Window Shade Cord Anchor with Movable Holders for Entanglement Prevention

Solution Overview

Problem

Window shades with operating cords pose a risk of accidental entanglement around a child's neck due to their free-hanging nature, leading to potential injury.

Innovation Solution

An anchor device for window shades that includes a casing with movable holding parts to securely engage and release the operating element, preventing it from swinging and wrapping around the neck, featuring a first and second holding part with engaging portions that allow controlled movement and attachment to a fixed support surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the operating cord is allowed to hang freely for easy operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety risk increases due to potential entanglement around a child's neck

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidsafety risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor device is divided into multiple functional segments: a casing that provides structural containment, first and second holding parts that independently engage the operating element, and an elastic element that provides responsive force. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively achieving both safe containment and operational ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The holding parts are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position along the operating element. The elastic element provides dynamic responsiveness, automatically engaging and disengaging the holding parts based on the operational state, thus maintaining safety during normal use while allowing easy operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the operating cord is restricted to prevent swinging and entanglement, then the safety risk is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to limited movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety riskVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The holding parts are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position along the operating element. The elastic element provides dynamic responsiveness, automatically engaging and disengaging the holding parts based on the operational state, thus maintaining safety during normal use while allowing easy operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The device changes the positional parameter of the holding parts along the operating element. During normal operation, the holding parts are spaced apart allowing movement; during safety engagement, they are positioned to restrict movement. This parameter change allows the system to adapt between safety and operational ease states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the anchor device securely holds the operating element to prevent movement, then the safety risk is reduced, but the operating element cannot move freely for normal operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety riskVSAvoidmovement range

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The holding parts are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position along the operating element. The elastic element provides dynamic responsiveness, automatically engaging and disengaging the holding parts based on the operational state, thus maintaining safety during normal use while allowing easy operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic element provides self-service by automatically engaging and disengaging the holding parts based on the operational state without external intervention. When the operating element is pulled for operation, the elastic element naturally allows movement; when released, it automatically re-engages to provide safety containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20260078636A1Anchor device for an operating element and window shade including the same

Publication Date: 2026.03.19 TEH YOR CO LTD

AI summary

An anchor device for an operating element of a window shade includes a casing having a passage of an operating element, a first holding part movably connected to the casing and having a first engaging portion adapted to engage with the operating element, and a second holding part movably connected to the casing and having a second engaging portion adapted to engage with the operating element. The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are operable to engage with the operating element so that the anchor device holds on to the operating element, and are placed away from each other to release the operating element for movement of the operating element through the anchor device.