Control of architectural opening coverings

• US 10,202,802 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2016
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Douglas Incorporated (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Hunter Douglas Incorporated (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Inventors: Colson, Wendell B., Fogarty, Daniel M., Swiszcz, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherine W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Massad, Abe
• Application Number:
  US15/133,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20160230460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 74625, 160321
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2429 One vertical sheet and slats
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2627 Cellular screens, e.g. box or honeycomb-like
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6809 Control
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6818 using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6845 sensing position
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6854 sensing torque
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/725 with epicyclic or planetary gear train
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/785 by belts, straps, bands, tapes, cords, tassels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/26 Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds for vehicles B60J1/2088
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/264 Combinations of lamellar blinds with roller shutters, screen windows, windows, or double panes; Lamellar blinds with special devices
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/32 Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor operation of tilting bars E06B9/307
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/322 Details of operating devices, e.g. pulleys, brakes, spring drums, drives operating devices E06B9/68 ; devices of general interest specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material B65H75/34
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/40 Roller blinds usable only as awnings E04F10/06
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/42 Parts or details of roller blinds, e.g. suspension devices, blind boxes brackets or adjustable mountings for roller blinds and drawable curtains A47H1/13
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/72 comprising an electric motor positioned inside the roller
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/74 adapted for selective electrical or manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/78 for direct manual operation, e.g. by tassels, by handles
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0278 Constructional features of the selector lever, e.g. grip parts, mounting or manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2014 Manually operated selector [e.g., remotely controlled device, lever, push button, rotary dial, etc.]

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for controlling architectural opening coverings are described herein. An example apparatus includes a roller tube, a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, the motor casing to rotate with the roller tube, and a manual control including a manual control drive shaft coupled to the motor drive shaft, the motor to apply torque to the roller tube through rotation of the motor casing.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a roller tube;

a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, the motor casing mounted to rotate with said roller tube; and

a manual control including a manual control drive shaft rotatable with the motor drive shaft, said manual control structured to apply a first torque to the motor drive shaft in response to a manually applied force to cause rotation of the motor casing and said roller tube, said motor structured to apply a second torque to said roller tube to rotate said roller tube while the motor drive shaft does not rotate relative to said manual control;

wherein the first torque and the second torque are additive to increase a rate of rotation when in the same direction, or subtractive when in the opposite directions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a hold to keep said manual control substantially stationary while said manual control is not operated.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said hold is structured to hold the motor drive shaft stationary during operation of said motor when said manual control is not operated.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said hold is a first hold, further including a second hold to prevent rotation of the motor drive shaft while said motor is not operated.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said motor includes said second hold.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said second hold is a brake.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, further including a gearbox having a gearbox drive shaft coupled to the motor drive shaft.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said gearbox includes said second hold.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said gearbox includes a gearbox casing, the rotation of the motor casing to rotate the gearbox casing.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the motor casing is coupled to said roller tube via said gearbox.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the motor drive shaft is coupled to the manual control drive shaft by the gearbox drive shaft.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the manually applied force is a manually applied rotational force.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said hold is a one-way clutch.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the motor casing and the motor drive shaft are both contained within said roller tube and the manual control drive shaft is partially contained within said roller tube.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a roller tube;

a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, the motor casing mounted to rotate with said roller tube; and

a manual control including a manual control drive shaft rotatable with the motor drive shaft;

wherein;

said manual control is structured to apply torque to the motor drive shaft in response to a manually applied force to cause rotation of the motor casing and said roller tube;

said motor is structured to apply torque to said roller tube to rotate said roller tube while the motor drive shaft does not rotate relative to said manual control; and

while said manual control is not operated, the manual control drive shaft is substantially stationary to hold the motor drive shaft substantially stationary during operation of said motor.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said manual control is structured to apply a first torque and said motor is structured to apply a second torque.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein, when the first torque is applied in a first direction and the second torque is applied in a second direction opposite the first direction, the first torque and the second torque are subtractive to decrease a rate of the rotation.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein, when the first torque is applied in a first direction and the second torque is applied in the first direction, the first torque and the second torque are additive to increase a rate of the rotation.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a motor having a motor drive shaft and a motor casing; and

a manual control drive shaft coupled to rotate selectively with the motor drive shaft;

wherein;

the motor casing is mounted to rotate with a roller tube;

the motor drive shaft is coupled to rotate the motor casing when said manual control drive shaft is coupled to the motor drive shaft to cause rotation of the motor drive shaft; and

said motor is structured to apply torque to the roller tube to rotate the roller tube while the motor drive shaft does not rotate relative to said manual control drive shaft.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, further comprising a gearbox having gearbox drive shaft coupled to the motor drive shaft, the motor casing being coupled to the roller tube via said gearbox.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a motor having a rotatable motor drive shaft and a motor casing, the motor casing being coupled to rotate with a roller tube; and

a manual control having a rotatable manual control drive shaft coupled with the motor drive shaft;

wherein;

said motor is structured to apply torque to the roller tube to rotate the roller tube while the motor drive shaft does not rotate relative to said manual control;

when the manual control drive shaft rotates in the same direction as the motor drive shaft, a rate of rotation of the roller tube is increased; and

when the manual control drive shaft rotates in a direction opposite to direction of rotation of the motor drive shaft, the rate of rotation of the roller tube is reduced.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 21, further including a clutch to selectively engage the manual control drive shaft and the motor drive shaft.