Cordless window blinds with electromagnets to control raising, lowering, and tilt of slats

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10415303-B2
Application number	US-201715479698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2017
Priority date	Apr 5, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

We disclose a cordless window blind that includes at least one electromagnet within each slat. The slats may be inserted into orifices within rotatable slat mounting members on a vertical guide rail assembly. The orifices may house electrical connections which connect the electromagnets to at least one battery. The electromagnets may have the same polarity such that the electromagnet of one slat attracts the electromagnet of an adjacent slat. The magnetic attraction may move one slat toward the other slat causing the slats to move vertically along the guide rail assembly and either raise or lower the blinds. Alternatively, electromagnets on only one of two longitudinal edges of the slats may be actuated and attract a metal member on an adjacent slat. The magnetic attraction may cause the slats to tilt and rotate within the slat mounting members thus closing the blinds.

First claim

We claim:

1. A window blind comprising:
a headrail, the headrail comprising two ends;
one or more batteries;
a plurality of slats, each of the plurality of slats comprising:
a top surface;
a bottom surface;
two transverse edges;
a plurality of electromagnets, wherein each of the plurality of electromagnets is in electrical connection with one of the one or more batteries, and wherein each of the plurality of electromagnets has identical polarity;

at least one switch, wherein the at least one switch controls a current flowing from the one or more batteries to at least one of the plurality of electromagnets; and
two side panels, wherein one of the two side panels extends downward from each of the two ends of the headrail, and wherein each of the two side panels comprises:
a guide rail assembly, the guide rail assembly comprising:
two parallel guide rails;
a plurality of rotatable slat mounting members, wherein each of the plurality of rotatable slat mounting members is mounted between the two parallel guide rails, and wherein each of the plurality of rotatable slat mounting members comprises:
an orifice for inserting a slat; and
a plurality of electrical connections, wherein the plurality of electrical connections is located within the orifice.

2. The window blind of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of slats further comprises at least two channels, wherein each of the at least two channels connects the top surface with the bottom surface of each of the plurality of slats, and wherein a core within each of the plurality of electromagnets is inserted into each of the at least two channels.

3. The window blind of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of slats further comprises at least one metal member, wherein the at least one metal member comprises steel, iron, or a combination thereof.

4. The window blind of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the at least one metal members is positioned on the bottom surface of each of the plurality of slats.

5. The window blind of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of tabs, wherein each tab comprises a top side and a bottom side, wherein each of the plurality of tabs extends from one of the two transverse edges.

6. The window blind of claim 5 , wherein two of the plurality of tabs extend from each of the two transverse edges.

7. The window blind of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of electromagnets comprises a wire coiled around a core, wherein each wire comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the wire is adjacent to the top side of each of the plurality of tabs, and where the second end of the wire is adjacent to the bottom side of each of the plurality of tabs.

8. The window blind of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of tabs is inserted into the orifice for inserting a slat within one of the plurality of rotatable slat mounting members, wherein each of the first end of the coil of wire and the second end of the coil of wire are independently in electrical communication with one of the plurality of electrical connections within the orifice.

9. The window blind of claim 1 , wherein the at least one switch completes a circuit between at least one of the one or more batteries and at least one of the plurality of electromagnets when the at least one switch is in a closed position, and wherein the at least one switch breaks the circuit between at least one of the one or more batteries and at least one of the plurality of electromagnets when the at least one switch is in an open position.

10. The window blind of claim 9 , wherein the at least one switch comprises a plurality of switches, and wherein the plurality of switches comprises a plurality of designated switches, wherein each of the plurality of designated switches controls the current flowing from one of the one or more batteries to one of the plurality of electromagnets.

11. The window blind of claim 1 , wherein the one or more batteries is positioned within the headrail.

12. The window blind of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of electromagnets is positioned approximately in a corner of each of the plurality of slats.

13. The window blind of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of slats comprises a front longitudinal edge and a rear longitudinal edge, and wherein at least one of the plurality of electromagnets is positioned along each of the front and the rear longitudinal edges.

14. The window blind of claim 13 , further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is connected to and modulates the at least one switch.

15. The window blind of claim 14 , wherein the controller closes the at least one switch controlling the current flowing to the at least one electromagnet positioned along the rear longitudinal edge of at least one of the plurality of slats and opens the at least one switch controlling the current flowing to the at least one electromagnet positioned along the front longitudinal edge of at least one of the plurality of slats.

16. The window blind of claim 15 , wherein the at least one electromagnet is positioned along the rear longitudinal edge of a first slat of the plurality of slats attracts the at least one metal member on a second slat of the plurality of slats causing the rear longitudinal edge of the first slat and the second slat to move closer together, and wherein the first slat is adjacent to and below the second slat.

17. The window blind of claim 16 , wherein the front longitudinal edge of the first slat connects with the second slat.

18. The window blind of claim 14 , wherein the controller closes the at least one switch controlling the current flowing to each of the plurality of electromagnets.

19. The window blind of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets of the plurality of slats attract each other, and wherein the plurality of slats move vertically along the guide rail assembly.

20. The window blind of claim 19 , wherein a top slat of the plurality of slats is vertically immobile.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Brimhall Emily
• Pearman Terrece

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Brimhall Emily
• Pearman Terrece

Classifications

• E06B9/302

  without ladder-tape, e.g. with lazy-tongs, with screw spindle · CPC title

• E06B9/386

  Details of lamellae · CPC title

• E06B9/322 Primary

  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 title

• E06B9/327

  Guides for raisable lamellar blinds with horizontal lamellae · CPC title

• E06B2009/3222

  Cordless, i.e. user interface without cords · CPC title