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US 6,745,969 B1Granted
Pull-cord keeper
AssigneeNew Spin Corporation
InventorWilliam C. Gouda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pull-cord keeper provided for a window treatment assembly, where the keeper comprises a housing configured for secure mounting attachment on a wall near an upper portion of the window treatment assembly, the housing further defining a cavity therein; an opening in communication with the cavity; a spool adapted for rotational movement within the cavity to reel and collect through the opening a length of a slender, flexible material; and a sealed spring cartridge assembly for spring biasing the spool in a rotational direction for reeling the length of the slender, flexible material during a constant spring-loaded state.
Claims20
A pull-cord keeper for a window treatment assembly, said window treatment assembly including for operation a pull-cord, said keeper comprising:
- a housing configured for secure mounting attachment on a wall near an upper portion of the window treatment assembly, said housing further including:
- a mounting plate configured for rigid mounting at a desired height and location on the wall;
- a cap member having a closed top, and an open bottom, an interior cavity, said cap member being adapted for attachment to one side of the mounting plate opposite the wall, said cap member including a mounting post centrally located and extending away from an interior surface of the top and toward the open bottom;
- and
- an opening extending through said cap member in communication with said cavity;
- a spool adapted for rotational movement about said post within said cavity to reel and collect through said opening a length of said pull-cord, said spool including a central cavity;
- a spring cartridge assembly adapted for mounting on said post and being retained within the cavity of said spool, and including means for spring biasing the spool in a rotational direction for reeling a length of the pull-cord during a constant spring-loaded state, for automatically and continuously collecting any loose length of said pull-cord;
- and
- said spool further including:
- a cylindrical hub portion with first and second flanges extending radially outward at top and bottom ends thereof, respectively, said hub being hollow for defining said centrally located cavity open at said top end, said bottom end of said hub partially closing off said cavity with a centrally located hole therethrough, said hole being surrounded by a ring shaped bushing extending partially into said cavity, said bushing being adapted for rotatably receiving an interior end portion of said post, whereby said spool is rotatably disposed about said post;
- and
- a slot radially extending through said first flange and hub, said slot terminating at said second flange, said slot being adapted for receiving and retaining a free end of the pull-cord.
9 more elements
A pull-cord keeper for a window treatment assembly, said window treatment assembly including for operation a pull-cord, said keeper comprising:
- a housing configured for secure mounting attachment on a wall near an upper portion of the window treatment assembly, said housing further including:
- a mounting plate configured for rigid attachment to the wall;
- a cap member having a closed top, and an open bottom, said cap member being adapted for attachment to one side of the mounting plate opposite the wall;
- and
- a cavity being defined therebetween, whereby said cap member further includes an opening in communication with said cavity;
- said mounting plate further including a pair of opposing ramped projecting recesses formed along an edge portion of the mounting plate;
- said cap member further including a pair of opposing ramped tabs located along an inside rim portion of said cap member corresponding with said ramped projecting recesses, said ramped tabs being configured for snugly fitting within the ramped projecting recesses, when the cap member is rotated on the mounting plate to a locking position where the tabs align radially with the corresponding recesses and mate therewith;
- a spool adapted for rotational movement within said cavity to reel and collect through said opening a length of said pull-cord;
- and
- a spring cartridge assembly including a closed case contained within a central portion of said spool, said case being locked to said spool for rotation therewith, said case enclosing a spring mechanism for biasing the spool in a rotational direction for reeling the length of the pull-cord during a constant spring-loaded state, for automatically and continuously collecting any loose length of said pull-cord.
7 more elements
A pull-cord keeper for a window treatment assembly, said window treatment assembly including for operation a pull-cord, said keeper comprising:
- a housing configured for secure mounting attachment on a wall near an upper portion of the window treatment assembly, said housing further including:
- a mounting plate configured for mounting attachment to the wall;
- a cap member having a closed top and an open bottom, said cap member being adapted for attachment to one side of the mounting plate opposite the wall;
- and
- a cavity being defined therebetween;
- fastening means for securely mounting said mounting plate to the wall;
- an opening extending through said housing in communication with said cavity;
- a spool adapted for rotational movement within said cavity to reel and collect through said opening a length of said pull-cord;
- a sealed spring cartridge assembly contained within a central portion of said spool, including a spring for biasing the spool in a rotational direction for reeling the length of the pull-cord during a constant spring-loaded state, for automatically and continuously collecting any loose length of said pull-cord;
- said mounting plate further includes a pair of opposing ramped projecting recesses formed along an edge portion of the mounting plate;
- and
- said cap member further includes a pair of opposing ramped tabs located along an inside rim portion of said cap member corresponding with said ramped projecting recesses, said ramped tabs being configured for snugly fitting within the ramped projecting recesses, when the cap member is rotated on the mounting plate to a locking position where the tabs align radially with the corresponding recesses and mate therewith.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.