JP7807975B2 - Adjusters and blinds - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an adjustment device for adjusting the hanging length of a cord arranged along a shielding material, and to a blind.

A conventional adjustment device and blind for adjusting the hanging length of a cord placed along a shielding material is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-172176 (Patent Document 1). This document discloses an adjustment device and blind that include a shield hanging from a head rail, a bottom rail attached to the lower end of the shield, a cord hanging from the head rail, and a cord length adjustment mechanism that is fixed within the bottom rail and to which the lower end of the cord is attached, allowing the length of the cord to be adjusted. The cord length adjustment mechanism includes a fixed member that is fixed within the bottom rail and has an insertion portion through which the lower end of the cord can be inserted and a locking portion through which the lower end of the cord can be locked; a movable member that is movable in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail relative to the fixed member while the lower end of the cord inserted through the insertion portion of the fixed member is wound around and fixed to the fixed member; and a locking member that locks the movable member so that it cannot move relative to the fixed member.

This allows the length of the cord to be adjusted simply by moving the moving member around which the cord is wound in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-172176

However, with conventional adjustment devices and blinds such as those disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to fix the cord length in the adjusted position, it is necessary to provide a separate locking member that locks the movable member so that it cannot move relative to the fixed member. This poses the problem of increasing the number of parts and making the structure more complex.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and its purpose is to provide technology that allows for easy cord length adjustment while still having a simple structure with a small number of parts.

To solve the above problem, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adjustment device for adjusting the hanging length of a cord in a blind that includes a cord hanging down along a shielding material suspended from a head box and a rail material connected to the lower end of the shielding material. The adjustment device includes: a holder attached to the rail material and having multiple first restriction portions arranged along the longitudinal direction of the rail material; and an adjustment member that is attached to the holder and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, and has a first locking portion that can be engaged with the first restriction portion. The cord is connected to the adjustment member so that a portion is pulled in the longitudinal direction of the rail material in response to movement of the adjustment member in the longitudinal direction of the rail material. The hanging length of the cord can be adjusted by moving the adjustment member in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, and the hanging length of the cord can be maintained by engaging the first locking portion with any of the first restriction portions, thereby restricting movement of the adjustment member in the longitudinal direction of the rail material.

This configuration allows for easy adjustment of the cord length, even though it has a simple structure with few parts, consisting only of a holder and an adjustment member. Therefore, the hanging length of the cord can be easily adjusted and maintained, making it easy to adjust the height of the blinds and the tilt of the rail material.

The present invention has a wide range of applications. For example, the adjustment member may be movable in the longitudinal direction of the rail material while attached to the holder, and tiltable around an axis extending in the lateral direction of the rail material; the adjustment member may be tilted in a release direction, which is one of the longitudinal directions of the rail material, to release the engagement of the first locking portion with the first restricting portion, thereby allowing movement in the longitudinal direction of the rail material; and tilted in a locking direction, which is the other of the longitudinal directions of the rail material, to lock the first locking portion with the first restricting portion, thereby restricting movement of the rail material in the longitudinal direction. With this configuration, by tilting the adjustment member, it is possible to easily switch between a state in which the adjustment member is movable and the hanging length of the cord is adjustable, and a state in which the movement of the adjustment member is restricted and the hanging length of the cord is held at an adjusted position.

Furthermore, the first restricting portions may be provided at the upper end of the holder, which opens upward, along the longitudinal direction of the rail material so as to face each other in the lateral direction of the rail material; the first locking portions may be formed as a pair at both ends of the adjustment member in the lateral direction of the rail material; the holder may further have grooves provided below the first restricting portions so as to face each other in the lateral direction of the rail material, with portions of the grooves extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail material; the adjustment member may have a pair of protrusions at both ends of the lateral direction of the rail material at positions different from the first locking portions, and the adjustment member may be attached to the holder so that the pair of protrusions can slide in the grooves, thereby allowing the adjustment member to move in the longitudinal direction of the rail material and tilt around the pair of protrusions as an axis. With this configuration, tilting the adjustment member allows easy switching between a state in which the adjustment member is movable and the hanging length of the cord can be adjusted, and a state in which the movement of the adjustment member is restricted and the hanging length of the cord is held at an adjusted position. Furthermore, because the pair of protrusions slides in the groove, the adjustment member can be moved smoothly and is prevented from coming off the holder during movement.

Furthermore, when the first locking portion is locked by the first restricting portion, the adjustment member may restrict longitudinal movement of the rail material relative to the holder and restrict tilting of the rail material around an axis in the lateral direction. With this configuration, the adjustment member can be fixed to the holder to prevent movement and tilting, so that the adjustment position can be reliably maintained after adjusting the hanging length of the cord.

The holder may further have a plurality of second restriction portions provided at the bottom in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, and the adjustment member may further have a second locking portion that protrudes and can be locked with the second restriction portions when tilted in the locking direction, and may be fixed to the holder with the first locking portion locked with the first restriction portion and the second locking portion locked with the second restriction portion. With this configuration, by locking the adjustment member to the holder at two locations, the first locking portion and the second locking portion, the adjustment position can be reliably maintained and will not shift even if strong tension is applied to the cord.

The holder may further have a first insertion hole formed in the upper end of the second wall portion perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rail material, and a second insertion hole formed below the first insertion hole, and the adjustment member may further have a cord turning portion for turning the cord, such that the cord is introduced into the holder through the first insertion hole, turned at the cord turning portion, and led out of the holder through the second insertion hole, with the end of the cord locked so as not to be removed from the second insertion hole. With this configuration, the hanging length of the cord can be adjusted by an amount twice as large as the amount of longitudinal movement of the adjustment member, ensuring a sufficient adjustment amount without increasing the size of the adjustment device.

The first restricting portions may also be formed on the holder at a predetermined pitch along the longitudinal direction of the rail material. This configuration allows the hanging length of the cord to be adjusted while keeping track of the adjustment amount, making it easy to fine-tune the hanging length.

The adjustment member may also have a base portion for tilting, with a tilt operation assist opening in part of the base portion. With this configuration, the adjustment member can be raised not only by inserting a finger into the tilt operation assist opening, but also by inserting a tool such as a flathead screwdriver into the tilt operation assist opening, making it easy to operate even in situations where operation with a finger is difficult.

The adjustment member may also have a base portion for controlling tilting, and a portion of the base portion may protrude longitudinally from the end of the holder when the first locking portion is locked to the first restriction portion. With this configuration, a portion of the base portion protrudes longitudinally from the end of the holder, making it easier to grasp the end of the adjustment member with fingers. Therefore, even if the adjustment member is small, it can be easily operated with fingers.

Furthermore, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blind characterized by comprising the adjustment device of the first aspect of the present invention.

This configuration allows for easy adjustment of the blind cord length, even with a simple structure consisting of only a holder and adjustment member and a limited number of parts.

The shielding member may further include a mounting plate for connecting the lower end of the shielding member to the rail material, and the adjustment member may be exposed and operable through an opening formed in a portion of the mounting plate when attached to the rail material. This configuration allows the adjustment member to be easily operated.

The present invention provides technology that allows for easy cord length adjustment while maintaining a simple structure with a small number of parts. Other advantages of the present invention will be explained in the detailed description of the invention below.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a pleated screen 100 according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vicinity of an adjustment device 140. 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining an adjustment device 140, in which FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining an adjustment device 140, in which FIG. 10A is a side view and FIG. 10B is a front view. FIG. 4( a ) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 10A and 10B are oblique views for explaining the operation of the adjustment device 140, in which (a) shows the state in which the adjustment member 160 is fixed to the holder 150, (b) shows the state in which the adjustment member 160 and the holder 150 are disengaged, (c) shows the state in which the adjustment member 160 is being slid, and (d) shows the state in which the adjustment member 160 is engaged with the holder 150. 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views for explaining the operation of the adjustment device 140, in which (a) shows the state in which the adjustment member 160 is fixed to the holder 150, (b) shows the state in which the adjustment member 160 and the holder 150 are disengaged, (c) shows the state in which the adjustment member 160 is being slid, and (d) shows the state in which the adjustment member 160 is engaged with the holder 150. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a state before assembly of the adjusting device 140 to the bottom rail 170. FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled state of the adjusting device 140 to the bottom rail 170, illustrating the process of assembling the adjusting device 140 to the bottom rail 170. FIG. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing states in which the hanging length of the lifting cord 130 has been adjusted, where FIG. 10A shows the longest hanging length and FIG. 10B shows the shortest hanging length. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a first modified example of the adjustment device 140. 4A shows a second modification of the adjusting device 140, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 4A.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that in this specification and drawings, components that have substantially the same functional configuration will be assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Note that the following description will use pleated screens as an example of blinds, but the present invention can also be applied to honeycomb screens, horizontal blinds, etc.

(First embodiment)
The overall configuration of a pleated screen 100 (blind) according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of the pleated screen 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the vicinity of an adjustment device 140. The pleated screen 100 is equipped with an adjustment device 140 that adjusts the hanging length of a lifting/lowering cord 130 (cord) hanging from a head box 120 in order to raise and lower a suspended screen 110 (shielding material). Each component of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

(Screen 110)
The screen 110 (shielding material) is a shielding material that closes and opens an opening. As shown in FIG. 1 , the upper end of the screen 110 is connected to the head box 120 and suspended. The screen 110 has a plurality of pleats formed in the vertical direction that can be folded and unfolded, and each pleat has an insertion hole 112 through which a lifting cord 130 is inserted. The lower end of the screen 110 is connected to the bottom rail 170.

As shown in Figure 1, the head box 120 is configured in a long, box-like shape. The lifting cord 130 is wound around the inside, and turning members 122 that turn the direction of the cord are provided at two longitudinal locations. One end of the head box 120 is also provided with a stopper 124 that restricts the movement of the lifting cord 130. The head box 120 is fixed to a window frame or wall (not shown) by a bracket 126.

As shown in FIG. 1, one end of the lifting cord 130 is connected to the bottom rail 170, and the other end is inserted through the insertion holes 112 of the screen 110 and introduced into the head box 120. The lifting cord 130 introduced into the head box 120 is then turned by the turning member 122. The turned lifting cord 130 is routed along the longitudinal direction of the head box 120 and led out to the outside via the stopper 124 at one end of the head box 120, where it is connected to each knob 132. Auxiliary cords 134 hang down from the knob 132. The lower ends of the auxiliary cords 134 are connected to the bottom rail 170 via joints 136.

As shown in Figure 2, the bottom rail 170 has a long, box-like shape with an opening 172 formed at the top. Fittings 174 into which the adjustment device 140 fits are formed in the bottom rail 170, spanning the entire longitudinal length of the front, rear, and lower portions. A mounting plate 176 is provided for attaching the lower end of the screen 110 to the bottom rail 170. The lower end of the screen 110 is placed on the underside of the mounting plate 176, and the screen 110 is connected to it by staples (not shown).

The mounting plate 176 is inserted into the bottom rail 170 together with the lower end of the screen 110, and is positioned so that both shorter edges abut the inner upper surface of the bottom rail 170. This engages the upper part of the bottom rail 170 with the mounting plate 176, connecting the lower end of the screen 110 to the bottom rail 170. This also causes the mounting plate 176 to close the opening 172. The mounting plate 176 has an exposure opening 176a (opening) formed in a position corresponding to the adjustment device 140 attached to the bottom rail, exposing the upper surface of the adjustment device 140. The adjustment device 140 can be operated via the exposure opening 176a.

(Adjusting device 140)
The adjustment device 140, which is a characteristic feature of this embodiment, will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the adjustment device 140, where (a) is an exploded perspective view and (b) is a perspective view. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the adjustment device 140, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a front view. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 4(a). FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 4(a).

The adjustment device 140 is a device for adjusting the hanging length of the lifting cord 130. As shown in Figure 2, the adjustment device 140 comprises a holder 150 attached to the bottom rail 170 and having a plurality of first restriction portions 151 arranged along the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170, and an adjustment member 160 attached to the holder 150 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170 and having a first locking portion 161 that can be locked to the first restriction portions 151. The lifting/lowering cord 130 is connected to the adjustment member 160 so that a portion thereof is pulled in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170 in response to movement of the adjustment member 160 in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170. The hanging length of the lifting/lowering cord 130 can be adjusted by moving the adjustment member 160 in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170, and the first locking portion 161 is locked to one of the first restricting portions 151, restricting the longitudinal movement of the adjustment member 160, thereby maintaining the hanging length.

(Holder 150)
As shown in FIG. 3 , the holder 150 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that opens upward, and a pair of first walls 152 that are arranged opposite each other across the opening are disposed within the bottom rail 170 so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170. As shown in FIG. 3( a), the pair of first walls 152 are formed with a pair of protruding portions 152a that protrude in the front-to-rear and upward directions. The protruding portions 152a protrude upward from the first wall portions 152 by a height that is generally the same as the height of a base portion 165 of the adjustment member 160, which will be described later. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3( b), when the adjustment member 160 is fixed to the holder 150 and the base portion 165 is placed on the first wall portions 152, they are configured to be flush with each other.

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of first restricting portions 151 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the pair of protruding portions 152a at the upper ends of the pair of protruding portions 152a so as to face each other. As shown in FIG. 4(b), the first restricting portion 151 is composed of a recess 151a that engages the first locking portion 161 of the adjustment member 160, and a guide portion 151b that guides the first locking portion 161 into the recess 151a. The recess 151a is formed in a fan shape with a central angle greater than 180 degrees. The guide portion 151b is formed in a sloped shape with a spacing that increases from the recess 151a toward the upper end.

As shown in Figure 3(a), below the first restricting portion 151 of the pair of first wall portions 152, a pair of opposing groove portions 153 that guide the movement of the adjustment member 160 are formed. The pair of groove portions 153 are generally L-shaped, with one side (part) extending longitudinally below the first restricting portion 151 and the other side extending to the upper end of the first wall portion 152, forming an insertion portion 153a that is open at the top.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the holder 150 also has a plurality of second restriction portions 155 provided on the bottom 154 in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170. The second restriction portions 155 are composed of a plurality of projections and depressions formed in the longitudinal direction of the bottom 154. As shown in FIG. 5, the second restriction portions 155 are composed of an inclined surface 155a inclined in the longitudinal direction of the bottom 154, a vertical surface 155b extending from the apex of the inclined surface 155a to the bottom 154, and the bottom 154.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the holder 150 further has a second wall portion 156 that is perpendicular to the first wall portion 152 (the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170), and has a first insertion hole 157 and a second insertion hole 158 through which the lifting cord 130 passes. The second wall portion 156 is formed at the same height as the protruding portion 152a. As shown in FIG. 6, the first insertion hole 157 is a generally L-shaped hole that extends downward from the upper end of the second wall portion 156 and penetrates all the way to the interior of the holder 150. Therefore, the lifting cord 130 is inserted downward into the first insertion hole 157, and is naturally redirected toward the interior of the holder 150 at the bent portion of the first insertion hole 157, allowing it to be inserted all the way into the holder 150.

As shown in Figure 6, the second insertion hole 158 is a long hole that penetrates below the first insertion hole 157 and into the holder 150. The second insertion hole 158 is larger than the thickness of the lifting cord 130 but smaller than the knot 130a formed by the lifting cord 130.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the holder 150 has a third wall portion 159 at the end of the first wall portion 152 opposite the second wall portion 156. The third wall portion 159 is formed at the same height as the first wall portion 152. The base portion 165 of the adjustment member 160 (described below) can be placed on the third wall portion 159.

As shown in Figure 3, the bottom 154 is formed with a pair of protrusions 154a that protrude in the front-to-rear direction, and these protrusions 154a are fitted into the fitting portions 174 of the bottom rail 170. Therefore, the holder 150 is free to move in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170, but movement in the up-down and front-to-rear directions is restricted.

(Adjustment member 160)
Adjustment member 160 is fixed to holder 150, and allows the hanging length of lift-up cord 130 to be adjusted by pulling in a portion of lift-up cord 130 in the longitudinal direction of bottom rail 170. When adjustment member 160 is tilted in the unlocking direction, which is one of the longitudinal directions of bottom rail 170, the first locking portion 161 is released from the first restricting portion 151, allowing movement in the longitudinal direction of bottom rail 170, and when adjustment member 160 is tilted in the locking direction, which is the other of the longitudinal directions of bottom rail 170, the first locking portion 161 is locked to the first restricting portion 151, restricting movement of bottom rail 170 in the longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the adjustment member 160 is movable relative to the holder 150 along the multiple first restriction portions 151 and has a pair of first locking portions 161 that can be locked to the first restriction portions 151. The first locking portions 161 are a pair of cylindrical protrusions that protrude from a pair of spaced apart, generally inverted L-shaped pieces 160a toward the first restriction portions 151. As shown in FIG. 4(b), the first locking portions 161 are releasably fitted into the recesses 151a of the first restriction portions 151.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the adjustment member 160 also has a pair of protrusions 162 that can slide along the pair of grooves 153. The protrusions 162 are a pair of cylindrical convex portions that protrude downwardly toward the grooves 153 below the first locking portions 161 of the pair of pieces 160a. The pair of protrusions 162 are inserted into the pair of grooves 153 from the insertion portions 153a, which are open at the top, and as shown in FIG. 4(b), are movable in the longitudinal direction of the pair of grooves 153, allowing the adjustment member 160 to tilt around the pair of protrusions 162 as an axis.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the adjustment member 160 has a protruding second locking portion 163 that can be locked with the second restricting portion 155 of the holder 150. The second locking portion 163 is provided on each lower end of the pair of pieces 160a. As shown in FIG. 5, when the movement of the adjustment member 160 relative to the holder 150 is restricted, the second locking portion 163 has a vertical portion 163a that faces the vertical surface 155b of the second restricting portion 155, a bottom surface 163b that faces the bottom portion 154, and an inclined portion 163c that faces the inclined surface 155a. The second locking portion 163 is configured to move relative to the second restricting portion 155 without coming into contact with it when the adjustment member 160 tilts around the protrusion 162 as its axis in the direction of disengagement.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second locking portion 163 engages with the second restricting portion 155 when the adjustment member 160 is tilted in the engagement direction. When the first locking portion 161 is locked to the first restricting portion 151 and the second locking portion 163 is locked to the second restricting portion 155, the adjustment member 160 is fixed to the holder 150.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the adjustment member 160 further includes a cord turning portion 164 for turning the lifting cord 130. The cord turning portion 164 is formed to connect a pair of pieces 160a at a position between the first locking portion 161 and the second locking portion 163. As shown in FIG. 6, the cord turning portion 164 has a curved surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170, making it easier for the lifting cord 130 to turn. The lifting cord 130 is introduced into the holder 150 through the first insertion hole 157, turned at the cord turning portion 164, and routed so that it can be led out of the holder 150 through the second insertion hole 158. A knot 130a is then formed at the end of the cord outside the holder 150, thereby preventing it from coming out of the second insertion hole 158. The length of the lifting cord 130 can be adjusted in advance by changing the position of the knot 130 relative to the lifting cord 130.

As shown in Figure 3, the adjustment member 160 has a base portion 165 for tilting. The base portion 165 is formed to connect the upper tips of the pair of pieces 160a. A tilting operation assist opening 166 is formed in part of the base portion 165, into which a jig such as a flathead screwdriver or a coin can be inserted. The base portion 165 can be tilted in the unlocking direction by inserting a finger into the tilting operation assist opening 166 to tilt it, or by inserting a flathead screwdriver, coin, etc. into the tilting operation assist opening 166 to tilt it, thereby releasing the lock between the adjustment member 160 and the holder 150. Inserting a flathead screwdriver, coin, etc. into the tilting operation assist opening 166 to tilt it is easier than tilting it with a finger.

The configuration of the adjustment device 140 has been described above. The operation of the adjustment device 140 will now be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the adjustment device 140. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the adjustment device 140.

When the adjustment member 160 is fixed to the holder 150, as shown in Figures 7(a) and 8(a), the first locking portion 161 of the adjustment member 160 locks into the first restriction portion 151 of the holder 150, and the second locking portion 163 of the adjustment member 160 locks into the second restriction portion 155 of the holder 150. The base portion 165 is placed on the first wall portion 152, and the protruding portion 152a and the base portion 165 are configured to be flush with each other. In this way, because the base portion 165 does not protrude from the holder 150, the base portion 165 is prevented from getting caught on anything, and the adjustment member 160 does not tilt unintentionally.

When changing the position of the adjustment member 160 to adjust the hanging length of the lifting cord 130, first release the holder 150 from the adjustment member 160. As shown in Figures 7(b) and 8(b), the adjustment member 160 is tilted by inserting a finger into the tilting operation assist opening 166 or by inserting a flathead screwdriver or coin into the tilting operation assist opening 166, causing the adjustment member 160 to tilt around the protrusion 162 in the unlocking direction, as indicated by arrow a in the figure. As a result, the first locking portion 161 of the adjustment member 160 is released from the first restricting portion 151 of the holder 150 and moves above the protrusion 152a. Furthermore, the second locking portion 163 of the adjustment member 160 is released from the second restricting portion 155 of the holder 150 and moves to the height of the groove 153.

Next, as shown in Figures 7(c) and 8(c), the base portion 165 is grasped with the fingers and the adjustment member 160 is moved in the direction of arrow b. At this time, the protrusion 162 of the adjustment member 160 slides along the groove portion 153 of the holder, allowing the adjustment member 160 to move smoothly.

After moving the adjustment member 160 to the desired position, tilt the base portion 165 with your finger, as shown in Figures 7(d) and 8(d). The adjustment member 160 tilts in the locking direction, as indicated by arrow c in the figure, around the protrusion 162 as its axis. At this time, the first locking portion 161 of the adjustment member 160 is guided by the guide portion 151b of the holder 150 and fits into the recess 151a. This locks the first locking portion 161 to the first restricting portion 151. Furthermore, the vertical portion 163a of the second locking portion 163 of the adjustment member 160 abuts against the vertical surface 155b of the holder 150, restricting its movement. This locks the second locking portion 163 to the second restricting portion 155. In this way, the adjustment member 160 is fixed to the holder 150.

Even when the adjustment member 160 is fixed in the position where the lift cord 130 is most retracted, as shown in Figure 8(d), the tip of the base portion 165 is configured to be flush with the third wall portion 159. This prevents the base portion 165 from getting caught on anything and prevents it from tilting unintentionally.

The operation of the adjustment device 140 has been described above. The process of assembling the adjustment device 140 to the bottom rail 170 will now be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining the process of assembling the adjustment device 140 to the bottom rail 170, and is a perspective view showing the state before assembly. Figure 10 is a diagram for explaining the process of assembling the adjustment device 140 to the bottom rail 170, and is a perspective view showing the assembled state.

As shown in Figure 9, the adjustment device 140 is inserted into the bottom rail 170 (from the third wall portion 159 side in the example of Figure 9) with the adjustment member 160 facing up and the protrusion 154a of the holder 150 positioned so that it fits into the fitting portion 174 of the bottom rail 170. Then, the adjustment device 140 is moved to the desired position through the opening 172 in the bottom rail 170.

After moving the adjustment device 140 to the desired position as shown in Figure 10, connect the hanging lifting cord 130 to the adjustment member 160 through the exposed opening 176a of the mounting plate 176. Then, align the position of the exposed opening 176a with the position of the adjustment device 140 and attach the mounting plate 176 to the opening 172 of the bottom rail 170.

The process for assembling the adjustment device 140 to the bottom rail 170 has been described above. Below, we will explain how to adjust the hanging length of the lifting cord 130 with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11 shows the state after adjusting the hanging length of the lifting cord 130, with (a) showing the longest hanging length and (b) showing the shortest hanging length.

As shown in Figure 11(a), the hanging length of the lifting cord 130 is longest when the cord turn portion 164 of the adjustment member 160 is closest to the second wall portion 156 of the holder 150. As the cord turn portion 164 approaches the third wall portion 159 of the holder 150, the lifting cord 130 is pulled into the bottom rail 170, shortening its hanging length. As shown in Figure 11(b), the hanging length of the lifting cord 130 is shortest when the cord turn portion 164 is closest to the third wall portion 159.

For example, if the pitch between adjacent first restricting portions 151 of the holder 150 is 3 mm, the maximum adjustment amount A of the hanging length of the lifting cord 130 is 24 mm. By adjusting the hanging length of the lifting cord 130 in this way, the height of the pleated screen 100 can be adjusted. Furthermore, because each lifting cord 130 is equipped with a separate adjustment device 140, the hanging length of each can be adjusted separately. This makes it possible to adjust the inclination of the bottom rail 170. Furthermore, by changing the position of the knot 130a of the lifting cord 130, even finer adjustments are possible.

(Effects of the First Embodiment)
As described above, according to this embodiment, the length of the lift-down cord 130 can be easily adjusted despite the simple structure with a small number of parts, consisting of only the holder 150 and the adjustment member 160. Therefore, the hanging length of the lift-down cord 130 can be easily adjusted and maintained, making it easy to adjust the height of the pleated screen 100 and the tilt of the bottom rail 170.

Furthermore, by tilting the adjustment member 160, it is possible to easily switch between a state in which the adjustment member 160 is movable and the hanging length of the lifting/lowering cord 130 can be adjusted, and a state in which the movement of the adjustment member 160 is restricted and the hanging length of the lifting/lowering cord 130 is held at the adjusted position.

In addition, the pair of protrusions 162 slide in the grooves 153, allowing the adjustment member 160 to move smoothly. Furthermore, the adjustment member 160 can be prevented from coming off the holder 150 during movement.

Furthermore, by engaging the first locking portion 161 with the first restricting portion 151, the adjustment member 160 can be fixed to the holder 150 so as not to move or tilt, and therefore the adjustment position of the lifting cord 130 can be reliably held in place after adjusting the hanging length.

Furthermore, by engaging the adjustment member 160 with the holder 150 at two locations, the first engaging portion 161 and the second engaging portion 163, the adjustment position can be reliably held in place even if strong tension is generated in the lifting cord 130.

Furthermore, the lifting cord 130 is routed so that it is introduced into the holder 150 through the first insertion hole 157, turned at the cord turning portion 164, and led out of the holder 150 through the second insertion hole 158. This allows the hanging length of the lifting cord 130 to be adjusted by an amount twice as large as the amount of longitudinal movement of the adjustment member 160. This ensures a sufficient amount of adjustment without increasing the size of the adjustment device 140.

In addition, the first restriction portions 151 are formed on the holder 150 at a predetermined pitch along the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170, so the hanging length of the lift cord 130 can be adjusted while keeping track of the adjustment amount. This makes it easy to fine-tune the hanging length.

In addition, the adjustment member 160 has a tilt operation assist opening 166 in part of the base portion 165, so that not only can the adjustment member be raised by inserting a finger into the tilt operation assist opening 166, but also by inserting a tool such as a flathead screwdriver into the tilt operation assist opening 166. This makes it easy to operate even in cases where operation with a finger is difficult.

In addition, when attached to the bottom rail 170, the adjustment member 160 is exposed and operable through an exposure opening 176a formed in part of the mounting plate 176, making it easy to operate the adjustment member 160.

(Variation 1)
In Modification 1, the shape of the base portion 165 of the adjustment member 160 of the first embodiment is changed. The configuration of the base portion 265 of this modification will be described with reference to FIG. 12 . FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing Modification 1 of the adjustment device 140. As shown in FIG. 12 , the base portion 265 is configured such that a portion of the base portion 265 protrudes in the longitudinal direction from the third wall portion 159 when the first locking portion 161 of the adjustment member 160 is locked to the first restricting portion 151 closest to the second wall portion 156.

In this way, because a portion of the base portion 265 protrudes longitudinally from the end of the holder 150, the end of the base portion 265 can be easily grasped with the fingers. Therefore, even if the adjustment member 160 is small, it can be easily operated with the fingers. Furthermore, because there is no need to provide the tilt operation assist opening 166 in the base portion 265 as in the first embodiment, the purpose can be achieved with a simple structure.

(Variation 2)
In the second modification, the adjustment device 140 is configured so as not to rotate the lift-down cord 130. The adjustment device 140 of this modification will be described with reference to FIG. 13. FIG. 13 shows the second modification of the adjustment device 140 and is a view corresponding to the cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 4(a). As shown in FIG. 13, the holder 150 is provided with only a first insertion hole 157 for introducing the lift-down cord 130 into the holder 150, and is not provided with a second insertion hole 158 for leading the lift-down cord 130 out of the holder 150.

In addition, instead of the cord turning portion 164 that turns the lifting cord 130 within the holder 150, the adjustment member 160 is provided with a cord locking portion 364 that locks the lifting cord 130 within the holder. The cord locking portion 364 has a through-hole 364a that penetrates the bottom rail 170 in the longitudinal direction, and the lifting cord 130 introduced into the holder 150 from the first insertion hole 157 passes through the through-hole 364a of the cord locking portion 364 and forms a knot 130a at the tip, thereby locking the cord to the cord locking portion 364.

By configuring the lift cord 130 so that it does not rotate, the maximum movement of the lift cord 130 is smaller than with the adjustment device 140 of the first embodiment, but the configuration of the holder 150 can be simplified and the manufacturing process can be reduced. Furthermore, because the lift cord 130 does not rotate within the holder 150, the work of connecting the lift cord 130 to the adjustment device 140 is also easier.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art could conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the first embodiment described above, the rail material is the bottom rail 170, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the rail material may be the middle bar of a blind with two tiers of screens, one above the other.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the holder 150 and the adjustment member 160 are engaged and disengaged by tilting the adjustment member 160, but the present invention is not limited to this example. The engagement and disengagement between the holder and the adjustment member can be designed as desired. For example, engagement and disengagement may be performed by moving the adjustment member in the vertical direction of the holder.

In addition, in the first embodiment described above, the adjustment member 160 is attached to the holder 150 so that the protrusion 162 can slide in the groove 153 of the holder 150, allowing it to move in the longitudinal direction of the bottom rail 170 and tilt around the protrusion 162 as an axis, but the present invention is not limited to this example. Any design is possible as long as the adjustment member can move and be engaged and disengaged with the holder. For example, the adjustment member does not need to have a protrusion, and the holder does not need to have a groove.

In the first embodiment described above, the adjustment member 160 is configured such that, when the first locking portion 161 is locked by the first restricting portion 151, longitudinal movement of the bottom rail 170 relative to the holder 150 is restricted, and tilting of the bottom rail 170 around an axis in the lateral direction is restricted. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. Any design is possible as long as the first locking portion is locked by the first restricting portion and longitudinal movement of the adjustment member is restricted.

In addition, in the first embodiment described above, the adjustment member 160 is fixed to the holder 150 with the first locking portion 161 locked to the first restricting portion 151 and the second locking portion 163 locked to the second restricting portion 155, but the present invention is not limited to this example. Any design is possible as long as the first locking portion is locked to the first restricting portion and longitudinal movement of the adjustment member is restricted. For example, the adjustment member does not need to be provided with a second locking portion, and the holder does not need to be provided with a second restricting portion.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the cord is a lifting cord 130 with one end connected to the bottom rail 170, but the present invention is not limited to this example. It may also be applied to a lifting tape, a ladder cord or ladder tape that tilts (opens and closes) the slats of horizontal blinds, or even a pitch cord that keeps each pleat of a pleated screen at a constant width.

The embodiments, applications, and variations described above can be implemented in any suitable combination.

100 Pleated Screen 110 Screen (shielding material)
120 Head box 130 Lifting cord (cord)
140 Adjustment device 150 Holder 151 First restriction portion 152 First wall portion 153 Groove portion 154 Bottom portion 155 Second restriction portion 156 Second wall portion 157 First insertion hole 158 Second insertion hole 160 Adjustment member 161 First locking portion 162 Projection portion 163 Second locking portion 164 Cord turning portion 165, 265 Base portion 166 Tilting operation assist opening 170 Bottom rail (rail material)
172 Opening 176 Mounting plate 176a Exposure opening (opening)
364 Cord locking portion 364a Through hole

Claims (11)

An adjustment device for adjusting the hanging length of a cord in a blind that includes a cord hanging along a shielding material suspended from a head box and a rail material connected to a lower end of the shielding material,
a holder attached to the rail member and having a plurality of first restriction portions provided along the longitudinal direction of the rail member;
an adjustment member that is attached to the holder and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, and has a first locking portion that can be locked to the first restricting portion;
Equipped with
the cord is connected to the adjustment member or the holder so that a portion of the cord is pulled in the longitudinal direction of the rail material in response to movement of the adjustment member in the longitudinal direction of the rail material;
the adjustment member is moved in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, thereby adjusting the hanging length of the cord; and the first locking portion is locked to any one of the first restricting portions to restrict movement of the adjustment member in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, thereby maintaining the hanging length of the cord ,
An adjustment device characterized in that the adjustment member is able to move in the longitudinal direction of the rail material when the engagement between the first locking portion and the first regulating portion is released, and is fixed to the holder so as not to move in the longitudinal direction of the rail material when the first locking portion and the first regulating portion are engaged . An adjustment device for adjusting the hanging length of a cord in a blind that includes a cord hanging along a shielding material suspended from a head box and a rail material connected to a lower end of the shielding material,
a holder attached to the rail member and having a plurality of first restriction portions provided along the longitudinal direction of the rail member;
an adjustment member that is attached to the holder and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, and has a first locking portion that can be locked to the first restricting portion;
Equipped with
the cord is connected to the adjustment member or the holder so that a portion of the cord is pulled in the longitudinal direction of the rail material in response to movement of the adjustment member in the longitudinal direction of the rail material;
the adjustment member is moved in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, thereby adjusting the hanging length of the cord; and the first locking portion is locked to any one of the first restricting portions to restrict movement of the adjustment member in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, thereby maintaining the hanging length of the cord,
the adjustment member is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rail material while attached to the holder, and tiltable about an axis in the lateral direction of the rail material,
An adjustment device characterized in that the rail material is tilted in a release direction, which is one of the longitudinal directions of the rail material, thereby releasing the engagement of the first engagement portion with the first regulating portion, thereby allowing movement in the longitudinal direction of the rail material, and is tilted in a locking direction, which is the other of the longitudinal directions of the rail material, thereby engaging the first engagement portion with the first regulating portion , thereby restricting movement of the rail material in the longitudinal direction. a plurality of first restricting portions are provided along the longitudinal direction of the rail material at an upper end portion of the holder that is open upward and are opposed to each other in the lateral direction of the rail material;
The first locking portions are formed as a pair at both ends of the adjustment member in the short direction of the rail material,
The holder further has grooves provided below the first restricting portion so as to face each other in a short-side direction of the rail material, and a portion of the grooves extends in a long-side direction of the rail material,
The adjustment device described in claim 2, characterized in that the adjustment member has a pair of protrusions at both ends in the short direction of the rail material at a position different from the first engaging portion, and is attached to the holder so that the pair of protrusions can slide in the groove portion, thereby making it possible to move in the longitudinal direction of the rail material and tilt around the pair of protrusions as an axis. The adjustment device described in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that when the first locking portion is locked to the first restricting portion, the adjustment member restricts longitudinal movement of the rail material relative to the holder and restricts tilting of the rail material around an axis extending in the lateral direction. The holder further includes a plurality of second restricting portions provided at a bottom portion in a longitudinal direction of the rail material,
The adjustment device described in claim 4, characterized in that the adjustment member further has a second locking portion that protrudes so as to be able to lock with the second regulating portion when tilted in the locking direction, and is fixed to the holder when the first locking portion is locked with the first regulating portion and the second locking portion is locked with the second regulating portion. the holder further includes a first insertion hole formed in an upper end of a second wall portion perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rail material, and a second insertion hole formed below the first insertion hole,
The adjustment member further includes a cord turning portion that turns the cord,
2. The adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein the cord is routed so that it is introduced into the holder through the first insertion hole, turned at the cord turning portion, and led out of the holder through the second insertion hole, and the end is locked in place so that it cannot be removed from the second insertion hole. The adjustment device described in claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the first restricting portions are formed on the holder at a predetermined pitch along the longitudinal direction of the rail material. The adjustment device described in claim 2, characterized in that the adjustment member has a base portion for tilting, and a tilting operation assist opening is provided in a portion of the base portion. The adjustment device described in claim 2, characterized in that the adjustment member has a base portion for operating the tilting movement, and when the first locking portion is locked to the first restricting portion, a portion of the base portion protrudes longitudinally from the end of the holder. A blind, characterized in that it comprises an adjusting device according to claim 1 or 2 . Further provided is a mounting plate for connecting a lower end of the shielding material to the rail material,
11. The blind according to claim 10, wherein the adjustment member is operably exposed through an opening formed in a part of the mounting plate when attached to the rail material.