Window shade and actuating system thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9657517-B2
Application number	US-201514623002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2015
Priority date	Jun 9, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

The structures described herein use an actuating system that can selectively switch between a lower and a raise mode of operation by rotating a rod assembly, and use a downward displacement of a pull member to lower and raise the window shade depending on whether its switching state. The actuating systems are simple to operate, allow convenient adjustment of the window shade, and are safe as the pull member has a limited length of extension.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuating system for a window shade, comprising:
a transmission axle and a central gear rotationally coupled with each other, the transmission axle defining an axis and being rotatable to collapse and expand a window shade;
a carrier supporting a plurality of planetary gears that are disposed around the central gear, the carrier being rotatable relative to the central gear, and the planetary gears being respectively meshed with the central gear;
a driving unit including a ring and a pull member, the ring being arranged around the planetary gears and internally meshed with the planetary gears, and the pull member being operable to drive rotation of the ring in a first direction;
a fixed stop member axially spaced apart from the ring; and
a switch member rotationally coupled with the carrier, the switch member being operable to selectively engage with either of the ring and the stop member;
wherein a rotation of the ring in the first direction drives a rotation of the central gear and the transmission axle in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the switch member is engaged with the stop member, and a rotation of the ring in the first direction drives the central gear and the transmission axle to rotate in the same first direction when the switch member is engaged with the ring.

2. The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the switch member and the ring when engaged with each other rotate with the carrier in the first direction about the axis of the transmission axle, and the switch member and the carrier are kept stationary when the switch member is engaged with the stop member.

3. The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the switch member is assembled for sliding along the axis of the transmission axle relative to the carrier.

4. The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the switch member has a plurality of first teeth protruding toward the stop member, and a plurality of second teeth protruding toward the ring at a side opposite to that of the first teeth.

5. The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the switch member is arranged between the ring and the stop member, the ring and the stop member respectively having a plurality of third and fourth teeth respectively projecting toward the switch member.

6. The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the driving unit further includes a spool, the spool being rotatable in the second direction to wind the pull member.

7. The actuating system according to claim 6 , wherein the ring remains stationary while the spool rotates in the second direction to wind the pull member.

8. The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the pull member is a cord that is pulled downward to drive rotation of the ring in the first direction.

9. The actuating system according to claim 1 , further including a casing having a cavity, and a spring arranged in the cavity and having two spaced-apart prongs, the transmission axle having a first and a second flange surface, the first flange surface being able to push against a first one of the two prongs for enlarging the spring when the ring remains stationary, the enlarged spring being in frictional engagement with an inner sidewall of the cavity to prevent rotation of the transmission axle.

10. The actuating system according to claim 9 , wherein the central gear is rotationally coupled with an actuating part that is connected with the transmission axle, the actuating part pushing against either of the two prongs for contracting the spring when the central gear rotates in the first or second direction, the contracted spring thereby loosening the frictional engagement with the inner sidewall to allow rotation of the transmission axle.

11. The actuating system according to claim 10 , wherein the transmission axle is attached to a collar on which are provided the first and second flange surfaces, the two prongs of the spring are positioned in a gap between the first and second flange surface, and the actuating part has a rib received in a space between the two prongs.

12. The actuating system according to claim 10 , wherein the actuating part has a rib received in a space between the two prongs of the spring, and the first and second flange surfaces of the transmission axle are arranged outside the space.

13. The actuating system according to claim 12 , wherein a rotation of the actuating part in the first direction causes the rib to push one of the two prongs in contact against one of the first and second flange surfaces for driving rotation of the transmission axle in the first direction, and a rotation of the actuating part in the second direction causes the rib to push the other one of the two prongs in contact against the other one of the first and second flange surfaces for driving rotation of the transmission axle in the second direction.

14. The actuating system according to claim 1 , wherein the central gear and the transmission axle rotate in the second direction to lower a window shade, and in the first direction to raise the window shade.

15. The actuating system according to claim 1 , further including a rod assembly that extends substantially vertical and is connected with the switch member via a switch actuating mechanism, the rod assembly being rotatable to drive displacement of the switch member along the axis of the transmission axle for selectively engaging with either of the stop member and the ring.

16. The actuating system according to claim 15 , wherein the rod assembly is rotated in a same direction to drive displacement of the switch member for engaging with the stop member and the ring.

17. The actuating system according to claim 15 , wherein the rod assembly has an end provided with a gear, and the switch actuating mechanism includes:
an arm assembly pivotally connected with the switch member and including a toothed part meshed with the gear, wherein the arm assembly is driven in movement along a displacement axis parallel to the transmission axle by the rod assembly to displace the switch member for selectively engaging with the stop member or the ring.

18. The actuating system according to claim 17 , wherein the switch member is movable between a first and a second position, and the arm assembly is arranged through a fixed casing and includes:
a pivotal part rotatable about the displacement axis, the pivotal part resting in contact against an abutment affixed with the casing to keep the switch member in the first position; and
a kicking member slidable along the displacement axis to push the pivotal part to disengage from the abutment.

19. The actuating system according to claim 18 , wherein the pivotal part has an engaging edge that rests in contact with an end of the abutment when the switch member is in the first position, the pivotal part and the kicking member respectively have a first and a second ramp surface that slidably contact with each other when the kicking member pushes the pivotal part to disengage from the end of the abutment, the sliding contact between the first and second ramp surfaces causing rotation of the pivotal part so that the abutment engages with a slot of the pivotal part for allowing a spring-biased displacement of the pivotal part in a direction to move the switch member to the second position.

20. A window shade comprising:
a head rail, a bottom part, and a shading structure arranged vertically between the head rail and the bottom rail;
a winding unit having a suspension member connected with the

Assignees

• Teh Yor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Huang Chin-Tien
• Yu Fu-Lai

Classifications

• E06B2009/2627

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

• F16H31/007

  Step-by-step mechanisms for linear motion · CPC title

• E06B9/78 Primary

  for direct manual operation, e.g. by tassels, by handles · CPC title

• Y10T74/1547

  Single acting · CPC title

• E06B9/32 Primary

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