Retrofittable motorized pulley sliding window or door system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10995538-B2
Application number	US-201715821988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2017
Priority date	Jul 3, 2017
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for a frame with a slidable segment are disclosed. The slidable segment is slidably mounted within the frame. A first motor is coupled to the slidable segment. A first pulley is affixed to and driven by the first motor. A first end of a first wire is affixed to a first vertical member of the frame. A second end of the first wire is affixed to a second vertical member of the frame. The first wire wraps around the first pulley at least once. Driving the first pulley in a first direction causes the first pulley to pull on the first vertical member such that the slidable segment slides towards the first vertical member. Driving the first pulley in a second direction causes the first pulley to pull on the second vertical member such that the slidable segment slides towards the second vertical member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a frame and a slidable window that is slidably mounted within the frame, the slidable window having a lateral surface perpendicular to a direction of movement of the slidable window and a front surface perpendicular to the lateral surface,
a first motor assembly having a mounting section that contacts a portion of the lateral surface and a portion of the front surface, the mounting section being retrofittably mounted to the slidable window,
a first pulley contained by the first motor assembly and driven by the first motor assembly,
a first wire, wherein a first end of the first wire is retrofittably mounted on an exterior surface of the a first vertical member of the frame and a second end of the first wire is retrofittably mounted on an exterior surface of the a second vertical member of the frame, and wherein the first wire wraps around the first pulley at least once, wherein driving the first pulley in a first direction causes the first pulley to pull on the first vertical member such that the slidable window slides towards the first vertical member, and
wherein driving the first pulley in a second direction causes the first pulley to pull on the second vertical member such that the slidable window slides towards the second vertical member.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a second motor assembly coupled to the slidable window, a second pulley affixed to and driven by the second motor assembly, and a second wire, wherein a first end of the second wire is affixed to the first vertical member of the frame and a second end of the second wire is affixed to the second vertical member of the frame, and wherein the second wire wraps around the second pulley at least once.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein:
the first motor assembly and the second motor assembly are oriented co-linear to each other with shafts facing opposite directions,
driving the second pulley in the second direction causes the second pulley to pull on the first vertical member, in conjunction with the first pulley, such that the slidable window slides towards the first vertical member, and
driving the second pulley in the first direction causes the second pulley to pull on the second vertical member, in conjunction with the first pulley, such that the slidable window slides towards the second vertical member.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the first motor assembly is coupled to a bottom portion of the slidable window and the second motor is coupled to a top portion of the slidable window.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a window frame.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the frame further comprises a fixed segment offset from the slidable window such that the slidable window can slide past the fixed segment.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first motor assembly comprises one or more communication systems comprising Bluetooth communication chips, Internet Wi-Fi transceivers, network transceivers, a Z-Wave network transceiver, or a combination thereof, and wherein the one or more communication systems communicate with an external remote controller.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first motor assembly includes a transmission that drives the first pulley, wherein the transmission prevents the first pulley from rotating when the transmission is not driven by the motor such that the transmission locks the slidable window in place when the transmission is not driven by the first motor assembly, and wherein the transmission comprises a worm gear, the worm gear preventing the first pulley from rotating when the transmission is not driven by the first motor assembly.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the one or more communication systems receive instructions from the external remote controller, generate signals instructing the first motor assembly to rotate in a direction, receive signals from the first motor assembly regarding a status of the first motor assembly, and generate a signal informing the external remote controller of the status of the first motor assembly.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first motor assembly further comprises one or more batteries, a power line, or a combination thereof, wherein the first motor assembly is powered by the one or more batteries, by the power line, or by a combination thereof.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the slidable window is slidably mounted by being between tracks on a top horizontal member of the frame and a bottom horizontal member of the frame, the tracks allowing the slidable frame to freely move side to side.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a latching device that mates to a latching receiver attached to the slidable window, wherein mating prevents movement of the slidable window.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the latching receiver comprises a communication device that generates a signal when the latching device is mated and transmits that signal to the first motor assembly, wherein the signal deactivates the first motor assembly.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Miles Jerome
• Davis Nathan
• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Miles Jerome
• Davis Nathan

Classifications

• E05Y2900/148

  Windows · CPC title

• E05Y2800/21

  of identical elements, e.g. of identical compression springs · CPC title

• E05Y2900/132

  Doors · CPC title

• E05Y2400/66

  Wireless transmission · CPC title

• E05F15/643 Primary

  operated by flexible elongated pulling elements, e.g. belts, chains or cables (by flexible elongated push-pull mechanisms E05F15/635) · CPC title