GB2230039A

GB2230039A - Slatted blinds

Info

Publication number: GB2230039A
Application number: GB8903553A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Nigel Langley; Michael Cameron Bainton; Steven Graham Williams
Original assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
Current assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
Priority date: 1989-02-16
Filing date: 1989-02-16
Publication date: 1990-10-10
Also published as: GB8903553D0

Abstract

A slatted blind, e.g. a Venetian blind in which the support (7) for the slats is adapted so that the spacing between the slats varies between different parts of the blind. The slats may be arranged to be all parallel, the spacing between the adjacent slats simply vary over the blind, or the slats (11,13,15,17) may be arranged to fan out from one side of the blind to the other. Blinds may also consist of a combination of sets of parallel slats (21) and sets of slats which fan out across the blind. <IMAGE>

Description

"IMPROVEMENTS IN SLATED BLINDS" This invention relates to slatted blinds, for example Venetian blinds, and in particular to improving the decorative effect of such blinds.

Slatted blinds, and in particular Venetian blinds, are well known as window coverings and comprise an array of slats which are suspended between and supported by slat supporting means e.g. two flexible longitudinal members and supporting elements. With every supporting means each of the slats is supported by one or two supporting elements such as a cross-rung of a ladder-means or connecting means of the flexible members. The slats of such blinds are often tiltable to control the light allowed through and slats of many versions of such blinds can also be drawn together by pulling-up the bottom rail by means of lift-cords. The slat supporting means are so made that when the blind is in the expanded position usually the slats are spaced apart by a distance slightly less than their width.Conventionally, blinds are arranged to have the slats horizontal ("venetian blinds") or hanging vertically ("vertical blinds"), all the slats being parallel.

In order to provide more pleasing decorative effects and so that the blinds can fit in with modern decor, Venetian blinds have been produced with perforated slats or slats with different surface textures and blinds have been available in many different colours.

According to the present invention there is provided a slatted blind comprising a plurality of slats held by at least two slat-supporting means, wherein the spacings between the slats at least on one side of the blind are not all equal, but follow a predetermined pattern to give the blind a decorative slat-arrangement.

The spacings between the slats on the other side of the blind may also follow a predetermined pattern, which can be different from that on the one side and of the spacing-patterns at both sides at least certain corresponding sections may be identical. Further, of the spacing-pattern at both sides at least a certain section on the one side may be the vertical mirror-image of the corresponding section on the other side.

The decorative slat-arrangement of the blind may be formed by two or more groups of slats, each group having its own spacing-pattern and more than two groups may be provided with the spacing-patterns of at least two non-neighbouring groups being identical. The spacing-pattern of one, several or all of the groups may be such that the slats of such group(s) fan out across the blind either to one side or to the other or several or all of the groups may have a spacing-pattern with all spacings of such group(s) being of equal pitch, the pitch being constant over the full length of the slats.

The pitches of the spacings of at least a certain section of a spacing-pattern or of at least one group of slats may vary smoothly and/or cyclically.

Conveniently the individual slats may be given a length so that in the fully expanded position of the blind the ends of all slats on one or both sides of the blinds are all in-line or approximately in-line as far as that can be achieved while maintaining a reasonable blind-width when in the raised position.

The decorative effect may be achieved by using only certain of the supporting elements of a slat-supporting means to support the slats. So a conventional ladder tape could be used to provide certain decorative blind versions according to the present invention.

The blind may be a tiltable and/or raisable venetian blind.

Another aspect of the present invention provides slat supporting means for a slatted blind including a blind according to the above aspect comprising a longitudinal member having along its length a plurality of spaced slat supporting elements, wherein the spacings between the slat supporting elements are not all equal, but follow a predetermined pattern.

There may be a first and a second longitudinal member and a single series of slat supporting elements of which each element is connected to both longitudinal members forming a cross rung, with the spacings at each longitudinal member following a predetermined pattern. Conveniently, with the longitudinal members in a parallel position and the cross-rungs perpendicular thereto the spacing patterns at both longitudinal members are identical.

The or each longitudinal member may provide two or more groups of subsequent spacings each group having its own spacing-pattern with the spacings being of equal pitch or smoothly varying, the groups being arranged so that the spacing-patterns of direct adjacent groups are different and there may be a plurality of groups consisting of a cyclical arrangement of two or more groups and the pitches of the spacings of at least a certain section of a spacing-pattern or of at least one group of slats may vary smoothly.

In order to provide different visual effects or to adjust the length of the blind, two or more parallel slats may be included at the centre of each fan and/or at the top and/or bottom of the blind.

In a conventional Venetian blind, different width windows are allowed for by manufacturing blinds with different slat lengths. In order to facilitate manufacture yet allow a sufficient choice slat lengths in small increments of length may be provided. Usually the distance between the ends of the slats and the outer support is constant, different widths having different distances between the supports and additional intermediate supports being used if need be.

It is desirable, for economy of manufacture, for the number of different components needed to provide different sized blinds, particularly for the number of different supporting means required, to be minimized.

Accordingly the present invention also provides a method for varying the spacing-patterns of slatted blinds according to any of the above aspects and of a type whereby slat-supporting means support the slats at a location or locations distant from the ends of the slats wherein the variation is obtained by selecting the distance between one or more of the slat supporting means and the ends of the slats.

With the invention, where slats are angled to the horizontal, by allowing the distance between the end of the slats and the position of the supporting means for example the ladder tape, to vary through a range, the angle of the slats and/or the width of the blind for a given angle can be varied through a corresponding range. Thus blinds of a large range of widths can be produced using relatively few different types of supporting means and so the need to have a different supporting means, each with a particular element spacing for each width of blind is avoided.

Where the blind is formed by slats supported on supporting means the number of supporting means, e.g. ladder tapes, is chosen according to the weight and length of the slats so that the slats do not appreciably sag between them.

Thus for a narrow blind two supporting means may suffice and for wider blinds three or more may be required. The supporting means may comprise ladder tapes as mentioned, or two cords, one at the front and one at the rear of the blind attached to the front and rear edges respectively of each slat.

The blind may also be formed with rigid supporting means for the slats.

With raisable type of blinds according to the invention, depending on a number of factors such as the required visual appearance of the blind at its sides, the liftcord-material and liftcord-strength, the liftcord arrangement in respect of the crossrungs of the ladder means, if used, the maximum fanning-angle, etc., slats can be used with a standard size and location of the liftcord holes or one can use slats with liftcord holes that are adapted in size and/or place. Using the standard size and location with inclined slat-arrangements will tend to lead to a slight deformation of the normally straight run of the liftcord and/or supporting means.

Using adapted slats, for example in a single fan-arrangement of slats, holes of standard size and place could be made in the slats near the fan tail-end. The holes at the other liftcord-locations could then be shaped, in the axial direction of the slat width or length, to compensate for the horizontal displacement a standard-hole at a standard-location would be subjected to in the various angled positions of the fanned-out slats.

Another compensating solution could be to make all cordholes of the slats slightly wider or to actually change the location of the cordholes of the respective slats to be in correspondance with the angle the slat is likely to be placed in.

The blinds according to the invention may be constructed with any of the types of slat currently available, e.g. perforated or textured slats and, of course, can be manufactured in a number of colours just like a normal blind. It may also be used with any of the different types of supporting means e.g. ladder-tapes or cords having one or two rungs and which may be knitted, or chains disposed at the ends of the slats.

In this specification where liftcords are mentioned, guide-cords or tension-cords used with raisable or non-raisable blinds can be used where relevant in addition to or instead of lift-cords.

The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1(A) to (E) show different visual effects achievable with embodiments of the invention; Figure 2 is a view from below of part of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows one component of the embodiment of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a component of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and Figures 5(A) & (B) show parts of a further alternative embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a number of different visual effects obtainable with the present invention when used in a Venetian blind. In Figure 1(A) the slats in the blind are parallel and arranged in groups with the spacing between adjacent slats per group varying down the blind. The variation is cyclical and there are three areas of relatively closely spaced slats 1, 2 and 3, separated by areas of relatively widely spaced slats. The slats in the blind may be made tiltable as in a conventional blind using a rod 5 to adjust the relative positions of the front and rear cords of the ladder tapes 7 and/or the blind may be made raisable in the usual way using a lift-cord 9.

By selecting the pitch size in relation to the slat width it is possible to create a fully closing blind or a blind whereby with certain groups of slats in the tilted position small light-gaps still remain between the slats.

Figure 1(B) shows another blind in which a different visual effect is obtained by arranging the slats in the middle portion of the blind to fan out across the blind. In this embodiment two "complete" fans 11 and 13 are provided in which the middle slat of the fan is approximately horizontal and other slats fan out to approximately equal angles on either side of it. As can be seen in the Figure the fans 11 and 13 are arranged to fan from opposite sides of the blind. At the top and bottom of the blind sets of parallel slats 19 and 21 are provided and the number of the slats can be varied to give blinds to fit different height windows. The region between the parallel sets of slats and the two complete fans 11 and 13 are filled with "half" fans 15 and 17 formed by slats fanning from the horizontal to the maximum fan angle.

Figure 1(C) shows a similar blind to Fig. 1(B) but without the plurality of horizontal slats at the top and bottom but with four "complete" fans and a "half" fan at the top and bottom. The appearance of the blind is thus that of a set of tessellating fan shapes with "half" fans at the top and bottom so that the angle of the slats merges smoothly with the horizontal upper and lower rails 25 and 27.

Figure 1(D) shows another embodiment of the invention in which a "half" fan is provided at the top and, oppositely oriental, at the bottom of the blind, the slats in the intermediate region being inclined to the horizontal and also having a varying spacing down the blind. Thus two regions of inclined, relatively widely spaced slats 29 and two regions of inclined relatively closely spaced slats 31 are provided. The use of the "half" fans allows smooth visual effect to be obtained by gradually reducing the angle of the slats in the regions 33 until the last slat is horizontal or close to horizontal.

Figure 1(E) shows a further embodiment of the invention in which regions of parallel slats 35, 37 and 39 are provided of which one set 35 are inclined to the horizontal, the middle set 37 are horizontal and the lower set 39 are inclined at an equal, but opposite angle to the horizontal the regions being separated by slats arranged in "half" fans.

In the embodiments shown in Figs 1(B) to (E) at least some slats are inclined to the horizontal. The slats are all the same length and so the maximum inclination angle is limited so that inclined slats still extend most of the way across the blind. It is possible with a fan version or with combinations of horizontal and vertical slats to use slats of which the individua# lengths are adapted to provide a blind in the expanded position of which the slat-ends on each side of the blind are in line, but the maximum length will often be limited by the maximum allowed width of the blind when drawn-up with all the slats horizontal e.g. when it is necessary for the slats to fit within a window casement or side guide channel when the blind is drawn-up.

Figure 2 shows in detail how the slats are arranged on one side of a Venetian blind embodying the invention.

The slats 40 are supported on a knitted ladder cord 42 shown more clearly in Figure 3. The ladder cord comprises two lengthwise extending side-cords 44 and 46 which are connected by cross-rungs 48 formed by a plurality of threads of the ladder cord. Conventional ladder cords are produced in a continuous length on a knitting machine and it is envisaged that the cord used in the present invention will be produced on a similar machine. As can be seen from Figure 2 each of the slats 40 is supported by a rung 48 situated between the lengthwise cords 44 and 46. The slats can rest on the rung or be interlaced between individual threads of the rung for better holding. The spacing of the slats is dependent on the spacing of the rungs on the ladder cord and to achieve the decorative effects of the present invention the spacing of the rungs varies. This can be seen clearly in Figure 3 in which certain of the rungs 52 are widely spaced, and others of the rungs 50 are relatively narrowly spaced. The lift-cord 7 for the blind passes through apertures 54 in the slats and is arranged to run approximately down the centre of the ladder cord.

At present, in order to allow blinds to be fitted to many different sizes of window, blinds are manufactured with different slat lengths in increments of 5mm. It is desirable that a range of blinds can be manufactured with a minimum number of components and it has been found that for blinds up to lm wide, two supporting means are sufficient to support the weight of the slats, blinds of widths 1 to 2m require three supporting means and wider blinds using 4 and 5 supporting means are also provided. Different length slats and appropriate numbers of supporting means may also be used in blinds embodying the present invention in order to allow some variation in the width of blinds which can be produced.

It has been conventional for the spacing between the supporting means or the outer supporting means where there are more than two, and the nearest end of the slats to be held constant, and this facilitates manufacture. It has been found that if the distance between the supporting means and the nearest edge of the slats is allowed to vary, then one type of supporting means can be used for blinds of a range of widths. By providing, say, 5 different supporting means each of which can be used for a range of blind widths, a larger range of blind widths can be provided than would otherwise be the case if a different form of supporting means were needed for each. Where the width of the blind is such that more than two supporting means need to be used, again, the positioning of the intermediate supporting means can be varied to accommodate different widths of window.

Thus, by allowing the lateral positioning of the supporting means to be varied, whereas in the conventional blind it is fixed, it is possible to manufacture blinds embodying the present invention using only a few different types of supporting means.

The lateral position of the supporting means can also be varied so that blinds of different widths can be constructed with slats at the same angle. Thus if several different width blinds are required in a room, the different blinds may have the same slat or fan angles to provide a uniform visual effect.

It is also possible to vary the lateral position of the supporting means to vary the slat angle so that, for instance, in blinds with slats arranged in fans the fan height can be set to be the same between different width blinds. This might be desirable, again, for instance to provide a uniform visual effect in a room.

It is also necessary to provide blinds of different lengths. The extended length of a blind can be varied by the inclusion of sets of parallel slats which may be horizontal as shown in Figures 1B and E or inclined as shown in Figures 1D and E. In Figure 1 the horizontal slats are placed at the top and bottom of the blind, though slats may be provided at only one end or in the centre of each fan.

In this way it is possible for blinds to be manufactured to fit a number of different window heights. If the blinds are to be used in very tall windows then a number of identical repeating blind lengths are used.

The tilt and lift mechanisms of the blind in the illustrated embodiments are the same as those used in a conventional or Venetian blind and it is thought that any of the various mechanisms available can be used.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the blind may have rigid side supports having accommodation spaces for receiving and holding the slat-ends thus forming the slat supporting means such as that shown in Figure 4.

Figure 5(A) shows an alternative form of flexible slat supporting means 60 and 62 each formed by a cord provided with spaced loops 64, each loop connected to one longitudinal edge of a slat. Thus the slats of each support-location are supported by two independent supporting means, one at the front and one at the back.

The same construction is shown in Figure 5(B) in that case the cord being replaced by a tape 66.

Claims

1. A slatted blind comprising a plurality of slats held by at least two slat-supporting means, wherein the spacings between the slats at least on one side of the blind are not all equal, but follow a predetermined pattern to give the blind a decorative slat-arrangement.

2. A slatted blind according to claim 1 wherein the spacings between the slat on the other side of the blind also follow a predetermined pattern, which can be different from that on the one side.

3. A slatted blind according to claim 2 wherein of the spacing-patterns at both sides at least certain corresponding sections are identical.

4. A slatted blind according to claim 3 wherein of the spacing-pattern at both sides at least a certain section on the one side is the vertical mirror-image of the corresponding section on the other side.

5. A slatted blind according to any preceding claim wherein the decorative slat-arrangement of the blind is formed by two or more groups of slats, each group having its own spacing-pattern.

6. A slatted blind according to claim 5 wherein more than two groups are present and said own spacing-patterns of at least two non-neighbouring groups are identical/the same.

7. A slatted blind according to claim 5 wherein the spacing-pattern of one, several or all of the groups is such that the slats of such groups fan out across the blind either to one side or to the other.

8. A slatted blind according to claim 5 wherein one, several or all of the groups have a spacing-pattern with all spacings of such group(s) being of equal pitch, said pitch being constant over the full length of the slats.

9. A slatted blind according to any preceding claim wherein the pitches of the spacings of at least a certain section of a spacing-pattern or of at least one group of slats vary smoothly.

10. A slatted blind according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the variation in spacing pattern is cyclical.

11. A slatted blind according to any one of the preceding claims wherein all individual slats have been given a length so that in the fully expanded position of the blind the ends of all slats on one or both sides of the blind are all in-line.

12. A slatted blind according to any preceding claim wherein only certain of the supporting elements of a slat-supporting means are used to support the slats.

13. A tiltable venetian blind according to any preceding claim.

14. A tiltable and raisable venetian blind according to any preceding claim.

15. A slatted blind according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising lift- or guide-cords passing through holes in the slats, wherein the shape and/or the location of one or more of the cordholes in a slat that is to be angled to the horizontal in the blind is or are chosen so as to compensate for the horizontal component of the displacement a relevant standard cord-hole would be subjected to when placed in said angled position.

16. A slatted blind constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

17. A slat supporting means for a slatted blind comprising a longitudinal member having along its length a plurality of spaced slat supporting elements, wherein the spacings between the slat supporting elements are not all equal, but follow a predetermined pattern.

18. A slat supporting means according to claim 17 wherein there is a first and a second longitudinal member and a single series of slat supporting elements of which each element is connected to both longitudinal members forming a cross rung, with the spacings at each longitudinal member following a predetermined pattern.

19. A slat supporting means according to claim 18 wherein with the longitudinal members in a parallel position and the cross-rungs perpendicular thereto the spacing patterns at both longitudinal members are identical.

20. A slat supporting means according to any one of claims 17 to 19 wherein the slat-supporting means are formed by a rigid construction.

21. A slat supporting means according to any one of claims 17 to 20 wherein in the or each longitudinal member provides two or more groups of subsequent spacings each group having its own spacing-pattern with the spacings being of equal pitch or smoothly varying, the groups being arranged so that the spacing-patterns of direct adjacent groups are different.

22. A slat supporting means according to claim 21 wherein the or each longitudinal member provides a plurality of groups consisting of a cyclical arrangement of two or more groups.

23. A slat supporting means according to any one of claims 17 to 22 wherein the pitches of the spacings of at least a certain section of a spacing-pattern or of at least one group of slats vary smoothly.

24. A slat supporting means according to any one of claims 17 to 23 for use ih a blind according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

25. A slat supporting means for a slatted blind substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

26. A method for varying the spacing-patterns of slatted blinds according to any of claims 1 to 16 and of a type whereby slat-supporting means support the slats at a location or locations distant from the ends of the slats wherein the variation is obtained by selecting the distance between one or more of the slat supporting means and the ends of the slats.