Blind device

Abstract

To provide a blind device capable of being brought into a closed state by stably bringing slats into an inclined attitude while effectively taking natural light into a room in an open state.SOLUTION: A blind device 100 includes: a plurality of slats 3 arranged in the vertical direction; a ladder cord 4 for supporting the plurality of slats 3, which has a pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b extending in the vertical direction so as to sandwich the slats 3 in the short direction, and a support cord 4c for supporting each of the slats 3, which is connected to the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b; a bottom rail 2 attached to the lower ends of the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b; and a tilting mechanism 7 which tilts the slats 3 and the bottom rail 2 by moving the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b relatively up and down. The bottom rail 2 is formed therein with a hollow section 21a, and the hollow section 21a houses a moving member 22 which moves by its own weight in the hollow section 21a by swinging by the tilting mechanism 7.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a blind device having a plurality of slats in the vertical direction. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a blind device is known that includes multiple slats arranged in the vertical direction and ladder cords that support the multiple slats. In such a blind device, the slats tilt by relatively moving the indoor vertical cord and the window vertical cord of the ladder cord up and down, and the amount of light passing between the slats can be adjusted. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a blind device in which, in the cross section of the short side of the slats, each slat has a convex portion that is bent downward so that the center is convex. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-56580 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the blind device shown in Patent Document 1 and the like, when the blind function is used and a pair of vertical cords are moved relatively up and down to tilt the slats, one end of the slat in the short direction comes into contact with the support cord, and tension is applied to the vertical cord via the support cord. However, depending on the weight of the slat, the shape of the slat, the weight of the bottom rail, or the installation state of the blind device, the slats may not tilt sufficiently, and it may be difficult for the slats to maintain their proper position. As a result, the multiple slats may not be in a stable position, and the blind device may not be able to be closed.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims to provide a blind device that, when open, allows natural light to enter the room effectively, while being able to be closed by placing the slats in a stably inclined position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The blind device of the present invention comprises a plurality of slats arranged in the vertical direction, a pair of vertical cords extending in the vertical direction so as to sandwich the slats in the short side direction, and support cords that are passed over the pair of vertical cords to support each of the slats, a ladder cord supporting the plurality of slats, a bottom rail attached to the lower ends of the pair of vertical cords, and a tilting mechanism that tilts the slats and the bottom rail by moving the pair of vertical cords up and down relative to one another, wherein a hollow portion is formed in the bottom rail, and the hollow portion contains a movable material that moves through the hollow portion under its own weight as it is swung by the tilting mechanism.

[0007] According to the present invention, when the tilt mechanism is used to move the pair of vertical cords relatively up and down to tilt the slats in the closed state of the blind device, the movable member stored in the bottom rail moves through the hollow portion to the vertical cord that has moved downward out of the pair of vertical cords. This allows tension equivalent to the weight of the movable member to be applied to the vertical cord that has moved downward out of the pair of vertical cords. As a result, the slats can be placed in a stable tilted position and closed.

[0008] On the other hand, when the blind device is opened, returning the pair of vertical cords to their original positions causes the movable members housed in the bottom rail to move as well, and the weight of the movable members causes a uniform tension to act on each of the pair of vertical cords. As a result, the posture of the slats when the blind device is in the open state can be stabilized.

[0009] Here, as long as the movable material can be moved by tilting the bottom rail by the tilting mechanism, the movable material may be in the form of, for example, a powder of ceramic, metal, resin, etc., or a liquid or gel having flowability, etc. However, in a more preferred embodiment, the movable material is a moving body that rolls or slides against the inner wall surface that forms the hollow portion by tilting the bottom rail by the tilting mechanism.

[0010] According to this aspect, tilting of the bottom rail by the tilting mechanism causes the slats to roll or slide against the inner wall surface of the hollow portion, thereby enabling the slats to be placed in a stable position and improving the responsiveness of the slats' tilting motion.

[0011] Here, as long as the movable body can roll or slide against the inner wall surface of the hollow section by tilting the bottom rail by the tilting mechanism, the shape of the movable body may be any of a sphere, an ellipse, an egg, an elliptical cylinder, a polyhedron, and a polygonal cylinder, and a plurality of movable bodies may be stored in the hollow section. However, in a more preferred embodiment, the hollow section extends along the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail, and the movable body is a cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction.

[0012] According to this aspect, the tilting mechanism tilts the bottom rail, causing the cylindrical movable body to rotate against the inner wall surface of the hollow section extending along the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail. This allows the weight of the movable body to act sufficiently on the vertical cord moving downward when the bottom rail is tilted slightly. As a result, the slats can be tilted into a stable position.

[0013] In a more preferred embodiment, of the inner wall surfaces defining the hollow portion, the inner wall surface with which the cylindrical body comes into contact is a curved concave surface in a cross section in the short side direction of the bottom rail.

[0014] According to this aspect, the inner wall surface with which the cylindrical body comes into contact is a curved concave surface in cross section in the short side direction of the bottom rail, so that when the pair of vertical cords are returned to their original positions in the open state of the blind device, the movable body stored in the bottom rail also rotates along the concave curved surface and tends to move to the center position in the short side direction of the bottom rail. As a result, the weight of the movable body can apply a well-balanced tension to each of the pair of vertical cords.

[0015] In a more preferred embodiment, in a cross section in the short side direction of each of the slats, each of the slats has a convex portion that is bent downward so that the center is convex.

[0016] According to this aspect, the slat has a convex portion bent downward so that the center is convex in the cross section of the short side of the slat. Therefore, when natural light enters the room from the outside, the natural light reflected from the upper surface of the slat can be taken in to the back of the room. Furthermore, according to this shape of the slat, when the pair of vertical cords are moved relatively up and down by the tilting mechanism to tilt the slat when using the blind function, the slat may try to slide the support cord because the slat is in contact with the support cord at one point of the convex portion. Here, the weight of the slat may not be able to tension the support cord appropriately, but in this aspect, the tilting mechanism moves the moving member in the hollow portion to the vertical cord that has moved downward out of the pair of vertical cords. As a result, tension equivalent to the weight of the moving member can be applied to the vertical cord that has moved downward, so that the slat can be placed in a stable tilted position to close. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, natural light can be effectively taken into the room when in the open state, while the slats can be placed in a stable inclined position when in the closed state. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing a structure of a blind device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the blind device shown in FIG. 1 in an open state. [Diagram 3] 3(a) to 3(c) are diagrams illustrating the change in the state of the blind device shown in FIG. 2 from an open state to a closed state. [Figure 4] 13(a) to 13(c) are diagrams illustrating the change from an open state to a closed state of a blind device according to a modified example. [Diagram 5] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating the change from an open state to a closed state of a conventional blind device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, a blind device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of the blind device according to this embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the blind device shown in Fig. 1 in an open state. Figs. 3(a) to (c) are diagrams for explaining the change of the blind device shown in Fig. 2 from an open state to a closed state.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a structure of a blind device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the blind device 100 includes a head box 1, a bottom rail 2, a plurality of slats 3, 3, ..., a plurality (three in this case) of ladder cords 4, a plurality (three in this case) of lifting and lowering cords 5, an operating rod 6, and a plurality (three in this case) of clips 20.

[0021] A plurality of brackets 1a (two in this example) are provided on the upper surface of the head box 1. The brackets 1a are for fixing the blind device 100 to a wall surface or the like above a window. A ladder cord 4 and a lifting cord 5 hang down from the lower surface of the head box 1.

[0022] One end of a lifting cord 5 is fixed to a predetermined position of the bottom rail 2, thereby supporting the bottom rail 2. The bottom rail 2 also includes a long rail body 21, and a plug 23 is attached to a predetermined position of the rail body 21. The lower end of the ladder cord 4 (specifically, vertical cords 4a, 4b) is fixed to the rail body 21 via the plug 23. Bottom caps 24 are attached to both ends of the rail body 21.

[0023] The multiple slats 3 are disposed at predetermined intervals between the head box 1 and the bottom rail 2 in the up-down direction. A through hole 33 through which the lifting / lowering cord 5 is inserted is formed at a predetermined position of each slat 3. The through hole 33 has a position and size that allows the lifting / lowering cord 5 to hang down vertically within the tilt range of the slat 3 when the slat 3 is tilted. In this embodiment, the through hole 33 is centered on the tip (the valley line of the fold) of the convex portion 31 in the cross section of the slat 3 in the short side direction, and extends from there along both sides in the short side direction.

[0024] The ladder cord 4 is formed in a ladder shape so as to support a plurality of slats 3. Specifically, the ladder cord 4 has a pair of vertical cords extending in the vertical direction so as to sandwich the slats 3 in the short direction. The pair of vertical cords consists of an indoor side vertical cord 4a and a window side vertical cord 4b. The indoor side vertical cord 4a extends in the vertical direction along the indoor side edge of the slats 3. The window side vertical cord 4b extends in the vertical direction along the window side edge of the slats 3. In the following, the indoor side vertical cord 4a and the window side vertical cord 4b may be referred to as a pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b.

[0025] The indoor side vertical cord 4a and the window side vertical cord 4b are connected to each other by a plurality of support cords 4c arranged at a predetermined interval above and below. That is, the support cords 4c connect the indoor side vertical cord 4a and the window side vertical cord 4b. The slat 3 is placed on the support cord 4c, which supports the slat 3. When the indoor side vertical cord 4a and the window side vertical cord 4b move up and down relative to each other, the indoor side end (the part connected to the indoor side vertical cord 4a) and the window side end (the part connected to the window side vertical cord 4b) of the support cord 4c move up and down, and the slat 3 tilts.

[0026] The upper part of each ladder cord 4 is attached to a tilting mechanism 7 arranged in the head box 1. As the tilting mechanism 7 is a general mechanism, in FIG. 1, only an outline of the tilting mechanism 7 is shown by a dashed line. The tilting mechanism 7 has a rotating drum (not shown) and a rotating shaft (not shown), and the ladder cord 4 is wound around or fixed to the rotating drum. Multiple rotating drums (three in this case) are fixed to a rotating shaft arranged in the head box 1, and by rotating the rotating shaft, the rotating drum rotates, and the indoor side vertical cord 4a and the window side vertical cord 4b of the ladder cord 4 move up and down relative to each other. This allows the slat 3 to be tilted.

[0027] Each lifting / lowering cord 5 is introduced into the head box 1 from the bottom rail 2 via the through-holes 33 of the slats 3, routed longitudinally within the head box 1, and led out from the lead-out outlet 1b of the head box 1. The multiple lifting / lowering cords 5 are bundled together by the cord stopper 11, hang down as a single cord below the cord stopper 11, and are attached to the rail body 21 of the bottom rail 2.

[0028] A stopper 12 that can switch between a state in which the lift cord 5 can move up and down and a state in which the lift cord 5 cannot move (restrained state) is provided at the outlet 1b of the head box 1. By moving the lift cord 5 up and down, the state of the stopper 12 can be switched and the bottom rail 2 can be set to an arbitrary height position.

[0029] The operating rod 6 is configured to be rotatable around its axis. The upper end of the operating rod 6 is connected to a conversion mechanism 13 that converts the direction of rotation and transmits the rotation, and the rotation of the operating rod 6 is transmitted to the above-mentioned rotating shaft. Therefore, when the operating rod 6 is rotated around its axis, the rotating shaft and multiple rotating drums of the tilting mechanism 7 rotate, and the indoor side vertical cord 4a and the window side vertical cord 4b of the ladder cord 4 move up and down relative to each other. This changes the tilt angle of the slats 3 (slat angle).

[0030] Here, the multiple slats 3, 3, 3... have the same shape. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in the cross section of each slat 3 in the short direction, in this embodiment, each slat 3 has a convex portion 31 bent downward so that the center is convex. In this embodiment, the slat 3 has a V-shaped cross section bent downward along the longitudinal direction. The width of the slat 3 is in the range of 15 mm to 50 mm, and the angle of the V shape of the slat 3 is in the range of 155° to 165°. The slat 3 is not particularly limited as long as it is convex downward, and for example, the cross section of the slat 3 may be a curved arc shape. This allows natural light from the outdoor RO side to be reflected on the upper surface 34 of each slat 3 and reflected to the indoor RI side. For example, in this embodiment, the slat 3 having the convex portion 31 bent downward is used, but a slat curved in an upward convex shape may be used as long as the slat 3 can be tilted stably.

[0031] Here, the slats 3 may be made of aluminum or the like, but may have a surface coated with white resin. Alternatively, the slats 3 may be made of resin, for example, made of a white kneaded resin material. By making the surface of the slats 3 out of white resin, the reflectance of the slats 3 can be increased, and natural light from the outdoor RO can be efficiently taken into the indoor RI.

[0032] In the conventional blind device 90, when the blind function is used, if the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b are moved relatively up and down to tilt the slat 3, the phenomenon shown in Fig. 5(a) to (c) may occur. Specifically, when the blind function is used, if the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b are moved relatively up and down to tilt the slat 3, one end 32A of both ends 32A, 32B in the short side direction of the slat 3 comes into contact with the support cord 4c, and tension is applied to the vertical cord 4a via the support cord 4c. However, for example, when the weight of the slat 3 made of resin or the like is lighter than that of a metal slat, when the shape of the slat 3 protrudes downward, or when the weight of the bottom rail 91 is lighter than that of a conventional one, it may not be possible to apply sufficient tension to the vertical cord (vertical cord 4a in Fig. 5(b) and (c)) that has moved downward due to various factors such as. As a result, even when a tilting mechanism is used, the slats 3, 3, ... may not tilt sufficiently, and it may be difficult for the slats to maintain their proper posture. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable for the lower slats 3, 3, ... among the multiple slats 3, 3, .... In this way, the multiple slats 3, 3, ... may not be in a stable posture, and the blind device 90 may not be able to be closed.

[0033] In addition to this phenomenon, the slat 3 having the shape shown in Fig. 5(a)-(c) is in contact with the support cord 4c at one point of the convex portion 31, so that the support cord 4c also tilts with the relative movement of the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b in the up-down direction, and the slat 3 slides on the support cord 4c. This makes it difficult for the support cord 4c to be appropriately tensioned by the weight of the slat 3, and the slat 3 has difficulty in maintaining its original proper posture. As a result, the multiple slats 3 do not assume the same posture, and the blind device 90 may not be able to be closed. This phenomenon is particularly likely to occur in the lower slats 3. In particular, the lifting cord 5 is in a tensioned state due to the weight of the bottom rail 2, but the ladder cord 4 itself has a ladder-like shape, so it is easy to slacken, and the posture of the lower slats 3 is difficult to stabilize.

[0034] For this reason, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bottom rail 2 is attached to the lower ends of a pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b. A hollow portion 21a is formed in the bottom rail 2. Specifically, the rail body 21 is a cylindrical molded body extending along the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 2, and by attaching bottom caps 24 to both ends thereof, the hollow portion 21a extending along the longitudinal direction is formed in the bottom rail 2. A movable member 22 that moves in the hollow portion 21a by its own weight due to the swinging caused by the tilting mechanism 7 is stored in the hollow portion 21a.

[0035] In this embodiment, the movable member 22 is a movable body 22A that rolls against the inner wall surface 21b that forms the hollow portion 21a as the bottom rail 2 tilts by the tilting mechanism 7. In this embodiment, as described above, the hollow portion 21a extends along the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 2, and the movable body is a cylindrical body extending in the longitudinal direction. The hollow portion 21a has a shape that bulges upward and downward in a cross section in the lateral direction of the bottom rail 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3(a).

[0036] In this embodiment, the movable body 22A is made of a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel, or a resin material such as polyethylene resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, or polystyrene resin, and is not particularly limited as long as it can move within the space formed by the hollow portion 21a and can apply tension to the vertical cords 4a, 4b. For example, the weight of the movable body 22A is at least equal to or greater than the weight of one slat 3, and more preferably equal to or greater than the weight of the number of slats 3 that are difficult to tilt as described above (at least the weight of five to ten slats 3).

[0037] Of the inner wall surfaces 21b forming the hollow portion 21a, the inner wall surface 21b with which the movable body 22A, which is a cylindrical body, comes into contact is a curved concave surface in a cross section in the short side direction of the bottom rail 2. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3(a), the inner wall surface 21b is a curved concave surface such that the center of the inner wall surface 21b is at the lowest position when the blind device 100 is in an open state. Examples of the concave surface include a shape along a parabola and a shape along the circumference of an ellipse.

[0038] According to this embodiment, when the blind device 100 is closed from the state shown in Fig. 3(a), the tilting mechanism 7 moves the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b relatively in the up-down direction to tilt the multiple slats 3 and the bottom rail 2. At this time, when the bottom rail 2 tilts slightly from the state shown in Fig. 3(a) to the state shown in Fig. 3(b), the movable body 22A stored in the hollow portion 21a of the bottom rail 2 moves in the hollow portion 21a to the side of the vertical cord 4a that has moved downward out of the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b.

[0039] In particular, by tilting the bottom rail 2 by the tilting mechanism 7, one movable body 22A, which is a cylinder, rolls against the inner wall surface 21b of the hollow portion 21a, so that the slats 3 can be placed in a stable position and the responsiveness of the tilting operation of the slats 3 can be improved. As a result, when the bottom rail is tilted slightly, the weight of the movable body 22A can be sufficiently applied to the vertical cord 4a moving downward. As a result, the slats 3 can be tilted in a stable position.

[0040] In this way, the vertical cord 4a, 4b that has moved downward can be subjected to tension equivalent to its own weight by using the moving body 22A as a weight. As a result, the slat 3 can be placed in a stable tilted position as shown in FIG. 3(c), thereby closing the slat 3.

[0041] In particular, due to the shape of the slat 3 having a convex portion on the lower side, the weight of the slat 3 may not be able to adequately tension the support cord 4c, but since the movable body 22A in the hollow portion 21a moves to the side of the vertical cord 4a that has moved downward out of the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b, it is possible to apply tension equivalent to the weight of the movable body 22A to the vertical cord 4a that has moved downward. Therefore, by placing the slat 3 in a stably inclined position, the blind device 100 can be brought into a closed state.

[0042] On the other hand, when the blind device is opened, the state changes in the order of Fig. 3(c) to Fig. 3(a). Specifically, the tilting mechanism 7 tries to return the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b to their original positions. At this time, the movable body 22A housed in the bottom rail 2 also moves (rolls), and the weight of the movable body 22A can apply uniform tension to each of the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b. As a result, the posture of the slat 3 when the blind device 100 is in the open state can be stabilized.

[0043] In particular, the inner wall surface 21b with which the movable body 22A, which is a cylindrical body, comes into contact is a curved concave surface in the cross section in the short side direction of the bottom rail 2. Therefore, when the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b are returned to their original positions when the blind device 100 is opened, the movable body 22A stored in the bottom rail 2 also rotates along the inner wall surface 21b, which is a concave surface, and is likely to move to the center position in the short side direction of the bottom rail 2. As a result, tension can be applied to each of the pair of vertical cords 4a, 4b in a well-balanced manner by the weight of the movable body 22A. In this state, the slat 3 has a convex portion 31 bent downward so that the center is convex in the cross section in the short side direction of the slat 3. Therefore, when natural light enters the indoor RI from the outdoor RO, the natural light reflected from the upper surface 34 of the slat 3 can be taken in to the depths of the indoor RI.

[0044] Although the movable body 22A rolls against the inner wall surface 21b of the hollow portion 21a by tilting the bottom rail 2 by the tilting mechanism 7, the movable body 22A may be shaped to slide on the inner wall surface 21b. Furthermore, as long as the movable body 22A can roll or slide on the inner wall surface 21b, the shape of the movable body 22A may be any of a spherical shape, an elliptical shape, an egg shape, an elliptical cylinder shape, a polyhedral shape, and a polygonal cylinder shape. Furthermore, a plurality of movable bodies 22A may be stored in the hollow portion 21a.

[0045] Furthermore, the movable material 22 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is a single movable body (rigid body), but as long as it can be moved by tilting the bottom rail 2 using the tilting mechanism 7, for example, as shown in Figures 4(a) to (c), the movable material 22 may be in a flowable form (fluid 22B), for example, a powder such as ceramic, metal, resin, or sand, or a liquid or gel with flowability.

[0046] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention as described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 2: bottom rail, 21a: hollow portion, 21b: inner wall surface, 22: moving material, 22A: moving body, 22B: fluid body, 3: slat, 4: ladder cord, 4a: indoor vertical cord (vertical cord), 4b: window side vertical cord, 4c: support cord, 5: lifting cord, 7: tilting mechanism, 31: convex portion, 100: blind device

Claims

1. A plurality of slats arranged in the vertical direction; A ladder cord includes a pair of vertical cords extending in the up-down direction so as to sandwich the slats in the short side direction, and a support cord that is stretched across the pair of vertical cords and supports each of the slats, and supports the plurality of slats; a bottom rail attached to the lower ends of a pair of vertical cords; A tilting mechanism that tilts the slats and the bottom rail by relatively moving the pair of vertical cords up and down, The bottom rail has a hollow portion formed therein, A blind device, characterized in that a movable member is stored in the hollow portion and moves in the hollow portion under its own weight as a result of the tilting mechanism swinging the movable member.

2. 2. The blind device according to claim 1, wherein the movable member is a movable body that rolls or slides against an inner wall surface that defines the hollow portion as the bottom rail is tilted by the tilting mechanism.

3. The hollow portion extends along a longitudinal direction of the bottom rail, 3. The blind device according to claim 2, wherein the movable body is a cylindrical body extending in the longitudinal direction.

4. 4. The blind device according to claim 3, wherein the inner wall surface that forms the hollow portion and that comes into contact with the cylindrical body is a curved concave surface in a cross section in the short side direction of the bottom rail.

5. 2. The blind device according to claim 1, wherein in a cross section of each of the slats in the short side direction, each of the slats has a convex portion that is bent downward so that the center of the slat is convex.

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