Roller blind sealing apparatus

Abstract

 Apparatus for sealing roller blinds which comprises first and second housings (18,18′) which are secured and sealed along the length of respective sides of a window frame and which include respective channels (24) in which the side edges of the roller blind are located when the blind is unrolled. The two housings (18,18′) include mechanisms for releasably sealing the respective side edges of the blind along the length of the channels (24) and for keeping the blind taut. Each channel includes a rotary wedge (30,34) which enables the width of the channels (24) to be selectively reduced for gripping and sealing the side edges of the blind.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to apparatus for improving the sealing of roller blinds.

[0002] Roller blinds are generally incorporated onto window frames in order to provide means for reducing the penetration of light and/or draughts into the room or part of the building in which the windows are located.

[0003] However, the effectiveness of such blinds is limited since the blind is not in sealing abutment with the window frame and so light and draughts are able to penetrate through the gaps formed between the sides of the blind and the window frame. The aesthetic quality of such blinds is also limited since draughts tend to cause the blinds to move and ripple which movement may also cause a disconcerting variation in the amount of light penetrating the gaps between the window frame and blind. Even if the blinds are disposed in a draught-free location, their appearance may be degraded due to their tendency to hang in a relatively loose manner.

[0004] The above-mentioned poor quality sealing is particularly disadvantageous when used in environments where maximum light exclusion is required, such as in rooms, or the like, temporarily used for slide or cine projection displays, and also in environments where draughts must ideally be excluded, such as in rooms used for experiments or requiring a constant temperature.

[0005] It would therefore be advantageous if simply operated apparatus could be provided for enhancing the sealing of window blinds so as to increase their effectiveness with respect to the exclusion of light and draughts and also provide additional security to the window at which the blind is located.

[0006] It would therefore be advantageous if such apparatus could be provided which also enhances the aesthetic quality of the window blind.

[0007] In accordance with the present invention there is provided apparatus for sealing roller blinds which comprises first and second housings which are secured and sealed along the length of respective sides of a window frame and which include respective channels in which the side edges of the roller blind are located when the blind is unrolled, the first and second housings including means for releasably sealing the respective side edges of the blind along the length of the channels.

[0008] Preferably, the apparatus also includes means for sealing the blind along the top and bottom of the window frame, which means extend between the first and second housings to form a complete seal around the edges of the blind.

[0009] Preferably, the means for releasably sealing the respective side edges of the blind comprises apparatus for decreasing the effective separation of the sides of the channel adjacent the blind surface. The distance between these channel sides is reduced until the part of the blind located therein is sealed between the surfaces. These channel surfaces may be separated, as required, so as to release the seal of the side edges of the blind. Advantageously, one or both of these sealing surfaces is provided with a material layer which is preferably resiliently deformable, such as rubber, polystyrene foam or the like, to further enhance the sealing of the blind along the length of the channel.

[0010] Preferably, at least one of the first and second housings include means for applying a lateral force to the side edge of the blind so as to pull the blind taut. Advantageously, the means for releasably sealing the blind includes the means for applying the lateral force so that the blind may be simultaneously sealed and pulled taut by the action of the sealing means.

[0011] Preferably, the means for sealing the blind along the bottom of the window frame comprises an elongate member formed with an elongate sealing slot for receiving a bottom rail of the blind. The elongate member may preferably be resiliently deformable or may include one or more resiliently deformable sealing faces. The width of the sealing slot may also be varied so as to enhance the quality of the seal provided along the bottom of the blind.

[0012] It is therefore possible to provide a contiguous seal around all the side edges of a roller blind, which seal is capable of excluding light and draughts from a room, as required, and which may also enhance the appearance of the blind.

[0013] The invention is described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of part of a window and corresponding roller blind employing one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figs. 2a and 2b are horizontal cross-sections along the line A-A of Fig.1 showing the releasable sealing means open and closed, respectively;

Fig.3 is a vertical cross-section through the apparatus at a location intermediate the vertical housing members; and

Fig.4 is a vertical cross-section along the line C-C of Fig.1 with the blind in its fully closed position.

[0014] In the illustrated embodiment, a roller blind 10 extends from a roller 16 to exclude light and draughts from the room in which a window, which comprises a plurality of panes 12, separated by wooden lattice members 14, is situated. The blind 10 is illustrated in Fig.1 as if it were approaching, or just released from, a closed, sealed position.

[0015] Respective elongate vertical housing members 18,18′ are located adjacent the sides of the window frame and extend from a position level with the top edge of the window frame to a position level with the bottom edge of the window frame. Corresponding horizontal slots are provided at the lower ends of the housings 18,18′ through each of which a lever 22,22′ protrudes for allowing the sealing mechanisms located in the housings 18,18′ to be manually operated.

[0016] As illustrated in Figs. 2a and 2b, each lever 22 is connected to an elongate substantially cylindrical member 30 which is located within the full length of the housing 18 and is rotatable within housing members 18 about an axis 32. The substantially cylindrical member 30 is provided, along its complete length, with a flat outer face 29 which, when the lever 22 is in an open position (Fig.2a), forms one side of a rectangular channel 24 that is provided along the complete length of the housing 18. A rubber sealing wedge 34 is disposed along the full length of part of the curved surface of the substantially cylindrical elongate member 30 and is located so that the thin end of the rubber wedge 34 is contiguous with the flat surface 29 of the substantially cylindrical elongate member 30. When it is rotated anticlockwise, from its position shown in Fig.2a, the rubber wedge 34 is moved into the channel 24 to form a seal on the opposite side of the channel 24 as shown in Figure 2b. In this manner, the separation between the rubber seal 34 and the opposite side of channel 24 decreases as the lever 22 is rotated anti-clockwise, at a rate dependent on the increase in the thickness of the rubber wedge 34. In use, the side edge of the roller blind 10 is located within the channel 24 and as the separation decreases, due to the rotation of the elongate member 30, the side of the roller blind becomes sealingly secured therein between the rubber wedge 34 and said opposite side of the channel. As the elongate member 30 is rotated to the position illustrated in Fig.2b, the motion of the rubber wedge 34 pulls and stretches the roller blind 10 in a lateral direction and so the roller blind 10 becomes taut.

[0017] A similar mechanism which operates so as to seal the blind when rotated in a clockwise direction is provided within the housing 18′ and operates in a similar manner at the opposite side of the window and is thus not described. The roller blind is therefore sealed with respect to each of the sides of the window frame.

[0018] A complete contiguous seal for all four edges of the roller blind 10 is provided by a horizontal sealing apparatus, located along the top and bottom of the window frame, respectively.

[0019] Fig.3 illustrates one embodiment of the apparatus employed to seal the roller blind 10 along the top of the window frame. A bracket 42 secures the roller 16 to a window head 36. A brush consisting of flexible polypropylene fibres 38 is secured to the window head 36 and is disposed contiguous to the roller blind 10. Located at position 40 is a polypropylene pile contiguous to the roller blind to act as a secondary sealing agent, thus providing a total draught seal along the top edge of the window frame.

[0020] An elongate horizontal housing member 46 is located along the bottom of the window frame and extends fully between the housings 18,18′. A vertical channel 26 is provided along the top of the housing member 46 into which a bottom rail 50 of the roller blind 10 may be inserted when the roller blind 10 is fully extended and thus closed. Channel 26 is provided with a rubber seal member 48, which is located along the full length of the channel. The bottom rail 50 is press fitted into the gap formed between the rubber seal member 48, and the opposite side of channel 26 and the roller blind is secured in this closed position by means of a conventional tie cord 51 located through a slot 52 cut through the top of housing member 46.

[0021] The roller blind 10, when closed, therefore provides a complete seal around all four sides of the window frame and so excludes light and draughts as and when required.

[0022] The present invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing embodiment. For example, the sealing mechanism within the housing 18,18′ located along the vertical sides of the window frame may additionally be incorporated along the top and bottom of the window frame. The materials quoted above are by way of example only and alternative materials having the same operational properties could equally well be used.

Claims

1. Apparatus for sealing roller blinds, characterised by first and second housings (18,18′) which are adapted to be secured and sealed along the length of respective sides of a window frame and which include respective channels (24) in which the side edges of the roller blind are located when the blind is unrolled, the first and second housings (18,18′) including means for releasably sealing the respective side edges of the blind along the length of the channels.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for sealing the blind along the top and bottom of the window frame, which means extend between the first and second housings (18,18′) to form a complete seal around the edges of the blind.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for releasably sealing the respective side edges of the blind comprises apparatus for decreasing the effective sepration of the side surfaces of the channel (24) adjacent the blind surface, whereby the effective distance between the channel side surfaces can be selectively reduced until the part of the blind located therein is sealed between the surfaces.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of said side surfaces of the channels (24) is provided with a material layer which is resiliently deformable, such as rubber, polystyrene foam or the like, whereby to enhance further the sealing of the blind along the length of the channels (24).

5. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the first and second housings (18,18′) include means for applying a lateral force to the side edge of the blind so as to pull the blind taut.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, when appendant to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the means for releasably sealing the blind includes the means for applying the lateral force, such that the blind may be simultaneously sealed and pulled taut by the action of the sealing means.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for releasably sealing the blind includes in each housing (18,18′) a generally cylindrical member (30) disposed for rotation about its central longitudinal axis within the housing, the cylindrical member (30) being formed with a flat (29) and carry on its surface, adjacent the flat, a deformable wedge (34).

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the means for sealing the blind along the bottom of the window frame comprises an elongate member (46) formed with an elongate sealing slot (26) for recieving the bottom rail of the blind (10).

Drawing