A method for determining a fully extended position of a screening body (14) of a screening device (12) for a roof window. The screening device (12) comprises a control unit comprising a data storage device, an electric motor (18) comprising a tachometer (181), a roller tube (15), a screening body (14) and a first and a second spring element (164, 174). The method comprises the steps of driving the screening body (14) from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position, in which the spring elements (164, 174) are tensioned to a first tension level, T.sub.1, stopping the electric motor (18) at a point at which the spring elements (164, 174) are tensioned to a second tension level, T.sub.2, above the first tension level, T.sub.1, measuring the number of revolutions, R.sub.d, of the roller tube (15) necessary to drive the screening body (14) to the said position at which the motor (18) is stopped, storing the measured number of revolutions, R.sub.d, in the data storage device, measuring the number of revolutions, R.sub.b, of the roller tube, that a release of a tension corresponding to the difference, T, between the first tension level, T.sub.1, and the second tension level, T.sub.2, will cause the roller tube (15) to move back towards the fully retracted position, storing the number of revolutions, R.sub.b, in the data storage device, and calculating and storing in the data storage device a value R=R.sub.dR.sub.b.

Disclosed is a motor assembly for a motor unit for driving a shaft for rolling a blind, the assembly including a rotary motor and an output shaft connected to the rotary motor in order to transmit the torque supplied by the rotary motor to the rolling shaft, the output shaft including a first socket for receiving a drive member of the rolling shaft of a roller blind. The output shaft also includes a second socket, separate from the first socket, for securing a non-roller blind to the rolling shaft.

A motorized window treatment system may include a roller tube, a covering material windingly attached to the roller tube, and a drive assembly that may be at least partially disposed within the roller tube. The drive assembly may include a motor having a drive shaft that is elongate along a longitudinal direction and a drive gear attached to the drive shaft such that a toothed portion of the drive gear is cantilevered with respect to the drive shaft. The drive assembly may include a gear assembly having a pair of intermediate gears on opposed sides of the drive gear. Rotation of the drive gear may be transferred through the pair of intermediate gears, a connecting gear, a planetary gear set, a cage, and an idler to the roller tube. Rotation of the roller tube may cause the covering material to move between an open position and a closed position.

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.

A built-in roller shade actuation device for actuating a winding drum with opposite ends rotatably mounted to corresponding frames and an outer side mounted with an end of a shade body includes an actuator assembled in the winding drum for providing a rotation power, a shaft mounted to one of the frames outside an end of the winding drum and inserted into the winding drum, and a gear pair mounted between the actuator and the shaft for realizing power transmission. A shell of the actuator and the winding drum are relatively fixed in a circumferential direction. The gear pair includes a planetary gear mounted to an output shaft of the actuator, and a fixed gear mounted to the shaft and coaxial with the winding drum. The planetary gear revolves around the fixed gear while being driven to rotate by the output shaft of the actuator.

A roller shade comprising a shade drive unit having a counterbalancing spring connected to and extending between a stationary spring carrier and a rotating spring carrier over an output mandrel, wherein the output mandrel comprises a length that maintains the spring in a stretched state such that the plurality of coils at the active portion of the spring do not contact each other when the shade material is at the rolled down position to reduce friction in the counterbalancing spring.

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.

A roller shade is disclosed comprising a motor pretensioned counterbalancing spring that lowers the torque load on the motor of the roller shade throughout the rolling up or rolling down cycles. The roller shade comprises a motor drive unit at least partially disposed within a roller tube. The motor drive unit comprises a motor adapted to drive a drive wheel through a clutch. The motor drive unit further comprises a first spring carrier adapted to be stationary during operation of the motor drive unit. The drive wheel is operably connected to the roller tube and comprises a second spring carrier. The motor drive unit further comprises a counterbalancing spring connected at its first end to the first spring carrier and at its second end to the second spring carrier. The counterbalancing spring is pretensioned using the motor prior to inserting the motor drive unit into the roller tube by driving the drive wheel and thereby rotating the second end of the counterbalancing spring with respect to the first end of the counterbalancing spring. The clutch translates rotational motion from the motor to the drive wheel, but locks rotational motion from the drive wheel thereby locking the pretension in the counterbalancing spring.

The present invention relates to a tubular actuating mechanism (10) for roll-type closures, comprising an electric motor (30) and a gear reduction assembly (100) of the epicyclic gearing type comprising a rotatable sun gear (110), one or more rotatable planet gear (s) (130) and an outer ring gear (132).

A motorized lift assembly for a window covering includes movable window covering material and cords for moving the window covering material, the motorized lift assembly includes a motor assembly including a motor, a speed reducing gear train driven by the motor for adjusting positions of the cords, and the motor being a low voltage, high speed motor operating at greater than 12,000 rpm.