Floating Awning Roller Plug-In Mounting for Easy Motor Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

The assembly of fabric rollers and electrical connections for tubular motors in awnings with floating bearings is complex and cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

A plug connection system is integrated on the axially outer head side of the tubular motor, allowing it to connect with a plug counterpart on the fabric roller bearing, enabling easy assembly and movement of the fabric roller, which is supported by a floating bearing, ensuring optimal fabric tension and preventing deflection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the fabric roller is mounted on a floating bearing to allow movement, then the fabric tension is optimized and deflection is prevented, but the assembly complexity and electrical connection creation become very complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefabric tension stabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical connection is segmented into two separate connectors: one integrated on the tubular motor and another on the fabric roller bearing. This segmentation allows the fabric roller to be assembled independently and mounted on the floating bearing without complex pre-assembled electrical connections, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining the floating bearing configuration for optimal fabric tension.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The plug and plug counterpart are designed to be movable back and forth relative to the fabric roller bearing in the extension direction, creating a flexible electrical connection that accommodates the floating bearing movement. This ensures continuous electrical connectivity while maintaining the equipotential relationship between motor and bearing across the range of motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the fabric roller is mounted on a floating bearing to allow movement, then the fabric roller can adapt to different fabric roll diameters, but the electrical connection creation becomes very complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to fabric roll diameterVSAvoidease of electrical connection assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical connection system is divided into separate modular connectors that can be independently manufactured and assembled. The plug on the motor and plug counterpart on the bearing are separate components that connect after the fabric roller is mounted on the floating bearing, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining adaptability to different fabric roll diameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The electrical connection components (plug and plug counterpart) are designed to be movable relative to the fabric roller bearing, allowing them to dynamically adjust as the fabric roller moves along the extension direction. This dynamic design maintains electrical connectivity while accommodating the adaptability of the floating bearing system to different fabric roll diameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If a plug connection system is integrated on the tubular motor, then the assembly is simplified, but the plug and plug counterpart must be designed to move back and forth relative to the bearing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidplug connection movement mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The plug and plug counterpart are designed with multi-functionality: they serve both as electrical connectors and as components that accommodate the floating bearing movement. The movable design allows the same components to handle both electrical connectivity and mechanical displacement, reducing the need for separate complex mechanisms while maintaining ease of assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4421263B1Awning with floating mounted awning cloth shaft with integrated plug-in connection
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 WEINOR GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4421263B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to an awning with a fabric roller and a shading element wound on it, wherein the fabric roller is rotatably mounted about its axis in fabric roller bearings and the shading element can be unwound from the fabric roller when the shading element is extended in the extension direction (A) of the shading element, and wherein the shading element is wound onto the fabric roller when the shading element is retracted, wherein the fabric roller is driven electrically by means of a tubular motor (10) axially inserted into the fabric roller at one end, and wherein the fabric roller is mounted so as to be movable back and forth at least in the extension direction (A) of the shading element, and the fabric roller is assigned at least one support against which the fabric roll rests at least when the shading element is fully wound up.wherein the tubular motor (10) is connected to a control unit and/or to a power supply by means of a plug (11) integrated on the axially outer end face of the tubular motor (10) in the direction towards one of the fabric roller bearings, which in the assembled state forms a plug connection with a plug counterpart (21) arranged on the fabric roller bearing, wherein the plug (11) and the plug counterpart (21) are movable forwards and backwards relative to the fabric roller bearing in the extension direction (A) of the shading element in the assembled state.