I have had this term come up in architecture translations. I have used the term "blinds" before.

http://www.google.com/search?q="blinds systems"&ie=utf-8&oe=...

I think these might be vertically slatted blinds rather like those mentioned here perhaps:
A slatted blind comprises vertically disposed slats each mounted at a top end thereof on pivot means carried for rotation about a vertical axis by a respective guide carriage movable along a support rail. At least one of the guide carriages carries a nut provided externally with a first gear ring, the nut being rotatably and axially immovably mounted on the carriage and being engaged on a rotatable threaded operating rod extending longitudinally of the support rail. The pivot means comprises a bush and a shaft retained in the bush, the slat being mounted on the shaft and a top end of the bush being provided externally with a second gear ring meshing with the first gear ring on the nut. Engaging clutch surfaces of the bush and shaft form a slip clutch operative on rotation of the operating rod to rotate the slat about its longitudinal axis to a limiting position and then to slip to cause displacement of the guide carriage along the support rail.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4103727.html