1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to vertical free standing adjustable open frame to removably receive and hold venetian blinds and in particularly mini-blinds in an expanded xe2x80x9cdownxe2x80x9d position secured to the frame to stabilize the slats during cleaning.
2. Background Information
Cleaning venetian blinds is an onerous task because of the blind having a number of loosely connected slats that move easily during cleaning and due to the fact the long slender individual slats are easily bent.
In an attempt to ease the burden of cleaning a number of different types of blind support stands have been proposed. Most of the proposed support frames provide backing against which the slats can be pressed during wiping with a wash cloth. By way of example of known support stands for use in washing venetian blinds reference may be had to the following United States Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,797 issued Aug. 3, 1965 to U. Stanley; U.S. Pat. No. 2,996,747 issued Aug. 22, 1961 to J. Iori; U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,932 issued Oct. 20, 1959 to C. Shipp; U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,745 issued Sep. 2, 1958 to E. Madsen; U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,450 issued Apr. 14, 1953 to O Britton; U.S. Pat. No. 2,598,798 issued Jun. 3, 1952 to E. Kerr; U.S. Pat. No. 2,588,557 issued Mar. 11, 1952 to F. Morris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,279,691 issued Apr. 14, 1942 to R. Long et al,; and U.S. Pat. No. 676,337 issued Jun. 11, 1901 to W. Nicholls.
None however, known to applicant, include a portion on the frame to counteract against forces exerted lengthwise of the slat during cleaning. Also very little, if any, attention has been given to providing a simple means of releasibly anchoring the blind to the support or to adjustably varying the frame size to suite different blind widths.
A vertical wash stand frame removably holds a mini-blind in an upright position so that the mini-blind is in the extended xe2x80x9cdownxe2x80x9d position above the floor surface for washing. The wash stand includes an adjustment for vertical height and horizontal width for holding blinds of different dimensions. It is particularly suitable for standing in the shower or bathtub and washing mini-blinds. One preferred embodiment is collapsible and portable. The open frame for supporting a venetian blind has a pair of spaced apart elongate side members each with a face plate and an end plate and are interconnected by a cross member. The cross member adjustably positions the spacing of the side members to suit blinds of various widths. A pair of saddles are adjustably mounted on the side members for releasibly supporting the top rail of the venetian blind Pins through the frame are insertable into opposed ends of the bottom rail of the venetian blind.
Although any type of standard blind having slats and a head rail could be used with the present invention, miniblinds such as described and set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,068 by Elsenheimer et al. and hereby incorporated by reference, are the focal point of the present invention. The wash stand frame includes at least two vertical longitudinal leg support members which may be extendible such as with telescoping means and at least one horizontal member connoting the two leg support members together including means for adjustable extending along the horizontal axis. Each leg is held steady by a base which may hold both legs or a pair of base members defining a pair of feet may hold each leg individually.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a frame for holding the slats of a venetian blind captive during cleaning of the blind and a frame which is adjustable in width.
A further principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple anchoring mean to releasibly retain the blind to be washed on the frame.
It is an object of the present invention to hold a mini-blind secure and taut for cleaning.
It is an object to the present invention to provide a support structure which may only utilize eight pieces including two side members, a top member, a bottom member, and two brackets to hold two adjustable blind holders.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a top member and a bottom member which are adjustable in order to accommodate every average size blind, by moving to the desired notched opening and being locked in.
It is another object of the present invention to provide that the top and bottom member may be connected to the connecting side member by a hinge or means for attaching permitting folding of the members for storage.
In keeping with the forgoing there is provided in accordance with the present invention a variable width open frame for use in washing venetian blinds comprising a pair of elongate side members each having a face plate and an end plate engagable respectively with a face portion and an end edge portion of each slat of a venetian blind being cleaned thereon, a cross member adjustably interconnecting said side members at various selected different positions selectively to vary the width of the frame, saddle means on the frame for releasibly supporting the head rail of a venetian blind and movable pin means on said frame to releasibly anchor the bottom rail of the blind to said frame.