Patents Examined by Matthew R. Shepherd
  • Patent number: 11939815
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a guide system includes a first member configured to be fixed to a structure. A coupling element is fixed to the first member. A second member is moveable relative to the first member. The second member is configured to receive the coupling element to couple the first member to the second member. There is a channel between the first member and the second member when the first member is coupled to the second member. The channel is configured to receive a portion of a closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: CornellCookson, LLC
    Inventors: James Janick, Daniel Frack
  • Patent number: 11905758
    Abstract: A roller shade assembly includes a roller tube including a first end opposite a second end, the roller tube defining an opening longitudinally extending between the first and second ends, and an idler assembly partially received by the opening at the first end, the idler assembly including an idler housing, a plunger received by the idler housing, and a biasing member configured to apply a biasing force onto the plunger, wherein the plunger is configured to slide relative to the idler housing, and the plunger is configured to selectively engage a bracket member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Springs Window Fashions, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Allen Graybar, Eric Nathan Krantz-Lilienthal, Jason Wilhelm Hall, Jake Malesky, Benjamin James Kolbeck, Brian Matthew Albrecht
  • Patent number: 11891810
    Abstract: An awning is provided that includes an extendable arm, a shelter member, and a joint. The extendable arm has an inner end coupled with a support and an outer end extendable away from the inner end. The shelter member has an outer portion coupled with the extendable arm support and disposed along the extendable arm. The joint has a mechanism responsive to an awning retraction force to raise outer portions of the extendable arms and an outer portion of the shelter member toward a horizontal orientation relative to a shade enhancing orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Inventor: Zhun-An Ma
  • Patent number: 11873681
    Abstract: A window blind includes an upper beam and a lower beam linked by two ladder-like ropes. The ladder-like rope has a front vertical portion, a rear vertical portion, transverse portions connected between the vertical portions, first ring portions connected to the front vertical portion, second ring portions connected to the rear vertical portion, and third ring portions connected to the front vertical portion. The transverse portion supports a slat from below. The slat has two ends thereof each provided with a through hole and a slot communicated with the through hole. To assemble the slat, the third ring portion of the ladder-like rope has one segment inlaid into the through hole of the slat through the slot, and then the third ring portion is mounted around the front edge of the slat. Also disclosed is a method for assembling the slats of the window blind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: UNION WINNER INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ming-Tsung Pai
  • Patent number: 11859447
    Abstract: A window covering system that includes an elongated tube configured for a window covering to be wound around the tube, a clutch assembly that includes a pulley and a power spring having a first end engaging the pulley and a second end that is stationary, a limiter assembly, a booster assembly arranged between the clutch assembly and the limiter assembly, a cord arranged at least partially within the clutch assembly, and a wand fixed to the cord to selectively raise and lower the window covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLEASE ACMEDA, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Brown, II, Douglas Moore, Roccardo Santilli
  • Patent number: 11840883
    Abstract: Embodiments of an end tip configured to travel in a track of a shade system are disclosed. The end tip includes a body portion having a diameter and including a first section and a second section. The first section has a head portion and is made of a first material having a first hardness, and the second section is made of a second material having a second hardness. The head portion has a width that is wider than the diameter of the body portion, and the first hardness is higher than the second hardness. Also disclosed is a shade system including first and second tracks, a shade, and end tips. The first and second sections of the end tips are configured to separate when a threshold load is applied to the end tips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: InPro Corporation
    Inventors: Calvin T. Rupnow, Matthew G. Bennett
  • Patent number: 11834900
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to a motor-driven dynamic shade provided in an insulating glass (IG) unit, and/or associated methods. A spacer system helps maintain first and second substrates in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another and defines a gap therebetween. A shade and a motor are provided in the gap. The motor, provided close to a first peripheral edge of the IG unit, is dynamically controllable to cause the shade to extend towards a second peripheral edge of the IG unit opposite the first peripheral edge and to cause the shade to retract from the second peripheral edge towards the first peripheral edge. The shade may be electrostatically couplable to one of the first and second substrates when the shade is extended via complementary electrostatic connection areas provided to the shade and the one of the first and second substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: GUARDIAN GLASS, LLC
    Inventors: Lindsay Horn, John Matuszewski, Jason Theios
  • Patent number: 11827083
    Abstract: A roller blind arrangement for a motor vehicle may have a roller blind web which has guiding tapes on its lateral edges on either side of a longitudinal center plane of the roller blind, a winding shaft onto which the roller blind web can be wound or from which the roller blind web can be unwound and which comprises a flexible hollow tube arrangement penetrated by a vehicle-attached mounting beam and comprising a flexible middle tube which is provided with bearing bushes in a co-rotating manner on both ends, each guiding tape of the roller blind web being attached to one bearing bush. At least one of the bearing bushes can shift relative to the middle tube in the longitudinal direction of the hollow tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventors: Daniel Schuller, Tobias Fritz, Sebastian Gering, Ulrich Schreiber, Andreas Rockelmann, Marian Riegger
  • Patent number: 11821260
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to multi-layered fabrics and coverings for architectural features and methods for manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a three-dimensional multi-layered fabric having a first or front exterior layer, a plurality of intermediate or interior layers, and a second or back exterior layer, which are separable from one another, and their method of manufacture, and panels and/or coverings for architectural features having or comprised of a multi-layered fabric, and methods of making the same. The plurality of interior layers extends between the exterior layers, and the separation and stitching of the two paired intermediate layers from at least one of the front exterior layer and back exterior layer are at different locations (points), respectively, which facilitates the formation of a cell, and controls the size and shape of the cell that may form between the two paired, intermediate layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventors: Wendell B. Colson, Abdel-Fattah Mohamed Seyam
  • Patent number: 11786064
    Abstract: A zebra curtain comprises a curtain rolling device, an upper rail, two fixing brackets, a lower rail and a curtain sheet. Two ends of the curtain sheet are respectively fixed on the upper rail and the curtain rolling device. The upper rail comprises a first shaft sleeve and a second shaft sleeve. The first shaft sleeve comprises a first protruding shaft, and the second shaft sleeve comprises a bearing, a second protruding shaft, a spring and a positioning piece. The curtain sheet comprises light-transmitting parts and light-impermeable portions arranged at intervals. The second protruding shaft moves inside the bearing by the spring pressing to be separated from the fixing bracket and to take off the zebra curtain, then adjusting the light-transmitting parts and the light-impermeable parts, and releasing the second protruding shaft to be axially connected with the fixing bracket, thereby completing the assembly of the zebra curtain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN RUIQING XINGYE PLASTIC CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Chih-Yung Wang
  • Patent number: 11780301
    Abstract: A blinding arrangement for shielding a vehicle front windshield. The blinding arrangement includes at least one blinding system which includes a cassette, a spannable blinding body which can be moved out of and into the cassette, a horizontal upper guide rail for guiding the spannable blinding body in a horizontal direction, and a cassette locking arrangement. The horizontal upper guide rail is fixedly mounted above the vehicle front windscreen. The cassette pivots within a cassette pivot plane between a horizontal non-use position in which the cassette is arranged parallel to the horizontal upper guide rail and a lowered use position in which the cassette is arranged perpendicular to the horizontal upper guide rail. The cassette locking arrangement locks the cassette in the horizontal non-use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: REMIS GESELLSCHAFT FUER ENTWICKLUNG UND VERTRIEB VON TECHNISCHEN ELEMENTEN MBH
    Inventors: Alexander Bornholdt, Thomas Borowski
  • Patent number: 11773648
    Abstract: A cellular shade includes a head rail unit, an intermediate rail unit, a bottom rail unit, a blind body and a magnetically attractive unit. The head rail unit includes a head rail and a lower mounting bracket. The intermediate rail unit includes an intermediate rail and an upper mounting bracket. The magnetically attractive unit includes a first housing mounted on the lower mounting bracket, a second housing mounted on the upper mounting bracket, and a magnet mounted on one of the first and second housings. The other one of the first and second housings is magnetically attractive with the magnet. The first housing includes a first positioning member to be retainingly positioned to the lower mounting bracket. The head rail unit and the intermediate rail unit can be firmly secured to each other by means of the magnetically attractive unit so as to prevent light leaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: TAICANG KINGFU PLASTIC MANUFACTURE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Szu-Chang Huang
  • Patent number: 11767712
    Abstract: An actuating system includes an actuating wheel coupled to an operating element, an axle coupling part disposed substantially coaxial to the actuating wheel and rotatable for raising or lowering a bottom part of a window shade, and a clutching part carried with a carrier and movably linked to the actuating wheel. The clutching part is movable between a retracted state for disengaging from the axle coupling part and an extended state for engaging with the axle coupling part. The actuating wheel is rotatable in a first direction to urge the clutching part to move from the retracted state to the extended state and drive the carrier and the axle coupling part to rotate in unison, and in a second direction to urge the clutching part to move from the extended state to the retracted state so that the actuating wheel is rotationally decoupled from the axle coupling part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Teh Yor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Chen Huang, Chin-Tien Huang, Kuan-Yu Liu
  • Patent number: 11732519
    Abstract: A safety device (200) is provided for a movable barrier system ((100). The safety device comprises a position sensor (210) mountable, in use, to or adjacent a barrier (110). A target (220) is mountable to the other of the barrier, such that movement of the barrier causes relative movement between the position sensor and the target. A controller (240) can communicate with the position sensor. The position sensor can detect movement of the target relative to the position sensor and output a signal to the controller. The controller can receive the output signal from the position sensor, determine one or more signal characteristics from the output signal, and compare the one or more determined signal characteristics with one or more predetermined signal characteristics to determine if the relative movement between the target and the position sensor is within a predefined range. A movement detection method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ANSA Door Systems LTD
    Inventor: Steven Pincher
  • Patent number: 11674350
    Abstract: A covering for an architectural opening. The covering includes a cellular panel having at least two cellular units or rows. The covering also includes a light absorbing element positioned at an interface between the at least two cellular units. The first light absorbing element may absorb substantially all visible light wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventor: Sanjiv R. Malkan
  • Patent number: 11661793
    Abstract: A folding shade includes a supporting seat having a first plate and a second plate opposite to the first plate. The first plate has an abutting portion. A rod unit is connected between the first plate and the second plate. The rod unit includes an axle and a transmission rod rotatably disposed around the axle. An annular space is defined between the transmission rod and the axle. A returning element is mounted around the axle and is connected to the transmission rod. The rod unit extends along a longitudinal axis. A braking mechanism is disposed in the annular space. The braking mechanism includes a limiting member. The abutting portion of the first plate releasably abuts against the limiting member to move the limiting member along the longitudinal axis. A shade is coiled around the rod unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventor: Li-Ming Cheng
  • Patent number: 11608681
    Abstract: A valance kit and mounting assembly secure a valance adjacent a window frame. A mounting block is securable in a clamp ring cavity of the window frame and includes a snap connector on the frame side thereof and a valance groove in each of the top and bottom sides thereof. The valance grooves extend in a width direction across the mounting block and have a depth dimension parallel with a plane of the window opening. A valance assembly includes a plurality of shrouds that together define the valance. Each of the shrouds is provided with a pair of snap ridges disposed facing each other and spaced substantially corresponding to a space between the top and bottom sides of the mounting block. The snap ridges are sized and positioned to engage the valance grooves in a snap fit. The universal mounting block is suitable for mounting various types of window treatments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: LIPPERT COMPONENTS, INC.
    Inventor: Barry Grife
  • Patent number: 11591849
    Abstract: A brake arrangement, for a retractable screen arrangement in which the a screen roller applies a retraction force to the screen and brake arrangement, includes a brake arrangement, for providing a braking force between the brake arrangement and a track which guides the brake arrangement, to resist retraction. The brake arrangement provides a brake member with a friction surface for contacting the bearing surface; a brake member support for supporting the brake member; and a forcing arrangement for forcing the friction surface against the bearing surface. The forcing arrangement includes a biasing arrangement for biasing the friction surface onto the bearing surface, and a force-increasing arrangement for increasing the force with which the friction surface engages the bearing surface. The force increasing arrangement converts a frictional force between the friction surface and the track into additional contact pressure force of the friction surface onto the guide track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Inventors: Anthony Gerard Roberts, Aaron Rodd
  • Patent number: 11555350
    Abstract: A window includes a window frame and a screen mounting assembly. The window frame is formed with two rail slots. The screen mounting assembly is adapted to be connected to a window screen and includes a roller unit, a sliding unit and an interconnecting unit. The roller unit includes a roller seat. The sliding unit is slidable along the rail slots and defines an engaging groove. The interconnecting unit is operable between a disengaging state where the interconnecting unit is connected to the roller seat, and an engaging state where the interconnecting unit is separated from the roller seat and inserted into the engaging groove so as to engage the sliding unit, such that movement of the sliding unit along the rail slots results in winding and unwinding of the window screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: ONWELL CURTAIN & SCREEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chiu-Lan Fan, Chin-Yu Kuo
  • Patent number: 11536084
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rolling door comprising a door leaf which can be moved between an open position, in which it at least partially releases a wall opening and forms a multi-layer winding above the wall opening, and a closed position, in which it at least partially closes the wall opening, as well as comprising joint assemblies arranged in the region of the lateral edges of the door leaf, at least sections of which are running in the direction of gravity in the closed position, and secured to the door leaf, for guiding the door leaf movement, each of which includes a plurality of joint elements articulately connected relative to joining shafts running perpendicular to the lateral edges and approximately parallel to the door leaf plane, wherein at least sections of the door leaf are made of a bendable material, such as a plastic film, which is stabilised by two, three or more stabilising devices running perpendicular to the lateral edges and in the door leaf plane, wherein the door leaf is only connecte
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Seuster KG
    Inventor: Jörg Fischer