Window Shade Cord Shroud Structure for Child Entanglement Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing window shades pose a risk to children due to loose cords that can entangle and cause strangulation, as they are not adequately secured to prevent loose ends and do not provide a safe, aesthetically pleasing, and long-lasting solution.
Innovation Solution
A window shade design featuring a collapsible shroud that encases the cord, with strategically spaced cord guides to ensure the cord remains secured and cannot become loose, reducing the risk of entanglement by keeping the cord within the shroud as the shade is raised or lowered.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cord is made loose to allow easy operation of the shade, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety is worsened due to risk of entanglement and strangulation
Solution Approach 1:
The cord is nested within the shroud, creating a protective enclosure that allows the cord to remain functional for operating the shade while preventing direct access to children. The shroud acts as a containing structure that holds the cord in a safe configuration during normal operation and retraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The shroud serves as an intermediary element between the cord and the child. Instead of directly exposing the child to the dangerous cord, the shroud mediates the interaction by providing a protective barrier that allows the cord to function while preventing harmful contact.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cord is enclosed within a shroud to improve safety, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud serves multiple functions: it encloses the cord for safety, provides structural support for the shade, and acts as a guide for the cord during operation. By making the shroud multi-functional, the design reduces the need for separate safety mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Reliability
If the shroud is secured to the shading material at multiple locations to prevent cord loosening, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of manufacture is worsened due to more attachment points
Solution Approach 1:
The shroud is segmented into multiple sections that can be independently secured to the shading material at spaced locations. This segmentation allows for reliable attachment that prevents cord loosening while enabling modular assembly, where each segment can be manufactured and attached separately, potentially simplifying the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A window shade that reduces the risk of an individual becoming entangled in cords used to operate the shade includes a headrail adapted for horizontal mounting above a window, a shading material attached to the headrail, and at least one cord for raising and lowering the shading material. The cord is attached to a location adjacent a lower end of the material, and extends upward through split ring cord guides toward the headrail. The cord is encased within a collapsible shroud attached to each cord guide. The shroud is adapted to longitudinally extend as the shading material is lowered toward a deployed position, and then longitudinally collapse as the shading material is raised toward a stowed position.