The geared window shade bracket comprises a sprocket having a ring gear on an inside circumference of the sprocket; a chain configured to be engaged with the sprocket such that, in response to pulling on the chain, the sprocket rotates; a sun gear that is configured to be restricted from rotation; one or more planet gears configured to rotate around the sun gear, wherein the one or more planet gears interface with the ring gear; and a planetary carrier configured to mate with the one or more planet gears. In response to the chain being pulled, the sprocket rotates, causing the planet gears to rotate, causing the planetary carrier to rotate, causing the hub to rotate, and causing a shade tube to rotate.

Described herein are brake assemblies that may be useful for window treatments, such as spring-balanced motorized window treatments, including spring-balanced shades. The brake assemblies include brake springs of wire formed into a plurality of coils. The plurality of coils may terminate in a tang assembly, the tang assembly having a tang and a support portion. A support portion supports the tang when the tang is acted on by a force (e.g., a spring tightening or a spring loosening force). The support portion greatly reduces the hazard of the tang bending, because the tang is supported at each of its ends. With less chance of bending at the tang, a smaller wire diameter may be used for the brake spring, which creates less drag when rotating in a driven state. In the case of battery-driven shades, less drag saves battery life.

A window covering includes a positional adjustment mechanism. The positional adjustment mechanism can be utilized to adjust a position of window covering material or lift cords passed through and/or connected to such material for positional adjustment of the window covering material between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position. A tension adjustment mechanism for the window covering positional adjustment mechanism can be configured to permit a user to adjust an amount of force that may be needed to be applied to a bottom rail or the window covering material to effect a raising or lowering of the window covering material to provide a more desired level of precision in the height adjustment of the window covering material. A resistance mechanism can also (or alternatively) be provided to provide additional drag force to improve precision in height adjustment.

An operating assembly for a roller shade including a shade mount rotationally connected to the roller shade concurrent to movement thereof between lowered and raised orientations. A bracket assembly interconnects opposite ends the shade mount and a supporting surface and a drive assembly, a drive unit and an idler unit, is interconnected between the bracket assembly and the shade mount in rotationally driving relation to said shade mount. The bracket assembly includes at least one bracket disposed in supporting interconnection between said drive unit and a support surface and structured for supporting interconnection with different types of drive units.

A releasable locking mechanism comprising a lock mode, and an unlock mode; a handle and at least one resilient member mountable between the handle and a shaft, wherein the resilient member biases the mechanism to the lock mode when the mechanism is at rest; and actuation of the handle by a user releases the mechanism from the lock mode to the unlock mode, allowing rotation of the handle and the at least one resilient member about the shaft.

A spring assist assembly for pre-tensioning of a helical torsion spring prior to installation in a roller screen or blind system uses a ratchet lock located at one end of a rigid tube which supports the helical torsion spring. A ratchet mechanism is provided between the ratchet lock and the torque shaft so that when a tool is inserted into an aperture in the end of the torque shaft, driving the tool drives relative rotation of a torque spindle with respect to a retaining shaft to tension the helical spring. The ratchet mechanism prevents release of the tension whilst the ratchet lock is biased towards the torque shaft. When the spring assist assembly is mounted in a support bracket, the projections of the ratchet lock disengage the ratchet lock from the torque shaft whilst the torque shaft is keyed to the support bracket to prevent rotation of the torque shaft, rigid tube and torque spindle whilst mounted in the support bracket, thereby allowing the retaining shaft to rotate with the roller tube.

A blind control for a window covering having a narrow profile; and particularly relates to a control module for a window shade where the location of the drive mechanism is selected to minimize the gap between the end of the window shade and inside edge of a window opening; locating the drive mechanism in a shell disposed in a housing to rigidity a reduced thickness of the drive so as to minimize the gap; and use a single rod depending from the control module to activate the drive mechanism in a safe and secure manner. The invention also includes a housing with an end wall adjacent one end of the shade; a clutch projecting from said end wall and rotatable about a clutch axis, a drive gear engageable at one end of the clutch for rotatably driving said clutch and shade, said drive gear disposed in said housing adjacent said end wall; and a wand for driving said drive gear.

A window shade system may comprise a drive mechanism having a friction slip ring inside a brake hub, wherein the brake hub is configured to rotate with respect to the friction slip ring, in response to an at least partial rotation of the drive mechanism. The brake hub may be configured to overcome a break-away force between the drive hub and the friction slip ring. The brake hub may be configured to overcome a break-away force between the drive hub and the friction slip ring. The brake hub may be configured to overcome a break-away force of about double a maximum force that a window shade exerts on the friction slip ring. The system may include a spring plunger system abutting a bracket, wherein the spring plunger system may be configured to reduce friction against the bracket in response to a first at least partial rotation of a drive mechanism.

The present disclosure concerns a roller blind limiter assembly comprising a support-engaging member, a limit screw and a limit nut threadedly engaged therewith, operatively connectable to a roller blind tube and travelling along the screw upon extension and retraction of a blind, wherein, in use, the limit nut abuts a winding stopper of the limit screw when the blind reaches upper and/or lower end positions. The roller blind limiter assembly is configurable in a locked configuration wherein the limit screw is fixedly mountable to the roller blind support, and an unlocked configuration wherein the support-engaging member is pivotable about the longitudinal direction with respect to the limit screw. The present disclosure also concerns a roller blind mechanism and a roller blind system comprising such a limiter assembly, and a method for adjusting an end position of a roller blind.

Disclosed is an electromechanical actuator including a spring brake including a helical spring, a drum, an input member and an output member. The drum includes a friction surface configured to cooperate with at least one turn of the spring. The output member includes at least one lug. The lug includes a recess provided with at least a first bearing surface configured to cooperate with one of the first and second legs of the spring. The first bearing surface of the recess is inclined with respect to an axis of rotation of the brake at an angle of inclination of non-zero value.