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US4381811A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Support carrier for the drive shaft of a vertical venetian blind

Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
•
Filing: 1980-04-03
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Granted: 1983-05-03
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Expires: 2000-04-03
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Abstract

Abstract A support carrier for the drive shaft of a vertical venetian blind is disclosed for supporting the drive shaft intermediate its ends, particularly when the blind is open. The support carrier moves along the drive shaft to a predetermined stop point so that a number of support carriers may be used if necessary positioned at various points along the drive shaft. The drive shaft moves the support carrier through a slip clutch engaged with the drive shaft, which clutch is a disk in slideable engagement with the facing inner surfaces of the casing walls of the support carrier.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kurt H. Frentzel
  • 👤 Herman Oskam

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 08:38
CPC Classifications
E; E06; E06B; E06B9/00; E06B9/24; E06B9/26; E06B9/36; E06B9/362; E06B9/364; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S160/00; Y10S160/90

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 137 words
In a louvered venetian blind having vertical louvers, a headrail, a plurality of louver carriers mounted on said headrail for movement therealong, a drive shaft mounted in said headrail, support carriers mounted in said headrail for movement therealong and driveable by said drive shaft and said support carriers supportingly engaging said drive shaft, the improvement comprising: at least one pull carrier driveable by said drive shaft for moving said louver carriers along said headrail to open and close said blind; said pull carrier being positioned to be engaged by a support carrier upon movement of said support carrier in one direction along said headrail; and cooperating means on said pull carrier, said support carrier and said rail to brake said pull carrier against movement along said rail upon engagement of said pull carrier by said support carrier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 137 words
In a louvered venetian blind having vertical louvers, a headrail, a plurality of louver carriers mounted on said headrail for movement therealong, a drive shaft mounted in said headrail, support carriers mounted in said headrail for movement therealong and driveable by said drive shaft and said support carriers supportingly engaging said drive shaft, the improvement comprising: at least one pull carrier driveable by said drive shaft for moving said louver carriers along said headrail to open and close said blind; said pull carrier being positioned to be engaged by a support carrier upon movement of said support carrier in one direction along said headrail; and cooperating means on said pull carrier, said support carrier and said rail to brake said pull carrier against movement along said rail upon engagement of said pull carrier by said support carrier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 108 words
The venetian blind according to claim 1, in which said cooperating means includes: (a) a sloped surface on said pull carrier; (b) at least one rail engaging member on said support carrier longitudinally aligned with said sloped surface; and (c) spaced members in said headrail; said sloped surface and said rail engaging member being positioned between said spaced members in said headrail, said rail engaging member when said support carrier is moved along said headrail by said drive shaft contacting said sloped surface; and said sloped surface and said rail engaging member when mutually engaged becoming jammed between said spaced members to brake said pull carrier against movement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The venetian blind according to claim 2, in which said sloped surface is one surface of a wedge pivotally mounted on said pull carrier on one side thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 52 words
The venetian blind according to claim 3, in which said wedge piece has its sloped surface facing generally toward a rail engaging member of said support carrier, a resilient stop on said wedge piece, and said resilient stop being positioned on the opposite end of said wedge piece from said sloped surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
The venetian blind according to claim 4, in which said resilient stop is positioned to engage a portion of a louver carrier mounted in said headrail.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
The venetian blind according to claim 5, in which said resilient stop is joined to said wedge piece only adjacent one end of said resilient stop.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 47 words
The venetian blind according to claim 1, in which said support carrier includes a slip clutch, said drive shaft has at least one helical groove therealong, said slip clutch embracing said drive shaft, and said slip clutch having a cam-like member in engagement with said helical groove.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 50 words
The venetian blind according to claim 7, in which said slip clutch comprises a disk, said support carrier has two spaced walls extending transverse to said drive shaft, and each of the opposite faces of said disk is in slideable engagement with the inner surface of one of said walls.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
The venetian blind according to claim 8, in which the thickness of said disk is at least slightly larger than the clear space between the inner surfaces of said walls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 75 words
The venetian blind according to claim 9, in which upon rotation of said drive shaft the engagement between the cam-like member on said slip clutch and said helical groove effects movement of said disk and said support carrier along said drive shaft; and said disk sliding with respect to said transverse walls when said support carrier engages said pull carrier to brake said pull carrier and said support carrier against further movement along said rail.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3054446A Cited
US3190346A Cited
US3500896A Cited
GB1323291A Cited
FR2396151A1 Cited
US4267875A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-05-02 1986-11-01 1987-05-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-05-02 1990-11-01 1991-05-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-05-02 1994-11-01 1995-05-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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