Home-automation equipment for closure or solar protection and method for recharging a battery for such equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10227822-B2
Application number	US-201615744292-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2016
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A home-automation equipment includes a concealing device including a screen, a holding device of the screen, a first motorized drive device and an autonomous electrical energy supply device. The first device includes an electromechanical actuator which makes it possible to raise and lower the screen. The supply device includes a battery arranged on the holding device of the screen, a power supply cable and an electrical connection element that is electrically connected to the battery by the cable, the element being designed to be connected to an external electrical supply source, in order to recharge the battery. The concealing device includes a second motorized drive device including an electromechanical actuator making it possible to wind and unwind the cable on a winding spool.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A closure or solar protection home-automation equipment comprising a concealing device, the concealing device comprising at least:
a screen,
a support for holding the screen,
a first motorized drive device, and
an autonomous electrical energy supply device,
the first motorized drive device comprising at least:
a first electromechanical actuator operative to raise and lower the screen between a high position and a low position, the first electromechanical actuator being electrically connected to the autonomous electrical energy supply device,
the autonomous electrical energy supply device comprising at least:
a battery being positioned at the support for holding the screen,
a power supply cable, and
a first electrical connection element, the first electrical connection element being electrically connected to the battery by the power supply cable, the first electrical connection element being configured to he connected to an external electric supply source, so as to recharge the battery,
wherein the concealing device comprises a second motorized drive device, the second motorized drive device comprising at least:
a second electromechanical actuator operative to wind and unwind the power supply cable, electrically connecting the first electrical connection element to the battery, on a winding spool, between a wound configuration, where the first electrical connection element is in an upper position, and an unwound configuration, where the first electrical connection element is in a lower position, the second electromechanical actuator of the second motorized drive device being operative to both wind and unwind the power supply cable.

2. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the second motorized drive device is positioned on an outside of a housing of the concealing device.

3. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the second motorized drive device is positioned inside a housing of the concealing device.

4. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the second electromechanical actuator of the second motorized drive device comprises at least one electric motor, an output shaft of which is kinematically connected to the winding spool of the power supply cable.

5. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the first motorized drive device comprises an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit controlling the first electromechanical actuator of the first motorized drive device and controlling the second electromechanical actuator of the second motorized drive device.

6. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the second motorized drive device comprises a platen, the platen being mounted on the support for holding the screen with fastening elements.

7. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 6 , wherein the winding spool of the power supply cable is mounted to freely rotate on the platen, around a rotation axis defined by a rotation shaft, the rotation shaft of the winding spool also comprising a second electrical connection element.

8. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous electrical energy supply device comprises another battery, so as to supply electrical energy to the second motorized drive device.

9. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 2 , wherein the support for holding the screen belongs to the housing.

10. The closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 2 , wherein the support is a flange of the housing.

11. A method for recharging the battery for the closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 1 , wherein said method comprises at least the following steps:
lowering the first electrical connection element connected to the power supply cable toward the lower position using the second motorized drive device, and
connecting the external electrical supply source to the first electrical connection element positioned at an end of the power supply cable.

12. The method for recharging the battery for the closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 11 , wherein, before the step for lowering the first electrical connection element, said method comprises at least the following steps:
determining a charge level of the battery,
comparing the determined value of the charge level of the battery to a predetermined threshold value, and
controlling the second electromechanical actuator of the second motorized drive device, when the determined value of the charge level of the battery is below the predetermined threshold value.

13. The method for recharging the battery for the closure or solar protection home-automation equipment according to claim 11 , wherein, before the step for lowering the first electrical connection element, said method comprises at least the following steps:
activating a selection element of a local command unit, the local command unit cooperating with an electronic control unit controlling the second motorized drive device, and
controlling the second electromechanical actuator of the second motorized drive.

Assignees

• Somfy Activites Sa
• Somfy Activities Sa

Inventors

• Lagarde Eric
• Dupielet Norbert

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• E06B9/68

  Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive · CPC title

• E06B2009/6809

  Control · CPC title

• E06B9/32 Primary

  Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor (operation of tilting bars E06B9/307) · CPC title

• H01M2220/10

  Batteries in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant · CPC title