WINDOW COVER SYSTEM WITH SPRING DRIVE ARRANGEMENT

• US 20140345809A1
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert F. Miller, Russell L. Hinckley Sr
• Original Assignee: Robert F. Miller, Russell L Hinckley
• Inventors: Toti, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,316,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 160/170
• 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;

an extendible window cover coupled with the housing;

at least one lift cord attached to the cover for 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 lift cord, wherein the lift cord is wrapped around the pulley for assisting in raising and lowering of the cover when moved to a selected one of the positions; and

a transmission disposed within the housing that is laterally spaced apart from the spring drive system and the wind-up spool, wherein the spring drive system, the wind-up spool, and the transmission cooperate to maintain the cover in the selected position.

2. The window cover system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanism for accumulating excess lift cord that is disposed in the housing, the mechanism being laterally spaced from the spring drive system.

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

the transmission comprises one or more rotatable members configured to;

change the direction of travel of the at least one lift cord, or

alter an amount of force applied to the at least one lift cord.

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

the one or more rotatable members comprise pulleys.

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

each spring drive spool comprises a rotational axis, each rotational axis being orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the housing.

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

the spring drive spools are spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the housing.

7. The window cover system of claim 1, further comprising:

a rail coupled to the window cover on a side opposite the housing, wherein the window cover is movable to the selected one of the positions as a result of a user applying force to the rail or the housing, thereby eliminating the need for an external hand operated cord to raise and lower the window cover.

8. A window covering system comprising:

a housing;

an extendable window cover coupled with the housing;

at least one lift cord attached to the cover for raising and lowering the window cover to any selected position between an extended position and a retracted position;

at least two spring drive systems, each 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 of one of the spring drive systems for receiving the lift cord, wherein the lift cord is wrapped around the pulley for assisting in raising and lowering of the cover when moved to a selected one of the positions; and

a transmission disposed within the housing that is laterally spaced apart from the wind-up spool and at least one of the spring drive systems, wherein the spring drive systems, the wind-up spool, and the transmission cooperate to maintain the cover in the selected position.

9. The window cover system of claim 8, wherein:

each spring drive spool comprises a rotational axis, each rotational axis being orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the housing.

10. The window cover system of claim 8, wherein:

the transmission comprises one or more rotatable members configured to;

change the direction of travel of the at least one lift cord, or

alter an amount of force applied to the at least one lift cord.

11. The window cover system of claim 8, wherein:

the one of the spring drive spools that is coaxially aligned with the wind-up spool is coupled with the output end of one of the flat springs.

12. The window cover system of claim 8, wherein:

the spring drive spools are spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the housing.

13. The window cover system of claim 8, further comprising:

a mechanism for accumulating excess lift cord that is disposed in the housing, the mechanism being laterally spaced from the spring drive systems.

14. The window cover system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a rail coupled to the window cover on a side opposite the housing, wherein the window cover is movable to the selected one of the positions as a result of a user applying force to the rail or the housing, thereby eliminating the need for an external hand operated cord to raise and lower the window cover.

15. A window cover system comprising:

a housing;

an extendible window cover coupled with the housing;

at least one lift cord attached to the cover for 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, wherein the storage end and the output end are spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the spring drive system, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the spring drive is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the housing;

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

a transmission disposed within the housing that is laterally spaced apart from the spring drive system and the wind-up spool, wherein the spring drive system, the wind-up spool, and the transmission cooperate to maintain the cover in the selected position.

16. The window cover system of claim 15, wherein:

the transmission comprises one or more rotatable members configured to;

change the direction of travel of the at least one lift cord, or

alter an amount of force applied to the at least one lift cord.

17. The window cover system of claim 16, wherein:

at least one of the one or more rotatable members comprises an axis of rotation that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the housing.

18. The window cover system of claim 15, wherein:

the wind-up spool is coaxially aligned with the spring drive spool that is coupled with the output end.

19. The window cover system of claim 15, further comprising:

a mechanism for accumulating excess lift cord that is disposed in the housing, the mechanism being laterally spaced from the spring drive system.

20. The window cover system of claim 15, further comprising:

a rail coupled to the window cover on a side opposite the housing, wherein the window cover is movable to the selected one of the positions as a result of a user applying force to the rail or the housing, thereby eliminating the need for an external hand operated cord to raise and lower the window cover.