GB2303661A - S-shaped slat for a vertical blind - Google Patents

Abstract

A vertical blind has S-shaped slats so that, when closed, the curved overlapping spaces provide a better block of light. The slats may be form from laminated wood veneer, single thickness aluminium sheet or medium density fibre board, or the aluminium sheet or fibre board laminated with wood veneer.

Description

VERTICAL LOUVRE BLINDS Vertical louvre blinds are currently manufactured using elongated flat rectangular slats or louvres suspended from an overhead horizontal track and optionally held in position by a lower track.

Cords or light chains are provided to pivot the louvres about their longitudinal axis. The slats are substantially at right angles to the track, which allows light to pass, and a closed position in which the side edges of the louvres overlap and contact each other, to block the light.

The present invention provides louvres for vertical blinds in which the elongated slats have a substantially S-shaped transverse cross section.

The louvres of this invention may be manufactured by two or more wood veneers being laminated together to form a rigid or semi-rigid material to be formed into an S-shaped louvre. Alternatively, from a single thickness of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as aluminium sheet or medium density fibre board. Wood veneers may be laminated to such materials. Further surface decoration can be provided as desired.

The louvres are formed into the desired S shape by glueing layers of veneer one on top of the other, with the grain of each alternate veneer running at right angles to that of the next one. The two outer veneers will be running in the same direction as each other ie. the total number of layers must be odd numbers.

After glue has been applied to one inner surface of each veneer and all of them placed together, the whole group are placed onto a mould in a bag press or a vacuum press. Alternatively male and female moulds can be used in a conventional daylight veneer press.

Once the glue has set hard the vanes are removed from the press, trimmed to size, sanded to a fine finish and treated with a varnish or laquer applied by brush or spray.

Each vane is attached to the hooks in one of many different types of conventional head rail by means of a plastic clip attached through a hole drilled near the top edge of the vane.

Louvres manufactured in accordance with this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Drawing No. 1 shows a front elevation and side elevation. Drawing No. 2 shows a cross section through a series of louvres suspended from a conventional rail and pivoted into the closed position. Drawing No. 3 shows the conventional top or top and bottom track system used with these blinds. As seen in Drawing No. 2 the louvres have an Sshaped cross section with oppositely curved wings extending from the longitudinal axis of the louvre. The louvres pivot about this axis when suspended from the conventional track. They thus have the technical advantage that in a closed position the contact edges provide a more secure light-lock than flat louvres of conventional blinds.

Claims (3)

1 A louvre for a vertical blind system consisting of an elongated slat having a substantially S-shaped transverse cross section.

2 A louvre for a vertical blind system in which an elongated rectangular louvre has oppositely curved wings extending transversely from the longitudinal axis of the louvre and each narrow end of the louvre has fixtures for engagement with upper and/or lower tracks of the blind system, as shown in drawing No. 3.

3 A vertical blind system comprising upper and lower guide tracks for location above and below a window area, louvres for mounting vertically between the tracks and means for pivoting the louvres about their longitudinal axes, each louvre having a substansially S-shaped cross section.