Drive assembly for a covering of an architectural opening

• US 20020158595A1
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Turnils AB
• Original Assignee: Turnils AB
• Inventors: Welvaadt, Jochem, Osinga, Anne J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,781,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/445
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/0659 Control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2476 Solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6818 using sensors
• 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: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/28 using semiconductor devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive assembly (45, 46, 52) for a covering of an architectural opening, comprising a motor drive (52), an accumulator (54) connected to the motor drive, a power source (45) and an electrical circuit (55) connecting the power source to the accumulator. The electrical circuit comprises a step-up converter. Preferably, the step-up converter comprises an input terminal (11) connected to the power source (45), and an output terminal (12) with a supply voltage, connected to the accumulator (54), the voltage converting circuit (2) having;

an input terminal (11) for connection to a varying voltage or current source, and an output terminal (12) with a supply voltage,

an inductive element (5) being with a first terminal connected to the input terminal and with a second terminal to a capacitive element (8) and to the output terminal (12), the capacitive element (8) being with one terminal connected to a reference voltage (9),

a first switch (6) being with a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the inductive element (5), and with a second terminal to the reference voltage (9), the first switch (6) comprising a gate electrode (31) for opening and closing of the switch when a control voltage of a first level is applied to the gate,

an oscillator (13) comprising a power input (14) connected to the output terminal (12), a start-up output (15) connected to the gate electrode (31) of the first switch (6) for supplying a pulse-like signal to the gate electrode (31) and an oscillator output (16).

Claims

1. A drive assembly (45, 46, 52) for a covering of an architectural opening, comprising a motor drive (52), an accumulator (54) connected to the motor drive, a power source (45) and an electrical circuit (55) connecting the power source to the accumulator, characterized in that the electrical circuit (55) comprises a step-up converter.

2. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 1, wherein the step-up converter comprises an input terminal (11) connected to the power source (45), and an output terminal (12) with a supply voltage, connected to the accumulator (54), the voltage converting circuit (2) having:

an input terminal (11) for connection to a varying voltage or current source, and an output terminal (12) with a supply voltage,

an inductive element (5) being with a first terminal connected to the input terminal and with a second terminal to a capacitive element (8) and to the output terminal (12), the capacitive element (8) being with one terminal connected to a reference voltage (9),

a first switch (6) being with a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the inductive element (5), and with a second terminal to the reference voltage (9), the first switch (6) comprising a gate electrode (31) for opening and closing of the switch when a control voltage of a first level is applied to the gate,

an oscillator (13) comprising a power input (14) connected to the output terminal (12), a start-up output (15) connected to the gate electrode (31) of the first switch (6) for supplying a pulse-like signal to the gate electrode (31) and an oscillator output (16).

3. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 2, the step-up converter further comprising a second switch (7) connected in parallel with the first switch (6), the second switch having a gate electrode (32) connected to the oscillator output (16), wherein the first switch (6) remains opened when the supply voltage at the output terminal (12) reaches a predetermined level, and the second switch (7) is operated by the oscillator output (16) at a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level.

4. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 3, the first switch (6) comprising a bipolar transistor (T₄) and the second switch (7) comprises a Field Effect Transistor (T₁).

5. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein a diode (D₄) is connected between the second terminal of the inductive element (5) and the gate electrode of the first switch.

6. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 5, wherein the output (15) of the oscillator (13) is connected to the gate (31) via a respective capacitive element (C₂).

7. The drive assembly according to claim 6, wherein a second converting stage (3) is provided having an inductive element (28) with a first terminal connected to the power source, an connected with a second terminal to the accumulator, a third switch (19) being connected between the second terminal of the inductive element (28) and the reference voltage (23) and being with a gate electrode (33) connected to an oscillator output (18) of a second oscillator (17), the output terminal (12) of the voltage converting circuit (2) being connected to the second terminal of the inductive element (28) of the second converting stage (3) and to a power input (22) of the second oscillator (17).

8. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 7, the third switch (19) comprising a MOSFET with multiple drains and multiple sources.

9. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 8, wherein the second inductive element (28) is with its second terminal connected to the electrical element (24) via a diode (20), the first terminal of the electrical element (24) being connected via a capacitive element (21) of the reference voltage (23).

10. An electrically operated architectural covering device comprising a drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 9, and a covering member (43, 50) connected to the drive motor.

11. The electrically operated architectural covering device according to claim 10, the power source (45) comprising a photovoltaic cell.

12. The electrically operated architectural covering device according to claim 11, the photovoltaic cell being placed on a head rail (42), a windowsill (49) or on a surface of the covering member (43, 50), or on any combination thereof.

13. The electrically operated architectural covering device according to claim 12, the photovoltaic cell (45) being placed on an interior side of the covering member (43, 50).

14. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 2, wherein the output (15) of the oscillator (13) is connected to the gate (31) via a respective capacitive element (C₂).

15. The drive assembly according to claim 2, wherein a second converting stage (3) is provided having an inductive element (28) with a first terminal connected to the power source, an connected with a second terminal to the accumulator, a third switch (19) being connected between the second terminal of the inductive element (28) and the reference voltage (23) and being with a gate electrode (33) connected to an oscillator output (18) of a second oscillator (17), the output terminal (12) of the voltage converting circuit (2) being connected to the second terminal of the inductive element (28) of the second converting stage (3) and to a power input (22) of the second oscillator (17).

16. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 15, the third switch (19) comprising a MOSFET with multiple drains and multiple sources.

17. The drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 15, wherein the second inductive element (28) is with its second terminal connected to the electrical element (24) via a diode (20), the first terminal of the electrical element (24) being connected via a capacitive element (21) of the reference voltage (23).

18. An electrically operated architectural covering device comprising a drive assembly (45, 46, 52) according to claim 2, and a covering member (43, 50) connected to the drive motor.

19. The electrically operated architectural covering device according to claim 18, the power source (45) comprising a photovoltaic cell.

20. The electrically operated architectural covering device according to claim 19, the photovoltaic cell being placed on a head rail (42), a windowsill (49) or on a surface of the covering member (43, 50), or on any combination thereof.

21. The electrically operated architectural covering device according to claim 19, the photovoltaic cell (45) being placed on an interior side of the covering member (43, 50).