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(11) | EP 1 580 396 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Profiled bar for a raising mechanism for a window or door covering |
| (57) A bar intended for fixing to the top side of a window or door comprises:
a first cavity for accommodating a raising mechanism for raising cords for a covering for the window, which internal cavity is accessible from outside via holes in the bar for passage of a control cord and at least two cords which are connected for driving to the underside of the covering; a second cavity which extends in the longitudinal direction and which debouches via a constriction onto the outside of the bar, and serves to receive the upper edge of the covering which fits into the second cavity but is too wide to pass through the constriction; two parts which together bound the first cavity, in at least one of which parts said holes are present; which two parts consist of wood or a wood-like material. |
[0001] The invention lies in the field of a variable covering for a window, a door or the like. Here can be envisaged a roller blind, a pleated blind, a sunblind consisting of slats, or the like which can be raised to leave clear the window or the door, or lowered to a desired position, in particular a lowest position in which the window or the door is completely screened by the covering.
[0002] Diverse raising mechanisms exist for coverings of the stated type. Some of these comprise a bar-like housing in which is accommodated a raising mechanism, for instance a roll-up mechanism. By means of control provisions, such as a control cord which co-acts with an control roller, or a manually rotatable shaft, it is possible for the covering to be raised or lowered.
[0003] The invention provides a profiled bar intended for fixing to the top side of a window, door or the like, which bar comprises:
an internal, preferably prismatic first cavity for accommodating a raising mechanism for raising cords for a variable covering for the window, the door or the like, such as a roller blind, a pleated blind or the like, which internal cavity is accessible from outside via continuous holes in the bar for passage of at least one control cord and at least two cords which are or can be connected for driving to the underside of the covering, for instance a substantially rigid beam connected to the lower edge of the covering;
at least one prismatic second cavity which extends in the longitudinal direction of the bar and which debouches via a constriction onto the outside of the bar, which second cavity serves to receive the upper edge of the covering, which is embodied such that it fits into this second cavity but is too wide to pass through the constriction;
two parts which together bound the first cavity, in at least one of which parts said holes are present;
which two parts consist of wood or a wood-like material.
[0004] It is important that said two parts consist of wood or a wood-like material, whereby an attractive and aesthetic appearance in a determined style is obtained.
[0005] A specific embodiment can have the special feature that the two parts are prismatic. "Prismatic" is understood to mean a form in which the cross-section is the same at any position.
[0006] According to a determined aspect of the invention, the profiled bar has the special feature that both ends of the bar have openings which connect onto the first cavity and which are each closed by a plug.
[0007] In the context of said aesthetic aspect, this embodiment preferably has the special feature that the plugs consist of wood or a wood-like material.
[0008] In the case where the end surfaces of the bar are not visible, for instance because on both sides they fit tightly, or more or less tightly, inside a window frame, the arranging of plugs is not essential, other than to prevent the entry of dirt and dust.
[0009] In a specific embodiment the profiled bar according to the invention has the special feature that the bar has continuous holes through which fastening screws can be placed to fasten the bar to the top part of a window, door or the like. A bar can hereby be fixed in very simple manner to an existing building construction.
[0010] The bar according to the invention preferably has the special feature that the two parts are mirror-symmetrical.
[0011] This latter embodiment can even have the special feature that the two parts are identical. Such an embodiment is very simple from a production engineering viewpoint. It is only necessary to manufacture one type of profile which is sawn into pairs of parts of equal length, which parts can be mutually connected for manufacture of the profiled bar according to the invention.
[0012] The latter variants are preferably embodied such that the two parts are mutually coupled in the plane of symmetry extending through the prismatic second cavities.
[0013] In order to prevent excessive wear of the cords, use can be made of an embodiment in which the edges of the holes are rounded.
[0014] According to yet another aspect of the invention, the profiled bar has the special feature that the parts are connected non-releasably to each other, for instance by glueing.
[0015] In a particular embodiment the profiled bar according to the invention has the feature that the rasing mechanism comprises: a drive roller onto which the control cord engages for rotating driving thereof; and a number of wind-up rollers for the raising cords which are connected to this drive roller, for instance are arranged on the same shaft therewith.
[0016] In yet another embodiment the profiled bar according to the invention has the feature that the rasing mechanism comprises:
guide means for the raising cords which are also the control cords;
wherein each of the cords is connected with a fixed end to the bar, extends downward and is trained through 180° round the upward windable or at least partially lower zone of the covering, extends upward again, enters the first cavity via a raising cord hole, extends therein in substantially horizontal direction, leaves the cavity once again via a control cord hole and extends downward therefrom in vertical direction.[0017] The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the annexed drawings of a number of random exemplary embodiments, to which the invention is not limited. In the drawings:
Fig. 1 shows a vertical view of a window with a window covering supported by a profiled bar according to the invention;
Fig. 2 shows a highly schematic perspective view of the raising mechanism as applied in the embodiment of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 shows a view corresponding with Fig. 2 of an alternative raising mechanism;
Fig. 4 shows an end view of a profiled bar according to the invention, wherein the plug on the end surface is omitted; and
Fig. 5 shows a cross-section V-V from Fig. 1 of a profiled bar according to the invention fixed to the building construction.
[0018] Fig. 1 shows a window 1 with a frame 2, to the upper beam 3 of which is fixed a profiled bar 4 according to the invention. Attached fixedly to bar 4 is a roller blind 5 which can serve as curtain or as sunblind. Roller blind 5 consists in this embodiment of a fabric and, in the situation shown in Fig. 1 and 2, is partially rolled up at the bottom on a roller 6. The roller blind can also consist of wooden slats mutually connected by cord.
[0020] As shown particularly in Fig. 2, use is made of two raising cords 7 and 8 respectively which are fastened to bar 4 on the rear side at points 9, 10 respectively (in Fig. 2 the bar is not shown), extend downward from these points 9, 10, are trained 180° around the roller 6, extend upward from this position, then extend through schematically designated holes 11, 12 in the bar, extend in horizontal direction from this position and extend downward via a control cord hole 13. It is noted that a number of deflecting elements are drawn only for the sake of clarity in the drawing. These deflecting elements are all designated with 14. These elements are however not present. Guides 14 are only drawn for easy reference in Fig. 2. The rounding of the holes to be described hereinbelow serve to bend the cords 7, 8 over 90°. When a downward directed force is exerted on the free ends of cords 7, 8 as according to arrow 15, an upward directed force is exerted on the cords in the region of roller blind 5. This is indicated with 16. Roller 6 is hereby rolled up as according to arrows 17 and roller 6 is moved as according to an arrow 18, whereby roller blind 5 is raised. The free ends of cords 8, 9 can be secured in any desired position by means of a clamp connection or the like.
[0021] Fig. 3 shows an alternative raising system wherein a window covering, in this case a pleated blind 19, is provided on its underside with a beam 20 which is carried by two cords 21, 22 which can be wound onto respective reels 23, 24 which are both mounted on a common rotation shaft supported in bar 4 by bearings (not shown). Said shaft 25 also carries a drive roller 26 over which is trained an endless control cord 27. By exerting a downward directed force 28 on the rear part of cord 27 an upward directed force 29, 30 is exerted on cords 21 and 22, whereby beam 20 is displaced upward as according to arrow 31.
[0022] Cords 21, 22 are placed alternately through perforations in pleated blind 19, whereby in addition to raising and lowering, they also ensure correct positioning of blind 19.
[0023] Cords 21 and 22 extend through holes 11 and 12. Control cord 27 extends through hole 13. As described above, these holes are all present in profiled bar 4 according to the invention.
[0024] Fig. 4 shows a bar 32 in a particular embodiment according to the invention. This has an internal prismatic first cavity 33 for accommodating the horizontal part of cords 7, 8 (see Fig. 2). On the underside the bar 32 has continuous holes 11, 12, 13.
[0025] Bar 32 further has on both sides a prismatic second cavity 34 and 35 respectively which extends in the longitudinal direction of bar 32 and which debouches onto the outside of bar 32 via a constriction 36, 37 respectively. As shown clearly in Fig. 4, the rear second cavity drawn on the left in Fig. 4 serves in this case to receive the upper edge 38 of roller blind 5, which upper edge is embodied such that it fits into said second cavity 34 but is too wide to pass through the constriction 36. A loop-shaped portion 39 is formed for this purpose on the end of roller blind 5 by means of a stitched seam 40, in which loop-shaped portion a rod or cord 41 is placed such that the above stated functionality is realized. It will be apparent that roller blind 5 can be removed and re-placed easily, for instance for cleaning, without the bar having to be disassembled into components in order to open the second cavity 34.
[0026] Attention is drawn in this respect to the fact that the bar 32 comprises two identical prismatic profiles 42, 43 in the zones 44, 45. Between the first cavity 33 and the second cavities 34 and 35 these profiles 42, 43 are glued to each other. In respect of assembly it is therefore practical to place the cords 7, 8 beforehand through holes 11, 12, 13.
[0027] As Fig. 4, and also Fig. 5 show, holes 11, 12, 13 are rounded off at their ends. This prevents wear of the cords and ensures that the cords can follow the 90° transitions with little friction.
[0029] As Fig. 5 shows, bar 4 is fixed by means of two screws 45, 46 to the upper beam of frame 2. Screws 45, 46 extend through holes 47, 48 respectively in the lower profile 42 and upper profile 43. The heads 49, 50 support the bar 4.
[0030] In order to replace or temporarily remove roller blind 5, screws 45, 46 can be loosened, whereafter the upper edge 38 of the roller blind 5 is slid in longitudinal direction out of the left-hand second cavity. The open ends of the second cavities 34, 35 are not closed for this reason. The open ends of the first cavity 33 are however preferably closed, this with a wooden plug. The end of bar 32 hereby provides the view as according to Fig. 4, wherein the seams 44, 45 and the periphery of the plug and cavity 33 respectively can still be discerned slightly.
an internal, preferably prismatic first cavity for accommodating a raising mechanism for raising cords for a variable covering for the window, door or the like, such as a roller blind, a pleated blind or the like, which internal cavity is accessible from outside via continuous holes in the bar for passage of at least one control cord and at least two cords which are or can be connected for driving to the underside of the covering, for instance a substantially rigid beam connected to the lower edge of the covering;
at least one prismatic second cavity which extends in the longitudinal direction of the bar and which debouches via a constriction onto the outside of the bar, which second cavity serves to receive the upper edge of the covering, which is embodied such that it fits into this second cavity but is too wide to pass through the constriction;
two parts which together bound the first cavity, in at least one of which parts said holes are present;
which two parts consist of wood or a wood-like material.a drive roller onto which the control cord engages for rotating driving thereof; and
a number of wind-up rollers for the raising cords which are connected to this drive roller, for instance are arranged on the same shaft therewith.
guide means for the raising cords which are also the control cords;
wherein each of the cords is connected with a fixed end to the bar, extends downward and is trained through 180° round the upward windable or at least partially lower zone of the covering, extends upward again, enters the first cavity via a raising cord hole, extends therein in substantially horizontal direction, leaves the cavity once again via a control cord hole and extends downward therefrom in vertical direction.