Braking system for powered window covering
AssigneeHarmonic Design, Inc.
InventorsWinston G. Walker, Dave Schmeling, Rich Scharf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Small permanent magnets are affixed to the protruding portion of a rotor of a motor that is coupled to gears in a gear enclosure. The rod of a window covering is coupled to the gears such that when the motor is energized by a user command signal, the window covering moves. Small braking magnets are also affixed to the receptacle of the gear enclosure, such that when the motor is deenergized, the magnetic coupling between the magnets of the rotor and those of the gear enclosure brakes the rod from turning under the weight of the window covering.
Claims26
A powered assembly, comprising:
- at least one object that can be moved between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration;
- at least one motor;
- at least one actuator coupled to the motor and the object to move the object when the motor is energized, the motor and motor defining a rotating member;
- at least one magnet affixed to the rotating member;
- and
- at least one of:
- a permanent magnet, and a magnetic element that is not a permanent magnet, juxtaposed with the permanent magnet.
A drive assembly for a movable object including a rod, comprising:
- an electrically-powered drive structure couplable to the rod to move the object when the driv structure is energized to move at least one rotatable component of the drive structure;
- at least a first braking magnet attached to one of:
- a rotating component of the drive structure, and a stationary component of the drive structure;
- and
- at least one of:
- a second braking magnet, and a magnetic clement that is not a permanent magnet, attached to the other of:
- the stationary component, and the rotatable component such that the weight of the object is substantially impeded from moving the rod when the drive structure is de-energized only by a magnetic coupling without the need for any frictional brake.
A power assembly for an object having at least one operator, comprising:
- power means;
- motor means energized by the power means;
- means for coupling the motor means to the operator:
- and
- magnetic means on the motor means and coupling means for braking the object when the motor means is de-energized, the magnetic means being the only braking structure for the motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.