Patents by Inventor Rich Scharf

Rich Scharf has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8564162
    Abstract: This electro-mechanical actuator is used to operate a curtain mounted to slide along an axis. It comprises a motor (24), a power supply unit (22) for powering the motor and a box (20), the motor (24) and the power supply unit (22) being received in a first housing (L1) that is internal to the box (20). The box (20) forms at least one second internal housing (L2, L?2), separated from the first internal housing by a wall (35, 43) of the box, and in which an electrical or electronic component (28, 50) of the actuator is received that is distinct from the motor (24) and from the power supply unit (22). A removable cover (33, 41) isolates the or each second housing (L2, L?2) from the outside of the box (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Somfy SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Charleux, Scot Cochran, Jean-Michel Perache, Rich Scharf
  • Patent number: 8418318
    Abstract: A drive carriage for a sliding curtain including a first carriage portion which is movable along a rail by at least one wheel assembly mounted thereto and a second carriage portion which is also movable along the rail and wherein the first and second portions of the carriage are connected by a coupling piece which is selective mounted in at least two positions with respect to the first and second portions so as to adjust a length of the drive carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Somfy SAS
    Inventors: Rich Scharf, Scot Cochran
  • Publication number: 20120011681
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive carriage (1) for a sliding curtain (R), including: a first carriage portion (20) known as the front carriage, which can move along a rail by means of at least one load wheel (25, 26) mounted to said first carriage portion and rotating about an axis of rotation (Y20, Y?20); and a second carriage portion (21) known as the back carriage, which can move along the rail (10). The carriage (1) also includes at least two independent hinge means (20d, 22) for connecting a component (21, 25) of the carriage with respect to a rigid body (20a) of the first portion of the carriage (20). The first and second portions of the carriage (20, 21) are connected by a hinge (22). The invention further includes means (21b, 21b?, 21c?, 22b) which allow the hinge (22) to be mounted in at least two positions with respect to one (21) of the first and second portions (20, 21) of the drive carriage (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: SOMFY SAS
    Inventors: Rich Scharf, Scot Cochran
  • Publication number: 20100122781
    Abstract: This electro-mechanical actuator is used to operate a curtain mounted to slide along an axis. It comprises a motor (24), a power supply unit (22) for powering the motor and a box (20), the motor (24) and the power supply unit (22) being received in a first housing (L1) that is internal to the box (20). The box (20) forms at least one second internal housing (L2, L?2), separated from the first internal housing by a wall (35, 43) of the box, and in which an electrical or electronic component (28, 50) of the actuator is received that is distinct from the motor (24) and from the power supply unit (22). A removable cover (33, 41) isolates the or each second housing (L2, L?2) from the outside of the box (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: SOMFY SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Charleux, Scot Cochran, Jean-Michel Perache, Rich Scharf
  • Publication number: 20040219422
    Abstract: A modular thin-line battery pack for, e.g., motorized window coverings can hold one or two columns of type AA batteries end-to-end. The battery pack has a female socket on one end and a male-ended cord on the other end, and is internally wired such that plugging the male-ended cord of one battery pack into the female socket of a second battery pack results in ganging the packs together in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Eric W. Hauck, Rich Scharf, Tim Morrison, Dave Schmeling
  • Patent number: 6794778
    Abstract: Small permanent magnets are affixed to the protruding portion of a rotor of a motor that is coupled to gears in a gear enclosure. The rod of a window covering is coupled to the gears such that when the motor is energized by a user command signal, the window covering moves. Small braking magnets are also affixed to the receptacle of the gear enclosure, such that when the motor is deenergized, the magnetic coupling between the magnets of the rotor and those of the gear enclosure brakes the rod from turning under the weight of the window covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Winston G. Walker, Dave Schmeling, Rich Scharf