US20050205733A1

US20050205733A1 - Bracket assembly for window blind

Info

Publication number: US20050205733A1
Application number: US10/901,228
Authority: US
Inventors: Ming Nien
Original assignee: Nien Made Enterprise Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nien Made Enterprise Co Ltd
Priority date: 2004-03-19
Filing date: 2004-07-29
Publication date: 2005-09-22
Also published as: CA2475341A1; TWM255319U

Abstract

A bracket assembly includes a bracket provided with a coupling portion, a locating frame provided with a coupling portion connectable to the coupling portion of the bracket, and a level mounted on the locating frame for showing whether the bracket is in level after connection of the coupling portion of the locating frame to the coupling portion of the bracket. By means of the indication of the level, the bracket can easily be adjusted to horizontal during installation of the bracket assembly in a window.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bracket for a window blind and more specifically, to a bracket assembly for a window blind, which has means for horizontal calibration.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional window blind, for example, a roller blind comprises generally a bracket for fastening to the top side of a window, a roller pivotally mounted in the bracket, a blind shade, which has a top side fastened to the periphery of the roller such that the roller can be rotated to roll up or let off the blind shade, a bottom rod fastened to and extended along the bottom hem of the blind shade, and an operating cord for operation by the user to rotate the roller. When operating the operating cord to rotate the roller in one direction, the roller rolls up the blind shade. On the contrary, when operating the operating cord to rotate the roller in the reversed direction, the roller lets off the blind shade. The bottom rod imparts a downward drag force to the blind shade, and therefore the blind shade is kept smoothly suspended from the roller when extended out.
In order to cause a sense of beauty, the roller is set in parallel to the bracket. However, it is difficult to set the bracket in horizontal accurately during installation. If the bracket is not accurately kept in horizontal, the roller cannot be maintained in horizontal. At this time, the bottom rod slopes in one direction, imparting an unbalanced drag force to the bottom side of the blind shade. When rotating the roller to roll up the blind shade, the blind shade will be received to the roller in a wrinkled status, obstructing the sense of beauty of the roller blind. This problem may occur in other window blinds such as Venetian blind, Roman shade, honeycomb shade, resulting in an unbalanced status of the slats or blind shade.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a bracket assembly, which has means for horizontal calibration during installation.
To achieve this objectives of the present invention, the bracket assembly comprises a bracket provided with a coupling portion, a locating frame provided with a coupling portion connectable to the coupling portion of the bracket, and a level mounted on the locating frame for showing whether the bracket is in level after connection of the coupling portion of the locating frame to the coupling portion of the bracket. In an alternate form of the present invention, the locating frame is eliminated, and the level is directly mounted to the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a roller blind constructed according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective partial view of a bracket assembly according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view in an enlarged scale of a part of the bracket assembly according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view in an enlarged scale of a part of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the relationship between the coupling portion at the bracket and the coupling portion at the locating frame.
FIG. 5 is perspective partial view of a bracket assembly according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a front view in an enlarged scale of a part of the bracket assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic side view in an enlarged scale of a part of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the relationship between the coupling portion at the bracket and the coupling portion at the locating frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a roller blind is shown comprising a bracket 10 affixed to the top side of a window (not shown), a roller 20 pivotally situated within and arranged in parallel to the bracket 10, a blind shade 30 wound round the roller 20, a bottom rod 40 fastened to the bottom hem of the blind shade 30, and an operating cord 50 coupled to the roller 20 for operation by the user to rotate the roller 20 forwards and backwards. When operating the operating cord 50 to rotate the roller 20 in one direction, the roller 20 rolls up the blind shade 30. On the contrary, when operating the operating cord 50 to rotate the roller 20 in the reversed direction, the roller 20 lets off the blind shade 30. The bottom rod 40 imparts a downward drag force to the blind shade 30, and therefore the blind shade 30 is kept smoothly suspended from the roller 20 when extended out.
Referring to FIGS. 2-4, a bracket assembly in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown comprised of the bracket 10, a locating frame 60, and a level 70. The bracket 10 is a flat, elongated, substantially L-shaped member comprising a top wall 11 and a sidewall 12 arranged at right angles and extended in longitudinal direction, an angled top flange 13 upwardly protruded from the top wall 11 and extended along the length of the top wall 11, and a coupling portion 131 defined within the space surrounded by the top wall 11 and the angled top flange 13. The coupling portion 131 comprises a top edge 132, a bottom edge 133, and an opening 134 facing the rear side of the bracket 10. The bottom edge 133 forms a part of the top surface of the top wall 11. The top edge 132 and the bottom edge 133 are substantially arranged in parallel and spaced from each other by a gap. The bracket 10 further comprises two end plates 14 at the two distal ends of the top wall 11 and the sidewall 12 (see also FIG. 1). The end plates 14 each have a pivot hole 141. The roller 20 is pivotally coupled to the pivot holes 141 of the end plates 14. The axis, which passes through the pivot holes 141 of the end plates 14, is substantially in parallel to the top wall 11 of the bracket 10 (the length of the bracket 10).
The locating frame 60 is a substantially inverted U-shaped member comprising a top wall 61, a first sidewall 62 at the front side of the top wall 61, a second sidewall 63 at the rear side of the top wall 61, and a coupling portion 631 forwardly extended from the bottom side of the second sidewall 63. The coupling portion 631 is a coupling block comprising a top edge 632 and a bottom edge 633. The top edge 632 and the bottom edge 633 are arranged in parallel. The distance between the top edge 632 and the bottom edge 633 is approximately equal to the gap between the top edge 132 and bottom edge 133 of the coupling portion 131 of the bracket 10.
The level 70 is disposed at the bottom side of the first sidewall 62. Further, the level 70 can be a bubble level or electronic level.
By means of coupling the coupling portion 631 of the locating frame 60 to the coupling portion 131 of the bracket 10, i.e., by means of attaching the top edge 632 and bottom edge 633 of the locating frame 60 to the top edge 132 and bottom edge 133 of the coupling portion 131 of the bracket 10 respectively, the locating frame 60 is fastened to the front side of the top wall 11 of the bracket 10. After installation of the locating frame 60 in the bracket 10, the level 70 is maintained in parallel to the bracket 10. By means of the indication of the level 70, the bracket 10 can easily be adjusted to horizontal during installation of the bracket assembly in the window.
FIGS. 5-7 show a bracket assembly according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, the bracket assembly is comprised of a bracket 80, a locating frame 90, and a level 70.
The bracket 80 is a flat rail set in vertical, comprising an angled flange 81 protruded from the front side near the top and extended along the length thereof, and a coupling portion 811 defined in the space between the front side of the bracket 80 and the angled flange 81. The coupling portion 811 comprises a left-side edge 812, a right-side edge 813 and an upward opening 814. The left-side edge 812 and the right-side edge 813 are arranged in parallel and spaced from each other by a gap. The bracket 80 further comprises two end plates 82 respectively perpendicularly extended from the two distal ends thereof. The end plates 82 each have a pivot hole 821 (see FIG. 5). The roller 20 (not shown) is pivotally connected to the pivot holes 821 of the end plates 82 and arranged in parallel to the bracket 80. The axis, which passes through the pivot holes 821 of the end plates 82, is substantially in parallel to the bracket 80 (the length of the bracket 80).
The locating frame 90 is a plate member comprising a top wall 91 and a coupling portion 92. The coupling portion 92 is a coupling block downwardly extended from the rear side of the top wall 91, comprising a left-side edge 921 and a right-side edge 922. The left-side edge 921 and the right-side edge 922 are substantially arranged in parallel. The distance between the left-side edge 921 and the right-side edge 922 is substantially equal to the gap between the left-side edge 812 and right-side edge 813 of the coupling portion 811 of the bracket 80.
The level 70 is disposed at the front side of the top wall 91. The use of this second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment.
In order to cause a sense of beauty, the roller is arranged in parallel to the bracket. Therefore, the roller is maintained in horizontal after installation and horizontal calibration of the bracket in the top side of the window. When rotating the roller to roll up and let off the blind shade, the two opposite lateral sides of the blind shade receive a balanced tensile force, and therefore the blind shade is maintained smoothly wound round the roller without wrinkles when received to the roller.
After installation of the bracket assembly in the top side of the window, the level with the locating frame can be removed from the bracket for use to calibrate the horizontal status of another bracket. Therefore, one level and locating frame combination can be used with a number of brackets for different windows to save the installation cost. Alternatively, the level can be directly affixed to the bracket without the locating frame. Further, the invention can also be employed to any of a variety of other window blinds such as Venetian blind, Roman shade, etc.
Although a particularly embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bracket assembly for a window blind, comprising:

an elongated bracket having a coupling portion;

a locating frame having a coupling portion connectable to the coupling portion of said bracket; and

a level mounted on said locating frame.

2. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bracket comprises two end plates, said end plates each having a pivot hole for supporting a roller of the window blind in parallel to said bracket between said end plates.

3. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locating frame comprises a top wall, a first sidewall extended from a front side of said top wall, and a second sidewall extended from a rear side of said top wall; wherein the coupling portion of said locating frame is protruded from a bottom side of said second sidewall toward said first sidewall; said level is located at a bottom side of said first sidewall of said locating frame.

4. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said level is substantially maintained in parallel to an axis passing through the pivot holes of said end plates of said bracket.

5. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said level is substantially maintained in parallel to an elongated sidewall of said bracket.

6. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bracket is an substantially L-shaped member comprising a top wall, a sidewall, and an angled top flange upwardly protruded from said top wall; the coupling portion of said bracket is defined within a space surrounded by the top wall and angled top flange of said bracket; the coupling portion of said bracket comprising a top edge, a bottom edge, and an opening facing a rear side of said bracket; the coupling portion of said locating frame comprises a top edge and a bottom edge respectively attachable to the top edge and bottom edge of the coupling portion of said bracket.

7. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top edge and bottom edge of the coupling portion of said bracket are arranged in parallel and spaced from each other by a gap; the top edge and bottom edge of the coupling portion of said locating frame are arranged in parallel and spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the gap between the top edge and bottom edge of the coupling portion of said bracket.

8. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said level is maintained in parallel to the top edge of the coupling portion of said bracket.

9. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bracket is an elongated flat member set in vertical; the coupling portion of said bracket is provided at a top side of said bracket, comprising a left-side edge, a right-side edge, and an opening facing upwards; the coupling portion of said locating frame is a coupling block insertable into the opening of the coupling portion of said bracket, comprising a left-side edge and a right-side edge respectively attachable to the left-side edge and right-side edge of the coupling portion of said bracket.

10. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the left-side edge and right-side edge of the coupling portion of said bracket are arranged in parallel and spaced from each other by a gap; the left-side edge and right-side edge of the coupling portion of said locating frame are arranged in parallel and spaced from each other by a distance approximately equal to the gap between the left-side edge and right-side edge of the coupling portion of said bracket.

11. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said level is maintained in parallel to the left-side edge of the coupling portion of said bracket.

12. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said level is a bubble level.

13. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said level is an electronic level.

14. A bracket assembly for a window blind, comprising:

an elongated bracket; and

a level fixedly mounted on said bracket.

15. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said bracket comprises two end plates, said end plates each having a pivot hole for supporting a roller of the window blind between said end plates in parallel to said bracket.

16. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein said level is substantially maintained in parallel to an axis passing through the pivot holes of said end plates of said bracket.

17. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said level is substantially maintained in parallel to an elongated sidewall of said bracket.

18. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said bracket is a substantially L-shaped member comprising a top wall and a sidewall.

19. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said bracket is an elongated flat member set in vertical.

20. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said level is a bubble level.

21. The bracket assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said level is an electronic level.