COVERINGS FOR ARCHITECTURAL OPENINGS WITH CORD LOCK
A cord-lock system for use in coverings for architectural openings and adapted to lock a control cord of the opening in any desired position includes a lock member that is pivotal about an axis parallel to the head rail of the covering with the lock member being movable between locked and unlocked positions by movement of the cord in a vertical plane perpendicular to the head rail. A cover plate pivotally overlying the lock member and operatively connected to the lift cords is also moved between locked and unlocked positions by movement of the lift cords in a manner that assures movement of the lock member between its locked and unlocked positions.
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The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/764,137 (“the '137 application”), which was filed on Jan. 31, 2006 and entitled “Coverings for Architectural Openings With Cord Lock.” The '137 application is incorporated by reference into the present application in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to coverings for architectural openings and more particularly to a cord lock which might be used for example on a lift cord for moving a covering between extended and retracted positions.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Coverings for architectural openings have assumed numerous forms for many years but the more popular forms of such coverings are retractable so as to be movable between an extended position across the architectural opening and a retracted position adjacent one or more sides of the opening. Examples of such retractable coverings are venetian blinds, vertical blinds, collapsible cellular shades, roll up shades, and the like.
In most any retractable covering for architectural openings, cords are utilized in the operation of the shade with an example being a lift cord which might extend from a bottom rail of the covering through a head rail to a hand-manipulated tassel. Other cords used in operating retractable coverings might simply extend from a hand manipulatable tassel to a control mechanism in a head rail for the covering so that hand movement of the tassel moves the cord in a desired operation of the covering. In many instances, it is desired to retain the cord, be it a lift cord or other control cord used in coverings, at a preselected position and, accordingly, cord locks have been devised and utilized for many years.
Typical cord locks include a pivotal lock member through which the cord passes with the lock member swinging between locked and unlocked positions depending upon a predetermined movement and orientation of the cord. Typically, the lock member pivots about an axis that extends perpendicularly to the architectural opening in which the covering is mounted so that movement of the cord in operation of the cord lock is in a plane parallel with the architectural opening. Such movement is not always convenient as the operator of the covering may be forced to operate the covering from a position not immediately adjacent to the covering. Accordingly, improvements in such lock mechanisms are continually being investigated by those skilled in the art.
It is to provide a covering for architectural openings with an improved cord-lock mechanism, that the present invention has been developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe cord lock of the present invention may be incorporated into the headrail of a covering for an architectural opening at an end thereof. The cord lock includes a pivot shaft extending in parallel relationship with the length of the head rail with the pivot shaft being mounted on a fixed plate at the end of the head rail. A lock member is pivotally mounted on the pivot shaft with the lock member including a pair of substantially mutually perpendicular plate portions defining a gap therebetween through which a cord is passed. The lock member is pivotal between locked and unlocked positions about the pivot shaft. The cord passes freely through the gap in the lock member in the unlocked position but passes through a tortuous path through the lock member when in the locked position. In the locked position, the cord is pinched as it passes through the gap thereby preventing it from movement.
As will be appreciated, since the lock member is pivoted about a shaft parallel with the length of the head rail, the cord can be used to operate the cord lock by moving the cord within a vertical plane perpendicular to the pivot shaft and the architectural opening.
A cover plate is pivotally mounted on the end of the head rail also for movement between locked and unlocked positions and the cord passes through a hole in the cover plate so that movement of the cord while moving the lock member between locked and unlocked positions also moves the cover plate between locked and unlocked positions.
The cover plate is biased toward its locked position but that bias can be overcome by movement of the cord in a direction to unlock the lock member. Upon releasing the cord, the cover plate is allowed to return to its locked position pulling the cords therewith in a direction that pulls the lock member to its locked position. Accordingly, the entire cord lock system is biased toward a locked position, but can be released therefrom by movement of the cord in a direction perpendicularly away from the head rail and the architectural opening in which the covering is mounted.
The cord lock can be used in association with single or multiple cords. Further, single or multiple cord locks can be incorporated into a covering in accordance with the invention to selectively lock and unlock cords associated with different movements of the covering.
Other aspects, features, and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the drawings and from the appended claims.
A retractable top down/bottom up covering 32 for an architectural opening is shown in
The operation of the top down/bottom up covering 32 is illustrated generally in
As will be appreciated with the description of the cord-lock system 34 hereafter and for purposes of illustration, a system 34 is disposed at each end of the head rail 36 with each system being identical even though the cords associated with each cord lock system are used for independently moving the middle rail 42 and bottom rail 40 respectively. The lock systems, as will be apparent, are designed to selectively grip or not grip the cords 48a, 48b and 54a, 54b passing therethrough depending upon the position of the cord lock. The cord lock is moved between locking and unlocking positions as illustrated generally in
While the cord lock system 34 of the present invention can be utilized to releasably fix or lock any cord in a covering for architectural openings, for purposes of the present disclosure, the cord has been illustrated as a lift cord for a collapsible panel 44. The panel itself could be any retractable or collapsible panel of material such as a venetian blind, collapsible cellular shade, or the like, but for purposes of the present disclosure, it has been illustrated as a collapsible fabric of the type disclosed in detail in International application No. PCT/US2004/043043 (Publication Nos. WO 2005/062875 A2 and WO 2005/062875 A3), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The material 44 is probably best illustrated by reference to
With reference to
The cord guide insert 80 in its molded form is shown in
A pair of pivotal finger locks 108 are adapted to be received in the upwardly opening channel 94 and are operable to secure one end of a lift cord 54a or 54b as will be described in more detail hereafter and as is described in the aforenoted international application. A dummy vane 110 of generally airfoil configuration conforming generally in shape to the semi-rigid vanes 60 on the covering fabric 44 and which is preferably made of the same material as the semi-rigid vanes is suspended from the extrusion within a protective outer transparent or translucent plastic cover 112 having inwardly directed barbs 114 along its open top. The dummy vane 110 within the plastic cover is insertable into the space between the flared side walls 98 and the depending legs 100 with the barbs being caught on a ledge 116 defined on an outer surface of the depending legs. End caps 118 conforming generally in configuration to the cross-section of the dummy vane are insertable into open ends of the vane and are maintained in the open ends of the extrusion by male plugs 120 generally conforming in configuration to the upwardly opening channel 94 of the extrusion and the downwardly opening channel 102.
As mentioned previously, the fabric or covering material 44 extends between the middle rail 42 and the bottom rail 40 and includes the support structure 58 in the form of sheer fabric, microfibers, cords, or the like, which supports the plurality of semi-rigid arcuate horizontally extending vanes 60 off opposite sides of the support structure. With reference to
The lower end of the support structure 58 for the fabric 44 is adhesively secured to one side wall 98 of the bottom rail 40 as probably best seen in
Also, as mentioned previously, the lift cords for operating the covering in cooperation with the cord lock of the present invention include lift cords 48a and 48b associated with the middle rail 42 and lift cords 54a and 54b associated with the bottom rail 40. For purposes of the present disclosure, there are a pair of lift cords associated with the middle rail and a second pair of lift cords associated with the bottom rail with the lift cords being connected to the middle rail and the bottom rail at locations spaced inwardly a short distance from each end of the respective rails. Further, as mentioned previously, for purposes of the present disclosure, the lift cords 48a and 48b associated with the middle rail are raised and lowered with a tassel 50 at one end of the head rail (the right end as viewed in
With reference first to the lift cords 48a and 48b associated with the middle rail 42 and as seen in the rear view of
Similarly, the tassel 56 at the left end of the head rail associated with the lift cords 54a and 54b for the bottom rail 40 has the upper end of two lift cords secured thereto as by knotting the ends of the cords in a conventional manner and the cords extend upwardly and then horizontally through the associated cord lock mechanism 34 at the left end of the head rail as viewed in
Referring to
As seen in
The cord lock system 34 is probably best seen in
The cord lock system 34 can be seen to include a flat plate-like portion 140 of generally triangular configuration so as to define two outwardly flared side edges 142 and a pivot shaft 144 at its apex on which a cover plate 146 (
A relatively thick portion 152 of the cord lock system protrudes from the rear face of the plate portion 140 with the relatively thick portion supporting an upper vertically oriented rectangular plug 154 having protruding ribs 156 on opposite sides thereof and a lower bifurcated plug 158. The rectangular plug is adapted to be received in the open end of the vertically oriented rectangular passage 64 through the extended bar 62 of the head rail 36 and the bifurcated plug 158 is adapted to be received in the open end of the downwardly opening notches of the extrusion. This is probably best illustrated in
A lock member 170, as probably best seen in
The lock member 170 includes a base component 178 having a base or end plate 180 and a pair of upstanding plate-like pivotal legs or lever arms 182 with the legs having two pair 184 and 186 of aligned openings therethrough with one pair 184 of openings adapted for receipt of the fourth 172 pivot pin. The base plate 180 is disposed substantially tangentially to an arc in which said base plate moves about the fourth pivot pin. The other pair 186 of openings pivotally receive a fifth pivot pin 188 that passes through openings in a pair of pivot arms 190 of a pivot element 192 with the pivot element having a bottom or guide plate 194 that is substantially perpendicular with the base plate 180 of the lock member. The bottom plate 194 is disposed substantially tangentially to an arc in which said bottom plate moves about the fifth pivot pin 188.
A gap 196 (
The cover plate 146 for the cord lock is probably best seen in
Referring first to the cord lock system 34 at the left end of the head rail 36 as viewed from the rear in
It will be appreciated from the above that the lift cords 54a and 54b are free to slide about their respective pivot pins and through the cord lock system 34 as long as the cord lock system is in its unlocked position which is illustrated in
Further, when the lift cords 54a and 54b are in a straight line from the opening 218 in the relatively thick portion 152 through the hole 200 at the bottom of the cover plate 146, the cords have forced a pivotal movement of the cover plate between its locked position as shown for example in
When the lift cords 54a and 54b are moved from the unlocked position of
In the locked position of
As mentioned above, the cover plate 146 is biased by the magnets 150 and 216 toward the locked position of
It will be appreciated from the above the cord lock 34 is an over-center system dictated by the positioning of the lock member 170 with the positioning of the lock member being dictated by movement of the lift cords 48a and 48b and the cover plate 146. Movement of the cover plate toward the unlocked position of
It should be appreciated that movement of the tassel 50 and associated lift cords 48a and 48b in moving the cord lock 170 and cover plate 146 between locked and unlocked positions is in a vertical plane perpendicular to the head rail 36. Such movement is distinct from conventional coverings where the tassel and lift cords are moved in a vertical plane parallel with the head rail.
It should also be appreciated that while two cord locks systems 34 have been described as being used with the covering and with the cord lock systems at opposite ends of the head rail, it will be appreciated with only minor modifications that would be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that both cord lock systems could be positioned at the same end of the head rail 36 along with their associated tassels.
In an alternative embodiment of a covering incorporating the cord lock system of the present invention shown in
An alternative cover plate 220 is shown in
Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood the disclosure has been made by way of example, and changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A covering for an architectural opening movable between extended and retracted positions comprising in combination:
- an elongated horizontally disposed upper rail,
- an elongated bottom rail parallel with said upper rail,
- a retractable panel extending between said upper rail and bottom rail, and
- a control system for moving said covering between said extended and retracted positions, said control system including at least one lift cord operatively connected at one end to said bottom rail and being free at its opposite end, and a pivotal cord lock operatively associated with said cord for locking said cord in predetermined positions to hold said bottom rail in a predetermined releasably fixed spacing from said upper rail, said cord lock including a lock member pivotal about a pivot shaft, wherein said pivot shaft extends in parallel relationship with said upper rail.
2. The covering of claim 1 wherein said upper rail has first and second ends and wherein said pivot shaft projects longitudinally from one end of said upper rail.
3. The covering of claim 2 wherein said lock member includes (a) a lever arm pivotal about said pivot shaft, (b) a base plate on said lever arm disposed substantially tangentially to an arc in which said base plate moves about said pivot shaft, and (c) a bottom plate disposed substantially perpendicularly to said base plate, there being a gap between said base plate and bottom plate through which said cord slidably passes.
4. The covering of claim 3 wherein said lock member further includes a pivot arm pivotally connected to said lever arm and wherein said bottom plate is connected to said pivot arm so as to be disposed substantially tangentially to an arc in which said bottom plate moves with pivotal movement of said pivot arm.
5. The covering of claim 3 wherein said lock member is pivotal between a locked position and an unlocked position, said covering being movable between said extended and retracted positions when said lock member is in the unlocked position and is retained in a releasably fixed position when the lock member is in the locked position.
6. The covering of claim 5 wherein said upper rail has an opening in said one end and said cord extends along the length of said upper rail and through said opening, and wherein said cord extends in a straight line from said opening through said lock member when the lock member is in said unlocked position and extends along a tortuous path through said lock member when the lock member is in the locked position.
7. The covering of claim 6 wherein said lock member is biased toward said locked position by the weight of said retractable panel and can be moved to said unlocked position by pulling on said free end of said cord in a predetermined direction to overcome said bias.
8. The covering of claim 7 wherein said cord is straight from said opening in said upper rail through said lock member when extended in said predetermined direction.
9. The covering of claim 6 further including a cover plate pivotally connected to said upper rail at said one end for pivotal movement about an axis parallel with the length of said upper rail, said cover plate at least partially enclosing said lock member and having a hole therein through which said cord passes, said cover plate being pivotally moved between locked and unlocked positions with said cord extending in a straight line from said opening through said hole when said cover plate is in the unlocked position and along a tortuous path when said cover plate is in the locked position.
10. The covering of claim 9 wherein said cover plate is biased toward its locked position.
11. The covering of claim 10 further including a magnet system wherein said biasing of said cover plate is with said magnet system which includes a magnet operatively connected to said upper rail and a magnet operatively connected to said cover plate with said magnets being magnetically connected when said cover plate is in said locked position.
12. The covering of claim 10 further including a leaf spring wherein said biasing of said cover plate is with said leaf spring which is operatively associated with said upper rail and said cover plate.
13. The covering of claim 1 wherein said control system includes at least two lift cords with one of said cords being connected to said bottom rail at one end thereof and the other of said lift cords being connected to the bottom rail at an opposite end thereof.
14. A covering for an architectural opening movable between extended and retracted positions comprising in combination:
- an elongated horizontally disposed head rail,
- an elongated bottom rail parallel with said head rail,
- an elongated middle rail parallel with said head rail and said bottom rail and disposed therebetween,
- a retractable panel extending between said bottom rail and middle rail, and
- a control system for moving said covering between said extended and retracted positions, said control system including at least one first lift cord operatively connected to said bottom rail at one end and being free at its opposite end, at least one second lift cord operatively connected to said middle rail at one end and being free at its opposite end, and second identical pivotal cord locks operatively associated with said at least one first and second lift cords respectively for locking said cords in predetermined positions to hold said bottom and middle rails respectively in predetermined releasably fixed spacings from said head rail, said cord locks including a lock member pivotal about a pivot shaft, wherein said pivot shafts extend in parallel relationship with said head rail.
15. The covering of claim 14 wherein said head rail has first and second ends and wherein said pivot shafts project longitudinally from an end of said head rail.
16. The covering of claim 15 wherein one pivot shaft is at one end of said head rail and the other pivot shaft is at the second end of said head rail.
17. The covering of claim 15 wherein said lock member includes (a) a lever arm pivotal about an associated pivot shaft, (b) a base plate on said lever arm disposed substantially tangentially to an arc in which said base plate moves about said associated pivot shaft, and (c) a bottom plate disposed substantially perpendicularly to said base plate, there being a gap between said base plate and bottom plate through which an associated cord slidably passes.
18. The covering of claim 17 wherein said lock member further includes a pivot arm pivotally connected to said lever arm and wherein said bottom plate is connected to said pivot arm so as to be disposed substantially tangentially to an arc in which said bottom plate moves with pivotal movement of said pivot arm.
19. The covering of claim 17 wherein said lock member is pivotal between a locked position and an unlocked position, said covering being movable between said extended and retracted positions when said lock member is in the unlocked position and is retained in a releasably fixed position when the lock member is in the locked position.
20. The covering of claim 19 wherein said head rail has a pair of openings therein with said openings being in one or both ends thereof with one opening associated with said at least one first lift cord and the other opening with said at least one second lift cord, said lift cords extending along the length of said head rail and through an associated one of said openings, and wherein said cords extend in a straight line from its associated opening through said lock member when the lock member is in said unlocked position and extend along a tortuous path through said lock member when the lock member is in the locked position.
21. The covering of claim 20 wherein said lock members are biased toward said locked position by the weight of said retractable panel and can be moved to said unlocked position by pulling on said free end of the associated lift cord in a predetermined direction to overcome said bias.
22. The covering of claim 21 wherein said associated lift cord is straight from its associated opening in said head rail through its associated lock member when extended in said predetermined direction.
23. The covering of claim 20 further including a cover plate associated with each cord lock, said cover plates being pivotally connected to said head rail for pivotal movement about an axis parallel with the length of said head rail, said cover plates at least partially enclosing its associated lock member and each cover plate having a hole therein through which an associated cord passes each of said cover plates being pivotally moved between locked and unlocked positions with an associated lift cord extending in a straight line from its associated opening in said head rail through said hole when said cover plate is in the locked position and along a tortuous path when said cover plate is in the locked position.
24. The covering of claim 23 wherein each cover plate is biased toward its locked position.
25. The covering of claim 24 further including a magnet system associated with each cover plate and wherein said biasing of said cover plates is with said magnet system which includes a magnet operatively connected to said head rail and a magnet operatively connected to said cover plate with said magnets being magnetically connected when said cover plate is in said locked position.
26. The covering of claim 24 further including a leaf spring associated with each cover plate and wherein said biasing of said cover plates is with said leaf springs which are operatively associated with said head rail and said cover plates.
27. The covering of claim 14 wherein said control system includes at least two first lift cords and at least two second lift cords when one of said first lift cords and one of said second lift cords being connected at one end of said bottom rail and middle rail respectively and another of said first lift cords and said second lift cords being connected to an opposite end of said bottom rail and middle rail respectively.
28. The covering of claim 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 or 27 wherein said first pivotal cord lock is at one end of said head rail and said second pivotal cord lock is at the other end of said head rail.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 8, 2007
Publication Date: Aug 2, 2007
Applicant: Hunter Douglas Inc. (Upper Saddle River, NJ)
Inventor: Ralph G. Jelic (Boulder, CO)
Application Number: 11/620,761