Patents Examined by Jaime F Cardenas-Garcia
  • Patent number: 7798198
    Abstract: A weight compensation device for a lifting door, includes a spring element and a tensile element, which can be wound onto or unwound from a winding device in such a way that the spring element achieves its greatest pre-tension when the door leaf is in the closed position and is essentially tension-free when the door leaf is in the open position. The tensile element is narrower at the end facing the winding device than at the end facing the spring element and the winding device includes a guide device, which is used to wind the tensile element in such a way that the wound layers lie adjacent to one another without making contact. To achieve this, the guide faces around the perimeter of the guide device have a continuously increasing radius in the winding direction. This enables the provision of a weight compensation device that achieves the torques required for effective weight compensation by means of a simple construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Efaflex Inzeniring D.O.O. Ljubljana
    Inventors: Gabrijel Rejc, Matjaz Sentjurc, Joze Breznikar
  • Patent number: 7766068
    Abstract: Known bottom rails fulfill the requirements stiffness and adjustability at the time of installation, but a noted inequality in the load on the individual raising cord cannot be corrected without a complex dismantling of the bottom rail. According to the invention the bottom rail is suspended in clips (7) that on the one hand holds the lowermost slat (5) and the raising cords (4), on the other hand has means (10) so that the tightening of the raising cords may be adjusted individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Faber A/S
    Inventor: Torben Mayer Andersen
  • Patent number: 7762305
    Abstract: A slide rail structure for a window blind includes at least one extensible rail set, at least one pulley set, and a plurality of top brackets. The extensible rail set is provided with at least two slide rails which are loosely extended with respect to each other and are assembled together, and a side of each slide rail is provided with an open slot. The pulley set is loosely assembled in the slide rail of extensible rail set, and is extended out of the open slot at one side of each slide rail. A side of each top bracket is formed with an arc-shape locking part for sheathing the slide rail of extensible rail set, and a top of each top bracket is provided with a hole for locking and positioning. The slide rail structure can be easily and quickly assembled, can be rigidly positioned and can slide smoothly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Inventor: Yih-Ren Huang
  • Patent number: 7762304
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting an obstacle and limiting the force from the primary edge or sill nosing (10) of a flexible apron or curtain (5) in a goods-handling door (1) when the latter comes into contact with an obstacle (14) as it is being closed. The inventive device comprises safety cells (21, 22) which are positioned and fixed close to each guiding device (8) such as to emit a beam F that is directed along a vertical axis outside of the guide (15) so that the beam is interrupted upon deformation of the flexible curtain or apron (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Maviflex
    Inventors: Antonello La Marca, Bernard Simon, Anne-Sophie Panseri, legal representative, Romain Simon, legal representative
  • Patent number: 7740048
    Abstract: A multi-sided frame assembly for screening has a fastening strip with male and female pads. The male pad has a first face from which spaced stems project in an ordered arrangement. The female pad has a second face formed with at least one receptacle extending into a thickness of the female pad. Each stem is located and sized for insertion into the receptacle. A woven, knit or knotted material of open texture having holes, preferable evenly spaced, such as those of a screen, is secured between the pads of the multi-sided frame by passing the stems through the mesh and into the receptacle. A cover can be removably engaged and selectively fastened to the assembled fastening strip. The cover envelops the pads, including fasteners, if any, used to fasten the male and female pads together or used to attach the multi-sided frame assembly to a supporting structure to hold the assembled frame in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Inventor: Eric P. Wilson
  • Patent number: 7726378
    Abstract: A door assembly includes multiple door panels arranged in series along laterally spaced tracks, extending laterally between the tracks, and supported for movement on the tracks. A first pair of hinge plates is secured to a first door panel, each member of the first pair being located at an opposite lateral side of the first panel. A second pair of hinge plates is secured to a second door panel, each member of the second pair being located at an opposite lateral side of the second panel. A first release pin alternately disconnects and connects the first and second hinge plates at the first lateral side of the door panels. A second release pin alternately disconnects and connects the first and second hinge plates at the second lateral side of the door panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Inventor: Felix S. Savon
  • Patent number: 7717158
    Abstract: A side window roll-up shade which has a pull rod attached to a movable edge of a roll-up shade material. The pull rod is carried by two support rods which are guided so that they can move vertically within the door body. At the bottom end of each support rod, a cable is attached, which runs either to a spring motor or to a cable pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: BOS GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Lekar, Melf Hansen
  • Patent number: 7690414
    Abstract: A window assembly that includes a motorized window shade mechanism. The window assembly includes two reversible motors that are disposed in, and at the top of, the window assembly. The window assembly further includes an opaque shade and a translucent shade. Each shade is independently raised and lowered with the motors by a separate gear and belt system positioned at the sidewalls of the window assembly, which are coupled to each other by rotatable shafts journalled into the bottom of the window. Each gear and belt system is driven by one of the reversible motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Aerospace Technologies Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Byron R. Knowles
  • Patent number: 7690415
    Abstract: A window covering lifting control apparatus includes a holding unit, a locating set and a pushbutton. The holding unit has a first spacer and a second spacer formed thereon that are spaced from each other. The spacers have two slots inclining downwards. The first spacer has a strut on one side to be coupled with a spring on an outer side. The locating set includes two gears, two locating rods, two locating heads and a spring assembly to hold the two gears between the spacers. The pushbutton is movably coupled on the strut of the holding unit to control movement of the two gears in the slots. The window lifting control apparatus can be installed in a lower elongated member to control retraction upward or extension downward of the window covering. The two gears of the locating set can engage with and latch a lift cord assembly to provide improved locating effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Inventor: Li-Ming Cheng
  • Patent number: 7686063
    Abstract: A drapery system for moving a suspended drapery fabric allows the drapery fabric to be decoupled from a drive system, such that the drapery fabric may be manually moved. The drapery system comprises a master car comprising a driven portion and a non-driven portion. The driven portion is coupled to a drive belt of the drive system, while the non-driven portion is coupled to the drapery fabric. The master car comprises a spring having a snap adapted to be received in a snap-receiving structure, such that the driven portion is coupled to the non-driven portion. The non-driven portion is operable to move in response to movement of the drive belt to move the drapery fabric when the non-driven portion is coupled to the driven portion. The non-driven portion is operable to be decoupled from the driven portion, such that the position of the drapery fabric may be manually adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Kirby, Kurt Adam Miller, Peter W. Ogden, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7681620
    Abstract: A stacking mechanism comprising: a rotatable screw with external thread of length L and pitch P1; a plurality of N traveling nuts mounted on the screw, having internal thread of pitch P1 and external thread of pitch P2, P1>P2; an arrester preventing rotation of the nuts within a length L1 of the screw, while allowing sliding; and a threaded member of pitch P2 adapted to engage the external thread of the nuts within a length L2 of the screw. In a first position of the mechanism, the nuts are arranged over the length L1. Upon rotation of the screw, the nuts slide along the screw at rate P1 per 1 turn, transit from L1 to L2, and then slide within the length L2 at a rate P2 per 1 turn, thereby achieving reversibly a second position of the mechanism where they are arranged over the length L2, L2<L1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Parma Shutter Technologies Ltd
    Inventors: Tal Padan, Michael Padan
  • Patent number: 7665505
    Abstract: A control apparatus for positioning and counterbalancing an amount of flexible blind material wound onto or unwound from a rotatable shaft of a windable covering such as a blind. The apparatus includes a main body and a variable torque device, at least partially fitted within the main body, having means of achieving a variable torque to prevent rotation of the shaft due to a variable weight of blind material hanging from the shaft in any position between a wound position and an unwound position of the blind material defining full travel of the windable covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
    Inventors: Gregory Radcliffe McCormick, Michael Mosley
  • Patent number: 7665502
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening includes a fixed stationary rail at one end of a plurality of slats and a movable rail at the opposite end of the slats with the slats being movable to and from the fixed rail to create extended and retracted positions of the architectural covering. At least one continuous drive cord is arranged in a loop with both its ends attached to the movable rail and at least one fixed cord return guide is provided. A drive spool adapted to be selectively rotatable in opposite directions of rotation and is operatively engaged with the drive cord so that the drive cord can be wrapped around the drive spool to establish driving engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
    Inventor: Nicolaas Dekker
  • Patent number: 7665506
    Abstract: The invention is relative to a roller shutter device (3) designed to close a window (1) or other opening, the shutter (3) having side edges (4) that are held in guide tracks (5) and which can be disengaged from their guide tracks (5), each of the guide tracks (5) having an access opening (6) in their upper part through which the corresponding edge (4) of the shutter (3), which may have become disengaged, can once again be engaged into the portion of the guide track considered located above this access opening (6) when the shutter (4) is being moved into its open position, control means (9, 10) being foreseen, at least up to a level located below the portion (12) of the abovementioned guide track, on either side of a plane extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide tracks (5) and passing through the latter, these means allowing the possible sway of the shutter (3) to be controlled at the point where these side edges (3) are engaged into said portion (12) of the guide track through the access opening
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Dynaco International S.A.
    Inventor: Benoit Coenraets
  • Patent number: 7654299
    Abstract: A universal removable liner attaches to a Roman shade to block sunlight and provide privacy. The shade retraction mechanism draws the shade up in tiers with one or more lift cords. The liner links to the shade across the top of the shade and at the lift cords, with the tiers formed in the shade lifting the liner in tiers as well. Links between the lift cords and the liner at the shade tier tops are closable loops. A hook-and-loop tape is preattached to the top edge of the liner, while a separate strip of adhesive-backed, mating hook-and-loop tape is furnished for user attachment to the top edge of substantially any tier-lift shade. Once the user joins the shade and liner at the tier tops, the liner forms tiers mirroring the tiers of the shade as the two are raised together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Lewis Hyman Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. LeBlanc, James J. Hyman
  • Patent number: 7650924
    Abstract: A mass marketable decorative window treatment system employs adjustable-width valance pieces or overlays that can be hung from a conventional curtain rod on which a rod sleeve has been mounted. Segmented hook and loop fastener means are employed on both the valance pieces and on a curtain rod subassembly so that the decorative window treatment components need not be permanently secured to a board as required with similar custom window treatments. The width of individual valance pieces, such as, but not limited to, swags and jabots and flat overlays can be adjusted so that the standard size components can be used for different size windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Inventor: Susan Smith Bouldin
  • Patent number: 7624784
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening includes a roller assembly having a rotatable roller secured to one edge of a sheet of flexible material with the opposite edge secured thereabove to a fixed location. The roller assembly is cradled in a cord ladder or cord ladder type element so one vertical run of the cord ladder is anchored and the other vertical run is raised or lowered to raise and lower the cradle thereby causing the flexible material to be wrapped around or unwrapped from the roller. The roller assemblies can be used individually or in combination with like roller assemblies and can further be used in combination with other covering products such as sheets of translucent or transparent materials like sheer fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Anthony, Kristi K. Kopecky
  • Patent number: 7621313
    Abstract: A portable roll up window blind has an adjustable length and is removably mountable within the frame of a window. The blind has shell housing of an adjustable length and a telescopic winding core mounted between two end plates of the shell housing. One of the end plate is slidable and adjustable by a wedging means for pressing against the adjacent side wall of the window frame so that the two end plates cooperate with one another to secure the blind at a selected position in the window frame. The window blind panels are wound on the winding core in an overlapping manner. The winding core has one end engage with a round support pin located on the inner surface of the one end plate, and the other end engaged with a rotary shaft having a multi-sided cross sectional shape. The rotary shaft is rotatable by a pull chain for raising or lowering the window blind panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Inventor: Dung Viet Pham
  • Patent number: 7617860
    Abstract: An elevator door system includes a motor rotating a vertical reel, and an elevator door. The door can be formed of a plurality of vertically aligned rigid panels or can be a sheet of material which is rigid or reinforced in the vertical direction or can have any other appropriate form making it suitable for being wound upon and unwound from the reel. The door is mounted to a flexible force transmission member provided along an entire width of the door and interconnected to the reel. Accordingly, the forces generated by the motor for opening and closing the door are substantially transmitted through the transmission member rather than being imparted onto the door itself. Hence, in use the strain on the door is greatly reduced and therefore the quantity of material used for the door and consequently its cost and mass can be reduced without deteriorating performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Peter A. Spiess
  • Patent number: 7617859
    Abstract: A top down/bottom up covering for an architectural opening is disclosed in a roll-up configuration so the shade can be rolled about a roller in a head rail while having the ability to raise and lower top and bottom rails between which the shade material extends independently of each other. The roller is utilized to raise and lower the bottom rail by wrapping about or unwrapping the shade material from the roller and a control system for raising and lowering the top rail is confined within the roller. The invention is disclosed in embodiments that include a single operating element or a pair of operating elements but in each instance the top and bottom rails are independently movable so the shade material can be extended to any degree between the top and bottom rails and positioned at desired locations within the architectural opening in which the covering is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond N. Auger