Patent Application
20100092855
The present invention relates to a battery pack apparatus for electric window coverings and particularly to a battery pack which has a retaining assembly element at one end with an elastic thrust element coupled at a distal end thereof and a battery pack housing with a latch assembly element at an opposing end lock or unlock with the retaining assembly element to facilitate replacement of batteries.
R.O.C. Patent Pub. No. 507827, referring to
When in use, through the electronic control means of the electric transmission device 14 the motor 141 can be activated to rotate the transmission rod 142 to lift and retract, or lower and extend the slats 13 through the lift cords, thereby to block light or serve ornamental purpose.
The aforesaid electric window shade 10 still has drawbacks in use, notably:
When users want to change the batteries 15, they have to remove the battery lid 112, change the batteries 15, and install the battery lid 112 again. As the battery chamber 111 is located on the upper rail 11 which is generally installed on a location spaced from the floor at a distance, the users have to raise hands to do the activities mentioned above. Changing the batteries 15 is difficult. In the event that users' physical height cannot reach the upper rail, they have to step onto a chair or the like to do replacement of the batteries 15. It is troublesome or even risky.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack apparatus for electric window coverings to solve the problem of conventional electric window shade that is difficult to change batteries. The present invention includes a battery pack with a retaining assembly element at one end and a battery pack housing with a latch assembly element at an opposing end thereof that can be disengaged by a simple push of the battery pack. Thus it makes removing of the battery pack to change batteries much easier. The battery pack also can be loaded into the battery pack housing, and by another push of the battery pack the retaining assembly element and the latch assembly element can be engaged to finish installation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a battery pack apparatus for electric window coverings that allows the battery pack to be removed when batteries are exhausted and the electric window shade to become a cordless window shade extendable or retractable manually.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the battery pack apparatus according to the invention is installed on an upper rail of a window shape coupling with a clutch at one side thereof. It has a battery pack housing below the clutch and a battery pack held in the battery pack housing. The battery pack has a retaining assembly element at one end with an elastic thrust element coupled on a distal end thereof, and a latch assembly element at an opposing end of the battery pack housing that can be latched together or separated from each other.
In another aspect the clutch has a contact element. When the battery pack is loaded or unloaded from the battery pack housing the contact element is pushed or released, and the clutch and a driving means (such as a motor) are coupled or disengaged.
By means of the battery pack apparatus set forth above the invention can achieve the following effects: 1. with the design of coupling the clutch at one side of the upper rail with the battery pack, battery changing is easier; 2. with the retaining assembly element and elastic thrust element at one end of the battery pack and latch assembly at the opposing end of the battery pack housing that are latchable and separable, replacement of batteries is simpler; 3. in the event of losing electric power the battery pack can be removed to make the electric window shade to become a cordless window shade that can be extended or retracted manually.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Please referring to
The battery pack housing 30 has a base 31, a battery lid 32 and a latch assembly element 33. The battery lid 32 and the base 31 are coupled to form a housing compartment 312 and an opening end 313 at one end leading to the housing compartment 312, and a closed end 311 at another end. Plurality fastening holes 314 close to the closed end 311 are provided to receive fastening elements 315 to fasten the battery lid 32. The battery lid 32 has an opening 321 facing downwards to be coupled with the base 31 for fastening. The battery lid 32 further has a coupling strut 322 corresponding to the fastening hole 314 on each of two sides thereof. There is a hinge element 323 on the abutting sides of the coupling struts 322 to be coupled with a rocker bar 331 of the latch assembly element 33 through a pin 324. A latch element 325 is provided between the two coupling struts 322 with a latch hole 326 formed thereon to be latched by a hook end 3321 of one end of an elastic element 332. The battery lid 32 also has two ends with respectively a first electric contact end 327 and a second electric contact end 328 located thereon, and a slot 329 at an inner side close to the first electric contact end 327 to allow a contact element 61 of the clutch 60 to bulge out. The latch assembly element 33 is hinged on one end of the battery lid 32, and has the rocker bar 331 and the elastic element 332. The rocker bar 331 has a coupling end 3311 at one side with a hole 3312 formed thereon. The rocker bar 331 is held between the two hinge elements 323 and has the hole 3312 run through by the pin 324 to form pivotal coupling so that the rocker bar 331 is shiftable about the pin 324. The rocker bar 331 further has a hook 3313 at the bottom end close to the coupling end 3311 to be latched by another end 3322 of the elastic element 332, and a latch arm 3315 at another side with a latch member 3314 formed thereon.
The battery pack 40 includes a battery seat 41 and a wedge plate 42. The battery seat 41 has a housing chamber 411 to hold at least one battery 43, and a latch trough 412 at one end and a detent flange 413 on the periphery with a holding trough 4131 formed thereon. The latch trough 412 has an adjacent edge forming a retaining assembly element 414 which has a guiding element 415 with a latch notch 4151 formed thereon and a retaining element 4140 with a sloped side 4141 that can be engaged or disengaged with the latch member 3314 of the rocker bar 331, and released through the guiding element 415. The battery seat 41 has a third electric contact end 416 at an inside of another end to be in contact with the second electric contact end 328, and a depressing element 417 on an outer side. The wedge plate 42 is held in the holding trough 4131 of the detent flange 413, and has an anchor plate 421 extended from one side and an elastic thrust element 422 coupled on another end opposing the anchor plate 421 to push an outer side of the latch arm 3315 so that the rocker bar 331 is under compression. The wedge plate 42 has the bottom extended to another side to form a fourth electric contact end 423 to be in contact with the first electric contact end 327.
Also referring to
Referring to
In the event that the battery pack 40 is removed and not in use, the contact element 61 of the clutch 60 at one end of the battery pack housing 30 is not in contact with the battery seat 41. Then extending or retracting of the window shade can be done manually.
