The invention here proposed consists of a window blinds cord or strap collector driven by a spring housed in a case.
These manual type collectors are provided with winding means of the strap using the spring, a braking system and a casing, which can be external or embedded in a resistant element of the building or attached to the window frame.
A collector according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from CH-A-438613, where the cover is not connected to the body with any means, so assembler's hand is not free, not being possible to handle at the same time the spring and the braking pin as the assembler's hand is required for holding the cover.
The present invention relates to a window blinds cord or strap collector, conventionally driven by a spring which winds and unwinds inside a metallic case. This spring or strip has one end joined to the case and the other connected to a shaft.
This invention is characterised by multipurpose construction of the collector, in an asymmetrical internal construction of its major sides and provided with a cover, made retractable by a lower hinge and with a clear front to allow easy access to the spring case by the assembler's hands, which are free since the cover is hinged and does not require support. This facilitates handling of the spring and insertion through the brake of both a strap and a cord, all of this with the spring loaded. Its lateral asymmetry allows correct positioning of the spring case. It is also provided with exchangeable outer stands, as well as means of support of the spring end.
The cover and body of the collector are provided with a lower symmetrical hinge made from highly resistant polypropylene, provided with a large central groove for articulation, holding both pieces by two lugs, introduced under pressure in opposite orifices next to the bases of their respective front ends, with perimetral U-shaped recesses which provide the necessary elasticity in the lug inserting operation.
The front access so articulated allows the assembler to introduce the loaded spring case with one hand, while with the other the brake is released and the spring freed, so that the hoisting strap of the blind is recovered.
This brake consists of a pin which is attached to the casing at any of the three orifices at 120° of an inner circumference of the casing body, so that there is a margin for error in the precision in the cut o the spring strip and allows adjusting its tension to the selected point of insertion of the pin.
A second circle of orifices also at 120° allows the insertion of a second pin easily accessible simply by retracting the collector cover.
The arrangement for introducing the loaded spring is useful for assemblies of shop-mounted windows, while for blinds mounted on-site the spring is installed loose after the window is installed.
The casing is provided with corresponding extensions of the shaft which are asymmetrical and made from either a resistant plastic or metal, so that on one end the extension takes the shape of a rectangular flange beveled at its edges, simplifying latching it onto the case placed opposite it in the collector case center.
This rectangular flange is provided with a central groove on its shorter overhanging side, for fitting the pin end, and on the short end a lug is provided, also centrally, projecting from the outer face of the flange and inserted into one of the axial reinforcement disks of the collector body, which in turn extend beyond the latter and fit into opposite grooves in the cover in order to close the collector.
The other axial extension has a truncated conical shape with a dovetail profile for introducing it into the opposite central recessed profile, opposite the collector body.
Closing of the body and its cover takes place in the end diametrically opposite the hinge by the joint support of an upper tab of a lamina under the end recess of the cover, and a posterior orifice of a protrusion of the top end of the body, in such a way that this protrusion is inserted into the opposing recess and the tab follows, using the aforementioned orifice.
The spring is conventionally attached to the wall of the metal case housing it and on the other end is conventionally wound in the inner ring. This ring is provided with a double inner S-shaped tab, which supports the spring in loading, the ring in turn being supported in the recesses of the shaft line.
The ring tab is provided with an embedding for structural reinforcement and its configuration prevents the shaft from being damaged when it is made from plastic, as occurs with conventional hooks for common rings.
The shaft is of a conventional resistant construction material, and is provided with a double rectangular recess along its line which are placed diametrically opposite each other.
Finally, regarding the case, the outer embedding of the central orifice of its body for the shaft to pass prevents the spring supporting ring from hooking onto its lip edge.
In the embodiment of the cord collector, the case cover is replaced by a coil, preferably made of plastic, with sufficiently large flaps to house the cord which coils around it. The core of the coil has a perpendicular spring on a plate placed across the flaps and well lower than these, with orifices next to its free end.
The end of the cord may be tied to this end of the plate. In addition, the core is provided with a recess next to the perpendicular plate which is flexible enough to be housed in the opposite recess while the cord is wound, next to a small initial segment of it.
Guided by the head of the screw, the case is placed projecting out the side, in a suitable recess of one of the flaps, also leaving outside the outer face of its body and the rectangular axial flange, and after it is introduced in the coil, the loaded spring is released recovering the cord in the same way as for the strap.
Finally, both for the strap and the cord collector, the conventional individual beams, both for strap and cord, are eliminated, being replaced for a single one for both uses. A multipurpose brake is provided driven by a lever and which incorporates a special recess useful for the cord since the strap does not require one.
The collector built in this way, mounted for either application, may be provided with exchangeable leg supports of plastic or metal; an inner finish of the leg as an inner hook is repeated for the cap of the metallic leg.
As a complement to the description being made and in order to aid a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, attached to the present descriptive memory is a set of drawings where the following is shown:
In light of the above, the present invention relates to a blinds cord or strap collector, driven by a winding spring in a case, allowing introduction of the case by the assembler during assembly, on site after installing the windows or during preassembly of the set in the shop. This assembly is performed with a single hand, and through a clear front access, which in the second case is performed with the spring already loaded, while the other hand is used to then release the pin from the brake and to free the spring, so that the coiled strap of the blind is recovered. All of this is based on a multipurpose construction of the collector, with an asymmetrical construction of its main inner sides, for a single positioning of the case (5), which is placed between a cover (1) and a body (2) reinforced in both parts by axial discs (3) on their ends. Cover (1) is retracted by a lower hinge (4) and has a clear front to access the case (5) of spring (5.1), allowing to free the assembler's hands by use of the hinge, thus enabling a better handling of the spring (5.1) and the insertion of braking pin (5.2) which is previously loaded. The body is provided with exchangeable support legs (6) and/or caps (7) of any material, with an internal end finishing in a hook, as well as optimising ring (5.3) with tab (5.3.1) embedded and constructed to not damage the shaft (10.4), preferably made of plastic, which supports the end of spring (5.1) thus also optimising the shaft (10.4) and the braking means with a beam (8) and eventually also optimising the guide (8.1) and cord coil winding (9).
To this end cover (1) and body (2) are provided with a hinge (4) having a groove (4.1) for articulation, and respective pressure lugs (4.2)which are both attached to both, and provided with U-shaped perimetral recesses (4.3), while the collector is closed by the introduction of tab (1.2) of lamina (1.3) of the cover (1) in the orifice of body (2) and of protrusion (2.4) in recess (1.4) of cover (1).
Brake pin (5.2) is supported in the casing, projecting beyond all three orifices (5.5) of the case body (5) arranged in a circumference and equidistant from each other at 120°, while other more outer orifices (5.6), also arranged at 120°, allow inserting a second pin after the simple retraction of the collector cover (1).
A rectangular beveled (10.1) flange (10) is hooked onto the recess (2.1) opposite body (2) and a groove (10.2) is provided for fitting the end of the pin (5.2) as well as a lug (10.3) which is inserted in the recess (3.1) of one of the reinforcement discs (3), which in turn are embedded in grooves (1.1) opposite cover (1). On the opposite end, a truncated cone-shaped flange (10.5) is inserted in the recess (2.2) opposite the collector body (2).
The spring is wound and loaded on internal ring (11) which has a tab (11.1) which is supported on protrusion (10.5) of double recess (10.6) along the lines of shaft (10.4) while the outer embedding of the central orifice (5.7) of the case body (5), for the pin passage, prevents ring (5.3) from catching.
In the execution which is provided with a cord, the case (5) cover is replaced by coil (9) which is provided with an elastic plate (9.1) with orifices, meant to support the cord (12), and also provided with a recess (9.2) for housing both the plate (9.1) and a small segment of the cord (12) when coiled, the case entering guided by the head of a screw (5.8) into the flap (9.4), so that after the case (5) is introduced in coil (9), loaded spring (5.1) relaxes, recovering cord (12), in the same way as for the strap.