US20140284005A1

US20140284005A1 - Pleated curtain glider unit

Info

Publication number: US20140284005A1
Application number: US13/848,898
Authority: US
Inventors: Yu-Ting Kao; Joe Dewayne Wicker
Original assignee: Uni Soleil Enterprise Co Ltd
Current assignee: Uni Soleil Enterprise Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-03-22
Filing date: 2013-03-22
Publication date: 2014-09-25

Abstract

A glider unit for pleated curtain comprises a sliding carriage and a fastener. The sliding carriage has a female snap-fit portion provided at its bottom for engaging with the fastener. The fastener has a combining section for fixing with a curtain fabric. The outer edge of the female snap-fit portion is formed as an arc segment, whereby the curtain fabric can be compliant with the arc segment so as to form regularly pleated pattern and smooth fabric surface during the closing of the curtain. Two pulleys pivotally coupled by a shaft are respectively mounted at both sides of each sliding carriage for moving on a curtain track. A plurality of balls are disposed between each pulley and the shaft so as to facilitate the rolling of each pulley without much application of force, so that opening and closing of the curtain can be accomplished in less laborious effort required.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the invention
The present invention relates to a glider unit for pleated curtain, more particularly to a novel glider unit for pleated curtain that has the effect of regularity in pleating, smoothness of fabric surface in pleating, and less laborious effort in the opening and closing of the curtain.
2. Descriptions of Related Art
Generally, accompanying with rapid progress on technology and science as well as improvement in living standard of people, requirement on living environment quality is also gradually raised. In terms of accommodation, doors and windows are important items of housing equipment which not only relates to day lighting and ventilation needs but also provides windproof and waterproof functions. Hence, escalation on living environment quality attributes to the good design of doors and windows, whereas curtains are used to cover the doors and windows, and also to provide the functions of aesthetic, light-blocking and light-obscuring. As the tone, style and pattern of the curtain has direct impact on overall effect of the entire home, curtains are naturally the focus in refurbishment facelift. If curtains with different colors or floral pattern are altered in the house, they will tend to enrich the total appearance of the dwelling place and to create the atmosphere of happiness in the house. Conventionally, curtains are hung on a curtain track. A plurality of glider units are slidably disposed at the bottom face of the curtain track so as to hold a curtain fabric thereon. As shown in the FIGS. 6 to 7, in a glider unit, a sliding carriage (5), among a group of sliding carriages provided at equal interval on a cord body, has pulleys (51) pivotally provided at both sides thereof, the pulleys (51) being mounted on inner sides of the curtain track (9) to slide thereon. A combining section (6) is provided at the bottom end of each sliding carriage (5) for coupling with a curtain fabric (7). In assembling, a cord body (8) is used to connect a plurality of sliding carriages (5) in series as a whole, and the top edge of the curtain fabric (7) is fixed on the combining section (6) provided at the bottom of the sliding carriages (5). In this way, when the cord body (8) is pulled by a user, each sliding carriage (5) linking together moves with its pulleys (51) rolling forward on the curtain track so as to bring the curtain fabric (7) into opening or closing state.
However, as the outer edge of each sliding carriage (5) is a right angle portion (52), the curtain fabric (7) will abut against the right angle portion (52) of each sliding carriage (5) when the curtain fabric (7) is opened to form pleats in practical implementation. Thus, failing to have a smooth pleated arc formed thereon, the curtain fabric (7) is formed with a protruding portion (71) instead.
Furthermore, as each sliding carriage (5) and its two pulleys (51) are pivotally coupled together only by a shaft (53) and thus a surface contact is formed between the pulleys (51) and the shaft (53), the frictional resistance between each pulley (51) and the shaft (53) becomes too large in usage. A user has to apply bigger force to offset the frictional resistance when pulling the cord body (8), so as to open or close the curtain fabric (7). Therefore, this will cause too much laborious to conduct the operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a glider unit for pleated curtain that can improve the defects of conventional curtain fabric containing: pleating irregularity of curtain fabric which may cause larger volume; and more laborious effort consumed in operating the curtain fabric to open or close.
The object and the effect of the glider unit for pleated curtain of the present invention can be achieved by the following skill.
A glider unit for pleated curtain, comprising a sliding carriage and a fastener. The sliding carriage has a female snap-fit portion provided at its bottom for engaging with the fastener. The fastener has a combining section for coupling with a curtain fabric. The outer edge of the female snap-fit portion is formed as an arc segment, whereby the curtain fabric can be compliant with the arc segment so as to form regular pleated pattern and smooth fabric surface in the closing of the curtain. Two pulleys pivotally coupled by a shaft are respectively mounted at both sides of the sliding carriage for moving on a curtain track. A plurality of balls are disposed between each pulley and the shaft.
According to the glider unit for pleated curtain, wherein the combining element is a buckle ring for engaging with a corresponding buckle plug.
According to the glider unit for pleated curtain, wherein the combining section is a C-shape socket for engaging with a corresponding buckle plug.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective assembly view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional assembled view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the pleating state of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the pleating state of a prior art.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The technical contents, objects and effects of the present invention will become more apparent by the detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view showing the glider unit for pleated curtain of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the glider unit (1) comprises a sliding carriage (2) and a fastener (3).
The sliding carriage (2) has two pulleys (22) provided at its both sides respectively, the two pulleys (22) being pivotally coupled with each other by a shaft (21). There is an annular groove (221) provided in the interior of each pulley (22) and a plurality of balls (222) are disposed in the annular groove (221). The balls (222) are disposed to be in rolling contact with the circumferential surface of the shaft (21) so that the frictional resistance between each pulley (22) and the shaft (21) is reduced. When each sliding carriage (2) is put in the inside of a curtain track (B) as shown in FIG. 3, the sliding carriage (2) can roll smoothly within the curtain track (B). A female snap-fit portion (23) is provided at the bottom of each sliding carriage (2) and a groove (231) is provided in the female snap-fit portion (23). The groove (231) has an opening (232), with wider dimension at outside and smaller dimension at inside, provided at its bottom; and a circular bore (233) in conjunction with the opening (232) is also provided. Two stop portions (234) are respectively provided at both sides of the opening (232). Moreover, the outside edge of the female snap-fit portion (23) is designed to be a circular curve segment.
The fastener (3) has a male snap-fit portion (31) for engaging with the corresponding female snap-fit portion (23) of the sliding carriage (2).
The male snap-fit portion (31) has a head portion (311) for fitting into the groove (231) and a neck portion (312) with smaller diameter for fitting into the circular bore (233) after passing through the opening (232). Further, a combining element (32) for coupling with a curtain fabric (A) is provided at one end of the male snap-fit portion (31).
Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, in the implementation of assembling, a cord body (C) is used to connect a plurality of sliding carriages (2) in series as a whole, and the sliding carriages (2) are put into a curtain track (B) fixed on the wall so that the pulleys (22) of each sliding carriage (2) can roll on the inside of the curtain track (B). On the other hand, a plurality of buckle plugs (A1) are fixed on the top end of the curtain fabric (A) at equal interval. Each buckle plug (A1) is fitted into a corresponding combining element (32) of the male snap-fit portion (31). Then, the fastener (3) can be combined with a corresponding sliding carriage (2) by fitting the head portion (311) and the neck portion (312) of the male snap-fit portion (31) respectively into the groove (231) and the circular bore (233). The head portion (311) can be reliably fixed in the groove (231) further by the pulling downward from the weight of the curtain fabric (A) itself and by the limit effect of the stop portion (234). In this manner, the curtain fabric (A) can be hung on the glider unit (1), and pleat arch can be smoothly formed between two glider units (1) during closing of the curtain fabric (A) so as to achieve aesthetic decoration effect.
One aspect of the combining element (32) can be formed as a buckle ring as shown in FIG. 1. After the combining element (32) formed as a buckle ring is press-fitted into a corresponding buckle plug (A1), each fastener (3) can be combined with the curtain fabric (A).
Alternatively, the combining element (32) can be formed as a C-shape socket for engaging with a corresponding buckle plug (A1), whereby the fastener (3) can be combined with the curtain fabric (A).
Referring to FIG. 4, when the curtain fabric (A) passes over an arc segment (235) formed on the outer edge of the female snap-fit portion (23), the curtain fabric (A) can be compliant with the curvature of the arc segment (235) so as to form smooth and regular pleating. In this manner, a regular and smooth pleating effect can be achieved during the closing of the curtain fabric (A).
Furthermore, as a number of balls (222) are disposed between each pulley (22) and the shaft (21) of each sliding carriage (2), the frictional resistance between each pulley (22) and the shaft (21) can be significantly reduced by the point contact of the balls (222) with the peripheral surface of the shaft (21). The opening and closing operation of the curtain fabric (A) can be conducted in less laborious and easier way during the pulling on the cord body (C) by a user.
It is apparent from the above structure and implementation, the present invention has the following advantages, when comparing with conventional structure.
1. By the fitting between the neck portion and the circular bore and further by the pulling downward from the weight of the curtain fabric itself and by the limit effect of the stop portion, the head portion of the male snap-fit portion can be reliably fixed in the groove.
2. When the curtain fabric passes over the arc segment formed on the outer edge of the female snap-fit portion, the curtain fabric can be compliant with the curvature of the arc segment so as to form smooth pleating. In this manner, a regular and smooth pleating effect can be achieved during closing of the curtain fabric.
3. As a number of balls are disposed between each pulley and the shaft of each sliding carriage, the frictional resistance between each pulley and the shaft can be significantly reduced. Therefore, the opening and closing operation of the curtain fabric can be conducted in less laborious and easier way during the pulling of cord body by a user.
The abovementioned description of embodiment of the present invention is only for illustrative purpose, not for limitation. Variations and modifications made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention are still considered to be within the scope of the present invention.
Summing up above, the above embodiments of this invention can achieve expected effects, and the specific structure disclosed herein has been unprecedented in the same category of product, even has not been opened to the public before application.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A glider unit for pleated curtain, comprising:

a sliding carriage having two pulleys provided at both sides thereof respectively, said two pulleys being pivotally coupled with each other by a shaft; a plurality of balls being disposed between each said pulley and said shaft; a female snap-fit portion being provided at the bottom of said sliding carriage and an arc segment being formed on the outer peripheral edge of said female snap-fit portion; a groove being provided in said female snap-fit portion, said groove having an opening with wider dimension at outside and smaller dimension at inside being provided at its bottom, a circular bore in conjunction with said opening being also provided; two stop portions being respectively provided at both sides of said opening;

a fastener having a male snap-fit portion for engaging with said female snap-fit portion of said sliding carriage, said male snap-fit portion having a head portion for fitting into said groove and a neck portion with a smaller diameter right below said head portion for fitting into said circular bore after passing through said opening; and a combining element for fixing with a curtain fabric being provided at one end of said male snap-fit portion.

2. The glider unit for pleated curtain as claimed in claim 1, wherein said combining element is a buckle ring for engaging with a corresponding buckle plug of said curtain fabric.

3. The glider unit for pleated curtain as claimed in claim 1, wherein said combining element is a C-shape socket for engaging with a corresponding buckle plug of said curtain fabric.