Battery-powered motorized window treatment having a service position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016108665-A1
Application number	US-201514980549-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Mar 11, 2011
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery-powered motorized window treatment for covering at least a portion of a window may be adjusted into a service position to allow for access to at least one battery that is powering the motorized window treatment. A headrail of the motorized window treatment may be adjusted to the service position to allow for easy replacement of the batteries without unmounting the headrail and without requiring tools. The motorized window treatment may comprise brackets having buttons that may be actuated to release the headrail from a locked position, such that the head rail may be rotated into the service position. The headrail easily rotates through a controlled movement into the service position, such that a user only needs one free hand available to move the motorized window treatment into the service position and change the batteries.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of providing access to at least one battery of a motorized window treatment, the motorized window treatment adapted to be mounted to a surface and having a covering material adapted to hang from a headrail to cover at least a portion of an opening, the method comprising:
coupling the headrail to the surface; holding the headrail of the motorized window treatment in a locked position in which the covering material may be adjusted between a fully-open position and a fully-closed position; and rotating the headrail from the locked position into a service position in which access is provided to a top side of the headrail to provide access through the top side to the at least one battery located inside of the headrail, the headrail remaining coupled to the surface when the motorized window treatment is in the service position.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
releasing the headrail from the locked position to allow the headrail to be rotated into the service position.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein coupling the headrail to the surface comprises coupling the headrail to the surface via a mounting bracket.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
rotatably coupling a rotating portion of the mounting bracket to a mounting portion of the mounting bracket, the mounting portion adapted to be fastened to the surface and the rotating portion adapted to be coupled to the headrail.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
biasing the rotating portion towards the mounting portion when the headrail is in the service position.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the rotating the headrail from the locked position into a service position further comprises rotating the headrail in a controlled movement when the headrail is rotated from the locked position to the service position.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein holding the headrail of the motorized window treatment in the locked position comprises latching the headrail in the locked position with a latch mechanism of the mounting bracket.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein releasing the headrail from the locked position further comprises releasing the headrail from the locked position in response to an actuation of a button of the mounting bracket.

9 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the center of gravity of the headrail is adapted to cause the headrail to rotate away from the opening on its own when the headrail is released from the locked position.

10 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the mounting bracket remains coupled to the surface and the headrail remains coupled to the mounting bracket when the motorized window treatment is in the service position.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
holding the headrail in the service position such that the at least one battery is prevented from falling out of the top side of the headrail.

12 . A method of providing access to at least one battery of a motorized window treatment, the motorized window treatment adapted to be mounted to a surface and having a covering material adapted to hang from a headrail to cover at least a portion of an opening, the method comprising:
coupling the headrail to the surface via a mounting bracket; holding the headrail of the motorized window treatment in a locked position in which the covering material may be adjusted between a fully-open position and a fully-closed position; and rotating the headrail from the locked position into a service position in which access is provided to a top side of the headrail to provide access through the top side to the at least one battery located inside of the headrail, the mounting bracket remaining coupled to the surface and the headrail remaining coupled to the mounting bracket when the motorized window treatment is in the service position.

13 . A method of replacing a first battery of a battery-powered motorized window treatment with a second battery, the motorized window treatment adapted to be mounted to a surface and having a covering material adapted to hang from a headrail to cover at least a portion of an opening, the method comprising:
adjusting the headrail of the motorized window treatment from a first position into a second position in which access is provide to a top side of the headrail; removing the first battery from a battery compartment in the headrail through the top side of the headrail; and installing the second battery into the battery compartment in the headrail through the top side of the headrail.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein adjusting the headrail of the motorized window treatment from a first position into a second position further comprises releasing the headrail from the first position to allow the headrail to be adjusted into the second position.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein releasing the headrail from the first position further comprises actuating a button to release the headrail from the first position.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein adjusting the headrail of the motorized window treatment from a first position into a second position further comprises actuating the button with a first hand while using a second hand to balance.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein using a second hand to balance comprises holding a ladder with the second hand.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the headrail is configured to rotate from the first position into the second position after being released from the first position.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein adjusting the headrail of the motorized window treatment from a first position into a second position further comprises rotating the top side of the headrail away from the opening.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
prior to rotating the top side of the headrail away from the window, displacing the headrail away from the opening.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein displacing the headrail away from the opening further comprises sliding a pin of a mounting bracket of the motorized window treatment through a channel of an endcap of the headrail.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein displacing the headrail away from the opening further comprises sliding a plate of a mounting bracket of the motorized window treatment to displace the headrail away from the opening.

23 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the headrail is configured to rest in the second position.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein removing the first battery from a battery compartment in the headrail through the top side of the headrail further comprises removing the battery from the battery compartment with a first hand while using a second hand to balance.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein installing the second battery into the battery compartment in the headrail through the top side of the headrail further comprises installing the battery in the battery compartment with a first hand while using a second hand to balance.

26 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
after installing the second battery into the battery compartment, adjusting the headrail from the second position to the first position.

27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein adjusting the headrail from the second position to the first position further comprises locking the headrail in the first position.

28 . A metho

Assignees

• Lutron Electronics Co

Inventors

• Blair Edward J
• Chambers Samuel F
• Kirby David A
• Ogden Peter W
• Wilson James J

Classifications

• E06B2009/2625

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

• H04W52/0238 Primary

  where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal · CPC title

• E06B9/68

  Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive · CPC title

• E06B9/32

  Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor (operation of tilting bars E06B9/307) · CPC title

• H04W52/0287

  changing the clock frequency of a controller in the equipment · CPC title