Patents Examined by Abe Massad
  • Patent number: 11674351
    Abstract: A window treatment retention system may include a roller shade assembly and one or more retention brackets that at least partially enclose the roller shade assembly and do not interfere with operation of the roller shade assembly. The retention brackets may be configured to absorb an impact force associated with detachment of the roller shade assembly from a mounted position. The retention brackets may deflect upon absorbing the impact force, and may limit displacement of the detached roller shade assembly from the mounted position. The retention brackets may deflect such that the roller shade assembly does not pass through openings defined by the retention brackets. The retention brackets may deflect such that the width of at least one of the openings defined by the retention brackets does not expand beyond a distance that is equivalent to the diameter of a roller tube of the roller shade assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Samuel F. Chambers, David A. Kirby, Peter W. Ogden, James J. Wilson, Andrew P. Schmalz
  • Patent number: 11655659
    Abstract: An improved vertical lift door roller assembly has a wheel pivotally mounted to a shaft. The shaft is placed within a spring loaded locking cylinder. The locking cylinder is movable between a first position where it restricts pivoting of the wheel and a second position where the wheel is able to pivot. When the door roller assembly is used on a vertical lift door, the wheel can be pivoted to decouple the roller from a vertical lift door J channel wheel track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventor: Daniel A. Deutsch
  • Patent number: 11655668
    Abstract: A panel of a sectional door includes a panel frame and a sheet of material that is coupled to the panel frame. The panel frame includes a top frame member, a bottom frame member, a first side frame member and a second side frame member. The frame members include a rear surface and a front surface, and the front surface includes a ledge. The sheet of material is coupled to the front surface such that a bottom edge of the sheet rests on the ledge and a front surface of the sheet is unobstructed by the panel frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: OVERHEAD DOOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles A. Haba, Dwayne J. Kornish
  • Patent number: 11649636
    Abstract: A seal enclosure protects a tubular motor that is configured to drive an awning roller. The seal enclose includes a motor box sized to fit over an end of the tubular motor, a motor box extension engaging the motor box and including a circumferential protrusion, a gasket positioned between the motor box and the motor box extension, and a flexible seal engaging the circumferential protrusion and configured to engage the awning roller. The motor box, the motor box extension and the flexible seal define a closed housing for the tubular motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: TAYLOR MADE GROUP, LLC
    Inventor: Robert R. Shearer
  • Patent number: 11648827
    Abstract: A pneumatic shade includes a plurality of slats, a plurality of first fold members, and a plurality of second fold members. Each slat is elongated and includes and spans laterally between opposite longitudinal edges. Each of the first- and second-fold members are elongated and co-extend longitudinally with the slats. Each first fold member is attached to longitudinal edges of the respective adjacent slats. Each second fold member is attached to longitudinal edges of respective adjacent slats and are alternatingly orientated with respect to the first fold members such that each slat spans laterally between a respective first fold member and second fold member. Each of the first fold members and the second fold members are adapted to move between a folded state and an unfolded state upon application of pressurized air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Paul W. Alexander, Jeff E. Nasca, Adam R. Ballard, Koray Benli, Jonathan E. Luntz, Laura Alejandra Giner Munoz, Diann Brei
  • Patent number: 11643872
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening is provided. The covering may include a roller rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a shade associated with the roller, and an operating system operably associated with the roller. The operating system may include a base, a drive mechanism, a transmission, an actuator arm, and an engagement arm. The drive mechanism may be associated with the base to provide an input torque. The transmission may be associated with the drive mechanism to selectively transmit the input torque to the roller. The actuator arm may be associated with the base to indirectly set a rotation direction of the roller. The engagement arm may be associated with the base and engageable with the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen P. Smith
  • Patent number: 11642945
    Abstract: A door curtain hook device for a vehicle may include a frame mount configured to be fixed to a door frame of the vehicle; a curtain hook having a wedge portion configured to be coupled with the frame mount and a curtain locking portion in which a door curtain is hooked integrally formed thereon; and a door curtain mounting gap formed to have a hook structure in the curtain locking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Do-Won Kim, Dong-Keun Yoo, Jae-Seung Lee
  • Patent number: 11643875
    Abstract: A manually-operated window treatment system may include a roller tube, a covering material, and a semi-rigid chain assembly. The covering material may be attached to the roller tube and may be operable between a raised position and a lowered position via rotation of the roller tube. The semi-rigid chain assembly may be configured to be operated by a user to rotate the roller tube. The semi-rigid chain assembly may be configured to limit the size of a loop that can be formed by the semi-rigid chain assembly. The semi-rigid chain assembly may be operatively coupled to a drive pulley of the window treatment system. The semi-rigid chain assembly may include flexible outer housing and a stiffening rod. The flexible housing may surround and operate along the stiffening rod. The hollow chain may include multiple links that are connected together to form a continuous loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventor: David A. Kirby
  • Patent number: 11643865
    Abstract: A fenestration assembly includes a sash, a frame surrounding the sash, and at least one screen assembly. The sash includes at least one magnet. The sash is slideably engaged with the frame. The at least one screen assembly includes a roller assembly, a control bar, and screen material attached to the roller assembly and the control bar. The roller assembly is substantially hidden from view. The control bar includes a ferromagnetic material. The screen assembly is configured to apply tension to the screen material to wind the screen material around the roller assembly and to permit the screen material to unwind from the roller assembly under a tension applied to move the control bar away from the roller assembly. The control bar automatically engages the at least one magnet of the sash when the sash is in the closed configuration to attach the control bar to the sash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Inventors: Jonathan S. Hoogland, Brian L. Kolb, Jennifer A. Tuetken, Evan R. Vande Haar
  • Patent number: 11643849
    Abstract: A fire door operator for a rolling door includes a housing defining an axis. An outer main gear in the form of an annular ring is mounted within the housing for rotation about the axis and formed with exterior gear teeth and radially inwardly spaced interior teeth. Planet gears are meshed with the interior teeth and a sun gear is meshed with the planet gears for rotation about the axis. A carrier is secured to the planetary gears and coupled to the shaft. A lock normally locks the main gear in relation to the housing. A drive selectively rotates the sun gear and the carrier to transmit rotational power to a rolling door shaft when secured to the carrier. A releasing device selectively releases the lock to allow free rotation of the main gear and the carrier to allow a rolling door to be lowered under its own weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ALPINE OVERHEAD DOORS, INC.
    Inventor: Sebastian Magro
  • Patent number: 11643864
    Abstract: A fenestration assembly includes a sash, a frame surrounding the sash, and at least one screen assembly mounted in at least one of: the top portion and the bottom portion. The frame includes a top portion, a bottom portion, and two jambs forming first slots extending lengthwise along at least a portion of the jamb. The first slots each include a screen edge retention feature. The screen assembly includes a roller assembly substantially hidden from view, a screen material attached to the roller assembly, and a plurality of raised features. Edges of the screen material extend into the first slots. The raised features are attached to each of the edges of the screen material. The raised features are configured to engage the screen edge retention features and retain each of the edges of the screen material at least partially within the first slot of each of the two jambs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Inventors: Jonathan S. Hoogland, Evan R. Vande Haar, Brian L. Kolb, Scot C. Miller, Steven D. Lauritsen, Jennifer A. Tuetken, Todd A. Bernhagen
  • Patent number: 11639631
    Abstract: An actuating system for a window shade includes a first rotary axle rotatable for displacing a bottom part, a second rotary axle rotatable for displacing an intermediate rail, and a limiting mechanism including a first and a second sliding part respectively linked movably to the first and second rotary axle. The first sliding part slides in a first direction when the first rotary axle rotates for lowering the bottom part and in a second direction when the first rotary axle rotates for raising the bottom part. The second sliding part slides in the first direction when the second rotary axle rotates for lowering the intermediate rail and in the second direction when the second rotary axle rotates for raising the intermediate rail. The first sliding part is prevented from sliding in the second direction via a contact between the first sliding part and the second sliding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Teh Yor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Chen Huang, Chih Hung Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11639089
    Abstract: A radiant heating and blocking shade system for a sunroof of a vehicle includes a first roller configured to be mounted adjacent to one end of a sunroof of a vehicle. A second roller is mounted adjacent to the first roller between the first roller and the sunroof. A radiant heating shade is at least partially wound around the first roller. The radiant heating shade has a deployed position and a retracted position. A blocking shade is at least partially wound around the second roller. The blocking shade has a deployed position and a retracted position. The blocking shade is arranged parallel to and spaced from the radiant heating shade between the radiant heating shade and the sunroof when the blocking shade and the radiant heating shade are in the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Taeyoung Han, Kuo-huey Chen, Bahram Khalighi, Paul E. Krajewski
  • Patent number: 11639630
    Abstract: A gated barrier that includes a barrier frame first portion, a barrier frame second portion, and a gate between the barrier frame first and second portions. The barrier frame first and second portions include first and second threshold portions that are spaced apart from each other and held in such a spaced apart orientation by a rigid elongate piece. The gated barrier further includes a latch apparatus, panels, and junction apparatus between the panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Regalo International, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Flannery, Matthew A. Willms, Michael P. Lane
  • Patent number: 11639131
    Abstract: The present embodiments are directed to an awning assembly 1 for a recreational vehicle comprising a main body, a flexible awning material, a roller tube, a lead rail 5, at least one support leg 6 hinged to the lead rail 5, and at least one tension rafter 7 being mountable between the main body and the lead rail 5. The at least one support leg 6 is hinged to the lead rail 5 so that the support leg 6 can be hinged into a first storage section of the lead rail frame 8. The lead rail frame 8 comprises a second storage section 10 for receiving the tension rafter 7 therein, wherein the second storage section 10 comprises an opening 11, wherein either holder 12 is disposed within the opening 11, or the tension rafter 7 is self-clamping into the second storage section 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Dometic Sweden AB
    Inventor: Miguel Bekaert
  • Patent number: 11519221
    Abstract: A motor-operated drive system for a window covering system including a headrail, a mechanism associated with the headrail to spread and retract the window covering, and a continuous cord loop extending below the headrail for actuating the mechanism to spread and retract the window covering. The drive system includes a motor, a driven wheel that engages and advances the continuous cord loop, and a coupling mechanism for coupling the driven wheel to a rotating output shaft of the motor for rotation of the driven wheel. The drive system includes a channel system for redirecting the continuous cord loop engaged by the driven wheel, or other mechanism for configuring the drive system so that continuous cord loop extends in a substantially vertical orientation. The coupling mechanism includes an engaged configuration in which rotation of the output shaft of the motor causes rotation of the driven wheel, and a disengaged configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: RYSE INC.
    Inventors: Trung Duc Pham, Alan Wing Hor Cheng, Marc Rashad Bishara
  • Patent number: 11505990
    Abstract: The system has a pleated net run by ropes that begin from the same side of the retention case, cross the net and continue upwards to all upper fixed horizontal guide, and are fastened at the upper part of the system. This invention uses wire rope which has one edge fastened at the upper truck, passes horizontally above the net, then parses through the pulley at the upper part of the sliding case, follows a vertical course towards the second pulley at the lower part of the sliding guide, crosses the lower fixed horizontal guide and is fastened on the lower part of the vertical fixed side guide. In case of a system with two or more leaves, this invention uses a ropes' central end component, tension adjusters and a ropes' run component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventor: Argyrios Papadopoulos
  • Patent number: 11499369
    Abstract: The preset invention relates to a gate with a crash-down prevention mechanism, comprising a gate panel which can be opened and closed by the rotation of a gate panel drive, a motor which is coupled to the gate panel drive, and a braking assembly with which opening and/or closing the gate panel can be decelerated, and a first measuring device for determining at least one movement parameter of the gate panel. In order to improve such a gate to the extent that a crash down of the gate can be reliably detected, and a braking assembly which brakes the gate quickly and avoids damage to the gate is triggered just as reliably, it is proposed to provide a second measuring device for determining at least one movement parameter of the motor, and a comparator which compares the measured movement parameters of the gate panel and the motor and triggers the braking assembly when the measured movement parameters of the gate panel and the motor fall outside of a defined relationship to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: Gabrijel Rejc
  • Patent number: 11492844
    Abstract: A Venetian blind includes a plurality of slats arranged between a headrail and a bottom rail. Two rotary drums are disposed in two brackets mounted in the headrail and connected with each other through a transmission shaft. A first drawing member is connected with one rotary drum, and a second drawing member is connected with the other rotary drum. When the first drawing member is pulled downward, the rotary drums are rotated from a first position to a second position, such that the ladder cords are driven by the rotation of the rotary drums to tilt the slats to a closed position. When the second drawing member is pulled downward, the rotary drums are rotated from the second position to the first position, such that the ladder cords are driven by the rotation of the rotary drums to tilt the slats to an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SHEEN WORLD TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Po-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 11486195
    Abstract: A limit position safety device for establishing upper and lower limit positions of a rolling door that can be raised when rolled onto a generally horizontal shaft when the shaft rotates in a first direction and lowered when the shaft rotates in an opposing direction. The device includes two electrical limit switches each actuatable to reflect when an associated limit position of the rolling door has been reached. Actuators are movable to selectively actuate one of the limit switches at associated upper or lower limit positions of the rolling door. Drive gear are directly coupled to the shaft for moving the actuators in response to movements of the rolling door horizontal shaft. Accordingly, the direct drive gears always provide a direct physical connection or link between the rolling door shaft and the actuators to provide reliable indications of the position of the rolling door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: ALPINE OVERHEAD DOORS, INC.
    Inventor: Sebastian Magro