GB2382764A

GB2382764A - Drive device for a blind cord

Info

Publication number: GB2382764A
Application number: GB0223508A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gregg Scott
Original assignee: SCOTRONIC Ltd
Current assignee: SCOTRONIC Ltd
Priority date: 2001-10-10
Filing date: 2002-10-10
Publication date: 2003-06-11
Also published as: GB0124284D0; GB0223508D0

Abstract

Housing 12 contains a programmable battery or externally powered motor which drives cogs 14, 16 which are adapted to engage the conventional cord, eg of the ball type, of a blind or curtain. Having two cogs allows the housing to be mounted on the left or right side of the blind. The device may operate automatically in response to a timer and/or external light levels and may include manual over-ride and a motor overload warning. Blind operation may include a programmed delay, eg before opening or closing in response to a change in light level.

Description

1 APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A BLIND 2 3 The present invention relates to apparatus for 4 operating a blind and is used, particularly, but not 5 exclusively, to operate a blind by responding 6 automatically to ambient external light levels 7 thereby serving as a security feature for occupied 8 or unoccupied premises.

9 10 Known security features such as alarm systems are 11 reactive rather than preventative means of security.

12 Although timer switches for lights have the 13 advantage of giving the impression that a premises 14 is occupied, if a window cover, for example blinds 15 or curtains, remains in the same position over a 16 period of time, this may alert a potential intruder 17 to the fact that the premises may indeed be vacant.

18 19 According to the present invention there is provided 20 a blind operating apparatus including a housing, 21 drive means and at least one drive cog adapted to 22 engage with a cord for operating the blind, the

1 drive means being located within the housing and the 2 drive cog being rotationally driven by the drive 3 means.

4 5 Preferably, the blind operating apparatus is adapted 6 to automatically move the blind between a first open 7 position and a second closed position depending on 8 external light levels.

9 10 Preferably, two drive cogs are provided on the blind 11 operating apparatus, one on each side thereof to 12 provide right and left handed operation 13 functionality.

14 15 Preferably, the drive cog can be driven in both a 16 clockwise and an anti-clockwise direction.

17 18 Preferably, the apparatus further includes a light 19 sensing means which produces a first actuating 20 signal to the drive means in response to a change in 21 ambient light level below a first predetermined 22 lower threshold level and produces a second 23 actuating signal to the drive means in response to a 24 change in ambient light level above a second 25 predetermined higher threshold level.

26 27 Preferably, the light sensing means produces an 28 actuating signal to the drive means to close the 29 blind in response to a change in ambient light level 30 above a third predetermined higher threshold level 31 which is higher than the second predetermined 32 threshold level.

1 2 Preferably, the first, second and third threshold 3 levels are adjustable.

4 5 Preferably, the light sensing means only produces an 6 actuating signal to the drive means if the change in 7 ambient light level beyond the threshold levels is 8 maintained for a predetermined minimum time 9 interval.

10 11 Preferably, the predetermined minimum time interval 12 is adjustable and may be different for each 13 threshold level.

14 15 Preferably, the light sensing means is fixed to a 16 window situated remote from the blind operating 17 apparatus.

18 19 Preferably, the light sensing means is adapted to 20 sense external light levels.

21 22 Preferably, the automatic operation of the blind can 23 be manually overridden.

24 25 Preferably, once the blind operating apparatus is 26 manually overridden the apparatus is adapted to 27 revert to automatic operation after a predetermined 28 time interval.

29 30 Preferably, the manual operation of the blind is 31 effected by controls on the blind operating 32 apparatus.

1 2 Additionally or alternatively, the manual operation 3 of the blind is effected by remote control.

4 5 Preferably, the adjustment of the first and/or 6 second threshold levels is effected by controls on 7 the blind operating apparatus.

8 9 Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment of the 10 first and/or second threshold levels is effected by 11 remote control.

12 13 Preferably, the adjustment of the third threshold 14 levels is effected by controls on the blind 15 operating apparatus.

16 17 Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment of the 18 first and/or second threshold levels is effected by 19 remote control.

20 21 Preferably, the blind operating apparatus is adapted 22 to have a motor overload function.

23 24 Preferably, a LED is provided on the blind operating 25 apparatus for indication purposes.

26 27 Preferably, the blind operating apparatus is battery 28 operated.

29 30 Additionally or alternatively, the blind operating 31 apparatus is powered from an external power supply.

32

1 Preferably, the blind operating apparatus is 2 programmable such that it can be used as a bespoke 3 device for all blinds and for any size of window or 4 opening.

5 6 Embodiments of the present invention will now be 7 described by way of example only with reference to 8 the accompanying drawings in which: 9 10 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the blind operating 11 apparatus of the present invention; and 12 13 Fig. 2 is a part cross-sectional perspective view of

14 the blind operating apparatus of Fig. 1 ; 15 16 Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a blind 17 operating apparatus 10 having a housing 12 of 18 moulded plastics material. Two drive cogs 14 and 16 19 are provided, one on each side of the blind 20 operating apparatus 10. The drive cogs 14 and 16 21 have teeth 18 adapted to mesh into gripping 22 engagement with a conventional looped cord (not 23 shown) attached to the blind for its operation. End 24 caps 17 are provided on the drive cogs 14 and 16 and 25 may be integral therewith. Side retainers 19 are 26 further provided on or integral with the housing 12 27 adjacent the drive cogs 14 and 16. A LED 20 is 28 provided on the blind operating apparatus 10 for 29 indication purposes, for example to indicate when 30 the apparatus is in operation. Two buttons 22 and 31 24 are provided on the drive unit for operating and 32 programming purposes. A light sensor (not shown) is

1 connected to the blind operating apparatus 10 for 2 sensing light levels.

3 4 Fig. 2 shows the internal components of the blind 5 operating apparatus 10 which comprises a battery 6 compartment 26, a motor 28, gears 30 and 32 and gear 7 shaft 34 which has drive cogs 14 and 16 connected at 8 opposite ends thereof.

9 10 In use, the blind operating apparatus 10 is fixed by 11 screws to a wall adjacent the cord. It is envisaged 12 that the blind cord will be of the type which is 13 formed from a sequence of plastic balls, however, 14 the apparatus can be readily adapted to operate with 15 cords having other surface qualities.

16 17 Two drive cogs 14,16 are provided, one on either 18 side of the blind operating apparatus 10, in order 19 that apparatus can be selectively positioned for use 20 regardless of whether the cord is at the left or 21 right hand side of the blind. This has the advantage 22 that one unit can be produced which is capable of 23 both right and left handed function.

24 25 The blind operating apparatus 10 must be positioned 26 so that the teeth of drive cog 14 or 16 mesh with 27 the plastic balls on the blind cord. End caps 17 are 28 provided on the drive cogs 14 and 16 in order to 29 prevent the blind cord from disengaging in the 30 lateral direction. Side retainers 19 are further 31 provided to prevent disengagement in the axial 32 direction.

1 2 The drive cogs 14 and 16 of the blind operating 3 apparatus 10 may mesh with the blind cord at any 4 point along its length.

5 6 The blind operating apparatus 10 may be powered by 7 batteries and/or from an external source.

8 9 Before use, the blind operating apparatus 10 10 requires to be programmed in order that it operates 11 as a bespoke system, the settings being adjusted 12 according to the requirements of the user and/or the 13 particular blinds being operated. For example, 14 variables to be taken into account include the 15 tilting angle of slatted or louvre blinds, the size 16 of the window or opening which the blind covers, the 17 threshold light levels and any delay for actuating 18 the apparatus, the speed of the opening and closing 19 actions etc.

20 21 Such programming is effected using a SETUP mode 22 which is selected either by momentarily pressing a 23 MANUAL button 22 within five seconds of power 24 switch-on or by pressing the MANUAL button 22 within 25 five seconds of momentarily pressing a 26 RESET/SETUP/WAKE-UP button 24. Whilst in the SETUP 27 mode the LED 20 will illuminate orange.

28 29 The following procedure is followed in order that 30 the blind operating apparatus 10 can"remember,"the 31 motor distance travelled between the open and closed 32 positions of the blind. The MANUAL button 22 is

1 pressed until the window cover is fully closed and 2 then released. The MANUAL button 22 is then pressed 3 again until the blind is opened and then released.

4 The open position need not be the fully open 5 position. It is the movement between the fully 6 CLOSED position and the position selected for OPEN 7 that is"remembered"by the blind operating 8 apparatus 10.

9 10 A further momentary press of the MANUAL button 22 11 followed by pressing the RESET/SETUP/WAKE-UP button 12 24 will select a zero time delay for opening the 13 blind when the light level rises above a 14 predetermined threshold level. However, if the 15 MANUAL button 22 is pressed and held for 2 seconds 16 or greater followed again by pressing the 17 RESET/SETUP/WAKE-UP button 24, a thirty minute delay 18 will be applied to the opening of the blind when the 19 light level rises above a predetermined threshold 20 level.

21 22 Finally, if the RESET/SETUP/WAKE-UP button 24 is 23 again momentarily pressed, the blind operating 24 apparatus 10 returns to the switch-on mode, i. e.

25 after five seconds it will move to NORMAL mode 26 (described below) unless the MANUAL button 22 is 27 pressed as described above.

28 29 After fitting the batteries or connecting to an 30 external power source, the LED 20 illuminates a 31 steady green. After approximately five seconds, the 32 blind operating apparatus 10 moves to NORMAL mode

1 whereby the motor in the blind operating apparatus 2 moves the blind to correspond with the current 3 ambient light level. If the MANUAL button 22 is 4 pressed again in this mode the motor will move the 5 blind to the opposite condition and it will either 6 (i) remain in that condition until the light level 7 breaches a threshold light level thus causing the 8 motor to move the blind accordingly or; (ii) if the 9 blind is manually opened whilst it is dark, it will 10 close after a period of two hours. The motor 11 distance travelled will always correspond to that 12 chosen during the SETUP mode.

13 14 The threshold light levels are chosen whilst the 15 blind operating apparatus 10 is in the NORMAL mode 16 by using the SET DARK function whilst exposing the

17 light sensor to the required light level.

18 19 If the battery level drops below a predetermined 20 minimum level the LED 20 will illuminate orange. If 21 the motor 28 suffers from mechanical overload, this 22 is indicated by the LED 20 flashing orange.

23 24 Various modifications may be made without departing 25 from the scope of the invention.

26 27 For example, it will be appreciated that the blind 28 operating apparatus is suitable for use with all 29 types of blinds (i. e. louvre, slatted and roller 30 types) and for other window coverings such as 31 curtains.

32

1 It will be further appreciated that the apparatus 2 need not be limited to window coverings and may 3 equally be used for coverings for doors or walls 4 etc.

5 6 The blind operating apparatus may, in addition to a 7 LED, further include a display in order to assist in 8 programming and/or indicating the status of the 9 apparatus.

10 11 The blind operating apparatus may be operated and 12 programmed by remote control instead of or in 13 addition to using the buttons on the housing.

14 15 Although the blind operating apparatus of the 16 invention described acts to close the blinds when 17 light levels fall below a threshold level, it may 18 equally be used to close the blinds when light 19 levels rise above a threshold level. For example, 20 this arrangement could be used to automatically 21 provide shade from bright sunshine.

22 23 The blind operating apparatus may, instead of 24 operating automatically in response to light levels, 25 may be operated by a timer.

26 27 Although the present invention has been described on 28 the basis of a conventional looped cord, it will be 29 appreciated that"cord"may equally apply to blinds 30 having separate cords for opening and closing 31 actions and for blinds having a rigid"wand"type 32 control"cord".

1 2 Depending upon the surface qualities of the cord, 3 the gripping engagement between the cog and the cord 4 can be a combination of friction and tension rather 5 than meshing. In such a case, the projections on the 6 exterior surface of the drive cogs may be replaced 7 by a roughened surface, for example.

Claims

1 CLAIMS 2

3 1. A blind operating apparatus including a

4 housing, drive means and at least one drive cog

5 adapted to engage with a cord for operating the

6 blind, the drive means being located within the

7 housing and the drive cog being rotationally driven

8 by the drive means.

9 10

2. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in claim 11 1 wherein, the blind operating apparatus is adapted 12 to automatically move the blind between a first open 13 position and a second closed position depending on 14 external light levels.

15 16

3. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in 17 either preceding claim wherein, two drive cogs are 18 provided on the blind operating apparatus, one on 19 each side thereof to provide right and left handed 20 operation functionality.

21 22

4. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 23 preceding claim wherein, the drive cog can be driven 24 in both a clockwise and an anti-clockwise direction.

25 26

5. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 27 preceding claim wherein, the apparatus further 28 includes a light sensing means which produces a 29 first actuating signal to the drive means in 30 response to a change in ambient light level below a 31 first predetermined lower threshold level and 32 produces a second actuating signal to the drive

1 means in response to a change in ambient light level

2 above a second predetermined higher threshold level.

3

4

6. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in claim

5 5 wherein, the light sensing means produces an

6 actuating signal to the drive means to close the

7 blind in response to a change in ambient light level

8 above a third predetermined higher threshold level

9 which is higher than the second predetermined 10 threshold level.

11 12

7. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in 13 either of claims 5 or 6 wherein, the first, second 14 and third threshold levels are adjustable.

15 16

8. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 17 of claims 5 to 7 wherein, the light sensing means 18 only produces an actuating signal to the drive means 19 if the change in ambient light level beyond the 20 threshold levels is maintained for a predetermined 21 minimum time interval.

22 23

9. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in claim 24 8 wherein, the predetermined minimum time interval 25 is adjustable and may be different for each 26 threshold level.

27 28

10. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 29 of claims 5 to 9 wherein, the light sensing means is 30 fixed to a window situated remote from the blind 31 operating apparatus.

32

1

11. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any

2 of claims 5 to 10 wherein, the light sensing means

3 is adapted to sense external light levels.

4

5

12. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any

6 of claims 2 to 11 (when dependent on claim 2)

7 wherein, the automatic operation of the blind can be

8 manually overridden.

9 10

13. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in claim 11 12 wherein, once the blind operating apparatus is 12 manually overridden the apparatus is adapted to 13 revert to automatic operation after a predetermined 14 time interval.

15 16

14. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in 17 claims 12 or 13 wherein, the manual operation of the 18 blind is effected by controls on the blind operating 19 apparatus.

20 21

15. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in 22 claims 12 to 14 wherein, the manual operation of the 23 blind is effected by remote control.

24 25

16. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 26 of claims 5 to 15 (when dependent on claim 5) 27 wherein, the adjustment of the first and/or second 28 threshold levels is effected by controls on the 29 blind operating apparatus.

30 31

17. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 32 of claims 3 to 16 (when dependent on claim 5)

1 wherein, the adjustment of the first and/or second

2 threshold levels is effected by remote control.

3

4

18. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any

5 of claims 6 to 17 (when dependent on claim 6)

6 wherein, the adjustment of the third threshold

7 levels is effected by controls on the blind

8 operating apparatus.

9 10

19. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 11 of claims 6 to 18 (when dependent on claim 6) 12 wherein, the adjustment of the first and/or second 13 threshold levels is effected by remote control.

14 15

20. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 16 preceding claim wherein, the blind operating 17 apparatus is adapted to have a motor overload 18 function.

19 20

21. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 21 preceding claim wherein, a LED is provided on the 22 blind operating apparatus for indication purposes.

23 24

22. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 25 preceding claim wherein, the blind operating 26 apparatus is battery operated.

27 28

23. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 29 preceding claim wherein, the blind operating 30 apparatus is powered from an external power supply.

31

1

24. A blind operating apparatus as claimed in any 2 preceding claim wherein, the blind operating 3 apparatus is programmable such that it can be used 4 as a bespoke device for all blinds and for any size 5 of window or opening.

6 7

25. A blind operating apparatus substantially as 8 hereinbefore described with reference to the 9 accompanying drawings.