Opening and closing body stopping device, electric blind, opening and closing body actuating device

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of reducing the variation in the stop position of an opening / closing body caused by a state of the opening / closing body.SOLUTION: An opening / closing body stopping device includes: a switch that stops a motor that opens / closes an opening / closing body; an operation section that operates the switch when pressed in one direction by the opening / closing body; and a biasing section that can bias the opening / closing body in a direction opposite to the one direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present embodiment relates to an opening / closing body stopping device that stops an opening / closing body such as a slat, an electric blind equipped with the opening / closing body stopping device, and an opening / closing body biasing tool. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventionally known electric blind equipped with this type of opening / closing body stopping device is the electric blind disclosed in Patent Document 1. This electric blind has a motor installed inside the blind body, a power supply that supplies power to the motor, and a control unit that can control the rotation of the motor, and is characterized in that the blind is raised and lowered by the driving force of the motor, a limit switch that detects when the blind has been raised or lowered to a predetermined position is connected to the power supply line connecting the motor and the power supply inside the blind body, and a short-circuit line that shorts both terminals of the motor via a diode when the limit switch is activated is wired.

[0003] According to this feature, when the blind, which is the opening and closing body, is raised or lowered to a predetermined position, the limit switch is activated and the blind can be stopped instantly, thereby preventing the blind's stopping position from varying. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-218498 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, existing limit switches, including those equipped in the electric blinds mentioned above, have the problem that depending on the state of the opening / closing body, such as the alignment or folding state of the slats, they can operate to stop the opening / closing body at a different stopping position than usual, resulting in inconsistent stopping positions for the opening / closing body.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technique that can reduce the variation in the stopping position of an opening-closing body due to the state of the opening-closing body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising a switch that stops a motor that opens and closes an opening / closing body, an operating unit that activates the switch when pressed in one direction by the opening / closing body, and a biasing unit that can bias the opening / closing body in the direction opposite to the one direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce variations in the stopping position of an opening / closing body due to the state of the opening / closing body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an electric blind according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a limit switch provided in the electric blind according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a limit switch according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a limit switch according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a limit switch according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a limit switch that does not have a biasing spring. [Figure 7] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a limit switch according to a first embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining variations in the stop position of the bottom rail due to the alignment of the slats. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining variations in the stop position of the bottom rail due to the folding state of the slats. [Figure 10] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining the operation of the limit switch according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining the operation of the limit switch according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the configuration of an electric blind according to a modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a limit switch according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a limit switch according to a third embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a slat biasing device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a slat biasing device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a slat biasing device according to a fourth embodiment is attached to a head box. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a slat biasing device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a slat biasing device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a slat biasing device according to a fifth embodiment is attached to a head box. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the present invention will be described as being applied to an electric blind having a slat group consisting of multiple slats and a bottom rail as an opening / closing body. In this embodiment, the indoor side of the opening / closing body will be referred to as the front, the outdoor side as the back, the direction consisting of the front and back as the front-to-back direction, and the longitudinal direction of the opening / closing device as the left-to-right direction. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functions will be designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0011] First Embodiment (Overall composition) The configuration of an electric blind according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an electric blind according to this embodiment. Note that this figure shows the electric blind with the bottom rail lowered to its lowest position and the slats horizontal, i.e., in a fully open state. Fig. 1 also shows only the interior of the head box.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the electric blind 1 according to this embodiment includes a head box 2, a slat group 3 consisting of a plurality of slats, and a bottom rail 4.

[0013] The head box 2 is fixed to a window frame or the like via multiple brackets (not shown), and houses inside it a drive shaft 21, a motor 22, two liftable rotating drums 23, an encoder 24, a switching power supply 25, a control unit 26, a drive unit 27, and two limit switches 5.

[0014] The slat group 3 is supported by ladder cords 31 between the head box 2 and the bottom rail 4 so that the slats are aligned in the vertical direction. One end of the ladder cord 31 is connected to the corresponding lift-and-lower rotary drum 23 and hangs down from the head box 2, and the other end is connected to the bottom rail 4. A pair of front and rear vertical cords are arranged in front and behind each slat of the slat group 3 so as to sandwich it, and each slat is individually supported by a middle cord (not shown). Therefore, the ladder cord 31 tilts in accordance with the rotation of the lift-and-lower rotary drum 23, and in accordance with this tilting, the slat group 3 tilts and rotates to a fully closed, horizontal (fully open), semi-closed, or other position.

[0015] The bottom rail 4 is suspended and supported at the lowest end of the electric blind 1 by being connected to one end of a lifting cord (not shown), the other end of which is connected to the lifting rotary drum 23 so as to be able to be wound and unwound. The bottom rail 4 moves up and down as the lifting cord is wound and unwound by the lifting rotary drum 23, and this lifting and lowering movement causes the slat group 3 to overlap on the bottom rail 4, thereby raising and lowering (opening and closing). In this embodiment, the slat group 3 and bottom rail 4 constitute the opening and closing body of the electric blind 1.

[0016] The drive shaft 21 is rotatably supported within the head box 2, and one end thereof (the left end in the figure) is connected to a motor 22. The drive shaft 21 is inserted through two lift-and-lower rotary drums 23 so as to be rotatable together with them, and transmits the rotational drive of the motor 22 to each of the lift-and-lower rotary drums 23. The lift-and-lower rotary drums 23 rotate in the unwinding direction and the winding direction of the lift-and-lower cord in response to the rotational drive force from the drive shaft 21. The drive shaft 21 is also inserted through an encoder 24 disposed between the two lift-and-lower rotary drums 23, and the rotation angle of the drive shaft 21 is detected by the encoder 24.

[0017] The switching power supply 25 converts AC power input via the power connector 251 into DC power and supplies the converted DC power to drive the control unit 26 and the drive unit 27. The control unit 26 receives detection signals indicating the angle of the drive shaft 21 from the encoder 24 and command signals from a terminal device for remotely controlling the electric blinds 1 via a receiving antenna (not shown), and controls the drive unit 27 based on these signals. The control unit 26 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory, which work together to perform various functions related to the electric blinds 1. Such functions include driving control of the motor 22. The drive unit 27 drives the motor 22 in response to control signals from the control unit 26.

[0018] The limit switch 5 is assembled inside the head box 2 with a lever 53 (see FIGS. 2 to 4 ) protruding from an opening formed on the underside of the head box 2. The limit switch 5 is connected to a power line (not shown) connecting the motor 22 and the switching power supply 25. When the bottom rail 4 continues to rise without the control unit 26 receiving a command signal indicating the stop of the bottom rail 4, and the lever 53 is pressed by the uppermost slat 301 of the slat group 3, the limit switch 5 switches its contact from a normally closed contact to a normally open contact (from an OFF state to an ON state), thereby shorting both terminals of the motor 22 via a diode (not shown), forcibly stopping the motor 22 and halting the rise of the bottom rail 4. In other words, the limit switch 5 according to this embodiment functions as an upper limit switch that determines the upper limit position of the bottom rail 4. In this embodiment, two limit switches 5 are provided spaced apart in the left-right direction. However, one or three or more limit switches may be provided depending on the left-right length of the slat group 3.

[0019] (Limit switch 5 configuration) The configuration of the limit switch 5 according to this embodiment will be described in detail. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the limit switch according to this embodiment, and Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the limit switch according to this embodiment. Note that Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the limit switch 5 seen from above, and Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views seen from below. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the limit switch 5 seen from the side.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the limit switch 5 has a substantially box-shaped case 51 with an opening formed at the top, and a circuit board 52 attached to the case 51 so as to cover the top opening. A lever 53, a tactile switch 54, a biasing spring 56, and a transmission spring 55 are housed in the storage space defined by the case 51 and the circuit board 52. A pair of engagement portions 511 are integrally formed at the bottom end of the case 51, with their tips extending in the front-to-rear direction so as to be spaced apart from each other. The limit switch 5 is assembled within the head box 2 so as to be immovable by engaging these engagement portions 511 with the inner walls of the head box 2 within the head box 2.

[0021] Lever 53 has a flat base plate 532 extending horizontally and having a pair of holes 531 spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction. A pair of columnar members 513 spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction and provided on bottom wall 512 of case 51 are inserted into the pair of holes 531, respectively, so that lever 53 is immovable in the horizontal direction (front-to-rear and left-to-right directions) but movable in the up-down direction relative to case 51.

[0022] The base plate 532 is provided with a hollow cylindrical downward protrusion 533 that protrudes downward at approximately its center, and a hollow cylindrical upward protrusion 534 that protrudes slightly upward. A circular hole 514, the periphery of which protrudes slightly downward, is formed approximately in the center of the bottom wall 512 of the case 51. The downward protrusion 533 can protrude outside the case 51 by being inserted into this hole 514. When the bottom rail 4 is raised, the downward protrusion 533 abuts against the uppermost slat 301 and is pressed upward by the slat 301 as the bottom rail 4 further rises. Since the lever 53 is provided on the case 51 so as to be movable in the up and down direction as described above, this pressing force can move the lever 53 upward.

[0023] The lower end of the transmission spring 55 is fitted to the inner peripheral wall of the upper protrusion 534 so as to be in circumferential contact with the inner peripheral wall, and the lower end of the biasing spring 56 is wound around the outer peripheral wall of the upper protrusion 534 with a small gap. It is preferable that the peripheral edge (not shown) on the upper surface of the base plate 532 is slightly raised upward, and the lower end of the biasing spring 56 is engaged between this peripheral edge and the upper protrusion 534.

[0024] The tactile switch 54 includes a base 541 provided on the lower surface of the substrate 52, and a plunger 542 provided so as to be movable upward relative to the base 541. A predetermined gap of, for example, 1 mm is formed between the base 541 and the plunger 542, and the plunger 542 can move upward by this gap.

[0025] When the plunger 542 moves a predetermined distance in response to the rise of the bottom rail 4, the tactile switch 54 switches from OFF to ON, stopping the rotation of the motor 22. This stops the lifting rotary drum 23 from winding up the lifting cord, and stops the rise of the bottom rail 4. An example of such a tactile switch 54 is a sealed tactile switch (model: B3W-4050) manufactured by Omron Corporation.

[0026] The transmission spring 55 is a so-called coil spring wound with its central axis facing the vertical direction, and is positioned inside the biasing spring 56 so that its circumferential surface is surrounded by the biasing spring 56. The lower end of the transmission spring 55 is fitted into the upward protrusion 534 as described above, thereby being locked to the lever 53, and the upper end abuts against, and preferably is locked to, the plunger 542 of the tactile switch 54. As a result, when the lever 53 is pressed upward and pushed up, the transmission spring 55 transmits the pressing force to the plunger 542 and presses the plunger 542. In other words, the lever 53 is connected to the plunger 542 so that the pressing force can be transmitted via the transmission spring 55.

[0027] Note that, between the time when the plunger 542 is pressed and the time when the motor 22 stops, the bottom rail 4 may continue to rise, excessively pressing the lever 53, which may be called an overrun. If the lever 53 is excessively pressed due to this overrun, the transmission spring 55 can absorb the pressing force by compressing upward and downward. This absorption makes it possible to prevent the plunger 542 from being pressed too hard, and ultimately prevents damage to the tactile switch 54.

[0028] The biasing spring 56 is a so-called coil spring wound so that its central axis faces the vertical direction, and its lower end is engaged with the lever 53 as described above, while its upper end abuts, and preferably is engaged with, the underside of the base 541 of the tactile switch 54. The biasing spring 56 is preferably provided between the lever 53 and the base 541 in a somewhat compressed state, so that it can constantly bias the lever 53 downward relative to the base 541. The biasing force of the biasing spring 56 is preferably designed to be equal to or greater than the force capable of bending the slats, but less than the force that raises the bottom rail 4 by the motor 22.

[0029] Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a limit switch that does not have a biasing spring, and Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the limit switch according to this embodiment. Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical cross-sectional views of the limit switch as seen from the side.

[0030] For example, as shown in Fig. 6, if the limit switch does not have the biasing spring 56, when the downward protrusion 533 is pressed upward by the uppermost slat 301 as the bottom rail 4 rises, the lever 53 moves upward even with a small pressing force F1, and the tactile switch 54 turns ON. In contrast, if the lever 53 is biased downward by the biasing spring 56, as in the limit switch 5 according to this embodiment shown in Fig. 7, a small pressing force less than the biasing force will not cause the lever 53 to move upward, and the tactile switch 54 will remain OFF. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 7, when a large pressing force F2 exceeding the biasing force is applied to the lever 53, the biasing spring 56 is compressed upward, and the lever 53 moves upward, pressing the plunger 542.

[0031] Next, two patterns of variation in the stop position of the bottom rail 4 that occurs when using a limit switch that does not have the biasing spring 56 described with reference to Fig. 6 are illustrated. Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining variation in the stop position of the bottom rail due to the alignment of the slats, and shows a schematic view of the electric blind 1 as viewed from the side. Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining variation in the stop position of the bottom rail due to the folding state of the slats, and shows a schematic view of the electric blind 1 as viewed from the front. Note that the symbols h1 to h4 shown in Figs. 8 and 9 each indicate the length from the bottom end of the head box 2 to the bottom end of the bottom rail 4.

[0032] When the bottom rail 4 is raised to its uppermost position, the bottom rail 4 rises after the slat group 3 is fully closed or partially closed, and the slats are stacked one after the other on the bottom rail 4 so that they are aligned from the lowest slat to the highest slat 301 (overlapping via the ladder cords 31). After the slats have stacked up to the highest slat 301, the lever 53 is pressed upward by the highest slat 301, stopping the lift of the bottom rail 4. Figure 8(a) shows a state in which the slat group 3 is aligned and the lift of the bottom rail 4 has stopped. In this state, the bottom rail 4 has reached its uppermost position.

[0033] On the other hand, when the slats are stacked on the bottom rail 4 in order from the lowest to the highest, the top slat 301 may not be properly stacked on the slats below it and may remain tilted, for example, if it gets caught on the lifting cord or ladder cord 31. In such a case, the top slat 301 presses the limit switch 5 in its tilted state, stopping the rise of the bottom rail 4. Figure 8(b) shows the state in which the top slat 301 is in a tilted state and the rise of the bottom rail 4 has stopped. In this state, the bottom rail 4 has reached its upper limit position.

[0034] When a slat is tilted, a larger vertical space is created compared to the normal state in which the slat overlaps the slat below it. Therefore, as can be seen by comparing Figures 8(a) and 8(b), even though the bottom rail 4 is stopped at the upper limit position, the length h2 from the lower end of the head box 2 to the lower end of the bottom rail 4 is naturally longer than h1. Therefore, if the slats, including the uppermost slat 301, are maintained in a tilted state, the stopping position of the bottom rail 4 will vary.

[0035] Similarly, when the bottom rail 4 is raised to its uppermost position, as the slats from the lowest to the highest slat 301 are stacked on the bottom rail 4 in order, the ladder cord 31 is normally folded in a serpentine pattern in the left-right direction without being pinched between the slats. Figure 9(a) shows a state in which the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 is properly folded without being pinched between the slats, and the limit switch 5 is pressed, stopping the rise of the bottom rail 4. In this state, the bottom rail 4 has reached its uppermost position.

[0036] On the other hand, when the slats 301 from the lowest slat to the highest slat are stacked on the bottom rail 4 in order, depending on the type (material, thickness, shape) of the ladder cord 31 and its arrangement, the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 may become pinched and folded between the slats. In such a case, the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 remains pinched and folded between the slats, pressing the limit switch 5, and the rise of the bottom rail 4 stops. Figure 9(b) shows a state in which the rise of the bottom rail 4 has stopped with the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 remaining pinched and folded between the slats. In this state, the bottom rail 4 has reached its upper limit position.

[0037] As shown in Figure 9(b), when the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 is sandwiched between the slats and folded, the gap between the slats may increase in some places. In this case, as can be seen by comparing Figures 9(a) and 9(b), although the bottom rail 4 is stopped at its uppermost position, the length h4 from the lower end of the head box 2 to the lower end of the bottom rail 4 is naturally longer than h3. Therefore, when the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 is sandwiched between the slats and folded, the stopping position of the bottom rail 4 varies. Note that Figure 9(b) shows an example in which the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 is sandwiched between the lower slats of the slat group 3, but the same applies when the vertical cord is sandwiched between the upper slats. If the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 gets pinched between the lower slats, the weight of the slats may crush the pinched vertical cord, but this is less likely to happen if it gets pinched between the upper slats, so the variation in the stopping position of the bottom rail 4 mentioned above tends to become more pronounced.

[0038] When the bottom rail 4 reaches its upper limit and the limit switch 5 is pressed, switching the tactile switch 54 from OFF to ON, the count value of the encoder 24 stored in the control unit 26 is reset so that the current position of the bottom rail 4 becomes the new upper limit stop position. Therefore, if the upper limit stop position of the bottom rail 4 varies, the lower limit stop position relative to the upper limit stop position also varies. As a result, problems may arise, such as the bottom rail 4 colliding with the floor (frame) or window frame when lowered to the lower limit, or the opening not being shaded as intended. Furthermore, when multiple electric blinds 1 are installed side by side, the positions of the bottom rails 4 may not be aligned.

[0039] (Limit switch 5 operation) Next, the operation of the limit switch 5 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the limit switch according to this embodiment. Fig. 10 shows the operation of the limit switch 5 when the uppermost slat 301, which was explained with reference to Fig. 8, is tilted. Figs. 10(a-1) to (c-1) each show a schematic view of the electric blind 1 as seen from the side, and Figs. 10(a-2) to (c-2) show vertical cross-sectional views of the limit switch 5 as seen from the side in the corresponding states (a-1) to (c-1), respectively.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 10(a-1), when the bottom rail 4 rises with the topmost slat 301 tilted and comes into contact with the downward protrusion 533 of the lever 53 (when the downward protrusion 533 is not being pressed), the lever 53 has not moved upward and the tactile switch 54 is in the OFF state, as shown in Fig. 10(a-2). Therefore, the bottom rail 4 is in a state where it can be raised further.

[0041] As the bottom rail 4 rises further, the uppermost slat 301 presses the downward protrusion 533. However, because the lever 53 is biased downward by the biasing spring 56, the uppermost slat 301 is biased downward via the lever 53. The uppermost slat 301, which is simply tilted, cannot apply a pressing force to the lever 53 that exceeds this biasing force. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10(b-1), the bottom rail 4 continues to rise without stopping. As the uppermost slat 301 rises, it is pressed by the slats below it, and the tilt angle is corrected so that the tilt angle gradually decreases. In this state, as shown in FIG. 10(b-2), the lever 53 does not move upward, and the tactile switch 54 remains OFF. Therefore, the bottom rail 4 is ready to rise further.

[0042] As the bottom rail 4 continues to rise, as shown in FIG. 10(c-1), the topmost slat 301 overlaps the slats below it, i.e., the slat group 3 is aligned as described with reference to FIG. 8(a). In this state, the topmost slat 301, together with the other slats and the bottom rail 4, can apply the pressing force of the rising bottom rail 4 to the lever 53. As described above, the biasing force of the biasing spring 56 according to this embodiment is designed to be less than the force that raises the bottom rail 4 by the motor 22. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10(c-2), when the lever 53 is pressed upward against the biasing force of the biasing spring 56, the tactile switch 54 is turned on, and the rise of the bottom rail 4 is stopped. At this time, the length from the bottom end of the head box 2 to the bottom end of the bottom rail 4 is reduced from h2 to h1, which is the normal length, eliminating variation in the stopping position of the bottom rail 4.

[0043] Next, the operation of the limit switch 5 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the limit switch according to this embodiment. Fig. 11 shows the operation of the limit switch 5 in a state in which the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 described with reference to Fig. 9 is sandwiched between the slats and folded up. Figs. 11(a-1) to (c-1) each show a schematic view of the electric blind 1 as seen from the front, and Figs. 11(a-2) to (c-2) show vertical cross-sectional views of the limit switch in the corresponding states (a-1) to (c-1), respectively.

[0044] As shown in Figure 11(a-1), when the bottom rail 4 rises with the vertical cord of the ladder cord 31 sandwiched and folded between the slats, and the topmost slat 301 abuts against the downward protrusion 533 of the lever 53 (when the downward protrusion 533 is not being pressed), as shown in Figure 11(a-2), the lever 53 has not moved upward and the tactile switch 54 is in the OFF state. Therefore, the bottom rail 4 is in a state where it can be raised further.

[0045] As the bottom rail 4 rises further, the uppermost slat 301 presses the downward protrusion 533. However, because the lever 53 is biased downward by the biasing spring 56, the uppermost slat 301 is biased downward via the lever 53. Prior to the uppermost slat 301 pressing the lever 53, the ladder cord 31, which is sandwiched and folded between the slats, is compressed by the rise of the bottom rail 4, thereby reducing the gap between the slats. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11(b-1), the bottom rail 4 continues to rise without stopping. In this state, as shown in FIG. 11(b-2), the lever 53 naturally does not move upward, and the tactile switch 54 remains OFF. Therefore, the bottom rail 4 is ready to rise further.

[0046] As the bottom rail 4 continues to rise, as shown in FIG. 11(c-1), the compression of the ladder cord 31 sandwiched and folded between the slats increases, accelerating the reduction of the gap between the slats. Once the compression of the ladder cord 31 and the reduction of the gap between the slats have been promoted to a certain extent, the rise of the bottom rail 4 is transmitted to the uppermost slat 301, and the pressing force caused by the rise of the bottom rail 4 can be applied to the lever 53. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11(c-2), the lever 53 is pressed upward against the biasing force of the biasing spring 56, turning the tactile switch 54 ON and stopping the rise of the bottom rail 4. At this time, the length from the bottom end of the head box 2 to the bottom end of the bottom rail 4 is reduced from h4 to h3, which is the same as in normal operation, eliminating variation in the stopping position of the bottom rail 4.

[0047] According to the embodiment described above, the tactile switch 54 will not operate unless the lever 53 is pressed with a force stronger than the biasing force of the biasing spring 56. Therefore, in a situation where a force weaker than the biasing force acts on the lever 53, variation in the stop position of the opening / closing body due to an undesirable condition of the opening / closing body (such as misalignment of the slats or the folding state of the ladder cord 31) can be absorbed and reduced. More specifically, by reducing variation in the upper limit stop position of the opening / closing body, variation in the lower limit stop position relative to the upper limit stop position can be reduced. Furthermore, because the biasing spring 56 is provided between the base 541 of the tactile switch 54 and the lever 53, the structure of an existing limit switch can be utilized, achieving extremely useful effects at low cost.

[0048] <Variation 1> Fig. 12 is a front view showing the configuration of an electric blind according to a modification of the first embodiment. The partially enlarged view shown in Fig. 12 shows the slat clip 6 as seen from above. As shown in Fig. 12, in the electric blind 1 according to this modification, the slat clip 6 is attached to the range of the uppermost slat 301 that faces the downward protrusion 533 of the lever 53.

[0049] 12, the slat clip 6 is a plate-shaped reinforcing member that partially reinforces the uppermost slat 301. In this modified example, the slat clip 6 is formed in an X-shape in plan view, covers the mounting surface (lower surface) of the uppermost slat 301, and has upwardly folded claw portions 61 formed at both front-to-rear ends of the uppermost slat 301. By clamping both front-to-rear ends of the uppermost slat 301 with these claw portions 61, the slat clip 6 can be attached to and detached from the uppermost slat 301.

[0050] The slat clip 6 is generally attached in the area where the ladder cord 31 and the lift cord are arranged. However, in this modified example, the slat clip 6 is attached in the area facing the downward protrusion 533 of the lever 53, and acts as a reinforcing part for the uppermost slat 301. When the downward protrusion 533 and the uppermost slat 301 abut against each other, the slat clip 6 prevents the uppermost slat 301 from bending downward. In this way, when the uppermost slat 301 presses the downward protrusion 533 upward, the uppermost slat 301 can be prevented from being deformed by the downward protrusion 533. The slat clip 301 may also be attached so as to cover the top surface of the uppermost slat 301. In this case, contact between the downward protrusion 533 and the topmost slat 301 can be prevented, and similarly, when the topmost slat 301 presses the downward protrusion 533 upward, the topmost slat 301 can be prevented from being deformed or damaged by the downward protrusion 533.

[0051] <Second embodiment> Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the limit switch according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 13, the limit switch 5A according to this embodiment differs from the limit switch 5 according to the first embodiment in that, instead of the biasing spring 56, it has a pair of biasing springs 56A that are engaged with the upper surface of the bottom wall 512 of the case 51.

[0052] The pair of biasing springs 56A are disposed spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction so that downward protrusion 533 is located between them, and are each a so-called coil spring wound with a small gap around the outer circumferential wall of columnar member 513 of case 51. The upper end of biasing spring 56A is engaged with and locked to locking portion 535 provided on base plate 532 of lever 53, and the lower end is engaged with and locked to locking portion 515 provided on bottom wall 512 of case 51, thereby biasing lever 53 downward. The pair of biasing springs 56A are preferably provided in a state of being stretched to a certain extent so as to constantly bias lever 53.

[0053] According to the present embodiment described above, biasing spring 56A is provided between base plate 532 of lever 53 and bottom wall 512 of case 51, so even if lever 53 is pressed upward, the pressing force is not transmitted to tactile switch 54 until it exceeds the biasing force of biasing spring 56A. Therefore, the limit switch according to this embodiment can achieve the same effects as limit switch 5 according to the first embodiment. Furthermore, even if the base of the tactile switch is small and there is no space to provide biasing spring 56, according to this embodiment, biasing spring 56A can be provided in limit switch 5 without reducing its effect.

[0054] In this embodiment, the biasing springs 56A are provided in pairs to bias the lever 53 in the front-to-rear direction in a balanced manner, but if the balance of the biasing force is not a consideration, only one spring may be provided, and even in this case, the effect of reducing the variation in the stopping position of the opening / closing body can be achieved.

[0055] In addition, in the first embodiment, the biasing spring 56 is attached in a somewhat compressed state to constantly bias the lever 53 downward, and in the second embodiment, the biasing spring 56A is attached in a somewhat extended state to constantly bias the lever 53 downward. However, this is not limited to these, and in each embodiment, the biasing springs 56, 56A may be attached without being compressed or extended. In this case, if the pressing force from the uppermost slat 301 in response to the rise of the bottom rail 4 is less than the elastic force of the biasing springs 56, 56A, the pressing force will not be transmitted to the plunger 542, thereby achieving the effect of reducing variation in the stop position of the opening / closing body.

[0056] <Third embodiment> Fig. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the limit switch according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 14, limit switch 5B according to this embodiment differs from limit switch 5 according to the first embodiment in that it does not include transmission spring 55 and includes lever 53B, instead of lever 53, in which upward protrusion 534 extends upward so as to be able to directly press plunger 542.

[0057] According to this embodiment, since the transmission spring 55 is not provided, when an overrun occurs, the excessive pressing force applied to the lever 53B cannot be absorbed, but the effect of reducing the variation in the stopping position of the opening / closing body by the biasing spring 56 can be achieved.

[0058] In the first to third embodiments, the transmission spring 55 and the biasing spring 56 are described as coil springs, but this is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the same effect can be achieved with any elastic body having elasticity, such as a leaf spring.

[0059] <Fourth embodiment> Figures 15 and 16 are perspective views showing the slat biasing device according to this embodiment, and Figure 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the slat biasing device according to this embodiment attached to a head box. Note that Figure 15 is a perspective view of the slat biasing device 56C seen from above, and Figure 16 is a perspective view seen from below. Also, Figure 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the slat biasing device 56C seen from the side.

[0060] 15 to 17, the slat biasing device 56C according to this embodiment is formed in a generally U-shape when viewed from the side, and is preferably made integrally from a flexible material such as plastic. The slat biasing device 56C includes a pair of engagement plates 561 that extend in the vertical direction and are engageable with the front wall and rear wall of the head box 2, and a support plate 562 that is integrally connected to the lower ends of each of the pair of engagement plates 561.

[0061] The pair of engagement plates 561 are formed with claws 561a that are inclined so that their upper ends approach each other, and these claws 561a can engage with recesses formed in the front wall and rear wall of the head box 2. With this pair of engagement plates 561 and support plate 562, the slat biasing device 56C can be detachably attached to the head box 2 so as to cover the front, rear, and bottom surfaces of the head box 2.

[0062] A circular hole 563 is formed in the approximate center of the support plate 562, through which the downward protrusion 533 of the limit switch 5C can be inserted, thereby allowing the slat biasing device 56C to be attached below the limit switch 5C without interfering with the downward protrusion 533. Note that the limit switch 5C according to this embodiment is a limit switch that does not have the biasing spring 56 described with reference to FIG. 6.

[0063] An urging plate 564 having the same shape as the support plate 562, i.e., holes 563 formed in the same positions as the support plate 562, is provided below the support plate 562. The support plate 562 and the urging plate 564 are connected at both front-rear ends thereof via bent portions 565. The bent portions 565 are formed by bending a thin plate-like member in an M-shape when viewed from the side, thereby functioning as a leaf spring with elasticity in the vertical direction. In other words, the bent portions 565 enable the urging plate 564 to move upward, but this requires a pressing force greater than the elastic force of the bent portions 565. The vertical length of the bent portions 565, in other words, the distance between the support plate 562 and the urging plate 564, is the length over which the lower end of the downward protrusion 533 is positioned above the lower surface of the urging plate 564, preferably above the upper surface of the urging plate 564.

[0064] Next, the use and effects of the slat biasing device 56C will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 17, the slat biasing device 56C is attached to the head box 2 so as to be located below the limit switch 5C. When the bottom rail 4 is raised in this state, the uppermost slat 301 and the biasing plate 564 come into contact. When the bottom rail 4 is raised in this state, the uppermost slat 301 presses the biasing plate 564, but the biasing plate 564 does not move upward until the force exceeds the elastic force of the bent portion 565. Therefore, a reaction force is generated to bias the uppermost slat 301 downward, and similar to the biasing spring 56 according to the first embodiment, variation in the stop position of the opening / closing body is reduced.

[0065] On the other hand, when the biasing plate 564 is pressed with a pressing force exceeding the elastic force of the bent portion 565, the biasing plate 564 moves upward and the downward protrusion 533 is exposed from the hole 563 of the biasing plate 564. The exposed downward protrusion 533 comes into contact with the uppermost slat 301 and is pressed upward. This turns the tactile switch 54 of the limit switch 5C to the ON state.

[0066] According to the present embodiment described above, by attaching the slat biasing device 56C, it is possible to impart the same functionality as the electric blind 1 according to the first embodiment to an electric blind equipped with a limit switch 5C that does not have an energizing spring 56. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the uppermost slat 301 comes into uniform surface contact with the energizing plate 564. Therefore, in an electric blind equipped with the slat biasing device 56C, the load applied to the uppermost slat 301 can be distributed more effectively, preventing deformation or damage to the uppermost slat 301, compared to the electric blind 1 according to the first embodiment, in which the uppermost slat 301 comes into contact with the downward protrusion 533, which has a smaller contact surface.

[0067] <Fifth embodiment> Figures 18 and 19 are perspective views showing the slat biasing device according to this embodiment, and Figure 20 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the slat biasing device according to this embodiment attached to a head box. Note that Figure 18 is a perspective view of the slat biasing device 56D seen from above, and Figure 19 is a perspective view seen from below. Also, Figure 20 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the slat biasing device 56D seen from the side.

[0068] As shown in Figures 18 to 20, the slat biasing device 56D of this embodiment differs from the slat biasing device 56C of the fourth embodiment in that a hole portion 563D is formed in the support plate 562, a bent portion 565 is not provided, and the biasing plate 564 is connected to one of the engagement plates 561.

[0069] The hole 563D is formed in a rectangular shape over substantially the entire area of ​​the support plate 562, and is sized to allow the urging plate 564 to enter. The urging plate 564 is connected to one of the engagement plates 561 at one end in the front-rear direction, and is inclined so that the other end is positioned lower than the one end.

[0070] The engagement plate 561 connected to the biasing plate 564 has a protruding portion 561b formed in its approximate center in the left-right direction that protrudes downward further than the support plate 562, and this protruding portion 561b is connected to the biasing plate 564. This allows the downward protruding portion 533 of the lever 53 to be positioned higher than the upper surface of the biasing plate 564. The inclination angle of the biasing plate 564 from the support plate 562 is appropriate, but it should be set to an angle that is equal to or greater than the angle at which the downward protruding portion 533 is not exposed from the hole 563 under normal conditions when not being pressed by the uppermost slat 301, and equal to or less than the angle at which excessive load is applied such that a mark is left on the uppermost slat 301 when the biasing plate 564 comes into contact with the uppermost slat 301.

[0071] The hole 563 formed in the urging plate 564 is shaped like an ellipse that is larger in size in the front-to-rear direction than the hole 563 formed in the urging plate 564 according to the fourth embodiment. This is because the downward protrusion 533 of the lever 53 does not come into contact with the edge of the hole 563 even if the urging plate 564 swings upward.

[0072] According to the present embodiment described above, the biasing plate 564 has only one end connected to the protruding portion 561b of the engagement plate 561, and therefore functions as a leaf spring that can swing upward with the connected portion as a fulcrum. Therefore, when the biasing plate 564 is pressed by the uppermost slat 301, it does not swing upward until the pressing force exceeds the elastic force of the biasing plate 564. Therefore, the uppermost slat 301 is biased downward as a reaction force, and similarly to the slat biasing device 56C according to the fourth embodiment, the variation in the stopping position of the opening / closing body is reduced.

[0073] On the other hand, when the biasing plate 564 is pressed with a pressing force exceeding its elastic force, it swings upward and the downward protrusion 533 is exposed from the hole 563 of the biasing plate 564. The exposed downward protrusion 533 comes into contact with the uppermost slat 301 and is pressed upward. This turns the tactile switch 54 of the limit switch 5C to the ON state.

[0074] In the first to fifth embodiments, the present invention has been described as being applied to an electric horizontal blind having a slat group 3, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to any opening and closing device having an opening and closing body for opening and closing an opening. Examples of such opening and closing devices include electric vertical blinds, pleated screens, honeycomb screens, roller screens, shutters, and other electric shading devices and room partition devices.

[0075] Furthermore, in the first to fifth embodiments, the tactile switch 54 is used as the switch constituting the limit switches 5, 5A, 5B, but other switches such as a microswitch may be used instead.

[0076] Furthermore, in the first to fifth embodiments, the limit switches 5, 5A, and 5B are described as upper limit switches, but this is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to any limit switch and an opening and closing device equipped with such a limit switch.

[0077] The present invention can be embodied in various other forms without departing from the spirit or main characteristics thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted as limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and is not limited to the text of the specification. Furthermore, all modifications, improvements, substitutions, and alterations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. Electric blinds 3 Slat group (opening and closing body) 5. Limit switch (opening / closing body stop device) 51 cases 53 Lever (operating part) 532 Base plate (base) 533 Downward protrusion (actuating part, protrusion) 54 Tactile switch (switch) 541 Base (support) 542 Plunger (acting body) 55 Transmission spring (elastic member) 56, 56A, 56B: Spring (spring, elastic member) 56C, 56D Slat biasing device (opening / closing body biasing device) 561 Engagement plate (engagement part) 564 Forced plate (forced part, contact part) 565 Bent part (biasing part) 6 Slat clip (reinforcement part)

Claims

1. a switch for stopping a motor that opens and closes the opening and closing body; an actuation portion that actuates the switch when pressed in one direction by the opening / closing body; a biasing portion capable of biasing the opening / closing body in a direction opposite to the one direction; an elastic member provided between the actuation portion and the switch; Equipped with The actuating portion is pressed by the opening / closing body to press the switch via the elastic member, thereby actuating the switch. An opening / closing body stopping device characterized by the above.

2. a switch for stopping a motor that opens and closes the opening and closing body; an actuation portion that actuates the switch when pressed in one direction by the opening / closing body; a biasing portion capable of biasing the opening / closing body in a direction opposite to the one direction; a case that accommodates the switch, the actuation portion, and the biasing portion; Equipped with The biasing portion has one end connected to the case and the other end connected to the operating portion, thereby biasing the operating portion in the opposite direction. An opening / closing body stopping device characterized by the above.

3. a switch for stopping a motor that opens and closes the opening and closing body; an actuation portion that actuates the switch when pressed in one direction by the opening / closing body; a biasing portion that can bias the opening / closing body in a direction opposite to the one direction; Equipped with The biasing portion comes into contact with the opening / closing body before the opening / closing body presses the operating portion, and biases the opening / closing body in the opposite direction. An opening / closing body stopping device characterized by the above.

4. the biasing portion biases the opening / closing body via the operating portion, The actuating portion actuates the switch when pressed with a force stronger than the biasing force of the biasing portion.

2. The opening / closing body stopping device according to claim 1.

5. The switch is an operating body that stops the motor when acted upon by the operating unit; a support base that supports the working body; and The biasing portion is provided between the support base and the operating portion and biases the operating portion in the opposite direction.

2. The opening / closing body stopping device according to claim 1.

6. The actuation unit is a protrusion protruding from an opening formed in the case to the outside of the case; a flat base portion connected to the upper end of the protrusion; and The biasing portion has one end connected to the inner wall surface of the case facing the base portion, and the other end connected to the bottom surface of the base portion.

3. The opening / closing body stopping device according to claim 2.

7. The biasing portion is an engaging portion engageable with a head box that accommodates the operating portion; an elastically deformable contact portion that is connected to the engagement portion and that contacts the opening / closing body before the opening / closing body presses the operating portion; 4. The opening / closing body stopping device according to claim 3, further comprising:

8. The biasing portion and the elastic member are coil springs, and one coil spring is disposed inside the other coil spring so as to be surrounded by the other coil spring.

2. The opening / closing body stopping device according to claim 1.

9. An electric blind comprising the opening / closing body stopping device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The opening / closing body further includes a group of slats that are suspended from a head box that houses the operating unit and can be raised and lowered by the motor, The actuation portion has a protrusion that protrudes from an opening formed in the head box to the outside of the head box, and when the protrusion is pressed in the one direction by the uppermost slat in the group of slats, the actuation portion actuates the switch.

10. The motorized blind according to claim 9.

11. a reinforcing portion provided at a position facing the protrusion of the uppermost slat, for reinforcing the strength of the slat; 11. The motorized blind according to claim 10, further comprising:

12. An opening / closing body actuator that can be attached to an electric blind, the opening / closing body actuator having a switch that stops a motor that opens and closes an opening / closing body, an operating unit that has a protruding part and that activates the switch when the protruding part is pressed in one direction by the opening / closing body, and a head box that houses the operating unit so that the protruding part protrudes outward, an engaging portion engageable with an outer wall of the head box; a biasing portion that is connected to the engaging portion and comes into contact with the opening / closing body to bias the opening / closing body in a direction opposite to the one direction; An opening / closing body biasing device comprising:

Images