Blind tilt controller
First Claim
1. A device for controlling the tilt angle of window blinds of a type having a head rail and a tilt control mechanism in the head rail, comprising:
- (a) a motor mounted externally of said head rail and having an output shaft;
(b) a slip clutch mounted externally of said head rail, coupling said output shaft to said tilt control mechanism and operative to slip and decouple said output shaft from said tilt control mechanism upon reaching a limit of tilt of said window blinds;
(c) a receiver and demodulator positioned to receive a carrier signal modulated with coded pulses and to demodulate the carrier to produce corresponding electrical pulses;
(d) a power device coupled to said receiver and demodulator operative to provide electrical power to said receiver and demodulator;
(e) a decoder coupled to an output of said receiver and demodulator for providing an output on one of a plurality of output lines depending upon the coding of pulses from said receiver and demodulator; and
(f) a motor driver circuit having an input coupled to said decoder and an output coupled to said motor, operative to drive said motor in either a forward or reverse direction depending upon the output from said decoder.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for controlling the tilt angle of window blind blades having a motor with an output shaft and a slip clutch coupling the output shaft to a tilt control mechanism. A receiver and demodulator receives a modulated infra red carrier signal modulated with a code and to demodulate the carrier to produce corresponding electrical pulses. A decoder is coupled to an output of the receiver and demodulator and when powered provides an output on one of several output lines depending upon the coding of pulses from the receiver and demodulator. A motor driver circuit has an input coupled to the decoder and an output coupled to the motor, is operative to drive the motor in either a forward or reverse direction depending upon the output from the decoder, and a decoupler decouples the motor from the wand upon reaching an extreme of tilting of the blade when the motor is still running.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A device for controlling the tilt angle of window blinds of a type having a head rail and a tilt control mechanism in the head rail, comprising:
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(a) a motor mounted externally of said head rail and having an output shaft; (b) a slip clutch mounted externally of said head rail, coupling said output shaft to said tilt control mechanism and operative to slip and decouple said output shaft from said tilt control mechanism upon reaching a limit of tilt of said window blinds; (c) a receiver and demodulator positioned to receive a carrier signal modulated with coded pulses and to demodulate the carrier to produce corresponding electrical pulses; (d) a power device coupled to said receiver and demodulator operative to provide electrical power to said receiver and demodulator; (e) a decoder coupled to an output of said receiver and demodulator for providing an output on one of a plurality of output lines depending upon the coding of pulses from said receiver and demodulator; and (f) a motor driver circuit having an input coupled to said decoder and an output coupled to said motor, operative to drive said motor in either a forward or reverse direction depending upon the output from said decoder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A device for controlling the tilt angle of blades of window blinds of a type having a wand for effecting this control, comprising:
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(a) a motor having a motor output shaft; (b) a resilient tube coupled at one end to said wand and at another end to said motor output shaft and dimensioned so as to rotate said wand when the tube is rotated and to slip over said wand and said motor output shaft when said wand is blocked from rotation and said motor continues to run; (c) a motor driving circuit coupled to said motor and operative to drive said motor in either a forward or reverse direction; (d) a receiver and demodulator having an input window exposed to an incoming coded infra red signal; and (e) a decoder having an input coupled to said receiver and demodulator and a plurality of pairs of outputs, with each pair couplable to said motor driving circuit in response to associated command codes contained in pulses from said receiver and demodulator. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification