# US 5,348,068 A · Mini blind head rail > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,348,068 A - Document ID: US5348068A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/006,638 - Filed: 1993-01-21 - Granted: 1994-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 1993-01-21 - Assignees: Newell Operating Company - Inventors: John A. Elsenheimer; Timothy K. Riddle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348068A ## CPC - E06B 9/323: Structure or support of upper box - E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00) ## Abstract A head rail for a mini blind system is disclosed. The mini blind system includes a plurality of pivotable slats supported on flexible ladders that are connected to basket assemblies mounted in the head rail. The head rail includes a pair of sidewalls and a bottom wall. The bottom wall includes flat wall portions and a recessed channel which strengthens the head rail and allows for full pivotable movement of the uppermost mini blind slats. The head rail further includes cross-shaped apertures extending through the recessed channel and configured for locating and receiving the basket assemblies of the present invention. The head rail apertures, as well as the bottom openings on the basket assemblies, include unobstructed cut-out portions which facilitate pivoting of the slats to a position which is very close to a vertical position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mini blind system, comprising: a head rail including a pair of side walls and a bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall includes a recessed channel extending along its length, the bottom wall further including at least two ladder apertures extending therethrough; a basket assembly mounted in each ladder aperture and including a rotator element and a flexible ladder having a plurality of support strings; a plurality of slats supported by the respective ladders whereby the slats may be pivoted between a substantially open position and a substantially closed position in response to rotation of the rotator element; and a rotator assembly configured to selectively rotate the rotator element, wherein each ladder aperture comprises an opening extending sufficiently inward along the bottom wall to prevent contact of the bottom wall with any Of the support strings when the plurality of slats is pivoted to the substantially closed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mini blind system of claim 1, wherein the recessed channel is located between the side walls and spaced generally equally therefrom. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mini blind system of claim 1, wherein the recessed channel portion has a cross-section in the shape of a truncated V. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The mini blind system of claim 1, wherein the recessed channel portion has a V-shaped cross-section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The mini blind system of claim 1, wherein the recessed channel portion has a rectangular cross-section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mini blind system of claim 1, wherein the recessed channel portion has an arcuate cross-section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The mini blind system of claim 1, wherein the recessed channel portion is a pair of recessed channels. ### Claim 8 A mini blind system, comprising: a head rail including a pair of side walls and a bottom wall, wherein this bottom wall includes a recessed channel extending along its length, the bottom wall further including at least two ladder apertures extending therethrough; a basket assembly mounted in each ladder aperture and including a flexible ladder and a rotator element; a plurality of slats supported by the respective ladders whereby the slats may be pivoted between a substantially open position and a substantially closed position in response to rotation of the rotator element; and means for selectively rotating the rotator element, wherein each ladder aperture is cross-shaped and includes a longitudinal cut-out intersected by a transverse cut-out. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The mini blind system of claim 8, wherein the longitudinal cut-out includes a portion of the recessed channel to create a pair of recessed channel aperture ends bordering the longitudinal cut-out. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The mini blind system of claim 9, wherein the longitudinal cut-out is sized to receive the basket assembly between the channel aperture ends. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The mini blind system of claim 10, wherein a plurality of corner tabs are formed in the bottom wall where the longitudinal cut-out intersects the transverse cut-out, the corner tabs providing support for the basket assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The mini blind system of claim 11, wherein the transverse cut-out is unobstructed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mini blind system of claim 12, wherein the basket assembly includes a lower, unobstructed opening through which the flexible ladder extends, the opening corresponding generally to the transverse cut-out of the ladder aperture. ### Claim 14 A mini blind system, comprising: a head rail; a plurality of pivotable slats; means for suspending the slats from the head rail; means for pivoting the pivotable slats between a substantially open and a substantially closed position, the pivoting means including a plurality of support strings connected to the pivotable slats; means for raising and lowering the slats; and wherein the head rail includes side walls and a bottom wall defining an elongate cavity and wherein the bottom wall further includes at least one elongate channel extending into the cavity and at least two apertures through which the plurality of support strings extend, each aperture comprising an opening extending sufficiently inward along the bottom wall to prevent contact of the bottom wall with any of the support strings when the plurality of slats is pivoted to the substantially closed position. ### Claim 15 A mini blind system, comprising: a head rail; a plurality of pivotable slats; means for suspending the slats from the head rail: means for pivoting the pivotable slats between a substantially open and a substantially closed position; means for raising and lowering the slats; and wherein the head rail includes side walls and a bottom wall defining an elongate cavity and wherein the bottom wall further includes at least one elongate channel extending into the cavity, wherein the bottom wall further includes two or more generally cross-shaped apertures extending therethrough. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The mini blind system of claim 15, wherein the suspending means comprises ladders. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mini blind system of claim 16, wherein the pivoting means comprises a pair of basket assemblies, each basket assembly having a rotator element, each rotator element being connected to a ladder. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The mini blind system of claim 17, wherein the generally cross-shaped aperture is formed at least partially through the recessed channel portion and is sized to receive the basket assemblies. ### Claim 19 A head rail for a mini blind system comprising: a pair of side walls and a bottom wall forming an elongate cavity, wherein the bottom wall includes a channel along the length of the bottom wall, and further the bottom wall includes a plurality of apertures for receiving mini blind basket assemblies, each aperture being generally cross-shaped and extending therethrough. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The head rail of claim 19, wherein the channel has a cross-section in the shape of a truncated "V". ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The head rail of claim 15, wherein the channel has a V-shaped cross-section. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The head rail of claim 15, wherein the channel has a rectangular cross-section. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The head rail of claim 15, wherein the channel has an arcuate cross-section. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The head rail of claim 15, wherein the channel is a pair of recessed channels. ### Claim 25 A basket assembly for a mini blind system, comprising: a framework having a bottom wall, a pair of support walls extending from the bottom wall generally parallel with each other, and a pair of reinforcement walls extending from the bottom wall, each reinforcement wall extending between and connected to each of the support walls; and a rotator element rotatably mounted on the support walls wherein the bottom wall includes a single unobstructed opening therethrough. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The basket assembly of claim 25, wherein the single opening spans over more than one half the bottom wall width. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The basket assembly of claim 26, further comprising a ladder attached to the rotator element and extending through the single opening.