Enclosed Blind Loop Control With Bias-Activated Safe Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blind control systems with endless loop elements pose safety hazards due to exposure, entanglement risks, and inconvenient access, particularly for children and pets, as they are not adequately enclosed or anchored, leading to unsafe conditions and operational difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A blind control system featuring a safety enclosure, such as a tubular or channel design, that encloses the endless loop element, allowing it to be operated within the enclosure using a rotary driver or motorized system, enabling safe and convenient adjustment without exposing the loop, and can be retrofitted to existing blinds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the blind control element is enclosed in a safety enclosure, then safety is improved by preventing entanglement and unsafe access, but accessibility for operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A drive system acts as an intermediary mechanism between the user and the enclosed control element. The drive system includes a drive member with a drive interface that can be accessed through the enclosure, allowing operation without direct access to the control element itself. This mediator enables safe operation while maintaining accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure is segmented with openings or access points that allow the drive system to interact with the control element. The drive system is separated into components: some parts remain enclosed for safety, while the drive interface extends outward for user access. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between enclosure and accessibility.
2Ease of operation
If the control element is guided and controlled through a fixed pulley, then operational control is improved by preventing twisting and entanglement, but safety deteriorates due to dislodgement risks and incorrect installation
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley is transformed from a fixed, stationary component to a dynamic component that can move vertically along the control element. The pulley is biased by a spring to maintain tension on the control element while allowing it to slide up and down. This dynamic design ensures continuous control without the safety risks of fixed pulleys that can dislodge or be incorrectly installed.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-biased pulley system is self-adjusting and self-regulating. The spring automatically maintains the appropriate tension on the control element as the blind moves, eliminating the need for precise installation or manual adjustment. The system self-corrects for variations in control element length and blind position, ensuring both control and safety without user intervention.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the pulley is attached to the window frame, then stability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as users must stand close to the window to reach the chain
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley assembly is made dynamic by allowing it to move vertically along the control element while maintaining tension. The spring-biased pulley can slide up and down the control element, extending the effective reach of the control mechanism. Users can operate the blind from a greater distance as the pulley moves to accommodate different reach positions while maintaining stable control through continuous tension.
4Ease of operation
If the control element is left exposed for manual adjustment, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates as children and pets can easily reach the chain
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system serves as an intermediary that translates user input into control element movement without requiring direct exposure of the control element. Users interact with the drive interface which is positioned outside the enclosure, and the drive system transmits this input through the enclosure walls to the enclosed control element, eliminating the safety hazard while maintaining operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure acts as a flexible or rigid shell that contains the control element while allowing drive forces to be transmitted through it. The enclosure walls can be designed with openings or flexible sections that permit drive force transmission while physically blocking access to the control element by children and pets.
Data Source
AI summary
A blind having a blind operating mechanism and an endless loop blind control element for operating the blind mechanism, comprising: an enclosure extending from an upper end to a lower end, with the endless loop blind control element enclosed within the enclosure between the upper end to the lower end of said enclosure, when in a first position; a connector supporting the upper end of the enclosure adjacent to the blind operating mechanism and depending downwardly from it; and the lower end of said enclosure moveable from said first position towards that upper end to a second position so as to permit operation of said endless loop blind control element. The invention also relates to a lower housing displaceable towards the enclosure.