Device for supporting and driving a gather-up curtain

Abstract

 A device for supporting and driving a gather-up curtain (1a) has top guiding passages (9) for vertical strips (6, 7) for raising the curtain, these passages being formed in elements rigidly connected to the supporting profile (3) of the curtain.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to devices for supporting and driving curtains which can be gathered up along a vertical direction, of the type comprising:

• an upper horizontal supporting profile, provided with means for being secured to a wall,
• a curtain having its upper edge connected to the supporting profile and the lower edge supported by the lower ends of one or more pairs of vertical strips which are passed through guiding passages of the curtain,
• the strips of each pair being directed at their upper ends through top guiding passages and connected to each other by a horizontal strip run, so as to form an upturned U-shaped general configuration,
• rotor means, rotatably supported by said profile, for winding each horizontal strip turn, and
• means for controlling rotation of said rotor means.

[0002] A device for supporting and driving a curtain which can be gathered up along the vertical direction and having the above indicated features is disclosed for example in DE-C-4 439 423. The main advantage of the device shown in the prior document lies in that it enables both the removal of the curtain for washing and its mounting on the device upon washing, to be carried out with simple and rapid operations, without the need of introducing again the strips through the guiding passages, this time-consuming and troublesome operation being instead necessary in the more conventional solutions. In the solution known from the above identified prior document, indeed, the removal of the curtain is extremely simple and rapid, since it is sufficient to remove the upper edge of the curtain from the supporting profile (usually quick coupling means, such as microring and microhook strips are used for this purpose) while disengaging each horizontal run of the strip by said winding rotor means. Once this operation has been carried out, the vertical strips cannot slip out of the guiding passages in the curtain, since they are connected in pairs by the respective horizontal strip runs.

[0003] An improvement of the above described known solution has formed the subject of Italian patent application No. TO96A000620 of the same Applicant, filed on 17 July 1996 and still secret at the priority date of the present application. This improvement relates to said rotor means for controlling the winding of each horizontal strip run, which in this case are constituted by a winding reel rotatably supported by said supporting profile around an axis orthogonal to the plane of the curtain and having a front face traversed by a diametrical slot adapted to receive a central portion of the respective horizontal strip run, so that a rotation of the reel causes simultaneous winding of the two halves of said horizontal strip run arranged on the two sides of said central portion. Each reel is rotated by a driving transmission including a pair of bevel gears and a driving shaft having its axis parallel to the supporting profile of the curtain and connected at one end to a pulley which can be actuated in any known way, for example by a ball chain which drops from above up to a height which can be conveniently reached by the user.

[0004] A drawback which takes place with the aforesaid previously proposed curtains, both of the type shown in German Patent DE-C-4 439 423, and of the type shown in the previous patent application of the Applicant, lies in that when the curtain is raised, the top guiding passages, arranged at the ends of each horizontal strip run, tend to move closer to each other, thus hindering the raising operation.

[0005] In order to overcome this drawback, the present invention provides a device of the type indicated at the beginning of the present description, characterized in that each of said top guiding passages is formed in an element rigidly connected to said supporting profile.

[0006] In a first embodiment, each top guiding passage is formed in a supporting body fixed to the supporting profile and having an upwardly facing hook shape, so as to enable an easy disengagement of the strip when the curtain must be removed.

[0007] In a second embodiment, each top guiding passage is defined by an eyelet portion of an element releasably connected to the supporting profile. In this case, when the curtain must be removed, the strip is not removed from the top guiding passages and each of the elements defining these passages is instead removed from the supporting profile. In a preferred embodiment relating to this variant, the element defining said eyelet portion is releasably connected to a supporting body which on its turn is fixed to the supporting profile.

[0008] Due to the above indicated features, when the curtain is raised, the top guiding passages cannot move at all towards each other, since they are defined by elements rigidly connected to the supporting profile. Therefore, the raising operation of the curtain may take place in a proper and efficient way. At the same time, easiness and rapidity of removal and mounting of the curtain remain the same.

[0009] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the annexed drawings, given purely by way of non limiting example, in which:

figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention,

figure 2 is a view partially in cross section and at an enlarged scale of the device of figure 1,

figure 3 is a front view of the device of figure 1,

figure 4 is a variant of figure 2,

figure 5 is a front view of a further variant,

figures 6, 7 are a front view and a view in cross section of a second preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention,

figure 8 is a perspective exploded view of a detail of the device of figures 6, 7, and

figure 9 is a side view, also in cross section, of the detail of figure 8.

[0010] In the drawings, reference numeral 1 generally designates a device for supporting and driving a curtain which can be gathered up along the vertical direction, of the type which has formed the subject of Italian patent application No. TO96A000620 filed on 17 July 1996 by the same Applicant. The device comprises a curtain 1a which can be gathered up on the vertical direction, having an upper edge 2 connected to a supporting metal profile 3 which on its turn can be secured by any known means, for example by screws, to a wall (not shown). In the illustrated example, the supporting profile 3 is made of a light alloy and has a cross section as clearly shown in the figures. Preferably, the upper edge 2 of curtain 1a is connected to this supporting profile 3 by quick coupling means, a Velcro (registered trademark) type connection in the illustrated case, provided by two strips 4, 5 (see figures 1, 2) of the type having micro rings and microhooks, respectively fixed to profile 3 and the upper edge 2 of curtain 1a. The lower edge of curtain 1a (not shown) is made heavier by a metal blade and is supported by one or more pairs of vertical supporting strips 6, 7. In figure 1, the right hand vertical strip 7 is shown of a first pair of strips (the associated left hand strip is not visible in the drawing) along with a left hand vertical strip 6 of a further pair of vertical strips 6, 7 (the associated right hand strip being not shown in the drawing).

[0011] Each pair of vertical strips 6, 7 have their lower ends (not shown in the drawings) rigidly connected to curtain 1a adjacent to the lower edge thereof and are guided through guiding passages 8 (one of which is visible in figure 1) formed in curtain 1a. The two vertical strip runs 6, 7 of each pair are directed at the top through guiding passages 9 which, according to the invention, are formed in elements rigidly connected to the supporting profile 3, the two vertical runs being connected to each other by a horizontal strip run 10, so that the vertical runs 6, 7 and the horizontal run 10 form a general upturned U-shaped configuration. For each horizontal strip run 10 there is provided a winding reel 12. Each reel 12 is rotatably mounted around an axis 12a perpendicular to the plane of curtain 1 (figure 1) by a supporting bracket 13 fixed to the supporting profile 3. Each reel 12 can be rotated by a respective pair of bevel gears (not shown) meshing with each other and arranged within a housing 13a fixed to the bracket 13 and respectively connected to reel 12 and a shaft 16 having a square cross section and an axis parallel to the supporting profile 3, this shaft being rotatably supported by the brackets 13 which also support reels 12, as well as by two end brackets (not shown in the drawings) fixed to the supporting profile 3. At one end of shaft 16 there is applied a driving pulley (not shown) which can be rotated by a ball chain which drops downwardly up to a height which can be conveniently reached by the user. These details are not shown herein, since they can be absolutely identical to what is disclosed in the above identified previous Italian patent application of the same Applicant, and also because they do not fall, taken alone, within the scope of the present invention. Yet similarly to what has been illustrated in the previous Italian patent application of the Applicant which has been identified above, each reel 12 has a front face 17 entirely crossed by a diametrical slot 18 which is adapted to receive a central portion of the respective horizontal strip run 10. In this manner, when reel 12 (figure 1) is rotated, the two halves of the horizontal run 10 arranged at the two sides of reel 12 are wound on reel 12. The elements defining the guiding passages 9, being rigidly connected to the supporting profile 3, cannot move closer to each other and therefore transfer the tension exerted by reel 12 on the horizontal strip run 10 to the vertical runs 6, 7 thus causing raising of the curtain, which is gathered up until an end condition is reached, where the curtain is entirely gathered adjacent to the supporting profile 3. By driving shaft 16 in the opposite direction, return of the curtain towards the unfolded condition is allowed.

[0012] If curtain 1a must be removed for washing, it is sufficient to disengage each horizontal run 10 from the respective winding reel 12, simply by disengaging the central portion of the horizontal run 10 from the respective slot 18. Then, by separating the upper edge 2 of the curtain 1a from the supporting profile 3 it is possible to remove completely the curtain 1a, while the vertical supporting strips 6, 7 cannot slip out of the guiding passages 8, since they are held by the respective horizontal runs 10.

[0013] In the case of the embodiment shown in figures 1, 2, each top guiding passage 9 is defined by an element having an upwardly facing hook configuration, so as to enable easy removal of the strip therefrom when the curtain 1a is removed. In the illustrated example, the element defining the top guiding passage 9 is rigidly connected to a supporting body 19 which projects downwardly from the supporting profile 3 and is fixed thereto by coupling means of any known type. Yet in the case of the illustrated example, body 19 has a top head 19a (figure 2) having a T-shaped cross section, which is slidably received within a lower slot 3a of profile 3 and is locked axially within this slot by rotating a cam 19b which is rotatably supported around a vertical axis 19c by head 19a and can be rotated by a control lever 19d between an unlocking position and a locking position. This locking device however is of a type known per se and does not fall, taken alone, within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, any other known coupling means can be used for connecting body 19 to profile 3. A further feature of the preferred embodiment shown in figures 1, 2 lies in that the element defining the top guiding passage 9 associated with a right hand vertical strip run 7 and the element defining the top guiding passage 9 associated with the adjacent left hand vertical strip run 6 are rigidly supported by the same supporting body 19.

[0014] Figures 4, 5 show a variant in which the element defining each top guiding passage 9, which has an upwardly facing hook configuration, is carried by a respective supporting body 19 and in which the latter has a wall 19e having an edge 19f adjacent to the top of the hook portion, so as to decrease the risk of an accidental disengagement of the strip from the hook portion.

[0015] Figures 6-9 show a second embodiment of the invention in which the element defining each top guiding passage 9 has an eyelet portion. In the illustrated example, the element defining each top guiding passage 9 has a body including a pair of parallel and spaced apart cylindrical element 20 extending between two parallel plates 21, one of which is provided with a stem 22 which is releasably received within a cylindrical hole 23 of the supporting body 19. The two cylindrical elements 20 and the two plates 21 thus define an eyelet which is engaged by a vertical right hand run 7 of a pair of vertical runs 6, 7 as well as by the adjacent left hand vertical run 6 of the adjacent pair of vertical strips 6, 7. Naturally, it would be possible also to provide for a single eyelet for each vertical strip run. Stem 22 has a notched portion 22a adapted to cooperate with a rib 24 formed in the wall of hole 23 to provide a pressure snap engagement of element 9 on supporting body 19. By applying a sufficient force to element 9, it is possible to obtain removal thereof from body 19, due to a deformation of the wall of body 19 with rib 24. Therefore, also in this case it is possible to provide rapidly for the removal of curtain 1a. However, differently from the first embodiment, in which the elements defining the top guiding passages 9 remain connected to the supporting profile 3 and the strips are simply disengaged from these passage elements, in the case of the second embodiment shown in figures 6-9, the strips 6, 7 remain engaged through the eyelet formed by the passage defining element and the latter is instead removed from the supporting profile 3. Naturally, any other quick coupling means between the element defining the top guiding passage 9 and the supporting profile 3 may be used. Furthermore, in the case of the second embodiment, the supporting body 19 on its turn is connected to the supporting profile 3 in a way identical to that already described for the first embodiment.

[0016] Naturally, the invention is applicable not only to the solution which has formed the subject of the previous Italian patent application of the Applicant, but also generally to any other type of gather-up curtain, and particularly to a curtain of the type shown in German patent DE-C-4 439 423.

[0017] As clearly apparent from the foregoing description, due to the above described features, the device according to the invention enables all the advantages of the previously proposed curtains which have been described above to be kept, with reference to easiness and rapidity of the operations for removing and mounting the curtain, while ensuring that during raising of the curtain the top guiding passages 9 remain at fixed positions, so as to provide for a proper and efficient raising operation.

[0018] Another advantage of the invention lies in that the supporting bodies 19 may be shaped in such a way that the top guiding passages 9 are formed in the same plan parallel to curtain 1a and containing the front slot 18 of reels 17, so that the horizontal strip runs 10 are oriented exactly parallel to the supporting profile 3, differently from what may take place in the previous solutions in which the top guiding passages 9 are formed in curtain 1a, which involves that the horizontal strip runs 10 are arranged slightly inclined relative to the plane of curtain 1a.

[0019] Naturally, while the principle of the invention remains the same, the details of construction and the embodiments may widely vary with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely by way of example, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0020] For example, cords or any other equivalent means may be used instead of the above described strips.

Claims

1. Device for supporting and driving a curtain which can be gathered up along a vertical direction, comprising:

- an upper horizontal supporting profile (3), provided with means for being secured to a wall,

- a curtain (1a) having its upper edge (2) connected to the supporting profile (3) and the lower edge supported by the lower ends of one or more pairs of vertical strips (6, 7) which are passed through guiding passages (8) of the curtain,

- the strips (6, 7) of each pair being directed at their upper ends through top guiding passages (9), a horizontal strip run (10) connecting said vertical strips (6, 7) to each other, according to a general upturned U-shaped configuration,

- rotor means (12), rotatably supported by said supporting profile (3), for winding each horizontal strip run (10), and

- means (16) for driving rotation of said winding rotor means (12),

   characterized in that each of said top guiding passages (9) is formed in an element rigidly connected to the supporting profile (3).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each top guiding passage (9) is formed in an element having an upwardly facing hook configuration, so as to allow removal of the associated strip.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the element defining each guiding passage (9) has an eyelet portion (20, 21) and is releasably connected to the supporting profile.

4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the element defining each top guiding passage (9) is connected to a supporting body (9) which on its turn is connected to the supporting profile (3).

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the elements defining said top guiding passages (9) are supported in pairs by the same supporting body (19).

6. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said element defining each top guiding passage (9) has an eyelet portion releasably connected to a supporting body (19) which on its turn is connected to the supporting profile (3).

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that each eyelet portion is provided with a stem (22) which is received and locked releasably within a seat (23) of said supporting body (19).

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said eyelet portion (9) is engaged by two vertical strip runs (6, 7) adjacent to each other and forming part of two adjacent pairs of vertical strips (6, 7).

Drawing