The Mechanics of Blinds, How They Work

The ancient Egyptians, who originally invented blinds, incorporated the basic function of tilting through the use of pulleys. Because of the then intricate design of the blind, which increased the price of the product, blinds were not widely used. If this story is to be believed, then this article is a must read. It is believed that blinds were invented at a later time as a way to control the sunlight, thus believed to be superior to curtains due to their increased functionality. For this reason, ancient Pharaohs can not be credited with the invention of blinds.

Modern day blinds are a very unique product because of the important everyday function they perform in the home – the blockage of light and the procurement of personal privacy. Additionally the security factor can not be ignored in these modern times. In order for blinds to provide the aforementioned functions, versatility in tilting of the slats and its ability to be raised to a given point are indispensable. If the only function of a blind were to just block a window, less expensive ways can be found, i.e. cover the opening with newspaper, use of cloth sheets or any other unaesthetic material which today is completely unacceptable.

Blinds are generally available in horizontal and vertical designs thus accommodating the particular requirements of the window or door to be covered. Controls are built in to perform the opening and tilting functions of the modern day blind and are also available in a multitude of colors and sizes to fit all applications. All blinds, regardless of origin, must perform these functions in order to meet the consumer demand and specific requirements. In summary, similar functions are found in all blinds with disregard to their origin. Only the quality of the components will dictate the smoothness of operation and reliability of the blind.

As previously mentioned, all blinds typically have two functions – tilt and raise. In the case of vertical blinds, the raising function is replaced by the traverse/open function. The end result of these operating functions is to either adjust the incoming light, control privacy or totally exposing the covered opening. All blinds perform similar functions thus giving the consumer the preferred function at a specific time.

In the case of horizontal blinds, metal miniblinds available in horizontal slats in different sizes, wood or fauxwood slats also available in different sizes, the operating components are essentially the same, only the quality and design of said components will increase the reliability and the ease of operation of the blinds.

The same principle applies to vertical blinds regardless of the internal systems used by the fabricators. The functions of the vertical blind remain the same – tilt open or close or traverse open or close as desired.

To start with the traverse of a vertical blind, or a lift of a wood blind, one must visualize the blinds. The cords for this action exit one side of the blind. They are pulled in a downward motion to cause the lift or traverse. In the case of a vertical blind, pulling the other direction causes the opposite direction. In the case of a horizontal blind, this action is prevented by a cord lock, but disengaging the cord lock causes this effect to occur. This works by a pulley action. A cord end is attached to one end of the blind, and the other end is what you pull. When you pull, the other end of the cord drives everything else in the control system in that direction.

The tilting function of a horizontal blind or a vertical blind is performed by the use of a tilter mechanism built into the blind. This tilting mechanism involves the use of a geared actuator which causes the blind to rotate/tilt to the desired position in order to allow the operator to control the amount of light entering a room, adjust the level of desired privacy or control the level of exterior view. The lift function of a horizontal blind is achieved through the use of a cord lock which allows the operator to lock the horizontal blind at a desired position. In the case of a vertical blind, the traverse function is achieved by either a cord which traverses the carriers to a desired point.

Although the basic functions of blinds remain basically the same, in an effort to differentiate their products, certain fabricators offer “enhancements” to their specific products such as monocommand controls, plastic or metal chains, plastic or metal weights, valance and bottom rail designs, etc. However, these enhancements usually increase production and selling costs and have little bearing on the basic operation of either the horizontal blind or vertical blind.

The basic elements of blinds are the same among various systems. If one needs to repair a blind, usually it is best to try to work with a retailer, who can determine if the blinds are reparable. In many cases, the blinds are so outdated that they may be a safety risk in the homes. However, if you will make repair to your blinds, at least you can understand how they work.

Article Source: http://www.articlemonk.com

Judith Persit works from home in a design studio and writes about bamboo shades. Learn aboutshades at her website.

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