Environmentally interactive automatic closing system for blinds and other louvered window coverings
First Claim
1. A louvered window covering having automatic operation for closing and opening its louvers comprising:
- a window covering having a plurality of movable slats;
a shaft intercoupling the slats for rotation in unison from a first position to a second position;
a first mitered gear coupled to said shaft;
a second mitered gear coupled to said first mitered gear;
a pinion gear coupled to said second mitered gear;
a rack operatively coupled to said pinion gear;
a memory alloy spring positioned parallel to said shaft and operatively positioned with respect to said rack, the memory allow spring extending when its temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, thereby causing a force to be applied to the slats through said rack, said pinion gear, second mitered gear, said first mitered gear and said shaft to rotate the slats from the first to the second position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A louvered window covering, such as a vertical or horizontal venetian blind, is provided with a thermal actuator to automatically rotate slats forming the louvered window covering between open and closed positions. The actuator includes at least one memory alloy spring that, when heated above a predetermined temperature, extends to engage and move a rack that drives a pinion gear. The pinion gear rotates, through a coupling mechanism, a rod extending the length of the blind. A second memory alloy spring may be installed to rotate the rod in the opposite direction. The rod intercouples the slats in a rewiner such that the rotation of the rod rotates the slats in unison between closed and open positions. The memory alloy spring may be heated with a current supplied to a controller in response to a predetermined environmental condition.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A louvered window covering having automatic operation for closing and opening its louvers comprising:
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a window covering having a plurality of movable slats; a shaft intercoupling the slats for rotation in unison from a first position to a second position; a first mitered gear coupled to said shaft; a second mitered gear coupled to said first mitered gear; a pinion gear coupled to said second mitered gear; a rack operatively coupled to said pinion gear; a memory alloy spring positioned parallel to said shaft and operatively positioned with respect to said rack, the memory allow spring extending when its temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, thereby causing a force to be applied to the slats through said rack, said pinion gear, second mitered gear, said first mitered gear and said shaft to rotate the slats from the first to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A louvered window covering having automatic operation for closing and opening its louvers comprising:
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a window covering having a plurality of movable slats, the slats coupled for rotation in unison; a first memory alloy spring mechanically coupled to the slats to rotate the slats from a first to a second position;
the memory alloy spring extending when its temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, thereby causing a force to be applied to the slats to rotate the slats from the first to the second position; anda second memory alloy spring mechanically coupled to the slats;
the second memory alloy spring extending when its temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature, thereby causing a force to be applied to the slats to rotate the slats in a direction opposite than that of the first memory alloy spring. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An actuator for fitting inside a housing of a blind, the blind having rotating slats forming louvers which regulate an amount of light passing through the blind, the slats intercoupled for rotation in unison, the actuator comprising:
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a first memory alloy spring for mounting within a housing of a blind, the first memory alloy spring changing phase when above a predetermined temperature and extending linearly a first predetermined distance in a first predetermined direction; a second memory alloy spring for mounting within the housing of the blind, the second memory alloy spring changing phase when above a predetermined temperature and extending linearly a second predetermined distance in a second predetermined direction; a mechanical interface for mounting within the housing of the blind that couples the first memory alloy spring and the second memory alloy spring to intercoupled slats in the blind; the first memory alloy spring positioned with respect to the mechanical interface such that the first memory alloy spring engages the mechanical interface when the first memory alloy spring extends in the first predetermined direction, thereby applying a linear force for the first predetermined distance to the mechanical interface and causing the mechanical interface to translate the linear force to a rotationally driving force for rotating, in a first direction, the intercoupled slats of the blind by a first predetermined amount; the second memory alloy spring positioned with respect to the mechanical interface such that the second memory alloy spring engages the mechanical interface when the second memory alloy spring extends in the second predetermined direction, thereby applying a linear force for the second predetermined distance to the mechanical interface and causing the mechanical interface to translate the linear force to a rotationaly driving force for rotating, in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, the intercoupled slats of the blind by a second predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification