BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to blinds and, more particularly, to a fabric
blind assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] A conventional fabric blind assembly generally comprises a barrel, a bottom rail
suspended below the barrel, two curtains between the barrel and the bottom rail at
two sides, and a number of light-tight blind slats arranged in parallel between the
barrel and the bottom rail and respectively fixedly fastened to the curtains in different
elevations. The relative displacement between the curtains controls the tilting angle
of the blind slats to regulate the amount of light passing through gaps in between
the slats. The soft touch of the curtains attracts consumers.
[0003] According to the aforesaid fabric blind assembly, the blind slats are fixedly fastened
to the curtains by hot pressing, high-frequency heat sealing, or stitching (see US
patent Nos. 5,419,385; 6,164,363). This design of fabric blind assembly has drawbacks.
The bonding traces in the connecting areas between the curtains and the blind slats
destroy the sense of beauty of the fabric blind assembly. Furthermore, because the
blind slats are not detachable, it is difficult to clean the blind slats and the inner
sides of the curtains.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is the main object of the present invention to provide a fabric blind assembly,
which shows no connection traces between the curtain and the blind slats.
[0005] It is another object of the present invention to provide a fabric blind assembly,
which enables the user to detach the blind slats from the curtain for cleaning.
[0006] To achieve these objects of the present invention, the fabric blind assembly comprises
a receiving member, a bottom rail suspended below the receiving member, fabric blind
slats arranged in parallel between the receiving member and the bottom rail, two braided
ladders connected between the receiving member and the bottom rail at one side and
coupled to one long side of each fabric blind slat to hold the fabric blind slats
in parallel between the receiving member and the bottom rail at different elevations,
a connecting device connected between the receiving member and the bottom rail at
one side opposite to the braided ladders and fastened to the other long side of each
fabric blind slat to hold the fabric blind slats in parallel between the receiving
member and the bottom rail, and a curtain detachably connected between the receiving
member and the bottom rail outside the slats.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fabric blind assembly according to a first preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the fabric blind assembly according to the first embodiment
of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a part of the fabric blind assembly according to the
first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of a fabric blind assembly according to a second preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a part of the fabric blind assembly according to the
second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Referring to FIGS. 1∼3, a fabric blind assembly
100 in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown
comprised of a receiving member
11 formed of a barrel and transversely pivoted to the top side of the window (not shown),
a bottom rail
12 extended in transverse direction and suspended below the receiving member
11, a number of fabric blind slats
14 arranged in parallel between the receiving member
11 and the bottom rail
12, two braided ladders
13 longitudinally bilaterally connected between the receiving member
11 and the bottom rail
12 to join the fabric blind slats
14 and to hold the fabric blind slats
14 in parallel, a connecting device
15, and a curtain
16.
[0009] The braided ladders
13 are vertically bilaterally connected between the receiving member
11 and the bottom rail
12, each having a plurality of equally vertically spaced retaining members
131 corresponding to the fabric blind slats
14. The retaining members
131 according to this embodiment are loops tied to the braided ladders
13.
[0010] Each fabric blind slat
14 is comprised of an elongated strip of fabric
141 and one rod member
142. The strip of fabric
141 is a piece of opaque or semitransparent fabric capable of protecting from light,
having a pocket
143 longitudinally extended along one long side thereof. The pocket
143 can be formed of a part of the strip of fabric
141 by stitching or bonding, having transversely extended crevices
144. The rod member
142 is a rigid member having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the
pocket
143. The length of the rod member
142 is approximately equal to the longitudinal depth of the pocket
143. When inserted into the pocket
143, the rod member
142 can be rotated in the pocket
143. Further, the rod member
142 has a plurality of coupling portions
145 corresponding to the crevices
144. During installation, the retaining members
131 of the braided ladders
13 are respectively inserted into the crevices
144, and then the rod members
142 of the blind slats
14 are respectively inserted into the pockets
143 of the strips of fabric
141 and the retaining members
131 of the braided ladders
13, keeping the blind slats
14 secured to the braided ladders
13 at different elevations.
[0011] The connecting member
15 is a sheet of fabric, having a top side fixedly fastened to the receiving member
11 and a bottom side fixedly fastened to the bottom rail
12. One face, namely, the inner face of the connecting device
15 is bonded to the other long side of each of the blind slats
14, i.e., the blind slats
14 each have one long side bonded to the connecting device
15 and the other long side coupled to the retaining members
131 of the braided ladders
13.
[0012] The curtain
16 can be a transparent or semitransparent sheet of fabric. The area of the curtain
16 is equal to the area of the fully extended status of the fabric blind assembly
100. The width of the curtain
16 is approximately equal to the length of the blind slats
14. The top and bottom sides of the curtain
16 are respectively fastened to the receiving member
11 and the bottom rail
12 by hook and loop materials. When installed, the curtain
16 is suspended outside the braided ladders
13, i.e., the braided ladders
13 are maintained between the curtain
16 and the blind slats
14.
[0013] As indicated above, the curtain
16 is directly connected between the receiving member
11 and the bottom rail
12 without direct connection to the blind slats
14. Because the curtain
16 is not fastened to the blind slats
14, it is maintained smooth. Further, because the curtain
16 is fastened to the receiving member
11 and the bottom rail
12 by hook and loop materials, it is detachable for easy cleaning. The user can replace
the curtain
16 with a different design. Because the blind slats
14 are not fixedly fastened to the braided ladders
13, the user can detach the blind slats
14 from the braided ladders
13 and the curtain
16 for cleaning.
[0014] Further, the pitch among the retaining members
131 of the braided ladders
13 is approximately equal to the length of the short sides of the blind slats
14. When wishing to enhance the light shading effect of the fabric blind assembly
100, the user can rotate the receiving member
11 through a predetermined angle to move the two opposite long sides of each fabric
blind slat
14 toward the top and bottom sides in reversed directions, changing the fabric blind
slats
14 from the horizontal position to about a vertical position to close the gaps in between
the fabric blind slats
14. Because the rod members
142 can be rotated relative to the retaining members
131 of the braided ladders
13, rotating the receiving member
11 to tilt the fabric blind slats
14 causes the retaining members
131 to be turned relative to the rod members
142, preventing uneven tension between the braided ladders
13 and the fabric blind slats
14.
[0015] FIGS. 6 and 7 show a fabric blind assembly
200 constructed according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
According to this embodiment, the fabric blind assembly
200 is comprised of a receiving member
21, a bottom rail
22, two braided ladders
23, and a number of fabric blind slats
24, a connecting member
25, and two curtains
26. According to this embodiment, the retaining members
231 of the braided ladders
23 are C-shaped clamps of tough and springy material. The connecting device
25 is comprised of two braided ladders each having a plurality of vertically spaced
retaining members
251 corresponding to the retaining members
231 of the braided ladders
23. Each fabric blind slat
24 has two pockets
243 longitudinally extended along two opposite long sides thereof, each pocket
243 having two transversely extended crevices
244, and two rod members
242 respectively inserted into the pockets
243. The rod members
242 are rigid members insertable into the pockets
243. The rod members
142 each have at least one coupling portion
245. After insertion of the rod members
242 into the pockets
243, the retaining members
231 of the braided ladders
23 and the retaining members
251 of the connecting device
25 are respectively inserted into the crevices
244 of the pockets
243 of the fabric blind slats
24 and fastened to the coupling portions
245 of the rod members
242. Further, the curtains
26 are detachably fastened to the receiving member
11 and the bottom rail
12 by hook and loop materials and vertically suspended at two sides of the blind slats
14. When viewed either from the inside of the window or the outside of the window, the
curtains
26 show a smooth sense of beauty.
[0016] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for
purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, clamping or any
of a variety of detachable fastening measures may be adopted to secure the curtain(s)
to the receiving member and the bottom rail. Accordingly, the invention is not to
be limited except as by the appended claims.
1. A fabric blind assembly comprising:
a receiving member;
a bottom rail suspended below said receiving member;
a plurality of fabric blind slats arranged in parallel between said receiving member
and said bottom rail, said fabric blind slats each having a first long side and a
second long side;
two braided ladders connected between said receiving member and said bottom rail at
one side and coupled to the first long side of each of said fabric blind slats to
hold said fabric blind slats in parallel between said receiving member and said bottom
rail;
a connecting device connected between said receiving member and said bottom rail at
one side opposite to said braided ladders and fastened to the second long side of
each of said fabric blind slats to hold said fabric blind slats in parallel between
said receiving member and said bottom rail; and
a curtain having a transverse width substantially equal to the length of said fabric
blind slats and connected between said receiving member and said bottom rail outside
said fabric blind slats.
2. The fabric blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving member is
a barrel rotatable to roll up said braided ladders.
3. The fabric blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said braided ladders each
have a plurality of vertically spaced retaining members respectively formed of a loop;
said fabric blind slats each comprise a pocket extended along the first long side,
said pocket having two crevices, which receive one retaining member of each of said
braided ladders respectively, and a rod member inserted into said pocket and fastened
to the respective retaining members of said braided ladders in the crevices of the
respective pocket.
4. The fabric blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said braided ladders each
have a plurality of vertically spaced retaining members respectively formed of a tough
and springy C-shaped clamps; said fabric blind slats each comprise a pocket extended
along the first long side, said pocket having two crevices, which receive one retaining
member of each of said braided ladders respectively, and a rod member inserted into
said pocket and fastened to the respective retaining members of said braided ladders
in the crevices of the respective pocket.
5. The fabric blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting device is
comprised of two braided ladders connected between said receiving member and said
bottom rail and fastened to the second long side of each of said fabric blind slats.
6. The fabric blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one curtain
is respectively fastened to said receiving member and said bottom rail by hook and
loop materials.
7. The fabric blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one curtain
is respectively fastened to said receiving member and said bottom rail by clamp means.
8. The fabric blind assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said curtain is disposed
outside said braided ladders.