# US 11,306,531 B2 · Tubular electromechanical actuator and home-automation installation comprising such an actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,531 B2 - Document ID: US11306531B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/754,294 - Filed: 2018-10-09 - Published: 2020-10-29 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-10 - Assignees: Somfy Activites SA - Applicants: Somfy Activites SA - Inventors: Marc Sonzini; Florian Doche; Emilie Meynet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306531B2 ## CPC - E06B 9/171: Rollers therefor; Fastening roller shutters to rollers - E06B 9/40: Roller blinds (usable only as awnings E04F10/06) - E06B 9/72: comprising an electric motor positioned inside the roller - H02K 5/22: Auxiliary parts of casings not covered by groups H02K5/06-H02K5/20, e.g. shaped to form connection boxes or terminal boxes - H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) - E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00) - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) ## Abstract A tubular electromechanical actuator for a home-automation installation includes at least an electronic control unit, an electric motor, a reduction gear, an output shaft, a casing and a closure element. The unit includes a housing and an electronic board. The electronic board is arranged inside the housing. The casing is hollow and configured to house at least the unit, the electric motor and the reduction gear. The closure element is configured to close off an end of the casing. The housing includes at least a first section, produced in the form of a hollow tube, and a second section, produced in the form of a hollow tube. The first and second sections are configured to house the electronic board. In addition, the first section includes first fastening elements configured to cooperate with first fastening elements of the second section. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation, the electromechanical actuator comprising at least: an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit comprising a housing and an electronic board, the electronic board being arranged inside the housing, in an assembled configuration of the electronic control unit, an electric motor, a reduction gear, an output shaft, a casing, the casing being hollow and configured to house at least the electronic control unit, the electric motor and the reduction gear, and a closure and torque-reacting head, the closure and torque-reacting head closing off an end of the casing, wherein: the housing of the electronic control unit is made of two parts distinct from the closure and torque-reacting head, the housing of the electronic control unit comprises at least a first section, having a form of a hollow tube, and a second section, having a form of a hollow tube, the first and second sections enclosing the electronic board, in the assembled configuration of the electronic control unit, the first section of the housing comprises first fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the second section of the housing, in the assembled configuration of the electronic control unit, the first and second sections of the housing are modular and invertable, and the first and second sections of the housing have an identical shape and an identical or different length. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 1, wherein the first fastening elements are fastening elements configured to fasten by resilient snapping. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 2, wherein the first section of the housing comprises second fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the electric motor, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 2, wherein the electric motor comprises an electric connector cooperating with the electronic board of the electronic control unit, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 2, wherein the electromechanical actuator also comprises an interface element, the interface element being positioned between the closure element and the electronic control unit, and wherein the second section of the housing comprises second fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the interface element, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 2, wherein the first and second sections of the housing are made from a plastic material and the first and second sections of the housing are made of injected plastic material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 1, wherein the first section of the housing comprises second fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the electric motor, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 7, wherein the electric motor comprises an electric connector cooperating with the electronic board of the electronic control unit, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 7, wherein the electromechanical actuator also comprises an interface element, the interface element being positioned between the closure element and the electronic control unit, and wherein the second section of the housing comprises second fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the interface element, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 7, wherein the first and second sections of the housing are made from a plastic material and the first and second sections of the housing are made of injected plastic material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor comprises an electric connector cooperating with the electronic board of the electronic control unit, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 11, wherein the electromechanical actuator also comprises an interface element, the interface element being positioned between the closure element and the electronic control unit, and wherein the second section of the housing comprises second fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the interface element, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 11, wherein the first and second sections of the housing are made from a plastic material and the first and second sections of the housing are made of injected plastic material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 1, wherein the electromechanical actuator also comprises an interface element, the interface element being positioned between the closure element and the electronic control unit, and wherein the second section of the housing comprises second fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the interface element, in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 14, wherein the first section of the housing comprises second fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the electric motor in an assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator, and wherein the first and second fastening elements of the first section are respectively identical to the first and second fastening elements of the second section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 14, wherein the interface element comprises an electric connector cooperating with the electronic board of the electronic control unit, in the assembled configuration of the electromechanical actuator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 14, wherein the first and second sections of the housing are made from a plastic material and the first and second sections of the housing are made of injected plastic material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sections of the housing are made from a plastic material and the first and second sections of the housing are made of injected plastic material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second sections of the housing comprises a first groove and a second groove that keep the electronic board in position inside the housing, in the assembled configuration of the electronic control unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A home-automation installation for closing or providing sun protection that comprises a screen able to be wound on a winding tube rotated by a tubular electromechanical actuator, said installation further comprising the tubular electromechanical actuator according to claim 1. ### Claim 21 A tubular electromechanical actuator for a closure or sun protection home-automation installation, the electromechanical actuator comprising at least: an electronic control unit, the electronic control unit comprising a housing and an electronic board, the electronic board being arranged inside the housing, in an assembled configuration of the electronic control unit, an electric motor, a reduction gear, an output shaft, a casing, the casing being hollow and configured to house at least the electronic control unit, the electric motor and the reduction gear, and a closure and torque-reacting head, the closure and torque-reacting head closing off an end of the casing, wherein, the housing of the electronic control unit is made of two parts distinct from the closure and torque-reacting head, the housing of the electronic control unit comprises at least a first section, having a form of a hollow tube with a cylindrical shape with a circular section, and a second section, having a form of a hollow tube with a cylindrical shape with a circular section, the first and second sections enclosing the electronic board, in the assembled configuration of the electronic control unit, the first section of the housing comprises first fastening elements cooperating with first fastening elements of the second section of the housing, in the assembled configuration of the electronic control unit, the first and second sections of the housing are modular and invertable, and the first and second sections of the housing have an identical shape and an identical or different length.