A modular shade includes at least one module that consists of a head rail unit, a foot rail unit, at least one intermediate rail unit, and a plurality of slat components. A top slat may be coupled to the head rail unit and the intermediate rail unit, and a bottom slat component may be coupled to the intermediate rail unit and the foot rail unit. Further, additional intermediate rail units and intermediate slat components may be added to the module to alter the shape and size of the module, and the module may be coupled to one or more additional modules to change the overall shape and size of the modular shade.

A motorized drive device includes an electric motor, a first holding device and a first switching mechanism. In a first position of the first mechanism, a first guide wheel of the first holding device is offset relative to a second guide wheel of the first holding device, so as to hold the motorized drive device relative to a rail by supporting the first and second guide wheels with respective first and second tracks of the rail. Furthermore, in a second position of the first mechanism, the first guide wheel is positioned opposite the second guide wheel, in a direction of movement of the motorized drive device along the rail, so as to insert or extract the first and second guide wheels into or from the rail, through a slot of the rail.

A motorized drive device includes a housing, electric motor, drive wheel, first and second holding devices, first elastic return element, drive unit inside the housing, and switching mechanism. The drive unit includes a casing, the electric motor and the drive wheel. The drive wheel is supported on a rail running surface, by the first elastic return element. With the motor activated, the casing inclines inside the housing relative to a median plane of the housing. The switching mechanism drives a first guide wheel of the first holding device between first and second positions, in which the motorized drive device is mounted and dismounted, respectively, relative to the rail. In the first position with the electric motor activated, the drive wheel is supported on the rail running surface, by the first elastic return element which is supported on a wall in the housing and is rotated by the electric motor.

A permanent magnet actuation mechanism may include a first permanent magnet magnetized along a first axis and rotatable about a first rotational axis perpendicular to the first axis, a second permanent magnet magnetized along a second axis and rotatable about a second rotational axis perpendicular to the second axis. The first rotational axis is parallel with the second rotational axis. The mechanism further comprises a mounting structure configured to position the first permanent magnet at a first distance from the second permanent magnet along a main axis perpendicular to the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis.

A motor driven system for raising and lowering a window covering executes motor ramp trajectory speed control. The motor ramp trajectory limits acceleration of an external motor from the idle (stationary) state to full operating speed, and limits deceleration of the motor from full operating speed back to the idle state. This function reduces stresses on a continuous cord loop drive mechanism. A control system manages solar heating effects in response to sunlight entrance conditions such as system sensor outputs, external weather forecasts, and other data sources. The system automatically opens or close the window covering to increase or decrease admitted sunlight under appropriate conditions. The input interface of the control system includes a visual display and input axis, which are aligned vertically if the window covering mechanism raises and lowers the window covering, and are aligned horizontally if the window covering mechanism laterally opens and closes the window covering.

A vertical blind has a headrail, a transmission shaft, a plurality of slats located below the headrail with a gap, a driving assembly, a first clutch, a first pushing component, and a light-blocking member configured to be driven by the first pushing component to move from a blocking position coving the gap to a non-blocking position revealing at least a part of the gap. When the transmission shaft is driven to rotate in a first direction, the first pushing component is moved toward the first end of a movable region. When the first pushing component has been moved to the first end of the movable region and the transmission shaft keeps being driven to rotate in the first direction, the first clutch prevents the transmission shaft from further driving the first pushing component, whereby the first pushing component stays at substantially the first end of the movable region.

The invention is related to window blind automation and provides a removable device for blind control and automation. The invention is also related to a method for blind control and automation. The device is attached to window blinds headrail with magnets, hooks or other means and the tilter or the cords are put inside the mechanism. The device has a hole where the adaptor is inserted. There are different types of small adaptors for different types of tilters. There is a light sensor for ambient light which might be hidden under semi-transparent plastic or be visible on the enclosure. In the lower part of the drawing the version for vertical blinds is shown. At the side of the verticals there is a metal shaft and the device connects to it with a gear wheel. For verticals, the device is attached to the side of the headrail.

A slat device (1) comprising a plurality of slats (2) arranged parallel to one another, displacement means (9, 10) for displacing the slats (2) between and in a stacking zone and a sliding, and a guide profile (3), which is arranged on a lateral side of the slats (2), wherein a slat (2), on the said lateral side, is provided with a guide element (5), corresponding with the guide profile (3), for guiding the respective slat (2) relative to the corresponding guide profile (3, 6) during its displacement motion between and in the stacking zone and the sliding zone, such that the guide element (5) is rotatable over a certain angle relative to the guide profile (3) about an axis according to the longitudinal direction of the guide profile (3).

A solar shading device includes a head rail that slidably supports leading runners having fabric curtains attached thereto, a carrying mechanism that includes a carrying pulley coupled to the leading runners through a belt and carries the leading runners along the head rail on the basis of the rotation of the carrying pulley, a manual drive unit that includes a first shaft coupled to the carrying pulley and serving as a drive shaft, and a suspension part having the manual drive unit suspended therefrom with the carrying pulley and the first shaft coupled together. Further, with the manual drive unit detached from the suspension part, the suspension part allows an electric drive unit to be suspended therefrom with the carrying pulley and a second shaft coupled together, the electric drive unit including the second shaft as a drive shaft for driving the carrying pulley.

In an embodiment, a system for managing window blinds is provided. The system comprises an electronic device and an application stored on the device that when executed directs, based on a stored schedule, blinds for a first group of windows in a room in a structure to execute a first action. The system also directs, based on the schedule, blinds for a second group of windows in the room to execute a second action. The system also directs, based on the schedule, blinds for the first and second groups to take a third action. The actions comprise at least one of opening slats, closing slats, opening the blinds, and closing the blinds. The application transmits the directions to the groups via at least one of Internet connection, WiFi connection, and other wireless connections via an intermediary device and via Bluetooth and transmits via Bluetooth without intermediary device.