Support framework for any type of rolling curtains easily fitting any window opening with associated device for a quick and final stretching unrolling adjustment of said rolling curtains

Abstract

 The support framework for any type of rolling curtains and in particular for window opening protecting mosquito- nets is of the type including a box containing a longitudinally grooved hollow roller with a screen - the actual curtain - wound around it, at the two box ends a first and second head being fitted for the free support of said roller and of said curtain elastic uprolling devices and vertical guides for said screen edges and hooking elements for kkeping the curtain tight when in straight position. The second one of said heads is supplied with a device for a quick and final stretching adjustment of said screen and is fitted on the said framework after cutting the box and associated parts according to the desired length, thus allowing direct framework mounting without previous inspection for the necessary measurements.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a support framework for any type of rolling curtains and associated device for a quick and final stretching unrolling adjustment of said rolling curtains. As known,.-these rolling curtains, which are generally used, for example, to protect a room from excessive light - as a screen - or from insects getting in - as a mosquito-net -, are generally wound up around an upper roller which rotates on its axis and is supplied with an internal spring which, when loaded by the curtain unrolling, rolls the support roller whenever the bottom bar fixed to the curtain bottom- either along its full length or along most of it - is released upwards.

[0002] The said rolling curtains take too much time to be mounted, bacause the exact window opening dimensions must be known before ordering the product from the factory, thus considerably raising its final cost.

[0003] This invention aims to avoid the above inconvenient.

[0004] Another aim is to supply a framework with associated device for the curtain height unrolling adjustment overcoming the above mentioned disadvantage.

[0005] This invention also aims at providing adequate means to keep the curtain edges within the sliding guides, made to ensure proper protection, and, at the same time, to avoid unnecessary thickening of the edges in the guides due to thickening or similar other means generally adopted in this sector.

[0006] This invention also aims, once the apparatus is fitted on site, at ensuring that the curtain unrolling and uprolling parts can work freely.

[0007] The support framework for any type of rolling curtains and in particular for window opening protecting mosquito nets, according to the invention, is of the type including a box containing a longitudinally grooved hollow roller with a screen, which is the actual curtain, wound around it, at the two box ends a first and a second head being fitted for the free support of said roller and of said screen elastic uprolling devices and vertical guides for said screen edges and hooking elements for keeping the curtain tight when in straight position, and it is mainly characterized by the fact that the second head is supplied with a device for a quick and final stretching unrolling adjustment of said screen, that a distance piece is provided to ensure clearances required between the parts, that the head is fitted on the said framework after cutting the box and associated parts according to the desired length, thus allowing direct framework mounting without previous inspection for the necessary measurements.

[0008] The invention is illustrated in detail in the enclosed drawings which give an execution example.

[0009] In drawing table 1/2 :

Drawing No. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of the whole framework according to the invention;

Drawing No. 2 shows the fitting of the distance piece in detail.

[0010] In drawing table 2/2 :

Drawing No. 3 shows an enlarged exploded view of the_upper part of the device for stretching the curtain in the working phase;

Drawing No. 4 shows a section taken along line A-A; Drawing No. 5 shows how the bottom bar, together with the curtain, is hooked to the lower part of the stretching device, also showing an intermediate sliding position; Drawing No. 6 shows a cross section of the bottom bar, drawn near the manoeuvring string and showing the recommended position for the said string visavis the curtain;

[0011] Drawing No. 7 shows a detail of the stop element acting as a pin for the curtain uprolling roller and as an anchor for the helical spring.

[0012] Referring to the above mentioned drawings, the framework - which is generally referred to with 1 - mainly includes a parallelepiped box 2 containing a hollow roller 3 with a longitudinal groove 4 and having wound around it a screen 5 which is the actual curtain, advantageously a mosquito-net, and which comes out of box 2 through a longitudinal slit 6, on the box 2 ends being fitted, vertical guides 7 with a height corresponding to the one of the window opening where the framework is to be mounted.

[0013] The box 2, the roller 3 and the curtain 5 are directly assembled at the factory according to standard measures not necessarily corresponding to the ones of the window opening where the framework and relevant curtain are to be mounted in.

[0014] In one of the two roller 3 ends a support cylinder 8 will be placed which is fixed on the first head 9 of the box 2, the roller 3 being free to rotate on this cylinder. The said element 8 has a threaded and frustum tapered end to house, according to a well known technique, one end of a spring 10 able to give the roller 3 the energy needed to roll up the screen 5 again , the second end of the said spring engaging another element 44 which is contained inside the hollow roller 3 and is supplied with an appendix cooperating with the groove 4, thus enabling this element to run freely along the said roller, without however rotating with reference to the latter, thanks to the appendix interference with the said groove during spring 10 loading and, of course, unloading.

[0015] What has just been described is normal state of art tec- nique and is not part of this invention.

[0016] According to the invention, the device for a quick and final stretching unrolling adjustment of the screen 5 (Dwg.1) includes a second head 11 which is to cooperate with the box 2 end opposite to head 9, at its centre being provided with a round hollow 12 and a vertical hollow 13 off-centre with respect to the said hollow 12.

[0017] At the centre of the round hollow 12 there is a hole 14 where a-carrying keyed end 15 of a threaded pin 16 is placed, near to this end 15 being a wheel 17 with a certain number of notches 18 around.

[0018] The wheel 17 has a hub 19, which is also a support of roller 3 end, from the front of which 20 a peg 21 protrudes which in its turn, as described below, engages a similar peg 22 on the side of an internally threaded sleeve which is to engage pin 16 thread.

[0019] On the sleeve 23 external surface there is an appendix 24 engaging the roller 3 groove 4.

[0020] The vertical hollow 13 is off-centre with respect to round hollow 12 and will house a bolt 25 which can have a slotted hole 26 for an adjusting and locking screw 27.

[0021] The said latch 25 goes in between the notches of the wheel 17 to stop roller rotation at a pre-determined position, chosen by the person installing the unit, of roller 3, thus achieving a proper stretching of the curtain once it is hooked via bar 29 to the height-adjustable lower stop 31 for example of the screw type.

[0022] As shown in drawing No. 3, the said element 25 has an asim- metric upside-down "V" shape.

[0023] In this way, when the curtain is being stretched and the stop element 25 is engaged, on this side of the point the wheel 17 with notches 18 will exercise a pressure perpendicular to the axis of stop element 25, thereby insuring sure and continuous blocking , because no axial power is exerted which would make the bolt slide downwards along the guides 7, thus preventing it from disengaging from the notch.

[0024] With reference to Drawing No. 4, each vertical guide has a substantially C-shaped cross section engaging inside of it and along the whole guide length a brush lip seal 28.

[0025] With reference to Drawing No. 1, the lower edge of the screen 5 is tied to a bottom bar 29 with constant section along its full length.

[0026] Number 34 indicates a head element to be inserted in the botton bar 29, which functions both as sliding element inside the guides 7 and as stop-peg in the lower blocking-de- , vice element of the bar by engaging itself with the edge 35 underneath screw 31, as schematically shown in Drawing No.5. The said element 34 is inserted in the hollows existing in the bar head profile, in particular the base 43 will engage itself in the bar upper groove 36 and the <peg 37 will engage itself in the central opening 38.

[0027] Clearly enough, the use of element 34 at the two bar ends allows the said bar to be cut according to the required length without having to prolong the lock wing 35 beyond necessary.

[0028] Moreover, as this stop element 34,is a separate piece, it may be built of a material different from the bar 29 one, such as of synthetic material like plastic, being thus more suitable to stand wearing conditions caused by interference with the head 31, thereby making the whole unit much more effective and reliable.

[0029] Number 39 shows a short handle, built of any material suitable for the purpose, with a dovetail-shaped rear for fitting into the bar 29 groove 40 and for making it reach, whatever bar 29 length, the central part, this bar/handle engagement solution also reducing the overall weight of the whole unit, without affecting practical use. Number 41 indicates curtain 5 operating string, which engages on bar 29 by inserting it and having it slide inside the upper hollow 36 until it reaches the curtain centre line.

[0030] When in this position it is passed beyond through a corresponding hole 42, then laying it downwards behind the curtain so that the bar 29 final movement will be mainly along a vertical plane.

[0031] If the hole 42 is not desired, the string 41 may also be inserted in the groove 40 and, instead of a single centrally placed handle 39, there may be two or more of them- i.e. for much larger window openings, the string 41, however, being able to reach, always by sliding, the central part of bar 29, that is to say of the curtain 5, in the space between one handle and the next.

[0032] Number 33 indicates a shimming, used as a distance piece, supplied with a grip 30, such as an external ring, for example, to facilitate hooking and pulling.

[0033] It will be taken away after completion installation of the whole unit, in such a way automatically creating under any condition a clearance space between the unit movable parts and the fixed heads, thereby insuring against the curtain being somehow blocked and against any kind of friction which would involve exaggerate efforts for proper curtain sliding, with all the negative consequences herein involved.

[0034] For the unit installation, a framework 1 having about the same length and width as the maximum ones of the window opening on which the rolling curtain has to be installed: no previous inspection is necessary before proper installation.

[0035] For the framework installation, the window opening width is carefully measured and the box 2, the roller 3 and the screen 5 are simultaneously cut according to the window opening width, as well as the bottom bar 29.

[0036] One of the roller 3 ends is placed on the support cylinder 8 the head of which 9 has been previously mounted inside the window opening and on the opposite end of the roller itself the threaded pin 16 is inserted engaging the grooved 4 sleeve 23 appendix 24; pin 16 end 15 is inserted in hole 14 of the head 11 in order to place the wheel 17 inside the round hollow 12.

[0037] Head 11 is then placed inside window opening opposite to head 9; sleeve 23 works as support element opposite to support element 8.

[0038] Now when distance piece 33 is removed, the unit is ready for use.

[0039] The screen 5 final height unrolling adjustment is performed against spring 10 contrasting action and peg 22, which follows a helicoidal trajectory according to pin 16 pitch, at a certain stage of unrolling, interferes with peg 21 making the wheel 17 turn.

[0040] When the required screen 5 stretched position is achieved, the wheel 17 stops turning due to bolt 25 insertion in notch 18 which is on the axis of bolt 25 and the bolt is blocked by the screw 27.

[0041] With a pressure on the bottom bar 29, the screen 5 will be stretched according to its vertical fibres and it will be maintained stretched by hooking the protruding element 35 underneath the hooking element 31.

[0042] The screen 5 longitudinal edges are kept inside the guides 7 by the elastic pressure exerted by the brush lip seal 28, whereas the proper tightness between the bottom bar 29 and the window opening lower edge is obtained by means of an extension 32 of the screen 5 inserted into the lower hollow of bar 29 and protruding from below.

[0043] In a variant, hollow 13 can even be on axis with round hollow 12 and stop element 25, on the point, even though in a less reliable manner, can even have a simmetric upside-down "V" shape.

Claims

1. Support framework for any type of rolling curtains easily fitting any window opening with associated device for a quick and final stretching unrolling adjustment of said rolling curtains, being of the type including a box (2) a hollow roller (3) with longitudinal groove (4) with a screen 5 - the actual curtain - wound around it, at the two box ends a first (9) and a second (11) head being fitted for the free support of said roller and of said curtain spring uprolling devices (10) and vertical guides (7) for said screen edges and hooking elements (31) for keeping the curtain tight when in straight position, characterized by the fact:

- that the second one (11) of said heads is supplied with a device for the stretching adjustment of said screen, mainly including : one roller end supporting element (19); one element (23) which is to travel inside the said roller and rotate with it, devices (16' and (24) to control the translation of element (23), one wheel (17) with a certain number of notches (18) around it which is associated with the said translation control devices, appendices (21, and 22) engaging with each other, protruding from the said supporting element (19) and from the said wheel (17); bolt- devices (25) engaging in notches (18) of wheel (17) and movable devices (34) fitted at the ends of bottom bar (29) with at least one wing (35) which is to be inserted underneath a height-adjustable stop (31);

- that the lateral guides (7) are made of a continuous section substantially C shaped having along its full length, at least on one of the open edges, an elastic gasket (28) to be preferably formed by a continuous brush, the free end of which interferes with the screen (5) edge inserted in the section slit between the two open edges;

- that between the roller (3) and one head (9) is inserter a removable shimming used as distance piece;

- that the lower bar (29) to which the screen is connected is formed by an even section profile having on its upper part and along its full length a hollow(36) with upper opening, undercut formed, in which the end of the string (41)for the actual curtain or screen lowering isto be engaged or made slide, said hollow being symmetric to the longitudinal vertical middle plane of the bar and moreover having on its front part and along its full length another dovetail hollow (40) where the operating handle (39), which is a separate piece, will be inserted and made slide, the bar having also internal longitudinal and central holes(31) housing the fitting elements of the two end heads which are also to function as stop and lower blocking element of the curtain , or screen, when fully stretched;

- that the string (41) for screen manoeuvring is hooked by making it slide in the undercut upper groove(36) of the bottom bar (29)until the center of the bar is reached.

2. Framework, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the said bolt devices(25) are fitted on the head (11) at the same level of the wheel (17) with notches (18) and are free to be moved from a standing disengaging position with notches (18) to an active engaging position with the said notches, these bolt devices being obtained by means of a sliding latch, which in its upper part, that is to say the one engaging the notches, has the shape of an asymmetrical "V" turned upside-down, this latch being preferably in off-centre position visavis the wheel(17).

3. Framework, as claimed in claim 1 characterized by the fact that the shimming (33)used as a distance piece is supplied with a grip, such as a ring or alike.

4. Framework, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that in a variant, the two end heads (34) are supplied also with two rings (35) which are in a symmetric position visavis the base (43).

5. Framework, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the curtain manoeuvring string may always be placed by insertion and sliding even inside the front dovetail shaped groove, or in a similar one, and the handle may be devided into several parts to let the string reach the bar (29) centre, that is to say the curtain or screen (5) centre.

6. Framework, as claimed in claim 2, characterized by tha fact that, in a variant, the latch (25) in its upper part has the shape of a symmetric "V" turned upside-down.

Drawing