Window shade support roller and method of assembling

• US 4,009,745 A
• Filed: 05/02/1975
• Issued: 03/01/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Breneman Incorporated
• Inventors: Erpenbeck, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kannan, Philip C.
• Application Number:
  US05/573,985
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 160/297, 160/299, 160/301, 160/305, 160/304, 160/313, 160/316, 160/317, 160/318, 160/323, 160/326, 185/37, 185/39, 185/45, 188/82.8, 188/82.84, 192/38, 192/44, 192/45
• US Class Current: 160/297
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/60 Spring drums operated only by closure members
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/90 for immobilising the closure member in various chosen positions

Abstract

A window shade support roller having an improved spring motor construction and method of manufacture includes a spring retaining structure which holds a driving spring and a spear structure having an integral spear. The spear structure and the spring retaining structure cooperate together, and with a ball, to form a ball clutch mechanism. The spring retaining structure has ball-receiving recesses with canting floors which simplify assembly. Assembly steps include inserting balls into the spring retaining structure, inserting the spear structure into the spring retaining structure, inserting a dowel into the spear structure, positioning a spring around the dowel, and inserting one end of such spring between portions of the spring retaining structure, which uniquely capture and retain the end without other securement, for torsional winding of the spring.

Claims

1. A window shade support assembly comprising:

a spear structure having means for engaging an external support bracket and means for forming a portion of a window shade clutch;

a spring-retaining structure having means for cooperatively engaging the spear structure, means for forming another portion of a window shade clutch, and means for positively retaining a drive spring; and

means acting in cooperation with said clutch portions of the spear structure and the spring retaining structure for providing a window shade roller clutching mechanism;

and radially-projecting portions extending laterally from at least one of said spear structure or said spring-retaining structure and interfitting with the other such structure to maintain the two structures assembled together.

2. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the spear structure comprises:

a substantially rectangular, integral spear portion for engaging a slotted shade support bracket;

a generally cylindrical barrel portion extending away from the spear portion, the barrel portion having radially projecting portion comprising engagement means for engaging said spring-retaining structure and fitting around portions thereof to thereby help to maintain such structure assembled to said spear structure.

3. A window shade support assembly comprising:

a spear structure having means for engaging an external support bracket and means for forming a portion of a window shade clutch;

a spring-retaining structure having means for cooperatively engaging the spear structure, means for forming another portion of a window shade clutch, and means for positively retaining a drive spring; and

means acting in cooperation with said clutch portions of the spear structure and the spring retaining structure for providing a window shade clutching mechanism.

said spring-retaining structure comprising an end surface having at least one ball-receiving recess, a barrel portion projecting laterally away from the end surface, in a direction opposite said recess, and spring-retaining lugs extending in the same direction as the barrel circumferentially spaced from each other to form an annular locus and radially spaced from the barrel sufficiently to receive and frictionally engage a spring therebetween.

4. A window shade support assembly comprising:

a spear structure including an integral spear portion and a barrel portion which portions project in opposite directions along a central axis of the spear structure, the barrel portion having a compressible end portion and an interlock element; and

a spring-retaining structure including a barrel having a central opening for receiving the barrel of the spear assembly and means for engaging and interlocking with said interlock structure of the spear assembly;

said spring-retaining structure further including a plurality of lugs which project around the outside of the barrel, are generally aligned with the axis of the barrel, are spaced from the barrel, and are adapted for compressively engaging a spring inserted between the barrel and the lugs.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

a ball receiving recess defined in an end portion of the spring retaining structure, the opening of the recess being on the opposite side of the structure from the barrel, and the floor of the recess having a cant to form a deeper recess as the radial distance from the axis of the spring retaining structure increases.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

a ball receiving recess defined in an end portion of the spring retaining structure, the opening of the recess being on the opposite side of the structure from the barrel, and a ratchet arrangement around the barrel of the spear structure adapted for use as part of a ball clutch arrangement in cooperation with the spring retaining structure; and

a ball in the ball receiving recess acting in cooperation with said ratchet arrangement and portions of the spring retaining structure to provide a ball clutching action.

7. A shade drive spring retaining structure comprising:

an end wall part having at least one ballreceiving recess with a floor having a cant to form a deeper recess as the radial distance from the central axis of the spring retaining structure increases;

a barrel portion projecting in at least a first direction from said end wall and centrally oriented with respect to said axis;

resilient compression lugs extending from the wall in the same direction as the barrel and generally parellel to said axis, said lugs being circumferentially spaced from each other around the periphery of the barrel with a radial spacing between the barrel and the lugs for receiving and retaining a spring.

8. A shade spear structure comprising:

a spear portion for engaging a slotted shade support bracket;

a barrel portion integral with said spear portion and extending away from the latter, symmetric about the central axis of the spear portion, the barrel portion having a compressible end with a projecting flange at the barrel end away from the spear;

a ratchet arrangement around the barrel at the end thereof closest to the spear for use as part of a clutch; and

an end cap portion having a generally disclike shape and separating the spear portion from the barrel and ratchet arrangement.

9. In a ball clutch assembly for a shade roller, the improvement comprising:

means defining a ball-receiving recess having side walls located at a distance radially outward from the axis of the shade roller and having a canted floor which forms a deepening recess as the radial distance from the axis of the shade roller increases and approaches said side walls.

10. A window shade support assembly comprising:

a spear structure including an integral spear portion and a barrel portion which portions project in opposite directions along a central axis of the spear structure;

a spring-retaining structure including a barrel for engaging with the barrel of the spear structure, and means for holding the barrels together when so engaged;

an elongated dowel member extending generally axially of said spear structures in a direction away from said spear ortion thereof, and interlock portions on said dowel and said barrel portion of said spear structure, said interlock portions extending generally transversely of the spear structure axis at least in part and engaging one another in a manner inhibiting axial separation of the dowel member and the spear structure. portion

11. An assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein at least certain of said interlock portions comprise resiliently flexible formations which flex to engage other interlock portions.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein at least some of said flexible formation are carried on said spear structure barrel.

13. The assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said spear structure barrel also carries resiliently biased formations disposed to index behind said spring retaining structure to hold the spear structure and spring retaining structure against axial separation.