Window treatment having backlighting

• US 9,169,690 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Blair, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shablack, Johnnie A
• Application Number:
  US13/827,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20140262056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 160/2, 160/5, 160/10, 160/127, 160/405, 160/238, 160/23.1, 160/26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/247 Electrically powered illumination
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6827 sensing light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive

Abstract

A window treatment can include a headrail that is configured to be mounted to a structure. A covering material can be attached to the headrail and configured to be raised and lowered. The window treatment can also include a bottom bar that is attached to an opposite end of the covering material as the headrail. The window treatment can also include a light source that is configured to illuminate a side of the covering material when the covering material is in a lowered position. In this manner, the light source may be configured to adjust the transparency level of the covering material to thereby adjust the privacy settings of the interior space that is enclosed by the window treatment.

Claims

1. A window treatment system configured to selectively cover a window that separates an exterior space from an interior space, the window treatment system comprising:

a headrail that is elongate along a first direction and is configured to be coupled to a structure adjacent the window within the interior space;

a covering material having a top end and a bottom end that is spaced from the top end along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, the top end of the covering material being operatively attached to the headrail such that the covering material is movable along the second direction between a raised position and a lowered position, the covering material further having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side and faces the window when the headrail is coupled to the structure;

a light source that is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the second side of the covering material;

a light sensor that is configured to detect an ambient light level on the second side of the covering material; and

a control circuit that is operatively coupled to the light sensor and the light source, the control circuit configured to, when an ambient light level on the first side of the covering material exceeds the detected ambient light level on the second side of the covering material such that visualization through the covering material from the exterior space into the interior space is permitted, cause the light source to illuminate the at least a portion of the second side of the covering material so as to impede visualization through the covering material from the exterior space into the interior space.

2. The window treatment system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to cause the light source to illuminate the second side of the covering material during an astronomical time range that is defined from about sunset to about sunrise.

3. The window treatment system of claim 1, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

4. The window treatment system of claim 1, wherein the light source is attached to the headrail such that when the headrail is coupled to the structure, the light source is located between the covering material and the window.

5. The window treatment system of claim 1, wherein the light source is attached to the covering material.

6. The window treatment system of claim 1, further comprising a bottom bar attached to the bottom end of the covering material, wherein the light source is attached to the bottom bar and spans across at least a portion of the bottom bar along the first direction.

7. The window treatment system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to adjust an illumination level of the light source based on a time of day.

8. The window treatment system of claim 1, further comprising:

a motor that is operatively coupled to the covering material,

wherein the control circuit is further configured to drive the motor in response to receipt of a signal, to thereby move the covering material between the lowered position and the raised position.

9. The window treatment system of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is further configured to adjust an illumination level of the light source in response to the signal.

10. The window treatment system of claim 9, wherein the signal comprises a wireless signal, and wherein the window treatment system further comprises a communication circuit that is configured to receive the wireless signal.

11. The window treatment system of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate at least 51% of the second side of the covering material when the covering material is in the lowered position.

12. The window treatment system of claim 11, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate at least 75% of the second side of the covering material when the covering material is in the lowered position.

13. The window treatment system of claim 12, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate about 100% of the second side of the covering material when the covering material is in the lowered position.