Control of architectural opening coverings

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for controlling architectural opening coverings are described herein. An example apparatus includes a roller tube, a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, the motor casing to rotate with the roller tube, and a manual control including a manual control drive shaft coupled to the motor drive shaft, the motor to apply torque to the roller tube through rotation of the motor casing.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for operating a covering for an architectural structure, said apparatus comprising:
 a covering;   a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, said motor casing mounted to rotate to cause movement of said covering during motorized operation; and   a manual control structured to rotate said motor drive shaft, said manual control structured to rotate said motor casing when said manual control is operated and said motor is not operated to cause movement of said covering.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further including a roller tube. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further including a gearbox having a gearbox drive shaft coupled to said motor drive shaft and a shaft connector coupled to the gearbox drive shaft and the manual control, said motor coupled to said manual control via the gearbox drive shaft and the shaft connector. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further including a roller tube, said motor casing mounted to rotate said roller tube, wherein said motor casing is coupled to said roller tube via said gearbox. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further including a bracket, said bracket rotatably coupled to said manual control. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said motor drive shaft is stationary with respect to said bracket while said motor casing rotates with said roller tube during the motorized operation. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further including a one-way slip bearing assembly coupling said manual control to said motor drive shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further including a clutch to hold said one-way slip bearing assembly substantially stationary with respect to said motor drive shaft while said manual control is not operated. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said clutch is structured to hold said motor drive shaft substantially stationary with respect to said bracket during operation of said motor while said manual control is not operated. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further including a brake to prevent rotation of said motor drive shaft relative to said motor casing while said motor is not operated. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further including a roller tube, said motor casing mounted to rotate said roller tube, wherein said manual control is structured to apply a first torque to said motor drive shaft in response to a manually applied force to cause rotation of said motor casing and said roller tube. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said motor is structured to apply a second torque to said roller tube to rotate said roller tube while said motor drive shaft does not rotate relative to said manual control. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the first torque and the second torque are additive to increase a rate of rotation when in a same direction, or subtractive when in opposite directions. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the manually applied force is a rotational force 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for operating a covering of an architectural covering, said apparatus comprising:
 a roller tube;   a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, said motor casing mounted to rotate with said roller tube;   a manual control including a manual control drive shaft fixed against rotation relative to said motor drive shaft, said manual control structured to apply torque to said motor drive shaft in response to a manually applied force to cause rotation of said motor casing and said roller tube without operating said motor; and   wherein said motor is structured to apply torque to said roller tube through rotation of said motor casing while said manual control drive shaft is fixed against rotation relative to relative to said motor drive shaft   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said motor casing and said motor drive shaft are both contained within a periphery defined by an outside diameter of said roller tube. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further including a gearbox having a gearbox drive shaft coupling said motor drive shaft to said manual control drive shaft, wherein said motor casing is coupled to the roller tube via the gearbox. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further including a shaft connector coupling the gearbox drive shaft with said manual control drive shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further including a shaft connector structured to substantially prevent the motor and the manual control from applying torque to the roller tube in a first direction. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further including a one-way roller bearing assembly coupling the manual control to said motor drive shaft. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for operating a covering of an architectural covering, said apparatus comprising:
 a roller tube;   a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, said motor casing mounted to rotate with said roller tube; and   a manual control including a manual control drive shaft rotatable with said motor drive shaft;   wherein:
 said manual control is structured to apply torque to said motor drive shaft in response to a manually applied force on said manual control to cause rotation of said motor casing and said roller tube; and 
 said motor is structured to apply torque to said roller tube to rotate said roller tube while said motor drive shaft does not rotate. 
   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the motor drive shaft does not rotate relative to said manual control. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the motor drive shaft rotates with the rotation of said manual control. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for controlling operation of a covering for an architectural structure, said apparatus comprising:
 a roller tube;   a motor including a motor drive shaft and a motor casing, said motor casing coupled to rotate with said roller tube; and   a manual control including a manual control drive shaft;   wherein:
 said motor casing and said roller tube rotate relative to said motor drive shaft when said motor is operated and said manual control is not operated; and 
 said manual control drive shaft rotates said motor casing and said roller tube when said manual control is operated and said motor is not operated 
   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said motor drive shaft and said motor casing are fixed against relative rotation when said manual control is operated and said motor is not operated. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising a gearbox having an output shaft coupled to rotate with said motor drive shaft, and a casing coupled to rotate with said roller tube, wherein said gearbox prevents said motor drive shaft from rotating with respect to said motor casing when said manual control is operated and said motor is not operated. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said manual control drive shaft is coupled to said output shaft of said gearbox. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein said manual control rotates said motor drive shaft and said motor casing and said roller tube via said manual control drive shaft when said manual control is operated and said motor is not operated. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the motor drive shaft is coupled to the manual control drive shaft. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the motor drive shaft and the manual control drive shaft are held against rotation with respect to the architectural structure during motorized operation. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the motor drive shaft and the manual control drive shaft are allowed to rotate with respect to the architectural structure during operation of the manual control.