Window shade and actuating system thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12467313-B2
Application number	US-202318446317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2023
Priority date	Aug 9, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

An actuating system for a window shade includes a transmission axle rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof, a braking spring having an engaged state adapted to prevent rotation of the transmission axle and a release state allowing rotation of the transmission axle, and a brake actuating mechanism that is connected to the braking spring and includes a switching actuator and a position selector. The position selector has a first hold position for holding the braking spring in the engaged state and a second hold position for holding the braking spring in the release state. The position selector is switchable from the first hold position to the second hold position or from the second hold position to the first hold position through a back-and-forth movement of the switching actuator between an initial state and an actuating state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An actuating system for a window shade, comprising:
a transmission axle rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof; a braking spring having an engaged state adapted to prevent rotation of the transmission axle, and a release state allowing rotation of the transmission axle; and a brake actuating mechanism connected to the braking spring, the brake actuating mechanism including a switching actuator movable between an initial state and an actuating state, and a position selector having a first hold position for holding the braking spring in the engaged state and a second hold position for holding the braking spring in the release state; wherein the brake actuating mechanism is configured to cause the position selector to switch from the first hold position to the second hold position through a back-and-forth movement of the switching actuator between the initial state and the actuating state, and to cause the position selector to switch from the second hold position to the first hold position through another back-and-forth movement of the switching actuator between the initial state and the actuating state.

2 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the switching actuator includes a wand.

3 . A window shade comprising:
a head rail, a movable rail, and a shading structure disposed between the head rail and the movable rail; a winding unit assembled with the head rail, the winding unit being connected to the movable rail via a suspension element; and the actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission axle is rotationally coupled to the winding unit, the transmission axle being rotatable for raising and lowering the movable rail.

4 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , further comprising a brake engaging part, the braking spring being in frictional contact with the brake engaging part in the engaged state and loosening the frictional contact with the brake engaging part in the release state.

5 . The actuating system according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an axle adapter rotationally coupled to the transmission axle; a lift actuating module including a spool connected to an operating part, the spool being rotatable in a winding direction to wind the operating part and in an unwinding direction to unwind the operating part; and a clutching mechanism configured to selectively couple the axle adapter to either one of the spool and the brake engaging part, wherein the spool and the axle adapter are concurrently rotatable relative to the brake engaging part when the axle adapter is decoupled from the brake engaging part and coupled to the spool, and the engaged state of the braking spring is adapted to prevent a rotation of the transmission axle when the axle adapter is coupled to the brake engaging part and decoupled from the spool.

6 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the position selector includes a spring coupler connected to an end of the braking spring, the spring coupler being rotatable about the longitudinal axis to a first angular position corresponding to the first hold position and to a second angular position corresponding to the second hold position.

7 . The actuating system according to claim 6 , wherein the position selector further includes:
an anchoring part; and an engaging element movably connected to the spring coupler and the anchoring part; wherein the engaging element is movable to engage with different locations of the anchoring part to set the first hold position and the second hold position.

8 . The actuating system according to claim 7 , wherein the spring coupler is disposed inside a housing, and the anchoring part is fixedly connected to the housing.

9 . The actuating system according to claim 7 , wherein the engaging element is movably connected to the spring coupler at a location eccentric from the longitudinal axis.

10 . The actuating system according to claim 7 , wherein the anchoring part includes a protuberance, and a guide track extending around the protuberance, the guide track being defined between the protuberance and an outer sidewall surrounding the protuberance, and the engaging element having a protrusion that is guided for sliding along the guide track.

11 . The actuating system according to claim 10 , wherein the engaging element moves relative to the spring coupler and along the guide track as the spring coupler rotates about the longitudinal axis.

12 . The actuating system according to claim 10 , wherein the protrusion of the engaging element is engaged with a concavity in the outer sidewall when the position selector is in the first hold position.

13 . The actuating system according to claim 10 , wherein the protrusion of the engaging element is engaged with a concavity in the protuberance when the position selector is in the second hold position.

14 . The actuating system according to claim 7 , wherein the position selector further includes a biasing spring connected to the spring coupler, the biasing spring being adapted to urge the spring coupler to rotate in a first direction for engaging the position selector in the first hold position or the second hold position.

15 . The actuating system according to claim 14 , wherein the brake actuating mechanism further includes an actuation element movably linked to the switching actuator, a movement of the switching actuator from the initial state to the actuating state causing the actuation element to urge the spring coupler to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the engaging element moving relative to the spring coupler and the anchoring part as the spring coupler rotates about the longitudinal axis for switching the position selector between the first hold position and the second hold position.

16 . The actuating system according to claim 15 , wherein the engaging element is slidably connected to the spring coupler.

17 . The actuating system according to claim 15 , wherein the brake actuating mechanism further includes a spring adapted to urge the switching actuator to move from the actuating state to the initial state.

18 . The actuating system according to claim 15 , wherein the switching actuator is rotatable between the initial state and the actuating state.

19 . The actuating system according to claim 15 , wherein the switching actuator is slidable between the initial state and the actuating state.

Assignees

• Teh Yor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Huang Chung-Chen

Classifications

• E06B9/262

  with flexibly-interconnected horizontal or vertical strips; Concertina blinds {, i.e. upwardly folding flexible screens} · CPC title

• E06B2009/2627

  Cellular screens, e.g. box or honeycomb-like · CPC title

• E06B2009/3225

  Arrangements to aid the winding of cords rollers · CPC title

• E06B2009/905

  using wrap spring clutches · CPC title

• E06B2009/2625

  Pleated screens, e.g. concertina- or accordion-like · CPC title