US 6,644,377 B1Granted

Overlapping blind apparatus

OwnerPhillip Lewisinventor

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Abstract

The overlapping blind apparatus comprises first and second ladder strings which are biased by a top pulley in either clockwise or counter-clockwise directions. Bridging strings are provided in spaced, parallel relation between the first and second ladder strings. A first slat and a second slat are joined at one end to form a hinged set of overlapping blinds. Multiple sets of overlapping blinds are sized to cover a window opening. Louver strings are attached at one end to the center of the first slats, and at the opposite end to the second ladder string. When the top pulley is rotated counter-clockwise, the first slats are biased open. When the blinds are fully extended, the first slats rest against the bottom of the next adjacent lower slat, providing an overlap, which effectively blocks light leakage through the slats. When the top pulley is rotated clockwise, the upper and lower slats tilt, yet remain in a substantially closed, parallel alignment. A central lifting string is provided to raise or lower the overlapping blinds. Indicia may be placed on the upper and lower slats. The overlapping blind apparatus may be selectively positioned either horizontally or vertically about a window.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An overlapping, movable blind apparatus for covering a window, which comprises:

a) a pulley rod rotatably secured adjacent to the top side of said window;
b) a first ladder string extending from a front side of said pulley rod, said first ladder string selectively biased clockwise and counter-clockwise by selective rotation of said pulley rod;
c) a second ladder string depending from a back side of said pulley rod, said second ladder string biased by rotation of said pulley rod in a direction opposite to movement of said first ladder string;
d) a plurality of bridging strings disposed in spaced, parallel relation between the first ladder string and the second ladder string, said bridging strings movable in parallel aligned relation;
e) a plurality of first slats, each first slat positioned in spaced relation between the first ladder string and the second ladder string, each first slat having a first end and a second end, a first outer surface and a second inner surface extending between said first end and said second end;
f) a plurality of second slats, each second slat positioned in spaced relation between the first ladder string and the second ladder string, each second slat having a first end and a second end, a first outer surface and a second inner surface extending between said first and said second end of said second slats;
and the first and second slats joined together at adjacent ends by a hinge means;
g) a plurality of louver strings, each louver string connected at a first end thereof to said first slat and at a second end thereof to said second ladder string;
and the first ladder string is selectively biased by said pulley rod in a clockwise direction to incline adjacent first and second slats into spaced, parallel closed positions, with the first slat resting on an adjacent second slat and the second slat adjacent to a respective bridging string;
and the first ladder string is selectively biased by said pulley rod in a counter-clockwise direction to selectively bias each of the plurality of slats into an open, V-shaped position about the hinge means.

7 more elements

An overlapping, movable blind apparatus for covering a window, which comprises:

a) a pulley rod rotatably secured above said window;
b) a first ladder string depending from a front side of said pulley rod, said first ladder string selectively biased clockwise and counter-clockwise by rotation of said pulley rod;
c) a second ladder string depending from a back side of said pulley rod, said second ladder string biased by rotation of said pulley rod in a direction opposite to movement of said first ladder string;
d) a plurality of bridging strings disposed in spaced, parallel relation between the first ladder string and the second ladder string, said bridging strings movable in parallel aligned relation;
e) a plurality of first slats, each first slat positioned in spaced relation between the first ladder string and the second ladder string, each first slat having a first end and a second end, a first outer surface and a second inner surface extending between said first end and said second end;
f) a plurality of second slats, each second slat positioned in spaced relation between the first ladder string and the second ladder string, each second slat having a first end and a second end, a first outer surface and a second inner surface extending between said first and said second end of said second slats;
and the first and second slats are joined together at adjacent second ends by a hinge means;
g) a plurality of louver strings, each louver string connected at a first end thereof to said first slat and at a second end thereof to said second ladder string;
and the first ladder string is selectively biased by said pulley rod in a clockwise direction to incline adjacent first and second slats into spaced, parallel closed positions, with the first slat resting on an adjacent second slat and the second slat adjacent to a respective bridging string;
and the first ladder string is selectively biased by said pulley rod in a counter-clockwise direction to selectively bias each of the plurality of slats into an open, V-shaped position about the hinge means.

7 more elements

An overlapping, movable blind apparatus for covering a window, which comprises:

a) a horizontally disposed pulley rod rotatably secured above said window;
b) a first ladder string depending from a front side of said pulley rod, said first ladder string selectively raised and lowered responsive to clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation of said pulley rod;
c) a second ladder string depending from a back side of said pulley rod, said second ladder string raised and lowered by rotation of said pulley rod in a direction opposite to movement of said first ladder string;
the first and second ladder strings forming a ladder string set, and at least two ladder string sets are spaced apart along the pulley rod;
d) a plurality of bridging strings disposed in spaced, parallel relation between the first ladder string and the second ladder string, said bridging strings movable in parallel aligned relation;
e) a plurality of slats, each slat positioned in spaced horizontal relation between the first ladder string and the second ladder string, each slat having an upper slat portion and a lower slat portion, the upper slat portion and the lower slat portion joined together by a hinge means, the width of the upper slat portions being sized to overlap adjacent lower slat portions when the slats are fully opened about the hinge means, to block sunlight from passing between the slats when the movable blind apparatus is placed in the fully opened position;
f) a plurality of upper louver strings, each upper louver string connected at a first end to said upper slat portion of a selected slat, and at a second end to said second ladder string;
g) a central lifting string positioned in spaced relation between the ladder string sets;
the central lifting string extending through a vertically aligned aperture in each said first and second slat portions, said central lifting string positioned to raise and lower the overlapping blinds in relation to said pulley rod, and wherein the first ladder string is selectively raised to bias each of the plurality of slats into spaced, parallel closed positions, with the upper slat portion resting on the lower slat portion and the lower slat portion resting on a respective bridging string;
and the first ladder string is selectively lowered to bias each of the plurality of slats into an open position about the hinge means to a position where the upper slat portion abuts the lower slat portion of the adjacent slat, and the lower slat portion is lowered to abut the upper slat portion of the next adjacent slat.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.