Abstract: A retractable screen device for a framed opening employing a frame track fastened to each side support of the framed opening; the frame track forming a compartment for receipt of a guide rail with a decompression gasket positioned between the frame track and the guide rail. A screen mounted on a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft secured to a header of the opening has laterally opposed side edges with an elongated flexible protrusion secured along the length of each side edge. The guide rail receives and guides the screen protrusion along a longitudinal direction, and the decompression gasket allows the guide rail to traverse the frame track side walls to permit the screen to flex while maintaining a consistent tension on the screen. Vertical tension adjustment is provided by use of a biasing member coupled to the center axle that activates when the screen is deployed.

Abstract: A roller shade actuation device includes a driver arranged in a winding drum, a shaft fixed to a support frame outside one end of the winding drum and inserted into the winding drum, and a transmission mechanism for realizing power transmission between the driver and the shaft. The driver includes a housing relatively fixed to the winding drum, a rotation power member arranged in the housing, and a driving gear coaxial with and fixed to an output shaft of the rotation power member. The transmission mechanism includes a first transmission gear meshed with the driving gear, a synchronous gear coaxial with the first transmission gear, and a fixed gear fixed to the shaft and meshed with the synchronous gear. Axial directions of the output shaft and the shaft are vertical, and the synchronous gear and the fixed gear are bevel gears whose axial directions are perpendicular to each other.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of preparing and assembling certain prefabricated products (identified below as (a) Suspension Rods; (b) Decorative Finished Wood; (c) Locking Pin; and (d) Rubber Gasket) which, once assembled, will serve as a high end room divider or window covering (also known as window treatments). The inventive framework allows the user who is preparing and assembling the product to have an installed room divider or window coverage that is clean, with no marks, and also able to be assembled by one person, as opposed to having multiple parties present to effect installation.

Abstract: A tubular electromechanical actuator for a home-automation installation includes at least an electronic control unit, an electric motor, a reduction gear, an output shaft, a casing and a closure element. The unit includes a housing and an electronic board. The electronic board is arranged inside the housing. The casing is hollow and configured to house at least the unit, the electric motor and the reduction gear. The closure element is configured to close off an end of the casing. The housing includes at least a first section, produced in the form of a hollow tube, and a second section, produced in the form of a hollow tube. The first and second sections are configured to house the electronic board. In addition, the first section includes first fastening elements configured to cooperate with first fastening elements of the second section.

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: A roller blind is disclosed which provides horizontal slats for directional shading, enabling the application of a screen fabric which allows a greater portion of visible light to pass therethrough. The disclosed slatted roller blind is free from the usage of ladder cords and is simplistic in design. The disclosed slatted roller blind maintains a compact formation of a roller shade when retracted and has greater resistance to skewing along the longitudinal axis of the roller while being retracted. Furthermore, the disclosed slatted roller blind design is capable of being utilized as an outdoor or indoor blind.

Abstract: A window blind includes a headrail, a covering assembly including a plurality of slats and a bottom rail, a lifting mechanism including a driving module and a lift cord assembly operably connected to the driving module, a tilt mechanism adapted to drive the slats to rotate, and an auxiliary unit provided between the tilt mechanism and the lifting mechanism. The lift cord assembly is connected to the bottom rail for expanding or folding the covering assembly. The covering assembly is in a first state when each and every one of the slats is substantially parallel to each other and correspondingly rotatable by the tilt mechanism, and is in a second state otherwise. When the covering assembly is in the second state, the auxiliary unit is drivable by the tilt mechanism to make the lifting mechanism further release the lift cord assembly, changing the covering assembly into the first state again.

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: A wand assembly for use with an architectural-structure covering is disclosed. The wand assembly may include a first operating element (e.g., an operating cord) for moving the covering between extended and retracted positions and a second operating element (e.g., a tilt wand) for adjusting rotation of the covering between open and closed configurations. The first and second operating elements are coupled to a handle assembly via separate and distinct coupling mechanisms so that manipulation of the second operating element does not affect the first operating element thereby preventing twisting of the first operating element about the second operating element. The wand assembly may include a first, inner rotatable wand and a second, stationary outer wand. The inner wand is rotatable relative to the outer wand so that rotation of the inner wand does not rotate the outer wand, and hence the first operating element coupled to the outer wand.

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: A window shutter actuation device includes a cord for driving window shutter slats to move, a retracting mechanism for winding an end of the cord away from the window shutter slats, a brake mechanism arranged between the retracting mechanism and the window shutter slats for controlling a retracting or releasing speed of the cord, and a power mechanism for driving the retracting mechanism to rotate to wind the cord. The retracting mechanism includes a frame, a reel rotatably mounted to the frame for winding the cord, and a wheel arranged outside and adjacent to an end of the reel. The end of the cord wound on the reel passes about the wheel and then extends to the brake mechanism after extending from the reel.

Abstract: A motorized window treatment may provide a low-cost solution for controlling the amount of daylight entering a space through a window. The window treatment may include a covering material (e.g., a cellular shade fabric or a roller shade fabric), a drive assembly for raising and lowering the covering material, and a motor drive unit including a motor configured to drive the drive assembly to raise and lower the covering material. The motorized window treatment may comprise one or more battery packs configured to receive batteries for powering the motor drive unit. The batteries may be located out of view of a user of the motorized window treatment (e.g., in a headrail or in a battery compartment). The motorized window treatment may use various power-saving methods to lengthen the lifetime of the batteries, e.g., to reduce the motor speed to conserve additional battery power and extend the lifetime of the batteries.

Abstract: A tubular electromechanical actuator includes an electric motor, reduction gear, output shaft and casing. The casing is hollow and houses at least the electric motor and the reduction gear. The casing includes a first end and a second end. The actuator also includes a retaining element assembled at the first end of the casing, so as to close off the first end of the casing. The retaining element includes at least a first stop configured to cooperate with the reduction gear, in an assembled configuration of the actuator, and a second stop configured to cooperate with the casing, at the first end of the casing, in the assembled configuration of the actuator. Furthermore, the retaining element includes at least one accommodation configured to cooperate with at least one rib of the reduction gear, so as to participate in the sealing between the retaining element and the reduction gear.

Abstract: A door mechanism for a compartment on an aircraft that includes a door with a first lower guide, a second lower guide, a first upper guide, and a second upper guide. The door mechanism includes a first lower track, a second lower track, a first upper track, and a second upper track, each having a guide track. The first lower guide, second guide, first upper guide, and second upper guide being configured to travel along the corresponding guide track to enable the door to move between open and closed positions. The door in the open position may be positioned within a portion the compartment or may be positioned above the compartment. The first and second lower tracks may include a first a second gap that enables the door to be selectively uncoupled from the first and second lower track guides permitting the door to swing away from the compartment.

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.

Abstract: A spring drive system for a window shade includes a housing, a first and a second gear engaged with each other and respectively assembled about a first and a second pivot axis, two springs respectively assembled at two opposite sides of the second gear and respectively connected with two take-up reels provided on the first gear, a first cord drum and a third gear fixedly connected with each other and assembled about a third pivot axis, the first and third gears being respectively located at different levels along the first and third pivot axes and respectively engaged with a first gear train, a second cord drum and a fourth gear fixedly connected with each other and assembled about a fourth pivot axis, the second and fourth gears being respectively located at different levels along the second and fourth pivot axes and respectively engaged with a second gear train.

Abstract: A control mechanism for a double pitch blind including an array of tiltable slats having a first sub-array of tiltable first slats and a second sub-array of tiltable second slats includes a first spool drive and a second spool drive, both the first spool drive and the second spool drive being configured to be rotated by a common drive shaft. The first spool drive has elongate members extendable and retractable on opposite sides of the slats and the second spool drive has elongate members extendable and retractable on opposite sides of the slats. The first and second spool drives are configured to transfer rotation of the drive shaft to spool-in and to spool-out the elongate members. The first spool drive spools by a first length, and the second spool drive spools by a second length. The first length is larger than the second length.

Abstract: A roll-up door including a flexible curtain having a front surface, a back surface, a first end coupled to a shaft, a second end opposite the first end, and first and second side edges extending between the first end and the second end, the flexible curtain being moveable between a retracted position wherein the flexible curtain is coiled around the shaft and a deployed position wherein the flexible curtain is uncoiled from the shaft. A first retention band is mounted along at least a portion of the first side edge of the flexible curtain, the first retention band including an inner surface at least partially facing towards the flexible curtain, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, a fixed edge attached to the flexible curtain generally parallel to the first side edge, and a free edge opposite the fixed edge and movable relative to the fixed edge.

Abstract: A safety curtain and system includes multiple light emitters and multiple light receivers to detect traffic approaching a doorway. The safety curtain my include pairs of multiple light emitters and receivers positioned on both sides of a passageway (doorway) so as to detect approaching traffic. The multiple light emitters and light receivers may detect a height of an approaching traffic (e.g., person or vehicle) and initiate warning lights of a possible door closing. The detected approach of traffic may cause the door to be stopped, reversed or slow down. The system may include a computer to monitor the signals from the receivers and may control the motion of the door.

Abstract: A low-deflection roller tube of a motorized roller shade may have an outer diameter that does not exceed 2 inches. When a covering material is attached to the roller tube and the roller tube is supported at opposed ends thereof, deflection of a 10 foot configuration of the roller tube may not exceed ? of an inch, and deflection of a 12 foot configuration of the roller tube may not exceed ¼ of an inch, relative to corresponding unloaded positions of the roller tubes. The roller tube may comprise a plurality of layers of carbon fiber, or may comprise an inner tube that is made of a first material, such as aluminum, and a carbon fiber outer tube that is formed on the inner tube. At least one layer, such as an outermost layer, may comprise high modulus carbon fiber.