Patents Examined by Jeremy C Ramsey
-
Patent number: 10487572Abstract: A pivotable handle for an architectural covering is provided. The handle may include first and second members pivotably connected together at a hinge assembly. The first member may be operable to connect the handle to a movable rail. The second member may pivot between stored and use positions. In a stored position, the second member may extend adjacent the first member. In a use position, the second member may be pivoted away from the first member to extend the movable rail across an architectural structure. The handle may include a biasing member operable to bias the second member towards the first member.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2017Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.Inventors: Stephen P. Smith, Michael True, Galen B. Rhodes, Tim Daviau, Kent Smith, Paula Cerna
-
Patent number: 10486503Abstract: A vehicle window shade that is installable in a secure manner against a vehicle window. The window shade has a screen that is adapted to fit windows of varying heights. The shade comprises a base and a screen coiled and housed within the base and adapted to be extended outside of the base and retracted. At least one clip is pivotally connected to the base. The clip secures an elongated housing of the base in a substantially horizontal plane aligned with an upper or lower edge of a vehicle window. A temperature indicator may be connected to the shade and an attachment device may also be attached and adapted to secure the screen to a flat surface in an extended position.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2016Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Munchkin Inc.Inventor: Lawrence O. Freese
-
Patent number: 10480244Abstract: An adjustable cord winder includes a winding unit, two cord-winding gears, two glide units, and two driving cords. The winding unit has two coil spring gears. A coil spring is connected between the coil spring gears. Each cord-winding gear meshes with one of the coil spring gears and thus rotates synchronously with the coil spring gear. Each glide unit has a roller unit capable of rotating by a specific angle and rollers freely, rotatably disposed at the roller unit. Each driving cord has one end connected to the cord-winding gear to allow the driving cord to wind on or let out from the cord-winding gear. The driving cords wind on at least one roller. The adjustable cord winder is characterized by the rollers for enhancing stability and smoothness of the driving process of the driving cords, and the roller unit for adjusting the tension on the driving cords.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2017Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Inventor: Chin-Fu Chen
-
Patent number: 10465440Abstract: A slat for use in a rolling shutter is provided. The slat comprises a hooking track located at a first edge of a body and a receiving track located at a second edge of the body. Illustratively, the hooking track has a hook-shaped profile, and the receiving track comprises a lip member and a guard member defining a space adapted to receive therein an engaging track of an adjacent slat. The hooking track and the receiving track are designed to minimize the space required for the rolling shutter to be retracted around a spindle.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Qualitas Manufacturing IncorporatedInventors: James V. Miller, Brian Peterson
-
Patent number: 10465442Abstract: The disclosure provides roll-up coverings for an architectural opening, and various embodiments of ladder tapes. Embodiments of the roll-up covering include a roller, a first outer elongate tape, a first inner elongate tape and a plurality of slats disposed between the outer and inner elongate tapes. The first inner elongate tape can further defines a plurality of collapsible hinge segments disposed along the length of the first inner elongate tape. The collapsible hinge segments can be configured to collapse in order to decrease the effective length of the first inner elongate tape when the first inner elongate tape is rolled up around the roller. The collapsible hinge segments can further be configured to expand in order to increase the effective length of the first inner elongate tape when the roll-up covering is unrolled from the roller.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2016Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.Inventor: Wendell B. Colson
-
Patent number: 10443304Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening including a roller, an end rail, and a panel rotatable onto the roller and spanning between the roller and the end rail. The panel includes a front sheet, a rear sheet, and a cell spanning between the front and rear sheet. When the front sheet is at a first position relative to the rear sheet, the cell is open. When the front sheet is at a second position relative to the rear sheet, the cell is closed.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2016Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.Inventors: Wendell B. Colson, Paul G. Swiszcz, James M. Anthony
-
Patent number: 10438521Abstract: A display wall system is provided that has a flexible frame member with inflatable members and a plurality of panel members that can be positioned within the flexible frame member to provide rigidity to the display wall system when the inflatable members are inflated.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Inventor: Steven J. Goldrich
-
Patent number: 10435943Abstract: A roller shutter comprising a shutter moveable between a retracted position and an extended position is described. The shutter comprises one or more laths wherein the one or more laths comprise first and second surfaces mechanically connected by first and second sides and one or more internal supports. The one or more internal supports are configured to collapse preferentially with respect to the first and second sides. The presence of the one or more internal supports provides the laths with increased mechanical strength. However, by configuring the internal supports to collapse preferentially with respect to the first and second sides provides a means for absorbing and dissipating this force through the shutter. The roller shutter finds particular application as a horizontal shutter within heavy industry environments.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2013Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: System 2000 Group LimitedInventors: John Edward Rowley, Robert Albert Rowley
-
Patent number: 10428566Abstract: A flexible unitary sandwich-like panel overhead door (11) consists of two relatively thin elastic sheets (12) and (13) connected by a plurality of elongated parallel web panels (14) which have supporting rollers (16) attached. The sheet-web connections are hinged (15) so that the panel may be flexibly moved from a closed vertical position to an open overhead nearly horizontal configuration. A rectangular beam (17), attached to the elastic sheets, provides additional stability and strength to the door structure. Additional embodiments are described.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2017Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Inventor: James G. Arendts
-
Patent number: 10428579Abstract: A device (1) is described for stopping, releasing and restoring the position of roller-type window nets (3, 48), comprising: a fixing shaft (13) having a coupling groove (15) formed in a front external circumferential surface thereof and an insertion groove (16) formed in a rear surface thereof; a ball rotor (18) inserted into the fixing shaft (13) and coupled to the external circumferential surface of the fixing shaft (13), including a front portion coupled by means of a spring (30) and having a conveying groove (20) formed in a surface thereof for conveying a ball (40) and a guide jaw (38) formed in a central part thereof, wherein the ball (40) is inserted into the conveying groove (20); and an outer rotor (42) coupled to the conveying groove (20) via the ball (40) and having a rotation groove (44) formed in an internal circumferential surface thereof, wherein the ball (40) is coupled to the rotation groove (44) to rotate.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2014Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Inventor: Roberto Brioschi
-
Patent number: 10422182Abstract: An improvement in a rolling shutter assembly for covering an opening of a structure defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and oppositely disposed side walls. The rolling shutter assembly includes a shutter housing, a shutter support member rotatably disposed within the shutter housing, a shutter coupled to the shutter support member, the shutter comprising a plurality of individual slats and a plurality of hinges interconnecting the slats, and a pair of side tracks. The shutter rolls between a rolled position wherein the shutter is rolled onto the shutter support member and an unrolled position wherein the shutter covers the opening and the ends of the slats are disposed within the channels of the corresponding side tracks. The improvement comprises a support frame having top, bottom and side rails mounted to the walls defining the opening with the side tracks each mounted to a corresponding one of the side rails of the support frame.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2014Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Qualitas Manufacturing, Inc.Inventor: James V. Miller
-
Patent number: 10392859Abstract: A rail for an architectural covering is provided. The rail may be associated with a shade material of a covering. An adjustment device may be positioned at least partially within the rail. A plurality of lift cords may be associated with the adjustment device. The adjustment device may adjust an effective length of each of the lift cords to adjust a position of the rail within an architectural opening.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2016Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.Inventors: Coty Church, Patrick Foley, Paul F. Josephson
-
Patent number: 10384521Abstract: The invention concerns a shade system for a motor vehicle, said system being adapted to obscure a transparent bodywork element. Said shade system comprises at least one shade guideway, a winding shaft and lateral elements wherein are guided the lateral edges of the shade guideway. The lateral edges of the shade guideway have each a flat and flexible driving band. In order to ensure that said diving bands are wound on the winding shaft and are unwound therefrom in a specific manner, a lateral winding guide is arranged at the winding shaft for each driving band, said winding guides preventing the driving bands from being laterally offset at the winding shaft.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2016Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: WEBASTO SEInventors: Andreas Rockelmann, Andreas Sedlmeir, Armin Frommer, Frank Koslowski
-
Patent number: 10378275Abstract: There is described a blind for installation between an inner environment and an outer environment where light originates. The blind comprises slats substantially forming a vertically periodic arrangement. Each one of the slats extends in a substantially horizontal axis, and comprises an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface has a normal oriented both upwardly and toward the outer environment, and comprises a coating providing specular reflection. The lower surface has reflection normal oriented both downwardly and toward any one of the outer environment and the inner environment, and comprises a coating providing specular reflection. The upper surface and the lower surface of a given slat are joined at an apex pointing toward the outer environment.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2016Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Inventor: Eliot Ahdoot
-
Patent number: 10359064Abstract: Protective clips for movable partitions include a guard portion that protrudes from a top major surface of a base portion. The guard portion extends along the top major surface proximate to a front side of the base portion. The guard portion also may extend along the top major surface proximate to at least one end side surface at a longitudinal end of the base portion. Movable partitions include one or more such protective clips. The protective clips optionally may be used to attach a sweep strip to panels of a movable partition. Methods of forming such protective clips include molding the clips within a mold cavity.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2015Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Won-Door CorporationInventors: Michael D. George, E. Carl Goodman, Craig Bell, Michael Hazlett, William Michael Coleman
-
Patent number: 10358867Abstract: A motorized window covering switching mechanism is described herein. The switching mechanism includes a deflectable arm and a pull cord. The deflectable arm is connected to a first contact, and the pull cord is connected to the deflectable arm such that, as the pull cord is tugged, the deflectable arm deflects to move the first contact toward a second contact, thereby converting gestures of the pull cord into electrical signals that control a motorized window covering. In some embodiments, cord gestures that deflect the deflectable arm include pull sequences, numbers of pulls, strength of pulls, or combinations thereof. Additionally, in some embodiments, a controller receives the cord gestures and translates the cord gestures into operational commands to control and operate a window covering gearbox assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2016Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Hall Labs LLCInventors: David R. Hall, Austin Benjamin Carlson, Clint J. Cook, Kevin Dean Rees, Davido Loyal Hyer, Jerome Lee Miles, Emily Brimhall
-
Patent number: 10358317Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2015Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.Inventors: Edward Thomas Laird, Robert John Olmsted
-
Patent number: 10344528Abstract: A covering for architectural openings includes a cord drive with a pulley that is supported by a bearing surface which lies in the plane of the cord.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.Inventors: Richard N. Anderson, Robert E. Fisher Il, Donald E. Fraser, Steven R. Haarer
-
Patent number: 10344530Abstract: In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method for Modular, Locking Headrail-Retention Mechanism is described. The module, locking headrail-retention mechanism may, in certain embodiments be separate from a headrail, and insertable into at least one end of the headrail. In other embodiment, the locking headrail-retention mechanism may be manufactured as part of the headrail. The locking headrail-retention mechanism may comprise a cylindrical housing and a first cam disposed within the cylindrical housing. The locking headrail-retention mechanism may also include a retention plate proximate one end of the cylindrical housing and axially aligned with the first cam. A biasing member may be disposed within the cylindrical housing, and may impart an axial force on the first cam. The first cam may be operable to selectively prevent the axial force from being imparted on the retention plate.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: GLOBAL CUSTOM COMMERCE INC.Inventors: Tuluhan Coker, Daniel H. Cotlar, Berk Coker
-
Patent number: 10329837Abstract: A roller shade assembly comprising a roller tube having an inner surface defining an axial bore, a spindle including an outer threaded portion defining a helical groove, the spindle configured to be received in the axial bore of the roller tube for axial movement in the roller tube at one end roller tube and at least one tracking element operatively associated with the roller tube, the at least one tracking element configured for riding in the helical groove to convert axial rotation of roller tube into axial movement of the roller tube on the support tube. The tracking element engages the helical groove from a position more proximal to one end of the roller tube. The starting axial position of the roller tube in relation to the support tube is configured to be adjustable by manually rotating the spindle without rotating the support tube.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2015Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: AUTO-MOTION SHADE INC.Inventor: Hans Grützner