Mounting system for an architectural covering and an end bearing for the mounting system

Abstract

The invention relates to a mounting system for an architectural covering comprising a roller and a bearing for rotatably mounting the roller to a holding member. The bearing comprises a length variation member which is biased to be in a first state yielding a bearing length which allows the roller to be held by the holding member, and which can be manipulated into a second state, in which the bearing length is reduced such that the roller is removable from the holding member. The length variation member comprises at least one sloped portion that extends along at least part of its outer circumference and in the first state extends largely or completely outside the roller. The sloped portion is dimensioned such that the length variation member can be urged to the second state by applying a force on the sloped portion in a single direction.

Claims

1. A mounting system for an architectural covering, the mounting system comprising: a roller for winding and unwinding a flexible member of the architectural covering, and an end bearing connected to an axial end portion of the roller for rotatably mounting the roller to a holding member, wherein: the end bearing comprises a length variation member that is biased to be in a first state defining a bearing length allowing the roller to be held by the holding member, the length variation member is movable into a second state in which the bearing length is reduced such that the roller is removable from the holding member, the length variation member includes a slide member movable relative to the roller as the length variation member is moved between the first and second states and a separate end portion coupled to the slide member, the end portion being rotatable relative to the slide member, and the length variation member comprises at least one sloped portion defined at least partially by the end portion.

2. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein: the slide member extends between an inner end positioned within the roller and an outer end that extends outwardly from the roller when the length variation member is in the first state; and the at least one sloped portion extends to the outer end of the slide member.

3. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sloped portion has a linear slope or a curved slope.

4. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the end portion comprises at least one support portion with a bearing surface arranged to bear against a counter surface of the holding member.

5. A mounting system according to claim 4, wherein the bearing surface extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the length variation member.

6. A mounting system according to claim 4, wherein the bearing surface at least partially defines a cylindrical shape having its centre axis extending parallel to and coinciding with a longitudinal axis of the length variation member.

7. A mounting system according to claim 4, wherein the end portion comprises at least three support portions located equidistantly with respect to each other along a circumference of the length variation member, near an outer end of the slide member.

8. A mounting system according to claim 4, wherein the bearing surface extends from the at least one sloped portion.

9. A mounting system according to claim 4, wherein a length of the at least one sloped portion, as measured in an axial direction of a longitudinal axis of the length variation member, is equal to or longer than the length of the bearing surface measured in the same axial direction.

10. A mounting system according to claim 4, wherein the end portion comprises at least one diverting portion for diverting a tool that approaches a support portion of the end portion to the at least one sloped portion.

11. A mounting system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one diverting portion is located between the support portion and the roller.

12. A mounting system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one diverting portion comprises a radially outer edge that extends substantially in the axial direction and comprises surfaces at either side of the edge extending from the edge in the direction of the at least one sloped portion.

13. A mounting system according to claim 12, wherein the outer edge is a rounded edge.

14. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the end portion is arranged on the slide member to be rotatable around a longitudinal axis of the length variation member.

15. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein in a mounted condition an annular gap is defined between the roller and the holding member, the annular gap including a width, as measured in an axial direction between the roller and the holding member, that is equal to or larger than 0.5 mm and is equal to or smaller than 3 mm.

16. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein in a mounted condition an annular gap between the roller and the holding member is aligned, as viewed in a radial direction of at least the roller, with the at least one sloped portion such that the at least one sloped portion is accessible through the annular gap.

17. A mounting system according to claim 15, wherein the at least one sloped portion is arranged such that the mounted roller is demountable by inserting a tool into the annular gap between the roller and the holding member so as to abut the at least one sloped portion and by subsequently applying a force to the at least one sloped portion in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of at least one of the roller, the end bearing, and the length variation member.

18. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the axial end portion of the roller is free from indents, openings or similar apertures that once the roller is in a mounted condition could allow light to pass through from one side of the architectural covering to the other side.

19. A mounting system according to claim 1, wherein the end portion of the length variation member is rotatable between a first rotational position, in which the length variation member is locked against movement between the first state and the second state, and a second rotational position, in which the length variation member is free to move between the first and second states.

20. A mounting system according to claim 4, wherein the bearing surface bears against the counter surface of the holding member to permit relative rotation between the at least one support portion and the holding member.

21. A mounting system for an architectural covering, the mounting system comprising: a roller for winding and unwinding a flexible member of the architectural covering, and an end bearing connected to an axial end portion of the roller for rotatably mounting the roller to a holding member, wherein: the end bearing comprises a length variation member that is biased to be in a first state defining a bearing length allowing the roller to be held by the holding member, the length variation member is movable into a second state in which the bearing length is reduced such that the roller is removable from the holding member, the length variation member includes a slide member movable relative to the roller as the length variation member is moved between the first and second states and at least one sloped portion rotatable relative to the slide member; the at least one sloped portion extends at least partially outside the roller when the length variation member is in the first state, and the at least one sloped portion is arranged such that the length variation member is urged to the second state by applying a force on the at least one sloped portion in a single direction.

22. The mounting system of claim 21, wherein: the at least one sloped portion is defined by an end portion of the length variation member; the end portion being rotatably coupled to the slide member.

23. The mounting system of claim 22, further comprising a bearing positioned between the end portion and the slide member.

24. The mounting system of claim 21, wherein the at least one sloped portion of the length variation member is rotatable between a first rotational position, in which the length variation member is locked against movement between the first state and the second state, and a second rotational position, in which the length variation member is free to move between the first and second states.

25. The mounting system of claim 21, wherein: at least one support portion of the length variation member extends from the at least one sloped portion at an outer end of the length variation member; the at least one support portion defines a bearing surface configured to engage a portion of the holding member to which the end bearing is coupled; at least one diverting portion of the length variation member extends from the at least one sloped portion between the at least one support portion and the roller; and the at least one diverting portion is configured to divert a tool from the at least one support portion to the at least one sloped portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The description is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of a mounting system according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2A shows a front view of a mounting system belonging to the prior art;

(4) FIG. 2B shows a front view of a mounting system according to an embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 3A shows a perspective exploded view of an end bearing according to an embodiment of the invention;

(6) FIG. 3B shows a perspective exploded view of the end bearing of FIG. 3A from a different perspective;

(7) FIG. 4A shows an enlarged cross sectional view of an end bearing mounted to a holding member, with a gap;

(8) FIG. 4B shows an enlarged cross sectional view of an end bearing, mounted to a holding member, with a minimized gap;

(9) FIG. 5A shows a perspective view of a tool approaching an end bearing;

(10) FIG. 5B shows a front sectional view of a tool approaching a sloped end portion of a length variation member;

(11) FIG. 5C shows an enlarged view of a sloped portion of a length variation member;

(12) FIG. 6A shows a perspective view of a credit card-like tool being slid in between a roller and a holding member;

(13) FIG. 6B shows a front sectional view of a credit card-like tool with its side edge engaging a sloped portion of a length variation member;

(14) FIG. 6C shows an enlarged view of the credit card-like tool engaging the sloped portion of a length variation member;

(15) FIG. 7A shows a perspective view of a credit card-like tool being slid further in between a roller and a holding member;

(16) FIG. 7B shows a front sectional view of the credit card-like tool positioned between the holding member and the end of a length variation member, for removing the roller;

(17) FIG. 7C shows an enlarged view of a credit card-like tool positioned between the holding member and the end of the length variation member;

(18) FIG. 8A shows a side view of a credit card tool coming into contact with a diverting portion of a length variation member;

(19) FIG. 8B shows a perspective exploded view of an end bearing with support portions and diverting portions;

(20) FIG. 9A shows a side view and a cross-sectional view of a credit card-like tool being diverted by a diverting portion; and

(21) FIG. 9B shows an enlarged view of the credit card-like tool being diverted by the diverting portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(22) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a mounting system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The system 10 comprises a roller 11 for winding and unwinding a cover material 12, and an end bearing 13 (not visible in FIG. 1) holdable by a holding member 14 for holding the roller 11. The holding member may for instance be part of a cassette or a bracket (as illustrated) that can be mounted to a wall or ceiling next to an architectural opening, such as a window or a door.

(23) In the case of the embodiment of the system 10, shown in FIG. 1, the roller 11 is in fact held by two holding members 14, 15, one at either side. Both holding members 14, 15 comprise an opening 32 for holding the roller 11 in a rotatable way. At the end of the holding member 15, the embodiment of the system 10 shown in FIG. 1 further comprises an operating system 16 with a cord 17 for operating the roller 11 so as to unwind or wind up the cover material 12 to varying extents, depending on how much of the architectural opening a user would like to cover.

(24) FIGS. 2A and 2B offer a front view comparison between a mounting system 18, forming part of the state of the art, and a mounting system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention.

(25) Both systems 10, 18 comprise a roller 11 held between two holding members 14, 15 for winding and unwinding a cover material 12. In both cases, the roller 11 comprises an axial end portion 19 that is provided with an end bearing.

(26) As can further be seen in FIG. 2A an end bearing 20 according to the prior art is inserted between the roller 11 and the holding member 14. The end bearing 20 is telescopically compressible such that its axial length can be reduced. When a user of the system 18 wants to remove the roller 11 from a position in which it is held by the holding member 14, as shown in FIG. 2A, he can for example use a screw driver to telescopically compress the end bearing 20, thereby reducing the total length of roller 11 and end bearing 20, until the end bearing 20 can be removed from the holding member 14 (not shown in FIG. 2A).

(27) As shown schematically in FIG. 2A, there is a substantial gap between the holding member 14 and the roller 11, indicated by the arrow P1. Thus, when the mounting system 18 is for example used to cover a window, a considerable light gap P1 will remain between the cover material 12 and the window side.

(28) As indicated in FIG. 2B by arrow P2, there is no or only a neglectable gap between the holding member 14 and the roller 11, with the mounting system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Again, there is an end bearing 13 attached to the axial end portion 19 of the roller 11. The holding member 14 is arranged to substantially overlap a length variation member 21 of the end bearing 13, such that the roller 11 lies substantially adjacent to the holding member 14. Hereinafter, it will be explained in detail, why an architectural opening can be covered without leaving a relatively large gap, when using a mounting system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention.

(29) FIGS. 3A and 3B show perspective exploded views of an end bearing 13 according to an embodiment of the invention, viewed from two different angles. The view is exploded with respect to the axial direction A of the end bearing 13. The shown embodiment of the end bearing 13 is also comprised in the roller cover mounting system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2B.

(30) The end bearing 13 comprises a base portion 34 that is connectable to the axial end portion 19 of the roller 11, shown in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B. In the case of the embodiment of the end bearing 13 shown, the base portion 34 is arranged to be slid into an open end of the roller 11.

(31) The end bearing 13 further comprises a length variation member 21 having a spring 22, a slideable member 23, an annular ball bearing 24 and an end portion 25 with a sloped portion 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the sloped portion extends around the full circumference of the end portion 25. More particularly, the sloped portion 26 is shaped like a truncated cone. The end portion 25 further comprises three supporting portions 27 that are superimposed on the sloped portion 26, along an outer edge thereof, and three diverting portions 28 that stand in one-to-one correspondence with the supporting portions 27.

(32) When the end bearing 13 is used to hold a roller 11 with a holding member 14, only the end portion 25 protrudes from the base portion 34. In the assembled state of the end bearing 13, all the other shown parts in the exploded views of FIGS. 3A and 3B are hidden inside of the base portion 34. The base portion 34 is thus arranged as a hollow body and at least partially shaped like a cylindrical tube. Said other parts of the end bearing 13 are slideably displaceable within the tube.

(33) The end portion 25 is arranged to be held by a holding member 14, by resting on a corresponding counter surface, e.g. the inside surface of a tubular-shaped opening, with bearing surfaces 31 (denoted and shown in more detail in FIG. 8B) provided on the three support portions 27. These bearing surfaces 31 extend substantially parallel to and are concentric with respect to the longitudinal central axis A of the length variation member 21.

(34) When the end bearing 13 is assembled, the length variation member 21 is biased to be in a first state, in which the end portion 25 protrudes out of the base portion 34. The bias to be in the first state is, in the case of the embodiment shown, created by a force of the spring 22, pointing in the axial direction A, towards that end of the length variation member 21 at which the end portion 25 is positioned. The length variation member 21 can however be manipulated into a second state, in which its extension in the axial direction A is reduced, by pushing the end portion 25 in the axial direction A, against the force of the spring 22. When the latter is effected, the slideable member 23 is slid further into the base portion 34 in the axial direction A.

(35) When the end bearing 13 is attached to a roller 11, and the end portion 25 is held by the holding member 14, only a tiny gap is left between the roller 11 and the holding member 14, as is schematically indicated in FIG. 2B by arrow P2. A user can slide a thin tool 20 such as for instance a credit card into said gap, and the tool will then come into contact with the front portion 25. Then, there are two possibilities. It can first come into contact with the sloped portion 26, in which case a force applied to the sloped portion 26, e.g. perpendicular to the centre axis of end bearing 13, will result in a force component pointing towards the roller 11. With this force component, the length variation member 21 can be displaced against the force of the spring 22, in the axial direction A, by increasingly sliding the tool 20 along the sloped portion 26, until the end of the end portion 25 is reached.

(36) If however the tool 20 first comes into contact with a diverting portion 28, the tool 20 will be diverted to one of the two sides of the diverting portion 28, and a small rotation of the end portion 25 is triggered due to the fact that the end portion 25 is connected to the slideable member 23 by virtue of the annular ball bearing 24. This mechanism prevents the tool 20 from coming into contact with one of the support portions 27, as it is always diverted towards the sloped portion 26, prior to reaching a support portion 27. This ensures that the tool 20 always reaches the sloped portion 26.

(37) The response to sliding-in a thin tool 20 between the end bearing 13 and the holding member 14 to remove the roller 11 from a holding member 14 will be explained more closely in the following, with references to the FIGS. 4A-7C.

(38) FIG. 4A shows an embodiment of the end bearing 13, wherein the end bearing 13 is attached to an axial end portion 19 of the roller 11 at one end, and is held by a holding member 14 at the other end. The holding member 14 may comprise an opening 32 or indent 33 for holding the length variation member 21. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, the length variation member 21 is biased into its first state. The roller 11 is thus held in a position, leaving a light gap as is present with mounting systems according to the state of the art. This illustrates how a gap can be deliberately left between the roller 11 and the holding member 14, if a user wants a gap. This means that the embodiment of the system 10 according to the invention is flexible in that it can also be used to reproduce the optical appearance of a system 18, according to the state of the art.

(39) The length variation member 21 can be pressed into the end bearing 13, towards its second state. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4B, the length variation member 21 has been pressed partly inward, so as to extend somewhere halfway between its first and second state. In such case, the mounting system according to an embodiment of the invention allows arranging the holding member 14 such that, when it holds the roller 11, it is positioned adjacent to the roller 11, thus leaving no or hardly any light gap in between of the roller 11 and the holding member 14. Nevertheless, a thin tool 20 such as a credit card can be slid in between the roller 11 and the holding member 14, to reach the sloped portion 26. The sloped portion 26 extends in axial direction from a position adjacent to the roller 11 to the end of the length 30 variation member 21. In circumferential direction it may extend along the entire circumference of the end portion 25, or along only part thereof. A credit card slid in between the roller 11 and the holding member 14 will come into contact with the sloped portion 26, allowing to generate a resulting force pointing to the left in FIGS. 4A and 4B, in the axial direction A, allowing to displace the length variation member 21 against the force of the spring 22, until the credit card can be slid up to the end of the end bearing 13, which then allows to remove the roller 11 from the holding member 14.

(40) The sequence of steps necessary to remove the end bearing 13 and thus the roller 11 from the holding member 14 is illustrated with reference to the FIGS. 5A-7C. The first sequential step is illustrated by FIGS. 5A-5C, the second step by FIGS. 6A-6C, and the third step by FIGS. 7A-7C.

(41) FIG. 5A shows a perspective view of a credit cardlike tool 20 that is about to be slid in between of the roller 11 and the holding member 14.

(42) FIG. 5B shows a front sectional view of a region surrounding the end bearing 13, the axial end portion 19 of the roller 11, the holding member 14, and the credit card 20 of FIG. 5A, that is about to be slid in between of the roller 11 and the holding member 14. When being slid in, the credit card 20 will eventually come into contact with the sloped portion 26. There is a small gap in between the base portion 34 of the end bearing 13 (see also FIGS. 3A and 3B) and the holding member 14, merely allowing for a thin object with a thickness of 2 mm or possibly even less. A card such as a credit card can be used. The small gap leaves space for the thin card 20 to be slid in between may have a width of about 2 mm, in the embodiment shown. There are however also embodiments, where said gap has a width of about 3 mm, and embodiments where the width is smaller and only amounts to about 1 mm or 0.75 mm. The invention for example also encompasses embodiments with gaps of the latter type with any gap having a width ranging from 0.5 mm to 3 mm.

(43) FIG. 6A shows a state in which the credit card 20 is slid partially in between the roller 11 and the holding member 14. The credit card is touching the sloped portion 26 and is transmitting a force thereto, thereby moving the length variation member 21 in the direction of the arrow P3.

(44) FIG. 6B shows a front sectional view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 6A. As illustrated, the credit card 20 is pressing onto the sloped portion 26 of the length variation member 21 with its edge, thereby transmitting a force. FIG. 6C shows an enlarged view of the credit card 20 being in contact with the sloped portion 26.

(45) FIG. 7A shows a third stage, in which the credit card 20 has been moved or pressed further up, indicated by the arrow P4, and further along the sloped portion 26, having now reached the end of the length variation member 21.

(46) FIG. 7B shows that the credit card 20 has reached the end of the sloped portion 26 and thus the end of the entire end bearing 13, so that roller 11 can now be removed from the holding member 14. FIG. 7C shows the position of the credit card 20 in greater detail. In particular, it is to be seen that that the credit card has reached the end of the sloped portion 26 and is now arranged completely in between of the end bearing 13 and the holding member 14.

(47) FIG. 8A shows a side view of the credit card that has just hit a diverting portion 28 of the end bearing 13, viewed in the direction of the axis A, from the side, where a holding member 14 can be arranged. From this perspective, in a circumferential direction around the central axis A, sections of the sloped portion 26 of the end bearing 13 alternate with three support end portions 27 and diverting portions 28.

(48) The diverting portions 28 can be interpreted as obstacles in the way of the support end portions 27. Therefore, a tool 20 will always hit a diverting portion 28 before reaching a support portion 27 and will therefore be diverted to the sloped portion 26. Furthermore, by virtue of the annular ball bearing 24, as described in more detail below, when the tool 20 comes into contact with a diverting portion 28, the length variation member 21 comprising the sloped portion 26, the diverting portions 28, as well as the support portions 27, is slightly rotated, so that someone using the tool 20 to remove the roller 11 does not have to change the approaching angle, when initially making contact with a diverting portion 28.

(49) In order to enable the end portion 25 of the end bearing 13, including the sloped portion 26, the support portions 27 as well as the diverting portions 28, to be rotatable around the longitudinal axis A of the end bearing 13, the end portion 25 is mounted to the remaining parts of the end bearing 13 by virtue of the annular ball bearing 24.

(50) FIG. 8B illustrates that the diverting portions 28 are provided equidistantly in circumferential direction of the sloped portion 26, at the positions indicated by the arrows P6, P7 and P8. They are positioned closer to the side of the end bearing 13 arranged for being connected with the roller 11 than to the respective support portion 27. The diverting portions 28 comprise a radially outer edge 29, extending substantially in the axial direction, and comprising surfaces 30 at both sides thereof, extending from the edges 29 to the sloped portion 26. By virtue of this shape, the diverting portion 28 ensures that a tool 20 such as a credit card, when being brought into contact at first with the edge 29, is diverted to reach the sloped portion 26.

(51) FIG. 9A shows an embodiment of an end bearing 13, in side view and in cross-sectional view, wherein the sloped portion 26 is rotatable around the axis A of the end bearing 13, between a first rotational position (shown in FIG. 9A), in which the length variation member 21 may be locked against manipulations from its first into its second state, and a second rotational position (shown in FIG. 9B), in which the length variation member 21 is free to be manipulated from the first into the second state.

(52) Using this embodiment of the end bearing 13, the length variation member 21 can be unlocked by sliding a thin object such as a credit card 20 up to the end portion 25 of the end bearing 13, and to the diverting portion 28 in particular, followed by pivoting the credit card 20, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 9B, such that the sloped portion 26 is rotated. The length variation member 21 can be locked by performing the contrary movement with the credit card 20.

(53) The invention is not limited to the embodiments described. Numerous variations and modifications are understood to also fall within the framework of the invention. For example, instead of the end bearing comprising a spring as described, the length variation member can comprise another resilient member, e.g. of rubber, or can be arranged to be compressible such that it can be manipulated into the second state. To provide said compressibility, the length variation member can at least be partially produced by using a foaming method, so that at least a section of the length variation member is volume-compressible. Furthermore, the sloped portion could for example also have a substantially conical shape instead of a truncated conical shape. Many additional variations and modifications are possible and are understood to fall within the framework of the invention.