Abstract: A roman shade for covering a structural opening comprising a tube adapted to be installed proximate to the top of the structural opening, a shade material having a first end attached proximate to the top of the structural opening, a pair of tracks each adapted to follow a contour of and be attached along one of the sides of the structural opening, a pair of master carriers attached to opposite sides of and proximate to the second end of the shade material and each adapted to travel within one of the tracks, a pair of cords each having a first end attached to the tube and a second end attached to one of the pair of master carriers, and a shade drive unit operably connected to the tube and adapted to rotate the tube to wind or unwind the pair of cords and thereby lift or lower the pair of master carriers within the pair of tracks.

Abstract: A pair of shade brackets and a diverter are provided for diverting a shade material of a roller shade to a fixed drop down position. The pair of mounting brackets are adapted to secure to a structure and retain the roller shade therebetween. Each mounting bracket comprises a diverter retaining portion. The diverter comprises a diverter roller and a pair of bearings disposed on two opposite ends of the diverter roller. The diverter is removably retained between the pair of mounting brackets such that each bearing is engaged by a respective diverter retaining portion and the diverter roller is adapted to freely rotate via the bearings. As the shade material is raised or lowered, the diverter roller rolls on the shade material via the bearings.

Abstract: A hem bar of a cable guided shade adapted to be removably attached to a pair of cables secured along opposite sides of a structural opening. The hem bar comprises a pair of cable engaging portions disposed at two opposite ends of the hem bar. Each cable engaging portion comprises a tubular body with a longitudinal channel extending therein and a slot traversing the tubular body from the top end to the bottom end of the tubular body. The hem bar may removably and slidably engage the pair of cables by twisting the hem bar in a first direction to align each slot in the cable engaging portions with a length of the respective cable, inserting the cables through the slots into the channels in the cable engaging portions of the hem bar, and twisting the hem bar in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to capture the cables within the channels in the cable engaging portions.

Abstract: A roller shade comprising a shade drive unit having a counterbalancing spring connected to and extending between a stationary spring carrier and a rotating spring carrier over an output mandrel, wherein the output mandrel comprises a length that maintains the spring in a stretched state such that the plurality of coils at the active portion of the spring do not contact each other when the shade material is at the rolled down position to reduce friction in the counterbalancing spring.

Abstract: A failure detection device is disclosed. The failure detection device may receive operations data related to operations of a set of parts of a machine. The failure detection device may process the operations data using a condition-based processing technique. The condition-based processing technique may be associated with mapping initial values of data elements of the operations data to binary values based on satisfaction of a first set of conditions by the initial values. The failure detection device may detect a presence of a possible issue with the operations of the set of parts based on a second set of conditions, associated with the binary values and the initial values, being satisfied during a time period. The failure detection device may perform, after detecting the presence of the possible issue, a set of actions related to addressing the possible issue.

Abstract: A roller shade is disclosed comprising a motor pretensioned counterbalancing spring that lowers the torque load on the motor of the roller shade throughout the rolling up or rolling down cycles. The roller shade comprises a motor drive unit at least partially disposed within a roller tube. The motor drive unit comprises a motor adapted to drive a drive wheel through a clutch. The motor drive unit further comprises a first spring carrier adapted to be stationary during operation of the motor drive unit. The drive wheel is operably connected to the roller tube and comprises a second spring carrier. The motor drive unit further comprises a counterbalancing spring connected at its first end to the first spring carrier and at its second end to the second spring carrier.

Abstract: A roller shade comprising a roller tube, a shade material attached to the roller tube, and a shade drive unit adapted to rotate the roller tube to lower or raise the shade material. The shade drive unit comprises a spring adapted to counterbalance the shade drive unit, a spring carrier, and a spring fastener. The spring carrier comprises a cylindrical barrel, wherein one of the first and second ends of the spring is concentrically positioned over the cylindrical barrel of the spring carrier. The spring fastener comprising a body having a curved bottom surface adapted to be positioned over one of the first and second ends of the spring and attached to the cylindrical barrel of the spring carrier.

Abstract: A failure detection device is disclosed. The failure detection device may receive operations data related to operations of a set of parts of a machine. The failure detection device may process the operations data using a condition-based processing technique. The condition-based processing technique may be associated with mapping initial values of data elements of the operations data to binary values based on satisfaction of a first set of conditions by the initial values. The failure detection device may detect a presence of a possible issue with the operations of the set of parts based on a second set of conditions, associated with the binary values and the initial values, being satisfied during a time period. The failure detection device may perform, after detecting the presence of the possible issue, a set of actions related to addressing the possible issue.

Abstract: A roller shade adapted to be installed in a non-rectangular structural opening comprising a roller tube, a shade material, a hem bar, a shade drive unit adapted to rotate the roller tube, and a pair of longitudinal side channels adapted to be attached to the sides of the structural opening. The shade material comprises a shape that corresponds to the shape of the structural opening to substantially cover thereof. The hem bar may be extendable and may comprise a pair of wheels at its opposite terminal ends. Each wheel is adapted to be retained by and travel within one of the longitudinal channels which are adapted to guide the hem bar assembly along the side jambs and control an extension of the extendable hem bar as the shade material is rolled on or unrolled from the roller tube and the distance between the side jambs changes. The roller shade may further comprise a pair of tension modules adapted to be attached opposite from the roller tube.

Abstract: An apparatus having at least one anatomical support member which comprises at least one layer of laminar sheeting and at least one articulating joint unit is in engagement with the at least one of anatomical support member. The joint is positionable in at least a vertical and horizontal orientations enabling smooth positioning of portions of an anatomy in three dimensions such that translational and/or rotational centrepoints in its x, y and z axes substantially coincide. The joint is preferably made of by material(s) that do not cause substantial radiographic or nuclear imaging artifacts when medically imaged thereby.

Abstract: A motorized shade comprising a motor adapted to lower or raise a shade material for selectively covering an architectural opening based on a position of the sun. The motorized shade comprises a controller adapted to drive the motor phase according to a startup sequence by ramping up amplitude form an initial amplitude to a startup amplitude and ramping up frequency from an initial frequency to a drive frequency, drive the motor phase according to a full drive sequence to move the shade material by driving the motor phase according to a sinusoidal waveform at a set maximum amplitude and at a drive frequency, and drive the motor phase according to a wind down sequence by reducing frequency from the drive frequency to an end frequency and reducing the amplitude from the maximum amplitude to an end amplitude.

Abstract: A window shade system includes a first bracket coupled to a first pivot and rotatable at least within a first range of angles, a second bracket coupled to a second pivot and rotatable at least within a second range of angles, and first and second gears that each include a circular base rotatable about a central axis. Gear teeth are arranged in a same row and extend outward from the outer region and are evenly spaced from each other along the outer region of the gears. The first and second pivots are arranged relative to each other and relative to the central axes of the first and second gears, respectively, such that for any angle within the first range of angles, the gear tooth of the first gear meshes with the gear tooth of the second gear at a corresponding angle within the second range of angles.

Abstract: A gear includes a circular base having a front surface that includes an inner region and an outer region that surrounds the inner region. The circular base is rotatable about a central axis. Plural gear teeth are arranged in a same row and extend outward from the outer region of the front surface and are evenly spaced from each other along plural locations on the outer region. Each gear tooth has a cross-sectional width that decreases with decreasing distance from the central axis, and has an outer shape configured to permit any one of the gear teeth in the row to contact and directly mesh with any gear tooth in a corresponding row of gear teeth of a substantially identical gear for any gear angle within a predefined range of gear angles between the central axis of the gear and the central axis of the substantially identical gear.

Abstract: A motorized window treatment configure for automatically determining and reporting the tilt level of a motorized window treatment. The motorized window treatment comprises a window covering material, a motor configured for moving the window covering material from an opened position to a closed position, an accelerometer configured for measuring gravitational forces, and a controller configured for reporting the tilt level of the motorized window treatment. Particularly, the controller receives gravitational force measurements from the accelerometer, determines a tilt level of the motorized window treatment using the gravitational force measurements, compares the tilt level to a first threshold value, and issues an error signal when the tilt level exceeds the first threshold value.

Abstract: An involute gear bracket system includes first and second involute gears. Each includes a circular base and a plurality of gear teeth extending outward from an outer region of a surface and evenly spaced apart from each other along a plurality of locations on the outer region of the surface. The shape of each gear tooth is defined by a varying cross-sectional involute profile, wherein starting from a first involute profile that is in a plane parallel to the surface of the circular base and extending outward from a center of the circular base, each location on the first involute profile is rotated about a corresponding axis while traversing a path defined by a corresponding imaginary ray extending from the center of the circular base to that location, the corresponding axis being tangential to an imaginary circle that encompasses the inner region of the surface and perpendicular to the corresponding imaginary ray.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically determining at least one lower limit of a horizontal sheers style roller shade. The roller shade comprising a roller tube, a shade material attached to the roller tube and comprising a first vertical layer interconnected to a second vertical layer via a plurality of horizontal vanes, a motor adapted to rotate the roller tube, a current sensing circuit adapted to detect current levels of the motor, and a controller adapted to control the motor and comprising at least one memory. The controller determines at least one lower limit by driving the motor in a first direction, receiving current levels from the current sensing circuit, observing current level profile of the received current levels, detecting a point of change in the current level profile, and using the point of change to set at least one of a lower tilt closed limit and a lower tilt open limit.

Abstract: A system for detecting a fault condition in a valvetrain of an engine is configured to measure one or more operating parameters associated with the engine and determine if the operating parameters satisfy pre-defined corresponding boundary conditions. If so, a pair of values of at least one performance parameter is measured corresponding to measurement on a first and second bank of cylinders present on the engine. The difference between the pair of values is determined and used to compute at least one measure of variation for the at least one performance parameter in a time segment. If the at least one measure of variation for the at least one performance parameter exceeds a pre-defined limit for the engine, the valvetrain is flagged as faulty.

Abstract: An angle shift compensation system and method for controlling a sinusoidally driven motor to achieve efficient motion and reduced noise. The motor controller uses the angle shift compensation method to monitor the angle shift between a sinusoidal motor control signal configured to drive the motor and a feedback signal received from at least one position detector indicating the position of the motor rotor with respect to the motor stator. In response, the motor controller proportionally adjusts the amplitude of the motor control signal based on the monitored angle shift to maintain the angle shift substantially equal to an angle shift threshold.

Abstract: A motor calibration system and method for a motor having a rotor, a stator, and at least one phase. The system further comprises a controller and a position detector adapted to detect a position of the rotor with respect to the stator. Wherein the controller is adapted to perform a calibration sequence to calibrate to motor by driving at least one motor phase with a motor control signal at a predetermined maximum amplitude value in a first direction with substantially no load applied on the motor, receiving a feedback signal from the at least one position detector, and determining a first calibration angle shift by measuring a difference between at least the motor control signal and the feedback signal of the at least one motor phase. The controller accounts for the first calibration angle shift when driving the motor in the first direction during normal operation.

Abstract: An involute gear is disclosed. A circular base has a surface that includes an inner region and an outer region. A gear tooth extends outward from the outer region of the surface. A shape of the gear tooth is defined by a varying cross-sectional involute profile. Starting from a first involute profile that is in a plane parallel to the surface of the circular base and extending outward from a center of the circular base, each location on the first involute profile is rotated about a corresponding axis while traversing a path defined by a corresponding imaginary ray extending from the center of the circular base to that location in the first involute profile. The corresponding axis is tangential to an imaginary circle that encompasses the inner region of the surface and is perpendicular to the corresponding imaginary ray.