Window assembly with a motorized window shade mechanism

Abstract

A motorized window shade assembly for operating a window shade having a rail attached to one end of the shade to extend and compress the shade with movement of the rail. The motorized window shade assembly includes a shell having two sidewalls, and a rail extending between the two sidewalls of the shell. The sidewalls have respective opposed inner surfaces with a channel therein, shoulders adjacent and perpendicular to the inner surfaces, respectively, and a traction surface on each of the shoulders. An axle is rotatingly coupled to the rail and has a traction wheel coupled to each end thereof. Opposite tips of the axle ride within the channels in the sidewalls, and the traction wheels engage the traction surface. A motor is attached to the rail and is drivingly coupled to the axle.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A motorized mechanism for operating a window shade having a rail attached to one end of the shade to extend and compress the shade with movement of the rail, comprising: 
 a rail;    a motor with a drive wheel coupled thereto;    an axle with traction wheels coupled to each end thereof;    wherein said motor is fixed to said rail and said axle is rotatingly coupled to said rail, said drive wheel being drivingly coupled to said axle so that motor operation to turn said drive wheel produces a corresponding rotation of said traction wheels at both ends of said axle to move said rail.    
     
     
         2 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 1   , wherein said rail includes a first recess sized to accommodate said motor therein at one end of said rail, and a second recess extending longitudinally completely through said rail to rotatingly accommodate said axle therein, said drive wheel and one of said traction wheels at said one end of the rail being engaged to couple said motor to said axle.  
     
     
         3 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 1   , wherein said rail includes a first recess sized to accommodate said motor therein.  
     
     
         4 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 3   , wherein said first recess is at one end of said rail.  
     
     
         5 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 4   , wherein said drive wheel and one of said traction wheels at said one end of the rail are engaged to couple said motor to said axle.  
     
     
         6 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 5   , wherein said rail includes a second recess extending longitudinally completely through said rail to rotatingly accommodate said axle therein.  
     
     
         7 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 1   , wherein said rail includes a recess extending longitudinally completely through said rail to rotatingly accommodate said axle therein.  
     
     
         8 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 1   , wherein said drive wheel and one of said traction wheels are engaged to couple said motor to said axle.  
     
     
         9 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 1   , wherein said rail comprises a main body and at least one attachment member adapted to snap-fit onto said main body and thereby secure one end of the shade to said rail.  
     
     
         10 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 9   , wherein said main body comprises two opposed sidewalls, and said attachment member comprises a strip which snaps into said sidewalls.  
     
     
         11 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 10   , wherein said strip constitutes at least a portion of a top wall of said main body.  
     
     
         12 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 9   , wherein said main body comprises a top wall and a bottom wall, and said attachment member comprises an elongated C-shaped clamp which snaps into said top and bottom walls.  
     
     
         13 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 2   , wherein said first recess is shaped at least in part to a contour of said motor.  
     
     
         14 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 3   , wherein said first recess is shaped at least in part to a contour of said motor.  
     
     
         15 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 2   , wherein said first recess is parallel to said second recess.  
     
     
         16 . The motorized mechanism of    claim 1   , wherein said drive wheel and said traction wheels are toothed wheels.  
     
     
         17 . A motorized window shade assembly for operating a window shade having a rail attached to one end of the shade to extend and compress the shade with movement of the rail, comprising: 
 a shell having two sidewalls;    a rail extending between said two sidewalls of the shell;    said sidewalls having respective opposed inner surfaces with a channel therein, shoulders adjacent and perpendicular to said inner surfaces, respectively, and a traction surface on each of said shoulders;    an axle rotatingly coupled to said rail and having a traction wheel coupled to each end thereof, opposite tips of said axle riding within the channels in said sidewalls, and said traction wheels engaging said traction surface; and    a motor attached to said rail and drivingly coupled to said axle.    
     
     
         18 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 17   , wherein said motor is coupled to a drive wheel which is drivingly coupled to said axle.  
     
     
         19 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 18   , wherein said traction wheels are toothed wheels, and said traction surface is a rack.  
     
     
         20 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 18   , wherein said rail includes a first recess sized to accommodate said motor therein at one end of said rail, and a second recess extending longitudinally completely through said rail to rotatingly accommodate said axle therein, said drive wheel and one of said traction wheels at said one end of the rail being engaged to couple said motor to said axle.  
     
     
         21 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 18   , wherein said rail includes a first recess sized to accommodate said motor therein.  
     
     
         22 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 21   , wherein said first recess is at one end of said rail.  
     
     
         23 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 22   , wherein said drive wheel and one of said traction wheels at said one end of the rail are engaged to couple said motor to said axle.  
     
     
         24 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 23   , wherein said rail includes a second recess extending longitudinally completely through said rail to rotatingly accommodate said axle therein.  
     
     
         25 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 17   , wherein said rail includes a recess extending longitudinally completely through said rail to rotatingly accommodate said axle therein.  
     
     
         26 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 18   , wherein said drive wheel and one of said traction wheels are engaged to couple said motor to said axle.  
     
     
         27 . The motorized window shade of    claim 26   , wherein said drive wheel and said traction wheels are toothed wheels, and said traction surface is a rack.  
     
     
         28 . The motorized window shade assembly of    claim 17   , wherein said first recess is shaped at least in part to a contour of said motor.  
     
     
         29 . The motorized window shade of    claim 17   , wherein said traction surface is an integral part of said shell.  
     
     
         30 . A motor control circuit for a motorized mechanism having two motors each of which operates one of two shade portions of a window shade, comprising: 
 sensing means to detect arrival of said shade portions at an UP position or a DOWN position;    manually operable switch means to designate operation of the window shade in either a DOWN direction or an UP direction in which the window shade is extended or compressed, respectively;    switch means for automatically directing power to one of the two motors; and    control means for directing power to one of the motors in response to said manually operable switch means until the shade portion movable thereby reaches one of said UP and DOWN positions and, in response thereto, automatically switching the power to the other motor.    
     
     
         31 . The motor control circuit of    claim 30   , wherein said UP and DOWN positions are end-of-travel positions in which a shade is either fully extended or fully compressed.  
     
     
         32 . The motor control circuit of    claim 30   , wherein said switch means de-energizes said one motor when power is automatically switched to the other motor.