Roller Blind Slats With Concealed Chain Link Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller blinds with adjustable slats face issues such as limited weight force preventing upper slats from opening, sequential adjustment rather than simultaneous, and visible movement mechanisms compromising appearance, especially when installed on existing guides.
Innovation Solution
A roller blind design with concealed mechanical components that allow angular adjustment of slats using chain link components and rods, enabling installation on existing guides without replacing them, ensuring hidden mechanisms and simultaneous adjustment of all slats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If roller blinds with adjustable slats are installed on existing guides, then installation costs are reduced and compatibility is improved, but the movement mechanism becomes visible compromising appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The movement mechanism is nested within the slat structure itself, with the chain link components and rods concealed inside the slats. This allows the mechanism to remain hidden while still enabling adjustment functionality, resolving the contradiction between cost-effective installation on existing guides and maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The visible movement mechanism is extracted from the traditional external positioning and relocated to the interior of the slats. By taking out the mechanism from its conventional visible position and embedding it within the slat structure, the appearance is preserved while the functional capability remains intact.
2Ease of operation
If traditional mechanical devices are used for slat adjustment, then angular adjustment capability is achieved, but the mechanism becomes visible during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The chain link components and rods that enable angular adjustment are nested within the slat structure. This conceals the mechanical device during operation while preserving the full adjustment capability, allowing users to open and close slats without visible mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical components are localized within specific regions of the slat structure where they are functionally required but visually concealed. This allows the adjustment mechanism to operate effectively while maintaining a clean appearance from the exterior view.
3Device complexity
If weight force of upper slats is used for opening, then no additional mechanism is needed, but upper slats cannot open due to insufficient moment
Solution Approach 1:
The slat adjustment system is segmented into individual chain link components, each connected to specific slats. This segmentation allows each slat to be adjusted independently with sufficient mechanical advantage, overcoming the insufficient moment problem that occurs when relying solely on the weight of upper slats.
Solution Approach 2:
Chain link components act as intermediary elements between the slats and the adjustment force. These intermediaries provide the necessary mechanical advantage and force transmission to enable upper slats to open effectively, bridging the gap between the insufficient weight force and the required opening moment.
4Productivity
If slats are adjusted sequentially from lower to upper, then light and air enter the lower zone first, but this contradicts the practice of prioritizing upper zone ventilation
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into independent chain link components that can operate simultaneously on different slats. This segmentation enables all slats to be adjusted at the same time rather than sequentially, allowing upper zone ventilation to be prioritized immediately while maintaining operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment system transitions from a static sequential process to a dynamic simultaneous process. The chain link components enable all slats to move and adjust at the same time, providing dynamic control over ventilation patterns and allowing immediate optimization of upper zone airflow.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A roller blind of the type with adjustable slats, which can be installed on at least one guide (33) even of the universal type, that is, on guides already installed for moving slats and in situ, comprises slats (30) which are connected to each other, with freedom to oscillate in an angular fashion, sliding on standard guides (33) with the possibility of rotation of the slats.