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  Window blind assemblyUSPTO Application #: 20070272363Title: Window blind assembly Abstract: A window blind assembly includes top and bottom fixing seats adapted to be fixed to a support and having a first engaging portion, a headrail, a bottom rail, and a blind unit. Each of the headrail and bottom rail includes a pair of first and second clamp plates having opposite inner faces, and protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces formed on the inner faces. One of the first and second clamp plates further has a first retaining portion to engage the first engaging portion. The blind unit has top and bottom end portions. Each of the top and bottom end portions is clamped detachably between the inner faces and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of one of the headrail and the bottom rail. (end of abstract) Agent: Gallagher & Lathrop, A Professional Corporation - San Francisco, CA, US Inventor: Tai-Long Huang USPTO Applicaton #: 20070272363 - Class: 160 8404 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070272363. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]1. Field of the Invention [0002]The invention relates to a window blind, more particularly to a window blind assembly that can be easily assembled and disassembled. [0003]2. Description of the Related Art [0004]Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional window blind assembly includes a headrail 1, a blind unit 2, and a control unit 3. The headrail 1 includes a first chamber 101, a second chamber 102, and two spaced-apart through holes 103 provided in a top wall-of the headrail 1. The blind unit 2 is inserted slidably and longitudinally into the first chamber 101. The control unit 3 is installed in the second chamber 102, and includes two drums 301, a cord 302 extending between the drums 301 and associated with the blind unit 2 in a conventional manner, and two ring members 303 provided respectively on the drums 301 and extending respectively through the through holes 103. The ring members 303 are used to hang the conventional window blind assembly. [0005]Although the aforementioned conventional window blind assembly can achieve its intended purpose, the user must disassemble the entire assembly, i.e., the headrail 1, the blind unit 2, and the control unit 3, in order to remove the blind unit 2 slidably from the first chamber 101 for cleaning or replacement. Hence, cleaning and replacement of the blind unit 2 is very inconvenient. Further, since the drums 301 of the control unit 3 are provided as independent elements and are almost entirely encapsulated by the headrail 1 after being inserted into the second chamber 102, insertion of the ring members 303 through the respective through holes 303 is difficult during assembly. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006]Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a window blind assembly that can be easily assembled and disassembled and that has specific components fixed in form so as to largely minimize production costs and so as to reduce troublesome assembly operations. [0007]According to this invention, a window blind assembly comprises top and bottom fixing seats adapted to be fixed to a support, a headrail, a bottom rail, and a blind unit. Each of the top and bottom fixing seats has a base plate, and a first engaging portion projecting outwardly from the base plate. Each of the headrail and bottom rail includes a pair of first and second clamp plates. The first and second clamp plates have opposite inner faces, and protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces formed on the inner faces. One of the first and second clamp plates further has a first retaining portion to engage the first engaging portion. The blind unit is made of a flexible material, and has a top end portion, a bottom end portion, and an intermediate portion between the top and bottom end portions. Each of the top and bottom end portions is clamped detachably between the inner faces and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of one of the headrail and the bottom rail. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008]Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: [0009]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a conventional window blind assembly; [0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a window blind assembly according to the present invention; [0011]FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred embodiment in an unfolded state; [0012]FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3; and [0013]FIG. 5 illustrates the preferred embodiment in a folded state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0014]Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the preferred embodiment of a window blind assembly according to the present invention is shown to include two top fixing seats 10, two bottom fixing seats 30, a headrail 20, a bottom rail 40, and a blind unit 50. [0015]Each of the top and bottom fixing seats 10, 30 has a base plate 11, 31 adapted to be fixed to a wall 100 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) by use of double-sided adhesive tape or nails, and a first engaging portion 12, 32 projecting outwardly from the base plate 11, 31. The first engaging portion 12, 32 of each of the top and bottom fixing seats 10, 30 is in the form of a longitudinal first protrusion, and includes two spaced-apart first spring plates 121, 321 that extend longitudinally to define a slot 122, 322 therebetween so as to permit biasing movement of the first spring plates 121, 321 toward or away from each other. The first spring plates 121, 321 respectively have oppositely projecting butt ends 123, 323. [0016]Each of the headrail 20 and the bottom rail 40 includes a pair of first and second clamp plates 21, 41, 22, 42. The first and second clamp plates 21, 41, 22, 42 have opposite inner faces 212, 412, 221, 421, and releasable protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces formed on the inner faces 212, 412, 221, 421. The first clamp plate 21, 41 of each of the headrail 20 and the bottom rail 40 further has a first retaining portion 213, 413 provided on an outer face 211, 411 thereof. The first retaining portion 213, 413 is in the form of a longitudinal first groove, and has a broad inner groove section 214, 414 and a narrow groove opening 216, 416. The butt ends 123 of the first spring plates 121 of the top fixing seats 10 extend fittingly into the broad inner groove section 214 through the narrow groove opening 216. Similarly, the butt ends 323 of the first spring plates 321 of the bottom fixing seats 30 extend fittingly into the broad inner groove section 414 through the narrow groove opening 416. [0017]The protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of the first and second clamp plates 21, 41, 22, 42 include two spaced-apart parallel longitudinal second grooves 215, 415 formed in the inner face 212, 412 of the first clamp plate 21, 41, and two spaced-apart longitudinal second protrusions 222, 422 that project from the inner face 221, 421 of the second clamp plate 22, 42 and that engage the second grooves 215, 415, respectively. Each of the second grooves 215, 415 has a broad inner groove section 2151, 4151 and a narrow groove opening 2152, 4152. Each of the second protrusions 222, 422 includes two spaced-apart second spring plates 223, 423 that extend longitudinally to define a slot 224, 424 therebetween so as to permit biasing movement of the second spring plates 223, 423 toward or away from each other and that respectively have oppositely projecting butt ends 225, 425. The butt ends 225, 425 of the second spring plates 223, 423 of each second protrusion 222, 422 extend into the broad inner groove section 2151, 4151 of a respective one of the second grooves 215, 415 through the corresponding narrow groove opening 2152, 4152. [0018]The blind unit 50 is made of a flexible material, such as paper, cloth, honeycomb cloth, etc., and has a top end portion 511, a bottom end portion 512, and an intermediate portion 513 between the top and bottom end portions 511, 512. The top end portion 511 is clamped detachably between the inner faces 212, 221 and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of the first and second clamp plates 21, 22 of the headrail 20. The bottom end portion 512 is clamped detachably between the inner faces 412, 421 and between the protrusion-and-groove engagement surfaces of the first and second clamp plates 41, 42 of the bottom rail 40. The intermediate portion 513 includes a plurality of folds 5131 each having two spaced-apart through holes 514. [0019]The blind unit 50 includes two elastic cords 52 each having two opposite ends attached respectively to the top and bottom end portions 511, 512 and extending from the top end portion 511 to the bottom end portion 512 via the through holes 514 in the intermediate portion 513. Each of the elastic cords 52 can be made of rubber or other elastic materials. [0020]Each of the headrail 20 and the bottom rail 40 further includes two end caps 60, each of which covers one of two opposite ends of the first clamp plates 21, 41 and one of two opposite ends of the second clamp plates 22, 42. Continue reading... Full patent description for Window blind assembly Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Window blind assembly patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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