DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In FIGS. 1, 2 and 7 , a pleated shade or Venetian blind assembly 10 is capable of height adjustment without use of external pull cords. It includes an upper elongated support 11 which may be in the form of a metallic or plastic channel or rail 12 which may be otherwise hollow, attachable to a window frame 200 , as by fastener 201 . The assembly also includes a lower elongated slat member 13 that is to be simply and easily manually adjusted up or down, as indicated by arrows 14 and 15 , and to selected levels. Shade pleats 16 are located between and connected to 12 and 13 , as shown. The pleats may be foldable, and expand or separate as member 13 is urged downwardly, to selectively adjusted height position, for example controllably covering a window. The pleats or slats collapse toward one another as the member 13 is elevated toward 12 , to adjusted position or positions. Pleats or slats expand as at 60 , from stacked positions as at 61 in FIG. 9 .

[0043] Primary lines or cords are provided to extend generally vertically through the pleats or slats, as seen in FIG. 1 , to suspend the lower member 13 . See for example two lines 20 and 21 , connected at their lower ends or terminals 20 a and 21 a to member 13 , at laterally spaced positions. Two such lines are shown, but three may be provided, as for a larger width shade or blind.

[0044] Primary rotors are provided at the upper support or rail 11 , to entrain the primary lines, and guide them toward a common connection or junction 22 (see FIG. 7 ) with at least one secondary line 24 which moves endwise relative to 12 , and parallel to 12 as connection 22 is moved endwise. The number of secondary lines is less than the number of primary lines, for reasons as will appear. Typically, there is only one secondary line 24 , and two primary lines, such as lines 20 and 21 . In that event, connection 22 connects the leftward terminals of lines 20 and 21 with the rightward terminal of line 24 , whereby movement of that connection 22 and line 24 in one direction tends to equally raise primary line terminals 20 a and 21 a keeping 13 level; and movement of connection 22 and line 24 in the opposite direction tends to equally lower primary line terminals 20 a and 21 a , the lower member thereby being maintained in horizontal condition as it is raised and lowered, as by manually grasping 13 .

[0045] Means is provided for acting on the secondary line or lines 24 for exerting force counterbalancing the suspension force exerted on the primary lines, by the weight of the lower member 13 , and pleats or slats, as at each of different shade or blind height adjusted levels. Such counterbalancing force enables stable suspension of the lower member 13 at any vertical position to which it is raised or lowered. Such means is generally indicated at 30 in FIG. 10 , and other figures, and may take different forms, but preferably enabling its reception as shown within the confining channel shaped support 11 , as near one end thereof. See FIG. 1 .

[0046] Means 30 may include rotary members 34 and 35 , a housing 30 a , and a tension exerting torsion spring element 32 received within 30 a . The line 24 is typically wound onto or off members 34 and 35 and spring force is exerted by 32 on the members in a line winding direction, to provide the counterbalancing force or tension referred to. That force is maintained as the shade or blind is raised or lowered to stable adjusted position, and static friction may be provided in or by one or more elements of the means 30 , acting to hold the lower member 13 at selected height adjustment. Since only one line 24 is typically spooled at members 34 and 35 , the sizes of 34 and 35 may be minimized to fit within channel 12 .

[0047] The referenced counterbalancing means, as stated, includes a spring coupled to dual rotary members and exerting force tending to entrain the secondary line or lines 24 about said dual rotary members, for storage on at least one of the members. See for example the spring 32 which has S-shaped configuration, so as to wind or coil at 32 a in a clockwise direction about a first portion 34 a of member 34 , and so as to wind or coil at 32 b in a counterclockwise direction about a first portion 35 a of rotary member 35 . The secondary line 24 winds at 24 a about a second portion 34 b of the member 34 , and at 24 b about a second portion 35 b of cylindrical member 35 , as shown. Portions 34 a and 34 b are coaxial, and portions 35 a and 35 b are also coaxial, as shown. Members 34 and 35 are offset from one another to enable line 24 winding as shown. Line portions 24 c and 24 d extend between the members in criss-crossing relation, and aid in production of counterbalance force. Spring 32 is preferably a flat spring of constant width. The invention makes it possible to use different sizes of springs, to exert different forces, to accommodate to different shade widths or heights, without changing the design of the overall mechanism.

[0048] Note in FIG. 10 the attachment of spring end 32 c to member 34 , as for example by means of a fastener or set screw 36 ; and the attachment of spring end 32 d to member 35 , as by means of fastener or set screw 37 . The spring ends may be attached to the two members as by other means, such as bonding, or by spring end turning into grooves in the members.

[0049] FIG. 10 also shows that housing 30 a includes a receptacle 39 . Posts 40 and 41 positioned in 39 extend in parallel relation and into bores 34 e and 35 e in the rotary members, to mount those members for rotation. Flanges 42 - 47 position the members 34 and 35 and the spring, for endwise back and forth operation of line 24 , through opening 48 in the receptacle, with spring tension balancing the weight of the hanging shade or blind, at any selected height position, whereby the shade or blind, remains in selected height position. Receptacle 39 is typically received in the hollow defined by head rail 12 .

[0050] In FIGS. 1 - 10 , the coiling of the spring about 35 a increases as the shade or blind is pulled down. This decreases spring coiling about 34 a . Conversely, the coiling of the spring about 34 a increases as the shade or blind is moved up. This decreases spring coiling about 35 a . In this way, the spring and members 34 and 35 and line 24 winding as described act as a force balancing device to maintain the shade or blind at any selected elevation.

[0051] FIGS. 2 and 7 show a series of primary pulleys or rotors 50 - 53 , otherwise identified as rotors or pulleys 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , as shown. They serve to entrain the primary lines 20 and 21 in back and forth relation collecting those lines as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 , so as to enable the junction 22 to travel between rotor 50 and the line 24 winding member 34 , as the shade or blind is moved up and down. Line 20 travels in sequence partly around rotor 51 , then partly around rotor 53 , then returns partly around rotor 50 , then again partly around rotor 53 , then returns past rotors 51 and 50 to junction 22 . Line 21 travels in sequence partly around rotor 52 , then partly around rotor 53 , then turns at rotor 50 and turns around it to return about rotor 53 , and then passes over rotors 51 and 50 and junction 22 . These rotors and/or pulleys also serve to assist in balancing of the hanging shade, or blind, for enabling a single dual rotary spring system (see FIGS. 6 and 10 ) to power the shade or blind, which may be of different widths. Rotors 50 , 53 , 52 and 51 are otherwise labeled 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 .

[0052] FIGS. 2 and 5 show typical support of axle 59 on rotor 53 , by a bracket mount configuration 60 , with the rotors having pulley shape.

[0053] FIG. 9 shows the rotors and the spring system mounted within a channel shaped, transversely elongated head rail 11 . The pleats or slats are collapsed in raised position as shown.

[0054] FIGS. 11 - 13 show a series of bracket mount configurations 70 - 72 carried by the head rail, to pass the primary lines between successive pulleys. The bracket mount configurations are notched as at 73 to support a shade or blind winding rod 74 , that serves to tilt the shade or blind strips 75 in a shade, when a control wand 76 is rotated about its axis, such tilt control being known.

[0055] FIG. 14 shows, in greater detail, support bracket mount configurations 85 and 86 , for elements 32 , 34 and 35 as described above, and as seen in FIG. 12 . See also posts 40 and 41 , supported by bracket mount configurations 85 and 86 . The brackets are typically positioned within a head rail or channel, as seen at 12 in FIG. 1 . Rail or channel is attachable to a window frame structure.

[0056] FIG. 13 also shows lines 90 and 91 which extend downwardly from clip 92 on wand 74 , and pass through bracket mount 72 and to blind strips 75 , to tilt them when wand 74 is rotated. Bracket flanges 93 and 94 define windows 95 and 96 to pass the lines 97 extending to the rotary members as at 34 and 35 in FIG. 12 .

[0057] In FIGS. 15 and 16 , the elongated bracket mount configurations 85 and 86 are shown assembled into a head rail 98 . The latter has curved side walls 99 and 100 holding the flanges 85 a and 86 a of the mount configurations 85 and 86 in captivated and inwardly deflected positions, whereby the rotary members as at 34 and 35 are axially retained and centered by base elements 85 c and 86 c of 85 and 86 , as shown. FIG. 15 shows the shade in raised position, and FIG. 16 shows the shade in lowered position. The head rail 98 is adapted to be attached to window frame structure 102 .

[0058] FIG. 17 is similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 , and schematically shows shade primary lines 104 and 105 entrained by rotors labeled 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 . A junction 106 joins ends of 104 and 105 with secondary line 107 . A roller labeled 5 deflects lines 104 and 105 , as shown, in a way that creates added force to assist in shade counterbalancing.

[0059] FIG. 18 is like FIG. 17 , but three primary lines 113 , 114 , and 115 , are employed to support the shade. A secondary line 117 is joined to ends of 113 - 115 at junction 116 . Rollers 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 7 entrain the back and forth oriented lines 113 - 115 , as schematically shown.