US20080110582A1

US20080110582A1 - Adjustment Element

Info

Publication number: US20080110582A1
Application number: US11/813,150
Authority: US
Inventors: Ken Rasmussen
Original assignee: Faber AS
Current assignee: Faber AS
Priority date: 2005-01-12
Filing date: 2006-01-09
Publication date: 2008-05-15
Also published as: EP1836372A1; NO20074088L; WO2006074657A1; AU2006205960A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adjustment element for local adjustment of the circumference of a blind roller for a roller blind, said blind roller having a first end, and a second end between which the blind is wound, a blind roller surface, and an axis of rotation extending axially in relation to said blind roller, said adjusting element comprising an adjustment means adapted to be mounted in proximity to one of said ends and adapted to be displaced relatively to said blind roller surface. In accordance with the invention an adjustment member is configured to partly encircle the circumference of said blind roller and adapted to cooperate with said adjustment means in a way that said adjustment member upon activation of said adjustment means locally is displaced from said surface of said blind roller to thereby adjust said circumference.

Description

The present invention relates to an adjustment element for a roller blind.
Roller blinds comprise a blind roller having a curtain material wound thereon. In general, the blind roller is configured to be secured at its both ends, at or near a top part of a window opening in a building wall, and is moreover, made rotatable.
Such an adjustment element is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,105, where e.g. adjustment screws installed axially along a blind roller defines a straight and converging line to the central axis of the blind roller. The screw heads serve to increase the effective diameter over the standard diameter of the blind roller. Moreover, adhesively or magnetically secured pads may be provided for the variation of the effective diameter of the blind roller.
Usually, the adjustment means is installed axially along a straight line in relation to the blind roller at an end of said blind roller. Dependent on to what degree a roller blind needs to be aligned in order to achieve a uniform curtain position within a window frame, one or more adhesive pads may be stacked, or the length of the screw may be varied in order to achieve the desired effect. Moreover, the thickness of the curtain cloth may vary, causing a uneven rolling up. In particular cases, however, it has been found that the adjustment pads/screws due to the continuous give cause to marks that arise from the abutment with the screws, in the curtain in the region that abuts the adjustment pads/screws. When pulled down, these marks appear along the edge of the curtain with a certain interval corresponding to the diameter of the blind roller, thereby providing the roller curtain with an ungainly appearance in the region in proximity to the edges.
Thus, it is the object of the present invention to provide an adjustment element means whereby the problems of the prior art adjustment means are avoided.
In accordance with the invention this is obtained by said adjustment element further comprising an adjustment member configured to partly encircle the circumference of said blind roller and adapted to cooperate with said adjustment means in a way that said adjustment member upon activation of said adjustment means locally is displaced from said surface of said blind roller to thereby adjust said circumference.
It has thus been found possible to achieve an adjustment element that allows alignment of the curtain within a window frame without marks appearing laterally in the curtain with a certain interval corresponding to the diameter of the blind roller, thereby providing the roller curtain with an ungainly appearance in the region in proximity to the edges.
By arranging the tapped hole in the adjustment member as stated in claim 5, it will be made possible to operate the adjustment means though an insignificant aperture in the blind provided for the operation of the adjustment means at a position in proximity to an edge of the blind roller, or the adjustments means may be operated in an easily manner in particular situations where the blind is does not extend to the edges of the blind roller, thereby leaving a region in proximity to the edges of the blind roller uncovered by the blind.

In the following, the invention will be explained in further detail with reference to the drawing, where

FIGS. 1 a and 1 d shows a in a sectional view, a preferred embodiment of an adjustment element 2 according to the invention, and

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b shows a preferred embodiment of an adjustment means 18.

Turning firstly to FIG. 1 a-1 d, reference numeral 2 generally designates an adjustment element according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in combination with a modern, hollow extruded blind roller 1. In the figures, the hollow extruded blind roller 1 is shown in a sectional view.
The blind roller 1 comprises; a first end 4 and a second end (not shown), an axially extending recess 12, and a roller surface 7. The recess 12 preferably extends in the full length of the blind roller and is configured with a bottom surface 10 and two side walls 30, 31 upstanding from the bottom surface 10. Inwardly protruding lips 13, 14, border said recess 12.
As will appear from the figures, the blind roller 1 is provided with an adjustment element 2 according to the invention at its one end. The adjustment element 2 comprising an adjustment means 15, a block 18 and an adjustment member 20, is provided for adjusting the geometry of the circumference of the blind roller 1 in the region where mounted. Preferably, an adjustment element 2 according to the invention is configured at both ends of the blind roller 1.
In the recess 12, the block 18 is configured to abut the under side 22 of the adjustment member 20. The block 18, moreover, comprises a tapped hole adapted to cooperate with a threaded part, such as a setting screw, which threaded part is part of the adjustment means 15 and configured to be operated through an aperture 23 in the adjustment member 20. More specifically, the tapped hole is configured between a bottom surface 26 and a top surface 25 of the block to thereby allow for the operation of the threaded part. The block 18 comprises lateral side surfaces 19, that when mounted in the recess abut the inwardly protruding lips 13, 14 to thereby provide guidance for the block 18 and prevent rotation of the block 18 during operation of the threaded part.
The adjustment member 20 is essentially tubular in shape, resilient and preferably made from a thin plate material of preferably steel or plastics and comprises; a first edge 21 a and a second edge 21 b arranged opposite to each other and extending transversely relative to said longitudinal rotation axis when mounted on the blind roller. Lateral edges indicated by reference number 20 a and 20 b are configured extending from said a first and second edges 21 a, 21 b, and at a central position relative to said lateral edges 20 a, 20 b at least one aperture 23 is configured in proximity to at least one of said edges 21 a, 21 b. Preferably, an inwardly protruding guide member (not shown) is configured extending from the aperture and adapted to cooperate with one of said inwardly protruding lips 13, 14 to prevent rotation of said adjustment member 20 relatively to said blind 1 roller when mounted.
In use, a fitter will upon turning of the threaded portion 15 entail a lifting of the block 18 as indicated by arrow “B” when the threaded part 15 is put to abut the bottom surface 10 of the recess 12. Thus, when the top surface 25 of the block 18 is abutting the under side 22 of the adjustment member 20 as indicated in FIG. 1 b, a local lifting/displacing of the adjustment member 20 from the surface 7 of said blind roller 1 in the region proximate to the recess is obtained. The lifting/displacing of the adjustment member 20 is indicated by the arrow with reference “B”. By this lifting/displacement, the lateral edges 20 a, 20 b are spread apart thus adjusting (increasing/decreasing) the distance a blind curtain will cover upon rolling.
FIGS. 2 a and 2 b show a preferred embodiment of a block 18 employed in combination with the modern, hollow extruded blind roller 1 shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b. As will appear from the figure, the block 18 is elongated, and is at its end 32 opposite the tapped hole with the threaded part 15, configured with two axle necks 33 for the cooperation with an under side of said two lips 13, 14, to thereby provide an engagement of the block 18 and the recess 12.
As indicated in FIG. 2 a, the elongated block 18 is preferably installed in the recess 12 by introducing the end 32 of the block 18 substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface 10 in the recess 12, and then twisting the block 18 a 90° to allow for the axle necks 33 to engage with the overhanging lips 13, 14. Hereafter, the block 18 is tilted to be fully accommodated in the recess 12.

Claims

1. An adjustment element for local adjustment of the circumference of a blind roller for a roller blind, said blind roller having a first end, and a second end between which the blind is wound, a blind roller surface, and an axis of rotation extending axially in relation to said blind roller, said adjusting element comprising an adjustment means adapted to be mounted in proximity to one of said ends and adapted to be displaced relatively to said blind roller surface, characterized in that said adjustment element further comprises an adjustment member configured to partly encircle said blind roller to form together with said surface a circumference on which said blind is wound, and adapted to cooperate with said adjustment means in a way that said adjustment member upon activation of said adjustment means locally is displaced in relation to said surface of said blind roller to thereby adjust said circumference.

2. An adjustment element according to claim 1, wherein a recess extending axially, preferably in the full length of said blind roller.

3. An adjustment element according to claim 2, wherein said adjustment means including a circular threaded part, and in that a block is configured to be arranged in said recess, said block comprising a top surface and a tapped hole configured to cooperate with said circular threaded part, wherein said top surface is configured for abutment with an under side of said adjustment member, and a base portion of said threaded part is configured to cooperate with a bottom surface of said recess.

4. An adjustment element according to claim 3, wherein said block comprises lateral side surfaces that when mounted in the recess abut against inwardly protruding lips to thereby provide guidance for the block and prevent rotation of the block upon operation of the threaded part.

5. An adjustment element according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment member is essentially tubular in shape and comprises a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge extending in a direction along said blind roller when mounted; a first edge and a second edge arranged opposite to each other and extending transversely to said blind roller when mounted, wherein at least one aperture is configured centrally in proximity to at least one of said first or second edges.

6. An adjustment element according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment member is configured of a resilient sheet material, preferably metal or plastics.

7. An adjustment element according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment member is adapted to cover said block, and that said aperture in said adjustment member allows access to said threaded part to thereby enable the operation thereof.

8. An adjustment element according to claim 1, wherein said threaded part is configured with means for cooperating with an Allen key.

9. A blind roller for a roller blind wherein at least one adjustment element according to claim 1 is adapted on said blind roller.