Patents Examined by Blair M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 9976346
    Abstract: A bottom bar for a roller blind. The bottom bar has a longitudinal body with an upper surface having a longitudinal channel that is in communication with a generally hollow interior. The channel receives the lower end of the blind fabric to which is secured a stopper to hang the longitudinal body from the fabric. The bottom bar includes one or more spacers receivable within the generally hollow interior and between the stopper and the upper surface of the longitudinal body. The spacers increase the set-off between the stopper and the upper surface of the longitudinal body, thereby lifting the elevation of the longitudinal body relative to the roller tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: ZMC Metal Coating Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Ng
  • Patent number: 9976345
    Abstract: A blind body brake mechanism for non pull cord window blind utilizes two one-way clutch units to control the positioning of the blind body during the extending or receiving operation. Each one-way clutch unit includes a wheel axle, multiple stop blocks equiangularly connected to the wheel axle, an arched rolling groove defined between each two adjacent stop blocks, a planetary gear movably mounted in each arched rolling groove, and a one-way wheel mounted on the wheel axle and having an internal gear meshed with the planetary gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Inventor: Chin-Fu Chen
  • Patent number: 9970233
    Abstract: A curtain assembly includes a first curtain unit, a second curtain unit and a third curtain unit which includes multiple curtain pieces and each curtain piece includes an inside and an outside. Multiple first magnets are connected to the lower portion of the inside of each curtain piece, and multiple second magnets are connected to the top portion of the outside of each curtain piece. The second curtain unit is connected to the third curtain unit, and third curtain unit is connected to the first curtain unit. The multiple curtain pieces are able to be individually folded to introduce outside light into the room via the folded curtain pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: CHING FENG HOME FASHIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sheng-Ying Hsu, Chun Jan Hsu
  • Patent number: 9970234
    Abstract: A motorized roller shade that detects obstacles in its travel that create excess torque by sensing the current draw from a motor and method by which the motor can calibrate itself to detect excess torque. During the roller shade's travel, it will record the instantaneous torque being generated at various points. For example, it will store the greatest value in the shade motor's non-volatile memory as the normal operating torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Crestron Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Derk, Jr., Benjamin Slivka, Luis Rivera
  • Patent number: 9968213
    Abstract: A Roman shade includes a translucent layer and at least one opaque layer. The translucent layer is connected to the top box. Multiple rows of first magnets are positioned transversely on the translucent layer. A translucent area is formed between any two adjacent rows of the first magnets. The opaque layer includes multiple rows of second magnets positioned transversely thereon, and an opaque area is formed between two any adjacent rows of the second magnets. The at least one opaque layer is folded to attract the second magnets on the at least one opaque layer to the first magnets on the translucent layer to expose the translucent areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: CHING FENG HOME FASHIONS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sheng Ying Hsu, Chun Jan Hsu
  • Patent number: 9963933
    Abstract: A blind body braking mechanism used in a non-cord window blind assembly is disclosed to include two take-up wheels, two one-way clutch units respectively disposed adjacent to the two take-up wheels and respectively provide one clutch wheel, two guide rods respectively disposed at one lateral side relative to one respective take-up wheel in a parallel manner relative to the axis of the take-up wheels, and two transmission cords respectively extending over one respective guide rod and wound round one respective one-way clutch wheel with respective one end thereof fixedly connected to one respective one-way clutch wheel. Subject to the functioning of the guide rods, the transmission cords can be properly wound round the respective take-up wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Inventor: Chin-Fu Chen
  • Patent number: 9963934
    Abstract: A device and method for controlling the speed of a rolling door is disclosed. The door panel is controlled to accelerate or decelerate by means of the real-time rolling speed of the door panel, such that speed control is applicable to door panels of different specifications. When the real-time rolling speed of a door panel reaches a predetermined acceleration value, a control module actuates the driving module to speed up opening or closing of the door panel. When the real-time rolling speed of the door panel reaches a predetermined deceleration value, the control module controls the driving module to speed down opening or closing of the door panel; when the real-time rolling speed of the door panel is in between the acceleration value and the deceleration value, the control module actuates the driving module to maintain the opening or closing speed of the rolling door at current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Inventor: Chung-Hsien Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9963935
    Abstract: A covering for architectural openings including a roller, a shade wrapped around the roller, the shade extendable from the roller when the roller rotates in a first direction, and retractable onto the roller when the roller rotates in a second direction. The covering also includes a retraction mechanism operably associated with the roller for biasing the roller in a direction to retract the shade and a positioning device operably engaging the roller for selectively holding the shade at a selected extension location and selectively releasing the shade for additional extension or retraction. The positioning device is actuated to hold the shade at the selected extension position by movement of the shade in either the extension or retraction direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth M. Faller
  • Patent number: 9963932
    Abstract: A safety gate has a gate body and at least one locking device. The at least one locking device is mounted on the gate body, and each has a fixing member, a sliding member, and a positioning member. The fixing member is tubular and has a closed end, at least one sliding protrusion, and a recess. The at least one sliding protrusion is formed on the closed end. The sliding member is mounted rotatably around the fixing member and has at least one guiding track and a holding hole. The at least one curved guiding track is formed on and protruding from an inner surface of the sliding member. Each guiding track has an inclined guiding surface to define a high end and a low end respectively at two ends of the guiding track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: DEMBY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsung-Hsiang Wang
  • Patent number: 9957751
    Abstract: Blind assembly comprising a shade material, a winding core and/or a bottom rail, and compensation means. The shade material is attached to the winding core and/or the bottom rail by attaching the compensation means to the shade material in a first condition in which the compensation means extend along a first line with a first shape. The compensation means can be attached to the winding core and/or the bottom rail in a second condition in which the first line has a second shape, different from the first shape. As a result, the shade material is loaded with compensation forces that can counteract any sagging forces exerted on the shade material by the sagging winding core and/or bottom rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INDUSTRIES B.V.
    Inventors: Adrianus Jacob van't Zelfde, Hans de Lange
  • Patent number: 9956900
    Abstract: Embodiments of a connector with integrated lighting are provided. The connector may be used with an awning assembly of an RV, for non-limiting example. The connector includes a head and neck with a luminaire mounted thereto, and the connector may be mounted to a rail on an RV or sidewall of other structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Dometic Sweden AB
    Inventors: Jon Beland, Dale Malott, Pat McConnell, Henry Swinty
  • Patent number: 9957719
    Abstract: A modular sun-shading system comprised of a plurality of latticed shading panels together with supporting rails and orthogonal brackets to provide substantially perpendicular mounting to a building structure outer wall above a window opening, providing a reduced heat load and reduced cooling expenses of a building by shading a building window opening and interior, while having latticed shading panels that allow for snow and rain to pass through and also having reduced wind dynamic drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: David Emerson Wiborg, Dmitri Menn, Kevin Dutt
  • Patent number: 9957750
    Abstract: A window covering includes a positional adjustment mechanism connected to a first rail that includes a spring motor unit, a first lift cord pulley connected to the spring motor unit, a first lift cord collection mechanism having a first roller positioned in the first rail, and a first lift cord that extends from the first lift cord pulley through window covering material such that a portion of the first lift cord passes along the first roller. The first roller is configured so that it only rotates a pre-selected number of revolutions when the window covering material is moved from the extended position to the retracted such that the first roller no longer rotates in the second rotational direction as the window covering material is moved from an extended position to a retracted position after having rotated the pre-selected number of revolutions in the second rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Whole Space Industries LTD
    Inventor: Tzu-Yen Lin
  • Patent number: 9951556
    Abstract: A motorized system for reeling and unreeling a flexible member on a roller tube between fully open wound and fully closed unwound conditions to minimize sound pressure level has a rotatable roller tube and a flexible member that winds on the tube. A d-c motor drives the tube through a gear reduction. The motor has a motor speed versus torque characteristic extending linearly from high maximum RPM, low minimum torque, to low minimum RPM high maximum torque with peak efficiency at a given RPM. The motor moves the member between the two positions at a motor speed less than the given peak efficiency RPM and less than 50% of high maximum RPM with efficiency less than 25% of peak efficiency, intentionally at a high torque and low efficiency. The motor has two or more modes each moving the member at predetermined different linear speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Robert C. Newman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9951524
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a retractable awning comprises a slotted track; a webbing disposed in the slotted track; a cover attached to the webbing and disposed on the slotted track; a first roller disposed at a first end of the slotted track and connected to a first end of the webbing; a second roller disposed at a second opposite end of the slotted track and connected to a second end of the webbing; and a bracket, the bracket disposed over the first roller and comprising a guide roller which contacts the cover when the retractable awing is in a deployed position between the first roller and the first end of the slotted track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Samuel Mazzarelli
  • Patent number: 9945177
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening is provided. The covering may include an outer roller, an inner roller received within the outer roller, a first shade secured to and adapted to be wrapped around the outer roller, and a second shade secured to and adapted to be wrapped around the inner roller. The outer roller may define an elongated slot through which the second shade extends and retracts. Opposite ends of the inner roller may be aligned with corresponding ends of the outer roller. A mounting system may support the inner and outer rollers for rotative movement about a central longitudinal axis of the inner roller. A bottom rail of the second shade may engage the outer roller when the second shade is in the fully retracted position. Rotation of the inner roller when the second shade is in a retracted position may cause rotation of the outer roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Terrence M. Drew, Kenneth M. Faller, Kent A. Smith
  • Patent number: 9945178
    Abstract: A roll up flexible door assembly includes a flexible door with guides mounted along the opposed sides. Opposed tracks are mounted at a spaced distance from one another with each of the tracks having inner edges positioned opposite one another. An angled guide liner is mounted to each track and extends longitudinally along at least a portion of the track. The angled guide liner is angled with respect to the inner edge with the angle increasing from the top to the bottom. The guides are received within the tracks and adapted to engage the angled guide liner as the flexible door is raised and lowered in the tracks. The guides and the angled guide liner tighten the flexible door as the flexible door is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: PERFORMAX GLOBAL
    Inventor: Dirk Hentschel
  • Patent number: 9932769
    Abstract: A hidden insect screen system for tilt-to-clean, double hung windows whereby raising the bottom sash (104) causes resultant opening to fill with insect screen (115a) dispensed from an ordinary self-storing roller mechanism (114) mounted inside bottom rail (109) of said sash and whereby lowering the upper sash (105) causes resultant opening to fill with insect screen (115b) dispensed from an ordinary self-storing roller mechanism (122) mounted inside window head frame (103), all furnished such that vertical edges of the screens are protected from insect passage by contacting weatherstrip-like edge seals (127), and arranged such that insect protection is maintained with minimal interruption when each sash is tilted and its glazing is cleaned, the lower end of the upper screen being attached so as to be quickly repositioned from top to bottom of said upper sash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventor: Donald R Woolery
  • Patent number: 9925908
    Abstract: A modular inflatable protection system for protecting an item is provided. The system includes a plurality of inflatable modules, each of the modules having an inflatable body; a gas valve configured to receive a gas to inflate the inflatable body; a first connection portion; and a second connection portion. The first connection portion is configured to removably connect a first one of the modules to the second connection portion of a second one of the modules, the first connection portion can be reused to connect the first one of the modules to the second connection portion of a third one of the modules, and the system is configured to provide a barrier to protect the item from damaging contact by a potentially damaging element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventors: Raymond Jacob Zwack, III, Stuart I Smith
  • Patent number: 9926741
    Abstract: A motor-drive system for retractable covering having a headrail with a horizontally disposed roller supporting a top edge of a flexible fabric material includes an electric motor mounted within a housing and interconnected to the roller to selectively rotate the roller in opposite directions while minimizing noise created from vibrations within the system. This system includes motor mounts within the housing which separate and absorb vibrations of the motor within the housing and a drive disk of a moderately soft material, which is firm enough to transfer torque from the motor to the roller while being soft enough to absorb vibrations which would otherwise be transmitted from the motor to the roller. An interconnect mounting the drive disk to the drive shaft of the motor is also made of a third relatively soft material, which is harder than the drive disk to more ably transmit torque but soft enough so as not to unduly transmit noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Faller, Ronald Holt, Stephen T. Wisecup