The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 1992
Filed:
Apr. 09, 1991
Robert N King, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Alan R Sternquist, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Douglas J Warner, Albany, CA (US);
Levolor Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A tilt wand (40)-to-tilt shaft (30) detachable connection in a venetian blind (10) having a series of tiltable slats (14) depending from a blind headrail (11) is provided by a U-shaped stiff wire or link (20). In one embodiment the distal free ends (22) of the U-shaped link (20) are ramp (25) snap-connected into bores (32) or a transverse through-aperture in the tilt shaft (30) which transmits wand torque through gearing (18, 19) to a blind ladder-tilting drum (17) in the headrail. The other bight end (21) of the link extends through a wand tip eye (41). Upon axial downward stress on the wand the ramped distal ends (22) of the link (20) will pull out of the bores (32) permitting disengagement of the link (20) and wand (40) from the tilt shaft (30) before any damage can be done to the gearing. In another embodiment distal end (52) of a link (50) is fixed in the tilt shaft (30) and a bight portion (53) of the link engaged to and disengageable from an open semi-eye (61) on the wand tip. In a third embodiment a cap (70) is fixedly attached to the link bight (53) and a wand tip (71) inserted in a cap bore (77) therein. A series of transverse and axial ribs and grooves in the cap bore and on the tip prevent relative rotation and transmit torque and provide a disengageable snap connection.