TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a blind and more particularly is concerned with a head rail used in the blind although the scope of the invention is not necessarily limited thereto.

BACKGROUND

In general, blinds provide a covering for windows, glass doors and the like. Blinds operate to block out light (i.e. prevent light from entering through the window or door etc), or to prevent people from seeing in through the window or door. A blind also insulates from heat, cold and glare thereby reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas production. A blind could also be purely decorative. A range of different types of blinds exist. One particular kind of blind is known as a "Roman blind". Figures 1-3 help to illustrate the construction and operation of conventional Roman blinds.

Figures 1-3 show that Roman blinds include a sheet of fabric 1. The fabric 1 is what provides the covering to prevent light from entering through the window etc when the blind is down. The top edge of the fabric 1 is attached to, and hangs from, a head rail. The head rail is designated generally by reference numeral 2 in Figures 1-3. The head rail 2 is fixed in position and is typically mounted to the wall above the window or door by brackets. The way in which the fabric 1 normally attaches to the head rail 2 will be described further below. In between the top and the bottom edges of the fabric in the Roman blind, folds in the fabric are inserted into a series of intermediate battens 4. In Figure 1, there are four battens 4. However, this is just an example and there could be a different number of battens. One way in which the folds in the fabric can be inserted into the battens is described in our earlier application number PCT/AU2007/001199.

The Roman blind in Figures 1-3 includes a string 5 which extends vertically from the head rail 2. The string 5 also extends down through a series of eyelets 6. If it is desired to lift the blind to allow light into the room etc, the string 5 can be pulled down and this causes the blind to lift, as shown in Figure 3. As the blind lifts, the fabric 1 gathers along the battens 4 as shown.

The Roman blind shown in each of Figures 1-3 is of a relatively simple kind. With this form of Roman blind, if it is desired to lift the blind a certain amount (i.e. to lift the blind to uncover a certain amount of the window/door below the blind), then the string 5 is pulled the necessary amount and then tied off on a hook (or something similar) on the wall/door adjacent the blind. Tying the string off secures the blind at the desired height.

However, more sophisticated kinds of Roman blind than those illustrated in Figures 1- 3 also exist. The more sophisticated Roman blinds incorporate mechanisms which alleviate the need to tie off the string to secure the blind at the desired height. There are two types of mechanisms commonly used for this purpose. The first kind is commonly referred to as a "cord lock" mechanism, and the other kind is commonly referred to as a "chain drive" mechanism. Figure 4 illustrates a unit 3 containing a cord lock mechanism. The unit 3 is mounted on the end of the head rail of a Roman blind, and the string extends through it as represented by arrows A and B. Arrow A represents the portion of the string which extends horizontally along the head rail before extending down to connect to the battens to operate the blind. The way the string represented by an arrow A extends horizontally is similar to that shown in Figures 2-3 except that the head rail typically used with cord lock mechanisms comprises a hollow metal component (like the one shown in Figures 9-10) and the horizontal portions of the string extend along the inside of the head rail. Arrow B in Figure 4 represents the portion of the string (the "pull string") which can be pulled to raise the blind. The unit 3 contains a cam mechanism. The cam mechanism allows the string to be pulled down through the unit 3 (in the direction of arrow B) to raise the blind. However, when the user lets go of the pull string after raising the blind the desired amount, the weight of the fabric etc (which pulls down under gravity and therefore tends to pull the pull string back up) causes the cam mechanism to engage the string. Hence, the cam mechanism secures (i.e. "locks") the string in position thereby securing the blind at the desired height. shown on the right-hand side of the gear wheel (in these Figures) inserts into the hollow end of the head rail.

It should be noted that the cord lock unit shown in Figure 4 and the chain drive units shown in Figures 6 and 7 are standard units (standard in terms of shape, dimensions and operation) used predominantly throughout the Roman blind making industry. Unfortunately, each of these units, and in particular the portion which inserts into the end of the head rail, has a different configuration. Consequently, to enable Roman blind makers to utilise these standard units in the production of Roman blinds, it is necessary for the blind makers to produce and maintain stock of multiple different types of head rail, each said type being configured differently to allow mounting of the different cord lock/chain drive units. This often leads to significant over stocking and other inventory related problems.

Another problem associated with the head rails currently used in the production of Roman blinds relates to the way in which the fabric is attached to the head rail. In some Roman blinds (Figures 2-3 are examples of this), the fabric is secured to the head rail using mechanical fasteners such as staples or tacks. In other Roman blinds, the fabric is sewn to the head rail. These methods are undesirable because the process of stabling/tacking/sewing the fabric to the head rail is labour-intensive and time- consuming and therefore adds to the production cost of a Roman blind. Attempts have been made to alleviate this problem. For instance, Figure 9 shows a prior art head rail 2' in which a strip of Velcro is incorporated onto the front face of the head rail. Figure 10 demonstrates that a corresponding strip of Velcro is attached to the top edge of the fabric to allow the fabric to be secured to the head rail. Whilst this method alleviates the need for staples etc, it still has considerable disadvantages. For instance, the strip of Velcro which extends along the front face of the head rail is not simply adhered in place. This is because the adhesive backing on the Velcro is not strong enough by itself to hold up the full weight of the fabric and battens etc. Therefore, in order to prevent the Velcro from simply pulling off the front face of the head rail, the head rail is provided with a pair of metal walls extending along the front face of the head rail above and below where the Velcro is adhered. When the Velcro strip has been adhered in place, the metal walls are then folded over to clamp the Velcro in place as shown by reference numerals 10 in Figure 9. The need to do this significantly adds to the time, difficulty and cost of blind production. Another Figures 6 and 7 respectively show two different chain drive mechanisms 7 and 7'. The mechanism 7 in Figures 6 differs from the mechanism T in Figure 7 only in that each one provides a different gear ratio. Apart from this, they each attach to the end of the head rail and operate in the same way. The "chain" which is used to operate these chain drive mechanism is not a traditional chain formed by interconnected links. Rather, the chain is formed by a series of plastic or metal balls which are threaded onto and secured on a cord/cable/string to form a loop. The chain is not shown in any of the Figures. Each of the mechanisms 7 and T includes a gear wheel and the chain loops over and hangs down from the gear wheel (the chain drive unit is attached to the end of the head rail so that chain hangs down from the head rail parallel to the edge of the blind). The gear wheel has a series of circumferential notches 8 which engage with individual balls on the chain. In this way, pulling down on one side of the chain loop causes the gear wheel to rotate in one direction, and pulling down on the other side of the chain loop causes the gear wheel to rotate in the other direction. At this point it should be noted that there are some variations on the chain drive mechanism just described, in which the chain and gear wheel are replaced by an electric motor.

Referring next to Figure 8, it will be seen that the chain drive mechanism (whether chain operated or electric) operates in conjunction with a rotatable barrel 9 around which the string is wound. The rotatable barrel 9 is shown in Figure 8. The chain drive T attaches to the barrel 9 via a connecting rod (not shown but represented by dashed lines in Figure 8) such that when the user pulls the chain to rotate the gear wheel one way, this rotates barrel 9 causing the string to pull the blind up, and when the user pulls the chain to rotate the gear wheel the other way, this lowers the blind.

Whilst these more sophisticated Roman blind operating mechanisms are often more desirable than the simple version described with reference to Figures 1-3 because it is not necessary for the user to tie off the string in order to secure the blind at the desired height, nevertheless these mechanisms also give rise to certain disadvantages. One of the major disadvantages arises from the fact the cord lock and chain drive mechanisms are generally mounted on the end of the head rail by inserting a portion of the cord lock/chain drive unit into the hollow end of the head rail (it being recalled that the head rail typically comprises a hollow metal section). In the case of the cord lock unit 3, the block-like portion 80 inserts into the end of the head rail, and in the case of the chain drive units 7 and 7', the horizontally extending portion 60 (or 60') problem associated with Velcro is that it is required to be sewn to the fabric of the blind requiring a skilled seamstress and considerable labour cost. A further problem associated with the Velcro strip is that, even after the fabric is attached and the blind is installed, a portion of the head rail remains visible above the fabric. This is considered particularly unsightly in the blind industry (and also by consumers). The aesthetic appearance of a head rail where the front face of the rail is completely covered over by the blind fabric is very much preferred.

It will be clearly appreciated that any reference herein to previous or conventional methods, apparatuses, practices or other information does not constitute an acknowledgement or admission that any methods, apparatuses, practices or other information (including publications), or any possible combination thereof, formed part of the common general knowledge in the field, or is otherwise admissible prior art, whether in Australia or in any other country.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a head rail for a blind such as a Roman blind which may overcome or reduce one or more of the above-mentioned problems, or which may at least provide a useful or commercial alternative to other blind head rails in the marketplace. Further objectives of the invention may be evident from the following description.

In one broad form, the present invention resides in a head rail for a blind, the head rail being adapted to enable attachment thereto of industry standard cord lock units and industry standard chain drive units.

In a more particular form, the invention resides in a head rail for a blind, the head rail having a cross-sectional profile which includes a first wall having a distal end, a second wall having a distal end, a web portion extending between the first wall and the second wall, and one or more unit attachment formations associated with one or both of the walls and being located in, or extending through, a space between the walls, and wherein the unit attachment formations being adapted to enable attachment of industry standard cord lock units and industry standard chain drive units to the head rail.

The first and second walls may further be configured such that a portion of the first wall towards the distal end thereof slopes towards the second wall, and a portion of the second wall towards the distal end thereof slopes towards the first wall, so that a space between the distal ends of the walls is less than the maximum distance between the walls.

The first wall may be the front wall of the head rail and the second wall may be the rear wall of the head rail. The first/front wall need not be oriented perfectly (or even approximately) vertically when the head rail is installed (although it may be), but at least a portion of the first/front wall may be oriented generally downwards so as to form a front face of the head rail in use. Similarly, the second/rear wall need not be oriented perfectly (or even approximately) vertically when the head rail is installed (although again it may be), but at least a portion of the second/rear wall may be oriented generally downwards so as to form a rear face of the head rail in use. Each wall may have a proximal end and the proximal ends of the respective walls may be the top ends thereof. The web portion may extend between a top of the first/front wall and the top of the second/rear wall. The distal ends of the respective walls may be the bottom ends thereof.

In use (i.e. in the installed orientation), the web portion of the head rail may extend generally from a top end of the front wall all the way to the point where it connects with a top end of the second wall. The web portion may extend rearwards approximately horizontally in use, although this is not critical and it could also be sloped as it extends between the walls.

A portion of the front wall towards a bottom end thereof may slope towards the rear wall, and a portion of the rear wall towards a bottom end thereof may slope towards the front wall. Put another way, the bottom portions of the respective walls may slope inwards towards each other. As a result, the space between the bottom ends of the walls may be less than the space between the top ends of the walls. Suitably, the web portion may extend substantially horizontally (in its installed configuration), and the respective walls may be substantially mirror images of each other.

In some embodiments, the respective walls may extend substantially vertically down from where they connect to the web portion, but a lower portion of each wall may be curved so that, moving down each wall, the said wall extends more and more inwards towards the other wall. Suitably, the curve may be such that the lowermost portion of each wall is oriented substantially (or close to) horizontal. These substantially (or close to) horizontal portions may be referred to as "flats". The upper surface of the flat on each wall may provide a surface for supporting a portion of a chain drive unit or a cord lock unit. Hence, when a chain drive or cord lock unit is to be connected to the head rail, a portion of the said unit may be inserted into the head rail between the walls and beneath the web portion, and the inserted portion of the unit may be supported on the flat of each wall.

The head rail of the present invention may be formed from any substantially rigid material using any suitable manufacturing process. It is envisaged that preferred embodiments of the head rail will be produced from a metal such as (but not limited to) aluminium alloys. Where an aluminium alloy is used as the material for making the head rail, the head rail may be formed using an extrusion process. However, no limitation whatsoever is to be inferred from this and other materials and manufacturing processes may also be used.

As explained above, the cross-sectional profile of the head rail may also include one or more unit attachment formations which are adapted to enable industry standard cord lock units and industry standard chain drive units to attach to the head rail. The unit attachment formations are associated with one or both of the walls and are located in, or extend through, the space between the walls. In some envisaged embodiments, the unit attachment formations may be integrally formed on the inside of one or both of the walls. Typically, there may be unit attachment formations formed on the inside of both the front wall and rear wall. The unit attachment formations may take a wide range of forms, including but not limited to, ribs, ridges, shelves, slots, cutouts, grooves and the like on or in the respective walls. The head rail of the present invention may further include means for enabling the head rail to be secured to the wall/door above where the blind is to hang using industry-standard spring-loaded brackets. Suitably, this means may comprise opposed facing channels adapted to engage with the opposed oriented spring-loaded hooks featured on industry-standard mounting brackets. The opposed facing channels may be positioned on the rearward side of the head rail. Suitably, the said channels may be integrally formed with the rear wall of the head rail. In use, one of the channels may be oriented so that the open side of that channel faces upwards, and the other channel may be oriented so that the open side of that other channel faces downwards.

In another broad form, the present invention resides in a head rail for a blind, the head rail being adapted to enable attachment thereto of industry standard cord lock units and industry standard chain drive units, the head rail also being adapted to enable any suitable fabric which may be used with the blind to be secured to the head rail without the need for sewing, mechanical fasteners or other separate fixing means.

Suitably, the means for enabling the fabric to be secured to the head rail may incorporate a partially covered fabric slot on the exterior of the head rail. The fabric may become secured to the fabric slot by first folding over a portion of the fabric, and then feeding the folded over portion of the fabric into the slot from the side edge of the head rail. The fabric securing means may further incorporate an additional barrier portion, which in some embodiments may comprise a rail spaced slightly apart from the fabric slot.

It will be appreciated the head rail of the present invention, and its various features, have been described so far with reference primarily to the cross-sectional profile of head rail. It is envisaged that, in most embodiments (particularly embodiments where the head rail is formed from extruded aluminium alloy) the cross-sectional profile of the head rail will remain consistent along the entire length of the head rail. However, this is not critical, and it is also possible that the cross-section of the head rail may change along its length. For instance, it is possible that the head rail may incorporate cutouts at spaced locations along its length to save weight. If the head rail incorporates such cutouts, the cross-sectional profile through a portion containing a cutout will be different to cross-sectional profile taken through a portion not containing a cutout. It is also possible that some features of the head rail may not extend along the head rail's entire length. As one possible example, the opposed facing channels, which may be used to enable the head rail to be mounted using industry-standard mounting brackets, may not extend along the entire head rail. Rather the said channels may be positioned only at certain locations along the head rail to enable mounting brackets to attach at those locations. Other features may also extend only along certain parts or portions of the head rail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures 1-10 relate to an example of a blind, a Roman blind, and specific aspects/features/components thereof, which were used prior to the present invention. The contents of Figures 1-10 were described in the Background section above. In Figures 1-10:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of a conventional Roman blind from the front; Figure 2 is a perspective illustration of another conventional Roman blind from behind when the blind is down;

Figure 3 is a perspective illustration of the conventional Roman blind of Figure 2 from behind when the blind is up;

Figure 4 illustrates an industry standard cord lock unit; Figure 5 illustrates an industry standard bracket used to secure head rails of

Roman blinds above the window/door etc;

Figure 6 illustrates an industry standard "chain drive" unit;

Figure 7 illustrates another industry standard "chain drive" unit;

Figure 8 illustrates the chain drive unit of Figure 7 together with a rotatable barrel which a string winds on/off when the blind is raised/lowered respectively;

Figure 9 illustrates a prior art Roman blind head rail having a Velcro strip for attaching the fabric; and

Figure 10 illustrates the head rail of Figure 9 and the way the fabric can attach thereto using the Velcro. An example of an embodiment of a head rail according to the invention which is used in a blind is described below with reference to Figures 11-24. However, it will be clearly understood that these descriptions are given to assist in understanding the invention only, and that the invention is not necessarily limited to or by any of the particular features described. In Figures 11-24:

Figure 11 shows the cross-sectional profile of one embodiment of a head rail in accordance with the invention;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an end portion of the head rail;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of an industry standard cord lock unit mounted to the end of the head rail;

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional side view of the industry standard cord lock unit mounted to the end of the head rail;

Figure 15 is a side view and an end view of an end cap which can be secured to the same end of the head rail as the cord lock unit;

Figure 16 is a side view and an end view of an end cap which can be secured to an opposite end of the head rail to which the cord lock/chain drive unit is mounted Figure 17 is a perspective view of an industry standard chain drive unit mounted to an end of the head rail;

Figure 18 is a cross-sectional illustration of the industry standard chain drive unit of Figure 17 mounted in the end of the head rail;

Figure 19 is a perspective view of a way in which the rotatable barrel unit can be inserted into the head rail;

Figure 20 is a cross-sectional illustration of the way the rotatable barrel unit's alignment component aligns with the head rail;

Figure 21 is a perspective view of an industry standard mounting bracket attached to the back of the head rail to facilitate mounting of the head rail to the wall/door etc;

Figure 22 is a perspective view of a way the fabric can be folded to facilitate attachment of the fabric to the head rail;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of the way the folded fabric can be secured to the head rail by being inserted into a slot on the top of a head rail; and Figure 24 is a perspective view of the way the fabric completely covers the front face of the head rail such that the head rail and fabric together form their own aesthetically appealing pelmet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 11 -24

Figure 11 shows a head rail according to the invention which is referred to generally by reference numeral 100. Overall, head rail 100 resembles an inverted channel. More specifically, it comprises a vertical front wall 110, a vertical rear wall 120 and a web 130. The web 130 extends horizontally between a proximal or top of the front wall 110 and a proximial or top of the rear wall 120. The front wall 110 and the rear wall 120 both curve towards each other at their respective distal or lower ends such that a space 90 between the lower ends of the walls 110 and 120 is narrower than a width of web 130. The space 90 between the lower ends of the walls is nevertheless sufficiently broad to enable a person to insert their finger through the space to manipulate components inside the head rail, as is often necessary when installing a blind such as a Roman blind. Velcro tm

The head rail 100 is formed from an extruded aluminium alloy, although other metal (and possibly even non-metal) materials may also be used.

The head rail 100 incorporates means for securing a fabric to the head rail without the need for sewing or mechanical fasteners such as staples or tacks. In the embodiment presently described, the means comprises an upstanding rail portion 140 and a slot portion 150. From Figure 11, it can be seen that the rail portion 140 extends from the same end of the web 130 as the front wall 110, but in an opposite direction. Hence, the rail portion 140 forms, in effect, an extension of the front wall 110 projecting upwardly from the web 130 (whereas front wall 110 projects downwardly). An upper end 141 of the rail portion 140 is somewhat enlarged and rounded. The slot portion 150 comprises a flange 151 and a cover 152. The flange 151 joins the web at a location approximately a quarter of the distance along the web from an end of the web where the rear wall 120 attaches to the web, and it extends vertically upwards from there. The cover 152 extends horizontally from a top end of the flange 151 in the direction of rail 140, thus forming a roof over the space beneath cover 152 (which space will be referred to as a fabric slot 153). Figures 22-24 show the way the rail portion 140 and the slot portion 150 operate to enable a fabric to attach to the head rail 100 without the need for sewing or mechanical fasteners. Figure 22 shows a rear side of the fabric 1. In preparation for attaching the fabric 1 to the head rail 100, a strip of plastic or card 161 is first positioned or adhered along a top edge of the fabric 1. The plastic or card should preferably be considerably less flexible than the fabric, but it need not be completely or even substantially rigid. A wide range of plastic or card materials might be suitable for making the strip 161, preferably with an adhesive backing to allow it to be quickly affixed to the fabric.

After the strip 161 has been positioned along the top edge of the fabric, the fabric is then folded over along fold line Fl and then folded over again along fold line F2. Fold lines Fl and F2 are indicated by dashed lines in Figure 22 for illustrative purposes, although in reality the fold lines may not be marked. Hence, the strip becomes rolled into the folds of fabric. The relatively high stiffness of the strip 161 (compared to the flexibility of the fabric) helps the folded portion of the fabric to retain approximately the flat shape of the strip. Also, folding the fabric around the strip serves to stiffen the folded portion slightly more than the stiffness of the strip alone. The folded and stiffened portion of the fabric containing the strip 161 is then inserted and fed into the fabric slot 153 as shown in Figure 23 until the entire width of the fabric is fed onto the head rail 100. Figure 24 is a partially side-on view illustrating the way the folded fabric is retained in the fabric slot. The strip 161 is visible between the folds of fabric in Figure 24.

This method for attaching the fabric 1 to the head rail 100 does not make use of sewing or mechanical fasteners, but the fabric is nevertheless securely retained by the head rail. The configuration of the rail portion 140 and the slot portion 150 prevents the folded portion of the fabric from pulling out of the fabric slot 153. More specifically, the folded portion of the fabric is horizontally constrained between the upstanding rail portion 140 and the upstanding flange 151, and the roof over the fabric slot 153 formed by the cover 152 which prevents the folded fabric from pulling out vertically from the fabric slot. The fabric is therefore retained sufficiently securely to easily resist being pulled out of the fabric slot by the hanging weight of the fabric 1 when the blind is installed.

At this point, the reason for the enlarged rounded top 141 on the rail 140 can be more easily understood. It will be appreciated that when the blind is installed with the fabric 1 hanging from the head rail 100, the weight of the fabric 1 will cause the fabric to be pulled tight over the top of the rail portion 140. If the top end of rail 140 was not enlarged, then the fabric would be pulled tightly over a relatively narrow/sharp edge which could cause wear and eventual tearing/failure of the fabric over time. By enlarging the top end 141 of rail 140, the tension in the fabric (caused by the fabric's own weight plus the weight of the battens etc) is spread over a greater area where the fabric is pulled tight over the top of the rail portion 140, thus reducing the severity of the edge and the propensity for wear/damage which may be caused to the fabric during use of the head rail 100.

Because the rail portion 140 and the cover portion 150 (which secure the fabric to the head rail) are positioned on top of the head rail, the fabric extends down over and covers an entire front face of the head rail when the blind is installed (as illustrated in

Figure 24). Thus, no part of the head rail is visible when the blind is viewed from the front meaning that the blind effectively creates its own pelmet. Also, in addition to this aesthetic benefit, the way the fabric extends down to cover the entire front face of the head rail has additional advantages. For instance, as no portion of the head rail is visible when the installed blind is viewed front-on, there is no need (as there has previously been) to paint or otherwise colour the head rail to try and make the visible portions thereof as attractive as possible. Consequently, there is no need for blind makers to carry head rails in a range of different colours to suit the different fabrics and/or decor where the blind is installed.

The head rail 100 of the present invention can be used with any of the above- mentioned industry standard cord lock or chain drive mechanisms which are shown in figures 1 to 10. In other words, it is possible to mount and attach any of these industry-standard mechanisms to the head rail of the present invention whereas previously different head rails were required for each different mechanism. As described in the Background section hereinabove, Figure 4 illustrates an industry standard cord lock unit 3. Figure 13 illustrates the way that industry standard cord lock unit can be mounted to the head rail 100 of the present invention. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the head rail 100 which also shows the outline of the cord lock unit 3 and in particular the block-like portion 80 thereof which inserts into the head rail. The block-like portion 80 of the cord lock unit is visible in Figure 4.

As explained above, the front wall 110 and the rear wall 120 of the head rail both curve towards each other at their respective lower ends. In fact, the curve in each wall is such that a portion on the lower end of each wall is horizontal. The horizontal portion of front wall 110 (hereinafter called the front flat) is represented by reference numeral 111, and the horizontal portion of rear wall 120 (hereinafter called the rear flat) is represented by reference numeral 121. An inner end of front flat 111 has a small vertically extending lug 112 projecting therefrom, and there is an identical vertically extending lug 122 on the rear flat 121. The space between the lugs 112 and 122 is the space 90 (mentioned above) which is wide enough for a person to insert their finger through when installing the blind.

It can also be seen that some way down the curved portion of each of the walls 110 and 120 is an inwardly projecting horizontal rib. The rib extending from the curved portion of front wall 110 (hereinafter called the front rib) is represented by reference numeral 113, and the rib extending from the curved portion of the rear wall 120 (hereinafter called the rear rib) is represented by reference numeral 123. The respective ribs 113 and 123 project horizontally inwards, but not as far as the respective front and rear flats 111 and 121 discussed above. Hence, whilst the ribs 113 and 123 project inwards so as to extend (possibly although not necessarily) partly over the top of the respective horizontal flats 111 and 121, nevertheless at least part of both horizontal flats 111 and 121 remains uncovered. The uncovered portions of the respective flats 111 and 121 help to enable the industry standard cord lock mechanism 3 to be mounted to the head rail as illustrated in Figure 14.

InFigure 14 it can be seen that when the cord lock unit 3 is inserted into one end of the head rail 100, the block-like portion 80 inserts into the end so that the underside thereof slides along the uncovered upper surfaces of the respective flats 111 and 121. Sidewalls of block-like portion 80 also squeeze between ends of the respective ribs 113 and 123. The way the sidewalls of block-like portion 80 squeeze between the ribs creates a sufficiently tight frictional fit to retain the cord lock mechanism in the end of the head rail.

Figure 15 provides a front view and a side view of an end cap/cover 170 which can be fitted on the same end of the head rail 100 with the cord lock unit 3. The cover 170 is not shown in Figure 13, but it is shown in position in Figure 14. Figure 15 shows that the end cover 170 includes a pair of right angled inserts 171. The inserts 171 operate to secure the end cover 170 to the head rail 100. More specifically, in order to attach the end cover 170 to the head rail 100, the end cover 170 is oriented so that one of the inserts 171 becomes positioned in a corner formed between the web 130 and the front wall 110, and the other insert 171 is positioned in a corner formed between the web 130 and the rear wall 120. The respective inserts 171 also become squeezed between the web 130 and respective shelf portions 114and 124 and this creates a sufficiently tight frictional fit to prevent the cover 170 from falling inadvertently out of the end of the head rail 100. When the cord lock unit 3 and the end cover 170 are both inserted into the end of the head rail, this hides all parts of that end of the head rail from view (it will be recalled that the fabric covers the entire front of the head rail).

Figure 16 illustrates another end cap/cover 180. The end cap 180 differs from the cover 170 in that the end cap 180 does not have a cut out portion for accommodating the cord lock unit 3. The end cap 180 is inserted into the opposite end of the head rail to hide all parts of that other end of the head rail from view.

As described in the Background section hereinabove, Figures 6-7 illustrate industry standard chain drive units 7 and T. Figure 17 illustrates the way the industry standard chain drive unit 7' can be mounted to the head rail. Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view through the head rail 100 which also shows the horizontally extending portion 60' of the unit T which inserts into the head rail. The horizontally extending portion 60' of the chain drive unit is visible in Figure 7. The horizontally extending portion 60' of unit 7' has four ridges 61' extending along its length. Only two of the ridges 61' are visible in Figures 7-8, but all four of the ridges 61' are visible in the cross-sectional view of Figure 18. When the horizontally extending portion 60' of unit T is inserted into an end of the head rail, the two lowermost ridges 61' engage with the top surface of the respective the front rib 113 and the rear rib 123. The two uppermost ridges 61' engage with the underside of the respective front shelf portion 114 and the rear shelf portion 124. In fact, when the horizontally extending portion 60' is inserted into the head rail, the fit between the various ridges 61' and the respective ribs and shelf portions is quite tight, and the tightness of the fit is sufficient to retain the chain drive unit T in the head rail.

Figure 19 is a perspective view of the barrel component which is used in combination with the industry chain drive unit T and which is mounted to an end of the head rail 100. In order to assist with the correct alignment of the barrel component 9 between the front an rear walls 110 and 120, the industry barrel component includes an alignment or clamping component 160 which covers, at least partly, the space 90 between front an rear walls. The alignment component 160 has suitable grooves into which respective lugs 112 and 122 can extend thereby reducing transverse movement of the alignment component relative to the space. The clamping component 160 further has a fastening arrangement 162, in this example a screw which is screwed into a casing or body of the clamping component so that the barrel component is tightly secured to the head rail.

Figure 5 shows an industry-standard spring-loaded bracket used to attach the head rail of blinds to the wall/door etc. Typically, two or more such brackets would be used to secure the head rail of a blind in place. A horizontal upper flange 200 of the bracket, and also of a main body 202 of the bracket, both include numerous slots and holes through which screws, bolts and the like may be inserted to secure the bracket to the wall. The bracket also has two sets of opposed facing hooks 206 and 208. The distance between the respective pairs of opposed hooks can be reduced to enables the hooks to attach to the head rail. To do this, the user grips the bracket and squeezes it such that a thumb piece 204 is pushed towards the upper flange 200. This compresses springs of the bracket and reduces the distance between the respective pairs of opposed hooks which then enables the hooks to be inserted between opposed retaining channels 125 and 126 extending from the rear wall 120 of the head rail. Hence, the head rail can be secured to the wall/door because the bracket is securely connected to both the head rail and the wall/door.

Figure 20 is a side view of a schematic illustration showing the alignment of the clamping component 160 relative to the the head rail 100. This figure further illustrates the positioning of the upper end 141 of the upstanding rail portion 140 relative to a portion of a structure 163, for example a roof portion of a room to which the blind 100 is used or a window frame. The positioning of the opposed retaining channels 125 and 126 on a rear wall 120 of the head rail allows the upper end 141 to be positioned relatively close to the structure 163 thereby reducing a gap or reveal which may be left between the head rail and the structure.

The invention provides a head rail which allows industry-standard components to be fitted to the head rail without requiring a version of the head rail to be stocked for each of the industry-standard components. Additionally, a piece of fabric which is suspended from the head rail is secured to the head rail in such a way so that a front face of the head rail is substantially covered by the fabric thereby shielding from view the head rail. Furthermore, if it is required that the head rail should tone in with the room in which it is used, the covering of the front face of the head rail conceals the colour of the head rail so that a portion of the head rail which may have been left exposed when traditional techniques are used to secure a piece of fabric to the head rail, that portion does not have to be covered by using some of the fabric used in the blind or by painting this portion of the head rail with a suitable colour. The fabric is also secured to the head rail without using mechanical fasteners such as staples or tacks or Velcro which may reduce the time required to install the blind. Furthermore, the head rail is secured at a rear portion to a structure so that an upstanding rail portion extending from an upper surface of the head rail can be positioned relatively close to structure to which the head rail is mounted thereby reducing the amount of clearance which may be left after the head rail has been mounted to the structure between the head rail and the structure. Those skilled in this area of will recognize that various other adaptations and modifications may be made to the particular embodiment described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.