Bottom rail, blinds

Abstract

This technology provides a way to prevent light leakage from the gap between the bottom rail and the opposing surface. [Solution] A bottom rail 5 for a blind having a plurality of rotatable slats 4, comprising a rail material 51 connected to the lower ends of front and rear sheets 3A, 3B for rotating the slats 4 and rotating together with the rotation of the slats 4 by the front and rear sheets 3A, 3B, and a rotating piece 53 rotatably provided on the rail material 51, which rotates to be located on the lower end side of the rail material 51 and hang down from the rail material 51 when the rail material 51 is rotated from a horizontal state in which it is substantially horizontal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This embodiment relates to a blind having a plurality of rotatable slats and its bottom rail.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of blind, the blind described in Patent Document 1 below is known. This blind includes a first light-transmissive sheet, a second light-transmissive sheet, a plurality of slats provided between the first and second light-transmissive sheets, an opening / closing mechanism in which one ends of the first and second light-transmissive sheets are connected so as to be wound up and unwound, and a bottom rail connected to the other ends of the first and second light-transmissive sheets. By moving the first and second light-transmissive sheets closer or farther apart by the opening / closing mechanism to rotate the slats, the shielding state and the daylighting state are switched.

[0003] In this type of blind, when switching between the shielding state and the daylighting state, the first and second light-transmissive sheets in the wound state are unwound, and the bottom rail is lowered to a lower limit position raised by a predetermined distance from an opposing surface such as a floor surface. This state is the shielding state, and the bottom rail is substantially perpendicular to the opposing surface. Next, when the unwinding of the first and second shielding materials is continued, the first and second shielding materials are separated and the slats become horizontal. This state is the daylighting state, and the bottom rail is horizontal with respect to the opposing surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Normally, in the intermediate state between the shading state and the lighting state, the bottom rail is positioned near its lower limit, although it has not reached it, and is rotated to some extent from a nearly vertical or nearly horizontal position. Therefore, the height dimension of the blind is largest in the intermediate state. As mentioned above, in the shading state, the lower limit of the bottom rail is set at a predetermined distance above the opposing surface, so there is a possibility of light leakage from the gap between the bottom rail and the opposing surface in the shading state, and it was desirable to prevent such light leakage.

[0006] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a technology that can prevent light leakage from the gap between the bottom rail and the opposing surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a bottom rail for a blind having a plurality of rotatable shielding members, comprising: a rail body connected to the lower end of a rotating member for rotating the shielding members and rotating together with the rotation of the shielding members by the rotating member; and a rotating piece rotatably provided on the rail body, which rotates to be located on the lower end side of the rail body and hang down from the rail body when the rail body is rotated from a horizontal state in which it is substantially horizontal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology that can prevent light leakage from the gap between the bottom rail and the opposing surface. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing a blind according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the bottom rail according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a side view showing a side cap according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4]Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the bottom rail. [Figure 5] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a blind in the shielding state according to the first embodiment, viewed from the side. [Figure 6] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a blind in an intermediate state according to the first embodiment, viewed from the side. [Figure 7] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a blind in a light-transmitting state according to the first embodiment, viewed from the side. [Figure 8] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the bottom rail of the blind according to the second embodiment, viewed from the side. [Figure 9] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a blind in the shielding state according to the second embodiment, viewed from the side. [Figure 10] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the bottom rail of the blind according to the third embodiment, viewed from the side. [Figure 11] This is a side view showing a blind related to an application example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the description will be based on an example in which the present invention is applied to a dimmable roller screen equipped with a plurality of slats that can be raised, lowered, and rotated as a shielding material. In the following description, the indoor side of the blind will be referred to as the front, the outdoor side as the back, the direction consisting of the front and back will be referred to as the front-to-back direction, and the width direction of the blind will be referred to as the left-to-right direction. Furthermore, in this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same function will be denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanation.

[0011] <First Embodiment> (Overall structure) The overall configuration of the blind according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of the blind according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, the blind 1 is in a state where the slats 4 and the bottom rail 5 are substantially horizontal (horizontal state), that is, in a daylighting state. Therefore, the lower surface of the bottom rail 5 is lowered to the lower limit position and is in a state of facing the opposing surface F (see FIG. 7), such as the lower frame of the window or the floor surface.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the blind 1 according to this embodiment includes a support member 2, front and rear sheets 3A and 3B, a plurality of slats 4, and a bottom rail 5.

[0013] The support member 2 has a bracket arm 22, a bracket 22A (see FIG. 5), a set frame 24, and a winding pipe 28. The bracket arm 22 is formed in a substantially L shape in side view with a long length in the left-right direction, and is installed by fixing the top plate to a window frame, a wall, or the like using a fastening tool such as a screw. The bracket 22A (see FIG. 5) is fixed to the rear wall of the bracket arm 22. The support member 2 has a set frame 24 that is substantially C-shaped in side view and extends in the left-right direction with an open bottom, and the rear side of the set frame 24 is connected to the bracket 22. A side cover 26 is provided on the side surface of the set frame 24.

[0014] The set frame 24 rotatably holds a winding pipe 28 that is long in the left-right direction inside. A pulley (not shown) is provided at one end of the winding pipe 28. The pulley is rotationally driven by an annular operation cord 6 wound around it, and this rotation is transmitted to the winding pipe 28. The pulley is housed in a pulley case 7. These pulley, operation cord 6, and winding pipe 28 are used for winding and unwinding the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B, and also function as an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing between the slats 4 when the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B are unwound.

[0015] The front sheet 3A is arranged on the front side of the blind 1, and the rear sheet 3B is arranged on the rear side of the blind 1. They are each made of a translucent or transparent sheet-like material such as for example a race, etc., which extends across substantially the entire left-right direction of the blind 1 and has light transmissivity. Each of the front and rear sheets 3A, 3B is connected to the winding pipe 28 supported within the support member 2 such that the upper end is spaced apart by a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction, preferably by the diameter of the winding pipe 28, and is thus supported by the winding pipe 28 so as to be wound and unwound. Also, the front and rear sheets 3A, 3B are connected to the bottom rail 5 extending in the left-right direction such that the lower ends are spaced apart by a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction, preferably spaced apart from each other by a greater distance than the interval between the upper ends, and thus support the bottom rail 5.

[0016] A plurality of slats 4 are provided between the front sheet 3A and the rear sheet 3B, spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. The connection method between the plurality of slats 4 and the front and rear sheets 3A, 3B may be adhesion or sewing. The slats 4 are sheets made of any material such as a woven fabric, knitted fabric, non-woven fabric, paper sheet, synthetic resin sheet, or wood sheet made of synthetic resin fibers or natural fibers, and preferably do not have light transmissivity so as not to transmit light in the shielding state. Note that the slats 4 may have flexibility.

[0017] In the daylighting state shown in FIG. 1, the front and rear sheets 3A, 3B are completely unwound from the winding pipe 28, and the front sheet 3A and the rear sheet 3B are most spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Due to this spacing, for each slat 4, the front side and the rear side are substantially in the same position in the vertical direction, and are in a state substantially orthogonal to each sheet, that is, a substantially horizontal state, and the space between adjacent slats 4 is in an open state. In this state, the bottom rail 5 connected to each sheet is also maintained in a substantially horizontal state similar to the slats 4. In the daylighting state, light from the outside such as sunlight passes through the rear sheet 3B, is reflected by the slats 4, and passes through the front sheet 3A, or the light that has passed through the rear sheet 3B directly passes through the front sheet 3A and enters the room.

[0018] On the other hand, in the shielded state described later, the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B are partially wound up by the winding pipe 28 from the light-transmitting state, and the front sheet 3A and the rear sheet 3B are close together. Due to this proximity, each slat 4 rotates so that its front side is positioned downward and its rear side is positioned upward, becoming approximately parallel to each sheet, i.e., approximately vertical (vertical state), and the space between adjacent slats 4 is closed. In this state, the bottom rail 5 connected to each sheet also rotates in the same way as the slats 4, maintaining an approximately vertical state. Therefore, the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B function as rotating members for rotating (opening and closing) the slats 4 and the bottom rail 5. In the shielded state, the light from the outside passes through the rear sheet 3B but is shielded by each slat 4 which is in an approximately vertical state.

[0019] (Bottom rail 5) Next, the configuration of the bottom rail 5 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the figures. Figure 2 is a side view showing the bottom rail according to this embodiment, and Figure 3 is a side view showing the side cap according to this embodiment. Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the bottom rail shown in Figure 1. In all of the bottom rails 5 shown in Figures 2 to 4, the blind 1 is in a state where it is allowing light in, and the bottom rail 5 maintains a nearly horizontal position, similar to the slats 4.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the bottom rail 5 has a rail material 51 that is elongated in the left-right direction, and side caps 52 are detachably attached to the left and right sides of the rail material 51. These rail material 51 and side caps 52 constitute, for example, the rail body according to the present invention. A rotating piece 53 is provided at the front end of the rail material 51, and a pressing part 54 and a housing part 55 that houses the pressing part 54 are provided at the rear end. Details of these rotating piece 53, pressing part 54, and housing part 55 will be described later.

[0021] On the front side of the upper surface of the rail material 51, a seat mounting portion 56A is formed adjacent to the rotating piece 53 for connecting the lower end of the front seat 3A to the rail material 51, and on the rear side, a seat mounting portion 56B is formed adjacent to the storage portion 55 for connecting the lower end of the rear seat 3B to the rail material 51. The seat mounting portions 56A and 56B are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction and are each formed as a substantially inverted T-shaped groove, into which mounting plates 562 connected to the lower ends of the front and rear seats 3A and 3B are inserted upward in a way that prevents them from being removed. Thus, the rail material 51, and by extension the bottom rail 5, is supported so as to be suspended by the front and rear seats 3A and 3B. The mounting plates 562 can be attached to the rail material 51 by inserting them into the seat mounting portions 56A and 56B from above the rail material 51, or by inserting them into the seat mounting portions 56A and 56B from the side of the rail material 51 with the side caps 52 removed.

[0022] On the front side of the lower surface of the rail material 51, a weight mounting portion 57A is formed adjacent to the rotating piece 53, and on the rear side, a weight mounting portion 57B is formed adjacent to the housing portion 55. The weight mounting portions 57A and 57B are provided adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction and are each formed as a substantially T-shaped groove, into which the weight 572 is inserted so as not to fall out. Preferably, the weight 572 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rail material 51, that is, in the left-right direction. For example, one elongated weight shorter than the left-right size of the rail material 51 is attached to each of the weight mounting portions 57A and 57B, and fixed using screws or the like at an appropriate position in the left-right direction of the rail material 51.

[0023] By varying the weights of the weights 572 in the weight mounting sections 57A and 57B, removing either weight 572, or adjusting their left-right positions, the weights 572 allow for adjustment of the weight and center of gravity of the bottom rail 5. In particular, regardless of the rigidity of the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B, a load can be applied to tension the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B in the shielded state, bringing the sheets closer together, thereby ensuring complete closure between the slats 4 and improving shielding performance. Furthermore, by, for example, inserting or removing the weights 572 or selecting their weights according to the fabric of the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B, it is possible to easily transition the bottom rail 5 from a vertical state in the shielded state to a horizontal state in the light-transmitting state. Additionally, by, for example, not housing the weights 572 in the weight mounting section 57B and housing the weights 572 only in the weight mounting section 57A, it is possible to improve shielding performance in the shielded state. Furthermore, it is possible to adjust the balance of the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B in the left-right direction, for example, and to prevent winding irregularities when winding each sheet onto the winding pipe 28.

[0024] The weight 572 can be attached to the rail material 51 by inserting it into the weight mounting portions 57A and 57B from the side of the rail material 51 with the side cap 52 removed. Each of the weight mounting portions 57A and 57B can be individually fitted into the two fitting projections 526 shown in Figure 3, which are provided on the inner wall surface of the side cap 52 in the left-right direction and protrude out of plane. When the fitting projections 526 are fitted, the side cap 52 can be detachably attached to the rail material 51, and both the left and right sides of the weight mounting portions 57A and 57B are closed, preventing the weight 572 from falling out in the left-right direction.

[0025] The rotating piece 53 is a long, plate-like member that extends over substantially the entire left-right area of ​​the bottom rail 5. It can be made of various materials such as synthetic resin, metal, or wood, as long as it is rotatable by its own weight and does not transmit light. In this embodiment, the rotating piece 53 is formed in a substantially L-shape (V-shape) when viewed from the side, with its lower portion bent inward in the front-rear direction according to the shape of the side cap 52, so as to form the outer casing on the front side of the bottom rail 5, that is, to form the front side wall surface of the bottom rail 5.

[0026] The rotating piece 53 has circular holes 532 formed on both sides in the left-right direction at its upper end. A circular projection 522 that protrudes out of plane and is formed on the side cap 52 facing the hole 532 when attached to the rail material 51 is fitted into the hole 532 so as to be rotatable relative to it. Therefore, the rotating piece 53 is pivotally supported on the rail material 51 via the side cap 52, so as to be rotatable with respect to the hole 532 as the axis. Alternatively, the projection may be formed on the rotating piece 53 and the hole may be formed on the side cap 52.

[0027] The pressing portion 54 is a long member formed to extend over substantially the entire left-right area of ​​the bottom rail 5, and is preferably made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy that is easy to process and relatively heavy. The pressing portion 54 is formed such that, in the light-filled state, its thickness gradually increases in the vertical direction from the front to the rear, so that the upper end of the rear end of the pressing portion 54 is located above the hole 542, which will be described later and will serve as the rotation axis, formed at its front end.

[0028] The pressing portion 54 has circular holes 542 formed on both sides in the left-right direction at its front end. A circular projection 524 that protrudes out of plane and is formed on the side cap 52 facing the hole 542 when attached to the rail material 51 is fitted into the hole 542 so as to be rotatable relative to it. Therefore, the pressing portion 54 is pivotally supported on the rail material 51 via the side cap 52 so as to be rotatable with respect to the hole 542 as the axis. In addition, similar to the rotating piece 53, a projection may be formed on the pressing portion 54 and a hole may be formed on the side cap 52.

[0029] The housing section 55 is formed as a hole that is open at the top and extends in the left-right direction when in the light-enhancing state, and is capable of accommodating almost the entire pressing section 54, including the hole 542. The bottom surface of the housing section 55 is formed as a mounting surface 552 on which at least a portion of the pressing section 54, including the rear end, abuts when in the light-enhancing state. The hole 542 is preferably formed at a position that separates from the mounting surface 552 so that the pressing section 54 can rotate when transitioning between the shielded state and the light-enhancing state. The mounting surface 552 is formed as an inclined surface that gradually slopes upward from the front to the rear.

[0030] (Operation of blinds and bottom rails) Next, the operation of the blind according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the figures. Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the blind in the shading state according to this embodiment, viewed from the side, Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an intermediate state, and Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the light-transmitting state.

[0031] When the operating cord 6 is operated from the state in which the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B are wound up by the winding pipe 28 and the bottom rail 5 is positioned at the upper limit, the blind 1 enters a shielded state as shown in Figure 5, with the bottom rail 5 descending and approaching the lower limit. In the shielded state, as described above, the bottom rail 5 together with the slats 4 is in a substantially vertical state, and as the front side of the bottom rail 5 is positioned downward, the lower end of the rotating piece 53 rotates downward around the hole 532 as an axis so that it hangs down from the bottom rail 5. Therefore, the gap G between the lower end of the bottom rail 5, which is in a substantially vertical state with the opposing surface F, can be closed by the rotating piece 53, and light leakage from the gap G can be reliably prevented. In other words, it is preferable that the vertical length of the rotating piece 53 in the shielded state is formed to be a length that can close the gap G.

[0032] Furthermore, in the light-emitting state, the hole 542 of the pressing portion 54 is located below the upper end of the rear end of the pressing portion 54, and the mounting surface 552 of the housing portion 55 is formed as an inclined surface. Therefore, when the bottom rail 5 is in a nearly vertical state, the pressing portion 54 is located on the upper end side of the bottom rail 5, and its center of gravity is shifted forward of the hole 542. Consequently, in the shielded state, at least a portion of the pressing portion 54 (the rear end in the light-emitting state) can protrude forward from the housing portion 55, making it possible to press the rear sheet 3B. In addition, the rear end of the pressing portion 54 (the rear end in the light-emitting state) is thicker, and relatively more weight is concentrated at the rear end. Therefore, the pressing portion 54 that protrudes forward can press the rear sheet 3B, which is under some tension, forward by its own weight, causing it to flex forward and narrow the gap between it and the front sheet 3A.

[0033] The pressing portion 54 presses the rear sheet 3B forward, that is, toward the front sheet 3A, thereby narrowing the distance between the front sheet 3A and the rear sheet 3B, and consequently bringing the multiple slats 4 arranged between them into close contact. This close contact closes the small gaps between the multiple slats 4, improving the shielding performance in the shielded state. The rear sheet 3B is under a certain degree of tension in supporting the bottom rail 5. Therefore, it is preferable that the pressing portion 54 has enough weight to generate a pressing force that can press the rear sheet 3B forward using its own weight.

[0034] When the operation cord 6 is operated further while the blind is in the shielded state, and the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B are further unwound from the winding pipe 28, the blind 1 enters an intermediate state as shown in Figure 6, with the bottom rail 5 descending closer to the lower limit position. During the transition from the shielded state to the intermediate state, the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B move apart from each other, and accordingly the slats 4 and bottom rail 5 rotate, in this case in a clockwise direction CW. In the intermediate state shown in Figure 6, the vertical length of the blind 1 is shown to be at its longest, and in this state, the rotating piece 53 rotates counterclockwise around the hole 532 as an axis while maintaining contact with the opposing surface F. In this embodiment, in the intermediate state, the entire inner surface of the rotating piece 53 contacts the outer wall surface of the rail material 51, forming the outer casing of the bottom rail 5. Also in this embodiment, the vertical height of the blind 1 is pre-adjusted so that in the intermediate state, the front end of the bottom rail 5 contacts the opposing surface F. As described above, the rotating piece 53 is formed in a roughly L-shape, so even when it is in contact with the opposing surface F, it does not hinder the rotation of the bottom rail 5 and can achieve smooth rotation.

[0035] Furthermore, the pressing portion 54 rotates in the same clockwise direction (CW) as the bottom rail 5 rotates in the clockwise direction (CW), and comes into contact with the mounting surface 552 while being housed within the housing portion 55. Therefore, in the intermediate state for adjusting the amount of light entering the room, the pressure on the rear sheet 3B by the pressing portion 54 is released, and the tight contact between the multiple slats 4 can be released, so that the adjustment of the amount of light is not excessively hindered. In order to achieve this rotation of the pressing portion 54 in the intermediate state, it is preferable to consider the shape, such as the thickness, and the position of the hole portion 542 so that the center of gravity of the pressing portion 54 is shifted towards the rear.

[0036] When the operation cord 6 is operated further in the intermediate state, and the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B are unwound to their maximum extent from the winding pipe 28, the blind 1 will reach the lower limit position of the bottom rail 5, as shown in Figure 7, and enter the light-gathering state described above. During the transition from this intermediate state to the light-gathering state, no rotation of the rotating piece 53 and the pressing part 54 occurs, and the rotating piece 53 maintains the formation of the outer casing of the bottom rail 5, and the pressing part 54 remains housed in the housing part 55, similar to the light-gathering state.

[0037] According to the embodiment described above, the rotating piece 53 can be suspended from the bottom rail 5 in the shielded state, and light leakage from the gap G between the bottom rail 5 and the opposing surface F can be reliably prevented. Furthermore, in the intermediate state and the lighting state, the rotating piece 53 can rotate from its suspended state to form the outer casing of the bottom rail 5, thus preventing the design of the bottom rail 5 from being compromised by the rotating piece 53 remaining in a suspended state.

[0038] Furthermore, the pressing portion 54 can press the rear sheet 3B forward when the shielding is in place, thereby improving shielding performance. In addition, in intermediate and light-transmitting states, the pressing portion 54 can be rotated to release the pressure, and the entire unit can be housed in the housing portion 55. In these states, the aesthetic appearance of the bottom rail 5 visible from the side, and the aesthetic appearance of the bottom rail 5 visible through the front and rear sheets 3A and 3B, are not compromised.

[0039] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the pressing portion 54 was described as being rotatably mounted on the bottom rail 5 around the hole portion 542, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The pressing portion 54 may also be mounted on the rail material 51 in a non-rotatable manner.

[0040] Figure 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the blind near the bottom rail of this embodiment, viewed from the side, and Figure 9 is a longitudinal side view of the blind in the shading state according to this embodiment, viewed from the side. Note that Figure 8 shows the area near the bottom rail 5A of the blind 1A in the light-transmitting state.

[0041] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the blind 1A according to this embodiment differs from the blind 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a bottom rail 5A instead of the bottom rail 5. The bottom rail 5A differs from the bottom rail 5 in that it has a pressing portion 54A instead of the pressing portion 54 and the housing portion 55. As a result of eliminating the pressing portion 54 and the housing portion 55, the sheet mounting portion 56B is located at the rear end of the rail material 51, and the front-rear width of the weight mounting portions 57A, 57B and the weight 572 is extended to the rear.

[0042] The pressing portion 54A is formed as an upwardly projecting projection on the rear upper end of the rail material 51 when light is being collected. Similar to the pressing portion 54, this pressing portion 54A also makes it possible to press the rear sheet 3B forward when shielded, as shown in Figure 9.

[0043] <Third Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the pressing portion 54 was described as being rotatable about the hole portion 542, that is, the pressing portion 54 is connected to the rail material 51 via the side cap 52 so as to be rotatable relative to it, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The pressing portion 54 does not have to be connected to the rail material 51.

[0044] Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the bottom rail of the blind according to this embodiment, viewed from the side. In Figure 10, the vicinity of the bottom rail 5B of the blind 1B is shown in the light-transmitting state.

[0045] As shown in Figure 10, the blind 1B according to this embodiment differs from the blind 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a bottom rail 5B instead of a bottom rail 5. The bottom rail 5B differs from the bottom rail 5 in that it has a pressing portion 54B and a housing portion 55B instead of a pressing portion 54 and a housing portion 55.

[0046] The pressing portion 54B does not have a hole 542 at its front end and is therefore mounted on the bottom rail 5B so as to be able to move somewhat freely within the housing portion 55B. On the other hand, the housing portion 55B has ribs 554 and 556 formed therein to partially restrict the movement of the pressing portion 54B and to allow rotation only around its front end, similar to the pressing portion 54 in the first embodiment.

[0047] The rib 554 protrudes a predetermined amount to the rearward from the front side wall surface of the housing 55B when in a light-transmitting state, and the front end of the pressing portion 54B is located below it. Preferably, the rib 554 is positioned slightly above and spaced apart from the front end of the pressing portion 54B when it is placed on the mounting surface 552. By positioning it in this way, rotation around the front end of the pressing portion 54B can be allowed.

[0048] The rib 556 protrudes a predetermined amount forward from the rear side edge of the housing portion 55B when in a light-transmitting state, and the rear end of the pressing portion 54B is located below it. Preferably, the rib 556 is provided at a position slightly above and spaced apart from the rear end of the pressing portion 54B when it is placed on the mounting surface 552.

[0049] On the other hand, the pressing portion 54B is provided with a projection 544 at its rear end that protrudes to the rear. This projection 544 can come into contact with the rib 556 when the pressing portion 54B rotates in the shielded state, and therefore the projection 544 and the rib 556 prevent the pressing portion 54B from falling out of the housing portion 55B. In other words, the ribs 554 and 556 function as restrictors to prevent the pressing portion 54B from falling out of the rail material 51 while allowing a certain degree of rotation of the pressing portion 54B.

[0050] By providing ribs 554 and 556 in the housing section 55B in this manner, rotation of the pressing section 54B, as shown by the dashed line (double-dotted line) in Figure 10, can be achieved without connecting the pressing section 54B to the rail material 51, and the rear seat 3B can be pressed forward by the pressing section 54B when the shielding is engaged. When housing the pressing section 54B in the housing section 55B, the pressing section 54B can be inserted into the housing section 55B from the side of the rail material 51 with the side cap 52 removed.

[0051] In the first to third embodiments described above, the present invention was applied to a dimmable roller screen equipped with front and rear sheets 3A and 3B, which transitions between a shading state and a light-transmitting state by operating the operating cord 6. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this and may also be applied to an electrically operated dimmable roller screen. Furthermore, the present invention may also be applied to a horizontal blind in which a plurality of slats are rotatably supported by a ladder cord. In this case, the pressing part 54 presses the rear vertical cord of the front and rear vertical cords that constitute the ladder cord, bringing the rear vertical cord closer to the front vertical cord, thereby closing the gap between the slats 4 and improving the shading performance in the shading state.

[0052] Furthermore, although it has been explained in each embodiment that the pressing portion 54 is formed to be elongated so as to extend substantially over the entire left-right direction of the bottom rail 5, it is not limited to this. For example, it may be formed to be short and multiple portions provided in the left-right direction. In this case, for example, the hole 542 of the pressing portion 54 may be formed as a through hole, and the two side caps 52 may be configured to pivotally support both ends of a rotating shaft that is inserted through the hole 542 so as to be rotatable relative to it. Note that if the blind is such that multiple slats are rotatably supported by ladder cords, the vertical cords on the rear side of the ladder cords are arranged at regular intervals along the left-right direction, so each of the multiple pressing portions 54 may be positioned individually according to that interval.

[0053] Furthermore, although the rotating piece 53 is described as being approximately L-shaped in side view in each embodiment, it is not limited to this, and any shape is acceptable, such as a straight flat plate, as long as it can shield the gap G in the shielded state and form the outer casing of the bottom rail 5 in the intermediate state and the light-transmitting state. For example, since the bottom rail 5 has a chamfered shape at its lower end in the front-rear direction in side view, the rotating piece 53 is approximately L-shaped in side view. However, if the lower end in the front-rear direction is curved in side view, the rotating piece 53 may also be curved in a similar manner.

[0054] Furthermore, in each embodiment, it was explained that the pressing portion 54 is almost entirely housed in the housing portion 55. Here, "housed" can include a state in which the pressing portion 54 is rotatably retracted into the housing portion 55, as shown in Figure 11, or a state in which a part of the pressing portion 54 is slightly exposed from the bottom rail 5 (housing portion 55) in a side view, as shown in Figure 1. Note that by having the pressing portion 54 retracted into the housing portion 55 as shown in Figure 11, the design of the side view of the blind 1 in intermediate and daylighting states can be improved.

[0055] The present invention can be implemented in various other forms without departing from its essence or main features. Therefore, the embodiments described above are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be construed restrictively. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and is not restricted by the text of the specification. Furthermore, all variations, improvements, substitutions, and modifications falling within the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 1 Blind 3A Front seat (rotating member, first rotating member) 3B Rear seat (rotating member, second rotating member) 4 slats (shielding material) 5 Bottom Rail 51 Rail material (rail body) 52 Side caps (rail body) 53 Rotating Piece 54 Pressing part 55 Accommodation 554 Rib (regulating section) 556 Rib (regulating section) 552 Mounting surface 57A, 57B Weight mounting section (weight storage section) 572 weights

Claims

1. A bottom rail for a blind having multiple rotatable shielding members, A rail body connected to the lower end of a rotating member for rotating the shielding material, which rotates together with the rotation of the shielding material by the rotating member, A rotating piece is rotatably mounted on the rail body, and when the rail body is rotated from a substantially horizontal position, it is positioned on the lower end side of the rail body and rotates so as to hang down from the rail body. A bottom rail equipped with this feature.

2. The rotating piece is supported at one end so as to be rotatable on the rail body that it forms a part of the outer casing of the rail body, at least in the horizontal position. The bottom rail according to claim 1.

3. The rail body has two side caps that can be individually attached to each of its left and right sides, The rotating piece is positioned between the two side caps and is pivotally supported by the two side caps so as to be rotatable. The bottom rail according to claim 1.

4. The rail body is connected to a first rotating member, which is positioned on one side of the shielding material in the front-rear direction, and a second rotating member, which is positioned on the other side of the shielding material in the front-rear direction, respectively. The shielding material and the rail body become substantially vertical when the first and second rotating members approach each other. The rail body is provided with a pressing portion located on the upper end side of the rail body in the vertical position, which presses the second rotating member toward the first rotating member. The bottom rail according to claim 1.

5. The pressing portion is rotatably mounted on the rail body and, at least in the horizontal state, is housed within the rail body, and in the vertical state, at least a portion of it protrudes from the rail body to press against the second rotating member. The bottom rail according to claim 4.

6. The pressing portion is provided on the rail body such that it rotates around one end and, in the vertical position, the center of gravity of the pressing portion is closer to the second rotating member than to the end of the pressing portion, thereby rotating toward the second rotating member in the vertical position and pressing the second rotating member. The bottom rail according to claim 4.

7. In the horizontal position, the vertical thickness at the other end of the pressing portion is greater than the vertical thickness at one end of the pressing portion, and the upper end of the other end of the pressing portion is located above the one end of the pressing portion. The bottom rail according to claim 6.

8. The rail body has a mounting surface on which at least a portion of the pressing portion is placed when in the horizontal position. The mounting surface is inclined from near one end of the pressing portion to near the other end of the pressing portion, such that in the vertical state, the center of gravity of the pressing portion is shifted towards the second rotating member. The bottom rail according to claim 6.

9. The rail body has a restricting portion that allows the pressing portion to rotate and prevents it from falling off the rail body. The bottom rail according to claim 6.

10. The rail body has weight housing sections that accommodate multiple weights at different positions in the front-rear direction. The bottom rail according to claim 1.

11. Bottom rail according to any one of claims 1 to 10 Blinds equipped with this feature.

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