Blind device

Abstract

A blind device includes a flexible screen body with interconnected shielding sections, and a counterweight unit provided on a lowermost one of the shielding sections. The counterweight unit includes vertically extending left and right side bars provided respectively at left and right edges of the lowermost shielding section, and a horizontally extending bottom bar retained at a bottom edge of the lowermost shielding section. The counterweight unit is convertible from a screen-stretching state, where the lowermost shielding section is stretched by the side bars, to a screen-foldable state, where folding of the lowermost shielding section in a vertical direction is permitted by the counterweight unit.

1 . A blind device comprising:
 a top frame member;   a flexible screen body that can be furled and unfurled and that has a top end connected to said top frame member, said screen body including a plurality of shielding sections arranged in a vertical column, adjacent ones of said shielding sections being interconnected;   a positioning unit including a plurality of pairs of horizontally spaced apart left and right ring components, each of said pairs of said ring components being disposed at a junction of a corresponding adjacent pair of said shielding sections;   a furling controller including a winding mechanism mounted on said top frame member and left and right pull cords connected to said winding mechanism, said left pull cord passing in sequence through said left ring components, said right pull cord passing in sequence through said right ring components, said left and right pull cords having distal ends connected to a top edge of a lowermost one of said shielding sections, said winding mechanism applying a winding force on said pull cords; and   a counterweight unit provided on said lowermost one of said shielding sections to balance the winding force of said winding mechanism;   said counterweight unit including vertically extending left and right side bars provided respectively at left and right edges of said lowermost one of said shielding sections, and a horizontally extending bottom bar retained at a bottom edge of said lowermost one of said shielding sections and disposed to transmit an upward pushing force on said bottom bar to said side bars;   said counterweight unit being convertible from a screen-stretching state, where said lowermost one of said shielding sections is stretched by said side bars, and a screen-foldable state, where said counterweight unit permits folding of said lowermost one of said shielding sections in a vertical direction.   
     
     
         2 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lowermost one of said shielding sections is provided with a pair of vertically extending pockets at said left and right edges thereof, each of said vertically extending pockets having an access hole, each of said side bars being received respectively and removably in said vertically extending pockets via said access holes such that said side bars stretch said lowermost one of said shielding sections when received in said vertically extending pockets and permit folding of said lowermost one of said shielding sections in the vertical direction when removed from said vertically extending pockets. 
     
     
         3 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said access holes are located at top ends of said vertically extending pockets. 
     
     
         4 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said counterweight unit further includes a pair of couplers, each of which connects removably a corresponding end of said bottom bar to a lower end of a corresponding one of said side bars. 
     
     
         5 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each of said couplers has a first coupling segment that clamps removably said lower end of the corresponding one of said side bars, and a second coupling segment that clamps removably said corresponding end of said bottom bar. 
     
     
         6 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein one of said couplers and said side bars is formed with a protrusion, and the other one of said couplers and said side bars is formed with a groove to engage removably said protrusion. 
     
     
         7 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each of said bottom bar and said side bars has a U-shaped structure, each of said couplers being clamped removably by said lower end of the corresponding one of said side bars and said corresponding end of said bottom bar. 
     
     
         8 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein each of said couplers includes a fan-shaped main body and two insert portions that extend from said main body and that are angularly spaced apart from each other at a right angle, each of said insert portions being clamped removably by one of said bottom and side bars. 
     
     
         9 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said counterweight unit further includes a horizontally extending top bar retained at said top edge of said lowermost one of said shielding sections. 
     
     
         10 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said top bar has a U-shaped structure, said counterweight unit further including another pair of said couplers, each of which connects removably a corresponding end of said top bar to an upper end of a corresponding one of said side bars. 
     
     
         11 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein adjacent ones of said shielding sections of said screen body are provided with a horizontally extending rod-receiving pocket at a junction thereof, said blind device further comprising a plurality of lifting rods, each of which is inserted into a respective one of said rod-receiving pockets. 
     
     
         12 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said lowermost one of said shielding sections is provided with a pair of vertically extending pockets at said left and right edges thereof, said side bars being received respectively in said vertically extending pockets and being convertible such that said side bars stretch said lowermost one of said shielding sections to dispose said counterweight unit in the screen-stretching state and permit folding of said lowermost one of said shielding sections in the vertical direction to dispose said counterweight unit in the screen-foldable state. 
     
     
         13 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein each of said side bars includes upper and lower bar segments, each of which includes a bar body having head and tail ends, each of said side bars further including a coupling member for interconnecting removably and non-foldably said tail end of said bar body of said upper bar segment and said head end of said bar body of said lower bar segment. 
     
     
         14 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said coupling member is sleeved on and is slidable along said bar body of said upper bar segment, and said bar body of said lower bar segment is formed with a stop flange proximate to said head end thereof for abutting against said coupling member when said coupling member interconnects said upper and lower bar segments. 
     
     
         15 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein each of said vertically extending pockets is further formed with an opening registered with said coupling member of the respective one of said side bars when said coupling member interconnects said upper and lower bar segments. 
     
     
         16 . The blind device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said coupling member has a first coupling segment to engage removably said tail end of said bar body of said upper bar segment, and a second coupling segment to engage removably said head end of said bar body of said lower bar segment.