System for coupling roller shade tubes

A motorized shade system comprising:

• a plurality of elongated roller tubes each having opposite end portions, the roller tubes substantially aligned along a common axis of rotation and arranged to define at least one pair of adjacently located tube end portions, each of the roller tubes adapted for winding receipt of a flexible shade fabric;
• a drive system including a motor operably engaged with one of the roller tubes for rotating the roller tube about the common axis of rotation;
• a pair of support assemblies for each pair of tube end portions, each support assembly of the pair of support assemblies engaging one of the tube end portions of the associated pair of tube end portions and adapted to rotatably support the tube end portion, the support assemblies of the pair of support assembly secured together to provide for simultaneous rotation of the roller tubes associated with the pair of tube end portions,
• each of the support assemblies includes a tube-end fitting having inner and outer portions rotatable with respect to each other, the outer portion contacting an inner surface defined by the associated tube end portion, the inner portion secured to a bracket structure of the shade system;
• a clutch mechanism for each pair of tube end portions, the clutch mechanism received within an interior defined by a first one of the associated tube end portions, the clutch mechanism adapted for actuation to release the roller tube associated with the first one of the associated tube end portions for relative rotation with respect to the roller tube associated with the other one of the associated tube end portions;
• and
• first and second mounting plates for each of the tube-end fittings, each of the first and second mounting plates including spaced side portions connected by a top portion, the spaced side portions of the first mounting plate translatably received by opposite notches provided in the inner portion of the associated tube-end fitting, the second mounting plate further including a bottom portion between the spaced side portions and a support panel connected to the bottom portion and oriented substantially perpendicular thereto, the support panel supporting the inner portion of the associated tube-end fitting.

A motorized shade system comprising:

• a plurality of elongated roller tubes each having opposite end portions, the roller tubes substantially aligned along a common axis of rotation and arranged to define at least one pair of adjacently located tube end portions, each of the roller tubes adapted for winding receipt of a flexible shade fabric;
• a drive system including a motor operably engaged with one of the roller tubes for rotating the roller tube about the common axis of rotation;
• a pair of support assemblies for each pair of tube end portions, each support assembly of the pair of support assemblies engaging one of the tube end portions of the associated pair of tube end portions and adapted to rotatably support the tube end portion, the support assemblies of the pair of support assembly secured together to provide for simultaneous rotation of the roller tubes associated with the pair of tube end portions;
• and
• a clutch mechanism for each pair of tube end portions, the clutch mechanism received within an interior defined by a first one of the associated tube end portions, the clutch mechanism adapted for actuation to release the roller tube associated with the first one of the associated tube end portions for relative rotation with respect to the roller tube associated with the other one of the associated tube end portions,
• the clutch mechanism including a first clutch member operably engaging an inner surface defined by the first one of the associated tube end portions and a second clutch member, the first and second clutch members adapted for engagement with other in a closed clutch position, the second clutch member supported for translation with respect to the first clutch member between the closed clutch position and an opened clutch position in which the second clutch member is separated from the first clutch member,
• the clutch mechanism including a shaft receiving the first and second clutch member such that the first clutch member is rotatably supported by the shaft, the first clutch member restrained against translation with respect to the shaft, the shaft defining an interior, the clutch mechanism further including a pull rod translatably received within the interior of the shaft, the clutch mechanism further including a draw pin received in aligned draw pin openings provided in the second clutch member, the shaft and the pull rod, the draw pin openings of the shaft including a pair of oppositely located draw pin openings, the draw pin openings of the shaft being elongated longitudinally with respect to the shaft to provide for remote actuation of the clutch mechanism to move the second clutch member between the closed and opened positions.

An assembly for a roller shade system having multiple tubes secured together at adjacently located tube end portions to provide for simultaneous rotation of the multiple roller tubes, the assembly comprising:

• a drive transfer member adapted for receipt within an interior defined by a first tube end portion of a pair of adjacently located tube end portions, the drive transfer adapted to contact an inner surface of the first tube end portion for torque transfer therewith;
• first and second clutch members engageable with each other for torque transfer therebetween, the first clutch member secured to the drive transfer member for rotation therewith about an axis;
• a shaft received in aligned openings in the drive transfer member and the first and second clutch members such that the drive transfer member and the first clutch member are rotatable with respect to the shaft, the first clutch member restrained against translation with respect to the shaft, the shaft defining an interior, the shaft including a coupler portion adjacent an end of the shaft adapted for attachment to rotatable support structure for the second tube end portion of the associated pair of adjacently located tube ends;
• a pull rod received within the interior of the shaft and translatable therein;
• a draw pin received in aligned draw pin openings of the second clutch member, the shaft and the pull bar, the shaft and the second clutch member each including a pair of oppositely located draw pin openings, the draw pin openings of the shaft being elongated longitudinally with respect to the shaft to provide for translation of the second clutch member with respect to the shaft between closed and opened clutch positions in which the clutch members are respectively engaged with each other and separated from each other,
• the pull rod and the shaft including aligned actuation openings at a location spaced from the draw pin openings, the actuation opening being elongated to provide for insertion of a tool into the actuation opening of the pull rod to move the second clutch member from the closed clutch position to the opened clutch position.

A system for coupling a pair of roller tubes of a multiple-tube roller shade system having adjacently located ends, the system comprising:

• first and second tube-end fittings adapted for receipt within adjacently located ends of a pair of roller tubes, each tube-end fitting comprising inner and outer portions that are rotatable with respect to each other, the outer portion adapted to contact an inner surface defined by the associated roller tube of the pair of roller tubes, the inner portion adapted for engagement with support structure for rotatably supporting of the associated tube;
• first and second shafts each having a coupler end portion and an opposite tube-engagement end portion, each of the first and second shafts received by the respective tube-end fitting such that the respective tube-end fitting is located between the coupler end portion and the tube-engagement end portion of the associated shaft,
• the coupler end portion of the first shaft comprising a curved wall portion substantially defining a partial cylinder, the curved wall portion having side edges forming an access opening to an interior of the curved wall portion, the coupler end portion of the second shaft defining a closed cross-section received within the interior of the coupler end portion of the first shaft;
• a shaft connector received in aligned openings in the coupler end portions of the first and second shafts to releasably secure the first and second shafts to each other;
• and
• first and second drive transfer members secured to the tube-engagement end portions of the respective shafts, each of the first and second drive transfer members adapted to contact the inner surface of the associated roller tube of the pair of roller tubes for torque transfer therebetween.