Methods and apparatus to control architectural opening covering assemblies are disclosed herein. An architectural covering assembly including an architectural covering; a tube to which the architectural covering is coupled; a manual controller operatively coupled to the tube to rotate the tube; a motor including a motor housing and a motor shaft; and a clutch assembly including a clutch and a clutch housing in which the clutch is disposed, the motor shaft coupled to the clutch and the clutch coupled to the manual controller to hold the motor shaft substantially stationary when the architectural covering is moved under an influence of the motor to cause the motor housing to rotate with the clutch housing and the tube.

Apparatus and methods for controlling architectural opening coverings are described herein. An example apparatus includes a roller tube, a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, the motor casing to rotate with the roller tube, and a manual control including a manual control drive shaft coupled to the motor drive shaft, the motor to apply torque to the roller tube through rotation of the motor casing.

Provided is a smart pixel blind having aesthetics that may be felt by a user by including a plurality of pixels disposed in a two-dimensional array. In the smart pixel blind, driving devices are provided in the respective pixels, and when the user inputs a predetermined shape using a portable terminal, or the like, a main controller receives the input shape and controls the driving devices provided in the respective pixels to allow the input shape to be displayed.

Provided is a smart pixel blind having aesthetics that may be felt by a user by including a plurality of pixels disposed in a two-dimensional array. In the smart pixel blind, driving devices are provided in the respective pixels, and when the user inputs a predetermined shape using a portable terminal, or the like, a main controller receives the input shape and controls the driving devices provided in the respective pixels to allow the input shape to be displayed.

An insulating window shade has a compressible fill container having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the compressible fill container is configured to be moveable between an expanded position and a compressed position. A fill material is disposed substantially uniformly within the compressible fill container, wherein the fill material is capable of being repeatedly compressed and expanded as the compressible fill container is moved between the expanded position and the compressed position. The fill material forms a thermal boundary for trapping gas, reducing convection and contribute to aesthetic properties of the window shade. A divider control and coordination system enables movement of the divider, thereby changing the aesthetic and/or insulating properties of the insulating window panel. In the compressed position, the length of the compressible fill container is approximately 25% or less than the length of the compressible fill container in the expanded position.

A window shade with extendable edges or inserts is described. A set of cellular inserts 2 are slidably displaced within the cells 12 of a honeycomb shade 10. The inserts 2 have a cross-sectional shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the honeycomb shade cells 12. The inserts 2 extend within the cells longitudinally a distance 22. At a distal edge 6 of the honeycomb shade 12 the inserts 2 are connected together. A notch 5 is attached to the inserts along near distal edge 6. The notch 5 allows a user to pull the inserts 2 in a uniform manner out from the cells 12 of the honeycomb shade 10 a preferred extended distance 66. The user is thereby able to extend the sunblocking ability of the honeycomb shade.

An environment-friendly material includes 50 wt % to 70 wt % of inorganic mineral powder, 20 wt % to 45 wt % of polyolefin, and 5 wt % to 15 wt % of auxiliary agent. The inorganic mineral powder contains calcium carbonate; the polyolefin may be linear low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, or polypropylene; and the auxiliary agent may be polyolefin elastomer, maleic anhydride grafted polyolefin elastomer, or maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene. The disclosure also provides a manufacturing method of window covering slat using the environment-friendly material and a window covering slat manufactured by the method.

A covering for an architectural opening is provided. The covering may include a roller rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a shade associated with the roller, and an operating system operably associated with the roller. The operating system may include a base, a drive mechanism, a transmission, an actuator arm, and an engagement arm. The drive mechanism may be associated with the base to provide an input torque. The transmission may be associated with the drive mechanism to selectively transmit the input torque to the roller. The actuator arm may be associated with the base to indirectly set a rotation direction of the roller. The engagement arm may be associated with the base and engageable with the transmission.

A covering for an architectural opening is provided. The covering may include a roller rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a shade associated with the roller, and an operating system operably associated with the roller. The operating system may include a base, a drive mechanism, a transmission, an actuator arm, and an engagement arm. The drive mechanism may be associated with the base to provide an input torque. The transmission may be associated with the drive mechanism to selectively transmit the input torque to the roller. The actuator arm may be associated with the base to indirectly set a rotation direction of the roller. The engagement arm may be associated with the base and engageable with the transmission.

Venetian blind with horizontal slats suspended via carriers. The carriers extend through openings in the slats and include supports each supporting a slat adjacent one of the openings. The openings and the supports are arranged for providing stable support for each of the slats in at least two, mutually distinct positions. The orientations of individual slats or of subgroups of the slats can be adjusted very quickly by directly engaging the slats to be adjusted with a hand or an operating member between a limited number of predefined orientations. An orderly visual appearance can be achieved easily, even though the orientations of the slats are adjusted individually, since slats intended to be in the same orientation automatically assume mutually identical orientations.