Blind with adjustable slats

The invention relates to the field of sun protection and in particular a motorized shutter type device with adjustable slats comprising an instruction transmitter and an instruction receiver connected to the motorized shutter, the instruction transmitter comprising a first control interface and a second control interface.

[0002] Internal or external folding blinds or curtains with vertical slats impose certain limitations on control with respect to other sun protection devices such as screens, blinds, blinds. In fact, the control of the former must take into account, on the one hand, the longitudinal displacement along the height or width of the window or door, and, on the other hand, the angle of the slats. These sun protection devices require a specific combination to be mechanized.

[0003] A distinction is made between sun protection devices with adjustable slats, sun protection devices with dual control and sun protection devices with single control.

[0004] Double-operated sun protection, in the case of an internal motorized folding shutter operated on one side by a string to raise or lower the shutter and on the other hand by a rod mounted on the other side of the shutter to adjust the slat position. The latter control can be provided by a system other than a tendon, such as rotary buttons, pulleys or levers with magnets (in particular in the case of blinds mounted between two panes), which enable the slats to be started by means of a cable or a mandrel. A device of this type is for example disclosed in Australian Patent Application AU 200072376.

[0005] These slat adjustment systems are designed to provide small angular displacement and are not adapted to adjust the height of the shutter or curtain movement. They enable with

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On the other hand, sufficiently intuitive adjustment, ergonomically adapted to the user.

[0006] In the case of sun protection with a single control, only one control means drives the adjustment and offset of the slats.

[0007] To adjust the slat position based on an intermediate stop position when raising or lowering the blinds, it is sufficient to operate the blind in the opposite direction to the previous one. Sun protection with single control can be motorized much easier than sun protection with dual control. A drive, positioned in the sunshade support rail and essentially equipped with a twine or belt winder, drives the sling support string in such a way as to adjust and / or move the slats. Therefore, we are talking about blinds with a single motor. [0008] Double-operated blinds, however, generally require double motoring. They will qualify as with two engines. [0009] It is not always easy to achieve the desired slat orientation between two closed positions.

[0010] This is due to the fact that the rotational speed of the motor for adjusting the slats is the same as the speed used to raise or lower the blinds in the case of a single motor. The speed must be high enough so that the time to raise or lower the blinds is sufficiently reduced. If, during the slat adjustment command, the slat angle is exceeded, the motor must be started in the opposite direction to reach the desired position. Due to the engine speed, the desired exact setting is difficult to achieve at the beginning.

[0011] Thus, although control of the sun protection with adjustable slats is possible using traditional devices used for other types of sun protection or other housing closures, this is inconvenient.

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[0012] In motorized blind systems, we traditionally refer to command transmitters with one or more buttons enabling the control of the displacement and positioning of the slats according to various ergonomics.

[0013] For example, a bipolar gearbox with 5 positions includes a switching element pivoting about an axis. Strong pressing on one of the raising or lowering buttons locks the element in a fixed position and triggers the order of continuous activation of the drive in the direction driven by this button up to the final position in the direction indicated by the button. In this way, the shutter is driven in the movement (raising or lowering). On the other hand, a light push is interpreted as a momentary command that ends as soon as the element is released (released). This light push allows you to control the slat position.

[0014] Such ergonomics are intuitive to the extent that the lightest push is the one that causes the smallest offset and that the user is active during the adjustment of the slats. On the other hand, this configuration does not distinguish between different commands, and the switch is not adapted to control blinds with two motors.

[0015] A second example of the command transmitter keypad known from patent application EP 0 273 719 includes, in addition to the raising and lowering buttons, separate buttons for controlling the position of the slats in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. The buttons are therefore generally arranged in a collinear manner. Although essentially the slat adjustment kinematics is obtained based on the activation of the slat sliding motor, the user is not aware of this.

[0016] This even arrangement of the buttons suggests that the additional buttons with respect to the traditional raise or lower buttons correspond to intermediate positions. This type of transmitter does not offer ergonomic benefits.

[0017] It is also known from the patent US 4,492,908, a device controlling the setting of folding shutter slats comprising a potentiometer. Attitude

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The strips are directly controlled depending on the rotation applied to the potentiometer. Setting control is not actually intuitive to the extent that it is used in relation to physical quantities. It mainly aims to allow the correction of differences between different blinds from the same group controlled simultaneously to ensure consistency and homogeneity in terms of aesthetics. Furthermore, such a control device is complicated and expensive.

[0018] The object of the present invention is to provide control in the field of a shutter-type device with adjustable slats to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to improve known devices of the prior art. In particular, the invention proposes a shutter type device with adjustable slats, which is simple, inexpensive, which will be multifunctional (adapted to various types of shutter motorization) and whose ergonomics of slat adjustment is intuitive.

[0019] The device according to the invention is characterized by the characterizing part of claim 1.

[0020] Various modes of implementation of the device are defined by the dependent claims 2 to 12.

[0021] The attached drawing illustrates, by way of example, several modes of implementation of a venetian blind device with adjustable slats according to the invention.

[0022] Figure 1 is a diagram of a first mode of implementation of the invention of a shutter type device according to the invention.

[0023] Figure 2a is a detail view of the first mode of implementation of the mobile element of the second control interface.

[0024] Figure 2b is a detail view of the second mode of implementation of the mobile element of the second control interface.

[0025] Figure 3 is an electrical diagram of a second mode of implementation of the shutter type device according to the invention.

[0026] Figure 4 is an electrical diagram of a third mode of implementation of a shutter type device according to the invention.

[0027] Figures 5 to 7 are detail views of the movable control interface element according to embodiments.

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[0028] Figures 8 to 11 are tables explaining the relationship between control interfaces, electrical contacts and the responses of the drive or drives in different implementation modes.

[0029] The motorized shutter type device 1 with adjustable slats shown in figure 1 comprises an instruction transmitter 2 equipped with a first control interface 2a and a second control interface 2b, an instruction receiver 6 connected to a mechanical set 4 comprising horizontal slats 5 adjustable around their axis, motor 3 slat adjustment and a 3 'vertical slat motor.

[0030] The first control interface 2a shown in figure 2a comprises three control buttons 11, 12 and 13. The buttons 11 and 12 enable, in a traditional way, controlling the raising and lowering of the blinds by activating the motor 3 '. Meanwhile, the button 13 makes it possible to deactivate the 3 'motor to stop the movement of raising or lowering the blind.

[0031] The command transmitter 2 further has on one of its side sides a second control interface 2b comprising a disc 14. This pulley, shown in figure 2a, is rotatable with respect to the surface of the command transmitter 2 around axis 15. It has a projection 19 on its circumference which allows the electrical contacts 20a or 20b to be activated in the direction of the disk movement. When the user rotates the disc 14 in the S1 direction clockwise, the tab 19 presses the contact portion 17a of contact 20a to contact its portion 18a and thereby close contact 20a. When the user rotates the disk 14 counterclockwise S2, the tab 19 presses the contact portion 17b of the contact 20b to contact the contact portion 18b thereof, and thus close the contact 20b. The disc 14 is movable between its two extreme positions in which the tab 19 contacts the pin 16a, respectively the pin 16b. Alternatively, contacts 20a and 20b may themselves serve as limiters. Two electrical contacts enable power to the electric motor driving the blind in two different directions.

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[0032] The pulley optionally has a form 22 such that part of the cam core cooperates with a spring blade 23 acting on it to position the pulley in a position where none of the contacts 20a, 20b are activated. This embodiment can be replaced by a system comprising one or more spiral springs restoring to a rest position.

[0033] The disc may be replaced as shown in figure 5 by another element, such as a lever 14 'moving between two stops 16'aa 16'b in a groove made in the control interface 2.

[0034] One or more spiral springs with low stiffness thus allow the lever to be moved to a central resting position in which the contacts 20a or 20b are not activated.

[0035] The advantage of the forms of implementation of the type of disc or lever is their mode of operation: as a result, in order to bring the element to its end position, the user must guide the guided and sliding movement of the element. This is particularly intuitive for controlling the slat position when the movement is slow and supervised by the user throughout the slat position control.

[0036] In embodiments, the disc or lever may remain in the end positions activating the contacts 20a and 20b or the contacts themselves may remain in the closed position.

In these cases, in addition to the rotational movement of the disc or the sliding movement of the lever, these elements can also be activated in the second direction D2, e.g. perpendicular to the first direction of movement D1 described previously. The element then returns to an intermediate position between its two ends of movement in which the contacts 20a and 20b are not activated or when the contacts are in the open position.

[0038] In the second implementation mode illustrated in figure 2b, the movement of the disc 43 may also not be limited by the two end positions, but the disc may rotate without stopping. Each displacement of the disc by a certain rotation angle (defining the displacement step of the disc) in one direction, activates the electric contact. Activating this contact causes w

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In a relative manner, the displacement by one drive stage (rotation angle or duration of the power supply, for example, determined at the drive level) in the direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the disc.

[0039] It is possible to send a control signal for each displacement of one disc step, but preferably, the number of displacement steps is counted until the disc is immobilized. Only then is the control signal sent containing the number of steps counted.

[0040] The electric contacts 40a, 40b can be activated by the teeth 44 arranged on the roller 43 via an articulated lever around the axis 42.

[0041] Figures 6 and 7 show modes of implementation of command transmitters in which a disk is arranged on the face of the command transmitter. In figure 6, the disc rotates around a horizontal axis and in figure 7, the disc rotates around a vertical axis.

[0042] Activation of contacts 20a and 20b makes it possible to define the command to control the rotation of the motor in one direction or the other, as schematically shown in figure 3. Clockwise action of the pulley 14 in direction S1 closes contact 20a, action A2 in counterclockwise S2 closes contact 20b. The contacts are connected to means for interpreting X, which make it possible to distinguish offset commands from rotation orders. Means for interpreting X then allow the commands to be sent directly to the appropriate drive or drives.

[0043] This distinction is important because it makes it possible to control a shutter with two motors as well as a shutter with a single motor, possibly reducing the speed of rotation of this motor for slat adjustment.

[0044] The means of interpretation essentially consist of a microprocessor that allows the simultaneous analysis of the activation of the electrical contacts and, optionally, their activation time. Means for interpretation also include memory. Depending on the function of the various contacts and / or the activation time of these contacts, the means of interpretation may determine whether it is an order

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EP 1 486 640 B1 to move the slats that the user wishes to send or to set.

[0045] Control buttons 11, 12, 13 for controlling the raising and lowering of the blinds can activate contacts 21a and 21b other than contacts 20a and 20b. The various contacts are therefore used to distinguish between operations on the first interface or on the second interface corresponding to the offset and slat adjustments, respectively.

[0046] They can also activate only the same contacts 20a and 20b as pulley 14. In this case, different means are provided for distinguishing the offset orders from the slat adjustment orders.

[0047] For example, the second interface includes a third electrical contact 20c connected to the disk. This third contact 20c is activated either by pressing the disk 14 in the second direction D2 or by moving out of the rest position by manipulating the disk 14. This implementation mode is schematically represented in figure 4. Contact 20c is connected to the means for interpreting X via a module 7 orders reduced speed.

[0048] In this way, the commands triggered by the manipulation of the disc contain information regarding the speed of the drive, useful in the case of shutters with a single motor.

[0049] Electrical contact 20c makes it possible to distinguish between commands input via the first interface and those input via the second interface.

[0050] This electrical contact 20c may further have the function of command to stop the rotation of the drive and thus the lifting and lowering or rotation movement. When it is activated, when the engine is stopped, it may have an intermediate position function.

[0051] Alternatively or as a combination, the activation time of the control interfaces may be used to distinguish between offset or set up commands. In this case, the means for interpreting X include means for distinguishing 26 instructions comprising an activation time detector 24 control interfaces and a comparator 25 for comparing the activation time with one or more

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EP 1 486 640 B1 values ​​entered into memory at the level of means for interpretation X.

[0052] In this way, even regardless of the electrical contacts of the two interfaces, the short pulse effect on the first interface 2a can be interpreted by the means for interpreting X as a slat shift command, while a continuous or short duration action on the second interface 2b is interpreted as a slat adjustment command. Similarly, it may also be envisaged to allow offset control (e.g. at high speed) based on manipulation of the disc 14.

[0053] Each activation of the contact can generate a control command that the drive interprets as a rotation of a defined step when the second interface 2b has or does not have limiters.

[0054] The various variants and results of manipulation of the two control interfaces 2a and 2b are summarized in the tables of figures 8 to 11.

[0055] Figure 8 shows the results of the actions performed on the various control interface buttons, in the case where the first control interface includes electrical contacts 21 a, 21 b and the second control interface includes electrical contacts 20a, 20b.

[0056] The table of figure 9 shows the results of actions performed on the control interfaces when two interfaces are connected to the same electrical contacts and the distinction is made by measuring the activation time of these interfaces. This time is compared with a certain threshold entered into memory (at the level of means for interpretation X). The comparison results make it possible to distinguish between offset and set up commands.

[0057] The table of figure 10 shows the results of actions on the control interfaces when two interfaces are connected to the same electrical contacts and when the means for interpretation X comprise a third electric contact 20c activated when the disk is activated in the direction S1 or S2, for example normally open contact in rest position. This third contact

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EP 1 486 640 B1 makes it possible to distinguish between setting commands and coupling them with the command for reducing the speed of the drive, in the case of a single-motor device. [0058] The table of figure 11 shows the results of actions on the control interfaces when two interfaces are connected to the same electrical contacts and when the means for interpretation X comprise a third electric contact 20c activated when the disk is activated in a second direction different from the first (on example by pressing on the puck).

[0059] Simultaneous operation by pressing and displacement of the disc distinguishes between control commands. Displacement without pressing the disc corresponds to acting on the first control interface in the appropriate direction.

[0060] The control interface may be a wired remote control as described previously, but it may also consist of a wireless portable remote control communicating, for example, via radio or infrared waves with the engine powering device.

[0061] In this case, different actions performed on different control buttons, levers or pulleys are processed on the control interface by an electronic device into an electromagnetic signal.

[0062] Interpretation of control orders may be performed either at the level of the control interface or at the level of the motor supply device, that is, the means of interpretation are at the level of the command transmitter or at the level of the command receiver.

[0063] In the first case, the means for interpreting X distinguishes the instructions given by the user by acting on one or the other of the control interfaces 2a, 2b, and the command transmitter 2 directly sends the control command towards the command receiver 6 of the drive 3 or 3 'under consideration. [0064] In the second case, the instruction transmitter 2 sends a data set (e.g. one or more identifiers of the activated contacts, activation time) to the instruction receiver 6 equipped with means for

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Interpretation of X. These data are then analyzed by means of interpretation X, which determine the order to be given to the drive 3, 3 'under consideration.

[0065] In the case of a single engine, it is possible to combine means of interpretation with the drive speed reduction command module. In this way, slat adjustment orders can be made at a low speed.

[0066] In one implementation, the means for interpreting X directly triggers a high speed rotation command as soon as it detects a slat movement command, while they trigger a low speed rotation command, if they detect a slat adjustment command, the low speed command is maintained as long as the control interface is activated, or at least during a period of time equal to the time needed to tilt the slats from one extreme position to the other extreme position if the control interface is activated for a greater period of time.

[0067] The device according to the invention can also be used in any type of blinds or curtains with adjustable slats.

Somfy SAS Representative:

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EP 1 486 640 B1