Cordless Roller Shade Position Lock Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retractable shades often rely on operating cords that can become tangled, fray, or break, making them difficult to use and posing a risk to users, while also lacking the ability to be easily locked at desired positions without cords.
Innovation Solution
A positioning device that includes a spool with pin engagement channels, a shuttle with pins, an engagement disk, and a clutch spring, allowing the shade to be locked at any position along its drop length by preventing the roller from rotating, eliminating the need for cords and enhancing user safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If operating cords are used to control retractable shades, then the shade can be easily operated and positioned, but the cords may become tangled, fray, or break, posing safety risks and requiring maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the operating cords from the system entirely, extracting the harmful element that causes tangling, fraying, and breaking. The cordless design uses a spring mechanism and positioning device with pins and channels to achieve operation without cords, thereby eliminating safety risks while maintaining ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the cord-based mechanical operation system with a spring-loaded retraction mechanism combined with a positioning device. The spring provides automatic retraction force, while the positioning device with pins traveling in channels enables controlled stopping at desired positions without requiring cords for operation.
2Ease of operation
If operating cords are used to control retractable shades, then the shade can be positioned, but the cords may damage the covering from repeated wear
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the operating cords from the system, the patent eliminates the source of repeated wear and damage to both the cords and the shade covering. The cordless design uses internal spring mechanisms and positioning pins that interact with the roller system without external cord contact, preventing wear-related damage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a positioning device is added to lock the shade at desired positions, then the shade can be secured at any position, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the positioning device with the existing roller and spring mechanism into an integrated system. The positioning pins are incorporated into the roller structure, and the spring mechanism serves dual purposes of providing retraction force and enabling positioning through the pin-channel interaction, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism serves multiple functions: it provides the retraction force to pull the shade upward, stores energy to maintain positioned states, and works in conjunction with the positioning pins to enable controlled stopping. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall device while achieving versatile positioning capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the shade to be securely locked at any desired position without the use of cords, improving user safety and reducing maintenance issues related to cord wear and tangling.
Implementation Method 1
a clutch spring having a spool tang and a disk tang, wherein the spool tang is operably connected to the spool and the disk tang is operably connected to the engagement disk, wherein the clutch spring selectively prevents the spool from rotating relative to the engagement disk
Data Source
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AI summary
A covering for architectural openings including a roller, a shade wrapped around the roller, the shade extendable from the roller when the roller rotates in a first direction, and retractable onto the roller when the roller rotates in a second direction. The covering also includes a retraction mechanism operably associated with the roller for biasing the roller in a direction to retract the shade and a positioning device operably engaging the roller for selectively holding the shade at a selected extension location and selectively releasing the shade for additional extension or retraction. The positioning device is actuated to hold the shade at the selected extension position by movement of the shade in either the extension or retraction direction.