Newell Window Furnishings, Inc.

Zazu Ciuca

Roger C Palmer

Otto Kuhar

Patrick Woods

Brian Ruggles

David A Schwartz

Bryan K Ruggles

An adjustable cord restraining device for a blind assembly having a head rail, a bottom rail and at least one pull cord extending through a cord passage of the head rail and coupled to the bottom rail includes an annular member sufficiently sized to prevent entry of the annular member into the cord passage of the head rail and further travel of the pull cord through the head rail. A method of preventing the further extension of a pull cord includes obtaining an annular member sized larger than a pull cord passageway of a head rail pinching a mid-section of the pull cord and inserting the pinched portion of the mid-section through the annular member, forming a loop with the pull cord, inserting a free end of the pull cord through the loop to form an adjustable knot.

Method and apparatus for fixing the length of a pull cord

Disclosed is a spring motor and control for use especially with window blinds. The motor comprises a storage drum having a first axis, an output drum mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to and spaced from the first axis. A spring member is connected to and between the storage drum and the output drum to form a spring motor. The spring motor has laterally extending, spaced apart drum supports on opposite sides of the drums to support them for rotation. A coupled drive is connected to the storage and output drum whereby rotation of one of the drums in a first direction about its axis effects rotation of the other of the drums about its axis and in an opposite direction to cause winding and unwinding of the spring member between the drums. A drive actuator is connected to the coupled drive to effect rotation of the drums, and an adjustable friction member is engageable with one of the coupled drive and the drive actuator to adjustably alter the force necessary to effect movement of the coupled drive.

Cordless balanced window covering

A window covering including a head rail, a bottom rail, a window covering material extending between the head rail and bottom rail, a first and second lift cords extending between the head rail and the bottom rail, a spring motor configured to bias the bottom rail toward the head rail, mounted in the bottom rail, and operatively coupled to the first and second lift cords, and a brake mounted in the bottom rail and configured to releasably couple to the first lift cord to prohibit the spring motor from taking up the first cord, prohibiting the bottom rail from being raised or lowered.

One way brake for a cordless blind

A cordless blind comprising a headrail, a bottom rail suspended from the headrail by a first cord and a second cord. A window covering disposed between the headrail and the bottom rail, a drive actuator including a spring motor and a spool for accumulating the cords is coupled to the spring motor. A one-way tensioning mechanism is mounted and coupled to the drive actuator and the bottom rail wherein the tensioning mechanism is configured to provide a resistant force on movement of one of the first and second cords in one direction. Another embodiment of the cordless blind provides the one-way tensioning mechanism comprising a mechanism bracket with the mechanism bracket having a base and a first upright and second upright coupled to the base. Each upright defines an aperture proximate a distal end of each upright and further each upright including a pawl with one pawl aligned in facing relationship with the other pawl. A pulley is mounted between the two uprights. The pulley has a cylinder with a sidewall at each end of the cylinder with each sidewall having an interface and an outerface. Each outerface has a plurality of ratchet teeth configured to selectively engage the pawl on each upright. The pulley is configured to move within the apertures to one of a free-wheeling position and a stopped position.

One-way tensioning mechanism for cordless blind

Brake for a cordless blind

A universal head rail assembly includes a front wall and a back wall, wherein the front wall includes a first contour formed on an outer face thereof and the back wall includes a second contour formed on an outer face thereof. A reversible rotator assembly includes a tilt control wand coupled to a gear box configured to selectively rotate a rotator element. The reversible rotator assembly and the tilt control wand are in a first position when the first contour of the front wall is displayed and the reversible rotator assembly and the tilt control wand are in a second position when the second contour of the back wall is displayed. The gear box includes a first universal socket coupled to a gear train positioned on an opposed side of the head rail from a second universal socket that is coupled to the gear train. The first and second sockets each are configured to receive a first end of the tilt control wand that matingly engages the gear train, thereby rotating the gear train and the rotator element to pivot the slats between opened and closed positions.

Universal head rail

A cordless blind having a mechanism for introducing a variable amount of friction into the operation of the cordless blind is disclosed. The cordless blind includes a spring motor operatively connected to a cord connected to the window covering of the blind. Pulling and releasing the cord expands and retracts the blind. In order to introduce additional resistance to movement into the system when retracting the blind and not when expanding the blind, variable friction mechanisms or retarders, including one-way bearings, and one-way braking arms, are used for introducing friction into the system only when desired.

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Jamestown, NC, United States of America

Zazu Ciuca