EP2374379A2

EP2374379A2 - Horizontal displacement device for superimposed curtains

Info

Publication number: EP2374379A2
Application number: EP11002131A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rafael Pascual Bernabeu
Original assignee: INTERFABRICS SL
Current assignee: INTERFABRICS SL
Priority date: 2010-04-06
Filing date: 2011-03-15
Publication date: 2011-10-12
Also published as: ES1072795Y; ES1072795U

Abstract

The present invention relates to a horizontal displacement device for superimposed curtains, comprising device for adjusting the relative displacement between two superimposed curtains which frontally face one another for the purpose of adjusting the confrontation between vertical areas, strips or bands of one with respect to the other, and thus controlling the amount of light entering from outside, and therefore the level of ambient illumination of the interior space. The device comprises a first roller extended between the side covers of a cornice box, susceptible to rotation about its longitudinal axis, from which one of the curtains hangs, and a set of second rollers consisting of two concentric rollers of different lengths, parallel to the first roller, the inner concentric roller of which is also extended between both side covers and the outer concentric roller is able to support the other curtain and can be horizontal displaced along the first concentric roller by a stroke length equivalent to the difference in length between both, this formation of concentric rollers being susceptible to rotation with respect to a common longitudinal axis and simultaneously with the aforementioned first roller.

Description

Object of the invention,

The present invention relates to a horizontal displacement device for superimposed curtains which provides essential novel features and considerable advantages with respect to the means known and used for the same purposes in the current state of the art.
More particularly, the invention proposes a device especially designed for being applied in installations with two superimposed curtains which frontally face one another for the relative displacement of one of them horizontally with respect to the other one for the purpose of adjusting the confrontation between predetermined vertical areas, strips or bands of both curtains which alternate with different degrees of transparency for the purpose of controlling the amount of light entering from outside, and therefore the level of illumination of the interior space in which the curtains hung from the device are installed.
The field of application of the invention is comprised within the industrial sector dedicated to the installations of curtains in general and of adjustable curtains in particular.

Background and Summary of the Invention

Installations for two curtains provided to achieve what is typically referred to as the "night and day" effect, i.e., an adjustment at will of a greater or lower level of illumination in an interior space from the light entering from outside through one or more windows, are widely known in the current state of the art. These installations simply consist of assemblies which include two separate independent curtains hung from the upper cornice box with the possibility of adjusting the height as is common, in which horizontal strips or bands have been formed in the cloth of each of said curtains, such that these strips are made so that they are alternately more transparent and less transparent. The adjustment of the level of light entering from the outside is achieved by adjusting the height of one of the curtains with respect to the other one by means of acting on cords or chains which usually hang from one side of the cornice box assembly such that a variable confrontation of the horizontal more or less transparent bands occurs. Therefore, when the respective less and more transparent strips of each of the curtains are facing one another, a greater passage of light through the pairs of more transparent strips, and therefore a greater level of illumination of the interior space, is allowed, whereas when a more transparent strip of each of the curtains is facing a less transparent strip of the other one, this less transparent strip allows passage of a minimal level of light, and therefore the lowest possible level of interior illumination is achieved. Naturally any intermediate position, and therefore a level of illumination ranging between a maximum and a minimum, can be allowed. This variation in the levels of interior illumination is what has given rise to the expression "night and day" applied to curtains of this type.
Although current devices have favorably solved the desired night and day effect as has been explained above, the horizontal arrangement of the bands with different transparency and the need to incorporate different mechanisms for the adjustable movement of each of the curtains has shown several drawbacks in practice that would be desirable to solve.
Therefore, taking the foregoing into account, the main objective of the present invention is the implementation of a device for an installation with two curtains intended for achieving the aforementioned "night and day" effect which improves the current mechanisms and favorably solves the drawbacks of the current art. This objective has been met by means of the device that will be described below, the essential features of which are included in the characterizing part of the attached claim 1 .
For that purpose, the device proposed by the invention allows raising or lowering the curtains to the desired height, just like conventional devices, but this upward and downward movement of both curtains is performed simultaneously, and the alternating bands with different transparency are furthermore formed in the cloths of both curtains in the vertical direction, such that the greater or lesser confrontation between them for adjusting the amount of light entering the protected space is only achieved by displacing one curtain with respect to the other one in the horizontal direction. For that purpose, the cloth of one of the curtains is hung from a horizontal roller which allows rotation about its longitudinal axis, thereby causing the upward/downward movement of the cloth of that curtain as is conventional, whereas the cloth of the other curtain is hung from a roller that is concentric with the other horizontal roller, parallel with the one of the first curtain, such that the inner roller logically has a smaller diameter than the outer roller but is longer in length, such that the outer roller carrying the cloth can be moved longitudinally along the inner roller in a stroke equivalent to the difference in length between both concentric rollers, this stroke length being approximately equivalent to the Width of any one of the vertical bands formed in the cloths of both curtains. The ratio of confrontation between bands can therefore be adjusted in a positional range going from complete superimposition of respective more transparent and less transparent bands to the complete superimposition of a more transparent band of each of the curtains and a less transparent band of the other curtain. The displaceable concentric roller is actuated from the outside by means of the user acting on a cord hanging from a side of the cornice box which is guided by means of small wheels installed in the closure parts of both ends of the cornice box. The displaceable roller further has end supports configured so that they can be hung from a track formed in the upper base of the cornice box, such that the weight of this roller and of the associated cloth is supported by said upper base of the cornice box, and unwanted jamming and friction between both concentric rollers is thereby prevented.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other features and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given solely as an illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1(a-c) shows front and end elevational views of a device according to the invention, devoid of the cloths for the purpose of simplifying the drawing;
Figure 2 shows a view similar to Figure 1. with the device provided with the cloths of both curtains, and
Figure 3 illustrates a schematic depiction of a cross-section of the assembly of Figure 2 shown through the section line III-III.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment

As discussed above, the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the object of the invention will be provided below with the aid of the attached drawings in which the same reference numbers are used to designate identical or equivalent parts. Therefore, first considering Figure 1 of the drawings, a schematic front elevational view of a device for curtains according to the invention, assembled in a cornice box generally indicated with reference number 1, suitably adapted to internally contain the mechanisms of the device, and the front cover of which has been removed for the purpose of exposing the various elements making up said device, can be seen. For the purpose of greater clarity of the view, the respective curtains that would be hung from the inner rollers of the cornice box 1 in operating conditions have also been removed.
According to the depiction, the assembly of the cornice box has an upper wall 1a, a rear wall 1b, and a front wall which, as previously stated, has been removed in the depiction of the drawing. The cornice box 1 is closed at both ends by means of end covers or parts, identified with reference numbers 2 and 3, shown on a large scale in depictions (b) and (c) of this same figure. There are extending between both end parts in a lower position a conventional roller 4 which is rotational in both directions about its longitudinal axis, as indicated by the arrow F1, and an upper roller formation made up of two concentric rollers, indicated with references 5 and 6, having different lengths and being susceptible to joint rotation in both directions as indicated by arrow F2, inner roller 5 of which extending between both side covers 2, 3, and the outer roller 6 being shorter in length than the inner one and susceptible to being horizontally displaced along the latter in both directions as indicated by arrow F3 for which purpose the outer roller 6 is further held at its ends by means of two supports hung at the upper part with the possibility of horizontal displacement from an inner track-like formation made in the upper wall 1 a of the cornice box 1, with a rolling element inserted between each support 7 and the corresponding end of the roller 6 so that the latter can rotate jointly with the inner roller 5, as has been stated, for which purpose cotters 8 formed along the roller 5 have been provided in diametrically opposing positions by means of which respective sleeves integral with the aforementioned outer roller 6 are driven.
In such conditions, it will be understood that the outer roller 6 can be displaced along the inner roller 5 by a quantity of stroke length equivalent to the difference in length between both rollers. This operation can be carried out from the outside as a result of there being a pulling element, such as a cord 9 extended in a closed loop, one of the branches of which is integral with the supports 7, therefore said cord extends internally through the housings formed for that purpose in the upper wall 1a of the cornice box 1 and externally exits through one of the end covers which, in the depiction (c) of Figure 1, is cover 3, for which purpose said cover includes two parallel, vertical windows 11 each of which houses a respective sheave 12 also in a vertical position, through the grooves of which said cord 9 passes, whereas in relation to the cover 2 of the opposite end, there is a horizontal window 13 (depiction (b)) in which two likewise horizontal sheaves 14 are also housed, through the respective grooves of which the cord 9 passes for the return of the loop. The cord 9 is usually kept taut by means of a part 10 threaded on said cord and acting like a counterweight.
As can be seen in the aforementioned Figure 1, the assembly also includes a conventional chain 15 for being operated from outside when the user wants to turn the rollers 4. 5-6 to raise or lower the curtains. The rotating movement between these rollers is transmitted through conventional gears housed inside the cover 3.
According to the foregoing, the outer roller 6 is susceptible to displacement with respect to its inner or concentric roller 5, whereas the rotating movement of both rollers is performed simultaneously with the roller 4. Therefore, when the curtains are installed as shown in Figure 2, one curtain 16 occupies a lagging position and the other curtain 17 occupies a leading position. The surface of each of the curtains is divided into vertical bands 16a, 16b and 17a, 17b, respectively, of which bands 16a, 17a are of reduced transparency and alternate with more transparent bands 16b, 17b. In relation to the lower edge, each of the curtains 16, 17 incorporates a respective counterweight 18, 19 keeping them taut. In the position shown in Figure 2. the position of the low transparency bands 16a of the curtain 16 is virtually facing the high transparency bands 17b of the curtain 17, such that the former allow passage to a reduced amount of light towards the interior of the space in which they are installed, thus achieving a low level of illumination. However, it will be understood that by acting on the cord 9, the horizontal displacement of the outer roller 6, and thereby a greater or lesser degree of confrontation between the strips 16a, 16b of the curtain 16 with the strips 17a, 17b of the curtain 17, is achieved, thus adjusting the amount of transparency and thus achieving the desired "night and day" effect discussed above. The positioning in height of both curtains 16, 17 is naturally adjusted by acting on the chain 15 as previously stated.
Now considering the depiction of Figure 3, a schematic view of a cross-section taken along line III-III of Figure 2 is shown. The depiction shows how the upper base 1a of the cornice box internally has the formation of three longitudinal housings, those housings of which located on either side being intended to allow both branches of the loop formed by the cord 9 to run therethrough, and the central housing being made up of a track for each of the supports 7 respectively associated with each of the ends of the outer concentric roller 6. The curtains 16 and 17 hung from each of the aforementioned rollers 4 and 6 are also visible.
It is not considered necessary to further extend the content of the present description so that a person skilled in the art can comprehend its scope and the advantages derived therefrom, as well as carry out the practical embodiment of the object thereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing and since the description only corresponds to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that multiple modifications and variations of detail, also comprised within the scope of the invention, which may particularly affect features such as the shape, size or manufacturing materials, or any other modifications or variations which do not alter the invention as it has been described and as it is defined in the following claims, can be made to its essential nature.

Claims

A horizontal displacement device for superimposed curtains, particularly curtains (16, 17) extending vertically, occupying facing positions, the surfaces of which are divided into also vertical bands (16a, 16b; 17a, 17b) alternatively having different degrees of transparency, susceptible to allowing a graduation of the light entering from outside for adjusting the levels of interior illumination in order to achieve what is known as the "night and day" effect, the device being assembled in a cornice box (1) suitable adapted to the needs of the installation, characterized in that it comprises a first roller (4) extended between the side covers (2, 3) of the cornice box and susceptible to rotation about its longitudinal axis, from which one (17) of the curtains hangs, and a formation of second rollers, based on two concentric rollers (5, 6) of different lengths, parallel to the first roller (4), the inner concentric roller (5) of which is also extended between both side covers (2, 3) and the other outer concentric roller (6), able to support the other curtain (16), is susceptible to horizontal displacement along the first concentric roller (5) by a quantity of stroke length equivalent to the difference in length between them, this formation of concentric rollers (5, 6) being susceptible to common rotation with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof and simultaneously with the aforementioned first roller (4).
The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned outer concentric roller (6) is held at its ends by means of respective supports (7) that can also be horizontally displaced by inserting the upper portion thereof in a track formed internally in the upper wall (1a) of the cornice box (1) itself in which the device is incorporated.
The device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the aforementioned upper wall (1a) of the cornice box (1) further includes two other housings in relation to the upper wall (1a) thereof on either side of the aforementioned track intended for housing the respective outbound and return sectors of a cord (9) having one of its branches held to both supports (7) and accessing the outside through one of the end covers (3) of the cornice box (1) to facilitate the horizontal displacement action of the aforementioned outer concentric roller (6) with respect to the inner concentric roller (5).
The device according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the end cover (3) for the outlet of the cord (9) has a pair of vertical and parallel windows (11), each of which internally houses an also vertical sheave (12) in the respective grooves of which the two branches of the cord (9) are housed, whereas the cover (2) of the opposite end of the cornice box (1) includes a horizontal window (13) which also houses a pair of likewise horizontal sheaves (14) through the grooves of which the cord (9) also passes by way of return.
The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive between both concentric rollers (5, 6) concerning the rotation thereof with respect to their common longitudinal axis is assured by means of opposite longitudinal cotters (8) in the inner concentric roller (5) combined with a rolling sleeve associated with each of the ends of the outer concentric roller (6).
The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the simultaneous rotating movement of the rollers (4, 5-6) for positioning both curtains (16. 17) in height is done with the aid of a conventional chain (15) acting on the first roller (4) and transferring said rotating movement to both concentric rollers (5, 6) by means of gears located inside the end cover (3).