Manual window treatment having a floating chain tensioner
AssigneeLutron Technology Company LLC
InventorsEvan T. Graham, David A. Kirby, Robert T. Nachtrieb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A manual drive assembly for a manually-operated window treatment based on a drive chain formed as a loop, may incorporate one or more intermediate tensioners disposed between two ends of the loop. The loop may be formed between a manual clutch mechanism coupled to the window treatment and an end tensioner. The one or more intermediate tensioners may serve to limit slack in the loop such that sides of the loop cannot be pulled to create a large loop, for example, having a gap of four inches or greater, between the hanging sides of the cord.
Claims22
A drive assembly configured for use with a manually-operated window treatment, the drive assembly including:
- a manual clutch mechanism coupled to the window treatment;
- a drive chain, configured as a loop, and coupled to the manual clutch mechanism at a first end of the loop and adapted to apply force to the manual clutch mechanism;
- an end tensioner coupled to a second end of the loop;
- and
- at least one intermediate tensioner disposed between the manual clutch mechanism and the end tensioner and configured to substantially maintain limited separation between two sides of the loop between the first and second ends of the loop,
- wherein the at least one intermediate tensioner is configured to be disposed at more than one location between the manual clutch mechanism and the end tensioner.
A manually-operated window treatment comprising:
- a roller tube that is configured to be supported at opposed ends thereof;
- a drive assembly that is at least partially received in the roller tube;
- and
- a covering material that is attached to the roller tube, the covering material operable between a raised position and a lowered position via rotation of the roller tube by drive assembly when the manually-operated window treatment is installed;
- wherein the drive assembly comprises:
- a manual clutch mechanism;
- a drive chain, configured as a loop, and coupled to the manual clutch mechanism at a first end of the loop and adapted to apply force to the manual clutch mechanism;
- an end tensioner coupled to a second end of the loop;
- and
- at least one intermediate tensioner disposed between the manual clutch mechanism and the end tensioner and configured to substantially maintain limited separation between two sides of the loop between the first and second ends of the loop,
- wherein the at least one intermediate tensioner is configured to float between the manual clutch mechanism and the end tensioner.
An intermediate tensioner for a drive assembly configured for use with a manually-operated window treatment, the intermediate tensioner comprising:
- at least one sprocket is configured to engage two sides of a loop of a drive chain and to rotate when a force is applied to the drive chain;
- and
- at least two clamps located adjacent to the at least one sprocket and configured to maintain engagement of the two sides of the loop of the drive chain with respective sides of the at least one sprocket;
- wherein the intermediate tensioner is configured to substantially maintain limited separation between the two sides of the loop between a first end and a second end of the loop of the drive chain, and
- wherein the intermediate tensioner is configured to float between the first end and the second end of the loop of the drive chain.
A method of providing a drive assembly for a manually-operated window treatment, the method including:
- providing a drive chain, configured as a loop, between a manual clutch mechanism and an end tensioner, the loop having first and second ends at the manual clutch mechanism and at the end tensioner, respectively, and having two sides defined between the first and second ends of the loop;
- providing at least one intermediate tensioner, disposed between the manual clutch mechanism and the end tensioner;
- and
- passing the two sides of the loop through the at least one intermediate tensioner such that the two sides of the loop are engaged with a mechanism of the at least one intermediate tensioner such that the at least one intermediate tensioner is able to be disposed at more than one location between the manual clutch mechanism and the end tensioner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.