U.S. patent application number 11/481952 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-10 for automated window blind.
This patent application is currently assigned to MACAUTO INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Paul Lin.
Application Number | 20080006373 11/481952 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38918128 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080006373 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin; Paul |
January 10, 2008 |
Automated window blind
Abstract
A window blind includes a shaft unit and a clutch unit. The
shaft unit includes a pair of seat members, a shaft member, a
tubular member, and a pushing member. The shaft member is mounted
rotatably on the seat members. The tubular member is sleeved
rotatably around the shaft member. The pushing member is sleeved
securely on the shaft member. The clutch unit serves to connect and
disconnect the shaft member and a pair of bobbins. When the shaft
member is rotated in a first rotational direction, the clutch unit
connects the shaft member and tubular member, thereby resulting in
rotation of the tubular member in the first rotational direction.
When the shaft member is rotated in a second rotational direction,
the clutch unit disconnects the shaft member and the tubular
member, and enables the pushing member to drive rotation of the
tubular member in the second rotational direction.
Inventors: |
Lin; Paul; (Tainan Hsien,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON PEABODY, LLP
401 9TH STREET, NW, SUITE 900
WASHINGTON
DC
20004-2128
US
|
Assignee: |
MACAUTO INDUSTRIAL CO.,
LTD.
Yung-Kang City
TW
|
Family ID: |
38918128 |
Appl. No.: |
11/481952 |
Filed: |
July 7, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
160/321 ;
160/265 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E06B 9/40 20130101; B60J
7/0015 20130101; B60J 1/2025 20130101; B60J 1/205 20130101; B60J
1/2033 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
160/321 ;
160/265 |
International
Class: |
A47G 5/02 20060101
A47G005/02 |
Claims
1. A window blind, comprising: a shaft unit including a pair of
seat members, a shaft member mounted rotatably on said seat
members, a tubular member sleeved rotatably around said shaft
member, and formed with an inner protrusion that extends radially
and inwardly therefrom, and a pushing member disposed in said
tubular member, sleeved securely on said shaft member, and formed
with an outer protrusion that extends radially and outwardly
therefrom; a flexible screen body wound on said tubular member; a
pair of bobbins disposed on opposite sides of said pushing member
and sleeved rotatably on said shaft member; a pair of ropes, each
of which is wound on a respective one of said bobbins and each of
which is coupled to said screen body; and a clutch unit for
connecting and disconnecting said shaft member and said bobbins;
wherein rotation of said shaft member in a first rotational
direction enables said clutch unit to couple said shaft member and
said bobbins, thereby resulting in rotation of said bobbins,
winding of each of said ropes on the respective one of said bobbins
to thereby permit said ropes to pull said screen body, rotation of
said tubular member, and unwinding of said screen body from said
tubular member, wherein rotation of said shaft member in a second
rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction
enables said clutch unit to disconnect said shaft member and said
bobbins, and wherein further rotation of said shaft member in the
second rotational direction enables said outer protrusion of said
pushing member to abut against said inner protrusion of said
tubular member, thereby resulting in rotation of said tubular
member, winding of said screen body on said tubular member,
rotation of said bobbins, and unwinding of each of said ropes from
the respective one of said bobbins.
2. The window blind as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an
electric motor unit mounted on one of said seat members, and
operable so as to rotate said shaft member in the first and second
rotational directions.
3. The window blind as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clutch unit
includes a pair of springs, each of which is sleeved on and is in
frictional contact with said shaft member and each of which has an
end that is coupled to a respective one of said bobbins, each of
said springs contracting in radial inward directions when said
shaft member is rotated in the first rotational direction to
thereby connect said shaft member and said bobbins, each of said
springs expanding in radial outward directions when said shaft
member is rotated in the second rotational direction to thereby
disconnect said shaft member and said bobbins.
4. The window blind as claimed in claim 3, wherein said clutch unit
further includes a pair of couplers, each of which is sleeved
rotatably on said shaft member and is coupled to a respective one
of said bobbins, each of said springs being disposed in a
respective one of said couplers, said end of each of said springs
being connected to the respective one of said couplers.
5. The window blind as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a
pair of elongate slide rails, each of which has opposite first and
second rail ends and is formed with a rail groove therein, each of
said seat members being disposed proximate to said first rail end
of a respective one of said slide rails; and a pair of pulleys,
each of which is mounted rotatably on said second rail end of a
respective one of said slide rails, each of said ropes being
trained on a respective one of said pulleys.
6. The window blind as claimed in claim 5, wherein said screen body
has lateral ends, each of which is disposed in said rail groove in
a respective one of said slide rails, and a front end that
interconnects said lateral ends said screen body, said ropes being
coupled to said front end of said screen body.
7. The window blind as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a
batten connected to said front end of said screen body, said ropes
being connected to said batten.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a window blind, more particularly
to an automated window blind.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A conventional window blind for covering and uncovering a
sunroof of an automobile includes a pair of seat members, a shaft
member, a biasing spring, and a flexible screen body. The shaft
member has opposite shaft end portions, each of which is mounted
rotatably on a respective one of the seat members. The shaft member
is rotatable relative to the seat members in a first rotational
direction, and a second rotational direction opposite to the first
rotational direction. The biasing spring serves to bias the shaft
member in the second rotational direction. The screen body is wound
on the shaft member.
[0005] In operation, when it is desired to cover the sunroof, an
external pulling force is applied to the screen body such that the
screen body is pulled away from the shaft member, thereby resulting
in rotation of the shaft member in the first rotational direction
against a biasing action of the biasing spring and unwinding of the
screen body from the shaft member. At this time, when is it is
desired to uncover the sunroof, the screen cover is released from
the external pulling force, thereby resulting in rotation of the
shaft member in the second direction due to the biasing force of
the biasing spring and winding of the screen body on the shaft
member.
[0006] The conventional window blind is disadvantageous in that it
is manually operated, which causes inconvenience on the part of the
user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a window blind that can overcome the aforesaid drawback of the
prior art.
[0008] According to the present invention, a window blind comprises
a shaft unit, a flexible screen body, a pair of bobbins, a pair of
ropes, and a clutch unit. The shaft unit includes a pair of seat
members, a shaft member, a tubular member, and a pushing member.
The shaft member is mounted rotatably on the seat members. The
tubular member is sleeved rotatably around the shaft member, and is
formed with an inner protrusion that extends radially and inwardly
therefrom. The pushing member is disposed in the tubular member, is
sleeved securely on the shaft member, and is formed with an outer
protrusion that extends radially and outwardly therefrom. The
screen body is wound on the tubular member. The bobbins are
disposed on opposite sides of the pushing member and are sleeved
rotatably on the shaft member. Each of the ropes is wound on a
respective one of the bobbins and is coupled to the screen body.
The clutch unit serves to connect and disconnect the shaft member
and the bobbins. Rotation of the shaft member in a first rotational
direction enables the clutch unit to couple the shaft member and
the bobbins, thereby resulting in rotation of the bobbins, winding
of each of the ropes on the respective one of the bobbins to
thereby permit the ropes to pull the screen body, rotation of the
tubular member, and unwinding of the screen body from the tubular
member. Rotation of the shaft member in a second rotational
direction opposite to the first rotational direction enables the
clutch unit to disconnect the shaft member and the bobbins. Further
rotation of the shaft member in the second rotational direction
enables the outer protrusion of the pushing member to abut against
the inner protrusion of the tubular member, thereby resulting in
rotation of the tubular member, winding of the screen body on the
tubular member, rotation of the bobbins, and unwinding of each of
the ropes from the respective one of the bobbins.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of a window blind according to the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective, partly sectional view to
illustrate a shaft unit of the preferred embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a partly sectional view of the preferred
embodiment to illustrate rotation of a shaft member of the shaft
unit in a first rotational direction;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a partly sectional view of the preferred
embodiment to illustrate rotation of the shaft member of the shaft
unit in a second rotational direction; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment to
illustrate when a tubular member of the shaft unit being driven by
a pushing member of the shaft unit to rotate in the second
rotational direction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of a window
blind according to this invention is shown to include a pair of
elongate slide rails 64, a shaft unit 4, a flexible screen body 61,
a pair of bobbins 55, a pair of pulleys 63, a pair of ropes 65, and
a clutch unit 54.
[0016] The window blind of this embodiment is applied to cover and
uncover a sunroof (not shown), in a manner that will be described
hereinafter.
[0017] Each of the slide rails 64 has opposite first and second
rail ends 641, 642, and is formed with a rail groove 640 that
extends from the first rail end 641 to the second rail end 642 of a
respective one of the slide rails 64.
[0018] With further reference to FIG. 2, the shaft unit 4 includes
a pair of seat members 41, a shaft member 43, a tubular member 42,
and a pushing member 44. Each of the seat members 41 of the shaft
unit 4 is disposed proximate to the first rail end 641 of a
respective one of the slide rails 64. The shaft member 43 of the
shaft unit 4 is mounted rotatably on the seat members 41. The
tubular member 42 of the shaft unit 4 is sleeved rotatably around
the shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4, and is formed with an
inner protrusion 421 that extends radially and inwardly therefrom.
The pushing member 44 of the shaft unit 4 is disposed in the
tubular member 42 of the shaft unit 4, is sleeved securely on the
shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4, and is formed with an outer
protrusion 441 that extends radially and outwardly therefrom.
[0019] The screen body 61 is wound on the tubular member 42 of the
shaft unit 4, and has lateral ends 611, each of which is disposed
in the rail groove 604 in a respective one of the slide rails 64,
and a front end 612 that interconnects the lateral ends 611 of the
screen body 61.
[0020] The window blind further includes a batten 62 that is
connected to the front end 612 of the screen body 61.
[0021] The bobbins 55 are disposed on opposite sides of the pushing
member 44 of the shaft unit 4 and are sleeved rotatably on the
shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4.
[0022] Each of the pulleys 63 is mounted rotatably on the second
rail end 642 of a respective one of the slide rails 64.
[0023] Each of the ropes 65 is wound on a respective one of the
bobbins 55, is trained on a respective one of the pulleys 63, and
has an end that is connected to the batten 62.
[0024] The clutch unit 54 serves to connect and disconnect the
shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4 and the bobbins 55. In this
embodiment, the clutch unit 54 includes a pair of couplers 543 and
a pair of springs 542. Each of the couplers 543 of the clutch unit
54 is sleeved rotatably on the shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4
and is connected to a respective one of the bobbins 55. Each of the
springs 542 of the clutch unit 54 is disposed in a respective one
of the couplers 543 of the clutch unit 54, is sleeved on and is in
frictional contact with the shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4,
and has an end that is connected to a respective one of the
couplers 543 of the clutch unit 54.
[0025] In operation, with further reference to FIG. 3, when the
shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4 is rotated in a first
rotational direction, as indicated by arrow (A), this enables the
springs 542 of the clutch unit 54 to contract in radial inward
directions to thereby connect the shaft member 43 of the shaft unit
4 and the bobbins 55 through the couplers 543 of the clutch unit
54, respectively. This results in rotation of the bobbins 55,
winding of each of the ropes 65 on the respective one of the
bobbins 55 to thereby permit the ropes 65 to pull the screen body
61, rotation of the tubular member 42 of the shaft unit 4, and
unwinding of the screen body 61 from the tubular member 42 of the
shaft unit 4 to thereby cover the sunroof (not shown).
[0026] With further reference to FIG. 4, when the shaft member 43
of the shaft unit 4 is rotated in a second rotational direction
opposite to the first rotational direction, as indicated by arrow
(B), this enables the springs 542 of the clutch unit 54 to expand
in radial outward directions to thereby disconnect the shaft member
43 of the shaft unit 4 and the bobbins 55. At this time, when the
shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4 is further rotated in the
second rotational direction (B), this enables the outer protrusion
441 of the pushing member 44 of the shaft unit 4 to abut against
the inner protrusion 421 of the tubular member 42 of the shaft unit
4, as best shown in FIG. 5. This results in rotation of the tubular
member 43 of the shaft unit 4, winding of the screen body 61 on the
tubular member 42 of the shaft unit 4 to thereby uncover the
sunroof (not shown), rotation of the bobbins 55, and unwinding of
each of the ropes 65 from the respective one of the bobbins 55.
[0027] As best shown in FIG. 1, the window blind further includes
an electric motor unit 42 that is mounted on one of the seat
members 41 of the shaft unit 4, and that is operable so as to
rotate the shaft member 43 of the shaft unit 4 in the first and
second rotational directions (A, B), thereby permitting automated
operation of the window blind of this invention.
[0028] As best shown in FIG. 2, the window blind further includes a
torque transmission unit 7 that prevents slackening of the screen
body 61 and the ropes 65. Since the construction of the torque
transmission unit 7 is known to those skilled in the art, a
detailed description of the same will be dispensed with herein for
the sake of brevity.
[0029] It is noted that, in an alternative embodiment, the window
blind of this invention is applied to a vertical window (not
shown), and is dispensed with the slide rails 64, the pulleys 63,
and the torque transmission unit 7.
[0030] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *