US 5,375,642 A · Venetian blinds

Abstract

A Venetian blind having forwardly cantilevered and rearwardly counter-weighted slats, and at least a partially recessed vertical system connected to the slats for raising and lowering the slats independently of their tilted position and for spacing, supporting and tilting the cantilevered slats from an essentially horizontal open viewing position to a forwardly tilted fully sealed position (e.g., full or none), and wherein the vertical system is hidden from view when the slats are in their sealed position, to thereby provide a clean blind appearance. The Venetian blind raises and lowers the blind independently of the position of its tiltable slats and hides the vertical members and cords of the recessed vertical system and their respective slat openings in the slats from view from at least one side, preferably from the room interior, when the slats are in their fully sealed position. The interacting elements of the Venetian blind provide a Venetian blind that has great versatility, is attractive, and has room darkening and privacy features.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A Venetian blind, comprising:

(a) a plurality of slats including cantilevered forward portions and opposing rearward portions having weighted means for countering said cantilevered forward portions, wherein said slats are tiltable from an open viewing position to a forwardly tilting overlapping fully sealed position for room darkening and for privacy,
(b) a vertical system disposed rearward of said cantilevered portions of said slats wherein said system includes aligned openings through which at least a portion of said vertical system passes for spacing, supporting and tilting said slats and for raising and lowering the slats independently of the position of the slats, and
(c) wherein said rearward vertical system and aligned openings are hidden from the forward view of said slats when the slats are in their overlapping fully sealed position.

A Venetian blind having a headrail, comprising:

(a) a plurality of slats depending from the headrail having forward and rearward edges and aligned openings in a rearward portion thereof of said slats;
(b) a plurality of vertical members depending from the head-rail utilized in the spacing, supporting and tilting of said slats at least between an open position for viewing through said slats and a fully sealed position, and wherein said members include a vertical forward member operatively connected to said slats which extends through said aligned openings therein and between said edges thereof and a vertical rearward member operatively connected to said slats proximate the rearward portions thereof;
(c) independent raising and lowering means depending from the head-rail and independent of said vertical members, wherein said independent raising and lowering means are operatively connected to the rearward portion of said slats regardless of their tilted position for raising or lowering said slats;
and
(d) each of said slats having a forward cantilevered portion greater than half the dimensional width of said slat which is disposed forward of said forward vertical member toward the interior of a room in which the blind is to be used, and having weighted means at the rearward portion of said slat for countering said forward portion, and wherein said slats are spaced apart a distance from one another such that when said slats are tilted to the fully sealed position they overlap and contact one another to block the view of said members, said openings and said independent raising and lowering means from a forward view of said slats and for room darkening and privacy.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Venetian blinds

Life of this patent

Venetian blinds

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25