Window shade and its control module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9765864-B2
Application number	US-201514868990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Feb 23, 2012
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A control module of a window shade includes a drive axle affixed with a sleeve, an arrester assembled around the sleeve, a cord drum connected with an operating cord, a clutch operable to couple and decouple the cord drum with respect to the drive axle, and a release unit including a stick that is operatively connected with the arrester. The arrester blocks rotation of the drive axle in a locking state, and has an unlocking state allowing rotation of the drive axle. The operating cord is pulled to drive the cord drum in rotation and turn the clutch to a coupling state, such that the rotation of the cord drum is transmitted through the clutch to drive the drive axle in rotation for raising the shading structure. Moreover, the stick is operable to switch the arrester from to the unlocking state for lowering the shading structure by gravity action.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control module of a window shade, comprising:
a drive axle affixed with a sleeve;
an arrester assembled around the sleeve, the arrester having a locking state in which the arrester blocks rotation of the sleeve and the drive axle to keep a shading structure of the window shade at a desired position, and an unlocking state in which rotation of the sleeve and the drive axle is allowed for vertical adjustment of the shading structure;
a release unit including an actuator that is operatively connected with the arrester, the actuator including a stick having an elongated shape extending along a lengthwise axis;
a cord drum and an operating cord connected with each other; and
a clutch operatively connected with the cord drum, the clutch being operable to couple and decouple the cord drum with respect to the drive axle;
wherein the operating cord is pulled to drive the cord drum in rotation and turn the clutch to a coupling state, such that the rotation of the cord drum is transmitted through the clutch in the coupling state to drive the sleeve and the drive axle in rotation for switching the arrester to the unlocking state and raising the shading structure, and the stick is rotatable about the lengthwise axis to switch the arrester from the locking state to the unlocking state for lowering of the shading structure by gravity action.

2. The control module according to claim 1 , wherein the operating cord extends through an interior of the stick, the cord drum being spring biased for winding the operating cord so as to position an end of the operating cord adjacent to a lower end of the stick while the arrester is in the locking state, and the end of the operating cord is pulled away from the lower end of the stick for raising a shading structure of a window shade.

3. The control module according to claim 1 , wherein the arrester includes a spring mounted around the sleeve, the spring tightening on the sleeve when the arrester is in the locking state, and the spring loosening when the arrester is in the unlocking state, the sleeve and the drive axle being rotatable in unison relative to the spring in the unlocking state.

4. The control module according to claim 3 , wherein a pulling action on the operating cord causes the spring to switch to the unlocking state and raises a shading structure of a window shade, and the spring is the locking state and the clutch is in a decoupling state while the cord drum rotates for winding the operating cord.

5. The control module according to claim 4 , wherein the cord drum is connected with another spring configured to bias the cord drum in rotation for winding the operating cord.

6. The control module according to claim 3 , wherein the release unit further includes:
a collar operable to rotate about a rotation axis of the drive axle, the collar being affixed with one end of the spring; and
a plurality of transmission members connected between the collar and the stick, the collar being in gear engagement with one of the transmission members, wherein a rotation of the stick about the lengthwise axis is transmitted via the transmission members and drives a rotational displacement of the collar about the rotation axis of the drive axle to cause the spring to loosen.

7. The control module according to claim 6 , wherein the transmission members include a first and a second transmission member, the collar has a toothed portion that engages with the first transmission member, and the second transmission member is connected with the actuator and engages with the first transmission member via a gear transmission, the gear transmission including a helicoid gear, and a worm gear.

8. The control module according to claim 7 , wherein the operating cord is affixed with the stick such that a downward displacement of the stick pulls the operating cord downward, and an upper end of the stick is further connected with a plug, the plug being movable with the stick to engage and disengage the second transmission member.

9. The control module according to claim 8 , wherein the stick is operable to drive rotation of the second transmission member when the plug is engaged with the second transmission member, and the plug disengages from the second transmission member when the stick is pulled downward.

10. A window shade comprising:
a head rail;
a shading structure;
a bottom part disposed at a lowermost end of the shading structure;
a plurality of suspension cords connected with the head rail and the bottom part;
a plurality of cord winding units assembled with the head rail and connected with the suspension cords; and
the control module according to claim 1 assembled with the head rail, the drive axle of the control module being respectively coupled with the cord winding units.

11. A control module of a window shade, comprising:
a drive axle affixed with a sleeve;
a spring assembled around the sleeve, the spring having a locking state in which the spring blocks a rotational displacement of the sleeve and the drive axle to keep a shading structure of a window shade at a desired position, and an unlocking state in which rotation of the sleeve and the drive axle is allowed for vertical adjustment of the shading structure;
a release unit including a collar, a stick having an elongated shape, and a plurality of transmission members operatively connected with the collar and the stick, the collar being rotatable about a rotation axis of the drive axle and affixed with an end of the spring, and the collar being in gear engagement with one of the transmission members;
a cord drum and an operating cord connected with each other; and
a clutch operatively connected with the cord drum, the clutch being operable to couple and decouple the cord drum with respect to the drive axle;
wherein the operating cord is pulled to drive the cord drum in rotation and turn the clutch to a coupling state, such that the rotation of the cord drum is transmitted through the clutch in the coupling state to drive the sleeve and the drive axle in rotation for switching the spring to the unlocking state and raising the shading structure, and the stick is operable to cause the collar to rotate for switching the spring from the locking state to the unlocking state so that the shading structure is allowed to lower by gravity action.

12. The control module according to claim 11 , wherein the operating cord extends through an interior of the stick, the cord drum being spring biased for winding the operating cord so as to position an end of the operating cord adjacent to a lower end of the stick while the spring is in the locking state, and the end of the operating cord is pulled away from the lower end of the stick for raising a shading structure of a window shade.

13. The control module according to claim 11 , wherein the spring tightens on the sleeve in the locking state and loosens in the unlocking state.

14. The control module according to claim 11 , wherein the spring is in the locking state and the clutch is in a decoupling state while the cord drum rotates for winding the operating cord.

15. The control module according to claim 14 , wherein the cord drum is connected with another spring configured to bias the cord drum in rotation for winding the operating cord.

16. The control module according to claim 11 , wherein the elongated shape of the stick extends along a lengthwise axis about which the stick is rotatable, a rotation of the stick about the lengthwise axis being transmitted via the transmission members for driving a rotational displacement of the collar to cause the spring to

Assignees

• Teh Yor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yu Fu-Lai
• Huang Chin-Tien

Classifications

• F16H2019/008

  Facilitating the engagement or stopping of gear sections · CPC title

• E06B9/90

  for immobilising the closure member in various chosen positions · CPC title

• E06B9/78

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

• E06B2009/2625

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

• E06B2009/2627

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