Abstract: A roller shade comprising a roller tube, a shade material attached to the roller tube, and a shade drive unit adapted to rotate the roller tube to lower or raise the shade material. The shade drive unit comprises a spring adapted to counterbalance the shade drive unit, a spring carrier, and a spring fastener. The spring carrier comprises a cylindrical barrel, wherein one of the first and second ends of the spring is concentrically positioned over the cylindrical barrel of the spring carrier. The spring fastener comprising a body having a curved bottom surface adapted to be positioned over one of the first and second ends of the spring and attached to the cylindrical barrel of the spring carrier.

Abstract: Battery operated shade comprising a shade material operably connected at its top end to a motor drive unit that raises and lowers the shade material between an upper limit and a lower limit to adjustably cover a structural opening. The shade comprises a housing that at least partially conceals the motor drive unit. The shade further comprises a battery compartment for providing power to the motor drive unit and a pair of swing arms each pivotally connected at their proximal end to the shade housing and at their distal end to the battery compartment. The pair of swing arm are adapted to pivot with respect to the shade housing to swivel the battery compartment from a first position, where the battery compartment is at least partially concealed by the shade housing and the pair of swing arms are retained by a pair of retaining clips, to a second position where the battery compartment extends out of the shade housing.

Abstract: A roller shade comprising a motor pretensioned counterbalancing spring that lowers the torque load on the motor of the roller shade throughout the rolling up or rolling down cycles. The roller shade comprises a motor drive unit including a motor adapted to drive a drive wheel through a clutch. The motor drive unit further comprises a first spring carrier adapted to be stationary during operation of the motor and a second spring carrier adapted to rotate during operation of the motor. The motor drive unit further comprises a counterbalancing spring connected at its first end to the first spring carrier and at its second end to the second spring carrier. The counterbalancing spring is pretensioned using the motor prior to inserting the motor drive unit into the roller tube by driving the drive wheel and thereby rotating the second end of the counterbalancing spring with respect to the first end of the counterbalancing spring.

Abstract: Battery operated shade comprising a shade material operably connected at its top end to a motor drive unit that raises and lowers the shade material between an upper limit and a lower limit to adjustably cover a structural opening. The shade comprises a housing that at least partially conceals the motor drive unit. The shade further comprises a battery compartment for providing power to the motor drive unit and a pair of swing arms each pivotally connected at their proximal end to the shade housing and at their distal end to the battery compartment. The pair of swing arm are adapted to pivot with respect to the shade housing to swivel the battery compartment from a first position, where the battery compartment is at least partially concealed by the shade housing and the pair of swing arms are retained by a pair of retaining clips, to a second position where the battery compartment extends out of the shade housing.

Abstract: A roller shade comprising a shade drive unit having a counterbalancing spring connected to and extending between a stationary spring carrier and a rotating spring carrier over an output mandrel, wherein the output mandrel comprises a length that maintains the spring in a stretched state such that the plurality of coils at the active portion of the spring do not contact each other when the shade material is at the rolled down position to reduce friction in the counterbalancing spring.

Abstract: A roller shade comprising a roller tube, a shade material attached to the roller tube, and a shade drive unit adapted to rotate the roller tube to lower or raise the shade material. The shade drive unit comprises a spring adapted to counterbalance the shade drive unit, a spring carrier, and a spring fastener. The spring carrier comprises a cylindrical barrel, wherein one of the first and second ends of the spring is concentrically positioned over the cylindrical barrel of the spring carrier. The spring fastener comprising a body having a curved bottom surface adapted to be positioned over one of the first and second ends of the spring and attached to the cylindrical barrel of the spring carrier.