Window curtain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional window curtains face issues with increased assembly difficulty, manufacturing cost, and noise due to the enlarged width of sliding tracks required for pulley sets, and height differences in track connections affecting smoothness and noise levels.
Innovation Solution
A window curtain design featuring a top track with two hollow track rods, a sliding unit with adjustable pulley supports, and a cord cap system that reduces the size of the sliding unit, eliminates height differences in guide tracks, and allows for adjustable positioning to enhance smoothness and shading area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sliding track width is enlarged to accommodate pulley sets, then the pulley sets can slide smoothly, but the assembly difficulty, manufacturing cost, and packing size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional wide-track horizontal sliding mechanism to a vertical sliding mechanism where the pulley set moves along the vertical edge of the window frame. This dimensional change allows the sliding mechanism to operate in a narrow vertical space rather than requiring a wide horizontal track, thereby maintaining sliding smoothness while reducing assembly complexity and packing requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the pulley set from the traditional enclosed track system and repositions it to slide along the external vertical edge of the window frame. This extraction eliminates the need for a wide internal track structure, reducing the complexity of the supporting base while preserving the essential sliding function
2Device complexity
If the inner track and outer track are connected with height difference, then the structure is simplified, but the sliding smoothness deteriorates and noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the dual-track system entirely by extracting the sliding mechanism to operate on a single vertical edge of the window frame. This removes the height difference problem between inner and outer tracks while maintaining structural simplicity, as the pulley set now follows a single vertical path rather than transitioning between two horizontally-connected tracks
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
This design reduces packaging and shipping costs, improves the smoothness of sliding, decreases noise, and increases the shading area by allowing for adjustable positions of the sliding bases, addressing the limitations of conventional window curtains.
Implementation Method 1
The guide track has a T-shaped cross-section... adapted to load the pulley set... to enable opening and closing of the window curtain
Implementation Method 2
a locating block having an elastic buffering piece is formed at a front end of the second locating groove which is located close to the locating cover so as to limit the moving space of the sliding block
Implementation Method 3
an end of the lift cord is adapted to pass through the second elongated opening to downwardly hang outside of the cord cap
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A window curtain may include a top track, at least a sliding unit, and a plurality of shades, and the top track has at least two track rods sleeved together, which reduces the packaging and shipping costs. Each of the track rods is hollow to form a channel therein, and the channel comprises two vertical guide tracks. The sliding unit comprises a plurality of first sliding bases formed in parallel, and each of the first sliding bases other than the innermost one is connected to a second sliding base. Each of the second sliding bases comprises a pulley support, and each of the pulley supports has at least a pulley set installed thereon. The pulley sets are adapted to slide along the track rods through the guide tracks which have no height difference so as to improve the smoothness of sliding movement of the pulley sets.