High efficiency roller shade and method for setting artificial stops

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9725948-B2
Application number	US-201615203293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2016
Priority date	Feb 23, 2010
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

The present invention advantageously provides a motorized roller shade that includes a shade tube, a motor/controller unit and a power supply unit. The motor/controller unit is disposed within the shade tube, and includes a bearing, rotatably coupled to a support shaft, and a DC gear motor. The output shaft of the DC gear motor is coupled to the support shaft such that the output shaft and the support shaft do not rotate when the support shaft is attached to the mounting bracket.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A motorized window shade system comprising:
a shade;
the shade extending a length from an upper end to a lower end;
a DC electric motor;
the shade operatively connected to the motor such that operation of the motor changes the position of the shade;
a gear reducing assembly operatively connected to the motor;
a motor controller operatively connected to the motor;
an antenna operatively connected to the motor controller;
a remote control device wirelessly connected to the antenna; a counterbalance assembly, the counterbalance assembly operatively connected to the shade, the counterbalance assembly configured to provide a counterbalance force; and
wherein the shade is movable to a different position by manual movement of the shade as well as by transmitting a wireless signal to the shade using the remote control device.

2. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 wherein the shade is further movable to a different position by a tug, which is a manual displacement less than a predetermined maximum displacement.

3. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 wherein manual movement is a manual displacement greater than a predetermined maximum displacement.

4. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 wherein manual movement is detected by a sensor.

5. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 wherein a tug is detected by measuring a rotation of an output shaft of the motor using a magnetic, an optical or a mechanical encoder.

6. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 wherein when a tug is detected the motor controller energizes the motor which rotates an output shaft of the motor thereby opening or closing the shade.

7. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 wherein when a manual movement is detected the motor controller does not energize the motor.

8. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 wherein when a manual movement is detected the motor controller tracks the distance moved using a counter operatively connected to the motor controller.

9. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 further comprising the counterbalance assembly having a counterbalance spring.

10. The motorized window shade system of claim 1 wherein the window shade system is a roller shade.

11. A motorized window shade system comprising:
a shade;
the shade extending a length from an upper end to a lower end;
a DC electric motor;
a motor positioned within a shade tube;
the motor operatively connected to the shade tube such that activation of the motor causes rotation of the shade tube;
a motor controller operatively connected to the motor;
an antenna operatively connected to the motor controller;
a counterbalance spring positioned within the shade tube;
the counterbalance spring operatively connected to the shade tube;
a remote control device wirelessly connected to the antenna; and
wherein the shade is movable to a different position by a manual movement of the shade as well as by transmitting a wireless signal to the shade using the remote control device.

12. The motorized roller shade of claim 11 wherein a tug is a manual displacement less than a maximum displacement.

13. The motorized roller shade of claim 11 wherein manual movement is a manual displacement greater than a maximum displacement.

14. The motorized roller shade of claim 11 wherein a tug is detected by a sensor.

15. The motorized roller shade of claim 11 wherein a tug is detected by measuring a rotation of an output shaft of the motor using a magnetic, an optical or a mechanical encoder.

16. The motorized roller shade of claim 11 wherein when a tug is detected the motor controller energizes the motor which rotates the shade tube.

17. The motorized roller shade of claim 11 wherein when a manual movement is detected the motor controller does not energize the DC gear motor.

18. The motorized roller shade of claim 11 wherein when a manual movement is detected the motor controller tracks the distance moved using a counter operatively connected to the motor controller.

19. The motorized roller shade of claim 11 further comprising at least one counterbalance spring positioned within the shade tube.

20. The motorized window shade system of claim 11 wherein the window shade system is a roller shade.

21. A motorized window shade comprising:
a shade;
the shade extending a length from an upper end to a lower end;
a motor;
the motor operatively connected to shade such that activation of the motor causes movement of the shade;
a motor controller operatively connected to the motor;
an antenna operatively connected to the motor controller;
a remote control device wirelessly connected to the antenna at least one counterbalance spring operatively connected to the shade and configured to provide a counterbalance force;
wherein the shade is movable to a different position by manual movement of the shade as well as by motorized movement of the shade; and
wherein when the shade is moved by manual movement or motorized movement a sensor system detects the movement and a counter tracks the movement.

22. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein the sensor system includes a magnetic encoder.

23. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein the sensor system includes at least one Hall Effect sensor.

24. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein the sensor system includes a multi-pole magnet connected to a rotatable shaft of the motor.

25. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein the counter accumulates pulses received from the sensor system.

26. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein a microprocessor associated with the motor controller determines a position of the shade based upon signals received from the sensor system.

27. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein the counter accumulates pulses from an encoder of the sensor system.

28. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein the counter resets upon encountering a hard stop.

29. The motorized window shade of claim 21 further comprising a gear reducing assembly operatively connected to the motor.

30. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein the shade is further movable to a different position by a tug, which is a manual displacement less than a predetermined maximum displacement.

31. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein manual movement is a manual displacement greater than a predetermined maximum displacement.

32. The motorized roller shade of claim 21 wherein manual movement is detected by measuring a rotation of an output shaft of the motor using a magnetic, an optical or a mechanical encoder.

33. The motorized roller shade of claim 21 wherein when a tug is detected the motor controller energizes the motor which moves the shade.

34. The motorized window shade of claim 21 wherein when a manual movement is detected the motor controller does not energize the DC gear motor.

35. The motorized window shade system of claim 21 wherein the window shade system is a roller shade.

36. A motorized window shade comprising:
a shade;
the shade extending a length from an upper end to a lower end;
a motor;
the shade operatively connected to the motor such that operation of t

Assignees

• Watt Stopper Inc

Inventors

• Mullet Willis Jay
• Rodriguez Yan
• Garcia Ben L
• Mullet Victoria Baynes
• Kirkland Matthew Warren

Classifications

• E06B9/60

  Spring drums operated only by closure members · CPC title

• E06B2009/725

  with epicyclic or planetary gear train · CPC title

• E06B9/74

  adapted for selective electrical or manual operation · CPC title

• E06B2009/6809

  Control · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title