Roll Type Patents (Class 160/133)
  • Patent number: 10208535
    Abstract: A blind having a blind operating mechanism and a blind control element and having an enclosure for the blind control element, with the element completely enclosed, a connector supporting the enclosure on the blind, and depending downwardly, and a drive device at the lower end of the enclosure for operating the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Inventor: Norbert Marocco
  • Patent number: 10145172
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventor: Wendell B. Colson
  • Patent number: 10119330
    Abstract: A hardwired and wirelessly controlled motorized window shade system is presented that includes a plurality of motorized window shades that are connected by a cable, such as Ethernet cable, to a power panel and a hardwired control. Motorized window shades are also wirelessly connected to a wireless control through a gateway. This arrangement provides the motorized window shades with the advantage of receiving power and control signals through the cable, as well as giving the flexibility of being controlled through a wireless control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: THE WATT STOPPER INC.
    Inventors: Darrin Brunk, Brian Baisden, Ben Kutell, Curtis Scott, Sean Scalf, Jon Watts, Joseph Martin Ackerman
  • Patent number: 10113360
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a flexible, roll-up wall are described herein. The wall includes a roller drum having a selectively engageable one-way bearing, one or more power supplies, a motor, a flexible, sound-attenuating sheet, an electromagnet and at least one of a corresponding permanent magnet or ferromagnet, one or more conductive threads, a force meter, and a potentiometer. The motor is coupled to the drum by a transmission. The flexible sheet includes a base fabric and a polymer coating surrounding the base fabric, and is coupled to the roller drum at a first end of the sheet. The one or more conductive threads are woven into the base fabric. At least one conductive thread electrically couples the electromagnet to one of the power supplies. The potentiometer varies the current delivered to the electromagnet based on a force measured by the force meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Hall Labs LLC
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Andrew Priddis, Jedediah Knight
  • Patent number: 10066436
    Abstract: A retractable cellular shade is illustrated in various embodiments to consist of a support structure that could assume numerous forms including cellular material, flexible sheets of material, tapes or ribbons, or flexible monofilaments or similar cords of natural or synthetic fibers with the support structure supporting a plurality of vanes or slats in various configurations and orientations. The movement of the vanes or slats is totally dependent upon movement of the support structure. The fabric so formed can be incorporated into a covering for architectural openings with the covering including a headrail with means for gathering the fabric material within the headrail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph G. Jelic, Jason T. Throne
  • Patent number: 10053909
    Abstract: A triple-shade roller blind includes a reel shaft for reeling a curtain having front and rear shade layers and a plurality of shading strips interconnecting the front and rear shade layers, and an adjusting assembly having a rotatable coupling member journalled on a pivot pin and coupled with the reel shaft to rotate the same, and an adjusting rod extending downwardly of and rotatable relative to the coupling member. A movement converting mechanism is disposed to convert rotation of the adjusting rod into the rotation of the coupling member as well as the reel shaft so as to adjust the distance between the front and rear shade layers and the shading areas of the shading strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: J. Paxton Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Teh-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 10041291
    Abstract: A slat for use in a rolling shutter is provided. The slat comprises a engaging track located at a first edge of a body and a receiving track located at a second edge of the body. Illustratively, the engaging 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 engaging track and the receiving track are designed to minimize the space required for the rolling shutter to be retracted around a spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Nautilus Shutter LLC
    Inventors: James V. Miller, Michael Heissenberg
  • Patent number: 9963890
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rollable platform that may be unfurled in any orientation over exposed floor or ceiling joists. The platform may be constructed of a specific arrangement of support surface panels and underside joint panels to give the platform both (a) rigidity in a direction that is normal to the support surface via gridlock between the support surface panels and (b) foldability and/or rollability in a direction that is normal to the underside joint panels due to hinged interconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Inventor: Adrian Allen
  • Patent number: 9957749
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing device (11, 35, 41) for sealing a gap (32) between a lintel (30) and a roller shutter (10, 34, 40). The sealing device (11, 35, 41) has a sealing means (23) for arranging at the upper end of a top shutter element (24) of the roller shutter (10, 34, 40). For covering a gap (32) in a functional and/or cost-effective way between a lintel (30) and a roller shutter (10, 34, 40), preferably in case of a completely unrolled door blade (12), the sealing device (11, 35, 41) is characterized in that a swivel mechanism (25, 37, 43) is provided for swivelling the sealing means (23) from a sealing position into a winding position and from a winding position into a sealing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY ENTRANCE SYSTEMS AB
    Inventor: Friedhelm Frede
  • Patent number: 9828799
    Abstract: A shutter for protecting an opening. The shutter comprising a plurality of horizontal curtain slats for covering the opening, wherein horizontal refers to a direction when viewing slats from a front surface, and wherein the curtain slats hang freely from a upper region of the opening; an upper transition slat movably affixed to a lower end of a first curtain slat; a lower transition slat movably affixed to an upper end of a second curtain slat; and a horizontal reinforcing member comprising at least an upper and a lower reinforcing slat, wherein the upper reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to a lower end of the first transition slat and the lower reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to an upper end of the second transition slat, and wherein the upper and lower reinforcing slats are rotatably joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Inventor: Christopher J Hall
  • Patent number: 9776721
    Abstract: A holder apparatus for holding an object relative to an airplane cabin window frame can include a structure that locates in opposing window shade channels of the frame, and at least one tray pivotably mounted relative to the structure. A system for holding an object relative to an airplane cabin window can include a holder apparatus with a structure that engages a window frame of the window, and at least one tray pivotably mounted relative to the structure. The structure can engage opposing window shade channels of the window frame in response to rotational displacement of the structure relative to the frame. A method for installing an apparatus in a window can include placing the apparatus between channels of the window, rotating and engaging ends of the apparatus with the window frame channels and displacing it to the bottom of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventor: Donald Wilson Alford
  • Patent number: 9765568
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control architectural opening covering assemblies are disclosed herein. An example architectural opening covering assembly includes a manual controller operatively coupled to a tube to rotate the tube. The tube includes an architectural opening covering. The example architectural opening covering assembly also includes a motor operatively coupled to the tube to rotate the tube. A local controller is communicatively coupled to the motor to control the motor. The example architectural opening covering assembly further includes a gravitational sensor to determine an angular position of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Wendell B. Colson, Daniel M. Fogarty, Paul G. Swiszcz, Jörg Bohlen, Kevin M. Dann, William Johnson
  • Patent number: 9757773
    Abstract: A collector for collecting wash liquid from an engine washing operation include a frame; a height adjustable and expandable droplet separator package connected to the frame, the droplet separator package to receive a flow of wash liquid entrained in an airstream emanating from an engine; a height adjustable and extendable chute with side walls and a scissor lift, the chute connected to the droplet separator package and extending at least partially under an engine to collect liquid exiting the engine; a collector tank connected to the frame to collect liquid from the droplet separator package and the chute; and a drainage pipe connecting at least one of the chute and the droplet separator to the collector tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: EcoServices, LLC
    Inventors: Sebastian Nordlund, Robert M. Rice, Niklas Linderholm
  • Patent number: 9752382
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a system and article of manufacture for a door assembly for rolling and unrolling, or retracting and extending, a door curtain. The door assembly may include various mechanisms to protect a door curtain from wear and abrasion, as well as muffle noise associated with the operation of the door curtain. The door assembly may comprise a curtain shaft. A door curtain may roll and/or unroll (e.g., open and/or close) on the curtain shaft. The door assembly may further include an insulator shaft, which may receive or hold a door curtain insulator or insulators. A door curtain insulator may attach to the insulator shaft as well as the curtain shaft and/or door curtain itself. In operation, as the door curtain is rolled up, one or more lengths of insulator may be unrolled from the insulator shaft and layered, or interleaved, between consecutive layers of rolled up door curtain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: CORNELL IRONWORKS ENTERPRISES
    Inventor: David Lueker
  • Patent number: 9731584
    Abstract: A retractable cover system includes a frame that provides an opening. A drive system includes a motor operatively connected to a main roller through a first drive element. A resilient member is interconnected between the motor and a second drive element. The main roller is connected to one of the first and second drive elements. A flexible cover is mounted to the main roller and is configured to slide relative to the frame between first and second positions within the opening in response to actuation of the drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: BOS AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Mickey Alan Hannan, Andrew Charles Stewart, Juergen Josef Salewski, Michael David Uhazie, Huan Tran, Markus Hintennach
  • Patent number: 9715257
    Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more screens, multiple screen protectors moveable between a retracted position and extended position where they extend above the screen to create a gap, and one or more sensors. When the sensor detects a drop event, the screen protectors move from the retracted to extended position, functioning as a shock absorber and preventing the screen from connecting with a surface that the electronic device contacts. In some implementations, the screen protectors may be multiple tabs that may be moved between the retracted and extended positions by one or more motors and/or other actuators coupled to one or more pinions. Such tabs may be formed of various flexible and/or rigid materials such as plastic, plastic film, polyethylene terephthalate or other polymers, metal, thin film metal, combinations thereof, and/or other such materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tyson B. Manullang, Stephen B. Lynch, Emery A. Sanford
  • Patent number: 9689200
    Abstract: A roller blind including a sheet element secured at one end to a roller tube mounted for rotation, and secured at its opposite end to a fixed element located adjacent to the roller tube such that the sheet element defines a return portion located between the two ends; and a roller blind bottom bar located within the return portion, wherein the roller blind bottom bar includes a tubular body and an end cap carried by each end of the tubular body, the end caps including a proximal portion located adjacent to the tubular body, a distal portion spaced from the tubular body, and an outwardly flared portion located between the proximal and distal portions such that the end cap flares outwards from the proximal portion to the distal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Louver-Lite Limited
    Inventor: Andrew Greening
  • Patent number: 9644424
    Abstract: A motorized shade for covering a window, a door, or a wall opening is provided that can be actuated by touching its hem bar. The motorized shade, such as a roller shade, comprises a shade material extending from a top end to a bottom end, a hem bar assembly connected to the bottom end of the shade material, and a shade drive unit operably connected to the top end of the shade material. The hem bar assembly comprises a touch sensing module adapted to detect a user touching the hem bar assembly and transmit a control signal in response to the detected touch. The shade drive unit comprises a motor and a motor control module adapted to receive the control signal and control the motor to open or close the shade material. The control signal can be wirelessly transmitted from the touch sensing module to the motor control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: CRESTRON ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Benjamin Slivka
  • Patent number: 9637972
    Abstract: A roll-up type industrial door including a flexible sheet or woven fabric forming a curtain for closing a door way having an upper end, a lower end and two opposite side edges. The sheet has a main area and elongate side edge sections that are thicker than the main area. A shoulder is formed where each side edge section meets the main area. A curtain winding mechanism is connected to the upper end of the curtain and is used to raise the curtain. A pair of spaced apart guide channels are also provided and the side edge sections are movable therein. Each guide has one or two elastic members which act as locking blades. The locking blades of each guide form an elongate slot that receives a side edge section of the curtain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems AB
    Inventors: Robert Miller, Michael D. Peters, John Whealon
  • Patent number: 9546715
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (32) for manually actuating a piece of closing or sun protection equipment (10), in particular of the blinds or rolling shutters type, including a stationary case (42) having two aligned bearings (44) defining an axis of rotation (200), a worm (34) guided in rotation in the bearings (44) and a driving rod (54) to rotate the worm (34). The worm (34) being passed through by an axial hole (52), the driving rod (54) being able to be inserted in the axial hole (52) by securing the driving rod (54) in rotation with the worm (34). A snapping connection between an elastically deformable staple (56) and a bearing shoulder (64) allows the insertion of the driving rod (54) into the axial hole (52), and blocking the removal of the driving rod (54) inserted into the axial hole (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SOMFY SAS
    Inventors: Sergyl Clerget, Thierry Garby
  • Patent number: 9469982
    Abstract: A grate apparatus for covering a pit defined in a floor of a vehicle wash facility includes a plurality of rigid rung pieces having a first end, a second end, an upper surface and a lower surface. The rigid rung pieces are secured in generally parallel and spaced apart fashion by a plurality of flexible strap members. The flexible strap members are secured to each of the rung pieces by a plurality of fasteners. The grate apparatus is moveable between an unwound position where the first end of each of the plurality of rigid rung pieces rests on one of a pair of spaced apart rails located adjacent the pit and the second end of each of the plurality of rung pieces rests on the other of the pair of spaced apart rails and a wound position wherein the plurality of rung pieces and the plurality of flexible straps are oriented in generally coiled position around a centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Belanger, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Belanger
  • Patent number: 9453371
    Abstract: An electric rolling door including a rail, a rolling door coupled to the rail, a control module connected to the rolling door to drive the rolling door moved along the rail, a rotating member, a sensing module, and a weighting member is provided. The rotating member is pivoted along an axis next to the rail, wherein the axis is parallel to an extending direction of the rail. The sensing module electrically connected to the control module is disposed on the axis and senses a motion of the rotating member. The weighting member freely pivoted to a bottom of the rolling door has a weighting portion and a pressing portion extending between the rail and the rotating member. A first torque generated by the weighting portion relative to the rolling door is greater than and opposite to a second torque generated by the pressing portion relative to the rolling door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: proeasy network solutions co., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsing-Hung Lu
  • Patent number: 9366080
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventor: Wendell B. Colson
  • Patent number: 9359813
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: HUNTER DOUGLAS INC.
    Inventor: Wendell B. Colson
  • Patent number: 9359802
    Abstract: A drive arrangement to open and close a door curtain of an overhead sectional door. The arrangement includes a door guide track for guiding movement of the door curtain between a closed, lowered position and an open, overhead position, and a drive mechanism for driving the door curtain between the closed and open positions. The drive mechanism comprises a drive belt located to a side of the door opening, guided to follow an inverted L-shaped locus by a drive belt guide track, a linkage between the drive belt and the door curtain, and a drive motor which drives the drive belt to open and close the door curtain as the drive belt follows the locus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: DAYLEE PTY LTD.
    Inventor: Gregory Brian James
  • Patent number: 9341022
    Abstract: A movable barrier operator is provided that includes a motor coupled to a movable barrier to move the movable barrier, a computing device which controls movement of the motor, a manual drive coupled to the movable barrier to move the movable barrier, a ring coupled to move with the manual drive, and a sensor that senses and communicates rotation of the ring to the computing device. In response to receiving the sensed rotation of the ring, the computing device prevents operation of the motor to move the movable barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Chamberlain Australia PTY Ltd.
    Inventor: Scott James Nicholson
  • Patent number: 9322210
    Abstract: A fabric venetian window shade assembly including: a fabric venetian window shade including a pair of opposing first and second facings coupled by a plurality of vanes; an actuation system including: a roller configured to receive the fabric venetian window shade; a spring-loaded ratchet operatively coupled to the roller; a first weighted rail attached to a lower edge of the first facing; and a second weighted rail attached to a lower edge of the second facing, wherein the first weighted rail and the second weighted rail are separate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Comfortex Window Fashions
    Inventors: Sigitas Lukosiunas, Dalton Swearingian
  • Patent number: 9322212
    Abstract: An overhead roll-up door assembly for a vertically moving door to permit and prohibit access to an opening, the door assembly having a pair of spaced apart, parallel side columns for vertically guiding a door panel, the door panel having at least one wind lock attached proximate each marginal edge of the door panel, each of the wind locks having an angled portion facing the interior of the opening having a first durometer and a substantially rectangular portion having a second durometer different from the first durometer, the wind locks engaging the side column to prevent disengagement of the door panel from the side columns when a wind load is applied to the door panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: RYTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brian Norbert Drifka
  • Patent number: 9316047
    Abstract: An overhead vertical closure, such as an overhead coiling door is described. A plurality of bumpers are spaced and fixed along the sides of the closure to center the curtain between the support brackets. In a first preferred embodiment, the geometry of the bumper is such that the vertical side and the extending sides meet in one or more obtuse angles. In a second preferred embodiment, the geometry of the bumper is such that the vertical side and the extending sides meet in a radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: CIW Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Balay, Brian Reklaitis
  • Patent number: 9307741
    Abstract: A pet barrier includes a housing containing a barrier having a first end attached to a holding structure. The holding structure rotates with respect to the housing and the barrier is furled around the holding structure. The second end of the barrier is exposed from the housing and includes an elongated bar hook. The pet barrier also includes a tensioning mechanism including a spring assembly operably associated with the holding structure. An adjustment structure is provided for adjusting the tension of the spring assembly by rotational action and thereby adjusting tension in the barrier. To set the tension of the spring assembly, a brake is provided that locks the adjustment structure to with a portion of the housing and/or a portion fixed with respect to the housing. Constant retraction forces act upon the barrier as it is unfurled from around the holding structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: THE PET BARRIER, LLC
    Inventors: Martha McNee, Russell Randall, Andrew Hinkley
  • Patent number: 9286799
    Abstract: A method and system include a switch to provide power to a vehicle barrier, A logic based controller is coupled to the switch, and an input device coupled to the logic based controller. A sensor is coupled to the vehicle barrier to provide vehicle barrier performance and maintenance data. The maintenance data may be used to identify maintenance activities to be performed prior to failure of the vehicle barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Cinch Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Curtis Christianson, Bryan L. Peterson
  • Patent number: 9267326
    Abstract: A coupling for a door/curtain includes a plurality of coupling mechanisms affixed to ends of slats of the door/curtain. Each coupling mechanism includes a roller mounting bracket having a first roller arranged at an upper portion of the roller mounting bracket, and an extending portion, oriented at approximately 90 degrees with respect to the upper portion of the roller mounting bracket; and at least one second roller. Each second roller is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the first roller. The first roller and the at least one second roller are arranged so as to cooperate with an outer track, inner track, roller support guide and first and second roller guides of a guide rail assembly to ensure that the door/curtain moves rollingly within the guide rail assembly even when the door/curtain is subjected to a deflecting force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: McKeon Rolling Steel Door Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashraf Gomaa, Oscar A. Escobar, Andrew C. Lambridis
  • Patent number: 9230457
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an adjustable large-sized advertisement curtain wind-resistant module, which includes a base, the slidable board, a coupler, a transmission device, and a transmission rod. The base has a screw rod. The slidable board has a surface slidably mounted to the base and coupled with the screw rod and an opposite surface to which the coupler is mounted for coupling with the frame. The transmission device is arranged in the base and coupled to the screw rod. The transmission rod drives the transmission device and the transmission device in turn drives the screw rod, so that the screw rod may drive the slidable board to do linear displacement on the base. The linear displacement of the slidable board in opposite directions carries the frame to be moved in unison therewith to achieve adjustment of distance between two frames for stretching flat an advertisement curtain between the frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Inventor: Ruei-Hsing Lin
  • Patent number: 9217284
    Abstract: An anti-fall transmission device for a handling door (1) having a flexible curtain (5) to be stacked or rolled about a drive shaft (4) during the movements thereof between an open and a closed position, includes a separate electric motor or gear motor (7) attached along a rotational axis which is offset and parallel to that of the drive shaft (4), as a protective anti-fall device (8) for connecting the motor or the gear motor (7) to the drive shaft (4) and for preventing the flexible apron (5) from accidentally falling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: SOFINECO
    Inventors: Anne-Sophie Panseri, Romain Simon
  • Patent number: 9187953
    Abstract: An overhead roll-up door assembly for a vertically moving door to permit and prohibit access to an opening in a wall, the door assembly having a flexible door panel and side columns located proximate opposite sides of the opening. The side columns each include an arm configured to engage the door panel as the door panel moves vertically, the arms being configured to move in a first direction in response to a first threshold moment being applied to the arms by the door panel wherein movement of each arm in the first direction prevents the door panel from escaping the side columns. The arms may be further configured to move in a second direction in response to a second threshold moment being applied on the arms by the door panel in a substantially vertical direction perpendicular to and away from the door panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: RYTEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian Norbert Drifka, Christopher Gontarski
  • Patent number: 9157270
    Abstract: A shutter for protecting an opening. The shutter comprising a plurality of horizontal curtain slats for covering the opening, wherein horizontal refers to a direction when viewing slats from a front surface, and wherein the curtain slats hang freely from a upper region of the opening; an upper transition slat movably affixed to a lower end of a first curtain slat; a lower transition slat movably affixed to an upper end of a second curtain slat; and a horizontal reinforcing member comprising at least an upper and a lower reinforcing slat, wherein the upper reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to a lower end of the first transition slat and the lower reinforcing slat is rotatably affixed to an upper end of the second transition slat, and wherein the upper and lower reinforcing slats are rotatably joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Inventor: Christopher J Hall
  • Patent number: 9151084
    Abstract: An article of manufacture for use as an insulated overhead door that is designed to roll open and closed in tracks, with a sheet of thermoplasitc material that acts as the outer door membrane and barrier to entry, a sheet of insulating material that acts as a base insulating barrier adhered to the thermoplastic membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: COLD CHAIN, LLC
    Inventors: Peter J. Wachtell, Daniel M. Aragon, John J. Prehn, Todd J. Lindsey
  • Patent number: 9097053
    Abstract: A high-speed door assembly for selectively permitting and prohibiting access through an opening in a wall, or other blocking structure, the door assembly having a shaft or drum located proximate the wall or other blocking structure and outside of the opening, and the shaft or drum having a longitudinal axis, and, a flexible door panel attached to the shaft or drum so as to be capable of being wound and unwound about the drum for selectively permitting and prohibiting access through the opening, the door panel being wound on the shaft or drum in an orientation such that the door panel defines at least one vertical plane when unwound from the shaft or drum, the vertical plane being spaced farther from the wall than the longitudinal axis of the shaft or drum is spaced from the wall or other blocking structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: RYTEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brian Norbert Drifka
  • Patent number: 9074411
    Abstract: A slat for use in a rolling shutter is provided. The slat comprises a engaging track located at a first edge of a body and a receiving track located at a second edge of the body. Illustratively, the engaging 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 engaging track and the receiving track are designed to minimize the space required for the rolling shutter to be retracted around a spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Inventors: James V. Miller, Michael Heissenberg
  • Publication number: 20150144276
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a roller shutter in which a slat connection structure is very flexible so as to reduce manufacturing and maintenance costs. The roller shutter of the present invention comprises: a plurality of slats continuously connected in the vertical direction; a winding unit for winding or unwinding the plurality of slats in the vertical direction; a shutter box arranged above a door frame of a building; and a guide frame for guiding the edges of the plurality of slats. The winding unit is arranged inside the shutter box. The plurality of slats are connected in the vertical direction such that the slats can be pivoted. One end of each slat has a hook, and the hook is curved with a predetermined radius of curvature. The other end of each slat has an accommodation groove curved at a predetermined radius of curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Rae young LEE
  • Patent number: 9018868
    Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides a motorized roller shade that includes a shade tube, a motor/controller unit and a power supply unit. The motor/controller unit is disposed within the shade tube, and includes a bearing, rotatably coupled to a support shaft, and a DC gear motor. The output shaft of the DC gear motor is coupled to the support shaft such that the output shaft and the support shaft do not rotate when the support shaft is attached to the mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: QMotion Advanced Shading Systems
    Inventors: William Ashton Lucas, Willis Jay Mullet, Victoria Baynes Mullet, Yan Rodriguez, Ben L. Garcia, Matthew Warren Kirkland
  • Publication number: 20150107784
    Abstract: A method for producing a winding device for interconnected slats of a roller shutter, in which a sheet of metal having a pre-determinable length, width and thickness will be provided, seen over the length of the sheet of metal, with an eyelet formed out of the sheet of metal, and the sheet of metal, seen over the length of the sheet of metal, will be bent into the circumferential direction such that a contour is formed that differs from the cylindrical shape and the longitudinal edge of the sheet of metal, which is located opposite the eyelet, will take its bearing in the area of the eyelet, wherein, seen over the length of the sheet of metal, the marginal region of the longitudinal edge will be connected to the eyelet by welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Ferdinand Braselmann GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Thomas VOIGT
  • Publication number: 20150101762
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: James V. Miller, Brian Peterson
  • Patent number: 9004312
    Abstract: A roller shutter type storage container includes a container body, a roller shutter accommodating portion, a pair of guide grooves, and a roller shutter. Each of the guide grooves extends linearly in an opening of the container body and is curved in the roller shutter accommodating portion. The roller shutter is configured by connecting a plurality of slats each having shafts formed in the widthwise direction at two ends of the slat in a bendable manner. As the two shafts slide in the corresponding guide grooves, the roller shutter slides between an open position and a close position. Each one of the shafts is spaced from a vertical wall surface of the corresponding one of the guide grooves. A projection formed of soft material projects outward from each shaft of each slat in the widthwise direction and contacts the corresponding vertical wall surface in an elastically deformed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kodama, Masataka Inoue
  • Patent number: 8997825
    Abstract: A roll-up door guard assembly includes a first guard mount and a second guard mount capable of being mounted at ends of a roll-up door, a bar extending between the first guard mount and the second guard mount, the roll up door disposed between the bar and a wall to which said roll-up door is connected, the guard mounts connected to one of a wall and the roll-up door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: Randy Caldwell
  • Patent number: 8985179
    Abstract: A mechanical link is provided to lessen or eliminate air infiltration between a topmost lamella of a rollup door and the lintel of the doorway. The link is deployed in an unfolded configuration to support the topmost lamella against deflection caused by application of a force perpendicular to the plane of the door. The link components are folded into a storage position upon rolling up of the door upon a series of take-up discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Assa Abloy Entrance Systems AB
    Inventors: Meinolf Steffen, Holger Siewert, Friedhelm Frede
  • Patent number: 8985181
    Abstract: In a door operator having a driving end and a weight carrying end, an electric motor mechanism, a first electromagnetic clutch mechanism, a combination pull-chain disc and brake, a second electromagnetic clutch mechanism are disposed in sequence between the driving end and the weight carrying end, the mechanisms being connected by rotating shafts and a hollow shaft, in which when the electric motor mechanism is electrically powered, the first electromagnetic clutch mechanism moves the hollow shaft to separate from a brake device, and the second electromagnetic clutch mechanism connects the driving end to the weight carrying end; and when the electric motor mechanism is not electrically powered, the first electromagnetic clutch mechanism connects the hollow shaft to the brake device, and the second electromagnetic clutch mechanism separates the driving end from the weight carrying end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventor: Chung Hsien Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8925617
    Abstract: An end retention system for a rolling shutter system is provided. The end retention system comprises a fastener that has a head and a shaft, a washer and a spacer. The aperture of the washer is greater than that of the shaft. The shaft is configured for insertion into a shutter slat. A guide track is provided with retention fins spaced apart a distance that is less than the outer diameter of the washer. The guide may include a channel partially bounded by the retention fins and having a width that is greater than the outer diameter of the washer. The washer is located in the channel, and is retained near the slat by the head of and the fastener. An end retention system may have a rigid spacer, or a compressible spacer that is a resilient member located between the head of the fastener and the washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Qualitas Manaufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: James V. Miller
  • Patent number: 8899297
    Abstract: A rolling door having a door leaf and guides arranged on both sides, each of which includes a vertical portion and a spiral portion, wherein the door leaf is received in the spiral portions in the form of non-contacting winding layers when the rolling door is in the opened condition. A drive mechanism for operating the rolling door has a motor, a drive shaft and drive organs. The drive organs are arranged on both sides of the door leaf and the drive shaft establishes a driving connection between the drive organs. In one embodiment, the drive shaft is arranged in the central area of the spiral portions of the guides of both sides and extends from one side of the door to the other. Hereby a rolling door is obtained whose structural height in the area of the door lintel is reduced while maintaining a small installation depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Efaflex Inzeniring D.O.O. Ljubljana
    Inventors: Andrej Mazej, Joze Breznikar
  • Publication number: 20140338277
    Abstract: A retractable curtain system including a first curtain region, a motor assembly and a mounting arm assembly. The first curtain region is capable of substantially covering the at least one opening when in an unrolled configuration. The motor assembly operably is attached to the first curtain region for moving the first curtain region between the unrolled configuration and a rolled configuration. The mounting arm assembly includes at least one mounting arm for pivotally mounting the motor assembly with respect to the building.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Rush Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Dimmer, Troy Knouse