Window shade and actuating system thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12473780-B2
Application number	US-202318366580-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2023
Priority date	Aug 9, 2022
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

An actuating system for a window shade includes a transmission axle, a brake assembly and a clutch. The transmission axle is rotationally coupled to an axle adapter for rotation about a longitudinal axis. The brake assembly includes an arrester, a rotary element rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and a shift collar configured to couple and decouple the rotary element from the arrester, the shift collar switching from a decoupling position to a coupling position in response to a rotation of the rotary element in a first direction and from the coupling position to the decoupling position in response to a rotation of the rotary element in an opposite second direction. The clutch can couple and decouple the axle adapter from the rotary element, and has a clutch actuator rotatable about the longitudinal axis to switch the clutch between a clutch coupling state and a clutch decoupling state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An actuating system for a window shade, comprising:
a transmission axle having a longitudinal axis and rotationally coupled to an axle adapter, the transmission axle and the axle adapter being rotatable about the longitudinal axis; a brake assembly including an arrester, a rotary element rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and a shift collar configured to couple the rotary element to the arrester and decouple the rotary element from the arrester, the shift collar switching from a decoupling position to a coupling position in response to a rotation of the rotary element in a first direction and from the coupling position to the decoupling position in response to a rotation of the rotary element in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and a clutch configured to couple and decouple the axle adapter from the rotary element, the clutch having a clutch actuator rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the clutch actuator being operable to switch the clutch between a clutch coupling state and a clutch decoupling state.

2 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch actuator is rotatable along with the axle adapter and the rotary element when the clutch is in the clutch coupling state.

3 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the axle adapter and the transmission axle are prevented from rotating in the first direction when the shift collar is in the coupling position and the clutch is in the clutch coupling state.

4 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the shift collar is coupled to the arrester, the shift collar being movable along the longitudinal axis relative to the arrester between the coupling position where the shift collar is engaged with the rotary element and the decoupling position where the shift collar is disengaged from the rotary element.

5 . The actuating system according to claim 4 , wherein the shift collar is in sliding contact with the arrester via at least one ramp surface provided on the shift collar or the arrester.

6 . The actuating system according to claim 4 , wherein the arrester includes a braking spring disposed around a brake engaging part, and the shift collar is in sliding contact with the brake engaging part.

7 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch further includes a clutching element that is coupled to the rotary element and is movably linked to the clutch actuator, the clutch actuator being rotatable to cause the clutching element to engage with and disengage from the axle adapter, the clutching element being engaged with the axle adapter in the clutch coupling state and disengaged from the axle adapter in the clutch decoupling state.

8 . The actuating system according to claim 7 , wherein the axle adapter has a sleeve provided with a plurality of teeth protruding inward from an inner wall of the sleeve, and the clutching element is engageable with any of the teeth in the clutch coupling state.

9 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first operating device and a second operating device; and a transmission assembly configured to selectively couple the first operating device or the second operating device to the clutch actuator; wherein the first operating device is operable to urge the clutch actuator to rotate for switching the clutch from the clutch coupling state to the clutch decoupling state while the second operating device is operatively decoupled from the clutch actuator, and the second operating device is operable to urge the clutch actuator to rotate for switching the clutch from the clutch decoupling state to the clutch coupling state while the first operating device is operatively decoupled from the clutch actuator.

10 . The actuating system according to claim 9 , wherein while the shift collar is in the coupling position, the first operating device is operable to urge the clutch actuator to rotate for switching the clutch from the clutch coupling state to the clutch decoupling state so that the axle adapter and the transmission axle are rotatable relative to the rotary element and the arrester in the first direction.

11 . The actuating system according to claim 9 , wherein the second operating device is operable to urge the clutch actuator to rotate for switching the clutch from the clutch decoupling state to the clutch coupling state, whereby the rotary element is rotatable along with the axle adapter and the transmission axle in the second direction for switching the shift collar from the coupling position to the decoupling position.

12 . The actuating system according to claim 9 , wherein the first operating device comprises a wand, and the second operating device comprises 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.

13 . The actuating system according to claim 9 , wherein the transmission assembly comprises:
a first gear and a second gear meshed with each other; a first clutching element movable to engage with and disengage from the first gear for coupling and decoupling the first operating device from the clutch actuator; and a second clutching element movable to engage with and disengage from the second gear for coupling and decoupling the second operating device from the clutch actuator.

14 . The actuating system according to claim 13 , wherein the second clutching element is movable to engage with and disengage from a plurality of teeth provided on the second gear, the teeth being configured to urge the second clutching element to move away from the second gear in response to a rotation of the second gear induced by an operation of the first operating device.

15 . The actuating system according to claim 13 , wherein the second gear is rotationally locked to the clutch actuator so that the second gear and the clutch actuator are rotatable in unison about the longitudinal axis.

16 . The actuating system according to claim 13 , wherein the first operating device comprises a wand movably linked to the first clutching element, the wand being operable to cause the first clutching element to move for engaging with the first gear.

17 . The actuating system according to claim 16 , wherein the wand is slidable or rotatable to cause the first clutching element to move for engaging with the first gear.

18 . The actuating system according to claim 16 , wherein the wand is movable from an initial state to an actuating state to cause the first clutching element to move for engaging with the first gear, and the actuating system further comprises a biasing spring configured to assist the first clutching element in disengaging from the first gear.

19 . The actuating system according to claim 13 , wherein the second operating device comprises a lift actuating module including a spool that is connected to an operating part and is movably linked to the second clutching element, the spool being rotatable in a winding direction to wind the operating part and in an unwinding direction to unwind the operating part.

20 . The actuating system according to claim 19 , wherein a rotation of the spool in the unwinding direction causes the second clutching element to engage with the second gear, and a rotation of the spool in the winding direction causes the second clutching element to disengage from the second gear.

21 . A window shade c

Assignees

• Teh Yor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Huang Chung-Chen

Classifications

• E06B2009/2625

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

• E06B2009/3222

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

• E06B2009/807

  Brakes preventing fast screen movement · CPC title

• E06B9/262

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

• E06B2009/905

  using wrap spring clutches · CPC title