PANEL CURTAIN

Abstract

 A panel curtain is revealed. The panel curtain includes an upper rail, a plurality of rods and a plurality of panels. Each rod is mounted in one track of the upper rail by a guiding plate on an upper part thereof. The front and rear ends of the guiding plate are provided with a sliding stop block respectively to limit the guiding plate in the track. Thus assembling of the panel curtain is more convenient while the rods still glide smoothly. A retaining strip is clamped and sewn on the panel for ensuring connection strength therebetween. Each end of the retaining strip is arranged with a chamfer end that allows the panel to be mounted into an assembling groove of the rod conveniently. The assembly time and labor costs required are dramatically reduced so that the installation convenience is improved.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a curtain, especially to a panel curtain.

Description of Related Art

[0002] Refer to Fig. 11, a traditional panel curtain 40 includes a support base 41, a plurality of rails 42 disposed on the support base 41 with an interval therebetween (there are three rails 42 in the figure), a plurality of rods 43 each of which is mounted in the rail 42 correspondingly, a plurality of panels 44 each of which is arranged at the rod 43 correspondingly and a cord 45 disposed on the support base 41. An upper end of each rod 43 is provided with two runners 431 and the rod 43 is mounted in the rail 42 through the runners 431 while the cord 45 is used for driving one of the rods 43 to move. A plurality of stopping blocks 432 is disposed on the rods 43 alternatively for stopping the movement of the respective rod 43.

[0003] However, the above panel curtain has certain shortcomings. The rod 43 is mounted in the rail 42 of the support base 41 through the runners 431 so that the width of the rail 42 of the support base 41 needs to be increased in order to use in combination with the size of the runners 431. This results in higher production costs and larger packing volume of the support base 41. The assembly and installation of the panel curtain are more difficult.

[0004] Moreover, the assembly of most of the traditional panels uses hook and loop fasteners for attaching the panel to the rod. The hook and the loop fasteners are attached to the panel and the rod respectively by adhesives. This is labor-intensive and time-consuming so that both labor costs and working time are increased. During assembly of the panels and the rods, the panel is easily tilted and/or offset due to manual attachment. Thus the panel needs to be peeled off and then attached again. This makes the assembly of the panel curtain more inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a panel curtain that solves the above problems of the conventional panel curtains.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a panel curtain according to the present invention includes an upper rail, a plurality of rods and a plurality of panels. The upper rail is provided with a plurality of tracks set in parallel. A stopper is arranged at the bottom of each track and an end cap is fixed on each of two ends of the upper rail. A guiding plate is formed on an upper part of the rod and is mounted in the corresponding track of the upper rail . A sliding stop block is arranged at a front end and a rear end of the guiding plate respectively to stop the guiding plate in the track. A middle part of one side of the rod is provided with an assembling slot while a sliding slot is formed on the other side, opposite to the assembling slot. A sliding piece is affixed to the assembling slot on one end of each rod. The sliding piece is L-shaped and having a hook portion that is extended to the sliding slot on the other side of the rod. The thickness of the sliding piece is larger than the depth of the assembling slot and the sliding piece is moveably mounted in the sliding slot of the adjacent rod. The sliding piece is further provided with a fastening notch corresponding to the hook portion while a stopping block is fastened to the sliding slot on the other end of the rod. A lower part of the rod is provided with an assembling groove. Two side walls of the assembling groove are bent inward to form stopping edges. A retaining strip made from plastic materials is set on an upper end of the panel and is mounted into the assembling groove of the rod correspondingly. The retaining strip is clamped on the upper end of the panel and then sewn together with the panel by a joining stitch. Each of two sides of the retaining strip forms a pressed plane and a curved stopping head is formed on an upper end of the pressed planes. A front end and a rear end of the retaining strip are provided with a chamfer end respectively. Thereby the panel curtain is constructed.

[0007] A first locking hole and a second locking hole are arranged at the assembling slot on one end of the rod while a third locking hole is set on the sliding slot on the other end of the rod.

[0008] The sliding piece is provided with a positioning bulge and an insertion hole. The positioning bulge is mounted and locked into the first locking hole of the assembling slot while the insertion hole is aligned with the second locking hole to be fixed on the rod by a fixing fastener.

[0009] The sliding piece is further provided with a stop piece for being limited in the sliding slot of another rod.

[0010] The upper end and the lower end of the stopping block are arranged with stopping projections respectively to limit the stopping block in the sliding slot of the rod. A stopping bulge is set on surface of one side of the stopping block so that the stopping block is fastened to the sliding slot by the stopping bulge being fit into the third locking hole.

[0011] One of the rods is arranged at the innermost track of the upper rail and there is no other rod arranged parallel to one side of this rod with the assembling slot. A fastening ring is disposed on an outer side of the sliding piece and a draw rod is connected to the fastening ring for moving the panel curtain.

[0012] The rods of the panel curtain are moved by a cord being pulled or pushed.

[0013] One of the rods is set on the outermost track of the upper rail and there is no other rod arranged parallel to one side of this rod with the sliding slot. Thus it is not necessary to arrange a stopping block at the outermost rod. The sliding stop block on the end of the rod is provided with a locking rib used for locking and positioning the edge of the upper rail. Lastly the two end caps are set and fixed on two ends of the upper rail respectively.

[0014] A lower end of the panel is also provided with a retaining strip whose lower end is connected to a counterweight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an explosive view of an upper rail and a plurality of rods of an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is an explosive view of a plurality of rods and a plurality of panels of an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 3-1 is an enlarged schematic drawing showing a sliding stop block of an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 3-2 is an enlarged schematic drawing showing a sliding stop block of another embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 3-3 is an enlarged schematic drawing showing a sliding piece of an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 3-4 is an enlarged schematic drawing showing a sliding piece of another embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 3-5 is an enlarged schematic drawing showing a stopping block of an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a front view of an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of the embodiment in Fig. 4 according to the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of the embodiment in Fig. 4 according to the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of the embodiment in Fig. 4 according to the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a schematic drawing showing rods of an embodiment being extended according to the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a schematic drawing showing an embodiment being fully extended according to the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a schematic drawing showing an embodiment being extended through a cord according to the present invention;

Fig. 11 is a schematic drawing of a prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Refer to Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 5, a panel curtain includes an upper rail 10, a plurality of rods 20 and a plurality of panels 30. A plurality of tracks 11 is disposed on the upper rail 10 and arranged in parallel. The number of the tracks 11 is equal to the number of the rods 20. A stopper 111 is arranged at the bottom of each track 11. An end cap 12 is set and fixed on each of two ends of the upper rail 10. A guiding plate 21 is formed on an upper part of the rod 20 and is mounted in the track 11 of the upper rail 10 correspondingly. A front end and a rear end of the guiding plate 21 are provided with a sliding stop block 22 respectively. Also refer to Fig. 3-1, the guiding plate 21 is limited in the track 11 through the sliding stop blocks 22. An assembling slot 23 is formed on a middle part of one side of the rod 20 while a sliding slot 24 is formed on the other side, opposite to the assembling slot 23. A first locking hole 231 and a second locking hole 232 are set on the assembling slot 23 and located on one end of the rod 20 while a third locking hole 241 is arranged at the sliding slot 24 on the other end of the rod 20. A sliding piece 25 is affixed to the assembling slot 23 that is on one end of each rod 20. Also refer to Fig. 3-3, the sliding piece 25 is provided with a positioning bulge 251 and an insertion hole 252. The positioning bulge 251 is mounted and locked into the first locking hole 231 of the assembling slot 23 while the insertion hole 252 is aligned with the second locking hole 232 to be fixed on the rod 20 by a fixing fastener 253. The sliding piece 25 is L-shaped and further including a hook portion 254 that is extended to the sliding slot 24 on the other side of the rod 20. The thickness of the sliding piece 25 is larger than the depth of the assembling slot 23 and the sliding piece 25 is moveably mounted in the sliding slot 24 of the adjacent rod 20. The rods 20 are arranged in parallel. The sliding piece 25 is further provided with a stop piece 255 for being limited in the sliding slot 24. The sliding piece 25 in the sliding slot 24 is further arranged with a fastening notch 256 corresponding to the hook portion 254 while the sliding slot 24 on the other end of the rod 20 is arranged with a stopping block 26. Also refer to Fig. 3-5, an upper end and a lower end of the stopping block 26 are arranged with stopping projections 261 respectively to limit the stopping block 26 in the sliding slot 24 of the rod 20. A stopping bulge 262 is set on surface of one side of the stopping block 26 so that the stopping block 26 is fastened to the sliding slot 24 by the stopping bulge 262 being fit into the third locking hole 241. An assembling groove 27 is arranged at a lower part of each rod 20. Two side walls of the assembling groove 27 are bent inward to form stopping edges 271. A retaining strip 31 made from plastic materials is set on an upper end of each panel 30 and is mounted into the assembling groove 27 of each rod 20 correspondingly. The retaining strip 31 is clamped on and covered the upper end of the panel 30 and then sewn together with the panel 30 by a joining stitch 32. Each of two sides of the retaining strip 31 forms a pressed plane 311 and a curved stopping head 312 is formed on an upper end of the pressed planes 311. A chamfer end 313 is formed on a front end and a rear end of the retaining strip 31 respectively. A lower end of the panel 30 is also provided with a retaining strip 31 that is connected to a counterweight 33 on a lower end thereof.

[0017] Refer from Fig. 1 to Fig. 6, the assembling slot 23 on one end of the rod 20 is provided with one sliding piece 25. First the positioning bulge 251 of the sliding piece 25 is mounted and locked into the first locking hole 231 of the assembling slot 23. Then the sliding piece 25 is positioned by the fixing fastener 253 being passed through the second locking hole 232. Next each rod 20 is moveably set in the sliding slot 24 of another/the adjacent rod 20. The fastening notch 256 of the sliding piece 25 in the sliding slot 24 is hooked with and limited by the hook portion 254 on the sliding piece 25 on one end of the adjacent rod 20. The sliding slot 24 on the other end of the rod 20, opposite to the end with the sliding piece 25, is provided with a stopping block 26. The upper end and the lower end of the stopping block 26 are arranged with stopping projections 261 respectively to limit the stopping block 26 in the sliding slot 24. Then the stopping bulge 262 is fit into the third locking hole 241 on the end of the sliding slot 24 for positioning the stopping block 26. The respective sliding piece 25 is also stopped in the sliding slot 24 correspondingly. Thereby the rods 20 are connected and arranged in parallel, and the sliding pieces 25 are pushed by and moved with the stopping blocks 26 respectively when the rods 20 are extended. The rod 20 is connected to one panel 30 by the retaining strip 31 on the upper end of the panel 30 being mounted in the assembling groove 27 on the lower part of the rod 20. Each of two ends of the retaining strip 31 is provided with the chamfer end 313 not only for allowing the retaining strip 31 being mounted into the assembling groove 27 conveniently but also for limiting the retaining strip 31 in the assembling groove 27 by the chamfer end 313 leaning against the stopping edges 271 of the assembling groove 27. Moreover, a friction/resistance is provided by the stopping head 312 on the upper end of the retaining strip 31 in contact with the inner wall of the assembling groove 27 so that the panel 30 is assembled more firmly. The installation stability of the panel 30 is improved significantly. The lower end of the panel 30 is also provided with a retaining strip 31 while the retaining strip 31 is provided with the counterweight 33. Lastly the sliding stop block 22 is disposed on a front end and a rear end of the guiding plate 21 on the upper part of the rod 20 with the panel 30 respectively and then the rod 20 is moveably mounted in the track 11 of the upper rail 10. One of the rods 20 is set on the outermost track 11 of the upper rail 10 and there is no other rod 20 arranged parallel to one side of this rod 20 with the sliding slot 24. Thus it is not necessary to arrange a stopping block 26 at the outermost rod 20. Refer to Fig. 3-2 and Fig, 6, the sliding stop block 22 on the end of the rod 20 is provided with a locking rib 221 for locking and positioning the edge of the upper rail 10. Another rod 20 is arranged at the innermost track 11 of the upper rail 10 and there is no other rod 20 arranged parallel to one side of this rod 20 with the assembling slot 23. Thus the sliding piece 25 of this rod 20 is opened and a fastening ring 257 is disposed on an outer side of the sliding piece 25, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 3-4. As shown in Fig. 9, a draw rod 28 is connected to the fastening ring 257 for moving the panel curtain. In the end, the two end caps 12 are set and fixed on two ends of the upper rail 10 respectively to complete the assembly of the panel curtain.

[0018] Refer to Fig. 1, Fig. 7, Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, the panel curtain is installed on a preset wall surface such as a window in a wall, a French window, etc by the upper rail 10 while being used for regulating indoor light. The panels 30 are moved along with the rods 20 to be arranged in parallel on one end of the upper rail 10 while being retracted completely. A force is applied to the draw rod 28 connected to one of the rods 20 so that the draw rod 28 is pulled toward the other end of the upper rail 10 when users intend to extend the panel curtain for shielding the light. The sliding slot 24 of the rod 20 is also moved through the sliding piece 25 of another/the adjacent rod 20 and then the sliding piece 25 of the adjacent rod 20 is pressed against by the stopping block 26 on the rear end of the sliding slot 24 to move away when the rod 20 is pulled and moved along the track 11. Thereby the rods 20 are pulled in turn and moved along the tracks 11 of the upper rail 10 to be extended. The outermost rod 20 in the upper rail 10 is fixed on the edge of the upper rail 10 by the locking rib 221 of the sliding stop block 22. Therefore the light is shielded by the panels 30 on the bottom of the rods 20.

[0019] On the other hand, the draw rod 28 is moved to turn the rod 20 connected thereof back along the track 11 when users intend to retract the panel curtain and let the light in. The sliding slot 24 of this rod 20 is simultaneously moved through the sliding piece 25 of another/the adjacent rod 20 and the adjacent rod 20 is pushed to move due to the fastening notch 256 on the sliding piece 25 of the adjacent rod 20 being pressed against by the hook portion 254 located on the front end of the sliding piece 25 and extended to the sliding slot 24 when the rod 20 is pushed back in the track 11. Thereby the rods 20 are pushed and moved to be retracted. Therefore the light is regulated by the panel curtain.

[0020] Refer to Fig. 10, the rods 20 of the panel curtain of the present invention can be moved by a cord 13 being pulled or pushed.

[0021] In summary, the panel curtain of the present invention has the following advantages.

(1). The rods 20 of the present invention are mounted in the tracks 11 of the upper rail 10 respectively by the guiding plate 21 on the upper part thereof while the front end and the rear end of the guiding plate 21 are limited in the corresponding track 11 through the respective sliding stop block 22. Thus the assembly of the panel curtain is more convenient while the movement and slide of the rods 20 remain smooth. Moreover, the volume of both the upper rail 10 and the rods 20 is reduced so that the package is minimized.

(2). The retaining strip 31 is clamped and sewn to be fixed on the upper end of the panel 30 for ensuring the connection strength between the retaining strip 31 and the panel 30. Each of two ends of the retaining strip 31 is provided with a chamfer end 313. The design of the chamfer end 313 allows the panel 30 to be mounted into the assembling groove 27 of the rod 20 easily and conveniently. The panel 30 is firmly stopped and positioned owing to the certain thickness of the retaining strip 31. Thus assembly time and labor costs are significantly reduced so that the installation convenience of the present invention is increased.

(3). The curved stopping head 312 on the upper end of the retaining strip 31 is in contact with the inner wall of the assembling groove 27 to provide a friction/resistance and improve the installation stability of the panel 30 dramatically.

[0022] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalent.

Claims

1. A panel curtain comprising:

an upper rail that is provided with a plurality of tracks set in parallel and an end cap is fixed on each of two ends thereof while a stopper is arranged at a bottom of the track;

a plurality of rods each of which includes a guiding plate formed on an upper part thereof and mounted in the track of the upper rail correspondingly, a sliding stop block arranged at a front end and a rear end of the guiding plate respectively and used for limiting the guiding plate in the track, an assembling slot formed on a middle part of one side thereof, a sliding slot set on the other side thereof, a sliding piece affixed to the assembling slot on one end of the rod and having a hook portion extended to the sliding slot on the other side of the rod and a fastening notch corresponding to the hook portion, a stopping block fastened to the sliding slot on the other end thereof, and an assembling groove arranged at a lower part thereof and having stopping edges formed by two side walls of the assembling groove bent inward; thickness of the sliding piece is larger than depth of the assembling slot and the sliding piece is moveably mounted in the sliding slot of the adjacent rod; and

a plurality of panels each of which is provided with a retaining strip made from plastic materials being clamped on an upper end thereof and mounted in the assembling groove of the rod, and a joining stitch for sewing the retaining strip around the upper end of the panel to the panel; each of two sides of the retaining strip forms a pressed plane and a curved stopping head is arranged at an upper end of the pressed planes while a chamfer end is set on a front end and a rear end of the retaining strip respectively.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first locking hole and a second locking hole are arranged at the assembling slot on one end of the rod while a third locking hole is set on the sliding slot on the other end of the rod.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sliding piece is provided with a positioning bulge and an insertion hole; the positioning bulge is mounted and locked into the first locking hole of the assembling slot while the insertion hole is aligned with the second locking hole to be fixed on the rod by a fixing fastener.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the sliding piece is arranged with a stop piece for being limited in the sliding slot of the adjacent rod.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein an upper end and a lower end of the stopping block are arranged with stopping projections respectively to limit the stopping block in the sliding slot of the rod; a stopping bulge is set on surface of one side of the stopping block and is fitinto the third locking hole for fastening the stopping block to the sliding slot.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein no rod is arranged parallel to one side of the rod arranged at the innermost track of the upper rail and provided with the assembling slot; a fastening ring is disposed on an outer side of the sliding piece and a draw rod is connected to the fastening ring for moving the panel curtain.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rods of the panel curtain are moved by a cord being pulled or pushed.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 6, wherein no rod is arranged parallel to one side of the rod set on the outermost track of the upper rail and provided with the sliding slot so that no stopping block is required to be arranged at the rod on the outermost rail; the sliding stop block on an end of the rod is provided with a locking rib used for locking and positioning an edge of the upper rail; the two end caps are set and fixed on two ends of the upper rail respectively.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lower end of the panel is provided with a retaining strip and a lower end of the retaining strip is arranged with a counterweight.

Drawing