Window covering system and window covering control apparatus thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10428899-B2
Application number	US-201715406795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2017
Priority date	Jan 22, 2016
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

In a window covering system and a window covering control apparatus thereof, the window covering control apparatus comprises a driving module, a damping output module, and a damping control module. The damping output module and the driving module are configured to operate simultaneously. The driving module may drive the damping output module to provide damping to the driving module. The damping control module comprises a control detecting unit and a fitting unit. The control detecting unit comprises a detecting portion and a stopper portion, which are detachably engaged. During an expansion of a covering material, the driving module drives the damping output module to provide damping to the driving module; when the stopper portion is driven apart by the detecting portion from the fitting unit, the driving module operates independently of the damping output module to stop the damping output module from providing damping.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A window covering control apparatus for controlling a window covering system, comprising a driving module, a damping output module, and a damping control module;
wherein the damping output module and the driving module are configured to operate simultaneously, the damping control module is coupled to the damping output module and the driving module, and the damping control module comprises a control detecting unit and a fitting unit;
wherein the control detecting unit comprises a detecting portion and a stopper portion, the detecting portion and the stopper portion are coupled to each other, the detecting portion is configured to drive the stopper portion to move, the driving module is coupled to the detecting portion, the detecting portion is driven to be displaced by the driving module;
the fitting unit is coupled to the damping output module, and the stopper portion is configured to be detachably engaged to the fitting unit;
wherein, the driving module is adapted to drive the detecting portion to be displaced during an expansion of the window covering system; while the window covering system is being expanded and when the stopper portion is still engaged to the fitting unit, the damping output module is adapted to be driven by the driving module to provide damping to the driving module; while the window covering system is still being expanded but the stopper portion has been disengaged from the fitting unit as a result of a displacement of the detecting portion driven by the driving module, the driving module is adapted to operate independently of the damping output module to stop the damping output module from providing damping.

2. The window covering control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the damping control module further comprises an elastic unit, wherein the elastic unit is coupled to the control detecting unit, and the elastic unit provides a first force to the detecting portion, wherein the first force acting on the detecting portion has a direction that is opposite to a direction of the detecting portion driven to be moved by the driving module.

3. The window covering control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the elastic unit is coupled to the detecting portion of the control detecting unit, and the elastic unit provides the first force to the control detecting unit.

4. The window covering control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control detecting unit further comprises a pivotal shaft, the stopper portion and the detecting portion are coupled to the pivotal shaft, and the stopper portion and the detecting portion are capable of pivoting about the pivotal shaft.

5. The window covering control apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the elastic unit is placed around the pivotal shaft, and the elastic unit provides the first force to the control detecting unit.

6. The window covering control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the driving module comprises a power assembly, a spool, and a lifting cord, the power assembly and the spool are configured to operate simultaneously, and the lifting cord is wound around the spool; during the expansion of the window covering system, the lifting cord drives the spool to rotate, and the power assembly is driven to actuate; wherein the power assembly comprises a spiral spring, a storage wheel, and a drive wheel, the storage wheel and the drive wheel are configured to operate simultaneously, the spiral spring comprises two ends, one of the two ends is mounted to the storage wheel and wound around the storage wheel, the other one of the two ends is mounted to the drive wheel and wound around the drive wheel; during the expansion of the window covering system, the spiral spring is wound from the storage wheel to the drive wheel.

7. The window covering control apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the detecting portion of the control detecting unit abuts the lifting cord, the lifting cord comprises a tension force, and the tension force drives the stopper portion to engage to the fitting unit; during the expansion of the window covering system, the tension force decreases, the detecting portion is driven by the first force to move in a direction of the first force; when the stopper portion is driven apart by the detecting portion from the fitting unit, the damping output module no longer provides damping; and wherein the fitting unit and the damping output module are coaxial, and the damping output module adjoins the spool.

8. The window covering control apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the detecting portion of the control detecting unit abuts the spiral spring wound around the drive module, and the spiral spring wound around the drive module has a diameter; during the expansion of the window covering system, the diameter of the spiral spring wound around the drive module changes to allow the detecting portion to move; when the stopper portion is driven apart by the detecting portion from the fitting unit, the damping output module no longer provides damping.

9. The window covering control apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the spiral spring wound around the drive wheel comprises a first diameter, the detecting portion of the control detecting unit abuts the spiral spring wound around the drive wheel, and the first force drives the stopper portion to engage to the fitting unit; during the expansion of the window covering system, the first diameter increases gradually, and the detecting portion is driven to move away from an axis of the drive wheel; when the stopper portion is driven apart by the detecting portion from the fitting unit, the damping output module no longer provides damping; the fitting unit, the damping output module, and the drive wheel are coaxial.

10. The window covering control apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the spiral spring wound around the storage wheel comprises a second diameter, and the detecting portion of the control detecting unit abuts the spiral spring wound around the storage wheel; during the expansion of the window covering system, the second diameter decreases gradually, and the detecting portion is driven by the first force to move toward an axis of the storage wheel; when the stopper portion is driven apart by the detecting portion from the fitting unit, the damping output module no longer provides damping; the fitting unit and the damping output module are coaxial, and the damping output module adjoins the storage wheel.

11. The window covering control apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the damping output module comprises a first damping unit and a second damping unit, the first damping unit and the driving module are configured to operate simultaneously, the first damping unit is driven by the driving module to move relative to the second damping unit to allow the damping output module to provide damping to the driving module; the driving module drives the detecting portion to move, and the detecting portion drives the stopper portion to move; when the stopper portion is driven apart from the fitting unit, the first damping unit and the fitting unit are configured to operate simultaneously or stop a relative movement between the first damping unit and the fitting unit, and the damping output module no longer provides damping.

12. The window covering control apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the damping output module further comprises a transmission, the first damping unit is between the transmission and the second damping unit; the transmission comprises a first transmission unit and a second transmission unit, the first transmission unit and the first damping unit are configured to operate simultaneously, and the first transmission unit, the second transmission unit, and the driving module are configured to operate simultaneously

Assignees

• Nien Made Entpr Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wei Shui-Dong
• Nien Keng-Hao

Classifications

• E06B9/80

  Safety measures against dropping or unauthorised opening; Braking or immobilising devices; Devices for limiting unrolling (securing devices or arrangements for direct manual operation E06B9/78) · CPC title

• F16F2222/12

  Fluid damping · 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

• F16F2224/045

  magnetorheological · CPC title

• E06B9/324

  Cord-locks {(cord-locks for curtains A47H3/00)} · CPC title