Spool assembly for a blind system

Abstract

A spool assembly for a blind system comprising: a spool rotatable about a longitudinal axis, the spool having a cord collecting portion to collect and release a cord for extending and retracting a blind; and a support for the spool, to support the spool during rotation of the spool about the longitudinal axis, the support comprising: a first support component to support the spool towards the cord collecting portion of the spool; and a second support component locate the first support component with respect to a housing of the blind system, wherein the first and second support components are separable.

Claims

1. A spool assembly for a blind system comprising: a spool rotatable about a longitudinal axis, the spool having an enlarged end configured to collect and release a cord for extending and retracting a blind; and a support for the spool to support the spool during rotation of the spool about the longitudinal axis and restrain movement of the spool along the longitudinal axis, the support comprising: a cord guide to support the spool towards the enlarged end of the spool; and a cradle to locate the cord guide with respect to a housing of the blind system, wherein the cord guide and the cradle are separable; and, wherein the housing comprises an upper wall and a lower wall; the spool assembly further comprising a member operable to force the cord guide towards the upper wall of the housing and the cradle towards the lower wall of the housing, thereby expanding the support to tighten the support within the housing.

2. The spool assembly of claim 1, wherein the cord guide and cradle are made of different materials.

3. The spool assembly of claim 2, wherein the different materials have different properties of abrasion resistance.

4. The spool assembly of claim 1, wherein the cord guide and cradle are manufactured to different degrees of precision.

5. The spool assembly of claim 1, wherein the cord guide is for guiding the cord around the enlarged end of the spool.

6. The spool assembly of claim 2, Wherein the cradle extends substantially along the length of the spool and supports the spool towards an opposite end to the enlarged end.

7. The spool assembly of claim 2, wherein the spool comprises: a spool cone having the enlarged end; and an end cap connectable to the spool cone, to engage an end of the cord.

8. The spool assembly of claim 7, wherein the spool cone and the end cap are made of different materials.

9. The spool assembly of claim 8, wherein the end cap is made of a noise dampening material.

10. The spool assembly of claim 2, further comprising a fastener to secure the end cap to a shaft rotatable to extend or retract the blind.

11. The spool assembly of claim 1, further comprising a positive means of engagement between the spool cone and the end cap.

12. The spool assembly of claim 1, further comprising corresponding formations on the spool and the support that engage each other to restrain axial movement of the spool.

13. The spool assembly of claim 12, wherein the corresponding formations comprise a slot on the cord guide, and a flange on the spool.

14. The spool assembly of claim 1 wherein the member is a threaded member.

15. A blind system comprising: a blind; drive means to extend or retract the blind; a cord connected to the blind; and one or more spool assemblies according to claim 1, to collect and release the cord as the blind is extended or retracted.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Various embodiments/aspects of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which,

(2) FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a spool assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a front view of a spool according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of part of a spool assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, with some parts assembled;

(5) FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion D of the perspective view of FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 is perspective view of part of a spool assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, with some parts assembled;

(7) FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of portion E of the perspective view of FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 is a front section view of a portion of the spool assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, with some parts assembled; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a side section view of the spool assembly showing some parts in phantom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) A spool assembly 100, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a spool 110 and a support 120 for the spool. The spool 110 comprises a spool cone 170 and end cap 150. The support 120 comprises a number of components, including (in this embodiment) a cord guide 130 and a cradle 140 engageable with the cord guide. The spool assembly 100 is located within a head rail, in the form of a longitudinal extrusion 400, and the end cap 150 is connected to a rotatable shaft (not shown) for extending and retracting a blind; optionally, the end cap may be clamped more tightly onto the shaft through use of grub screw 155. Two or more spool assemblies 100 may be connected to the rotatable shaft (e.g. a spool assembly 100 at each end of the shaft). The head rail 400 in turn would then be mounted adjacent an opening, such as on a wall or a door or a window frame.

(11) In the preferred embodiment depicted in the figures, spool 110 comprises a spool cone 170 having a cord collecting portion 112 towards one end, and an end cap 150 at the opposite end. The end cap 150 connects to an end 114 of the spool cone 170. Spool 110 is supported along its longitudinal axis by the support 120in particular, the cord guide 130 supports the spool cone 170 towards the end of the cord collecting portion 112, and the cradle 140 supports the end cap 150. The cradle 140 is also shaped to fit securely within the headrail 400, so that it locates the cord guide 130 with respect to the headrail 400. The spool 110 can rotate relative to the support 120 around its longitudinal axis.

(12) In operation, a cord (not shown) for a Roman blind can be attached to the end cap 150, and extended substantially along the length of the spool 110 to be fed through a guide portion of the cord guide 130, in the form of eyelet 132. The other end of the cord is connected to the blind. Rotation of the spool 110 about its longitudinal axis to operate the blind causes the cord to (when retracted) collect around the cord collecting portion 112 of the spool cone 170, or (when extended) release from the cord collecting portion 112. The cord guide 130 comprises not only eyelet 132, but also a pair of cord deflectors 134 to ensure that the cord is correctly positioned with respect to the cord collecting portion 112 of the spool cone 170. The angle of the taper of the cord collecting portion 112 can be selected to best suit the width and other properties of the cord, such that it coils neatly around the cord collecting portion 112.

(13) In the preferred embodiment depicted in the figures, cord guide 130 and cradle 140 are manufactured as separable components. Cord guide 130 and cradle 140 are preferably manufactured using different materials. For example, the cord guide 130 is particularly susceptible to wear caused by abrasion from the cord, as it rubs against the cord guide 130 during operation. Accordingly, the cord guide 130 can be manufactured using a higher abrasion resistant material such as a relatively high grade of nylon, whilst cradle 140 can be manufactured using a less abrasion resistant material such as a lower grade of nylon. It will be appreciated that the use of higher abrasion resistant materials to manufacture the cord guide 130 will lead to less wear of the cord guide 130 over time, which can lead to less friction between the cord and the cord guide 130 and better system performance.

(14) The cord can be of any material and any thickness suitable for use in blind systems. For example, the cord could be a 1.0 mm thick polyester cord. Of course, other widths and types of cords could be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Thinner cords are generally considered less intrusive (i.e. less visible) but tend to result in faster abrasion than thicker cords.

(15) The preferred embodiment of the present invention allows for the use of a spool 110 with a slim profile (i.e. a relatively small diameter). This allows for a higher lifting capacity of the system (relative to systems with larger diameter spools), for an applied torque. However, it will be appreciated that the higher load also results in more abrasion between the cord and the spool assembly. The preferred embodiment of the present invention helps to balance the competing design aims of better abrasion resistance and lower manufacturing cost.

(16) In the preferred embodiment depicted in the figures, spool cone 170 and support 120 comprise corresponding formations to restrict movement of the spool 110 along its longitudinal axis. As shown in FIG. 7, corresponding formations may be a flange 116 on spool cone 170 and a recess in the form of a slot 118 in the cord guide 130. In use, the flange 116 locates within the slot 118, thereby holding the spool cone 170 against longitudinal/axial movement.

(17) The corresponding formations (flange 116 and slot 118) are located at only one end of the support 120 and spool 110. Accordingly, the relative axial movement between the spool 110 and the support 120 is not dependent on the precision of the manufacture of the entire cradle 140, extending along the length of the spool. Rather, relative axial movement is limited by the fit between the corresponding formations at the end of the spool cone 170 and cord guide 130. Improvement of this fit reduces the play between the spool cone 170 and the cord guide 130, leading to an overall better and quieter operation of the system. Because the cord guide 130 is separate to the cradle, the fit between the spool cone 170 and the support 120 can be improved by manufacturing these components to a higher degree of precision (e.g. using higher precision materials or more tightly controlled manufacturing methods).

(18) It will be appreciated that manufacturing using higher abrasion resistant materials and/or higher precision materials or manufacturing methods is likely to be more expensive than other materials or manufacturing methods. Accordingly, from a cost perspective, it is advantageous to have the support formed of separate components. In particular, advantages can be achieved by manufacturing the cord guide 130 from more expensive materials or manufacturing methods, without the need to use more expensive materials or manufacturing methods in relation to the entire support 120. Furthermore, the cord guide 130 can be kept to a relatively small size, so that manufacturing it of higher grade or higher precision materials does not significantly impact the overall manufacturing cost.

(19) There are also advantages to manufacturing the spool 110 from different components (spool cone 170 and end cap 150). In particular, the end cap 150 can be made using noise dampening material, without compromising the strength and accuracy of the spool cone 170.

(20) In the preferred embodiment depicted in the figures, spool assembly 100 comprises a threaded member in the form of a pan head screw 160 (although other types of threaded members would naturally be possible). Cradle 140 comprises opening 142 for engagement with screw 160 and allowing passage of screw 160 from one side of cradle to the other to contact cord guide 130. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 8, tightening the screw 160 pushes the end of the screw 160 against the cord guide 130 in an upwards direction. In turn, this forces the cord guide 130 up relative to the cradle 140, to contact the upper wall of extrusion 400. Further tightening of screw 160 forces cradle 140 down relative to cord guide 130 to contact lower wall of extrusion 400, thereby expanding the support components and ensuring a tight fit between the cord guide 130, cradle 140 and extrusion 400. Of course, other configurations of screw 160 and opening 142 are possible (e.g. to ensure a tight fit between the support 120 and the side walls of extrusion 400).

(21) In use, a user operates a drive mechanism (e.g. a chain- or cord-driven mechanism) which rotates a shaft (not shown) about a longitudinal axis of shaft. This rotates the spool 110 which collects or releases the cord along the cord collecting portion 112 of the spool cone 170. Reducing the play between the various components (in particular between the housing and the cord guide 130 and cradle 140, and between the cord guide 130 and spool cone 170) results in less noise during operation of the blind system.

(22) The word comprising and forms of the word comprising as used in this description and in the claims does not limit the invention claimed to exclude any variants or additions.

(23) Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention. For example, although the present invention has been described with reference to Roman blinds, the present invention has application to similarly operated blinds such as pleated blinds where the cord is threaded through the blind fabric.

(24) Variations would also be possible in the formations used to limit the axial movement of the spool 110 relative to the support 120. For example, a recess could be formed in the spool cone 170 to receive a protrusion on the cord guide 130. Alternatively, a recess could be formed cooperatively between the cord guide 130 and cradle 140.

(25) As another example, in some embodiments the support may only support the spool at one point along its longitudinal axisparticularly if the assembly makes use of a feature such as grub screw 155 or other fastener to secure the spool 110 to the shaft. In such cases, the assembly may rely on the connection between the spool and a rotatable shaft of the blind system, in order to keep the spool stable as it rotates during extension or retraction of the blind. In such an embodiment, the connection between the spool cone 170 and the end cap 150 should also be secure, to keep the spool stable as it rotates during extension or retraction of the blind (with a positive means of engagement such as snap fitting components or separate fasteners to hold the spool cone 170 and end cap 150 together).