Vertical blind

Abstract

To provide a vertical blind capable of stably moving an operating cord within a head rail when moving a louver of a second carrier using an operating member of a first carrier.SOLUTION: A vertical blind 1 includes a headrail 2, a first carrier 8 to which an operating member is connected, a second carrier 10 that supports a louver, an operating cord 4 that allows a plurality of carriers to be moved and operated, and an end unit 5 for folding back the operating cord 4 at the other end of the head rail 2. One end of the operating cord 4 is connected to the end carrier on the other end side of the head rail 2 after being guided from the other end side of the head rail 2, and the end unit 5 includes an inclined guide portion 57 with which the operating cord 4 brought into a relaxed state by moving the first carrier 8 to the other end side of the head rail 2 via the operating member comes into contact.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to vertical blinds. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, vertical blinds have been known that movably support multiple carriers (runners) that suspend and support louvers (slats) within a head rail (hanger rail), and operate each carrier by moving the leading carrier with an operating cord that hangs endlessly from one end of the head rail. In this vertical blind, the end of the operating cord is connected to the leading carrier, the head rail has a guide groove that guides the operating cord to one end of the head rail, and the leading carrier has a guide portion that guides the operating cord into the guide groove. With this configuration, the vertical blind can stably move the operating cord along the guide groove in the head rail. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-183275 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, some vertical blinds have multiple carriers, including a first carrier to which an operating member such as a baton is connected, and a second carrier that supports the louvers in a suspended state, and an operating method in which the louvers can be moved by operating an operating cord that hangs endlessly from one end of the head rail, or by moving and operating the first carrier via the operating member.

[0005] In vertical blinds with this type of operation method, when the first carrier is forcefully moved toward the other end of the head rail via the operating member, the operating cord becomes loose and sags, making it impossible for the operating cord to move stably within the head rail. This problem is unique to that operation method, and cannot be solved by applying the configuration of the vertical blind in Patent Document 1, which has a different operation method.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and aims to provide a vertical blind that allows the operating cord to be moved stably within the head rail when moving the louvers suspended and supported on the second carrier by operating an operating member connected to the first carrier. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventor believed that the above problem could be solved by providing a configuration with an inclined guide portion against which the operating cord, which becomes relaxed when the louver moves, comes into contact, and based on this, he invented the following new vertical blind.

[0008] (1) A vertical blind according to the present invention comprises a hollow head rail, a plurality of carriers including a first carrier that is movably arranged within the head rail along the longitudinal direction and to which an operating member is connected, and a second carrier that supports a louver in a suspended state, an operating cord that is routed under tension within the head rail and hangs endlessly from one end of the head rail to form an operating unit that allows the plurality of carriers to be moved and operated, and an end unit that is arranged at the other end of the head rail and folds back the operating cord at the other end of the head rail, one end of the operating cord being led from the other end of the head rail to either the end carrier at one end of the head rail or the end carrier at the other end of the head rail and then connected, and the end unit has an inclined guide portion against which the operating cord, which has been made loose by operating the first carrier to move toward the other end of the head rail via the operating member, comes into contact.

[0009] (2) In the above (1), it is preferable that the plurality of carriers include the first carrier in at least one of an end carrier on one end side of the head rail and an end carrier on the other end side of the head rail.

[0010] (3) In the above (1) or (2), it is preferable that the end unit has a roller for folding back the operating cord, and that the roller is positioned in a position where the operating cord in a tensed state does not abut against the guide portion.

[0011] (4) In the above (3), the roller is preferably disposed at a position that overlaps the guide portion with respect to a straight line extending in the longitudinal direction of the head rail.

[0012] (5) In the above (3) or (4), it is preferable that the end unit has a case in which a mounting groove into which the roller can be inserted and the guide portion are formed, and the roller is mounted to the case.

[0013] (6) In (5) above, it is preferable that the mounting groove has an insertion portion into which the roller can be inserted from a position where the roller does not overlap the guide portion, and a guide portion connected to the insertion portion and guiding the roller inserted into the insertion portion to a position where the roller overlaps the guide portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The present invention provides a vertical blind with an inclined guide section that the operating cord comes into contact with when the louver is in a relaxed state during movement. This allows the operating cord to be moved stably within the head rail when the louver suspended from the second carrier is moved by operating an operating member connected to the first carrier. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a vertical blind according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the louvers are deployed. [Figure 2] 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a vertical blind according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the louvers are in the middle of being deployed. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a state in which a spacer joint of a vertical blind according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing the use of the spacer joint of the vertical blind according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the disassembled state of the spacer joint of the vertical blind according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view of the first connecting member seen from one side, and (b) is a perspective view of the second connecting member seen from one side. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the disassembled state of the spacer joint of the vertical blind according to one embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view of the first connecting member seen from the other side, and (b) is a perspective view of the second connecting member seen from the other side. [Figure 7]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an end unit of a vertical blind according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an end unit of a vertical blind according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the use state of the end unit of the vertical blind according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, with a portion enlarged. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a conventional vertical blind, with a portion thereof enlarged. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a first modified example of the vertical blind according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the louvers are folded up. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a second modified example of the vertical blind according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the louvers are folded. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of a third variation of the vertical blind according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the bottom side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] The vertical blind 1 of this embodiment is installed in an opening such as a window frame of a building. The vertical blind 1 is installed in a room that is separated from the outside of the building by window glass or the like. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vertical blind 1 includes a hollow head rail 2, a plurality of carriers 3, an operating cord 4, and an end unit 5. In this specification, when the vertical blind 1 is installed, the direction in which the head rail 2 extends is referred to as the left-right direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down and left-right directions is referred to as the front-rear direction. In addition, in the front-rear direction, the indoor side is referred to as the front side or front side, and the outdoor side is referred to as the rear side or rear side.

[0018] The headrail 2 is typically a C-channel shape that opens downward. The headrail 2 is fixed to the top surface of the window frame or the ceiling via a bracket (not shown). When the headrail 2 is fixed to the top surface of the window frame or the ceiling, it is positioned along the width direction of the opening in the window frame or the like. By fixing the headrail 2 to the top surface of the window frame or the ceiling, the vertical blind 1 is positioned on the indoor side of the window.

[0019] A plurality of carriers 3 are provided within the head rail 2. The plurality of carriers 3 are movable within the head rail 2 along the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2. The plurality of carriers 3 include first carriers 7, 8 to which an operating member 6 (described later) is connected, and a second carrier 10 that supports and suspends a louver 9. In the illustrated example, the plurality of second carriers 10 are arranged between the two first carriers 7, 8 that are arranged at both longitudinal ends of the head rail 2.

[0020] The first carriers 7, 8 have a conventionally known configuration. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , the first carriers 7, 8 have a main body 11 and a suspension shaft 12. The main body 11 has a hollow case 13 and a pair of helical gears 14, 15 provided within the case 13. Of the pair of helical gears 14, 15, the axial direction of one helical gear 14 runs along the vertical direction. Of the pair of helical gears 14, 15, the axial direction of the other helical gear 15 runs along the horizontal direction. The suspension shaft 12 is provided so as to be rotatable integrally with one of the helical gears 14. In this case, the suspension shaft 12 protrudes downward from the case 13. The lower end of the suspension shaft 12 is formed in an annular shape. A rod-shaped operating member 6 is suspended from the annular lower end of the suspension shaft 12. The upper end of the operating member 6 is formed in a hook shape. To attach the operating member 6 to the suspension shaft 12, the hook-shaped upper end of the operating member 6 may be hooked onto the annular lower end of the suspension shaft 12.

[0021] The second carrier 10 has a conventionally known configuration. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , the second carrier 10 has a main body 16 and a suspension shaft 17. The main body 16 has a hollow case 18 and a rotational force transmission mechanism (not shown) provided within the case 18. The rotational force transmission mechanism has a conventionally known configuration, for example, a worm, a worm wheel, and a friction spring. The axis of the worm is aligned in the left-right direction. The axis of the worm wheel is aligned in the up-down direction. The worm wheel meshes with external teeth formed on the worm. With this configuration, the worm wheel can convert rotation around a horizontal axis into rotation around a vertical axis. In other words, the worm and worm wheel form a "worm gear" in which the extension directions of a pair of gear shafts are opposite to each other. The friction spring is provided between the worm wheel and the suspension shaft 17 provided at the lower end of the worm wheel. The friction spring applies frictional force to the worm wheel and the suspension shaft 17. The suspending shaft 17, when attached to the worm wheel, protrudes downward from the case 18. The lower end of the suspending shaft 17 is formed in a hook shape.

[0022] Louvers 9 are detachably suspended from the suspension shaft 17 of the second carrier 10. The louvers 9 are strip-shaped with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction. A bag-shaped storage section 19 is formed at the upper end of the louvers 9. The storage section 19 is formed by folding back the upper end of the louvers 9. A louver hook (not shown) is stored within the storage section 19. The louver hook has a hook portion that is exposed from the storage section 19 when stored within the storage section 19. To attach the louvers 9 to the suspension shaft 17, the hook portion of the louver hook stored within the storage section 19 is simply hooked onto the hook-shaped lower end of the suspension shaft 17.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1 , when the first carriers 7, 8 and the second carrier 10 are disposed within the head rail 2, a drive shaft 20 passes through the first carriers 7, 8 and the second carrier 10. The drive shaft 20 is disposed within the head rail 2 with its axial direction aligned with the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2. One axial end of the drive shaft 20 is rotatably supported within an end cap 21 disposed at one longitudinal end of the head rail 2. The other axial end of the drive shaft 20 is rotatably supported by an end unit 5 (described later) disposed at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2. In this manner, the drive shaft 20 is disposed within the head rail 2 so as to be rotatable about its axis.

[0024] The drive shaft 20 passes through the first carriers 7, 8. Specifically, the drive shaft 20 passes through the case 13 of the first carriers 7, 8 and the helical gear 15, whose axial direction runs along the left-right direction. When the drive shaft 20 passes through the case 13, the case 13 can move in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2 relative to the drive shaft 20. When the drive shaft 20 passes through the helical gear 15, spline grooves formed on the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 20 mesh with internal teeth formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical helical gear 15. Therefore, when the drive shaft 20 passes through the first carriers 7, 8, the first carriers 7, 8 can move in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2. In this state, the drive shaft 20 can rotate integrally with the helical gear 15, whose axial direction runs along the left-right direction.

[0025] The drive shaft 20 passes through the second carrier 10. Specifically, the drive shaft 20 passes through a case 18 of the second carrier 10 and an inner hole of a cylindrical worm of the rotational force transmission mechanism. When the drive shaft 20 passes through the case 18, the case 18 can move in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2 relative to the drive shaft 20. When the drive shaft 20 passes through the worm, spline grooves formed on the outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft 20 mesh with internal teeth formed on the inner peripheral surface of the worm. Therefore, when the drive shaft 20 passes through the second carrier 10, the second carrier 10 can move in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2. At this time, the worm can rotate integrally with the drive shaft 20.

[0026] The drive shaft 20 passes through multiple rod supports 22 (two in the illustrated example). The rod supports 22 are plate-shaped and are arranged inside the head rail 2 with their plate surfaces facing left and right. The rod supports 22 are arranged outside the first carrier 8, which is located on the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2. A through-hole (not shown) through which the drive shaft 20 passes is formed in the rod support 22. The rod support 22 is arranged inside the head rail 2 with the drive shaft 20 passing through the through-hole of the rod support 22. In this state, the rod support 22 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2 relative to the drive shaft 20. The rod support 22 is provided with a permanent magnet that is attracted to the permanent magnet provided on the first carrier 8. Therefore, the rod support 22 can move together with the first carrier 8 when the first carrier 8 moves toward one longitudinal end side of the head rail 2. The rod support 22 is locked to a locking portion formed in the middle of the head rail 2 in the longitudinal direction, and is therefore unable to move beyond the locking portion toward one end of the head rail 2 in the longitudinal direction. Each of the multiple rod supports 22 is locked to a locking portion of the head rail 2 at a different position.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, when the louvers 9 are folded toward one longitudinal end of the head rail 2, the multiple rod supports 22 move toward one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 together with the first carrier 8. Each of the multiple rod supports 22 is locked to a locking portion at a different position. If the rod supports 22 were not provided, when the louvers 9 were folded as shown in FIG. 2, the load on the drive shaft 20 would be uneven in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2, which could cause it to bend. In contrast, in this embodiment, the rod supports 22 are provided inside the head rail 2, so bending of the drive shaft 20 can be suppressed.

[0028] 1, adjacent second carriers 10, 10 are connected to each other by strip-shaped spacer links 23. When adjacent second carriers 10, 10 are connected to each other by the spacer links 23, the adjacent second carriers 10, 10 can move toward or away from each other. In this case, the maximum distance between adjacent second carriers 10, 10 is a predetermined distance determined by the length of the spacer links 23.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first carriers 7, 8 and the adjacent second carrier 10 are connected by a spacer joint 24. The connection structure between the first carrier 8 located on the left end side of the head rail 2 and the adjacent second carrier 10 is bilaterally symmetrical to the connection structure between the first carrier 7 located on the right end side of the head rail 2 and the adjacent second carrier 10. Therefore, the connection structure between the first carrier 8 located on the left end side of the head rail 2 and the adjacent second carrier 10 will be described here as a representative example. As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the spacer joint 24 has a first connecting member 25 and a second connecting member 26.

[0030] The first connecting member 25 has a plate-shaped bottom 27, a cord housing 28 provided on the bottom 27, a pair of wall portions 29, 29 provided at the front and rear ends of the bottom 27, and a pair of carrier support portions 30, 30 provided on the pair of wall portions 29, 29. The bottom 27 is a substantially rectangular plate with its plate surface facing up and down. A through-hole 31 penetrating vertically is formed in the center of the bottom 27. A pair of fitting holes 32, 32 are formed in the bottom 27 so as to sandwich the through-hole 31. A plurality of pairs of fitting holes 32, 32 (three in the illustrated example) are aligned in the left-right direction on the bottom 27. The cord housing 28 is a substantially rectangular box-shaped portion that opens downward, and opens into the through-hole 31. A downwardly opening notch 33 is formed in the front and rear walls of the cord housing 28, and a pair of left and right extensions 34, 34 are formed on either side of the notch 33, extending inward. A protrusion 35 protruding outward is formed in the front and rear walls of the cord housing 28 to the right of the notch 33. The outer surfaces of the protrusion 35 and the extension 34 are smoothly connected. The pair of walls 29, 29 extend upward from both front and rear ends of the bottom 27. A locking portion 36, which locks with the second connecting member 26 described below, is formed at the upper end of the pair of walls 29, 29 and protrudes upward. Each of the pair of carrier support portions 30, 30 has an arm 37 provided at the upper end of the wall 29 and a protrusion 38 provided on the inner surface of the arm 37. The arm 37 is plate-shaped and extends leftward from the wall 29. An insertion portion 39 having a smaller vertical width than the other portions is formed in the middle of the pair of arms 37, 37 in the left-right direction.

[0031] The first carrier 8 is detachably held by the first connecting member 25. To this end, a pair of protrusions 40, 40 spaced apart vertically are formed on both front and rear ends of the case 13 of the first carrier 8. The first carrier 8 is supported while being sandwiched between the pair of carrier support parts 30, 30. Specifically, the first carrier 8 is held by the first connecting member 25 by inserting the insertion part 39 between the pair of protrusions 40, 40 with the convex part 38 positioned between the pair of protrusions 40, 40. At this time, the suspension shaft 12 of the first carrier 8 is positioned below the case 13.

[0032] The second connecting member 26 has a plate-shaped bottom 41, a pair of legs 42, 42 provided on the bottom 41, a pair of walls 43, 43 provided on the front and rear ends of the bottom 41, and a pair of arms 44, 44 provided on the pair of walls 43, 43. The bottom 41 is a generally rectangular plate with its plate surface facing up and down. A storage compartment 45 for storing the second carrier 10 is formed in the bottom 41. The storage compartment 45 is penetrated in the up and down direction. A U-shaped portion 46 is formed in the bottom 41 so as to cover a portion of the upper part of the storage compartment 45. The pair of legs 42, 42 are arranged spaced apart in the front and rear directions and extend downward from the bottom 41. A pair of protrusions 47, 47 that are inserted into the fitting hole 32 of the first connecting member 25 are formed at the tips of the pair of legs 42, 42. The pair of protrusions 47, 47 protrude downward from the tip of the leg portion 42. The pair of wall portions 43, 43 extend upward from both front and rear end portions of the bottom portion 41. The pair of arms 44, 44 are each formed on the wall portion 43 so as to be positioned outward from the wall portion 43. The pair of arms 44, 44 extend leftward beyond the wall portion 43. The pair of arms 44, 44 are formed with a pair of left and right locking portions 48, 48 that lock onto the locked portion 36 of the first connecting member 25. The locking portion 48 is concave and opens downward. The pair of arms 44, 44 have multiple (three in the illustrated example) pairs of left and right locking portions 48, 48 lined up in the left-right direction. The pair of arms 44, 44 are formed with a pair of engagement portions 49, 49 that engage with the second carrier 10 at positions corresponding to the storage portion 45. The pair of engagement portions 49, 49 are notched and open downward.

[0033] The second carrier 10 is detachably held by the second connecting member 26. To this end, rod-shaped portions 50 that protrude outward are formed on both the front and rear ends of the case 18 of the second carrier 10. The second carrier 10 is held in the storage portion 45 of the second connecting member 26. Specifically, with the case 18 of the second carrier 10 placed in the storage portion 45 so that the U-shaped portion 46 covers a portion of the case 18 of the second carrier 10, the front and rear rod-shaped portions 50, 50 engage with a pair of engaging portions 49, 49, thereby holding the second carrier 10 in the second connecting member 26. At this time, the suspension shaft 17 of the second carrier 10 is positioned below the case 18.

[0034] 3 and 4, the first connecting member 25 and the second connecting member 26 are detachably connected. To connect the first connecting member 25 and the second connecting member 26, the pair of locking portions 48, 48 of the second connecting member 26 are locked into the pair of locked portions 36, 36 of the first connecting member 25, and the pair of protrusions 47, 47 of the second connecting member 26 are inserted into the pair of fitting holes 32, 32 of the first connecting member 25. As described above, since the multiple pairs of fitting holes 32, 32 and the multiple pairs of locking portions 48, 48 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, the position of the second connecting member 26 relative to the first connecting member 25 can be changed by selecting a pair of locking portions 48, 48 from the multiple pairs of locking portions 48, 48 that are locked into the pair of locked portions 36, 36, and selecting a pair of fitting holes 32, 32 from the multiple pairs of fitting holes 32, 32 into which the pair of protrusions 47, 47 are inserted. Therefore, since the distance between the first carrier 8 and the second carrier 10 can be adjusted, the distance between the first carrier 8 and the second carrier 10 can be set to an appropriate distance depending on the size of the louver 9.

[0035] The operation cord 4 is routed under tension within the head rail 2. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 10, the operation cord 4 extends from one end fixed to the first carrier 8 located on the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 toward the end unit 5 located on the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2, then turns back within the end unit 5 and extends toward the end cap 21 located on the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2. At this time, the operation cord 4 penetrates the carrier 3 at one widthwise end side of the head rail 2 (the rear side in FIG. 1). After reaching the end cap 21 located on the one longitudinal end side of the head rail 2, the operation cord 4 hangs down from an operation unit (not shown) provided within the end cap 21 and then turns back upward. The operation cord 4 that has turned back upward then passes through the operation unit and extends toward the first carrier 8 located on the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2. At this time, the operation cord 4 passes through the carrier 3 at the other widthwise end side of the head rail 2 (the front side in FIG. 1). The operating cord 4 reaches the first connecting member 25 on which the first carrier 8 is provided, and is fixed to the cord housing portion 28 of the first connecting member 25. The portion fixed to the first connecting member 25 in this manner is the other end of the operating cord 4. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the portion of the operating cord 4 that extends downward and is exposed from the head rail 2 forms the operating portion, and a weight 51 is attached to the lower end of the pair of cords that form the operating portion. In this way, the operating cord 4 forms the operating portion that hangs endlessly from one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 and can move and operate multiple carriers 3.

[0036] As described above, the other end of the operation cord 4 is fixed to the cord housing 28 of the first connecting member 25. The knot 52 formed on the other end of the operation cord 4 is caught on the pair of left and right extension portions 34, 34 located on the rear side of the cord housing 28, thereby fixing the operation cord 4 to the cord housing 28. At this time, the other end of the operation cord 4 is passed through the notch 33 on the rear side of the cord housing 28 and between the pair of left and right extension portions 34, 34 located on the rear side of the cord housing 28, and routed along the outer surface of the protrusion 35. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 , the operation cord 4 led out of the cord housing 28 makes a large circuit around the outside of the leg portion 42 of the second connecting member 26. This prevents the operation cord 4 from strongly interfering with the leg portion 42 of the second connecting member 26 when the operation cord 4 is pulled strongly, thereby preventing the second connecting member 26 from coming off the first connecting member 25.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 10 , the operating cord 4 extends from one end fixed to the first carrier 8 toward the end unit 5 at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2, and then folds back inside the end unit 5. The other end of the operating cord 4 is fixed to the first connecting member 25. Therefore, the operating cord 4 is connected to an end carrier located at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2. The end carrier is formed by connecting the first carrier 8 and the second carrier 10, both located at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2, with a spacer joint 24. With this configuration, one end of the operating cord 4 is led from the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 to the end carrier located at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 and then connected to it. In this case, the one end of the operating cord 4 is connected to the end carrier by a knot as shown in FIG. 10 . However, it may also be connected by a fastener or the like as long as it can be connected to a part of the end carrier (including the top and bottom surfaces). The end carrier located on the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 has a first carrier 8, and is therefore positioned closest to the end unit 5 of the head rail 2. On the other hand, the end carrier located on one longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 is a carrier formed by connecting a first carrier 7 and a second carrier 10 located on one longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 with a spacer joint 24. Therefore, the end carrier located on one longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 is positioned closest to the end cap 21 of the head rail 2. In this way, the end carrier located on one longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 and the end carrier located on the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 are positioned at the very ends of the head rail 2.

[0038] In the illustrated example, the first carriers 7 and 8 are arranged at the extreme end of the head rail 2, but this is not limiting. Typically, a second carrier 10 from which louvers 9 are suspended may be provided outside the first carriers 7 and 8. That is, the carrier arranged at the extreme end of the head rail 2 is the second carrier 10. Even in this case, the end carrier located at one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 is a carrier formed by connecting the first carrier 7 and the second carrier 10 located at one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 with a spacer joint 24, and the end carrier located at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 is a carrier formed by connecting the first carrier 8 and the second carrier 10 located at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 with a spacer joint 24. From the above, the end carrier refers to a carrier to which the operating cord 4 is fixed.

[0039] 1 and 2, in the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the first carriers 7, 8 are provided at both longitudinal ends of the head rail 2, but this is not limiting. The first carrier may be disposed at either of the longitudinal ends of the head rail 2. In other words, it is sufficient that the multiple carriers 3 include a first carrier at at least one of the end carrier at one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 and the end carrier at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2.

[0040] As described above, an end cap 21 is provided at one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 to close one of the openings of the head rail 2. Meanwhile, an end unit 5 is provided at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 to close the left opening of the head rail 2. The end unit 5 is used to fold back the operating cord 4 at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2. To this end, the end unit 5 is provided with a pair of rollers 53, 53 for folding back the operating cord 4. As shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, the end unit 5 is provided with a case 54 in which the rollers 53 are provided, and a cap 55 provided on the case 54.

[0041] Case 54 is a generally rectangular block shape, and has a hollow portion 56 that opens in the left-right direction. Case 54 is formed with a pair of guide portions 57, 57 against which operation cord 4 comes into contact when in a certain state, and an attachment groove 58 into which roller 53 can be inserted and attached.

[0042] The pair of guide portions 57, 57 are plate-shaped and are arranged in the hollow portion 56 at a distance from each other in the front-rear direction. The pair of guide portions 57, 57 are inclined inward toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2. In other words, the gap between the pair of guide portions 57, 57 becomes smaller toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2. In the illustrated example, the pair of guide portions 57, 57 are inclined while bulging outward in a substantially arc-like shape. As will be described later, the rollers 53 provided in the case 54 each overlap the corresponding guide portion 57 with respect to a straight line extending in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2. In other words, the rollers 53 are arranged in a position that overlaps the guide portion 57 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2.

[0043] In this embodiment, two rollers 53 are used, and therefore a pair of upper and lower mounting grooves 58 are formed in two locations on the case 54, spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction. The pair of mounting grooves 58 are symmetrical from top to bottom, and the mounting groove 58 located above the pair of mounting grooves 58 and the mounting groove 58 located above the other pair of mounting grooves 58 are symmetrical from front to back, and the mounting groove 58 located below the pair of mounting grooves 58 and the mounting groove 58 located below the other pair of mounting grooves 58 are symmetrical from front to back. Here, the upper mounting groove 58 of the pair of upper and lower mounting grooves 58 located on the rear side will be described as a representative example. The mounting groove 58 has a concave shape that opens downward and includes an insertion portion 59, a guide portion 60, and a mounting portion 61.

[0044] The insertion portion 59 allows the roller 53 to be inserted into the roller 53 from a position where the roller 53 does not overlap the guide portion 57. The insertion portion 59 has a concave shape that opens downward and is open toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 so that the roller 53 can be inserted into the hollow portion 56 of the case 54. The guide portion 60 also has a concave shape that opens downward and is connected to the insertion portion 59. Therefore, the guide portion 60 and the insertion portion 59 are in communication with each other. The guide portion 60 guides the roller 53 inserted into the insertion portion 59 to a position where it overlaps with the guide portion 57 as described above. Therefore, of the pair of front and rear side surfaces of the guide portion 60, the front side surface is inclined so that the front-to-rear width of the guide portion 60 decreases toward the one longitudinal end of the head rail 2. The attachment portion 61 has a concave shape that opens downward and is connected to the guide portion 60. Therefore, the attachment portion 61 and the guide portion 60 are in communication with each other. The mounting portion 61 is a portion to which the roller 53 is attached, and has a generally circular shape in a plan view. The diameter of the mounting portion 61 is larger than the narrowest part of the front-rear width of the guide portion 60.

[0045] With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 9 , the roller 53 is inserted into the insertion section 59 from the opening on the left side of the insertion section 59. The roller 53 moves within the insertion section 59 toward one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 while the shaft 64 of the roller 53 contacts the front side of the pair of front and rear sides of the insertion section 59. When the roller 53 reaches the guide section 60, the shaft 64 of the roller 53 contacts the inclined side of the guide section 60 while the roller 53 moves within the guide section 60 toward one longitudinal end of the head rail 2. When the roller 53 reaches the mounting section 61, the shaft 64 of the roller 53 is pushed from the guide section 60 into the mounting section 61. As a result, the roller 53 is held in the mounting section 61 so as to be rotatable around its axis. When the roller 53 is held in the mounting section 61, a portion of the roller 53 overlaps with the guide section 57 with respect to a straight line (indicated by a dashed line) extending in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2.

[0046] The cap 55 is a generally rectangular plate with its plate surface facing the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2. The cap 55 is fixed to the left surface of the case 54 so as to close the left opening of the hollow portion 56 of the case 54. A pair of insertion portions 62 formed to protrude from the cap 55 are inserted into insertion holes 63 formed on the left surface of the case 54, whereby the cap 55 is detachably attached to the case 54.

[0047] In this manner, the rollers 53 are attached to the case 54, and the cap 55 is attached to the case 54 to form the end unit 5. In the end unit 5, the operating cord 4 is folded back as described above. Specifically, the operating cord 4 is inserted into the hollow portion 56 of the case 54 through the opening on the right side of the hollow portion 56, and is then passed around the roller 53 located at the front, then passed around the roller 53 located at the rear, and is then led out of the hollow portion 56 through the opening on the right side of the hollow portion 56 of the case 54. As shown in FIG. 9 , the operating cord 4 does not contact the guide portion 57 when it is passed around the pair of rollers 53, 53. In other words, the roller 53 is positioned so that the operating cord 4, which is under tension, does not abut against the guide portion 57. Therefore, unnecessary friction does not occur in the operating cord 4 when the vertical blind 1 is operated.

[0048] Next, the operation of the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment will be described. With the louvers 9 folded toward one longitudinal end of the head rail 2, pulling one side of the operating portion of the operating cord 4 moves the first carrier 8 from one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 to the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2. As the first carrier 8 moves, the second carrier 10 connected to the first carrier 8 via the spacer joint 24 also moves. When the second carrier 10 connected to the first carrier 8 moves and the distance between it and the adjacent second carrier 10 reaches its maximum, the second carrier 10 connected to the first carrier 8 can pull the second carrier 10 adjacent to the second carrier 10 connected to the first carrier 8 via the spacer link 23. Other adjacent second carriers 10, 10 can also be moved in the same manner as described above. In this way, the multiple carriers 3 can be moved sequentially from one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 to the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2.

[0049] In the deployed state in which the first carrier 8 is positioned at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2, pulling the other side of the operating part of the operating cord 4 can move the first carrier 8 from the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 to one longitudinal end of the head rail 2. When the first carrier 8 moves, the multiple carriers 3 other than the first carrier 8 are pushed in sequence by the first carrier 8, and can move to the one longitudinal end of the head rail 2.

[0050] The vertical blind 1 of this embodiment can also be operated by the operating member 6. For example, when the louvers 9 are folded toward one longitudinal end of the head rail 2, the first carrier 8 can be moved toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 by pulling the operating member 6 toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2. This allows the multiple second carriers 10 to be moved sequentially toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2, just as in the case described above.

[0051] In the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, all of the louvers 9 can be rotated at once by operating the operating member 6. As described above, the operating member 6 is connected to the drive shaft 20 via a pair of helical gears 14, 15. With this configuration, operating the operating member 6 to rotate the drive shaft 20 rotates the worm. Rotating the worm rotates the worm wheel that meshes with the worm. The rotation of the worm wheel is transmitted to the suspension shaft 17 of the second carrier 10 via a friction spring. This allows all of the louvers 9 to rotate. Note that when a load or the like is applied to the louvers 9 and the suspension shaft 17 cannot rotate, the worm wheel can be made to rotate freely relative to the suspension shaft 17 by the friction spring. This allows the rotation range of the suspension shaft 17 to be limited.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 11 , a conventional vertical blind 65 does not have a guide portion 57 formed on the end unit 5. In the conventional vertical blind 65, when the first carrier 8 is moved by the operating member 6 against the tension of the weight 51, the operating cord 4, which was in a taut state, temporarily becomes loose, causing dandruff. The dandruffed operating cord 4 abuts against the end unit 5 and has nowhere to go, so the operating cord 4 becomes stuck inside the head rail 2. In other words, the operating cord 4 is pulled forward. As a result, the first carrier 8 cannot be moved completely to the end of the head rail 2.

[0053] In contrast, the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment is provided with a guide portion 57 on the end unit 5 around which the operating cord 4 is folded. Therefore, even if the first carrier 8 is moved by the operating member 6 against the tension of the weight 51, the frayed operating cord 4 is normally fed out by the guide portion 57, and the above-mentioned problem does not occur. In this way, the end unit 5 is provided with an inclined guide portion 57 against which the operating cord 4, which has become slack when the first carrier 8 is moved by the operating member 6 toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2, comes into contact.

[0054] In the case of the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the end unit 5 of the vertical blind 1 is equipped with an inclined guide portion 57. Therefore, with the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, as described above, even if the first carrier 8 is forcefully moved toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 via the operating member 6, causing the operating cord 4 to temporarily become slack, the operating cord 4 moves smoothly while abutting against the guide portion 57 of the end unit 5, preventing the operating cord 4 from becoming clogged in the end unit 5. In other words, the operating cord 4 can be moved stably within the head rail 2.

[0055] In the case of the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the pair of rollers 53, 53 are positioned so that the operating cord 4 in a tensioned state does not come into contact with the guide portion 57. Therefore, with the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the operating cord 4 can move smoothly via the rollers 53 of the end unit 5. Furthermore, when the operating cord 4 is operated, the operating cord 4 is in a tensioned state and does not come into contact with the guide portion 57, which prevents the operating load from increasing due to friction.

[0056] In the case of the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the roller 53 is positioned so as to overlap the guide portion 57 with respect to a straight line extending in the longitudinal direction of the head rail 2. Therefore, with the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the operating cord 4 that has become relaxed and is about to fray can be reliably brought into contact with the guide portion 57, allowing the operating cord 4 to move stably within the head rail 2.

[0057] In the case of the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the end unit 5 is formed with mounting grooves 58 and guide portions 57 for the rollers 53. Therefore, according to the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the end unit 5, which can smoothly move the operating cord 4 by the rollers 53, can be configured on a single case.

[0058] In the case of the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the mounting groove 58 has an insertion portion 59, a guide portion 60, and a mounting portion 61. Therefore, according to the vertical blind 1 of this embodiment, the roller 53 can be easily mounted to the case 54 so that the roller 53 and the guide portion 57 are in a positional relationship where they overlap.

[0059] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes modifications and improvements within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention.

[0060] For example, as shown in Figure 12, the vertical blind 1a of Modification 1 achieves the same effect as the above embodiment even when operated by the operating member 6 of the first carrier 7 located on the side of the hanging operating cord 4. That is, when folding the louver 9 toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 by the operating member 6 of the first carrier 7, even if the operating member 6 is operated forcefully, clogging of the operating cord 4 can be prevented.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the operating members 6 were provided at both longitudinal ends of the head rail 2, but as shown in FIG. 13, in a vertical blind 1b of modified example 2, the operating members 6 may be provided only at one longitudinal end of the head rail 2. In this case, the first carrier 8 located at the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 is used as the master carrier. The master carrier has the same configuration as the second carrier 10, except that both ends of the operating cord 4 are fixed to the master carrier. Louvers 9 are suspended from the master carrier.

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, the operation cord 4 is connected to the end carrier located on the left side, which is the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2. However, as shown in FIG. 14 , in a vertical blind 1c of Modification 3, the operation cord 4 may be connected to the end carrier located on the right side, which is one longitudinal end of the head rail 2. The operation cord 4 extends from one end fixed to the spacer joint of the end carrier having the first carrier 7 located on one longitudinal end of the head rail 2 toward the end unit 5 on the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2, then turns back within the end unit 5, and extends toward the end cap 21 on the one longitudinal end of the head rail 2. The operation cord 4 is fixed to the cord housing 28 in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment. When extending toward the end unit 5, the operation cord 4 penetrates the carrier 3 on one widthwise end side of the head rail 2 (the front side in FIG. 14 ). When extending toward the end cap 21, the operation cord 4 penetrates the carrier 3 on the other widthwise end side of the head rail 2 (the rear side in FIG. 14 ). The operating cord 4 reaches the end cap 21 at one longitudinal end of the head rail 2, hangs down from an operating unit (not shown) provided inside the end cap 21, and then bends back upward. The operating cord 4 that has been bent back upward passes through the operating unit and is then fixed to the first carrier 7 located at one longitudinal end of the head rail 2. The portion fixed to the first carrier 7 is the other end of the operating cord 4. In this way, the operating cord 4 is routed within the head rail 2 in a taut state.

[0063] Because of the above configuration, in the case of the vertical blind 1c of Modification 3, one end of the operating cord 4 is led from the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 to an end carrier located on one longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 and then connected. Therefore, the connection configuration of one end of the operating cord 4 is not limited to the configuration in the above embodiment, in which one end of the operating cord 4 is connected from the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2 to an end carrier located on the other longitudinal end side of the head rail 2. In other words, one end of the operating cord 4 is led from the other end side of the head rail 2 to either the end carrier on one end side of the head rail 2 or the end carrier on the other end side of the head rail 2 and then connected.

[0064] According to the vertical blind 1c of variant example 3, when the louver 9 is folded toward the other longitudinal end of the head rail 2 using the operating member 6 of the first carrier 7, even if the operating member 6 is operated forcefully, clogging of the operating cord 4 can be prevented, as in the case of the above embodiment.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the first carriers 7, 8 and the adjacent second carrier 10 are connected by spacer joints 24, but the first carriers 7, 8 and the second carrier 10 may be integrated into one structure. In this case, by providing the hanging shaft 17 and rotational force transmission mechanism that constitute the second carrier 10 to the first carrier, the louver 9 is suspended from the first carrier together with the operating member 6. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1. Vertical blinds 2 head rails 3. Career 4 Operation Code 5 End Unit 6 Operating member 7 First Career 8 First Career 9 Louvers 10 Second Career 53 Roller 54 cases 57 Guide section 58 Mounting groove 59 Insertion section 60 Information Department

Claims

1. A hollow head rail and a plurality of carriers including a first carrier that is provided to be movable along a longitudinal direction within the head rail and to which an operating member is connected, and a second carrier that supports the louvers in a suspended manner; an operating cord that is routed in a taut state within the head rail and hangs endlessly from one end of the head rail to form an operating section that can move and operate the plurality of carriers; an end unit provided at the other end of the head rail for folding back the operating cord at the other end side of the head rail, one end of the operating cord is led from the other end of the head rail to either one of the end carriers on one end of the head rail or the end carrier on the other end of the head rail, and then connected to the other end carrier; The end unit is a vertical blind that has an inclined guide portion against which the operating cord, which has been relaxed by moving the first carrier toward the other end of the head rail via the operating member, abuts.

2. 2. The vertical blind according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of carriers include the first carrier at at least one of an end carrier on one end side of the head rail and an end carrier on the other end side of the head rail.

3. the end unit includes a roller for folding back the operating cord; The vertical blind according to claim 1 , wherein the roller is disposed at a position where the operating cord in a tensioned state does not abut against the guide portion.

4. The vertical blind according to claim 3 , wherein the roller is disposed at a position that overlaps with the guide portion with respect to a straight line extending in the longitudinal direction of the head rail.

5. The vertical blind according to claim 3, wherein the end unit includes a case having a mounting groove into which the roller can be inserted and the guide portion formed therein, and the roller is mounted to the case.

6. The mounting groove is an insertion portion into which the roller can be inserted from a position where the roller does not overlap with the guide portion; The vertical blind according to claim 5, further comprising: a guide portion connected to the insertion portion and configured to guide the roller inserted into the insertion portion to a position where the roller overlaps with the guide portion.

Images