SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR WINDOW COVERING SYSTEM

• US 20170211320A1
• Filed: 01/16/2017
• Published: 07/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nien Made Enterprises Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nien Made Enterprises Company Limited
• Inventors: CHEN, LIN, NIEN, Keng-Hao
• Granted Patent: US 10,451,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/486 Arrangements or adaptations of the spring motor
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/3222 Cordless, i.e. user interface without cords
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/807 Brakes preventing fast screen movement
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/307 Details of tilting bars and their operation
• 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 9/324 Cord-locks cord-locks for curtains A47H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/388 Details of bottom or upper slats or their attachment
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/80 Safety measures against dropping or unauthorised opening; Braking or immobilising devices; Devices for limiting unrolling securing devices or arrangements for direct manual operation E06B9/78
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/18 using electric, magnetic or electromagnetic means suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by use of non-rotating magnetic or electromagnetic means F16F15/03; dynamo-electric devices H02K; control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients H02P9/10
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2222/04 Friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2222/06 Magnetic or electromagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2222/12 Fluid damping
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2224/025 Elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2224/045 magnetorheological
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/125 characterised by adjustment means

Abstract

A damping adjustment device for adjusting a damping force to a window covering system while the window covering system is expanding, wherein the damping adjustment device comprises a damping module comprising first and second damping units. The damping force is outputted by the damping module to the window covering system when the first and second damping units generate an interaction force in between by a relative motion therebetween. An adjusting module is connected to the damping module for operating with the damping module simultaneously, wherein the damping force from the damping module is adjusted by the adjusting module altering a relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit when the relative motion occurs therebetween. A window covering system comprises the damping adjustment device, wherein expansion speed of a covering material of the window covering system can be effectively controlled and adjusted by the damping adjustment device.

Claims

1. A damping adjustment device for adjusting a damping force outputted to a window covering system while the window covering system expanding, comprising:

a damping module comprises a first damping unit and a second damping unit, and the damping force is outputted by the damping module to the window covering system when the first damping unit and the second damping unit generate an interaction force in between by a relative motion between the first damping unit and the second damping unit; and

an adjusting module connected to the damping module for operating with the damping module simultaneously, wherein the damping force from the damping module is adjusted by the adjusting module altering a relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit when the relative motion occurs between the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

2. The damping adjustment device according to claim 1, the adjusting module comprises a shifting assembly connected to the first damping unit for moving the first damping unit in order to alter the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

3. The damping adjustment device according to claim 2, the shifting assembly is configured to move the first damping unit along a shifting axis of the shifting assembly in an axial direction of the shifting axis in order to alter the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit for changing the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

4. The damping adjustment device according to claim 3, the first damping unit is positioned coaxially with the shifting assembly, wherein the shifting assembly is configured to rotate and drive the first damping unit to rotate about the shifting axis simultaneously.

5. The damping adjustment device according to claim 4, the first damping unit is positioned between the shifting assembly and the second damping unit.

6. The damping adjustment device according to claim 3, the second damping unit comprises a rotation axis which is coaxial to the shifting axis, wherein the second damping unit is configured to operate simultaneously with the shifting assembly, wherein the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit is changed when the shifting assembly moves the first damping unit relative to the second damping unit in an axial direction of the rotation axis and when the second damping unit rotates about the rotation axis.

7. The damping adjustment device according to claim 3, the second damping unit comprises a rotation axis substantial perpendicular to the shifting axis, and the second damping unit is configured to operate simultaneously with the shifting assembly;

the shifting assembly is configured to move the first damping unit relative to the second damping unit in an radial direction of the rotation axis while the second damping unit rotates about the rotation axis, whereby the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit is changed.

8. The damping adjustment device according to claim 3, the interaction force is generated by the first damping unit and the second damping unit within an overlapping area between the first damping unit and the second damping unit, the second damping unit comprises a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the shifting axis, and the second damping unit is connected to the shifting assembly for operating simultaneously with the shifting assembly, wherein the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit is changed when the second damping unit rotates about the rotation axis and the shifting assembly alters the overlapping area.

9. The damping adjustment device according to claim 2, the adjusting module further comprises a connecting rod with two ends, wherein the shifting assembly is connected to one end and the second damping unit is connected to the other end, whereby the shifting assembly and the second damping unit are configured to operate simultaneously for altering the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

10. The damping adjustment device according to claim 3, the shifting assembly further comprises a threaded rod which is parallel or coaxial to the shifting axis, wherein the threaded rod is connected to the first damping unit and configured to drive the first damping unit to move along the shifting axis in an axial direction of the shifting axis, whereby the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit is altered by the shifting assembly in order to change the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

11. The damping adjustment device according to claim 1, one of the first damping unit and the second damping unit comprises a magnetic unit, and the other one of the first damping unit and the second damping unit comprises a conductive unit;

the interaction force is an electromagnetic induction force which is generated between the magnetic unit and the conductive unit when the relative motion occurs in between, wherein the electromagnetic induction force is changed when the relative position of the magnetic unit and the conductive unit is altered by the adjusting module.

12. The damping adjustment device according to claim 1, the interaction force is a frictional force generated by the relative motion between the first damping unit and the second damping unit when the first damping unit and the second damping unit are in contact with each other, wherein the frictional force is changed when the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit is altered by the adjusting module.

13. The damping adjustment device according to claim 12, one of the first damping unit and the second damping unit comprises an elastic component which comprises a rotation axis, and the other one of the first damping unit and the second damping unit comprises an inner wall which is partially frustoconical, wherein the elastic component is in contact with the inner wall;

the frictional force is generated between the elastic component and the inner wall by the elastic component rotating about the rotation axis of the elastic component, wherein the frictional force is changed as a radial length of the elastic component is varied by the inner wall when the relative position of the elastic component and the inner wall is altered by the adjusting module.

14. The damping adjustment device according to claim 13, the elastic component comprises an elastic unit and a friction block connected to the elastic unit, wherein the friction block is in contact with the inner wall, whereby the frictional force is generated between the friction block and the inner wall while rotation of the elastic component.

15. The damping adjustment device according to claim 1, the damping module further comprises a fluid between the first damping unit and the second damping unit, wherein the interaction force which is a fluid resistance is generated by the relative motion between the first damping unit and the second damping unit within an overlapping area between the first damping unit and the second damping unit, wherein the fluid resistance is changed when the adjusting module alters the relative position between the first damping unit and the second damping unit and change the overlapping area between the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

16. A window covering system, comprising:

a covering material;

a driving device to be driven by the covering material while the covering material expanding or collecting; and

a damping adjustment device connected to the driving device, wherein the damping adjustment device comprises a damping module and an adjusting module, wherein the damping module is configured to output a damping force to the driving device, and the damping module comprises a first damping unit and a second damping unit, wherein the first damping unit and the second damping unit are configured to generate an interaction force in between by a relative motion between the first damping unit and the second damping unit while the driving device is driven by expansion of the covering material,

and the adjusting module is connected to the damping module and the driving device, wherein the adjusting module is configured to operate with the damping module simultaneously for adjusting the damping force to the driving device by altering a relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit when the relative motion occurs between the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

17. The window covering system according to claim 16, the adjusting module comprises a shifting assembly connected to the first damping unit and the driving device, wherein the shifting assembly and the driving device are configured to operate simultaneously, wherein the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit is altered by the shifting assembly when the shifting assembly moves the first damping unit.

18. The window covering system according to claim 17, the shifting assembly configured to operate simultaneously with the driving device, and the shifting assembly comprises a shifting axis, wherein the shifting assembly is configured to move the first damping unit along the shifting axis in an axial direction of the shifting axis in order to alter the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit for changing the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

19. The window covering system according to claim 18, the driving device comprises a driving axis positioned in a way selected from the following:

substantially perpendicular to the shifting axis of shifting assembly, substantially parallel to the shifting axis of shifting assembly, or coaxially to the shifting axis of shifting assembly.

20. The window covering system according to claim 19, the first damping unit is positioned coaxially with the shifting assembly, wherein the shifting assembly is configured to rotate and drive the first damping unit to rotate about the shifting axis simultaneously when the shifting assembly is driven by the driving device.

21. The window covering system according to claim 20, the first damping unit is positioned between the shifting assembly and the second damping unit, and the shifting assembly is positioned between the second damping unit and the driving device.

22. The window covering system according to claim 19, the second damping module comprises a rotation axis coaxial to the shifting axis and the driving axis, and the shifting assembly is configured to operate simultaneously with the driving device, wherein the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit is changed when the shifting assembly moves the first damping unit relative to the second damping unit in an axial direction of the rotation axis and the second damping unit is driven by the driving device to rotate about the rotation axis.

23. The window covering system according to claim 19, the second damping unit comprises a rotation axis, wherein the rotation axis and the driving axis are substantially perpendicular to the shifting axis, and the second damping unit is configured to operate simultaneously with the shifting assembly and the driving device, wherein the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit is changed when the shifting assembly moves the first damping unit relative to the second damping unit in an radial direction of the rotation axis and the second damping unit is driven by the driving device to rotate about the rotation axis.

24. The window covering device according to claim 19, the interaction force is generated by the first damping unit and the second damping unit within an overlapping area between the first damping unit and the second damping unit;

the second damping unit comprises a rotation axis, wherein the rotation axis and the driving axis are substantially perpendicular to the shifting axis, and the second damping unit, the shifting assembly and the driving device are configured to operate simultaneously, wherein the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit is changed when the driving device drives the second damping unit and the shifting assembly to operate such that the second damping unit rotates about the rotation axis and the shifting assembly alters the overlapping area by moving the first damping unit.

25. The window covering system according to claim 17, the adjusting module further comprises a connecting rod with two ends, wherein the shifting assembly is connected to one end and the second damping unit is connected to the other end, wherein the shifting assembly and the second damping unit are configured to operate simultaneously via the connecting rod for altering the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

26. The window covering system according to claim 18, the shifting assembly further comprises a threaded rod which is parallel or coaxial to the shifting axis, wherein the threaded rod is connected to the first damping unit and configured to drive the first damping unit to move in an axial direction of the shifting axis, whereby the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit is altered by the shifting assembly for changing the interaction force.

27. The window covering system according to claim 16, one of the first damping unit and the second damping unit comprises a magnetic unit, and the other one of the first damping unit and the second damping unit comprises a conductive unit;

the interaction force is an electromagnetic induction force which is generated between the magnetic unit and the conductive unit which are driven to operate by the driving device when the relative motion occurs in between, wherein the electromagnetic induction force is changed when the relative position of the magnetic unit and the conductive unit is altered by the adjusting module which is driven to operate by the driving device.

28. The window covering system according to claim 16, the interaction force is a frictional force generated by the relative motion between the first damping unit and the second damping unit which are driven by the driving device while the first damping unit and the second damping unit are in contact with each other;

the frictional force is changed when the relative position of the first damping unit and the second damping unit is altered by the adjusting module which is driven to operate by the driving device.

29. The window covering system according to claim 28, one of the first damping unit and the second damping unit comprises an elastic component which comprises a rotation axis, and the other one of the first damping unit and the second damping unit comprises an inner wall which is partially frustoconical, wherein the elastic component is in contact with the inner wall;

the frictional force is generated between the elastic component and the inner wall by the elastic component rotating about the rotation axis of the elastic component, wherein the frictional force is changed as a radial length of the elastic component is varied by the inner wall when the relative position of the elastic component and the inner wall is altered by the adjusting module.

30. The window covering system according to claim 29, the elastic component comprises an elastic unit and a friction block connected to the elastic unit, wherein the friction block is in contact with the inner wall, whereby the frictional force is generated between the friction block and the inner wall while rotation of the elastic component.

31. The window covering system according to claim 16, the damping module further comprises a fluid between the first damping unit and the second damping unit, wherein the interaction force is a fluid resistance which is generated by the relative motion between the first damping unit and the second damping unit within an overlapping area between the first damping unit and the second damping unit when the first damping unit and the second damping unit are driven by the driving device, wherein the fluid resistance is changed when the driving device drives the adjusting module to alter the relative position between the first damping unit and the second damping unit and change the overlapping area between the first damping unit and the second damping unit.

32. The window covering system according to claim 16, further comprising:

an unidirectional controller connected between the driving device and the damping module, wherein the unidirectional controller is driven by the driving device to rotate in a first direction when the covering material expanding, wherein the unidirectional controller is configure to drive the relative motion between the first damping unit and the second damping unit of the damping module which outputs the damping force to the driving device;

the driving device rotates in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction when the covering material collecting, wherein the driving device rotates freely in the second direction independently of the damping module due to the unidirectional controller.

33. The window covering system according to claim 16, further comprising:

an accelerator connected between the driving device and the damping module, wherein speed of the relative motion is greater than speed of the driving device when the damping module is driven by the driving device via the accelerator.

34. The window covering system according to claim 16, the driving device is connected to an upper end of the covering material, wherein the driving device operates for driving the damping module to output the damping force to the driving device when the covering material expanding, wherein the adjusting module increases the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit for increasing the damping force from the damping module as the driving device operating.

35. The window covering system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a headrail, a bottom rail, and a lift cord, wherein the covering material is positioned between the headrail and the bottom rail, wherein one end of the lift cord is connected to the bottom rail, and the other end of the lift cord is connected to the driving device through the covering material;

wherein the driving device operates for driving the damping module to output the damping force to the driving device when the covering material expanding, wherein the adjusting module reduces the interaction force between the first damping unit and the second damping unit for reducing the damping force from the damping module as the driving device operating.