Blind assembly having fabric blind slats

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates generally to blinds and, more particularly, to a blind assembly having fabric blind slats.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fabric blind assembly according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a part of the fabric blind assembly according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 1.

#Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a fabric blind assembly 100 in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is composed of a headrail 11 formed of a barrel, a bottom rail 12 extended in transverse direction and suspended below the headrail 11, a plurality of fabric blind slats 14 arranged in parallel between the headrail 11 and the bottom rail 12, and two pairs of braided ladders 13 vertically bilaterally connected between the headrail 11 and the bottom rail 12 to connect the fabric blind slats 14 and to hold the fabric blind slats 14 in parallel.

#Each fabric blind slat 14 includes an elongated strip of fabric 141 and two rod members 142. The strip of fabric 141 is a piece of opaque or semitransparent fabric capable of protecting from light, having two pockets 143 longitudinally extended along two opposite long sides thereof The pockets 143 can be formed of a part of the strip of fabric 141 by stitching or bonding. Each pocket 143 has transversely extended crevices 144. The rod members 142 are rigid members, having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pockets 143. The length of the rod members 142 is substantially equal to the longitudinal depth of the pockets 143. When inserted into the pockets 143, the rod members 142 can be slightly rotated in the pockets 143. Further, each rod member 142 has a plurality of coupling portion 145 corresponding to the crevices 144 (see FIG. 3).

#The braided ladders 13 are vertically bilaterally connected between the headrail 11 and the bottom rail 12 at two sides of the fabric blind slats 14, each having a plurality of equally vertically spaced retaining members 131 corresponding to the fabric blind slats 14. The retaining members 131 according to this embodiment are C-shaped retainers formed of injection molding on the braided ladders 13, having a proper toughness and resilience. After insertion of the rod members 142 into the pockets 143, the retaining members 131 of the braided ladders 13 are respectively inserted into the crevices 144 and fastened to the coupling portions 145 of the rod members 142 (see FIG. 3).