Window cover system with spring drive arrangement

• US 9,316,051 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert F. Miller, Russell L. Hinckley Sr
• Original Assignee: Robert F. Miller, Russell L. Hinckley Sr
• Inventors: Toti, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Blair M
• Application Number:
  US14/290,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20140345809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 160/171, 160/170, 160/168.1 R, 160/192, 160/172.R, 160/84.02, 160/84.04, 160/84.06, 160/191, 160/193, 267/155, 267/156, 185/39, 185/37, 185/45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/32 Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor operation of tilting bars E06B9/307
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/322 Details of operating devices, e.g. pulleys, brakes, spring drums, drives operating devices E06B9/68 ; devices of general interest specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material B65H75/34
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/38 Other details
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/60 Spring drums operated only by closure members
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/90 for immobilising the closure member in various chosen positions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1836 Rotary to rotary

Abstract

A spring drive system useful for window covers is disclosed, which comprises one or more coil spring drives or flat spring drives and the combination whose elements are selected from one or more of a group which includes (1) a band or cord transmission which provides varying ratio power transfer as the cover is opened and closed; (2) gear means comprising various gear sets which provide frictional holding force and fixed power transfer ratios; (3) a gear transmission which provides fixed ratio power transfer as the cover is opened or closed; (4) crank mechanisms; (5) brake mechanisms; and (6) recoiler mechanisms. The combination permits the spring drive force to be tailored to the weight and/or compression characteristics of an associated window cover such as a horizontal slat or pleated or box blind as the cover is opened and closed.

Claims

1. A window cover system comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis;

an extendible window cover coupled with the housing;

a first cord to facilitate raising and lowering the window cover to any selected position between an extended position and a retracted position;

a spring drive system comprising a pair of spaced apart spring drive spools and at least one flat spring having a storage end coupled to one of the spring drive spools and an output end coupled to the other spring drive spool;

a wind-up spool coaxially aligned with one of the spring drive spools for receiving the first cord, wherein the first cord is wrapped around the wind-up spool for assisting in raising and lowering of the cover when moved to a selected one of the positions; and

a cord pulley system spaced apart from the wind-up spool along the longitudinal axis of the housing, the cord pulley system being configured to accumulate a second cord within the housing and to control a force applied by the spring drive system to the window cover, wherein the spring drive system has no external hand-operated control cord as an input used to raise and lower the window cover.

2. The window cover system of claim 1, wherein:

the cord pulley system comprises at least two pulleys, and wherein the second cord extends between the at least two pulleys.

3. The window cover system of claim 1, wherein:

the first cord and the second cord are different.