1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric blind, particularly to one provided with a stepping motor for driving the slat units of a blind to let the slat units swing for a needed angle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional blind shown in
However, the slats of the conventional blind cannot be adjusted in their angle to be swung, in spite that the slats can be swung by the motor, only having two angles, that is, one for opened and another for closed. Moreover, in case that the slats receive an exterior force and stopped immovable, the coil of the motor 4 may be overloaded to burn up.
The electric blind in the invention includes a frame, a plurality of slat units, a linking rod, and a stepping motor unit. The frame has two side vertical rods pivotally connected with the horizontal slat units between, and the linking rod is fixed with a lengthwise side of all the slat units, so all the slat units may synchronously swing to an angle by the function of the linking rod when the steeping motor rotates one of the slat units, The stepping motor is positioned in one of the two side vertical rods, connected with only one end of one slat unit so that all the slat units may swing at the same time by function of the linking rod.
In addition, the stepping motor is moved by input pulse to generate a certain angle rotation and its angle rotated is accurate owing to the input pulse controlling its extent of rotation, and at the same time the motor can rotate idle in case of the input pulse interrupted by an exterior force. Therefore, the slat units cannot be driven temporarily by the stepping motor if the stepping motor receives irregular resistance (such as when the slat units swings to the utmost angle), or if the slat units are pulled by a user any time, avoiding damage.
This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompany drawings, wherein:
A preferred embodiment of an electric blind in the present invention, as shown in
The frame 10 is provided with a plurality of insert holes 11 spaced apart equidistantly in two side vertical rods respectively, and a cavity 12 just behind one of the insert groove 11 in one of the two vertical rods. The insert holes 11 in one side vertical rod are respectively at the same level with those 11 in the other side vertical rod to align to each other.
Each slat unit 20 as shown in
The connect rod 30 is fixed vertically with an lengthwise side of all the horizontal slats 21 so that all the slat units 20 may rotated for a certain angle at the same time by the interactive function of the connect rod 30, when they are driven by the stepping motor unit 40.
The stepping motor unit 40 consists of a stepping motor 41 and a controller 42, and the stepping motor 41 is positioned in the cavity 12 of the frame 10 and has a shaft 411, which is provided with a flat position surface 412 on its end. Further a linking member 43 fits around the flat position surface 412 of the shaft 411, having a position groove 431 and a fit groove 432 respectively in two ends. Then the shaft 411 of the stepping motor 41 fits in the position groove 431 of the linking member 43, and one of the slat unit 20 fits in the fit groove 432 of the linking member 43 so that the stepping motor unit 40 may drive all the slats units 20 through the connect rod 20 for changing the angle of the slat units 20. As to the controller 42, it is connected with the rear side of the motor 41, controlling the input pulse of the stepping motor 41 by means of infrared ray,
Next, how to use the electric blind in the invention is to be described as follows. Referring to
In addition, it is worth mentioning that the slat units 20 can have a movement to return to a zero point so the controller or manual operation can swing the slat units 20 to the zero point. In other words, the stepping motor 41 can rotate idle if the slat units 20 is swung to the utmost point, and if the stepping motor 41 keeps on rotating for a preset time, the slat units 20 can be shut completely (i.e., move to the zero point). And subsequently if the motor starts from the zero point, the slat units 20 are to be swung precisely to the needed angle according to the input pulse.
Next,
Lastly, the invention has the following advantages, as can be seen from the foresaid description.
The slat units can be manually rotated even if the stepping motor is still in operation, and then the stepping motor can rotates idle. Therefore, the angle of the slat units can be adjusted, not making any damage to the stepping motor, with its service life prolonged.
The control signal for the motor is pulse, so the rotating process for an angle of the slat units is in proportion to the number of the pulse. It means that the angle of the slat units can be accurately calculated by the number of the input pulse, so the stepping motor can make a preset angle rotation owing to the function of the controller, with its practicality and accuracy of the control increased.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5379551 | Swapp | Jan 1995 | A |
6145251 | Ricci | Nov 2000 | A |
6568131 | Milano, Jr. | May 2003 | B1 |
6675534 | Marocco | Jan 2004 | B2 |
6854211 | Blachley | Feb 2005 | B1 |
7178291 | Vasquez | Feb 2007 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20070157519 A1 | Jul 2007 | US |