Battery-Powered Window Treatment With Spring-Assisted Torque Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motorized window treatments require expensive and aesthetically unpleasing wiring installations, and battery-powered options suffer from short battery life and costly replacements.
Innovation Solution
A low-cost, battery-powered motorized window treatment system with batteries integrated into the headrail for easy replacement, using wireless input signals for control, and power-saving methods like RF sub-sampling and reduced motor speed to extend battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If AC mains line voltage wiring is installed to power the motorized window treatment, then reliable power supply is achieved, but installation cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power source from the centralized AC mains wiring system and places independent battery packs directly within the window treatment device itself. This allows the device to be self-powered without requiring external electrical wiring infrastructure, thereby eliminating installation complexity while maintaining reliable power supply through the batteries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces battery packs as an intermediary power source between the electrical grid and the motorized window treatment. These batteries serve as a portable, installable power medium that bridges the gap without requiring direct AC wiring to the device location, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable power and easy installation.
2Reliability
If low-voltage DC transformer with external wiring is used, then power supply is provided, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to visible wires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external transformer and wiring components from the visible installation area and integrates the power source directly into the window treatment housing. The battery packs are concealed within the device structure, eliminating unsightly external wires and transformers while maintaining the power supply function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests the battery packs within the internal structure of the window treatment device, hiding them inside the housing or headrail. This nesting approach allows the power source to be contained within the aesthetic boundaries of the device itself, preventing any degradation of visual appearance while ensuring continuous power supply.
3Ease of manufacture
If battery power is used to avoid wiring, then installation ease is improved, but battery life is too short and replacement cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power source into multiple separate, modular battery packs that can be independently replaced. This segmentation allows users to replace only the depleted battery packs rather than the entire power system, reducing replacement costs and effort while maintaining the installation ease benefit of wireless power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs standard, commercially available battery packs that are inexpensive and readily replaceable. These battery packs are designed as consumable components that can be easily swapped out when depleted, making the short operational life acceptable due to the low cost and simplicity of replacement.
4Shape
If batteries are enclosed in the headrail, then aesthetic appearance is maintained, but battery replacement becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery packs as separate, removable modules within the headrail structure. This segmentation allows the batteries to be aesthetically concealed during normal operation while enabling easy access and replacement by removing or opening specific access points in the headrail without affecting the overall aesthetic design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates preliminary design features such as access panels, removable covers, or snap-fit mechanisms in the headrail that are pre-configured to allow battery replacement. These preliminary structural arrangements maintain the aesthetic appearance during normal use while providing straightforward access paths for battery maintenance.
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
The system provides a cost-effective, aesthetically pleasing, and long-lasting battery-powered solution for motorized window treatments with extended battery life and convenient replacement, allowing for wireless control and energy-efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
a motor for rotating a drive shaft to thus raise and lower the covering material
Data Source
AI summary
A motorized window treatment controls daylight entering a space through a window and includes a covering material, a drive shaft, lift cords received around the drive shaft and connected to the covering material, and a motor coupled to the drive shaft. It also includes a spring assist unit for the motor providing a torque that equals the torque provided by the weight on the lift cords at a position midway between fully-open and fully-closed positions, minimizing motor usage and conserving battery life. A photosensor for measuring the daylight outside the window and temperature sensors for measuring the temperatures inside and outside of the window may be provided. The position of the covering material is automatically controlled to save energy, or may also be controlled in response to an infrared or radio-frequency remote control.