A smart transformable shading system with adaptability to expand and retract in response to solar radiation comprises, in one implementation, a housing unit, a plurality of structural cells, and a plurality of modular units. The structural cells are within the housing unit, and are aligned in first and directions with respect to the housing unit. Each modular unit is placed within a corresponding structural cell, and includes a plurality of structural rings, a plurality of deployable shell panels, a plurality of control units, and a plurality of circuit units. Each circuit unit is connected to a corresponding control unit, which in turn is connected to a corresponding deployable shell panel, the combination of which is placed within a corresponding structural ring to transform into different geometries in response to light.

Methods and apparatus to operate a covering of an architectural covering are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a clutch to disengage a motor when the motor is not in use. The dual control architectural covering further includes a clutch to disengage a motor from moving a covering to facilitate manual operation of the covering of an architectural covering when the motor is not in use; and a controller: to track a covering position based on a first encoder measurement from a first encoder; and to track a motor position when the motor disengages based on a second encoder measurement from a second encoder different from the first encoder.

Example architectural opening coverings powered by rotary motors are described. An example an architectural covering comprises a rotatable member, a covering mounted to said rotatable member, a motor to rotate a drive shaft, and a drive shaft coupling structured to: couple the drive shaft to said rotatable member to rotate said rotatable member to raise said covering when said motor is energized to rotate the drive shaft in a first direction, and substantially prevent the drive shaft from applying torque to said rotatable member when said motor is energized to rotate the drive shaft in a second direction to lower said covering.

A dual control architectural covering is disclosed. A dual control architectural covering includes a clutch to disengage a motor when the motor is not in use. The dual control architectural covering further includes a manual control to move the covering of the architectural opening while the motor is disengaged. The dual control architectural covering further includes a braking element to resist movement of a drive element of the covering when the motor is disengaged.

The present invention advantageously provides a motorized roller shade that includes a shade tube, a motor/controller unit and a power supply unit. The motor/controller unit is disposed within the shade tube, and includes a bearing, rotatably coupled to a support shaft, and a DC gear motor. The output shaft of the DC gear motor is coupled to the support shaft such that the output shaft and the support shaft do not rotate when the support shaft is attached to the mounting bracket.

A Hall-type travel limit deviation self-resetting encoder for a garage door machine, including a nylon worm gear and a driving motor for driving the nylon worm gear to rotate, a motor rotation counting limit mechanism for performing rotation counting limit on a rotor shaft of the driving motor, and a worm gear counting calibration mechanism for calibrating the travel limit deviation of the driving motor; the worm gear counting calibration mechanism includes a worm gear magnet-mounted on the nylon worm gear and a worm gear position Hall element adapted to the worm gear magnet. The encoder is compact in structure and can effectively limit the travel limit deviation of a garage door.

The invention to which this application relates is apparatus and a method for use with blinds and louvres, hereinafter referred to, in a non-limiting manner, as blinds and which includes roller blinds, roman blinds and Venetian blinds. The apparatus and method allows the free end of the blind to be selectively positioned and retained at a predetermined position intermediate the fully retracted and fully extended positions and to be retained at that position.

A method implemented in an architectural covering. The method comprising powering down, prior to transitioning to a sleep mode, a position tracking device configured to generate output data indicating a position of at least one of a covering or a motor. The method further comprising transitioning from an operational mode to the sleep mode, the sleep mode associated with a lower power consumption than the operational mode. The method further comprising exiting the sleep mode based on a trigger and powering up, after exiting the sleep mode, the position tracking device. The method further comprising receiving the output data from the position tracking device. The method further comprising determining whether the position has changed since the transitioning to the sleep mode. The method further comprising continuing to operate outside of the sleep mode if the position has changed, or returning to the sleep mode if the position has not changed.

A smart transformable shading system with adaptability to expand and retract in response to solar radiation comprises, in one implementation, a housing unit, a plurality of structural cells, and a plurality of modular units. The structural cells are within the housing unit, and are aligned in first and directions with respect to the housing unit. Each modular unit is placed within a corresponding structural cell, and includes a plurality of structural rings, a plurality of deployable shell panels, a plurality of control units, and a plurality of circuit units. Each circuit unit is connected to a corresponding control unit, which in turn is connected to a corresponding deployable shell panel, the combination of which is placed within a corresponding structural ring to transform into different geometries in response to light.

A limiter assembly to limit extension or retraction of a blind, the limiter assembly comprising an actuator having a limit position and a free position; a first limit member selectively engageable with a blind cylinder, for movement in response to rotation of a blind cylinder during extension or retraction of the blind, the first limit member moving with respect to a stop position only when the actuator is set to the limit position; and a stop to resist movement of the first limit member past the stop position when the actuator is set to the limit position, thereby resisting further rotation of the blind cylinder.