Venetian blind with variable tilting

Abstract

A venetian blind including vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders is described. Each ladder comprises (i) first and second vertical members connected by cross-rungs, (ii) slats, each slat being supported on a cross rung of each ladder, (iii) an adjusting mechanism for pivoting the slats about their longitudinal axes by moving the vertical members in opposite directions, (iv) a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to the first vertical member, and (v) an engagement mechanism on the auxiliary tilt cord and the first vertical member for moving the first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length upwardly with upward movement of the auxiliary tilt cord to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to the first vertical member above or below the intermediate location. The engagement mechanism including (a) a guiding loop on the first vertical member, (b) a bead fixed on the auxiliary tilt cord and vertically spaced away from the guiding loop and (c) an engaging collar slidably positioned on the auxiliary tilt cord between the guiding loop and the bead, the auxiliary tilt cord extending through the guiding loop. The bead is adapted to engage the engaging collar and move the engaging collar toward the guiding loop to engage the guiding loop when the auxiliary tilt cord is moved upwardly. The blind including a winding drum for winding the auxiliary tilt cord and moving the cord upwardly after the adjusting mechanism has moved the first and second vertical members in opposite directions.

1. A venetian blind including:
 at least two vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders, each ladder comprising first and second vertical members connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs; 
 a plurality of horizontally-arranged slats, each slat being supported on one of said cross rungs in each of said ladders and between said first and second vertical members; 
 an adjusting mechanism for commonly pivoting each of said slats about its longitudinal axis by moving said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions; 
 a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to a first vertical member of a ladder and can be moved vertically in a direction; 
 engaging means, on said auxiliary tilt cord and said adjacent first vertical member of said ladder, for moving said adjacent first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length vertically in said direction with vertical movement of said auxiliary tilt cord in said direction, so as to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member above or below said intermediate location; said engaging means including: a guiding loop on said first vertical member; a bead fixed on said auxiliary tilt cord and vertically spaced away from said guiding loop; and an engaging collar slidably positioned on said auxiliary tilt cord between said guiding loop and said bead; said auxiliary tilt cord extending through said guiding loop; said bead being adapted to engage said engaging collar and thereafter move said engaging collar toward said guiding loop when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved vertically in said direction; and said engaging collar being adapted to engage said guiding loop when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved further vertically in said direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The venetian blind of  claim 1  wherein said bead and said engaging collar are below said guiding loop and said auxiliary tilt cord can be moved upwardly to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member below said intermediate location. 
     
     
       3. The venetian blind of  claim 1  which comprises at least two, vertically extending auxiliary tilt cords, each of which is adjacent to a first vertical member of one of said ladders; and wherein said engaging means is on each of said auxiliary tilt cords and each of said adjacent first vertical members. 
     
     
       4. A venetian blind including:
 at least two vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders, each ladder comprising first and second vertical members connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs; 
 a plurality of horizontally-arranged slats, each slat being supported on one of said cross rungs in each of said ladders and between said first and second vertical members; 
 an adjusting mechanism for commonly pivoting each of said cross rungs and each of said slats about its longitudinal axis by moving said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions; 
 a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt that is adjacent to a first vertical member of a ladder and can be moved vertically in a direction; 
 engaging means, on said auxiliary tilt cord and said adjacent first vertical member of said ladder, for moving said adjacent first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length vertically in said direction with vertical movement of said auxiliary tilt cord in said direction, so as to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member above or below said intermediate location; and 
 manipulating means for moving said auxiliary tilt cord vertically in said direction which comprises a winding drum, attached to said auxiliary tilt cord, for winding said auxiliary tilt cord only after said adjusting mechanism has moved said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions. 
 
     
     
       5. The venetian blind of  claim 4  wherein said engaging means can move said auxiliary tilt cord upwardly to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member below said intermediate location. 
     
     
       6. The venetian blind of  claim 4  which comprises at least two, vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cords, each of which is adjacent to a first vertical member of one of said ladders; and wherein said engaging means is on each of said auxiliary tilt cords and each of said adjacent first vertical members. 
     
     
       7. The venetian blind of  claim 6  wherein said manipulating means comprises at least two winding drums, each connected to said adjusting mechanism and each being adapted to wind one of said auxiliary tilt cords only after said adjusting mechanism has moved said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions. 
     
     
       8. The venetian blind of  claim 7  wherein each of said winding drums wind one of said auxiliary tilt cords only after said adjusting mechanism has moved said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions to pivot fully all said cross-rungs in one of two opposite directions. 
     
     
       9. The venetian blind of  claim 4  wherein said adjusting mechanism comprises a pulley for winding said first or second vertical member of each of said ladders. 
     
     
       10. The venetian blind of  claim 7  wherein said adjusting mechanism comprises at least two pulleys for winding said first or second vertical member of each of said ladders; each pulley being connected to one of said winding drums. 
     
     
       11. The venetian blind of  claim 8  wherein said adjusting mechanism comprises at least two pulleys for winding said first or second vertical member of each of said ladders; each pulley being connected to one of said winding drums. 
     
     
       12. The venetian blind of  claim 4  wherein said engaging means includes: a guiding loop on said first vertical member; a bead fixed on said auxiliary tilt cord and vertically spaced away from said guiding loop; and an engaging collar slidably positioned on said auxiliary tilt cord between said guiding loop and said bead; said auxiliary tilt cord extending through said guiding loop; said bead being adapted to engage said engaging collar and thereafter move said engaging collar toward said guiding loop when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved vertically in said direction; and said engaging collar being adapted to engage said guiding loop when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved further vertically in said direction. 
     
     
       13. The venetian blind of  claim 12  wherein said bead and said engaging collar are below said guiding loop and said auxiliary tilt cord can be moved upwardly to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member below said intermediate location. 
     
     
       14. The venetian blind of  claim 1  wherein said bead is adapted to be moved vertically through said guiding loop unobstructed, with vertical movement of said auxiliary tilt cord, if said bead has not engaged said engaging collar and is thereby prevented from moving vertically through said guiding loop. 
     
     
       15. The venetian blind of  claim 14  comprising a plurality of said guiding loops that are regularly spaced along said adjacent first vertical member and have a vertical spacing, between them, which is an integer value of a vertical spacing between said cross-rungs. 
     
     
       16. The venetian blind of  claim 15  comprising a plurality of said beads that are regularly spaced along said auxiliary tilt cord and have a vertical spacing, between them, which is an integer value of a dimension that is slightly less than the vertical spacing between said guiding loops. 
     
     
       17. The venetian blind of  claim 16  comprising a plurality of said engaging collars that are regularly spaced along said auxiliary tilt cord between selected adjacent pairs of said plurality of guiding loops, whereby there is at most one engaging collar for every five cross-rungs along said adjacent first vertical member. 
     
     
       18. The venetian blind of  claim 17  wherein said engaging collars are slidably positioned about said auxiliary tilt cord and said adjacent first vertical member. 
     
     
       19. The venetian blind of  claim 12  wherein said bead is adapted to be moved vertically through said guiding loop unobstructed, with vertical movement of said auxiliary tilt cord, if said bead has not engaged said engaging collar and is thereby prevented from moving vertically through said guiding loop. 
     
     
       20. The venetian blind of  claim 19  comprising a plurality of said guiding loops that are regularly spaced along said adjacent first vertical member and have a vertical spacing, between them, which is an integer value of a vertical spacing between said cross-rungs. 
     
     
       21. The venetian blind of  claim 20  comprising a plurality of said beads that are regularly spaced along said auxiliary tilt cord and have a vertical spacing, between them, which is an integer value of a dimension that is slightly less than the vertical spacing between said guiding loops. 
     
     
       22. The venetian blind of  claim 21  comprising a plurality of said engaging collars that are regularly spaced along said auxiliary tilt cord between selected adjacent pairs of said plurality of guiding loops, whereby there is at most one engaging collar for every five cross-rungs along said adjacent first vertical member. 
     
     
       23. The venetian blind of  claim 22  wherein said engaging collars are slidably positioned about said auxiliary tilt cord and said adjacent first vertical member. 
     
     
       24. A venetian blind including:
 at least two vertically-extending slat-supporting ladders, each ladder comprising first and second vertical members connected by a plurality of vertically-spaced cross-rungs;   a plurality of horizontally-arranged slats, each slat being supported on one of said cross-rungs in each of said ladders and between said first and second vertical member;   an adjusting mechanism for commonly pivoting each of said slats about its longitudinal axis by moving said first and second vertical members of said ladders in vertically opposite directions;   a vertically-extending auxiliary tilt cord that is adjacent to a first vertical member of a ladder and can be moved vertically in a direction; and   engaging means for moving said adjacent first vertical member at an intermediate location along its length vertically in said direction with vertical movement of said auxiliary tilt cord in said direction, so as to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to said first vertical member above or below said intermediate location; said engaging means including:
 an engaging collar slidably positioned about said auxiliary tilt cord and said adjacent first vertical member adjacent a cross-rung; and 
 a bead fixed on said auxiliary tilt cord and vertically spaced away from said engaging collar; said bead being adapted to engage said engaging collar and thereafter move said engaging collar toward one of the adjacent cross-rungs when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved vertically in said direction; 
 and said engaging collar being adapted to engage said cross-rung when said auxiliary tilt cord is moved further vertically in said direction.  
   
     
     
       25. The venetian blind of claim 24 wherein said engaging collar is between a pair of said vertically spaced cross-rungs, and said auxiliary tilt cord can be moved upwardly to adjust the angular pivot of a section of the cross-rungs connected to the first vertical member below said intermediate position.  
     
     
       26. The venetian blind of claim 24 which comprises at least two, vertically extending auxiliary tilt cords, each of which is adjacent to a first vertical member of one of said ladders.  
     
     
       27. The venetian blind of claim 24 comprising a plurality of engaging collars that are slidably mounted about said auxiliary tilt cord and said first vertical member between each adjacent pair of cross-rungs of said first vertical member.  
     
     
       28. The venetian blind of claim 27 comprising a plurality of beads that are spaced along said auxiliary tilt cord, each of the plurality of beads associated with one of the plurality of engaging collars.  
     
     
       29. The venetian blind of claim 24 comprising a plurality of engaging collars that are slidably mounted about said auxiliary tilt cord and said first vertical member between selected pairs of cross-rungs of said first vertical member.  
     
     
       30. The venetian blind of claim 29 comprising a plurality of beads that are spaced along said auxiliary tilt cord, each of the plurality of beads associated with one of the plurality of engaging collars.