Head rail-mounted actuator for window coverings
First Claim
1. A window covering with actuator, comprising:
- a cellular shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a cellular-type window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated;
an electric direct current (dc) motor;
a coupling operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod;
at least one dc battery mounted in the head rail;
a control signal generator for generating a control signal; and
an electronic circuit electrically connected to the control signal generator and the battery for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mini-blind actuator has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. The rotor of the motor is coupled to the baton of the mini-blind for rotating the baton and thereby opening or closing the slats of the mini-blind. Alternatively, the rotor is coupled to the tilt rod of the blind to rotate the tilt rod and thereby open or close the slats of the mini-blind. A control signal generator generates a control signal for completing the electrical circuit between the battery and the motor. The control signal can be generated in response to a predetermined amount of daylight or in response to a user-generated remote command signal. The actuator can be used to rotate the slats of horizontal or vertical blinds, or the sections of a pleated shade. Or, the actuator can be used to rotate the hollow rotatable tube of a roll-up shade.
83 Citations
109 Claims
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1. A window covering with actuator, comprising:
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a cellular shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a cellular-type window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated; an electric direct current (dc) motor; a coupling operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod; at least one dc battery mounted in the head rail; a control signal generator for generating a control signal; and an electronic circuit electrically connected to the control signal generator and the battery for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A device for moving an operator of a cellular shade window covering having slat elements including a bottom-most element to move the elements, comprising:
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an actuator including an electric motor and a coupling operably engaged with the motor, wherein the coupling contacts the operator to prevent rotational relative motion between the coupling and the operator, a rotor of the motor being connected to the coupling for rotating the operator in either direction; a direct current alkaline battery; and a control signal generator for generating a control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the operator and thereby cause the slat elements to move. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A window covering with actuator, comprising:
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a pleated shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a pleated-type window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated; an electric direct current (dc) motor mounted in the head rail; a coupling operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod; at least one dc battery mounted in the head rail; a control signal generator for generating a control signal; and an electronic circuit electrically connected to the control signal generator and the battery for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A device for moving an operator of a pleated shade window covering having slat elements including a bottom-most element to move the elements, comprising:
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an actuator including an electric motor and a coupling operably engaged with the motor, wherein the coupling contacts the operator to prevent rotational relative motion between the coupling and the operator, a rotor of the motor being connected to the coupling for rotating the operator in either direction; an alkaline battery; and a control signal generator for generating a control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the operator and thereby cause the slat elements to move. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A window covering with actuator, comprising:
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a cellular shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a cellular-type window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated; an electric direct current motor; a coupling operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod; at least one primary dc battery, the battery being primary in that the battery is not designed to be rechargeable; a control signal generator for generating a control signal; and an electronic circuit electrically connected to the control signal generator and the battery for processing the control signal to cause the battery to energize the motor to move the rod. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 95)
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83. A window covering with actuator, comprising:
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a cellular shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a cellular-type window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated; an electric direct current motor; a coupling operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod; at least one dc battery, the at least one battery being the sole source of energy associated with the window covering; a control signal generator for generating a control signal; and an electronic circuit electrically connected to the control signal generator and the battery for processing the control signal to cause the at least one battery to energize the motor to move the rod. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 96)
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97. A powered shade assembly, comprising:
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a shade including a head rail, a rod rotatably disposed therein, and a window covering engaged with the rod for moving the window covering between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration when the rod is rotated; an electric direct current motor disposed in the head rail; a coupling operably engaged with the motor to engage the motor with the rod for rotating the rod; at least one primary dc battery, the at least one battery being the sole source of energy associated with the window covering, the at least one battery being disposed in the head rail; a control signal generator for generating a control signal; and an electronic circuit electrically connected to the control signal generator and the battery, the electronic circuit having an energized state for processing the control signal to cause the at least one battery to energize the motor to move the rod, the electronic circuit also having an idle state in which the at least one battery is not caused to energize the motor. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109)
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Specification