Window Shade and Actuating System Thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016138331-A1
Application number	US-201414582296-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 24, 2014
Priority date	Nov 17, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An actuating system for a window shade includes a suspension member, a casing having a fixed protrusion, a transmission axle disposed through the casing, a rotary drum arranged in the casing and rotationally coupled with the transmission axle, and an impeding part connected with the rotary drum and affixed with an end of the suspension member. The rotary drum is rotatable in a first direction for winding the suspension member, and in a second direction for unwinding the suspension member. The impeding part is movable relative to the rotary drum between a first and a second position, the impeding part when in the first position being movable with the rotary drum past the protrusion in any of the first and second direction, and the impeding part when in the second position being engageable with the protrusion to block rotation of the rotary drum in the second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An actuating system for a window shade, comprising:
a suspension member; a casing having a fixed protrusion; a transmission axle disposed through the casing; a rotary drum arranged in the casing and rotationally coupled with the transmission axle, the rotary drum being rotatable in a first direction for winding the suspension member around the rotary drum, and in a second direction for unwinding the suspension member from the rotary drum; and an impeding part connected with the rotary drum and affixed with an end of the suspension member, the impeding part being movable relative to the rotary drum between a first and a second position, the impeding part when in the first position being movable with the rotary drum past the protrusion in any of the first and second direction, and the impeding part when in the second position being engageable with the protrusion to block rotation of the rotary drum in the second direction.

2 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the impeding part is in the second position when the suspension member is substantially or entirely unwound from the rotary drum.

3 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary drum has a first and a second end portion, the impeding part being connected with the rotary drum near the first end portion, and the suspension member winding around the rotary drum from the first end portion toward the second end portion.

4 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary drum has an outer surface around which the suspension member is wound, and an opening formed in the outer surface, the impeding part when in the second position protruding outward from the outer surface, and the impeding part when in the first position retracting toward an interior of the opening.

5 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the impeding part is pivotally connected with the rotary drum about a shaft portion that is parallel to a rotation axis of the rotary drum.

6 . The actuating system according to claim 5 , wherein the suspension member is affixed with the impeding part at a location offset from the shaft portion.

7 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , further including a retaining part affixed with the rotary drum adjacent to the impeding part, the retaining part being operable to retain the impeding part in the first position.

8 . The actuating system according to claim 7 , wherein the retaining part includes a detent, the impeding part being retained in the first position by engaging with the detent.

9 . The actuating system according to claim 7 , wherein the rotary drum has an inner cavity, and an outer surface around which the suspension member is wound, the impeding part when in the second position protruding outward from the outer surface, and the impeding part when in the first position is retained in the inner cavity by the retaining part.

10 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary drum is rotatable about a rotation axis, and the protrusion is arranged at a location that is offset from a vertical axis intersecting the rotation axis.

11 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , further including a clutch unit having a locking state in which the clutch unit prevents rotation of the rotary drum in the second direction, and an unlocking state in which rotation of the rotary drum is allowed, a switch of the clutch unit from the locking state to the unlocking state being triggered by a rotation of the transmission axle.

12 . The actuating system according to claim 11 , wherein the clutch unit is assembled in the casing adjacent to the rotary drum, the clutch unit when in the locking state being frictionally engaged with a sidewall of the casing.

13 . The actuating system according to claim 11 , further including a pulley assembled around the transmission axle, and a ladder cord connected with the pulley, wherein the rotary drum has a first and a second end portion opposite to each other, the clutch unit being arranged adjacent to the first end portion of the rotary drum, and the pulley being arranged adjacent to the second end portion of the rotary drum.

14 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary drum is affixed with a flange, and the actuating system further includes:
a torsion spring having two spaced-apart prongs and assembled in the casing, the flange being placed in a gap between the two prongs, wherein a pressure applied by the flange on any of the two prongs urges the torsion spring to frictionally contact with a sidewall of the casing so as to prevent rotation of the rotary drum in the second direction; and an actuating part rotationally coupled with the transmission axle, wherein the actuating part is drivable in rotation by the transmission axle to push against any of the two prongs to loosen the frictional contact of the torsion spring with the sidewall of the casing, whereby a rotation of the transmission axle is transmittable via the actuating part and the torsion spring to the rotary drum.

15 . The actuating system according to claim 14 , wherein a rotation of the torsion spring driven by the transmission axle is transmitted to the rotary drum via a contact between one of the two prongs and the flange.

16 . The actuating system according to claim 14 , wherein the actuating part includes a protrusion, and the transmission axle and the actuating part are rotatable in unison relative to the rotary drum to drive a displacement of the protrusion away from a first one of the two prongs toward a second one of the two prongs, the protrusion pushing against the second prong for loosening the frictional contact of the torsion spring with the sidewall of the casing.

17 . The actuating system according to claim 14 , wherein the actuating part is assembled through the torsion spring, and the transmission axle respectively extends through the rotary drum and the actuating part.

18 . The actuating system according to claim 14 , further including:
a pulley affixed with a sleeve portion, the pulley being assembled around the transmission axle; a ladder cord connected with the pulley; a second torsion spring having two spaced-apart second prongs and assembled in frictional contact with the sleeve portion of the pulley; and a coupling part rotationally coupled with the transmission axle, wherein the coupling part is driven in rotation by the transmission axle to push against any of the two second prongs and drive a rotational displacement of the second torsion spring and the pulley relative to the rotary drum.

19 . The actuating system according to claim 18 , wherein the coupling part has a sleeve segment that extends through the rotary drum and is partially received in an interior of the actuating part.

20 . The actuating system according to claim 1 , further including:
a pulley affixed with a sleeve portion, the pulley being assembled around the transmission axle; a ladder cord connected with the pulley; a second torsion spring having two spaced-apart second prongs and assembled in frictional contact with the sleeve portion of the pulley; and a coupling part rotationally coupled with the transmission axle, wherein the coupling part is driven in rotation by the transmission axle to push against any of the two second prongs and drive a rotational displacement of the second torsion spring and the pulley relative to the rotary drum.

21 . The actuating system according to

Assignees

• Teh Yor Co Ltd
• Teh Yor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Huang Chin-Tien
• Yu Fu-Lai

Classifications

• E06B9/303

  with ladder-tape · CPC title

• E06B2009/3222

  Cordless, i.e. user interface without cords · 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

• E06B9/88

  for limiting unrolling · CPC title