Patent classifications
E06B9/32
MOTORIZED WINDOW TREATMENT
A motorized window treatment provides a low-cost solution for controlling the amount of daylight entering a space through a window. The window treatment includes a covering material, a drive shaft, at least one lift cord rotatably received around the drive shaft and connected to the covering material, and a motor coupled to the drive shaft for raising and lowering the covering material. The window treatment also includes a spring assist unit for assisting the motor by providing a torque that equals the torque provided by the weight on the cords that lift the covering material at a position midway between fully-open and fully-closed positions, which helps to minimize motor usage and conserve battery life if a battery is used to power the motorized window treatment. The window treatment may comprise a photosensor for measuring the amount of daylight outside the window and temperature sensors for measuring the temperatures inside and outside of the window. The position of the covering material may be automatically controlled in response to the photosensor and the temperature sensors to save energy, or may also be controlled in response to an infrared or radio-frequency remote control.
MOTORIZED WINDOW TREATMENT
A motorized window treatment provides a low-cost solution for controlling the amount of daylight entering a space through a window. The window treatment includes a covering material, a drive shaft, at least one lift cord rotatably received around the drive shaft and connected to the covering material, and a motor coupled to the drive shaft for raising and lowering the covering material. The window treatment also includes a spring assist unit for assisting the motor by providing a torque that equals the torque provided by the weight on the cords that lift the covering material at a position midway between fully-open and fully-closed positions, which helps to minimize motor usage and conserve battery life if a battery is used to power the motorized window treatment. The window treatment may comprise a photosensor for measuring the amount of daylight outside the window and temperature sensors for measuring the temperatures inside and outside of the window. The position of the covering material may be automatically controlled in response to the photosensor and the temperature sensors to save energy, or may also be controlled in response to an infrared or radio-frequency remote control.
Handle structure and assembly for bottom rail of window shading
A pivotable handle for an architectural covering is provided. The handle (400) includes first and second members (408,410) pivotably connected together at a hinge assembly (460). The first member (408) may be operable to connect the handle (400) to a movable rail (512). The second member (410) pivots between stored and use positions. In a stored position, the second member (410) may extend adjacent the first member (408). In a use position, the second member (410) may be pivoted away from the first member (408) to extend the movable rail (512) across an architectural structure. The handle includes a biasing member (470) operable to bias the second member (410) towards the first member (408).
Handle structure and assembly for bottom rail of window shading
A pivotable handle for an architectural covering is provided. The handle (400) includes first and second members (408,410) pivotably connected together at a hinge assembly (460). The first member (408) may be operable to connect the handle (400) to a movable rail (512). The second member (410) pivots between stored and use positions. In a stored position, the second member (410) may extend adjacent the first member (408). In a use position, the second member (410) may be pivoted away from the first member (408) to extend the movable rail (512) across an architectural structure. The handle includes a biasing member (470) operable to bias the second member (410) towards the first member (408).
MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT SHADE ARRAY
A window covering for a window having a window frame. The window covering includes a headrail at the top of the window frame, and two window shades suspended from the headrail that can be selectively independently raised and lowered. Each of the window shades has a different light property. Accordingly the two window shades can be deployed selectively independently to achieve a desired property of light passing through the window shade.
MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT SHADE ARRAY
A window covering for a window having a window frame. The window covering includes a headrail at the top of the window frame, and two window shades suspended from the headrail that can be selectively independently raised and lowered. Each of the window shades has a different light property. Accordingly the two window shades can be deployed selectively independently to achieve a desired property of light passing through the window shade.
SEAL FOR WINDOW COVERING
A seal apparatus for a window shade having a first side seal on one side of a window and a second side seal on an opposite side of the window. The side seals have a base anchored to a side of a window frame, and an extensible sealing portion coupled to the base and being extensible toward the window shade to enclose a volume between the window and the window shade.
Slat angle adjusting mechanism for window blind
A slat angle adjusting mechanism for a window blind includes a shell, a worm gear rotatably disposed in the shell, and a rotationally driving unit rotatably disposed in the shell and including combinable first and second rotationally driving shafts. The first rotationally driving shaft is located in the shell and has a worm portion engaged with the worm gear, a cone-shaped abutting portion and an embedding portion with non-circular cross-section, which are connected with the worm portion in order. A top end of the second rotationally driving shaft is located in the shell and has an axial hole with non-circular cross-section and two opposite fastening portions each formed at a terminal end thereof with a hooking claw. As a result, the first and second rotationally driving shafts are combinable by the consumer, preventing themselves and the slats from damage during packaging and transportation.
Selecting a window treatment fabric
A fabric selection tool provides an automated procedure for recommending and/or selecting a fabric for a window treatment to be installed in a building. The recommendation may be made to optimize the performance of the window treatment in which the fabric may be installed. The recommended fabric may be selected based on performance metrics associated with each fabric in an environment. The fabrics may be ranked based upon the performance metrics of one or more of the fabrics. One or more of the fabrics, and/or their corresponding ranks, may be displayed to a user for selection. The recommended fabrics may be determined based on combinations of fabrics that provide performance metrics for various façades of the building. Using the ranking system provided by the fabric selection tool, the user may obtain a fabric sample and/or order one or more of the recommended fabrics.
Low-Power Radio-Frequency Receiver
A low-power radio-frequency (RF) receiver is characterized by a decreased current consumption over prior art RF receivers, such that the RF receiver may be used in control devices, such as battery-powered motorized window treatments and two-wire dimmer switches. The RF receiver uses an RF sub-sampling technique to check for the RF signals and then put the RF receiver to sleep for a sleep time that is longer than a packet length of a transmitted packet to thus conserve battery power and lengthen the lifetime of the batteries. The RF receiver compares detected RF energy to a detect threshold that may be increased to decrease the sensitivity of the RF receiver and increase the lifetime of the batteries. After detecting that an RF signal is being transmitted, the RF receiver is put to sleep for a snooze time period that is longer than the sleep time and just slightly shorter than the time between two consecutive transmitted packets to further conserve battery power.