Patent Grant
11462871
The present disclosure relates generally to architectural-structure coverings, and more particularly to a power supply unit for use with motorized architectural-structure coverings.
Architectural-structure coverings for architectural openings and/or structures, such as windows, doors, archways, portions of a wall, and the like (collectively an architectural structure without the intent to limit), have taken numerous forms for many years. One known architectural-structure covering includes a covering or covering portion (used interchangeably herein without the intent to limit) such as a fabric that is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. For example, the covering can be moved between an extended position and a retracted position for obscuring and exposing the underlying architectural structure.
The architectural-structure covering may include a motorized controller to move the covering between the extended and retracted positions (e.g., raise and lower the covering). For example, a motorized drive motor (e.g., an electric motor) can be provided to move the covering between the extended position and the retracted position. In one embodiment, the operating system may include an operating element such as, for example, a hand-held remote, an APP running on a smartphone or tablet, etc.
Use of motorized controllers to move the covering of an architectural-structure covering between the extended and retracted positions requires the architectural-structure covering to be connected to a source of electrical power. In homes, restaurants, businesses, and other buildings having multiple architectural-structural coverings, a power supply unit may be utilized to supply power to each of the motorized architectural-structure coverings.
Generally speaking, it would be beneficial to provide a power supply unit that is installer friendly. For example, it would be beneficial to provide a power supply unit that does not require the installer to access the internal compartment of the power supply unit, thus preventing, or at least reducing the likelihood that the installer needs to manage line-voltage connections. In addition, it would be beneficial to provide a power supply unit that provides increased plug and play capabilities to facilitate easier installation, thus reducing the likelihood of installation errors.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the features and/or aspects of the present disclosure may be useful.
This Summary is provided to introduce in a simplified form, a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Disclosed herein is a power supply unit, housing, etc. (used interchangeably herein without the intent to limit) for providing power to one or more motorized architectural-structure coverings. The architectural-structure coverings include a covering movable between an extended position and a retracted position and a motor (e.g., an electrical motor) for moving the covering between the extended and retracted positions.
The power supply unit may be arranged and configured to receive mains or line-voltage power, to convert the line-voltage power to low-voltage power, and to supply the low-voltage power to, for example, the motorized architectural-structure coverings. In use, the low-voltage power can be provided to the motorized architectural-structure coverings to power the electrical motor used to move the covering between the extended and retracted positions.
In one example of an embodiment, the power supply unit includes one or more features to simplify installation. For example, in one embodiment, the power supply unit is arranged and configured so that an installer is not required to access an internal compartment of the power supply unit (e.g., installer does not need to remove a cover to access the internal circuity in order to make the required line-voltage and low-voltage connections, e.g., to connect to the motor and/or electrical outlet). In addition, and/or alternatively, in one embodiment, a cable extending between the power supply unit and the motorized architectural-structure coverings include same gender connectors on each end thereof for facilitating easier installation and reducing installation errors.
In one example of an embodiment, the power supply unit includes a power connector accessible through an outer surface of the power supply unit for receiving line-voltage and a plurality of low-voltage connectors accessible through the outer surface of the power supply unit for supplying low-voltage to the motorized architectural-structure coverings.
Additionally, and/or alternatively, in one example of an embodiment, the power supply unit includes a power connector, inlet, or plug accessible through an outer surface of the power supply unit for receiving a power cord, which is arranged and configured to be coupled to an electrical outlet.
Additionally, and/or alternatively, in one example of an embodiment, the power supply unit includes a plurality of low-voltage connectors extending through an outer surface of the power supply unit for receiving a cable, which is arranged and configured to be coupled to one of the motorized architectural-structure coverings.
Additionally, and/or alternatively, in one example of an embodiment, the low-voltage connectors of the power supply unit have the same gender connector as the connector associated with the motorized architectural-structure coverings so that the cables extending between the power supply unit and the motorized architectural-structure covering are arranged and configured to utilize the same gender connectors on both the first and second ends thereof so that the cable is not specific as to which end is placed adjacent to the motorized architectural-structure covering and which end is placed adjacent to the power supply unit. Thus, easier installation is facilitated.
The drawings are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are merely representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the disclosure. The drawings are intended to depict exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, and therefore are not be considered as limiting in scope. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements.
Various features, aspects, or the like of a power supply unit for use with an architectural-structure covering will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which one or more aspects of the power supply unit will be shown and described. It should be appreciated that the various features, aspects, or the like may be used independently of, or in combination, with each other. It will be appreciated that the power supply unit as disclosed herein may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will convey certain illustrations of aspects of the power supply unit to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout unless otherwise noted.
It should be understood that, as described herein, an “embodiment” (such as illustrated in the accompanying Figures) may refer to an illustrative representation of an environment or article or component in which a disclosed concept or feature may be provided or embodied, or to the representation of a manner in which just the concept or feature may be provided or embodied. However, such illustrated embodiments are to be understood as examples (unless otherwise stated), and other manners of embodying the described concepts or features, such as may be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art upon learning the concepts or features from the present disclosure, are within the scope of the disclosure. In addition, it will be appreciated that while the Figures may show one or more embodiments of concepts or features together in a single embodiment of an environment, article, or component incorporating such concepts or features, such concepts or features are to be understood (unless otherwise specified) as independent of and separate from one another and are shown together for the sake of convenience and without intent to limit to being present or used together. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used separately, or with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present subject matter covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As will be described in greater detail below, a power supply unit according to the present disclosure may include one or more features to simplify installation. For example, in one embodiment, the power supply unit includes a power connector accessible through an outer surface of the power supply unit for receiving line-voltage and a plurality of low-voltage connectors accessible through the outer surface for supplying low-voltage to one or more motorized architectural-structure coverings. Thus arranged, an installer does not need to access the internal circuity of the power supply unit to couple and supply power to the motorized architectural-structure coverings. In addition, and/or alternatively, in one embodiment, a cable extending between the power supply unit and the motorized architectural-structure covering includes same gender connectors for facilitating easier installation and reducing installation errors.
Referring to
As illustrated, the architectural-structure covering 100 may also include a headrail 108, which in the illustrated example of an embodiment is a housing having opposed end caps 110 joined by front, back, and top sides to form an open bottom enclosure. The headrail 108 may also include any suitable mounting structure for coupling the headrail 108 to a structure above, or at the top of, an architectural structure, such as a wall, via mechanical fasteners such as screws, bolts, or the like. Although a particular example of a headrail 108 is shown in
As will be readily appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the architectural-structure covering 100 may include a rotatable member such as, for example, a roller tube. The covering 106 may include an upper portion or edge coupled to the rotatable member and a bottom edge or portion. The covering 106 of the architectural-structure covering 100 may be suspended from the rotatable member and may be vertically extended and retracted between the extended position (shown in
Although a particular example of an architectural-structure covering 100 is shown in
Although not shown, any appropriate now known or heretofore to be developed electric drive mechanism can be provided to move the covering 106 between the extended and retracted positions. For example, in one example of an embodiment, the architectural-structure covering 100 includes a motor such as, for example, an electric motor, for operatively moving the covering 106 between the extended and retracted positions. In one example of an embodiment where a headrail 108 is included, the motor may be positioned behind the headrail 108 (e.g., mounted to a back surface of the headrail). Alternatively, the motor may be positioned in any other suitable position, for example, within the headrail, etc. In use, the motor may receive electrical power via a wire, cord, cable, or the like. In rooms or buildings incorporating numerous motorized architectural-structure coverings 100 it is beneficial to utilize a power supply unit. In use, the power supply unit may receive mains or line-voltage power from, for example, an electrical outlet and provide low-voltage power to a plurality of motorized architectural-structure coverings 100 for supplying the required electrical power to the motors.
In accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure, it would be beneficial to provide a power supply unit that is installer friendly. For example, it would be beneficial to provide a power supply unit that does not require the installer to access an internal compartment of the power supply unit, thus preventing, or at least reducing the likelihood that the installer needs to manage line-voltage connections. In this manner, for example, a licensed electrician is not required to install the power supply unit. In addition, it would be beneficial to provide a power supply unit that provides increased plug and play capabilities to facilitate easier installation and thus reduces the likelihood of installation errors.
Referring to
In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the power supply unit 200 is arranged and configured such that the installer need not access the internal compartment of the power supply unit 200. That is, in one example of an embodiment, the power supply unit 200 includes an outer housing 210, a removable cover 220 (
In use, the power supply unit 200 may be coupled to line-voltage power by any suitable mechanism now known or hereafter developed. In accordance with one example of an embodiment, as shown, the power supply unit 200 may include a connector, a power inlet, a plug, etc. 240 (used interchangeably herein without the intent to limit) (
In addition, as shown, the power supply unit 200 may include a plurality of low-voltage connectors 250. For example, as shown, the power supply unit 200 may include a plurality of male or barrel connectors 252 (used interchangeably herein) extending through a top surface 214 of the housing 210, although the low-voltage connectors 250 can be positioned in other surfaces of the housing 210 and can be provided in any other suitable form such as, for example, as female connectors for receiving a male connector. In one example of an embodiment, the barrel connectors 252 are rigidly coupled to the housing 210 of the power supply unit 200. In one example of an embodiment, referring to
Thus arranged, referring to
Thus arranged, the power supply unit 200 can be assembled in the factory with all internal connections completed. That is, for example, the power supply unit 200 can be assembled so that all internal circuity within the power supply unit 200 is connected (e.g., power supply unit 200 is arranged and configured so that all internal circuity is connected to receive line-voltage power via the power connector 240 and to convert the line-voltage power to low-voltage power supplied to the barrel connectors 252 to which the motorized architectural-structure coverings 100 are coupled when installed). Thereafter, with the power supply unit 200 provided (e.g., shipped) at the installation site, the installer can couple the power supply unit 200 to a surface in a building. For example, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the power supply unit 200 can be surface-mounted to a wall. Alternatively, for example, the power supply unit 200 can be flush-mounted. The power supply unit 200 can be located in the same room as the motorized architectural-structure coverings 100 or in a different room such as, for example, an electrical room, a closet, etc. As previously mentioned, the power supply unit 200 can be coupled to main or line-voltage power via coupling a power cord 245 from an electrical outlet, etc. to the power connector 240 of the power supply unit 200. Thereafter, individual cables 260 can be coupled to the barrel connectors 252 of the power supply unit 200 to each of the motors of the motorized architectural-structure covering 100. Thus arranged, power can be supplied to the motorized architectural-structure coverings 100 via the power supply unit 200 in a plug-and-play arrangement without accessing the internal circuity of the power supply unit 200. In one embodiment, all of this can be performed by a non-licensed installer including, for example, do-it-yourself (“DIY”) installer.
As illustrated in
Moreover, as shown, the power supply unit 200 may include barrel connectors 252 that are arranged and configured as male connectors. It should be appreciated that the barrel connectors 252 may have any suitable shape and/or configuration for transferring low-voltage power. Alternatively, the connectors 250 may be arranged and configured as female connectors. Moreover, the connectors 250 may be in the form coaxial connectors, plug connectors, etc.
Referring to
That is, for example, as previously described, the barrel connectors 252 may be arranged and configured as male connectors for receiving corresponding female connectors. In one example of an embodiment, the motor of the motorized architectural-structure covering is also arranged and configured with a male connector 270 for receiving a corresponding female connector. Thus arranged, the cable 260 extending between the power supply unit 200 and the motor of the motorized architectural-structure covering 100 may include female connectors 265 at both ends 262, 264 (e.g., cable 260 includes a female connector 265 at the first end 262 for coupling to the barrel connector 252 and a female connector 265 at the second end 264 for coupling to a male connector 270 coupled to the motor). Alternatively, as will be appreciated, the cable may be arranged and configured to include dual male connectors (e.g., a male connector at the first end for coupling to a female connector of the power supply unit and a male connector at the second end for coupling to a female connector extending from the motor).
Thus arranged, coupling the power supply unit 200 to the motorized architectural-structure covering 100 can be achieved in a simplified, installer friendly manner. For example, by providing the same gender connectors 265 on both ends 262, 264 of the cable 260 extending between the power supply unit 200 and the motorized architectural-structure covering 100, the cable 260 can be run without concern for which end of the cable 260 is positioned adjacent to the power supply unit 200 and which end is positioned adjacent to the architectural-structure covering 100. Moreover, the power supply unit 200 can be provided with a plurality of cables 260 including a plurality of corresponding connectors 265 that are separated from the cable 260 such as, for example, provided in a bag. Thereafter, the installer, after having run the cable 260 between the power supply unit 200 and the architectural-structure covering 100 can cut the cable 260 to the appropriate length, as required, can simply couple one of the corresponding connectors 265 to the end of the cable 260, and couple the connector 265 to the connector 270 extending from the motor or the barrel connector 252 of the power supply unit 200. As will be appreciated, pre-planning the connection is eliminated, or at least greatly minimized, thereby facilitating easy installation.
For the sake of convenience and clarity, referring to
Although a particular example of an architectural-structure covering 100 is shown in
While the present disclosure refers to certain embodiments, numerous modifications, alterations, and changes to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the sphere and scope of the present disclosure, as defined in the appended claim(s). Accordingly, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.
The foregoing description has broad application. It should be appreciated that the concepts disclosed herein may apply to many types of coverings, in addition to the coverings described and depicted herein. The discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be explanatory and is not intended to suggest that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to these embodiments. In other words, while illustrative embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail herein, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed, and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations, except as limited by the prior art.
It should be understood that, as described herein, an “embodiment” (such as illustrated in the accompanying Figures) may refer to an illustrative representation of an environment or article or component in which a disclosed concept or feature may be provided or embodied, or to the representation of a manner in which just the concept or feature may be provided or embodied. However, such illustrated embodiments are to be understood as examples (unless otherwise stated), and other manners of embodying the described concepts or features, such as may be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art upon learning the concepts or features from the present disclosure, are within the scope of the disclosure. In addition, it will be appreciated that while the Figures may show one or more embodiments of concepts or features together in a single embodiment of an environment, article, or component incorporating such concepts or features, such concepts or features are to be understood (unless otherwise specified) as independent of and separate from one another and are shown together for the sake of convenience and without intent to limit to being present or used together. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used separately, or with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present subject matter covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited.
The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or”, as used herein, are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. The terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. Connection references (e.g., engaged, attached, coupled, connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative to movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. Identification references (e.g., primary, secondary, first, second, third, fourth, etc.) are not intended to connote importance or priority, but are used to distinguish one feature from another. The drawings are for purposes of illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order and relative to sizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto may vary.
The foregoing discussion has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. For example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. However, it should be understood that various features of the certain aspects, embodiments, or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, or configurations. Moreover, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description by this reference, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present disclosure.
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