An apparatus for adjusting a tilt angle of a plurality of slats in a window blind. The window blind includes a headrail having disposed therein a shaft that rotates responsive to rotation of an externally accessible angle adjustment wand. The apparatus includes a pulley coupled with the shaft and the slats. The pulley causes adjustment of the tilt angle of the slats in response to rotation of the shaft, provides a first torque at a first position corresponding to an open position of the slats and a second torque at a second position corresponding to an approximately closed position of the slats, where the second torque is greater than the first torque.

A slat angle adjustment mechanism adapted for use with slats of a Venetian blind includes a body shell and a transmission unit. The transmission unit includes a transmission gear set and a retractable member. The transmission gear set has a gear and a screw. A position-limiting hole of the gear corresponds in position to a second through hole of the body shell. The retractable member connects to the extendible segment of the screw and undergoes reciprocating motion along the extendible segment of the screw. Pulling the retractable member from an initial first position of the extendible segment of the screw to a second position of the extendible segment of the screw allows a rib of the body shell to be confined to a limiting portion of the retractable member. Therefore, the slat angle adjustment mechanism is capable of extension, retraction, engagement and fixation.

A blind is arranged such that minimal force is required to rotate the tilt drum to tilt the slats from the fully open to the fully closed position and back, with each of the front and rear tilt cables sharing the load nearly equally throughout the entire path from the fully open to the fully closed position and back.

A window covering includes a tilt mechanism positionable in a first rail. The tilt mechanism includes a tilt shaft gear, a control gear, and a wand connector. An upper end of the wand connector has a hole in communication with a channel defined in a body of the wand connector such that a central projection of the control gear is insertable into the wand connector via the hole and the channel. A plurality of protrusions extend from the body of the wand connector around a periphery of the body of the wand connector. Each of the protrusions can have an upper surface configured to contact a respective one multiple prongs that extend from the control gear to engage the prongs to facilitate a direct connection of the wand connector to the control gear.

A window covering includes a tilt mechanism positionable in a first rail. The tilt mechanism includes a tilt shaft gear, a control gear, and a wand connector. An upper end of the wand connector has a hole in communication with a channel defined in a body of the wand connector such that a central projection of the control gear is insertable into the wand connector via the hole and the channel. A plurality of protrusions extend from the body of the wand connector around a periphery of the body of the wand connector. Each of the protrusions can have an upper surface configured to contact a respective one multiple prongs that extend from the control gear to engage the prongs to facilitate a direct connection of the wand connector to the control gear.

An automated tilt wand controller could precisely control the tilt of a plurality of slats of installed window blinds using an actuator to turn a tilt wand. A remote or mobile device could be used to control the automated tilt wand controller.

A horizontal blind system includes a plurality of elongate members and a plurality of support rungs. Each support rung extends along an end region of a respective one of the plurality of elongate members. A pair of outer sleeves extend between adjacent ones of the plurality of support rungs, with each outer sleeve defining an inner opening extending along a length thereof. A pair of lift cables extend through a respective inner openings of the pair of outer sleeves such that a majority of each lift cable is concealed by a respective outer sleeve. The pair of lift cables are moveable relative to the pair of outer sleeves between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, with a distance between at least one adjacent pair of the plurality of support rungs decreasing as the pair of lift cables transition from the deployed configuration toward the stowed configuration.

An apparatus for adjusting a tilt angle of a plurality of slats in a window blind is disclosed. The window blind includes a headrail having disposed therein a shaft that causes the tilt angle of the slats to be adjusted when the shaft is rotated. The apparatus comprises a first bevel gear, a second bevel gear in mechanical communication with the first bevel gear and coupled with the shaft, and a motor coupled to the shaft. Actuation of the first bevel gear causes a corresponding rotation of the shaft to adjust the tilt angle of the slats, and actuation by the motor causes a rotation of the shaft to adjust the tilt angle of the slats.

A spring drive system for a window shade includes a housing, a first and a second gear engaged with each other and respectively assembled about a first and a second pivot axis, two springs respectively assembled at two opposite sides of the second gear and respectively connected with two take-up reels provided on the first gear, a first cord drum and a third gear fixedly connected with each other and assembled about a third pivot axis, the first and third gears being respectively located at different levels along the first and third pivot axes and respectively engaged with a first gear train, a second cord drum and a fourth gear fixedly connected with each other and assembled about a fourth pivot axis, the second and fourth gears being respectively located at different levels along the second and fourth pivot axes and respectively engaged with a second gear train.

A window covering in accordance with the invention includes a gearbox assembly comprising a controller incorporated into the gearbox, a motor incorporated into the gearbox, and an external sensor is provided to provide external inputs to the controller in the gearbox assembly. The external sensor may include a security sensor, a temperature sensor, a light sensor, an audio sensor, a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector, or a humidity sensor. The controller is further configured to relay sensor information to a remote HVAC system or security system.