Power Operating Means Patents (Class 160/168.1P)
  • Publication number: 20140014279
    Abstract: A window covering includes a head rail that supports a panel by lift cords such that one end of the panel may be raised and lowered relative to the head rail. An operating system controls movement of the panel and includes spools coupled to the lift cords such that rotation of the spools retracts and extends the lift cords. A shaft is connected to a spool of the lift spool assembly and to a brake and a spring motor. The spring motor applies a motor force to the shaft and the brake applies a brake force to the shaft such that the forces generated by the spring motor and brake hold the panel in the desired position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Defenbaugh, Tim Hyde, Brian Bellamy Johnson, Joshua Maust, Miguel Morales
  • Publication number: 20130340951
    Abstract: A window shade comprises a head rail, a plurality of slats, a bottom part, suspension cords connected with cord winding units, and a control module. The control module includes first and second drive axles, a sleeve affixed with the first drive axle, a transmission part connected with the second drive axle, an arrester assembled around the first drive axle, and a release unit including an actuator. The first drive axle is operable to control vertical movement of a bottom part, and the second drive axle is operable to adjust an inclination of the slats. The arrester has a locking state in which it blocks a rotational displacement of the first drive axle to keep the bottom part at a desired position, and an unlocking state allowing rotation of the first drive axle so that the bottom part lowers by gravity action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Teh Yor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fu-Lai YU, Chin-Tien HUANG
  • Patent number: 8584730
    Abstract: A vertical window blind assembly remotely controls vertical window blinds. The assembly includes an elongated housing having an elongated opening. An elongated track having spaced channels is coupled to and positioned in the housing above the opening in the housing. Each of a plurality of rollers has a pair of spaced wheels positioned in a pair of channels of the track. Each of a plurality of blinds is coupled to the rollers. A telescopic arm is positioned in the housing extending in laterally parallel spaced relationship to the track. The telescopic arm is coupled to each of the rollers to distribute the rollers in spaced relationship along the track. An extension motor retracts and extends the telescopic arm. A remote control is operationally coupled to the extension motor for selectively actuating the extension motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Inventor: Grace F. Aderinto
  • Publication number: 20130255890
    Abstract: A motorizable tilt shade system includes a header system where the header system includes an integral header attachment connection. At least one cord spool is provided within the header system and is connected with at least one suspension cord. A shade is suspended from the at least one suspension cord and a tilt cord pulley is connected with the at least one cord spool. A tilt cord is connected with the tilt cord pulley and with the shade such that the tilt cord and tilt cord pulley cooperate to tilt the shade. A drive shaft receiver is connected with the tilt cord pulley such that movement of the drive shaft receiver moves the tilt cord pulley. A counterbalance assembly including a negative gradient spring is connected to the drive shaft thereby providing an approximately constant tension on the tilt cord pulley.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Willis Jay Mullet, Yan Rodriguez, Darrin W. Brunk, Richard Scott Hand, Lucas Hunter Oakley
  • Publication number: 20130240157
    Abstract: An electric window blind includes a window frame and multiple slats are located between two side rails of the window frame. Each of the slats has two end faces and each end face has a mediate portion and two end portions. The medial portion of each of two end faces of each of the slats is pivotably connected to the window frame. An adjustment device has a power unit which has an output end and an arm with an elongate slot is connected to the output end. A link is fixed to the plates and has a protrusion which is movably engaged with the elongate slot. One of the two end portions of each slat is pivotably connected to the plate. By activating the power unit, the slats are pivoted to adjust the angular positions of the slats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: OMA AUTOMATION ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: HAO-TING CHEOU, YAO-CHING HUANG
  • Patent number: 8365800
    Abstract: A solar battery is partially attached to each blade of a blind. The position of each blade is adjusted based on position information such that each blade tracks sunlight. Electric energy obtained by the generation of electricity using an indoor illumination source is used to charge a battery. In addition to the generation of electricity, some of the blades are folded to let in light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Hyuk Oh, See Young Choi, Seong Je Wu, Seong Joo Han
  • Publication number: 20120216966
    Abstract: The invention relates to an improved lift mechanism for a Venetian blind comprising a plurality of parallel elongated slats and pairs of Sift cords (19), where the lift mechanisms comprise a spool shaft (3) mounted for rotation with and axial displacement over a drive shaft (1) and guide means (5, 7) for maintaining the lift cords (19) in their proper axial position and for directing the lift cords (19) to the outer circumferential surface of said spool shaft (3), whereby the lift cords (19) upon rotation of said spool shaft (3) will become helically wound on or off the circumferential surface of the spool shaft (3) resulting in said slats being raised or lowered as the spool shaft (3) rotates The invention furthermore relates to systematic cascading of lift mechanisms for obtaining pairs of lift cords according to the number required for the job and for connection of drive motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Jorn Krab Holding APS
    Inventors: Jorn Krab, Svend-Erik Dahl
  • Patent number: 8141614
    Abstract: An actuator to be inserted in a headrail of a window covering, the actuator comprises a damping body configured to reduce vibrations when the actuator is operating, and an expanding mechanism configured to expand the damping body against the headrail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Harmonic Design
    Inventors: Joel Friedrick, Sarah Reymond, Adrien Brondex, Jean Pierre Lefebvre, Miguel Leleu, Eric Lagarde
  • Publication number: 20110259531
    Abstract: A panel curtain system including a number of panels guided by a rail, a control cord endlessly secured to the panels and at least one operating runner secured to at least one panel and securing the control cord. The panel curtain system includes a motorized drive for the at least one control cord and a means for tensioning the control cord.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: Couilsse B.V.
    Inventor: Wouter Hendriks
  • Publication number: 20110067823
    Abstract: A blind is provided which uses a toothed band bodies such as slender toothed belts as rod holding bodies including operating band bodies, instead of conventional cords and tape, having a straightforward structure providing accurate and stable parallel holding of moving rods, and quit and smooth movement, due to accurate operations without slippage due to meshing of bands and wheels having teeth, without problems such as tangling and bending and the like. Particularly, a rod movement holding device suitable for having multiple moving rods and having multiple shielding adjustment faces, and a blind having a rod operating device, can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventor: Tatusabu Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20110061818
    Abstract: According to the method of the invention, the movement of movable screen ends for a group of motor-driven screens to a common position is controlled in a grouped manner. The method includes a step (E150) consisting of moving the end of a screen when said end becomes the farthest from the common position after moving the end of at least one other screen to said common position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: SOMFY SAS
    Inventors: Pierre Geriniere, Stephane Lapierre
  • Patent number: 7857030
    Abstract: A window covering switchable to manual operation and electrical operation includes at least an upper elongated member, a lower elongated member, a shade lift cord assembly, an electric transmission assembly, a clutch and an automatic retraction means. The electric transmission assembly is coupled with the clutch through an axle of a gear box to drive a driving gear thereon to rotate. The driving gear is engaged with a driven gear pivotally coupled with the automatic retraction means to form a synchronous transmission thereby to control retraction and extension of the electric window covering. When electric power is not available manual operation may be switched through the clutch to extend or retract the window covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Inventor: Li-Ming Cheng
  • Publication number: 20100258253
    Abstract: A Venetian blind includes an upper rail, a lower rail, a slat assembly, an automatic retraction means and a slat opened/closed control means equipped with an adjustment member. The automatic retraction means is installed on one side of the upper rail which has a first cord wheel set and a second cord wheel set near two sides to direct a first lift cord and a second lift cord. The automatic retraction means has a retaining set to pivotally couple a transmission set inside that has a first transmission wheel and a second transmission wheel. The first transmission wheel and second transmission wheel are linked by an elastic element which provides an elastic force to drive the transmission set. The second transmission wheel controls the slat opened/closed control means. When the lower rail is pulled downwards or pushed upwards, the slat assembly can be opened or closed at different angles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventor: Li-Ming CHENG
  • Publication number: 20100186906
    Abstract: A device for driving and turning the slats of a Venetian blind, with a bearing housing which is embodied for rotatably receiving a drivable drive shaft penetrating the bearing housing, a winding spool for a carrier band, a turning mechanism for tilting the slats and an abutment flange for fixing angular end positions for the slats, the turning mechanism for moving the slats between defined angular end positions and also for arresting the slats in an angular intermediate position comprising at least one turning element and an abutment element which can be brought releasably into engagement with the turning element by means of an actuating mechanism, the drive and turning device for arresting the slats being arranged and embodied in an angular intermediate position during raising of the Venetian blind, the actuating mechanism acting on the abutment element being embodied so as to run freely in a direction of rotation of the drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Franz Kraler, Eugen Karg
  • Patent number: 7673667
    Abstract: A motorized window covering has a motor and a housing that holds the motor and a dc battery. When the motor is energized to move a window covering, a pulse detector counts the motor current pulses to determine the position of the window covering. A user can save a motor current pulse count corresponding to a desired position and then return the desired position from a different position by simply pressing a button on a remote control unit. Further, inaccuracies caused by motor current pulses that were not counted by the pulse detector, e.g., at start up, at shut down, or during coast down, are minimized by error correction logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Harmonic Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas R. Domel, Winston G. Walker
  • Publication number: 20090173456
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the residual light gap between slats of a motorized blind when oriented in a set closed position of the blind, where at least one closed position of the slats is set by automatic detection using detecting means, comprising the following steps: adjusting a detection criterion of the detecting means, performing anew automatic detection of the closed position with adjusted detection criterion, recording the new value of the detection criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Herbert Rodas, Vyacheslav Baran
  • Publication number: 20090014132
    Abstract: A window covering switchable to manual operation and electrical operation includes at least an upper elongated member, a lower elongated member, a shade lift cord assembly, an electric transmission assembly, a clutch and an automatic retraction means. The electric transmission assembly is coupled with the clutch through an axle of a gear box to drive a driving gear thereon to rotate. The driving gear is engaged with a driven gear pivotally coupled with the automatic retraction means to form a synchronous transmission thereby to control retraction and extension of the electric window covering. When electric power is not available manual operation may be switched through the clutch to extend or retract the window covering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Li-Ming Cheng
  • Publication number: 20090000749
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive unit for a Venetian blind or the like for inserting into a head rail, including an electric motor and output shafts at both ends driven via gear, where the electric motor is combined with components serving for acoustically damping and uncoupling, that are shaped such that they are insertable into the head rail together with the electric motor as well as to a Venetian blind or the like as such.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Thomas Amann, Frank Thiele, Klaus Pfendler
  • Publication number: 20080078509
    Abstract: A motor-driven vertical blind is provided with a restricting device disposed on the transmission shaft and a control device disposed on the transmission device. When curtain pieces held by the slide base move, the transmission device is in control of the swing angles: the transmission shaft will be blocked by the restricting device, whenever the output current of the motor increases above a normal range. Meanwhile, when the control device detects an overloading current, an “off” signal to stop the operation is transmitted to the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventor: Wei-Cheng YEH
  • Publication number: 20080053626
    Abstract: A control system for a top down/bottom up covering for an architectural opening includes a head rail and an independently moveable bottom rail and middle rail. A shade material extends between the middle rail and the bottom rail and control systems are provided at opposite ends of the head rail for operating the middle rail independently of the bottom rail. Each control system includes lift spools associated with lift cords that are secured to the bottom rail or middle rail with the lift spools being seated in cradles and rotated by a drive shaft connected to manually operated control elements. Each drive shaft is operatively connected to a braking system in the form of a two-way clutch so the drive shafts can be rotated in either direction to raise or lower a bottom or middle rail, but locked in any selected position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Marek Jarosinski, Ralph G. Jelic, Paul F. Josephson, Daniel Fluckey, Ronald Holt
  • Patent number: 7174941
    Abstract: An actuation system for use with an adjustable covering for a fenestration product. The actuation system coupled to an operator for controlling adjustment of extension and contraction of the covering. The actuation system including at least one lift mechanism configured to decouple the actuation system from the operator during a potentially damaging event, such as slack in a lift cord during extension of the covering. The lift mechanism later recoupling the actuation system and operator while maintaining rotational registration between multiple lift mechanisms of the actuation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Pella Corporation
    Inventors: Paul D. Schroder, Gabriel P. Gromotka
  • Patent number: 7128122
    Abstract: A Venetian blind includes a main body, a transmission mechanism, and a motorized drive mechanism. The motorized drive mechanism is operated to lift and lower the slats automatically. Thus, the Venetian blind does not need a lift cord, thereby preventing a child from being tangled by the lift cord so as to ensure the environmental safety of the house.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Inventor: Ker-Min Lin
  • Patent number: 7040374
    Abstract: An electromagnetic clutch-controlled electric blind is constructed to include a blind body formed of a headrail defining a receiving chamber, a set of slats, and a bottom rail, a power drive, the power drive including a reversible motor and electromagnetic clutch apparatus connectable to the motor, an amplitude modulation set coupled to the motor for rotation with the motor to lift/lower the slats to the desired elevation, a frequency modulation set coupled to the motor through the electromagnetic clutch apparatus and adapted for controlling tilting angle of the slats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Nien Made Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Che Wen, Song-He Lui, Ya-Wei Hsu
  • Patent number: 7021360
    Abstract: An actuation system for use with an adjustable covering for a fenestration product. The actuation system coupled to an operator for controlling adjustment of extension and contraction of the covering. The actuation system including a drive system configured to decouple the actuation system from the operator during a potentially damaging event, such as slack in a lift cord during extension of the covering. The drive system later recoupling the actuation system and operator while maintaining rotational registration between multiple components of the actuation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Pella Corporation
    Inventors: Paul D. Schroder, Gabriel P. Gromotka
  • Patent number: 6957681
    Abstract: An embedded type motorized blind device. A power supply section has a motor. A power transmitting section has a worm gear coupled to the shaft of the power supply section, a worm wheel positioned on and meshed with the worm gear, a planetary gear formed on a side surface of the worm wheel, and a quadrangular shaft formed integrally with a front end of the worm gear. A control section has an internal sun gear meshed with the planetary gear, a pair of swing arms securely locked to a center shaft fastened to a bottom wall of the internal sun gear, and a pair of limit switches operated by lower ends of the swing arms to control raising and lowering of a blind. An operating section has raising and lowering drums connected one with another, and tilt adjustment parts respectively placed on the raising and lowering drums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Winspia Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Ik Kim
  • Patent number: 6910515
    Abstract: An electricity-operated window blind is constructed to include a headrail, a driving mechanism mounted inside the headrail and having a power input device for rotation upon receipt of power supply, and a power output device for synchronously rotating with the power input device, a bind body suspended below the headrail and coupled to the power output device and controlled by the power output device to change window shading status, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism includes a suspension rod downwardly suspended from the headrail by a first end thereof, and a controller installed in a second end of the suspension rod. The controller has a battery set electrically coupled to the power input device for providing the necessary working power to the power input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Nien Made Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming Nien
  • Patent number: 6789597
    Abstract: An electromagnetic clutch-controlled electric blind is constructed to include a blind body formed of a headrail defining a receiving chamber, a set of slats, and a bottom rail, a power drive, the power drive including a reversible motor and electromagnetic clutch apparatus connectable to the motor, an amplitude modulation set coupled to the motor for rotation with the motor to lift/lower the slats to the desired elevation, a frequency modulation set coupled to the motor through the electromagnetic clutch apparatus and adapted for controlling tilting angle of the slats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Nien Made Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Che Wen, Song-He Lui, Ya-Wei Hsu
  • Patent number: 6766846
    Abstract: An electric blind, which is efficiently raised and lowered and controlled in a tilt angle of its vanes by a single drive motor, is disclosed. The electric blind includes a mount frame, fixedly mounted on a wall over a window and having a certain length, a pair of housings attached to both ends of the mount frame, a pair of take-up cylinders rotably coupled to the housings, lifting cords wound around the pair of take-up cylinders and unwound therefrom to be suspended by a certain length, a rotating pipe, disposed between and joined to the pair of take-up cylinders and rotated in forward and reverse directions, a drive motor connected to the rotating pipe, a plurality of vanes disposed below the pair of housings to be raised and lowered by the lifting cords, and means for controlling tilt angle of the vanes by a turning force of the rotating pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Inventors: Myoung-Ho Song, Young-Hwan Song
  • Patent number: 6659156
    Abstract: A screw transmission mechanism for a motor-driven blind is constructed to include a driving unit, and at least one cord roll-up unit controlled by the driving unit to lift/lower or tilt the slats of the motor-driven Venetian blind. Each cord roll-up unit includes an amplitude modulation set controlled by the driving unit to lift/lower the slats and bottom rail of the Venetian blind, a frequency modulation set for rotation with the amplitude modulation set to tilt the slats of the Venetian blind, and a linkage adapted to control connection between the frequency modulation set and the amplitude modulation set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Nien Made Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Che Wen, Song-He Lui
  • Patent number: 6655441
    Abstract: A friction transmission mechanism for a motor-driven blind is constructed to include a driving unit, and at least one cord roll-up unit controlled to the driving unit to lift/lower or tilt the slats of the motor-driven Venetian blind. Each cord roll-up unit includes an amplitude modulation wheel controlled by the driving unit to lift/lower the slats and bottom rail of the Venetian blind, a frequency modulation wheel for rotation with the amplitude modulation set to tilt the slats of the Venetian blind, spring elements, which forces the frequency modulation wheel into friction-engagement with the amplitude modulation wheel, and a support supporting the amplitude modulation wheel, the support having a shoulder adapted to act with a protruding block of the frequency modulation wheel and to further limit angle of rotation of the frequency modulation wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute, Nien Made Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Che Wen, Song-He Lui
  • Patent number: 6516858
    Abstract: A headrail including a detachable battery holder for powered coverings for architectural openings is disclosed. The headrail comprises a housing defining an interior into which a battery magazine is removably mounted. In this manner, the batteries are hidden within the headrail for a more aesthetically pleasing look than can be achieved when the batteries are mounted outside of the headrail. The housing may include one or more small slots into which corresponding tabs on end caps mounted on the ends of the battery magazine may be inserted. The housing may also include a larger opening through which batteries may be inserted into or extracted from the battery magazine while it is mounted in the housing. Further, the housing may include one or more elongated openings for cooling, or through which installed batteries may be inspected, or into which tools may be inserted to move the batteries that are installed in the battery magazine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Inventors: Richard N. Anderson, Donald E. Fraser, Everett S. Coleman
  • Patent number: 6446693
    Abstract: A headrail designed for powered coverings for architectural openings comprises a housing defining an interior that conveniently hides a battery holder, a signal-receiving system, and an electric motor used to adjust the configuration of the covering. The headrail also hides improved hardware for mounting the motor and, in the case of coverings comprising tiltable elements, improved hardware for mounting a tilt rod. Additionally, in the case of coverings comprising tiltable elements, the headrail hides improved hardware for adjustably attaching the tiltable elements to the tilt rod in a manner that prevents over-rotation of the tiltable elements. The battery holder may comprise a battery magazine or a battery carrier removably mounted in the headrail housing. The batteries may be inserted into or extracted from the battery holder through an opening in a bottom wall of the headrail housing. A swingably mounted trap door may selectively cover or uncover the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Anderson, Donald E. Fraser, Everett S. Coleman
  • Patent number: 6405782
    Abstract: A transmission system installed in the track of a motor-driven blind and controlled to move vertical slats of the motor-driven blind between a received position and an extended position and to rotate the vertical slats in regulating the light after the vertical slats have been moved to the extended position. The transmission system includes a first power drive controlled to rotate the vertical slats to the desired angle through a transmission shaft and worm and worm gear sets, and a second power drive controlled to move the vertical slats from the ends of the track toward the middle or from the middle of the track toward the ends between the extended position and the received position through two reversed screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Inventor: Keng Mu Cheng
  • Patent number: 6382294
    Abstract: A system for holding batteries in a headrail comprises a battery carrier that cooperates with a battery carrier housing through an opening in the bottom of a headrail housing. The battery carrier accommodates a plurality of batteries and slidingly engages the battery carrier housing, which is mounted within the interior of the headrail housing. Since the battery carrier is slidably and removably engaged with the battery carrier housing, it is possible to remove and replace batteries without disassembling the headrail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Hunter Douglas Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Anderson, Donald E. Fraser
  • Patent number: 6253822
    Abstract: A cord driving mechanism for a blind is described, which comprises a cord driving pulley having a circumferential, radially outward-facing groove comprising a plurality of nips, the nips defined by formations which are disposed opposite one another on respective sides of the groove and are positioned so that the path of a cord around the pulley is relatively straight and so that the cord is substantially unconstricted in the regions between the nips; and a shoe, relative to which the pulley rotates, which surrounds at least part of the circumferential groove in the pulley. A cord passes around the pulley, in the space defined by the circumferential groove and the shoe. The cord is retained in the groove by contact with the shoe. The dimensions of the groove, the spacing between the groove and the shoe, and the size of the cord provide a desired resistance to rotation of the pulley and a desired maximum load which can be exerted on the cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Eclipse Blind Systems Limited
    Inventor: Malcolm James Wootton