Vertical Venetian Blind Construction

This invention relates to a vertical venetian blind of the type in which the slats are supported on a carriage for movement along the trackway to enable opening and closing of the blind and in which the slats are also supported on the carriage for rotation about the lengthwise axis of the slat, to control light that passes through the blind, an example of which is shown in U.S. Patent to Eldridge, Jr. et al, No. 3,280,891. In the vertical venetian blind construction disclosed in that patent, the carriages are moved along a channel shaped trackway by means of traverse cords having relatively parallel runs extending lengthwise of the trackway and connected to a lead or master carriage, and with links interconnecting adjacent carriages to control spacing between the carriages. The slats on the several carriages are simultaneously rotated by a spline shaft that extends longitudinally of the track and the carriages each have rack and pinion gearing that meshes with the spline shaft and which rotates slot carriers connected to each of the slats. The spline shaft is driven by a cord and pulley type drive through a speed reducer located on the end of the spline shaft.

Such vertical venetian blind apparatus require a relative large number of carriages for each installation, with each carrier having a slat carrier, gears for rotating the slat carrier from the spline shaft, and carriage spacer links to control spacing between the carriages. The prior venetian blind construction was such that it was relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble the various parts that made up each carriage including the gearing and spacer links. Moreover, the traverse cords for moving the carriages along the channel are located within the channel and, in the prior constructions, it was a tedious and time-consuming operation to connect the traverse cord runs to the lead or master carriages. Further, in the prior vertical venetian blind constructions, the drive mechanism for rotating the spline shaft was located at the end of the channel and necessitated substantial space between the end slat and the window opening in order to operate the blind so that there was a light passage between the end slat and the window opening.

The present invention relates to a vertical venetian blind construction in which carriages having rotatable slat carriers are mounted for movement along a horizontal support channel by means of traverse cords extending lengthwise of the channel and in which the slat carriers on the several carriages are simultaneously rotated by means of a spline shaft extending longitudinally of the channel and gear mechanism on each of the carriages that mesh with the spline shaft.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a vertical venetian blind construction in which the carriages, slat carriers and gearing can be economically fabricated and assembled; in which the traverse cords can be easily and reliably connected to the lead or master carriage; and in which the slats when closed can extend alongside the window opening so as to substantially avoid passage of light therebetween.

One aspect of the present invention resides in the improved construction of the slat carriages. The carriages, slat carriers, and rack and pinion gearing are constructed and arranged so that the carriers and racks can be inserted as a subassembly into the carriages in such a manner that proper timing of the slat carriers on the several carriages is assured; the spacer links are formed integrally with the carriages so that it is unnecessary to separately form and assemble the spacer links on the carriages; and the carriages are formed with cord locks at their underside and internal cord passages opening adjacent the cord locks at the underside of the carriages to facilitate connection of the traverse cords to the lead or master carriage.

Another aspect of the present invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the drive and speed reducer mechanism for the splined slat carrier adjusting shaft and which enables operation of the slat adjusting shaft from either side of the track in such a manner that the slats can extend to the end of the track when closed to avoid light passage between the blind and window opening.

These, together with other objects and features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical venetian blind construction embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the guide channel and carriage taken on the plane 2--2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view through a carriage and illustrating assembly of the slat carrier and rack member into the carriage;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a carriage;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane 6--6 of FIG. 5 and illustrating assembly of the slat carrier and rack member on a carriage;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of one end of the vertical venetian blind apparatus with a portion of the top wall on the channel broken away to illustrate the shaft drive mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the channel taken on the plane 8--8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the other end of the channel with parts of the side wall broken away to illustrate the traverse cord return mechanism;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane 10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of a vertical venetian blind assembly arranged for two-way draw;

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of a vertical venetian blind apparatus arranged for one-way draw; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through a vertical venetian blind apparatus illustrating the links for controlling spacing between the carriages.

The vertical venetian blind apparatus of the present invention in general includes an elongated track herein shown in the form of a channel 10 adapted to be mounted horizontallly at one side of a window opening, a plurality of carriages 11 mounted for movement along the channel 10, with each carriage having a slat carrier 12 supported thereon for rotation about a vertical axis to rotate the slats 13 about their lengthwise axis. The carriages 11 are moved along the track by traverse cords 14 entrained over cord guides mounted in end fittings 15 and 16 at opposite ends of the housing. The traverse cords have one run thereof connected to a lead or master carriage to move the same along the track and the lead carriage is connected to an adjacent carriage and the adjacent carriages in turn connected to each other by spacer links 17 that limit separating movement of the carriages. A splined shaft 19 extends lengthwise of the housing and through the carriages and gear mechanism 21 is provided on each of the carriages for rotating the respective slat carrier in response to turning of the shaft. The shaft 19 is rotatably supported in the end fittings 15 and 16 and a shaft drive mchanism 22 is provided on one of the fittings 16 for rotating the shaft.

The guide channel 10 has a top wall 25 and spaced side walls 26 and 27. Any suitable means may be provided for mounting the channel at one side of a window opening and, as best shown in FIG. 2, the channel is provided with lengthwise extending top flanges 25a and 25b adjacent opposite edges of the top wall adapted to engage a bracket 28 having flange engaging portions 28a and 28b. The brackets 28 can be secured to an overhead surface as by fasteners or, alternatively, the bracket 28 can be secured to a suitable wall mounting bracket (not shown).

The carriages 11 each comprise a body advantageously molded of a synthetic resin material and having spaced side walls 31, 32, end walls 33 and 34 extending between the side walls, and a bottom wall 25. The carriages are slidably supported in the channel shaped rack and, as shown, the track has inwardly directing flanges 26a and 27a along the lower edges of the side walls 36 and 27 and the carriages have L-shaped retainer flanges 33a and 34a offset below the side walls and arranged to engage the inwardly directed flanges on the channel to guide the carriages in the channel during movement therealong. When the carriages are mounted in the channel, their side walls 31 and 32 extend transverse of the channel and their end walls 33 and 34 extend generally parallel to the side walls of the channel with the bottom wall 35 extending across the open side of the channel. The side walls 31 and 32 respectively have axially aligned shaft openings 31a and 32a therein preferably located medially between the end walls 33 and 34 and the side walls 31 and 32 also have cord openings 31b, 32b and 31c, 32c (FIG. 5) arranged in aligned pairs at relatively opposite sides of the shaft opening 31a, 32a. The bottom wall 35 has a carrier opening 35a therein adapted to have a portion of the slat carrier 12 extend downwaredly therethrough and a pair of cord openings 35b and 35c at opposite sides of the carrier opening 35a. The carriers also have intermediate walls 41 and 42 that extend between the spaced side walls and separate the housing into a central carrier passage that extends upwardly from the carrier opening 35a and laterally spaced cord passages at opposite sides of the central carrier passage, and which cord passages extend from the top of the carriages past the cord openings 31b, 32b and 31c, 32c in the side walls 31 and 32 to the cord openings 35b and 35c in the bottom wall.

The slat carriers 12 each have a slat engaging portion 12a at their lower end and a pinion gear 12b at their upper end. For reasons discussed hereinafter, the slat engaging portion 12a of each carrier is preferably formed of a non-circular cross section, herein shown of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration and the carrier opening 35a in the bottom wall is formed with a complimentary configuration dimensioned to receive the lower slat engaging portion 12a with sufficient clearance to allow easy insertion of the slat carrier into the opening 35a, when the slat carrier is located in a preselected angular position. The slat carriers also have a cylindrical portion 12c above the non-circular slat engaging portion 12a, which cylindrical portion is dimensioned no larger than the minor cross-sectional dimension of the carrier opening 35a to allow free rotation of the slat carrier when the cylindrical portion 12c is located in the carrier opening in the bottom wall. An annular flange 12d is preferably provided on the slat carrier above the cylindrical portion and adapted to be received in a complimentary recess 35d in the upper surface of the bottom wall to rotatably support the carrier on the bottom wall. As best shown in FIG. 3, wedge-shaped lugs 12e are provided at the upper end of the non-circular slat engaging portion 12a of the slat carrier, which lugs are adapted to snap through the opening 35a in the bottom wall and inhibit upward movement of the slat carriers after they have been assembled on the carriages.

The spline shaft 19 extends through the shaft openings 31a and 32a in the side wall housings, when the carriages are assembled on the channel, and a rack member 45 is provided in each carriage for turning the respective slat carrier in response to rotation of the spline shaft. The rack members 45 each have a first rack 45a along the top adapted to mesh with the spline shaft 19 and a second rack 45b along the side adapted to mesh with the pinion gear 12b on the upper end of the slat carrier. The carriages, rack members and slat carriers are arranged so that the slat carriers and rack members can be inserted as a subassembly into the carriages, and in such a manner as to assure proper timing of the gears on the rack member and slat carrier. For this purpose, the rack member is formed with a first flange 45c below the side rack 45b and the slat carrier is formed with a peripheral recess 12f below the pinion gear 12b for receiving the flange 45c on the rack member. The rack members are also provided with a second flange 45d above the side rack 45b and which overlies the upper surface of the pinion gear on the slat carrier to inhibit displacement of the rack member in a direction paralleling the axis of the slot carrier.

The intermediate walls 41 and 42 of the carriage have portions 41a, 42a extending laterally from the wall 32, which portions are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the length of the rack member to guidably receive the rack member therebetween and longitudinally position the rack member during insertion of the rack member and slat carrier into the carriage. As best shown in FIG. 6, the lower ends of the wall portions 41a and 42a are spaced above the bottom wall 35 of the carriage, to allow lengthwise reciprocation of the rack member when it is fully assembled on the carriage. Guide ribs 48 and 49 extend upwardly from the bottom wall and are laterally spaced from the side wall 32, to laterally guide the rack member during reciprocation. The other portions 41b, 42b of the intermediate walls 41 and 42 are spaced relatively closer together than the wall portions 41a and 42a so as to form, with wall portions 41a, 42a, a central carrier passage having a cross-sectional configuration generally corresponding to the cross-sectional configuration of the slat carrier when the rack member is assembled thereon, so as to thereby guide the subassembly and hold the rack member in assembled relation on the slat carrier, during insertion of the subassembly into the carriage as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. When the slat carrier and rack member are fully inserted into the carriage, the rack member is guidably supported for reciprocation by the upper surface of the bottom wall, the inner surface of the side wall 32, and the flanges 48 and 49. The flange 12d on the slat carrier rests on the bottom wall of the carriage to rotatably support the slat carrier and the flanges 45c, 45d on the rack member 45 engage relatively opposite the sides of the pinion 12b on the slat carrier to hold the rack member and slat carrier in assembled relation. Any suitable means may be provided for attaching the slats 13 to the slat carriers 12 and, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the slat engaging portions 12a are bifurcated to receive the upper end of a slat and have a hook or lug 12a arranged to extend through an opening in the upper portion of the slat to support the slat.

The traverse cords 14 have relatively parallel runs 14b and 14c inside the channel and, when the carriages are assembled in the channel, the runs 14b and 14c of the traverse cord extend through the aligned parts of openings 31b, 32b and 31c, 32c. In a two-way draw blind apparatus as shown in FIG. 11, there are two master or lead carriages designated 11a and 11b and one traverse cord 14b is connected to one master carriage 11a and the other traverse 14c is connected to the other master carriage 11b. In a one-way draw type vertical venetian blind apparatus as shown in FIG. 12, there is only one master carriage 11a and one of the runs of the traverse cord 14b is connected to the single master carriage.

The cord openings in the side walls of the carriages are spaced a substantial distance above the bottom wall of the carriages. However, the carriage construction provides cord guide passages that extend from the cord openings to the underside of the carriage so that it is possible to draw a portion of the traverse cord that extends between the cord openings in the side walls downwardly between the side walls to the underside of the carriage. Cord locks are provided at the bottom of each carriage and, in the preferred embodiment shown, the cord locks are in the form of four downwardly opening notches 51, two in each side wall adjacent the respective cord opening 35b, 35c. Thus, in order to connect an intermediate portion of one of the traverse cords such as 14c to one master carrier 11b in a biparting type venetian blind apparatus, a cord loop is drawn downwardly and out through one cord opening 35c in the bottom wall and the cord loop is then passed through the four cord notches 51 on the master slide 11a as shown in FIG. 11 to thereby lock the cord to the slide body 11b. The end portions of the cord of the other cord run 14b can be drawn downwardly through the cord opening 35b in the bottom wall and the end portions then passed through the cord lock notches in the master slide 11b as shown in FIG. 11, and the ends thereafter knotted as shown to secure the cord run 14b to the slide body 11a. A similar arrangement is utilized to connect the traverse cord 14b to the slide body 11a in a one-way type venetian blind apparatus as shown in FIG. 12. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the cord notches are formed with a restricted outer end portion to retain the cords in the notches, but the notches themselves are preferably dimensioned so as to loosely receive the cord.

The traverse cords are arranged to move the master carrier or carriers along the channel. In order to effect movement of the other carriers, spacer arms 17 are provided on each carrier which are arranged to engage an adjacent carrier. The spacer arms 17 are advantageously formed integrally with each carriage and molded of synthetic material at the time that the carriage is molded. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 13, the spacer arms are integrally joined to one wall 31 of each carriage along a thin flex line 17a, and the spacer arms extend laterally from the side wall of the carriage a distance slightly less than the width of the slats to be used and terminate in hook portions 17b at their free ends. An opening 53 is provided in the other wall 32 of each carriage and is dimensioned to loosely receive the shank portion of the spacer arm 17 on the adjacent carriage. The spacer arms are preferably mounted for swinging in a horizontal plane and, as shown, are integrally formed with an upwardly extending projection of the side wall 31 of the carriage at a level slightly above the main portion of the side wall 31 and the openings 32 are similarly formed in an upwardly extending projection of the side wall 32. Thus, the spacer arms can swing laterally relative to the respective carriage and over the upper edge of the side walls on the adjacent carriage when the carriages are moved toward each other as shown at the left in FIG. 13. When the lead carriages advance, it moves away from the next adjacent carriage until the hook portion on the spacer arm engages the side wall 32 of the adjacent carriage to thereafter draw the carriage with the lead carriage. This is continued in sequence as the lead carriage moves across the rod. The ends of the spacer arms are preferably angulated slightly as indicated at 17c, so the lead portion of the spacer arm on one carriage is cammed laterally by engagement with the hinged portion of the spacer arm on the adjacent carriage, when the carriages are moved towards each other to a collapsed position.

The end fitting 15 is disposed substantially entirely inside one end of the channel and comprises a one-piece body conveniently molded of a synthetic resin material and having a relatively thin end wall 61 that overlies and closes one end of the channel, and a body portion 62 that extends from the end wall into the channel adjacent the open side thereof and which is removably secured to the channel as by clamp plates 63 and fasteners 64. The body portion 62 has a socket 65 (FIG. 10) opening into the channel for rotatably receiving and supporting one end of the spline shaft 19, and a flange 66 that is spaced above the body portion 62. Cord guide pulleys 67, 67a are positioned between the flange 66 and the body portion 62 and supported for rotation about upright pins 68. The traverse cord between the runs 14b and 14c is adapted to pass around the guide pulleys 67, 67a and, in order to facilitate threading of the cord around the pulleys, a slot or opening 61a is formed in the end wall between the flange 66 and the body portion 62.

The end fitting 16 is also disposed substantially entirely in the other end of the channel and includes an end wall 71 adapted to engage and overlie the end of the channel and a body portion 72 that extends into the channel adjacent the open side of the latter. The body portion 72 has axially aligned bearings 73 and 74 (FIG. 7) formed integrally therewith and dimensioned to rotatably receive and support an end of the spline shaft 19. A worm wheel 75 (FIG. 8) is disposed between the bearings 73 and 74 and has an internally splined opening 75a non-rotatably keyed to the shaft 19 and external gear teeth 75b. In order to facilitate assembly of the parts, the body portion 72 is formed with an upwardly opening semi-cylindrical recess 76 intermediate the bearings 73 and 74 and shaped to engage the outer periphery of the gear wheel 75 to support the same, at least until the gear 75 is assembled on the spline shaft. The body has upwardly extending flanges 78 extending along opposite sides the cavity 76 for the worm wheel in a direction generally lengthwise of the housing. A worm gear 81 meshes with the worm wheel and is supported for rotation about an axis crosswise of the housing. As shown in FIG. 8, the worm gear 81 has reduced diameter annular ends 81a that are rotatably supported in openings 78a in the flanges 78. The worm gear 81 has an internally splined opening that slidably and non-rotatably receives an externally splined cross shaft 83. The cross shaft has a drive head 84 at one end adapted to be connected to a shaft rotating mechanism. The cross shaft 83 extends through flanged bushings 86 positioned in openings 26b, 27b in the side walls 26 and 27 of the housing, and the flanged bushings are preferably provided with reduced diameter inner ends adapted to be received in the openings 78a in the flanges 78. Cross shaft 83 is removably secured in position by a split ring 88 that fits into a groove in the cross shaft at the end remote from the drive head 84. With this construction, the end fittings 15 can be inserted into the end of the housing and the bushings 86 then inserted through the lateral openings 26b and 27b in the side walls of the housing, and the cross shaft thereafter inserted through the bushings and worm gear, from either side of the housing. Thus, the cross shaft secures the end fitting 16 in the housing and, moreover, can be inserted from either side of the housing for left or right hand draw. In addition, the cross shaft 83 is arranged so that it can be operated from either side of the housing at a location where it does not interfere with movement of the blind slats between their open and closed positions. Thus, the blind slats can be arranged to extend to the end of the housing to avoid any significant light passage at the end of the blind assembly. In the embodiment illustrated, the cross shaft is rotated by means of a wand 91 that is connected through a flexible connector 92 to the drive head 84 on the cross shaft 85, to rotate the cross shaft and hence the spline shaft 19 in response to turning of the wand 91.

Cord guide pulleys 93 are also mounted on the end fitting 16 and, as best shown in FIG. 8, the pulleys 93 are disposed in generally upright passages 94 located at each side of the spline shaft 19, and are supported for rotation by means of pins 95. The passages 94 preferably extend through the end wall 71 of the body to facilitate threading of the cords over the pulleys and, as shown in FIG. 7, the periphery of the pulley is spaced a distance only slightly greater than the thickness of a traverse cord from the end walls 71, so that the vertical runs 14c of the traverse cords (FIG 1) are located closely adjacent the plane of the end of the housing.

From the foregoing it is felt that the construction and operation of the vertical venetian blind apparatus will be readilly understood. The carriages are shaped and arranged so that the carriages with the integral spacer arms can be molded in one piece of a synthetic resin material using a four-section mold to thereby minimize the number of parts which must be made and assembled to form the carriage. Further, the carriage, slat carrier, and rack members are shaped and arranged so that the slat carrier and rack members can be inserted as a subassembly into the carriages to thereby simplify final assembly of the slat carriers and gearing into the carriages. In addition, the carriages have cord passages extending from the top and opening at the bottom of the carriage and cord locks at the bottom of the carriage to facilitate connecting the traverse cord runs to the master or lead carriage. The end fitting 15 is locked in the channel by clamp fitting 63 and fasteners 64 and the end fitting 16 is locked in the other end of the channel by the cross shaft 83.

The carriages function to support the spline shaft, when the carriages are spaced apart along the channel. However, when the carriages are moved together to open the blind, the shft can sag somewhat in long installations. In order to reduce sagging, an intermediate support can be formed from one of the carriages by omitting the slat carrier and gear and by cutting off or otherwise removing the spacer arm. Such an intermediate support is shown at 11c in FIG. 11 and the intermediate support is maintained in position by stop members 99 positioned on the shaft at opposite sides of the intermediate support 11c. The stop members 99 are conveniently in the form of resilient U-shaped members that can be laterally pressed onto the spline shaft 99 and which resiliently clamp the shaft to retain the same in position. Similar stop members 99a and 99b can be provided on the spline shaft at opposite sides of the outermost carriages, to maintain the same in proper spaced relation to the end of the track.

In one-way rod installations, it is not possible to use a stationary intermediate support for the spline shaft. However, a travelling support for the spline shaft can be provided using a carriage such as 11c, modified to admit the spacer arm, slat support and gearing. The support carriage 11c is disposed between the master carriage 11b and the end fitting 15 on the trackway. The cord openings in the side walls of the carriages are dimensioned to loosely receive the runs of the traverse cord. However, the intermediate support 11c is provided with one reducing bushing 111 that extends into one pair of aligned cord passages 31b, 32b, and the traverse cord 14 is provided with an abutment 112 which is sufficiently small to pass through the cord openings in the carriages, but which will engage the reducer bushing 111 in the carriage 11c to move the carriage. The abutment 112 is provided on the run 14c of the traverse cord and is spaced from the lead carriage a distance approximating onehalf the distance between the lead carriage and the end of the track, when the carriages are retracted as shown in FIG. 12. With this arrangement, the carriage 11c will be moved to a position approximately mid-way between the lead carriage 11c and the end of the rod, when the blind is opened. As previously discussed, stops such as 99a and 99b can be provided on the spline shaft at opposite sides of the end carriage to normally maintain the same in a preselected position spaced about one-half the width of a slat from the end of the rod.