Abstract: A counterbalancing device for a roller shade having a flexible sheet member and a roller shaft coupled to the flexible sheet member includes a stationary rod extending within the roller shaft, with the rod including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The counterbalancing device also includes a rod adjuster coupled to the first end of the stationary rod and a spring winder positioned adjacent to the first end of the stationary rod. The rod adjuster is configured to selectively rotate the stationary rod and the spring winder is configured to rotate with the roller shaft. Additionally, the counterbalancing device also includes a spring having a first spring end coupled to the spring winder such that the first spring end rotates with the spring winder, and a second spring end coupled to the stationary rod such that the second spring end rotates with the stationary rod.

Abstract: A Venetian blind includes two string reels, two spring reels, a leaf spring and a wheel set. The string reels are engaged with each other. The spring reels engaged with each other. The leaf spring includes two sections respectively wound on the spring reels so that one of the sections of the leaf spring gets longer and the remaining one of the sections of the leaf spring gets shorter when the spring reels are rotated. The wheel set connects one of the string reels to one of the spring reels. None of the spring reels is engaged with any of the string reels without the wheel set.

Abstract: A spring drive system for a window shade includes a housing, a cord drum and a first gear fixedly connected with each other and pivotally connected with the housing, the cord drum being connected with two second suspension cords, a second gear pivotally connected with the housing, two spring reels respectively pivotally connected at two opposite sides of the second gear so that the two spring reels are respectively rotatable relative to the second gear, the second gear and the two spring reels being disposed in a coaxial manner, a third gear pivotally connected with the housing and respectively meshed with the first and second gears, the third gear being fixedly connected with two second take-up reel at two opposite sides, and two springs each assembled around one corresponding spring reel and having one end connected with one corresponding take-up reel.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus for a movable barrier system having a rotatable drum and an elongate member that winds up on and pays out from an external surface of the rotatable drum. The sensor apparatus includes a base portion, a sensing portion, and a controller. The sensing portion senses a first spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion and a second spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion. The controller detects a change in the proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion without the elongate member contacting the sensing portion.

Abstract: The invention describes a cushion for shading system of the type comprising a piece of cloth slidingly fastened to a section bar of an upright. A raceway with a substantially C-shaped cross section serves to fasten the cushion to a section bar edge, and a flexible tongue, having an end on the raceway and an opposed end spaced therefrom in order to contact the upright, serves as a spring between the section bar and the upright, allowing the section bar to come nearer to the upright in a compression phase or to be spaced in a predetermined way in the absence of compression.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to personnel lift vehicles that include a carriage, a telescoping lift and a load carrying frame. The telescoping lift is connected to a rear portion of the carriage and the load carrying frame is connected to and extends forward from the telescoping lift. The load carrying frame includes a bottom portion that provides an operator platform that is disposed at a central portion of the carriage between a front portion and the rear portion of the carriage. The configuration of the disclosed personnel lift vehicle provides an integral solution for counterweight requirements for the carriage while reducing the overall driving space required for the vehicle.

Abstract: A limit stop assembly for setting a travel limit position of a covering of an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The limit stop assembly including a first state of operation and a second state of operation. The limit stop assembly being transitioned from the first state of operation to the second state of operation by moving the covering from a first position towards a second position. Transitioning the limit stop assembly from the first state of operation to the second state of operation automatically sets the travel limit of the covering for the second position. In one example of an embodiment, the limit stop assembly includes a screw shaft, a limit nut threadably received on the screw shaft, a hub, and a collar selectively movable between first and second collar positions.

Abstract: Implementations of a roller blind assembly for angled architectural openings are provided. In some implementations, the roller blind assembly comprises a frame, a roller tube assembly, a roller blind sheet, a chain assembly, a track assembly, an extension assembly, a retraction assembly, and a motor assembly. In some implementations, a method of using the roller blind assembly comprises installing the roller blind assembly to fully fit the perimeter of an angled architectural opening and operating the roller blind assembly to fully cover the opening of the angled architectural opening.

Abstract: A roller shade adapted to be installed in a non-rectangular structural opening comprising a roller tube, a shade material, a hem bar, and a pair of longitudinal side channels. 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 to the hem bar proximate to one of the wheels to provide tension on the hem bar assembly.

Abstract: A system for heating a door guide area includes: a first and second conduit for channeling a flow of heated air; a heater fluidly connected to the first conduit and configured to provide air to the first and second conduits; first and second openings providing fluid communication between the first and second conduits to allow the air to circulate through the first and second conduits; a heat transfer wall part of the second conduit, to transfer heat from the flow of heated air in the second direction to a space outside of the second conduit that is defined, in part, by the heat transfer wall; and two side supports connected to the heat transfer wall, the side supports located opposing each other and dimensioned and located along with the heat transfer wall to form three sides to encompass a portion of a roll-up door.

Abstract: A roller blind arrangement for a motor vehicle, the roller blind arrangement having a roller blind web and a winding shaft onto which the roller blind web can be wound or from which the roller blind web can be unwound and which has a flexible surrounding-tube arrangement penetrated by a vehicle-attached bearing strut and a corrugated tube as a surrounding-tube element, corrugated-tube ribs being formed on the a corrugated tube and being separated from each other by troughs. The corrugated tube is provided with a coupling overmold at each of its two ends, each coupling overmold being connected to a respective bearing bush and having an outer diameter which corresponds to the maximum outer diameter of the corrugated tube.

Abstract: A screen device comprising: a screen roller (1), having a screen (2), which can be rolled up and unrolled hereon and which on at least one lateral side is provided with a thickening (6), a motor (7) for driving the screen roller (1), which motor, at that end of the screen roller (1) closest to the thickening (6), is disposed at least partially in the screen roller (1), wherein the motor (7) is fitted so far into the screen roller (1) that the thickening (6), in the rolled-up state of the screen (2), is positioned at least partially closer to the screen roller axis (A) than any point on that part of the motor (7) that is fitted in the screen roller (1), which point is situated the furthest from this screen roller axis (A).

Abstract: A shade device includes: guide rails extending in parallel to each other in a first direction as one direction; a winding shaft extending in a second direction as a direction orthogonal to the first direction on one end side of both of the guide rails in the first direction; a light-shielding sheet having one end portion coupled to the winding shaft; a rod extending in the second direction and coupled to the other end portion of the light-shielding sheet; sliding members attached to both of the end portions of the rod in a longitudinal direction and slidably supported by both of the guide rails; and guide members are attached to both of the end portions of the rod in the longitudinal direction, slidably supported by both of the guide rails, and fixed in a state where both of the side edges of the light-shielding sheet are folded.

Abstract: A chain assembly includes a wheel secured on a shaft. A chain manually rotates the wheel and the shaft. A one way bearing has an inner race secured to the shaft and has an outer race that can freely rotate in only one direction in relation to the inner race. A brake drum is coupled to the outer race. Brake shoes are in operative contact with the brake drum to apply friction to the brake drum when there is relative motion between them. A brake adjuster adjusts the braking force applied by the brake shoes on said brake drum. The one way bearing is arranged to maintain the brake drum stationary in one direction of rotation of the shaft and rotate the brake drum in the opposite direction of rotation resulting in a degree of braking of the shaft as determined by the brake adjuster.

Abstract: A method for altering the spring constant (k) of a torsion spring for a roller blind, the method including (i) locating a dampener at a predetermined length along a longitudinal axis of the torsion spring, and (ii) tightening an end of the torsion spring against the dampener to increase the spring constant. Further disclosed is a roller blind system having a cylinder, a fabric attached to the cylinder for winding and unwinding from said cylinder, a torsion spring and a damper moveable along the longitudinal axis of the spring.

Abstract: A modular shade includes at least one module that consists of a head rail unit, a foot rail unit, at least one intermediate rail unit, and a plurality of slat components. A top slat may be coupled to the head rail unit and the intermediate rail unit, and a bottom slat component may be coupled to the intermediate rail unit and the foot rail unit. Further, additional intermediate rail units and intermediate slat components may be added to the module to alter the shape and size of the module, and the module may be coupled to one or more additional modules to change the overall shape and size of the modular shade.

Abstract: Examples of rail assemblies for architectural coverings disclosed herein stabilize motor assemblies via end caps to reduce transfers of vibrational motor forces to the rails. An example rail for an architectural covering includes a housing, a motor to be disposed in the housing, and an end cap to be coupled to said housing. The example rail includes a track defined in an exterior face of the rail. A first portion of the end cap is to be received in the track. The end cap is capable of at least two degrees of freedom of motion relative to the housing prior to the first portion being received in the track. In the example rail, the track is to restrict the at least two degrees of freedom of motion of the end cap when the first portion of the end cap is received in the track.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electromechanical actuator including a spring brake including a helical spring, a drum, an input member and an output member. The drum includes a friction surface configured to cooperate with at least one turn of the spring. The output member includes at least one lug. The lug includes a recess provided with at least a first bearing surface configured to cooperate with one of the first and second legs of the spring. The first bearing surface of the recess is inclined with respect to an axis of rotation of the brake at an angle of inclination of non-zero value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-contained, self-regulating intelligent automated window treatment with increased energy efficiency consisting of: (1) a headrail; (2) a tube located within the headrail; (3) a motor located within the headrail, preferably within the tube; (4) window treatment fabric with one terminus of the fabric affixed to the tube within the headrail, and with the fabric extending from the tube and out from the headrail; (5) a smart bottom rail attached to the terminus of the shade fabric furthest from the tube with the bottom rail containing, at least one sensor, at least one control button, and a battery that provides power to the sensor(s) and control button(s), and wherein the smart bottom rail communicates with the motor in the headrail. Types of sensors used may include environmental sensors, motion sensors, and inertial sensors. In another embodiment of the invention, the battery in the bottom rail may be a rechargeable battery.

Abstract: A covering system for an architectural feature having a roller, the roller including a main body portion and a flapper portion pivotable relative to the main body portion. The covering system also includes a first support member operatively associated at one end to the main body portion and at a second end to a bottom rail, as well as a second support member operatively associated with and laterally moveable relative to the first support member, wherein a first end of the second support member is operatively associated with the flapper portion and a second end of the second support member is operatively associated with the bottom rail. The covering system also includes a limiting mechanism configured to interact with the flapper portion of the roller to maintain the bottom rail in a horizontally level position as the second support member is moved laterally with respect to the first support member.