ROLLER SHUTTER BEAD CHAIN CONNECTOR

Abstract

A roller shutter bead chain connector includes a connector main body having an internal receiving space for receiving beads of the bead chain. Two engagement slots are formed at two ends of the connector main body. A string segment between two beads is engaged into the engagement slot to connect the connector main body with the bead chain for controlling the up and down movement of the roller shutter. The connection main body can be fitted on any section of the bead chain as necessary, whereby the connection main body can be stopped to locate the roller shutter curtain at a desired height.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a roller shutter bead chain connector, and more particularly to a roller shutter bead chain connector, which can be connected with two ends of the bead chain or any section of the bead chain as necessary to restrict the movement distance of the bead chain, whereby the roller shutter curtain can be located at a desired height.

2. Description of the Related Art

Each end of a bead chain of a roller shutter is generally connected with a connection box. The connection box includes a box body and a cover body. Two sidewalls of the box body are formed with through holes for the bead chain to pass through. The cover body is used to cover and seal the box body to connect the connection box with the end of the bead chain and prevent the bead chain from detaching from the connection box. It is difficult, time-consuming and laborious to assemble the connection box with the bead chain so that the cost is very high. Especially, the conventional bead chain lacks any stop effect. In operation of the roller shutter, it is uneasy to move the roller shutter up and down or locate the roller shutter. Moreover, when the roller shutter is positioned in a topmost position, the roller shutter will idle if the bead chain is continuously pulled. This is likely to cause damage to the control seat of the roller shutter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a roller shutter bead chain connector including a connector main body. The connector main body has a receiving space for receiving at least two beads of the bead chain. Two engagement slots are formed at two ends of the connector main body. Each engagement slot has a coiled passage, whereby a string segment between two beads can be engaged into the engagement slot through the coiled passage to connect the connector main body with the bead chain.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above roller shutter bead chain connector, which can be fitted on any section of the bead chain as necessary to restrict the movement distance of the bead chain. When the bead chain is pulled, the connector main body is stopped by a control seat of the roller shutter to locate the roller shutter curtain at a desired height.

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing that the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention is to be assembled with a bead chain;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing that the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention is to be assembled with the bead chain;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing that the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention is assembled with the bead chain;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing that the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention is assembled with the bead chain;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing that the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention is to be assembled with the bead chain in another use mode;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing that the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention is assembled with the bead chain in the other use mode;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the installation of the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plane view showing the installation of the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a plane view showing the operation of the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a plane view showing that the roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention is stopped by the control seat of the roller shutter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1. The roller shutter bead chain connector of the present invention includes a connector main body 1 and two engagement slots 10, 11 formed at two ends of the connector main body 1. The connector main body 1 has a receiving space 12 with one single opening. Each of the engagement slots 10, 11 has a guide entrance 100, 101 and a coiled passage 102, 103.

When assembled, the connector main body 1 is fixedly fitted on the bead chain 2 of a roller shutter (with reference to FIG. 2). Two beads 20 are received in the receiving space 12 of the connector main body 1. The string segment 21 between two beads 20 is engaged into the engagement slot 10, 11 in such a manner that the string segment 21 is guided by the guide entrance 100, 101 to move through the coiled passage 102, 103 into the engagement slot 10, 11 (with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4). Accordingly, the connector main body 1 is secured to the bead chain 2 (with reference to FIG. 5).

According to the above arrangement, the connector main body 1 is connected with each of two ends of the bead chain 2 of the roller shutter. Two ends of the bead chain 2 are conducted through a roller shutter control seat 3 and suspended from the control seat 3. The beads 20 and the string segments 21 of the two ends of the bead chain 2 are respectively engaged into the receiving space 12 and the engagement slots 10, 11 of the connector main body 1 to fixedly connect the two ends with the connector main body 1 (with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7). In this case, the bead chain 2 is mounted on the control seat 3 in the form of a loop. Accordingly, the bead chain 2 can be pulled left and right to control lifting/lowering of the roller shutter curtain 30 of the roller shutter (as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9).

The connector main body 1 of the present invention is connected with the ends of the bead chain 2. Alternatively, in another use mode, the connector main body 1 serves to locate the roller shutter curtain 30 at a desired height. In operation, the connector main body 1 is fitted on a predetermined section of the bead chain 2. When the bead chain 2 is pulled downward to lift the roller shutter curtain 30, the connector main body 1 is moved upward along with the bead chain 2 (as shown in FIG. 10) until the connector main body 1 touches the control seat 3 and is stopped. Under such circumstance, the bead chain 2 cannot be further pulled so as to locate the roller shutter curtain 30 (as shown in FIG. 11).

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A roller shutter bead chain connector comprising:

a connector main body having a receiving space with one single opening, the receiving space serving to receive beads of the bead chain; and

two engagement slots formed at two ends of the connector main body, each of the engagement slots having a guide entrance and a coiled passage in communication with the guide entrance, a string segment between two beads being engaged into the engagement slot to connect the connector main body with the bead chain.

2. The roller shutter bead chain connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein two ends of the receiving space of the connector main body have a concave configuration.