Adjustment mechanisms for shades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9347261-B2
Application number	US-201414450125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2014
Priority date	Aug 2, 2013
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

A motorized shading system may include a housing, a roller tube, a sheer shade material, and a bottom bar. The shading system may be configured such that opposed ends of the roller tube are adjustable relative to the housing. The shading system may include first and second sliding members that couple opposed ends of the roller tube to the housing and that are configured to translate along first and second rails defined by the housing. The bottom bar may define a cross-sectional profile such that when the shade material is in a closed position, a first lower most edge of the bottom bar is spaced from the roller tube by a first distance, and when the shade material is in a view position, a second lower most edge of the bottom bar is spaced from the roller tube by a second distance that is substantially equal to the first distance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motorized shade system comprising:
a housing that is elongate along a first direction, the housing includes a first housing bracket that has a first rail and a second housing bracket that has a second rail;
a first adjustment mechanism that includes a first sliding member that defines a first threaded bore, a first pair of protrusions, and a first guide channel, wherein the first guide channel receives the first rail such that the first sliding member is translatable along the first rail, the first adjustment mechanism further including a first activation member that extends through the first threaded bore such that rotation of the first activation member causes the first sliding member to translate along the first rail;
a second adjustment mechanism that includes a second sliding member that defines a second threaded bore, a second pair of protrusions, and a second guide channel, wherein the second guide channel receives the second rail such that the second sliding member is translatable along the second rail, the second adjustment mechanism further including a second activation member that extends through the second threaded bore such that rotation of the second activation member causes the second sliding member to translate along the second rail;
a roller tube that is rotatably mounted to the housing, the roller tube defining a first end that is attached to the first sliding member and a second end that is attached to the second sliding member; and
a covering material that is windingly attached to the roller tube such that rotation of the roller tube causes the covering material to move along a second direction that is normal to the first direction,
wherein translation of the first sliding member along the first rail causes the first end of the roller tube to move relative to the first housing bracket, and translation of the second sliding member along the second rail causes the second end of the roller tube to move relative to the second housing bracket, and
wherein the first housing bracket defines a first pair of recesses that are spaced from each other and that are configured to capture the first pair of protrusions and the second housing bracket defines a second pair of recesses that are spaced from each other and that are configured to capture the second pair of protrusions.

2. The motorized shade system of claim 1 , wherein the first activation member includes a first threaded shaft and a first head, and the first housing bracket includes a first lower stop that limits translation of the first sliding member and that is configured to translatably fix the first head, and
wherein the second activation member includes a second threaded shaft and a second head, and the second housing bracket includes a second lower stop that limits translation of the second sliding member and that that is configured to translatably fix the second head.

3. The motorized shade system of claim 2 , wherein the first housing bracket defines a first upper stop that is spaced from the first lower stop and that further limits translation of the first sliding member, and the second housing bracket defines a second upper stop that is spaced from the second lower stop and that further limits translation of the second sliding member.

4. The motorized shade system of claim 1 , wherein the covering material is a sheer shade material that includes a first sheer fabric, a second sheer fabric, and a plurality of vanes that extend between the first and second sheer fabrics.

5. The motorized shade system of claim 4 , further comprising a motor that is operatively coupled to the roller tube such that the motor is configured to move the sheer shade material between an open position wherein the sheer shade material is wound about the roller tube, a closed position wherein the sheer shade material covers an opening and visualization through the sheer shade material is impeded, and a view position wherein the sheer shade material covers the opening and visualization through the sheer shade material is permitted.

6. The motorized shade system of claim 5 , further comprising a bottom bar that is attached to the sheer shade material, the bottom bar defines a cross-sectional profile such that:
when the sheer shade material is in the closed position, the bottom bar assumes a first position wherein a first lower most edge of the bottom bar is spaced from the roller tube by a first distance; and
when the sheer shade material is in the view position, the bottom bar assumes a second position wherein a second lower most edge of the bottom bar is spaced from the roller tube by a second distance that is substantially equal to the first distance.

7. A motorized sheer shading system, the motorized sheer shading system comprising:
a housing that extends from a first end to a second end along a first direction, the housing defining a first rail at the first end and a second rail at the second end;
a roller tube that is rotatably mounted to the housing, the roller tube defining a first end and an opposed second that is spaced from the first end along the first direction;
a sheer shade material that includes a first sheer fabric, a second sheer fabric, and a plurality of vanes that extend between the first and second sheer fabrics, wherein the sheer shade material is windingly attached to the roller tube such that the sheer shade material is movable along a second direction that is normal to the first direction;
a motor that is operatively coupled to the roller tube and that is configured to move the sheer shade material between an open position wherein the sheer shade material is wound about the roller tube, a closed position wherein visualization through the sheer shade material is impeded, and an open position wherein visualization through the sheer shade material is permitted;
a first adjustment mechanism that couples the first end of the roller tube to the first end of the housing, the first adjustment mechanism including a first sliding member that defines a first threaded bore, a first pair of protrusions, and a first guide channel that is configured to receive and slide along the first rail, the first adjustment mechanism further including a first activation member that extends through the first threaded bore; and
a second adjustment mechanism that couples the second end of the roller tube to the second end of the housing, the second adjustment mechanism including a second sliding member that defines a second threaded bore, a second pair of protrusions, and a second guide channel that is configured to receive and slide along the second rail, the second adjustment mechanism further including a second activation member that extends through the second threaded bore;
wherein the housing further defines a first pair of recesses at the first end that are configured to capture the first pair of protrusions and a second pair of recesses at the second end that are configured to capture the second pair of protrusions, and
wherein rotation of the first activation member causes the first sliding member to translate along the first rail, thereby causing the first end of the roller tube to move along the second direction relative to the housing, and rotation of the second activation member causes the second sliding member to translate along the second rail, thereby causing the second end of the roller tube to move along the second direction relative to the housing.

8. The motorized sheer shading system of claim 7 , wherein the housing includes a first housing bracket that is attached to the first end of the housing, the first housing bracket defining the first rail, and
wherein the housing includes a second housing bracket that is attached to the second end of the housing, the s

Assignees

• Lutron Electronics Co

Inventors

• Blair Edward J
• Chambers Samuel F
• Lundy Stephen
• Butler Nathan

Classifications

• E06B9/34

  roller-type; {Roller shutters with adjustable lamellae} · CPC title

• E06B9/42 Primary

  Parts or details of roller blinds, e.g. suspension devices, blind boxes (brackets or adjustable mountings for roller blinds and drawable curtains A47H1/13) · CPC title

• E06B2009/2435

  Two vertical sheets and slats in-between · CPC title

• E06B9/24

  Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00) · CPC title

• E06B9/50

  Bearings specially adapted therefor · CPC title