Venetian Blind Installation Bracket

Venetian blind assemblies are typically mounted to the surface of ceilings or walls by means of a headrail. The connection between the headrail and the ceiling or wall surface is conventionally by way of headrail installation brackets which may take a variety of forms.

Prior art forms of support brackets for a venetian blind assembly are connected over the ends of the venetian blind headrail. Thus, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,580,753 and 4,607,677 disclose support brackets having open-sided box structures with pivoting front members. In use, these box-brackets are readily observable and detract from the appearance of the venetian blind installation. Moreover, the bracket must be manufactured in a variety of colors to match the headrail, therefore necessitating increased manufacturing and inventory costs. Further, different shadings may exist between one lot of a color and another, which causes a mismatch between the brackets and the venetian blind headrail, thereby rendering the venetian blind installation less attractive.

Another form of prior art venetian blind headrail installation bracket is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,601,319 and 4,662,596 which also utilize end-supportive means. In this form of bracket, end members are inserted into opposing ends of the headrail and subsequently attached either directly or by a second bracket to a wall, ceiling or other supporting structure. As above, these end-supportive brackets will be visible after installation, and therefore raise the same kinds of objections.

Many conventional end-supportive brackets further must be manufactured to close tolerances in order to assure a tight, secure fit between the headrail and the bracket. In addition, both right-hand and left-hand brackets are often required. These circumstances necessarily increase the cost of tooling, manufacturing, and inventorying of the brackets

A still further type of prior art bracket supports a headrail from points inward of the ends thereof. These brackets are used in conjunction with a generally U-shaped headrail having the longitudinally extending upper edges turned inwardly in order to form a support edge. Brackets of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,438,897, 4,475,706 and 4,607,818.

Despite the existence of the aforementioned brackets, there is a need for improved support brackets for securely supporting a venetian blind headrail, so shaped and formed that in assembled position they do not detract from the appearance of the venetian blind installation, and which allow for the easy removal of the venetian blind headrail therefrom without the requirement of a tool.

The present invention discloses a bracket assembly that attempts to address these problems of the prior art devices by providing a relatively simple structure that is less costly to manufacture, and easier to install. In the improved bracket assembly in accordance with the present invention, a rigid outer support is adapted to be fastened to a support surface. The outer support houses a resilient inner support which includes hook members to engage and support the inwardly turned support edges of a venetian blind headrail. A friction member on the outer support is disposed in operative position to engage the rounded portion of the venetian blind headrail support edge in order to prevent lateral movement of the headrail with respect to the bracket assembly.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, a bracket assembly for attaching a venetian blind headrail to a support surface has an inner support which includes connecting means and spaced hook means on the connecting means disposed for detachable engagement with the venetian blind headrail, an outer support having means for connection to a support surface, and means to engage and support the connecting means in order to hold the venetian blind headrail in operative association with the support surface, and retaining means on the outer support engage the connecting means and restrict relative movement thereof with respect to said support surface.

Additionally, in the bracket assembly as above-described wherein the connecting means has spaced connecting members, and resilient means operatively disposed between the spaced connecting members for forcing the spaced connecting members into secure engagement with the retaining members.

Additionally, the bracket assembly as first above described including, means to frictionally engage and hold the venetian blind headrail from lateral movement.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a venetian blind headrail assembly for attachment to a support surface is disclosed having a U-shaped venetian blind headrail, an inner support including, spaced connecting members and spaced hook means to engage and hold the venetian blind headrail, and an outer support having means to connect the outer support to the support surface, the outer support engaging and supporting the ends of the spaced connecting members in order to hold a venetian blind headrail in operative association with the support surface, and said outer support including, fixedly spaced retaining members for mating engagement with the spaced connecting members to prevent relative movement of the spaced connecting members away from each other.

Additionally, in the venetian blind headrail assembly as described above including, resilient means between the spaced connecting members for forcing the spaced connecting members against the retaining members.

Additionally, in the venetian blind headrail assembly as first described above including, means to frictionally engage and hold the venetian blind headrail from lateral movement.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bracket assembly for attaching a venetian blind headrail to a support surface which has a relatively simple structure and is easy to install.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bracket assembly for attaching a venetian blind headrail to a support surface which is inexpensive to manufacture.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a venetian blind headrail assembly wherein the bracket assembly is hidden from view, thereby producing a pleasing appearance.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a venetian blind installation having a headrail and an operatively associated bracket assembly wherein the headrail is easily attached to and removed from the bracket assembly without the use of any tools.

These and other objects will become apparent, as will a better understanding of the structure and operation of the present invention, when reference is made to the description which follows taken with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one venetian blind headrail installation bracket in exploded view in assembled position on a venetian blind headrail, with the headrail broken away to show the detail of the first inner member, and also showing a second venetian blind headrail installation bracket in assembled position on the venetian blind headrail.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken on line 2--2 of the venetian blind headrail installation bracket shown in FIG. 1 partly in side elevational view.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the first inner member of the venetian blind installation bracket shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4--4 of the second venetian blind headrail installation bracket shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a headrail 10 in assembled position on bracket assembly 16 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The headrail 10 is of a conventional construction and comprises a U-shaped channel member having vertically extending legs 11 and 12 joined by a horizontal web 15. The longitudinally extending edges of legs 11 and 12 on headrail 10 are turned inwardly to form support edges as at 13 and 14.

Bracket assembly generally designated 16 includes an L-shaped outer support 20. Outer support 20 is preferably struck or formed from an integral piece of sheet metal. Instead of sheet metal, however, another appropriate material could be used, or outer support 20 could be fabricated in several parts.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, outer support 20 has a horizontal leg 22a and a vertical leg 22b. Vertical leg 22b includes generally normal thereto edge supports 29 and 31 on its respective vertical edges, which act to mechanically strengthen vertical leg member 22b. Similarly, horizontal leg member 22a includes edge supports 30 and 32 generally normal thereto, which act to mechanically strengthen horizontal leg member 22a. Edge support members 29 and 30 supportively engage one another at 33, and edge support members 31 and 32 supportively engage each other at 34, thus increasing the supportive strength of outer support 20.

Vertical leg member 22b is provided with holes 27a and 27b through which screws or other fastening means may be inserted for fastening outer support 20 to a wall or other vertical support surface. Similarly, horizontal leg member 22a is provided with elongated opening 23 through which a screw or other fastening means can be inserted for fastening outer support 20 to a ceiling, window frame, or other horizontal support surface.

FIGS. 1 and 2 further show horizontal leg member 22a as including channel members 25 and 28 depending from either said thereof. Channel member 25 has an upper leg formed by horizontal leg 22a, a side member 25a that is coextensive with horizontal edge support 30, and a bottom leg 25b formed a spaced distance from horizontal leg 22a. Channel member 28 includes an upper leg formed by horizontal leg 22a, a side member 28a coextensive with horizontal edge support 32, and a bottom leg 28b formed a spaced distance from horizontal leg 22a. Side channels 25 and 28 are sized to slidably engage connecting members 47a, 47b, 47c, and 47d formed on inner support 40.

Outer support 20 is also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to include tab members 24a, 24b, 24c, and 24d depending downward from horizontal leg 22a, tab members 24a and 24d being spaced a fixed distance, D, from tab members 24b and 24c.

Curvilinear portion 55 is formed at the end of horizontal leg 22a opposite vertical leg 22b, as is clearly shown in FIG. 1. Curvilinear portion 55 extends beyond tab members 24a and 24d, so that in assembled position with headrail 10 it will be located above the rounded portion of headrail support edge 14. In assembling headrail 10 onto bracket assembly 16, curvilinear portion 55 will contact the rounded portion of headrail support edge 14, thereby preventing headrail support edge 14 from being pushed past horizontal leg 22a, so that support edge 14 will not become improperly engaged on the upper surface of horizontal leg 22a.

Friction member 26 is fixedly attached to outer support 20 between vertical leg member 22b and tab members 24b and 24c, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. In assembled position, friction member 26 will engage and be compressed by the rounded portion of headrail support edge 13, to frictionally hold support edge 13 in fixed position between friction member 26 and support shelves 50a and 51a, thereby preventing lateral movement of the headrail with respect to bracket assembly 16. Friction member 26 may be made of any suitable material, but typically is a readily compressible, resilient material which allows for greater tolerances in the size of the headrail support edge 13.

Inner support 40 is made of a resilient material, preferably a resilient plastic or other like material. It has a generally rectangular shape in plan view, each corner of which includes a connecting member as at 47a, 47b, 47c, and 47d. Connecting members 47a and 47d are separated by resilient web 44. Similarly, connecting members 47b and 47c are separated by resilient web 45. Folded resilient member 43 is connected at one end to connecting member 47a and at an opposite end to connecting member 47b, whereas folded resilient member 46 is connected at one end to connecting member 47c and at an opposite end to connecting member 47d.

Connecting member 47a includes vertical face 41a for engagement with tab member 27a of outer bracket 20. Similarly, connecting members 47b, 47c, and 47d include vertical faces 41b, 41c, and 41d, respectively, for engagement with corresponding tab members 24b, 24c, and 24d in outer support 20.

Extending downward from connecting member 47a is hook member 48, which includes support shelf 48a for mating engagement in assembled position with support edge 14 on headrail 10. Hook member 49 extends downward from connecting member 47d and similarly includes support shelf 49a for mating engagement in assembled position with support edge 14 on headrail 10.

In like manner, connecting members 47b and 47c have hook members 50 and 51, respectively, extending downward therefrom, which in turn include support shelves 50a and 51a, respectively, for mating engagement in assembled position with support edge 13 on headrail 10.

The lower portion of each hook member includes an outwardly tapered surface, as at 48b, 49b, 50b, and 51b, to aid in the installation of headrail 10 onto bracket assembly 16, as described further below.

In assembling inner support 40 and outer support 20 of bracket assembly 16, it is preferable that tab members 24a and 24d on the outer support 20 be initially in a horizontal position. Connecting member 47b is then aligned with channel 25, and connecting member 47c is aligned with channel 28, and inner support 40 can then slide axially into the outer support 20 until tab members 24b and 24c engage vertical faces 41b and 41c, respectively. At this point channel 25 will be in engagement with and will support both connecting members 47a and 47b, and channel 28 will be in engagement with and will support both connecting members 47c and 47d. Tab members 24a and 24d are then turned downward to engage vertical faces 41a and 41d, respectively, to securely retain inner support 40 within outer support 20.

In an alternate method of assembling inner support 40 and outer support 20 of bracket assembly 16, tab members 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d are all initially in a downwardly turned position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Inner support 40 is compressed and inserted into outer support 20. When the compressive force is released, inner support 40 expands until vertical faces 41a, 41b, 41c and 41d are engaged by tab members 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d, respectively.

The distance D' between vertical faces 41a and 41b in the unassembled position, and similarly between vertical faces 41c and 41d in the unassembled position is slightly larger than the distance D between tab members 24a and 24b, and tab members 24c and 24d in outer bracket 20. Thus, when in assembled position within outer bracket 20, folded resilient members 43 and 46 are in slight compression, and inner support 40 is securely held in outer support 20.

In installing a venetian blind headrail assembly according to the present invention, bracket assembly 16 is first fixedly attached to a wall support surface by screws or other fastening means through either holes 27a and 27b, or to a ceiling support surface by means of elongated opening 23 in outer support 20, or a combination thereof, whichever is appropriate. As best seen in FIG. 4, headrail 10 is then directed upwards against hook members 48, 49, 50, and 51. As the rounded portions of headrail support edges 13 and 14 engage tapered surfaces 48b, 49b, 50b, and 51b, they cause connecting members 47a and 47b to slide toward each other in channel 25, and connecting members 47c and 47d to slide toward each other in channel 28, thus causing resilient folded members 43 and 46 to compress further. Headrail 10 continues to be forced upward, the rounded portion of headrail support edge 13 compressing friction member 26, and headrail support edges 13 and 14 further compressing inner support 40, until support edges 13 and 14 snap over the outer edges of horizontal support shelves 48a, 49a, 50a, and 51a. At this point folded members 43 and 46 will expand so that headrail support edges 13 and 14 will be supported by the shelves, and the headrail will be mounted on the bracket assembly 16, all of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings. The friction member 26 restrains the headrail 10 from lateral movement, and also tends to urge the headrail support edge 13 firmly against support shelves 50a and 51a.

It can also be seen in FIG. 4 that the bracket assembly 16 is substantially hidden from view in assembled position by headrail 10, thereby preventing any unsightly appearance when the venetian blind headrail installation is completed.

In order to remove headrail 10 from bracket assembly 16, the headrail is either pulled forward or pushed backward. If the headrail is pulled forward, outer support tab members 24a and 24d hold hook members 48 and 49, respectively, in a fixed position relative to outer support 20. Folded members 43 and 46 are compressed as headrail 10 is pulled forward, until headrail support edge 14 disengages from support shelves 48a and 49a. Headrail leg 12 is then rotated downwardly so that headrail support edge 14 is clear of the bracket assembly 16. The headrail is then moved backward, allowing headrail support edge 13 to be released from shelves 50a and 51a.

In a like manner, the headrail 10 may be removed from the bracket assembly 16 by pushing the headrail backward. Tab members 24b and 24c in outer support 20 hold hook members 50 and 51 in fixed position relative to the outer support 20, so that as the headrail is pushed backward, compressing folded members 43 and 46, headrail support edge 13 disengages from support shelves 50a and 51a. Headrail leg 11 is then rotated downwardly to allow support edge 13 to clear bracket assembly 16. The headrail is then moved forward until headrail support edge 14 is released from support shelves 48a and 49a, thereby freeing the headrail 10 from the bracket assembly 16.

There has thus been described in detail the construction and use of an improved venetian blind headrail installation bracket and assembly. The bracket assembly in accordance with the present invention has a relatively simple structure which is inexpensive to manufacture. The headrail is easily installed on the bracket assembly by pushing it upwards against the bracket assembly, and readily released therefrom by pulling it forward or pushing it backward so as to disengage it from an inner support. In assembled position, the bracket assembly is substantially hidden from view by the venetian blind headrail so as not to detract from the appearance of the completed venetian blind installation.

While the foregoing description presents the preferred embodiments of the device and system in accordance with the present invention, it will be appreciated that certain changes and modifications may be made in the structure of these disclosed arrangements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.