprises an assembly according to the present invention, wherein the tilt control cord is wrapped around the cord spool and extends to one of the slats, preferably the top slat, and wherein the fastening element is releasably fastened to said slat and is connected to the ends of the tilt control cord.

In the window covering of the present invention, the known standard cord spool of the known window covering with ladder cords and ladder tapes can be used for tilting the slats in ladder tapes without the use of ladder cords. A complex adjustment to the spool is not required.

In a first preferred embodiment of the window covering according to the present invention the cord spool is provided with a groove in which the tilt control cord is clampingly received. Such a groove is usually already present in the standard cord spool so that no adjustments to the cord spool are necessary.

Preferably the fastening element is fastened against the underside of said slat, so that it is hidden from view.

Preferably the operating mechanism of the window covering according to the present invention is motorized.

Preferably the window covering according to the present invention is a venetian blind.

The invention further relates to a method for assembling a window covering according to the invention, whereby the method comprises the following steps:.

The method according to the present invention is considerably simpler and faster to perform than known methods for assembling the known window coverings. In addition, no tools are required.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the figures, wherein.

<FIG> shows a schematic view of a first preferred embodiment of a window covering <NUM> according to the invention. The window covering <NUM> is a venetian blind having two or more ladder tapes <NUM>, one of which is visible. A series of slats <NUM> extend horizontally in the ladder tapes <NUM>. The window covering <NUM> includes a head rail <NUM>, in which is located an operating mechanism for tilting and tilting the slats <NUM>. Only a cord spool <NUM> of the operating mechanism is shown. The operating mechanism can be either motorized or manual.

<FIG> shows the window covering <NUM> of <FIG> without the head rail <NUM>. Furthermore, in <FIG>, the cord spool <NUM> has been shifted out of the ladder tape <NUM>. In the first preferred embodiment, the cord spool <NUM> is provided with a groove <NUM> into which extends a tilt control cord <NUM> for tilting the slats. Preferably, the groove <NUM> is V-shaped, such that the tilt control cord <NUM> is clampingly received therein. The tilt control cord <NUM> is wrapped around the cord spool <NUM> and is connected to one of the slats <NUM>, in the first preferred embodiment to the top slat 102A. The ends of the tilt control cord <NUM> are fastened to the slat 102A by means of a fastening element <NUM> according to the invention. The fastening element <NUM> is preferably fastened against the underside of the slat 102A, but this is not necessary.

<FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> show three variants of an assembly of a fastening element and a tilt control cord according to the invention. The fastening element according to the invention can also referred to as a slat clip.

<FIG> and <FIG> show a first preferred embodiment of the fastening element <NUM> according to the invention schematically in top and bottom view, respectively.

The fastening element <NUM> has an elongate body <NUM> with a length corresponding to at least the width of the slat 102A. The body <NUM> is provided on the short sides with first fastening means <NUM> for fastening engagement around the slat 102A. In the shown preferred embodiment the first fastening means are designed as bent ends <NUM>. The bent ends <NUM> can be designed both rigidly and flexible.

According to the invention, the fastening element <NUM> is provided on the side 2A of the body <NUM> which is to be turned away from the slat, with second fastening means <NUM>, <NUM> for receiving the ends of the tilt control cord <NUM>.

Preferably, the second fastening means are adapted to receive both ends of the tilt control cord <NUM>. In the first preferred embodiment shown, the second fastening means comprise two bridges <NUM>, each with a slot <NUM> for the fastening cord, in which a space is left between the bridge <NUM> and said side 2A that is intended to receive a boss <NUM> at the end of the cord <NUM>, such as a knot or bead.

<FIG> and <FIG> show a second preferred embodiment of the fastening element <NUM> according to the invention, schematically in top and bottom view, respectively.

The reference numerals are incremented by the number <NUM> relative to the reference numerals in the first preferred embodiment.

The fastening element <NUM> differs from the fastening element <NUM> with regard to the second fastening means, which comprise first and second cooperating connecting means <NUM>, <NUM>. The first connecting means <NUM> are arranged on the elongate body <NUM>. The second connecting means <NUM> are arranged at the ends of the tilt control cord <NUM>. In the second preferred embodiment shown, the first connecting means are protrusions <NUM>, which are clampable in openings forming part of the second connecting means <NUM>. Various other cooperating connecting means are suitable as an alternative.

<FIG> shows a third preferred embodiment of the fastening element <NUM> according to the invention.

The reference numerals are incremented by the numeral <NUM> relative to the reference numerals in the first preferred embodiment and by the numeral <NUM> relative to the reference numerals in the second preferred embodiment.

The fastening element <NUM> differs from the fastening element <NUM> with regard to the second fastening means <NUM>, which integrally connect the tilt control cord <NUM> to the body <NUM>. The body of the fastening element <NUM> consists of two parts 22A, 22B which are each fixed to an outer end of the tilt control cord <NUM>. The parts 22A, 22B are releasably connectable by first and second cooperating connecting means. In the third preferred embodiment shown, the releasable connection is formed by two pairs of cooperating projections <NUM> and openings <NUM>. The projections <NUM> and openings <NUM> have a corresponding shape and fit together like puzzle pieces.

In the third preferred embodiment shown, the body <NUM> is longitudinally divided into two parts. It will be clear that the body can also be divided into two parts in other directions, for instance in transverse direction.

The present invention is based on the idea of allowing the slats <NUM> to tilt along in a ladder tape when only the tilting action of one of the slats, preferably the top slat 102A, is controlled. In the preferred embodiments shown, rotation of the cord spool <NUM> will cause the slat 102A to which the fastening element <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> is mounted to tilt. Subsequently, all slats <NUM> in the ladder tapes <NUM> will begin to tilt along.

The cord spool <NUM> preferably also serves for winding up and unwinding lift cords for the slats <NUM>. The fastening element <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be provided for this purpose with a central opening <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> for the lift cords (not shown).

Assembly of the window covering <NUM> according to the invention takes place by a method comprising the steps below.

In step a), the tilt control cord <NUM>, <NUM> or <NUM> is wrapped around the cord spool <NUM> and received in the groove <NUM>.

In step b) the fastening element <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is fastened to the slat 102A by means of the first fastening means <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. For the fastening element <NUM>, the two parts 22A, 22B of the body <NUM> are also connected to each other by means of the cooperating connecting means <NUM>, <NUM>. Step c is not necessary for the fastening element <NUM>.

With the fastening element <NUM> or <NUM>, steps a) and b) can be performed in any order. Subsequently, in step c) the tilt control cord <NUM> or <NUM> should be attached to the fastening element <NUM> or <NUM>. In the case of the fastening element <NUM>, this is done by hooking the ends <NUM> in the space under the bridge <NUM> and inserting the tilt control cord <NUM> into the slot <NUM>. In the case of the fastening element <NUM>, this takes place by accommodating the protrusions <NUM> in the openings of the second connecting means <NUM>.

In a separate step d), the package of slats is suspended from said slat 102A such that the ladder tape bridges <NUM> extend over said slat 102A. The ends of the ladder tapes <NUM>, which project above the slat 102A, can be optionally concealed.

It is noted for the sake of completeness that the invention is of course not limited to the described and shown preferred embodiments.

Claim 1:
Fastening element (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) for an assembly for use in a window covering (<NUM>) and for fastening to a slat of said window covering (<NUM>), said window covering comprising ladder tapes (<NUM>), slats (<NUM>) and an operating mechanism provided with a cord spool (<NUM>), wherein the fastening element has an elongate body (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) with a length corresponding to at least the width of the slat, wherein the elongate body is provided with first fastening means (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) for fastening to the slat, wherein the first fastening means are formed by bent ends (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the short sides of the body (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the fastening element (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) for clamping engagement about the slat, wherein the assembly further comprises a tilt control cord (<NUM>; <NUM>; <NUM>) adapted to be wrapped around the cord spool when in use such that the ends of the tilt control cord extend to the slat to which the fastening element is to be fastened, wherein the fastening element and the tilt control cord include second fastening means (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>; <NUM>, <NUM>; <NUM>) for fastening the ends of the tilt control cord to the fastening element, such that said operating mechanism can tilt said slats (<NUM>) of said window covering comprising said ladder tapes (<NUM>) without the use of ladder cords.