AU2004282983A1

AU2004282983A1 - Curtain rod with tensioning device

Info

Publication number: AU2004282983A1
Application number: AU2004282983A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Diedrichsen Manfred
Original assignee: Interstil Diedrichsen GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Interstil Diedrichsen GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2004-01-13
Filing date: 2004-12-14
Publication date: 2005-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-14
Also published as: JP4467562B2; JP2006525843A; AU2004282983B2; WO2005067770A1

Description

VERIFICATION OF TRANSLATION I, (insert translator's name) of f. y. L. (translator's address) declare as follows: 1. That I am well acquainted with both the English and German languages, and 2. That the attached document is a true and correct translation made by me to the best of my knowledge and belief of:- The specification as filed with the International Bureau and numbered International Application No. PCT/EP2004/014229 r (Date) (Signature of Translator) (No witness required)

PAL

[R:\LIBT]24501.doc:STL CURTAIN ROD WITH TENSIONING DEVICE TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a curtain rod consisting of at least one tube section which is held at support means and through which a tensioning member extends and is fixed at one end of the tube section and attached at the other end of the tube section to tensioning means retained on the same and, taking into account the direction of the load to be supported by the tube section, is held within the tube section spaced from the centre line of the same.

STATE OF THE ART Such a curtain rod with an internal tensioning device is known from document DE 100 47 449 Al. Each of the two ends of the known curtain rod is held in a support beam and the tensioning device is provided thereon in order to be able to compensate the downward bending of the curtain rod under the load of the curtain suspended from it. In the known configuration, from the mechanical viewpoint, the curtain rod is a beam supported on two supports and the load-induced bending which increases toward the middle between the supports can be reduced by supporting the beam portions situated below the line of flexure with the aid of a tensioning member adapted to be tensioned between the supports.

THE INVENTION The problem underlying the invention is to create a curtain rod of the aforementioned type in which, by making use of the tensioning device for load compensation, the support means required for fixing can be simplified.

This problem is solved in a curtain rod of the aforementioned type by support means consisting of a single support beam to which two tube sections are attached with their adjacent ends in coaxial, opposite relationship, wherein the tensioning members are held within the tube sections with a spacing from the centre lines and in the direction opposite to the direction of load application.

Its is an essential feature of the invention that only a single support needs to be provided for holding the curtain rod. The tube sections are arranged in exposed, forwardly cantilevered position on the only beam forming the support means and, under load application, they therefore tend to bend increasingly downwards near their exposed ends. It is therefore important to support the parts of the tube sections situated above their line of flexure, and this is effected by the tensioning members within the tube sections which, when referred to the centre lines, are offset against the direction of load application, which extend above the line of flexure. In this way, by tensioning the IRN719820 tensioning members the regions which are increasingly bent downwards near the ends of the tube sections can be raised.

Advantageous design features of the invention will become obvious from the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING In what follows, the invention will be described in greater detail by way of the drawing showing an embodiment. There show: Figure 1, a perspective view, from above, of a curtain rod with the associated support means; Figure 2, a perspective view, from below, of the curtain rod of Figure 1; Figure 3, a longitudinal section of the curtain rod of Figures 1 and 2 from the end of one of the two tube sections beyond the support means; Figure 4, a longitudinal section of the curtain rod of the preceding figures at the support means; Figure 5, a longitudinal section of the curtain rod of the preceding figures at the free end of one of the two tube sections; Figure 6, a schematic view of an other embodiment of a curtain rod; Figure 7, a perspective rear view of the curtain rod and its support means; Figure 8, a perspective view of details of the attachment unit for the support means of the curtain rod in a first position, and Figure 9, in the same representation, the attachment unit of Figure 8 in a second position.

THE BEST WAY OF PRACTISING THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows in detail a curtain rod formed by two tube sections la and lb, with the tube sections la, lb made from a cylindrical tube. The tube sections la, lb are situated on support means which have a single support beam 2. In the embodiment shown, support beam 2 comprises a rear plate 3 in the form of a console with an attachment unit 4 facilitating fixing either at the wall or at the ceiling. At the rear plate 3 of the support beam 2 there is arranged a cantilevered console plate which holds a bearing body 6 extending along its front edge. The bearing body 6 has a cylindrical outer circumference the diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the tube sections la, lb and therefore the tube sections l a, lb with their ends 7a, 7b are fixed by the support beam 2 and are flush with the bearing body 6. The length of the visible outside of the bearing body 6 corresponds to the width of the console plate 5 of the support beam 2, and the rear plate 3 of the support beam 2 protrudes laterally beyond the console plate 5 so that there is provided an adequate attachment facility IRN719820 for the support beam 2. This holds at least when equal or approximately equal loads are transmitted from the two tube sections la, lb to the support beam 2.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the entire curtain rod can have a structure which is symmetric relative to a plane to which the two tube sections' la, lb coaxial ends 7a, 7b delimited by the support beam 2 are perpendicular with the prolongations of their tube axes. This holds also specifically for the support beam 2 and implies that the tube sections la, lb have equal lengths. Tube sections la, lb may have different lengths, which means that there are unequal loads to be absorbed on both sides by the support beam 2. In any case, the free ends 8a, 8b of the tube sections la, lb are closed by means of caps 9a, 9b.

Figure 3 shows the internal structure of the one tube section lb, which structure is identical with that of the tube section 1 a (not shown); in accordance with the symmetrical structure of the curtain rod, the latter is configured and arranged in mirror image position relative to tube section lb.

In the interior of tube section lb there is an insert 1 lb formed by a tube which is stiffer than tube section lb. Along an outer generating line, the insert 1 lb has a groove through which a tensioning member 10b, such as a string, runs. The tensioning member 10b is spaced from the centre line M of tube section Ib, and it is particularly offset upwardly relative to this centre line M. It is therefore on the tube section's lb side which is stretched when a load is applied. This stretching with a corresponding bending of the tube section lb can be countered by tightening the tensioning member with the tensioning member 10Ob supported by the insert 1 lb and the latter supported at the lower internal wall of the tube section lb.

The tensioning member 10b of the tube section lb is clamped at the bearing body 6. For this purpose, the bearing body 6 has on its diametrically opposite front faces protruding plug-in members 13a and 13b which are offset in radial direction from the circumference of the bearing body 6 so that the stationary ends 7a, 7b of the two tube sections la, lb can be applied to the outside of the bearing body 6 to be flush with the same.

Supplementing Figure 3, Figure 4 shows the details of the plug-in members 13a, 13b of the bearing body 6 with tensioning means 15a, 15b arranged thereon so that the tensioning members of the two tube sections la, lb are fixed at the bearing body 6. In the coaxial direction, the tensioning members are with the fixed ends 7a, 7b of the tube sections la, lb attached to the plug-in members 13a, 13b and it is therefore necessary to provide deflector means 14a, 14b for the tensioning IRN719820 members 10 a, 10b. In this way the tensioning members 10 a, 10b can enter into the radially offset position relative to the centre line M of the tube sections la, lb.

In the interior of the exposed ends 8a, 8b of the tube sections la, lb there are tensioning devices 16a, 16b for the tensioning members IOa, 10b of which only the one of the right tube section lb is shown in detail in Figure 5. There is included a receptacle 17b which is movable in the axial direction within the exposed end 8b of tube section lb and at which the second end of the associated tensioning member 10b is fixed by means of tensioning elements 18b. As with the plug-in members 13a, 13b of the bearing body 6, there is provided a deflector member 19b in order to be able to introduce the tensioning member 10b in the axial direction into the tensioning body 17b. The tensioning body 17b has a threaded coaxial bore 20b which is engaged by a tensioning screw 21b.

The head of the tensioning screw 2 1b rests on an abutment part 22b which is inserted in axially fixed direction in the end 8b of the tube section lb. The spacing of the tensioning body 17b from the abutment part 22 is chosen so that with proper regard for the length of the tensioning member 10b, a sufficient displacement range is available for the tensioning body 17b in order to apply to the tensioning member 10b the tension force required in each specific case.

Figure 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the tube sections l a, lb of the curtain rod by way of a tube section lb arranged on one side of the support beam 2. An out-of-centre channel 33 for the tensioning member is provided in place of the above-described inserts 1 la, 1 lb which keep the tensioning members 10a, 10b spaced from the centre lines M of the tube sections la, lb. The channel 33 for the tensioning member is moulded into the material of which the tube section lb is made, i.e., it is integral with the tube section lb. It runs close to a generating line of the tube section lb above the centre line M of the same. In this embodiment, the deflection of the tensioning member 10b may be unnecessary in the area of fixing at the bearing body 6 as well as at the junction with the tensioning device 16b. Thus, also the tensioning device 16b is arranged in out-of-centre position and in the direction parallel with the axis within the tube section lb.

Figures 7 to 9 show details of the attachment unit 4. It comprises an elongated attachment member 23 the rear of which is fixed either at the bearing body 6 or at the console plate 5. If the attachment member 23 is not integral with the bearing body 6, the console plate 5, or the rear plate 3, it can be screwed to the back of the same by connection screws 34 engaging the rear plate 3, as shown in Figure 7. The entire curtain rod assembly can be held by means of this attachment member 23 in a wall plate 24 which earlier was permanently mounted in the respective, usually vertical room wall or IRN719820 building wall. For this purpose there are provided connection screws 25 which at the corners extend through holes in the rectangular wall plate 24.

In order to accommodate the attachment member 23, the wall plate 24 has an elongated perforation 26 the width of which is greater than the width of the elongated attachment member 23, including the laterally protruding bridge member 29. The bridge member 29, which extends along the long side, is mounted on the rear of the attachment member 23 so that a tensioning plane 28 is created on the attachment member 23 before the front side of the bridge member 29. Tensioning screws on the wall plate 24 can engage the angular contour on the long side of the attachment member 23 which is formed by the tensioning plane 28 and the front face of the bridge member 29. In this way the attachment member 23 is clamped against an edge of the perforation 26 in the wall plate 24 with its long side 31 far from the tensioning screws 30, with the edge 27 comprising a convex arch. The arch of this edge region extends in the longitudinal direction of the wall plate 24 and the tensioning screws 30 are arranged in this direction with spacing from each other.

When the two tensioning screws are tensioned with the same excess length within the perforation 26 of the wall plate 24 against the attachment member 23, the attachment member 23 assumes a position parallel to the elongated wall plate 24. This position is shown in Figure 6. By contrast, Figure 7 shows an inclined position of the attachment member 23 relative to the wall plate 24 because one of the two tensioning screws 30 was turned further against the attachment member 23, whereas the other attachment screw is in the direction to the outside farther back relative to the parallel position shown in Figure 6. The adjustments provided by the tensioning screws 30 help to realise two objectives: on the one hand, the inclined position of the wall plate 24 can be compensated and, on the other hand, particularly in the case of tube sections of nonidentical lengths, the difference in the bending resulting from unequal loads can be compensated. More particularly, in such a case the ends of the tube sections la and lb can be adjusted to the same height levels.

IRN719820

Claims

1. A curtain rod consisting of at least one tube section (la, Ib) which is held at support means and through which a tensioning member (10a, 10Ob) extends and is fixed at one end of the tube section (I a, Ib) and attached at the other end of the tube section (1 a, lIb) to tensioning means (16a, 16b) retained on the same and, taking into account the direction of the load to be supported by the tube section (la, ib), is held within the tube section (la, Ib) spaced from the centre line of the same, characterised in that the support means consist of a single support beam to which two tube sections (l a, i b) are connected in coaxial, opposite relation ship of their adjacent ends (7a, 7b), wherein the tensioning members (10Oa, 10Ob) within the tube sections (la, Ib) are kept spaced from their centre lines in the direction opposite to the direction of load application.

2. The curtain rod according to Claim 1, characterised in that the tube sections l a, lb connected to the support beam have equal lengths.

3. The curtain rod according to Claim 1, characterised in that the tube sections la, lb connected to the support beam have different lengths.

4. The curtain rod according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the tensioning devices (16a, 16b) are situated at the exposed ends (8a, 8b) of the tube sections (la, lb). The curtain rod according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that in the interior of the tube sections (la, Ib) there are arranged inserts (1 la, 1 Ib) from which each of the tensioning members (10a, 10b) within the tube sections (la, lb) is kept spaced with a distance from the centre lines in the direction opposite to the direction of load application.

6. The curtain rod according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that into the tube sections (la, Ib) there is moulded a channel (33) for the tensioning member with spacing from their centre lines and extending opposite to the direction of load application, with the tensioning members (10a, 10b) supported in the channel.

7. The curtain rod according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that, referred to a vertical plane, the support beam has mirror symmetry and that the directions of connecting the two tube sections (la, Ib) are perpendicular to this plane.

8. The curtain rod according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the support beam comprises a bearing body with plug-in members (13a, 13b) protruding on opposite sides from it, with the fixed ends (7a, 7b) of the tube sections (la, lb) plugged into the plug-in members. IRN719820

9. The curtain rod according to Claim 8, characterised in that the plug-in members (13a, 13b) are provided with tensioning means (15a, 15b) for accommodating the tensioning members (10a, The curtain rod according to Claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the tube sections (la, lb) consist of a cylindrical tube and that the bearing body of the support beam is cylindrical except for the attachment area, with the cylinder bordering flush the circumference of the fixed ends (7a, 7b) of the tube sections (la, lb).

11. The curtain rod according to any one of Claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the support beam is configured as a console adapted to be fixed on a wall or the ceiling and that it comprises a console plate with the bearing body arranged along the front edge of the same.

12. The curtain rod according to Claim 11, characterised in that the length of the bearing body (6) of the support beam is equal to the width of the console plate except for the protruding plug-in members (13a, 13b).

13. The curtain rod according to any one of Claims 9 to 12, characterised in that the bearing body or the console plate have on their attachment side an attachment member (23) which is arranged in detachable fashion in a perforation (26) of an associated wall plate with the attachment member (23) comprising at least on one side a laterally protruding, rearwardly extending bridge member (29) and wherein the wall plate (24) is provided with tensioning screws protruding on the front face beyond this bridge member (29).

14. The curtain rod according to Claim 13, characterised in that the attachment member (23) and the perforation (26) of the wall plate (24) are elongated and that the attachment member (23) can be tensioned with its long side (31) far from the tensioning screws (30) against a protruding edge (27) of the perforation with the edge having a convex arch extending in the longitudinal direction of the perforation (26). IRN719820