Between the glass venetian blinds

Claim 2

A window blind of the type having a headrail, a bottom rail, a plurality of lift cords extending from the headrail to the bottom rail, a plurality of slats between the bottom rail and the headrail, and a plurality of ladders on which the slats rest, each ladder having a pair of spaced apart rails, each lift cord being substantially coplanar with the rails of a ladder, wherein the bottom rail comprises: a. an elongated body having a top attached along a front edge and along a back edge to a bottom, the top having at least one opening through which the lift cords pass and the bottom having a hole for each ladder wherein the rails of a ladder and all lift cords coplanar with that ladder pass through the hole for that ladder; and b. a rivet passing through each hole retaining the rails and lift cords passing through that hole by frictionally engaging the rails and lift cords with said hole.

Claim 3

The window blind of claim 1 wherein the slats are curved and have a same curvature as the top of the bottom rail.

Claim 4

The window blind of claim 1 wherein the elongated body is an extrusion.

Claim 5

The window blind of claim 1 wherein the elongated body is a plastic.

Claim 6

The window blind of claim 1 also comprising pivot pins attached to opposite ends of the bottom rail.

Claim 7

The window blind of claim 5 wherein the bottom rail is sized and configured to permit rotation of the bottom rail about the pivot pins of as much as 150° to 180°.

Claim 8

The window blind of claim 1 wherein one rail of each ladder extends over the front edge and one rail of each ladder extends over the back edge.

Claim 9

The window blind of claim 1 also comprising a bottom slat attached to the top of the bottom rail.

Claim 10

The window blind of claim 1 wherein the headrail is comprised of: a. a front portion comprised of an elongated front face having an inside surface and an outside surface, and a front portion base extending from the inside surface; and b. a rear portion comprised of an elongated rear face having an inside surface and an outside surface, and a rear portion base extending from the inside surface of the rear face and attached to the front portion base.

Claim 11

The window blind of claim 9 wherein one of the front portion and the rear portion is plastic and the other portion is metal.

Claim 12

The window blind of claim 9 also comprising a front inwardly extending tab attached to the inner surface of the front portion opposite the front portion base and a rear inwardly extending tab attached to the inner surface of the rear portion opposite the rear portion base and across from the front inwardly extending tab.

Claim 13

The window blind of claim 1 wherein a gap exists between a top slat and the headrail when the slats are in a fully tilted position and also comprising at least one skirt extending from the headrail and being sized and positioned to block light from passing from one side of the blind through the gap to an opposite side of the blind.

Claim 14

The window blind of claim 1 also comprising a tilt mechanism comprising: a. a shaft positioned within the headrail and having a double helix threaded portion and portions to which the tilt cords can be attached; b. a nut on the threaded portion of the shaft; c. a first magnet attached to the nut and positioned for placement adjacent the inner surface of a pane of glass; and d. a slide having a second magnet positioned opposite the first magnet such that movement of the slide and second magnet in one direction moves the nut in that same direction causing the shaft to rotate in a clockwise direction and movement of the slide and second magnet in an opposite direction moves the nut in that opposite direction causing the shaft to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, wherein the slide is comprised of a generally rectangular housing having a slot and a tab projecting through the slot and attached to the second magnet, the tab projecting outwards from the housing such that the tab can be grasped manually and moved within the slot to move the second magnet with respect to the housing thereby causing the shaft to rotate an amount corresponding to a distance over which the tab is moved.

Claim 15

The window blind of claim 13 wherein at least one of the first magnet and the second magnet is a neodymium magnet.

Claim 16

The window blind of claim 13 wherein at least one of the threaded portion and the nut is a thermoplastic.

Claim 17

The window blind of claim 13 wherein the slide is comprised of a generally rectangular housing and a tab slidably attached to the housing, the second magnet being attached to the tab.

Claim 18

An improved double pane window of the type having a frame carrying a first pane of glass which has an inside surface and an outside surface, a second pane of glass and a window blind positioned between the panes of glass, the window blind of the type having a headrail, a bottom rail, a plurality of lift cords extending from the headrail to the bottom rail, a plurality of slats between the bottom rail and the headrail, and a plurality of ladders on which the slats rest, each ladder having a pair of spaced apart rails, each lift cord being substantially coplanar with the rails of a ladder wherein the bottom rail comprises: a. an elongated body having an outwardly curving top attached along a front edge and along a back edge to an outwardly curving bottom, the top having at least one opening through which the lift cords pass and the bottom having a hole for each ladder, wherein the rails of a ladder and all lift cords coplanar with that ladder, pass through the hole for that ladder; and b. a rivet passing through each hole retaining the rails and lift cords passing through that hole by frictionally engaging the rails and lift cords with said hole.

Claim 19

An improved double pane window of the type having a frame carrying a first pane of glass which has an inside surface and an outside surface, a second pane of glass and a window blind positioned between the panes of glass, the window blind of the type having a headrail, a bottom rail, a plurality of lift cords extending from the headrail to the bottom rail, a plurality of slats between the bottom rail and the headrail, and a plurality of ladders on which the slats rest, each ladder having a pair of spaced apart rails, each lift cord being substantially coplanar with the rails of a ladder wherein the bottom rail comprises: a. an elongated body having an outwardly curving top attached along a front edge and along a back edge to an outwardly curving bottom, the top having at least one opening through which the lift cords pass and the bottom having a hole for each ladder, wherein the rails of a ladder and all lift cords coplanar with that ladder, pass through the hole for that ladder; and b. a rivet passing through each hole retaining the rails and lift cords passing through that hole by frictionally engaging the rails and lift cords with said hole.

Claim 20

The improved window of claim 17 wherein the slats are curved and have a same curvature as the top of the bottom rail.

Claim 21

The improved window of claim 17 also comprising pivot pins attached to opposite ends of the bottom rail.

Claim 22

The improved window of claim 19 wherein the bottom rail is sized and configured to permit rotation of the bottom rail about the pivot pins of as much as 150° to 180°.

Claim 23

The window blind of claim 17 wherein one rail of each ladder extends over the front edge and one rail of each ladder extends over the back edge.

Claim 24

The improved window of claim 17 wherein at least one of the first pane of glass and the second pane of glass is removable from the frame.