Dual Cord Blind Operating Assembly for Low-Force, Tangle-Resistant Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dual cord operating systems for architectural coverings, such as vertical blinds, often require high pull force and are prone to entanglements, with the hand wand potentially kicking away from vertical alignment due to integrated housing and cord tension.
Innovation Solution
A dual cord operating system that couples a head rail cord loop with a separately configured control cord loop, providing mechanical advantage and reducing pull force, while maintaining the control cord loop in a configuration that minimizes entanglements and keeps the wand aligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cord loop is used for operation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the pull force required increases and control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The operating system divides the cord loop into two separate cord loops: a first cord loop for controlling head rail movement and a second cord loop for controlling vane rotation. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each cord's function, reducing the pull force required for each operation while maintaining overall system control.
2Device complexity
If the hand wand is integrated into the housing, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stability of wand alignment deteriorates due to cord tension
Solution Approach 1:
The hand wand is extracted from the integrated housing configuration and positioned separately. This allows the wand to be guided independently by the first cord loop without being subjected to the combined tensions that would cause it to kick away from vertical alignment, while still maintaining a compact overall structure.
3Ease of operation
If the control cord loop is positioned for easy access, then the ease of operation improves, but the likelihood of entanglements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first cord loop is routed through the hand wand, utilizing the vertical dimension and the wand's rotational movement to guide the cord. This dimensional approach allows the cord to remain easily accessible for operation while preventing lateral displacement and entanglement that would occur with traditional horizontal routing near the operation point.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system reduces the required pull force for operation and minimizes entanglements, maintaining the hand wand's vertical alignment, thus enhancing user control and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The two cord loops may be coupled to provide mechanical advantage and reduced pull force for a user compared to systems in which the head rail cord and the control cord are coupled without a mechanical advantage
Data Source
AI summary
A covering for an architectural opening has a dual cord operating system. The covering may include a head rail, blind panels depending from the head rail, and an operating system. The operating system may include a housing connected to the head rail, a first drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and a second drive assembly rotatably mounted within the housing and operable to move the blind panels between a closed configuration and an open configuration.