Drive assembly for a covering of an architectural opening
First Claim
1. A drive assembly for a covering of an architectural opening, comprising a motor, an accumulator connected to the motor, a power source and an electrical circuit connecting the power source to the accumulator, characterized in that the electrical circuit comprises a step-up converter having a voltage converting circuit, wherein the voltage converting circuit comprisesan input terminal connected to the power source, wherein the power source is a varying voltage or current source;
- an output terminal with a supply voltage connected to the accumulator;
an inductive element being with a first terminal connected to the input terminal and with a second terminal connected to a capacitive element and to the output terminal, the capacitive element being with one terminal connected to a reference voltage;
a first switch being with a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the inductive element, and with a second terminal connected to the reference voltage, the first switch comprising a gate electrode for opening and closing of the switch when a control voltage of a first level is applied to the gate; and
an oscillator comprising a power input connected to the output terminal, a start-up output connected to the gate electrode of the first switch for supplying a pulse-like signal to the gate electrode and an oscillator output.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrically-operated architectural covering that can be powered by a low current or voltage source includes a motor, an accumulator connected to the motor, a power source, and an electrical circuit connecting the power source to the accumulator. The electrical circuit includes a step-up converter, which preferably includes an input terminal connected to the power source; an output terminal with a supply voltage connected to the accumulator; an inductive element; a first switch having a gate electrode for opening and closing of the switch when a control voltage of a first level is applied to the gate; and an oscillator.
55 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A drive assembly for a covering of an architectural opening, comprising a motor, an accumulator connected to the motor, a power source and an electrical circuit connecting the power source to the accumulator, characterized in that the electrical circuit comprises a step-up converter having a voltage converting circuit, wherein the voltage converting circuit comprises
an input terminal connected to the power source, wherein the power source is a varying voltage or current source; -
an output terminal with a supply voltage connected to the accumulator;
an inductive element being with a first terminal connected to the input terminal and with a second terminal connected to a capacitive element and to the output terminal, the capacitive element being with one terminal connected to a reference voltage;
a first switch being with a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the inductive element, and with a second terminal connected to the reference voltage, the first switch comprising a gate electrode for opening and closing of the switch when a control voltage of a first level is applied to the gate; and
an oscillator comprising a power input connected to the output terminal, a start-up output connected to the gate electrode of the first switch for supplying a pulse-like signal to the gate electrode and an oscillator output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. In combination a power supply and electrically operated architectural covering device, the power supply including:
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a voltage or current source having a varying voltage output;
an electrical device;
a voltage converting unit electrically coupling the voltage or current source to the electrical device, wherein the voltage converting unit includes a step-up converter and wherein the voltage or current source is the sole supply of power to the voltage converting circuit, which thereby is self-starting from a situation of rest;
wherein the voltage or current source is a solar cell generating a voltage of less than 0.5 V; and
wherein the voltage converting unit further includes a low voltage converting circuit having;
an input terminal connected to the voltage or current source for receiving a varying voltage or current therefrom;
an output terminal for supplying voltage to the electrical device;
an inductive element having an input terminal connected to the voltage or current source via the input and having an output terminal connected to the output;
a capacitive element having one terminal connected to the output terminal of the inductive element and having its other terminal connected to a reference voltage line;
a first switch connected between the inductive element and the reference voltage line, the first switch comprising a gate electrode for operating the first switch in response to a first voltage level control signal; and
an oscillator for generating a first pulsed signal, the oscillator having a power input connected to the output terminal and a start-up output for a first voltage level connected to the gate electrode of the first switch. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. In combination a power supply and electrically operated architectural covering device, the power supply including:
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a voltage or current source having a varying voltage output;
an electrical device;
a voltage converting unit electrically coupling the voltage or current source to the electrical device, wherein the voltage converting unit includes a step-up converter and wherein the voltage or current source is the sole supply of power to the voltage converting circuit, which thereby is self-starting from a situation of rest;
wherein the voltage or current source is a solar cell generating a voltage of less than 0.5 V and the electrical device is a battery; and
wherein the voltage converting unit further includes a low voltage converting circuit having;
an input terminal connected to the voltage or current source for receiving a varying voltage or current therefrom;
an output terminal for supplying voltage to the electrical device;
an inductive element having an input terminal connected to the voltage or current source via the input and having an output terminal connected to the output;
a capacitive element having one terminal connected to the output terminal of the inductive element and having its other terminal connected to a reference voltage line;
a first switch connected between the inductive element and the reference voltage line, the first switch comprising a gate electrode for operating the first switch in response to a first voltage level control signal; and
an oscillator for generating a first pulsed signal, the oscillator having a power input connected to the output terminal and a start-up output for a first voltage level connected to the gate electrode of the first switch. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. In combination a power supply and electrically operated architectural covering device, the power supply including:
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a voltage or current source having a varying voltage output;
an electrical device;
a voltage converting unit electrically coupling the voltage or current source to the electrical device, wherein the voltage converting unit includes a step-up converter and wherein the voltage or current source is the sole supply of power to the voltage converting circuit, which thereby is self-starting from a situation of rest; and
wherein the voltage converting unit further includes a second converter stage comprising a second inductive element having a first input terminal connected to the voltage or current source and a second terminal connected to the electrical device, the electrical device with an opposite terminal is connected to a reference voltage line, a third switch being connected between the second terminal of the inductive element and the reference voltage line, the third switch being provided with a gate electrode connected to an oscillator output of a second oscillator, having a power input connected the second terminal of the inductive element and the output terminal of the low voltage converting circuit also being connected to the second terminal of the inductive element. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. Electrically operated architectural covering device, including:
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a first rail;
a covering member extending from the first rail;
an electric motor for opening and closing the architectural covering device;
at least one photovotaic cell;
a rechargeable power source;
a first circuit electrically coupling the at least one photovoltaic cell to the rechargeable power source;
a second circuit electrically coupling the electric motor to the rechargeable power source, wherein the first circuit includes a step-up converter and wherein the electric motor is mounted to the first rail; and
wherein the step-up converter is associated with an oscillator circuit for generating a pulsed voltage to which the output voltage of the solar cell is added by means of a Schottky diode, before it is offered to a base of the semiconductor switch. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. Electrically operated architectural covering device, including:
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a first rail;
a covering member extending from the first rail;
an electric motor for opening and closing the architectural covering device;
at least one photovotaic cell;
a rechargeable power source;
a first circuit electrically coupling the at least one photovoltaic cell to the rechargeable power source;
a second circuit electrically coupling the electric motor to the rechargeable power source, wherein the first circuit includes a step-up converter and wherein the electric motor is mounted to the first rail;
wherein the step-up converter includes a MOSFET semiconductor element; and
wherein the MOSFET semiconductor element is supplementary to a semiconductor switch, which semiconductor switch is adapted to operate the step-up converter during periods when output voltage of the photovotaic cell offered to the step-up converter is too low for the MOSFET semiconductor element to operate.
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51. Electrically operated architectural covering device, including:
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a first rail;
a covering member extending from the first rail;
an electric motor for opening and closing the architectural covering device;
at least one photovotaic cell;
a rechargeable power source;
a first circuit electrically coupling the at least one photovoltaic cell to the rechargeable power source;
a second circuit electrically coupling the electric motor to the rechargeable power source, wherein the first circuit includes a step-up converter and wherein the electric motor is mounted to the first rail;
wherein the step-up converter includes a MOSFET semiconductor element; and
wherein the MOSFET semiconductor element is supplementary to a semiconductor switch, which semiconductor switch being adapted to operate the step-up converter during periods when output voltage of the photovotaic cell offered to the step-up converter is too low for the MOSFET semiconductor element to operate.
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52. Electrically operated architectural covering device, including:
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a first rail;
a covering member extending from the first rail;
an electric motor for opening and closing the architectural covering device;
at least one photovotaic cell;
a rechargeable power source;
a first circuit electrically coupling the at least one photovoltaic cell to the rechargeable power source;
a second circuit electrically coupling the electric motor to the rechargeable power source, wherein the first circuit includes a step-up converter and wherein the electric motor is mounted to the first rail; and
wherein the step-up converter comprises an oscillator circuit for generating a pulsed voltage for addition to the output voltage of the photovotaic cell. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. Electrically operated architectural covering device, including:
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a first rail;
a covering member extending from the first rail;
an electric motor for opening and closing the architectural covering device;
at least one photovotaic cell;
a rechargeable power source;
a first circuit electrically coupling the at least one photovoltaic cell to the rechargeable power source;
a second circuit electrically coupling the electric motor to the rechargeable power source, wherein the first circuit includes a step-up converter and wherein the electric motor is mounted to the first rail; and
wherein the step-up converter includes a start-up circuit, having a resonant triggering circuit using an extra coil, thereby taking less current to step-up.
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55. Electrically operated architectural covering device, including:
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a first rail;
a covering member extending from the first rail;
an electric motor for opening and closing the architectural covering device;
at least one photovotaic cell;
a rechargeable power source;
a first circuit electrically coupling the at least one photovoltaic cell to the rechargeable power source;
a second circuit electrically coupling the electric motor to the rechargeable power source, wherein the first circuit includes a step-up converter and wherein the electric motor is mounted to the first rail; and
wherein the photovoltaic cell is connected to the first rail through electrical leads for mounting at a location independent of the head rail.
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56. Electrically operated architectural covering device, including:
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a first rail;
a covering member extending from the first rail;
an electric motor for opening and closing the architectural covering device;
at least one photovotaic cell;
a rechargeable power source;
a first circuit electrically coupling the at least one photovoltaic cell to the rechargeable power source;
a second circuit electrically coupling the electric motor to the rechargeable power source, wherein the first circuit includes a step-up converter and wherein the electric motor is mounted to the first rail; and
wherein the rechargeable power source has a capacity not exceeding 1.4 Ah.
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Specification