BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
[0001] The present invention relates to blinds and, more specifically, to a blind control
apparatus and a control .method for controlling the operation of a blind.
2. Description of the Related Art:
[0002] A variety of blinds including Venetian blinds, roller blinds, pleated blinds, honeycomb
shades, accordion-like shades, Roman blinds, vertical blinds, curtains, and etc. are
commercially available for use with a window to regulate the light, air, etc. A regular
blind generally comprises a headrail fixedly fastened to the top side of the window,
and a blind body (formed of a shade, or a set of slats and a bottom rail) provided
at the bottom side of the headrail. The blind body is driven by an external driving
force to change its window shading status. For example, the blind body of a roller
blind, pleated blind, or Roman blind can be lifted or lowered; the blind body of a
horizontal or vertical Venetian blind can be extended out/received and tilted; the
two side panels of a curtain can be received sideways and extended out horizontally.
[0003] The control method of a blind may be achieved manually or electrically. A manually
controlled blind has a linking mechanism provided in the headrail and coupled to the
blind body, and a lift cord suspended from one end of the headrail for pulling by
hand to drive the linking mechanism to move the blind body, and a tilt rod suspended
from the end of the headrail for operation by hand to tilt the slats of the blind.
Because the lift cord is not kept out of reach of children, children may pull the
lift cord for fun. In case the lift cord is hung on a child's head, a fetal accident
may occur (many similar accidents have been reported in different countries). In order
to eliminate this problem, blinds without exposed lift cord are disclosed. These blinds
commonly use spring means and the gravity weight of the blind body to keep the blind
body at the adjusted elevational position. However these blinds are not durable in
use because the provided spring means wears quickly with use. US Patent No. 6044889
teaches the use of the tension of two cord members to hold the bottom rail of a Venetian
blind at the adjusted elevation. However, the cord members become loosened after a
long use. Further, the presence of the cord members destroys the sense of beauty of
the blind.
[0004] Further, an electrically controlled blind can easily be operated. Because an electrically
controlled blind eliminates the use of a lift cord and a tilt rod, it has a nice outer
looking and eliminates the tangling of the blind lift cord with the body of a person
accidentally. However, an electrically controlled blind is expensive because is equipped
with a motor, a power supply device, and a control circuit. Further, because the battery
of the power supply device of an electrically controlled blind is normally installed
in the headrail, it is inconvenient to replace the battery when battery power low.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is
one object of the present invention to provide a blind control apparatus and blind
control method, which has no cord member expose to the outside of the blind body,
preventing tangling of a blind cord member with a person accidentally.
[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide a blind control apparatus
and blind control method, which eliminates the use of any exposed lift cord or tilt
rod means, keeping the blind as neat as an electric blind.
[0007] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a blind control apparatus
and blind control method, which enables the user to conveniently regulate the blind
either manually or electrically.
[0008] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a blind control apparatus,
which is inexpensive to manufacture.
[0009] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a blind control apparatus,
which is easy to install and to maintain.
[0010] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a blind control apparatus
and blind control method, which positively locks the blind body in position after
each adjustment.
[0011] To achieve these objects of the present invention, the blind control apparatus comprises
a linking mechanism mounted in a headrail of the blind to be controlled and an operating
device detachably connected to the linking mechanism. The linking mechanism includes
a rotatable driving force input unit and a driving force output portion which is rotated
in connection with said driving force input unit when said driving force input unit
rotates. The driving force input unit has a driving force receiving portion exposed
outside the headrail, which is directly or indirectly coupled to said blind body of
said blind and adapted to drive said blind body of said blind to change the window
shading status of said blind body upon rotary motion of said driving force input unit.
The operating device has an operating portion at one end thereof for operation by
hand and an actuating portion at an opposite end thereof which is rotatable in relation
to said operating portion for rotating said driving force input unit. The actuating
portion has a coupling tip detachably connected to said driving force receiving portion
of said driving force input unit such that the driving force input unit can be rotated
by the actuation of the operating device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing the basic structure of the blind control apparatus
according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing showing the basic structure of the blind control apparatus
used in multiple blinds according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing showing an application example of the first preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing showing the arrangement of the linking mechanism of
the blind control apparatus in the roller blind according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing the structure of the operating device of the
blind control apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing an application example of the second preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing the driving force input unit of the linking
mechanism locked according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 8 but showing the driving force input unit of the linking
mechanism unlocked.
FIG. 11 is a schematic drawing showing an application example of the third preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing showing the arrangement of the linking mechanism in
the headrail of the blind according to the third preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 13 is a schematic drawing shown an alternate form of the electrically controlled
operating device for the blind control apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a schematic drawing shown another alternate form of the electrically controlled
operating device for the blind control apparatus according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, a blind control apparatus
20 is installed in a blind
10 for controlling the blind
10 to regulate the light, air, etc. The blind
10 can be a horizontal Venetian blind, roller blind, pleated blind, honeycomb shade,
accordion-like shade, Roman blind, vertical blind, curtain, or the like, comprising
a headrail
11, and a blind body
12. The headrail
11 is fixedly fastened to the top side of window (not shown) in transverse direction.
The blind body
12 is provided at the bottom side of the headrail
11, and opened or closed to regulate the light, air, etc.
[0014] The control apparatus
20 comprises a linking mechanism
21 mounted within the headrail
11, and a detachable operating device
25. The mechanical transmission mechanism
21 is comprised of a driving force input unit
22 and a driving force output portion
23. The driving force input unit
22 has a driving force receiving portion
24 extended to the outside (the bottom side) of the headrail
11 and rotatable by an external driving force. The driving force output portion
23 is connected to the blind body
12 directly or indirectly, and driven by the driving force input unit
22 to move the blind body
12, causing the blind body
12 to change its window shading status.
[0015] The operating device
25 is substantially a rod-like member not directly connected to the blind body
12 or the linking mechanism
21. The user can hold one end of the operating device
25 with the hand in a vertical position, keeping the other end of the operating device
25 at the elevation of the headrail
11. The operating device
25 has an operating portion
26 at its one end for the holding of the hand, and an actuating portion
27 at its other end. The actuating portion
27 has a coupling tip
28 detachably connectable to the driving force receiving portion
24 of the linking mechanism
21. After connection of the coupling tip
28 to the driving force receiving portion
24, the user can rotate the operating portion
26 with the hand, enabling the rotary driving force to be transmitted through the driving
force receiving portion
24 of the driving force input unit
22 to the blind body
12 via the driving force output portion
23.
[0016] When wishing to regulate the blind
10, hold the operating portion
26 of the operating device
25 with the hand to force the coupling tip
28 of the actuating portion
27 into engagement with the driving force receiving portion
24 of the driving force input unit
22 of the linking mechanism
21, and then rotate the operating device
25 with the hand, enabling the rotary driving force to be transmitted through the mechanical
transmission mechanism
21 to the blind body
12, and therefore the blind body
12 is regulated (lifted vertically, extended out or received horizontally, or tilted
subject to the type of the blind body itself). After control, the user can remove
the operating device
25 from the linking mechanism
21 (the headrail
11), and received in a proper storage place.
[0017] In general, the blind control apparatus of the present invention is comprised of
a driven unit, a driving unit, and an interface unit. The driven unit is substantially
formed of the aforesaid linking mechanism
21 mounted within the headrail
11, and can be driven by an external driving force to move the blind body
12. The driving unit is substantially formed of the aforesaid operating device
25 detachably connectable to the driven unit in the headrail
11, and can be held and operated by the user to output a driving force manually or electrically
to the driven unit. The interface unit is formed of the aforesaid coupling tip
28 and driving force receiving portion
24, and adapted to connect the output end of the driving unit to the input end of the
driven unit. The blind control method provided by the present invention enables the
user to connect the driving unit to the driven unit in the headrail of the blind through
the interface unit and then to operate the driving unit, causing the driven unit to
move the blind body of the blind. After the blind body has been adjusted to the desired
position, the user can remove the driving unit from the driven unit (the blind).
[0018] FIG. 2 shows another application example of the blind control apparatus according
to the present invention. According to this application example, the blind control
apparatus comprises a plurality of linking mechanisms
21 respectively installed in the headrail
11 of each of a number of blinds
10, and an operating device
25 selectively detachably connectable to the linking mechanism
21 in the headrail
11 of each of the blinds
10. When in use, the user can hold the operating device
25 with the hand and then force the coupling tip
28 of the operating device
25 into engagement with the driving force receiving portion
24 of the linking mechanism
21 in the headrail
11 of each blind
10 to be regulated.
[0019] FIGS. 3~6 show the first preferred embodiment of the blind control apparatus used
in a roller blind
10A. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the linking mechanism
30 of the blind control apparatus comprises a driving force input unit
31, a worm gear
34, a transmission gear set
35, and a roller
36. The driving force input unit
31 is formed of a rod-like member fastened pivotally with the inside of the right end
of the headrail
11A for free rotation on its own axis, having a bottom end terminating in a driving force
receiving portion 32 disposed outside the headrail
11A and a top end terminating in a double-screw worm
33 suspending inside the headrail
11A. The driving force receiving portion
32 is formed of a tapered hole and a hexagonal hole. The worm gear
34 is fastened pivotally with the inside of the headrail
11A and meshed with the worm
33. The transmission gear set
35 is a gear train formed of a series of gears of different diameters and adapted to
accelerate rotary driving force of the worm gear
34 and to transfer rotary driving force of the worn gear
34 leftwards. The roller
36 is fastened pivotally with the headrail
1A in a transverse (horizontal) position, and coupled to the output end of the transmission
gear set
35. The blind body (shade body)
12A of the roller blind
10A has one end (the fixed end) fixedly fastened to the periphery of the roller
36. When the roller
36 rotated, it rolls up or lets off the blind body
12A, i.e., the periphery of the roller
36 forms a driving force output portion
37. The operating device
40, as shown in FIG. 6, comprises a first handgrip
41, an elongated actuating portion
42 fastened pivotally with the front end of the first handgrip
41 and terminating in a hexagonal coupling tip
43, which can be inserted through the tapered hole of the driving force receiving portion
32 into engagement with the hexagonal hole of the driving force receiving portion
32, a crank
44 fastened pivotally with the first handgrip
41 and coupled to the elongated actuating portion
42, and a second handgrip
45 fixedly fastened to one end of the crank
44 remote from the first handgrip
41. The crank
44 and the second handgrip
45 form the operating portion
46 of the operating device
40. When in use, the user can hold the first handgrip
41 with one hand and rotate the second handgrip
45 with the other hand. When rotating the second handgrip
45, the elongated actuating portion
42 is rotated with the crank
44 and the second handgrip
45 relative to the first handgrip
41.
[0020] When wishing to roll up or extend out the roller blind
10A, attach the hexagonal coupling tip
43 to the driving force receiving portion
32, and then operate the operating portion
46 of the operating device
40 to rotate the driving force input unit
31 of the linking mechanism
30 clockwise or counter-clockwise, thereby causing the worm
33, the worm gear
34 and the transmission gear set
35 to work, and therefore the roller
36 is rotated to roll up or extend out the blind body
12A of the roller blind
10A. According to this embodiment, the worm and worm gear mechanism has an one-way transmission
characteristic (i.e., the worm 33 rotates the worm gear
34 when receiving an external torsional force, and stops the worm gear
34 from rotation when receiving a torsional force from the worm gear
34). Therefore, the user can use the operating device
40 to rotate the roller
36 in the headrail
11A. When the user removed the operating device
40 from the roller blind
10A after the blind body
12A of the roller blind
10A had been adjusted to the desired elevation, the self-locking effect of the worm and
worm gear mechanism locks the roller
36, keeping the blind body
12A in the adjusted position.
[0021] FIGS. 7~9 show the second preferred embodiment of the blind control apparatus of
the present invention used in a Venetian blind
10B. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the linking mechanism
50 of the blind control apparatus comprises a driving force input unit
51, a spring member
56, and two pulleys
57. The driving force input unit
51 is comprised of a bobbin
52 and a rod member
53 coaxially and fixedly fastened to the bottom side of the bobbin
52. The rod member
53 has a driving force receiving portion
54 in the bottom end thereof (the structure of the driving force receiving portion
54 is similar to the driving force receiving portion
32 shown in FIG. 4), and a toothed portion
55 around the periphery (see FIG. 9). The driving force input unit
51 is fastened pivotally with the inside of the right end of the headrail
11B of the Venetian blind
10B, letting the rod member
53 be extended out of a bottom round hole
13 of the headrail
11B. The headrail
11B has a toothed portion
14 provided around the bottom round hole
13. The toothed portion
55 can be set into engagement with the toothed portion
14 from the top side of the round hole. The spring member
56 is connected between the top side of the bobbin
52 and the top sidewall of the headrail
11B to impart a downward pressure to the bobbin
52 and the rod member 53, keeping the toothed portion
55 of the rod member
53 meshed with the toothed portion
14 (see FIG. 8). The pulleys
57 are fastened rotatably with the inside the headrail
11B and symmetrically located on the left and right ends of the headrail
11B. The Venetian blind
10B comprises two lift cords
15 symmetrically inserted through the slats
16 of the blind body
12B. The lift cords
15 each have a bottom end fixedly connected to the bottom rail
17 of the blind body
12B, and a top end inserted upwardly into the inside of the headrail
11B and extended over the periphery of the corresponding pulley
57 and then fastened to the periphery of the bobbin
52 of the driving force input unit
51. When rotating the driving force input unit
51, the bobbin
52 is rotated to roll up or let off the lift cords
15, and therefore the blind body
12B is lifted or lowered to the desired elevation, i.e., the periphery of the bobbin
52 forms a driving force output portion
58.
[0022] The user can operate the operating device
40 shown in FIG. 6 to adjust the Venetian blind
10B. When in use, force the coupling tip
43 of the actuating portion
42 of the operating device
40 into engagement with the driving force receiving portion
54 of the driving force input unit
51 (see FIG. 10), and then push the operating device
40 to move the rod member
53 and the bobbin
52 upwards against the spring member
56 and to disengage the toothed portion
55 from the toothed portion
14, and then operating the operating device
40 to rotate the driving force input unit
51, causing the bobbin
52 to roll up or let off the lift cords
15, and therefore the blind body
12B is lifted or lowered to the desired elevation. After the blind body
12B has been adjusted to the desired elevation, disengage the operating device
40 from the driving force receiving portion
54, for enabling the driving force input unit
51 to be lowered to the position shown in FIG. 8 where the toothed portion
55 of the driving force input unit
51 is meshed with the toothed portion
14 of the headrail
11B, and therefore the bobbin
52 is locked and, the blind body
12B is fixed in position.
[0023] According to this embodiment, the linking mechanism
50 controls the lifting action of the blind body
12B of the Venetian blind
10B. The Venetian blind
10B further comprises a tilt control mechanism formed of two ladder tapes
18 and a tilt control rod
19. The ladder tapes
18 are fastened to the slats
16 and bottom rail
17 of the blind body
12B and a respective drum at a horizontal tilt rod (not shown) in the headrail
11B. The tilt control rod
19 is suspended from one end of the headrail
11B, and coupled to one end of the tilt rod inside the headrail
11B through a worm gear and tilter set (not shown). When rotating the tilt control rod
19, the tilt rod is rotated to move the ladder tapes
18 and, to further tilt the slats 16 of the blind body
11B of the Venetian blind
10B. Since the title control mechanism is a known art, no further details will be necessary
to describe hereunder.
[0024] FIGS. 11 and 12 show the third preferred embodiment of the blind control apparatus
of the present invention. This embodiment is used in a Venetian blind
10C. The linking mechanism
60 is capable of lifting the blind body and tilting the slats of the blind body. The
linking mechanism
60 uses the same mechanism of the aforesaid second preferred embodiment to lift the
blind body. The linking mechanism
60 further comprises a worm
61 and a worm gear
62 adapted to rotate a tilt rod
63, causing it to move two ladder tapes
18C and to further control the tilt angle of the slats of the blind body of the Venetian
blind
10C. The worm
61, the worm gear
62, the tilt rod
63, and the ladder tapes
18C form a slat tilting control unit that controls the tilting angle of the slats of
the blind body of the Venetian blind
10C. The worm
61 has a driving force receiving portion
64 in the bottom end for receiving the coupling tip
43 of the operating device
40 shown in FIG. 6. In general, the linking mechanism
60 has two independent driving force input units (driving force receiving portions and
two driving force output portions so that the user can couple the operating device
40 to the driving force input units selectively, and operate the operating device
40 to lift the blind body of the Venetian blind
10C to the desired elevation or, to adjust the tilting angle of the slats of the blind
body of the Venetian blind
10C.
[0025] The linking mechanism can also be made having one single driving power input unit
to simultaneously control the lifting of the blind body and tilting of the slats of
the Venetian blind. For example, the teaching disclosed in US Patent Application No.
10/143330 filed by the applicant of the present invention can be applied to the linking
mechanism of the blind control apparatus.
[0026] Basically, the linking mechanisms of conventional blinds commonly use (or can use)
a rotary action to achieve blind body lifting/lowering or extending/receiving control
and slats tilting control. Therefore, the blind control apparatus of the present invention
can be used in any of a variety of blinds.
[0027] FIG. 13 shows an alternate form of the operating device. According to this design,
the operating device, referenced by
70 is an electrically controlled device comprising a casing
71, a rod-like actuating portion
72 forwardly extended out of the front side of the casing
71, a motor (not shown) mounted inside the casing
71 and adapted to rotate the rod-like actuating portion
72, a battery power supply (not shown) mounted inside the casing
71 and electrically connected to the motor, a control panel
74 located on the outside wall of the casing
71 and formed of a set of control buttons
73 adapted to control on/off status and forward/backward rotation of the motor, and
a protective sleeve
75 fixedly fastened to the front side of the casing
71 around the rod-like actuating portion
72. The rod-like actuating portion
72 has a front end extended out of the front end of the protective sleeve
75 and terminating in a coupling tip
76.
[0028] FIG. 14 shows another alternate form of the electrically controlled operating device.
According to this embodiment, the operating device, referenced by
80 comprises a tubular main body
81, a motor
82 mounted in the front end of the tubular main body
81, a rod-like actuating portion
83 coupled to the output shaft of the motor
82 and extended out of the tubular main body
81, and control buttons
84 located on the tubular main body
81 near its rear end remote from the motor
82 and the rod-like actuating portion
83 and electrically connected to the motor
82.
[0029] As indicated above, the invention has the advantages as follows:
1. Because the invention does not use any lift cord or like means to achieve blind
body lifting control, it eliminates the possibility of the hanging of the head of
a person (more particularly a child) on the lift cord accidentally.
2. Because the blind control apparatus of the present invention has no control member
exposed to-the outside of the blind, the sense of beauty of the blind is maintained
intact.
3. Because conventional electric blinds have an independent motor, power adapter,
control circuit, and etc., their manufacturing cost is high. The invention can use
one electrically controlled operating device to control the mechanical linking mechanism
of each of a number of blinds. Therefore, the invention greatly reduces the installation
cost of multiple blinds in one house.
4. According to conventional electric blinds, the battery is installed in the headrail.
When replacing the battery, the user needs to use a chair or ladder so as to access
to the battery in the headrail. This battery replacing job is inconvenient to achieve.
According to the present invention, the battery is installed in the operating device,
which is separated from the blind. Therefore, the user can replace the battery of
the operating device conveniently.
5. Because the invention does not use the spring power of a spring member or the tension
of a cord member to hold the blind body at the desired elevation, the invention can
control and maintain the position status of the blind body stably.