Patent Publication Number: US-11028640-B2

Title: Handle and brake arrangement for a covering for architectural openings

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/210,105, filed Jul. 14, 2016, which is a divisional of and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/326,616, filed Jul. 9, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,422,766, which in turn claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/847,117, filed Jul. 17, 2013 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/873,035, filed Sep. 3, 2013. Each of the foregoing patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a handle and brake arrangement for a covering for architectural openings. 
     In typical prior art arrangements, a handle may be attached to a rail by snapping the handle into a complementary contour on the rail or by using bolts, screws or other threaded fasteners. The snap-on method often is not secure and may be aesthetically objectionable. The threaded fasteners can fail due to stripped threads, can be unsightly, or may involve the use of additional parts and labor in order to conceal the fastener. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a simple, secure, inexpensive, hidden, and relatively tamper-proof connection arrangement for securing the handle to the rail. In one embodiment the handle is secured to the rail via screws, using a skewed approach angle. The handle may be used not only to grasp the rail, but it also may provide a convenient mechanism to engage or disengage a brake in the rail. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cellular shade product with a handle secured to the movable rail; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic, partially exploded, perspective view of the drive mechanism of  FIG. 1  including the handle; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the handle of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the handle of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a section view along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 , with the cellular shade product omitted for clarity; 
         FIG. 6  is a section view, similar to  FIG. 5 , but with the brake release mechanism depressed to release the brake; 
         FIGS. 7-9  show the handle and brake mechanism of  FIG. 5  with the lift rod omitted for clarity, and with the brake portion in three different axial positions relative to the handle portion to illustrate that the brake portion does not have to be precisely located in order for the pusher to actuate the brake release mechanism; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the brake portion of the brake and handle mechanism of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded perspective view of the brake portion of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a section view along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a section view, similar to  FIG. 12 , but for a different embodiment showing a ratchet-type brake mechanism; 
         FIG. 14  is a section view, similar to  FIG. 12 , but for a different embodiment showing a one-way bearing brake mechanism; 
         FIG. 15  is an enlarged, broken-away view of the handle, actuator button, and pusher portion of  FIG. 6 , with the actuator button, pusher, and contact plate shown also in phantom when the button is not depressed by the user; 
         FIG. 16  is a section view along line  16 - 16  of  FIG. 2 , with the brake portion partially broken away for clarity; 
         FIG. 17  is a section view, similar to  FIG. 16 , but for an application wherein the handle is attached to a fixed top rail instead of to a bottom or movable rail; 
         FIG. 18  is a rear view of the handle of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of a portion of the rail of  FIG. 7  showing the openings for mounting the handle; and 
         FIG. 20  is an enlarged, broken-away view of the handle of  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cellular shade  104 , having an upper rail  106 , a movable lower rail  102 , and a handle  118  mounted on the lower rail  102 . As will be explained later, the handle  118  also may be mounted on the upper rail  106  or on any intermediate movable rails (not shown). 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic showing the rails  102 ,  106  in phantom, with the cellular shade itself omitted for clarity. The lower rail  102  is suspended from the upper rail  106  by means of left and right lift cords  108  which wind onto lift spools (not shown) in lift stations  110  (when raising the shade  104 ), or unwind from the spools of the lift stations  110  (when lowering the shade  104 ). The lift stations  110  are functionally interconnected by a lift rod  112  such that the lift rod  112  and lift spools of the lift stations  110  rotate in unison. The lift rod  112  extends through the rightmost lift station  110  and is connected to a spring motor  114  which provides a force to aid the user in lifting the shade  104 . As the rod  112  rotates in one direction about its axis of rotation, the lift cords  108  wind up onto the lift spools of the lift stations  110  to retract the shade, and as the rod  112  rotates in the opposite direction, the lift cords  108  unwind from the lift spools and extend the shade or covering  104 . 
     In this embodiment, the spring motor  114  is underpowered such that it is unable to raise the shade  104  alone and needs additional input (referred to as a catalytic force) from the user to accomplish that task. This particular spring motor  114  also is unable to hold the bottom rail  102  in place once it is released by the user. The weight of the bottom rail  102  (together with the components found in the bottom rail  102  and the weight of the shade material) overwhelms the force provided by the spring motor  114  such that the bottom rail  102  will continue to drop once released by the user unless it is stopped by other means. To stop the bottom rail from dropping, a brake  116  is functionally connected to the lift rod  112  and to the bottom rail  102  to stop the lift rod  112  from rotating in at least one direction relative to the bottom rail  102 , as explained in more detail later. 
     The handle  118  includes an actuator button  120  which, when depressed by the user, releases the brake  116 , which allows rotation of the lift rod  112  in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, as explained in more detail later. 
     The brake  116  can be mounted anywhere along the lift rod  112  and does not have to be precisely located relative to the handle  118  in order for the actuator button  120  to function to release the brake  116 . This is advantageous, as it permits the handle to be secured to the rail  102  from inside the rail with the brake  116  out of the way, and then permits the brake  116  to be slid along the lift rod  112  into a position that is generally opposite the handle  118 , without having to worry about the precise location of the brake  116 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , the brake  116  may be anywhere along the axial length of the rail  102  as long as it is aligned approximately in the vicinity of the pusher  122 , which in this embodiment is a shaft. As long as the pusher  122  abuts the contact plate  124  of the brake  116 , the handle and brake combination  100  will operate as designed. 
       FIG. 11  shows the details of the brake  116 . The brake  116  includes a housing base  154 , a slide element  156 , a coil spring  158 , a splined sleeve  160  and a housing cover  162 . The housing base  154  is a substantially rectangular box having a flat back wall  164 , a flat front wall  166  which defines a large central opening  168 , and a forwardly extending fixed tab  170  secured to the front wall  166  for mounting the housing base  154  on the rail  102 . The housing base  154  includes side walls  172 ,  174 , which define aligned, openings  176 ,  178  which rotationally support the splined sleeve  160 . The housing base  154  also defines an internal projection  180  designed to receive and engage one end  182  of the coil spring  158 . The other end  184  of the coil spring  158  is received in a partitioned cavity  186  on the slide element  156 , in order to bias the slide element  156  in the forward (braking) direction, which is transverse to the axis of rotation of the lift rod  112 , as will be described in more detail later. 
     The slide element  156  has a contact plate  124 , which is pushed against by the actuator in the handle  118 , in a direction opposite to the braking direction, in order to disengage the brake. The slide element  156  is received in the housing base  154 , with the contact plate  124  of the slide element  156  projecting through the opening  168  in the housing  154 . The slide element  156  is guided by the housing base  154  so its movement is restricted to forward and backward movement in the direction of the arrow  188  relative to the housing base  154 . Shoulders  190 ,  192  on the slide element  156  limit the movement of the slide element  156  in the forward direction as they impact the front wall  166  of the housing  154 . As indicated above, the coil spring  158  biases the slide element  156  in the forward direction (which as explained later, is the braked position). The rear wall  194  of the slide element  156  defines a left-to-right directed ridge  196 , which extends parallel to the front and rear walls  124 ,  194  of the slide element  156  and parallel to the lift rod  112 . 
     The splined sleeve  160  is a generally cylindrical body defining a hollow through shaft  198  having a non-circular profile. In this particular embodiment, it has a “V” projection profile. The lift rod  112  (See  FIG. 2 ) has a complementary “V” notch. The lift rod  112  is sized to match the internal profile of the hollow through shaft  198 , with the “V” projection of the hollow through shaft  198  being received in the “V” notch of the lift rod  112 , such that the splined sleeve  160  and the lift rod  112  are positively engaged to rotate together. Thus, when the splined sleeve  160  is prevented from rotation, the lift rod  112  is likewise prevented from rotation. 
     The splined sleeve  160  also defines a plurality of radially extending splines  200 . The ends of the splined sleeve  160  define smooth stub shafts  201  which are rotationally supported on the “U”-shaped surfaces  176 ,  178  of the housing base  154 . The slide element  156  has recessed arms  210 ,  212 , which permit the slide element  156  to move forwardly and backwardly within the housing base  154  without interfering with the stub shafts  201 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , when the slide element  156  is pushed forward by the biasing spring  158 , which is its normal, braked position, the ridge  196  on the rear wall  194  of the slide element  156  is received between two of the splines  200  of the splined sleeve  160 , which prevents rotation of the splined sleeve  160  and of the lift rod  112  (and of the lift drums in the lift stations  110 ), thereby preventing the movable rail  102  from being raised or lowered. 
     When the slide element  156  is pushed rearwardly by pushing against the contact plate  124 , the ridge  196  moves out of engagement with the splined sleeve  160 , allowing the splined sleeve  160 , the lift rod  112 , and the lift drums to rotate in order to raise or lower the movable rail  102 . 
     A housing cover  162  snaps onto the housing base  154  to substantially enclose the slide element  156  and the coil spring  158  within the brake  116 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , a channel  202  on the housing cover  162  and a corresponding channel  204  on the housing base  154  receive corresponding lips  206 ,  208  on the rail  102 , and ribs  207 ,  209  on the housing cover  162  and housing base  154  engage the lips  206 ,  208  on the rail  102  (See  FIG. 12 ) to mount the brake  116  onto the rail  102 . This mounting arrangement for the cover  162  and base  154  of the brake  116  firmly secures the body of the brake  116  to the front wall  13  of the rail  102  while allowing the brake  116  to slide in the longitudinal direction along the rail  102 . 
     Alternate Embodiments of the Brake 
       FIG. 13  shows an alternate embodiment of a brake  116 ′ wherein the splined sleeve  160  is replaced with a ratchet sleeve  160 ′. The ratchet sleeve  160 ′ has angled ratchet teeth  218 ′, and the ridge  196  acts as the pawl. Due to the shape of the ratchet teeth  218 ′, the ratchet sleeve  160 ′ can freely rotate in the counterclockwise direction as shown in  FIG. 13 , with the ridge  196  sliding along the tapered edge of each tooth and pushing the slide element  156  backward so the tooth can pass by the ridge  196 . However, in the clockwise direction, the ratchet sleeve  160 ′ acts in the same manner as the splined sleeve  160  of the previous embodiment, with the ridge  196  abutting the ratchet tooth  218 ′ and stopping rotation of the ratchet sleeve  160 ′, the lift rod  112 , and the lift drums. 
     This embodiment  116 ′ has the advantage that the brake  116 ′ need not be disengaged (unlocked) for rotation of the splined sleeve  160 ′ (and therefore rotation of the lift rod  112 ) in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the vantage point of  FIG. 13 ). In a preferred application this arrangement is configured so that disengagement (unlocking) of the brake  116 ′ is only needed for lowering the shade  104  (See  FIG. 1 ). The shade  104  may be raised by simply pushing up on the rail  102  and allowing the motor  114  to rotate the lift drums to wind up the lift cords  108 , without first having to release the brake  116 ′ by pushing down on the button  120  of the handle  118 . 
       FIG. 14  shows another alternate embodiment of a brake  116 ″ wherein the splined sleeve  160  is replaced with a one-way bearing mechanism  160 ″. The one-way bearing mechanism  160 ″ has the same splines  200 ″ as in the splined sleeve  160 . However, the one-way bearing mechanism  160 ″ incorporates a one-way bearing between the splines  200 ″ and the bore  198 , which allows the free rotation of the inner race of the bearing in a first direction but locks the inner race to the outer race of the bearing when driven in the opposite, second direction. To allow rotation of the one-way bearing mechanism  160 ″ in the second direction, the user must disengage the ridge  196  from the outer race by pressing down on the button  120  of the handle  118  as in the previous embodiments. 
     As was the case for the previous embodiment  116 ′, this brake  116 ″ is used advantageously so that disengagement of the brake  116 ″ is only needed for lowering the shade  104  (See  FIG. 1 ). The shade  104  may be raised by simply pushing up on the rail  102 , without first having to release the brake  116 ″. 
     As may be readily envisioned, the brake  116  may have other modifications as well. For instance, the splined sleeve  160  may be replaced by a smooth, non-splined cylinder, and the rear wall  194  of the slide element  156  and its corresponding ridge  196  may be replaced by a semicircular brake pad. The brake pad would be pressed against the cylinder by the biasing action of the spring to stop the rotation of the cylinder (and the rotation of the rod to which the cylinder is keyed). Pressing on the contact plate of the brake against the biasing force of the spring moves the brake pad away from the cylinder, allowing the cylinder and the lift rod to rotate in either direction. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3-6 and 15 , the handle  118  includes a button  120 , which the user depresses to disengage the brake  116 . The handle  118  defines a front-to-back directed, “U”-shaped cross-section channel  150  (See  FIG. 4 ) which slidingly receives a pusher in the form of an actuator shaft  122 . The actuator shaft  122  is an elongated member having a substantially rectangular cross-section and defines a blunt distal end  142 , which pushes against the contact plate  124  of the brake  116  to disengage the brake  116 . The actuator shaft  122  also defines a sloped or ramped proximal end  144 . 
     The actuator button  120  is received in an opening  152  in the handle  118 . (See  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The actuator button  120  includes leftwardly-and-rightwardly-extending stub shafts  146 , which are received in recesses  146 A on the handle to pivotably support the actuator button  120  on the handle  118 . A finger  148  extends downwardly on the front portion of the button  120 , forward of the stub shafts  146 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , as the actuator button  120  is depressed (from the dotted phantom position to the solid position) by the user, the actuator button  120  pivots about its stub shafts  146  such that the finger  148  travels along an arcuate path, moving downwardly and rearwardly. 
     The finger  148  on the actuator button  120  abuts the ramped proximal end  144  of the actuator shaft  122 . As the finger  148  moves downwardly and rearwardly, it pushes against the ramped proximal end  144  of the actuator shaft  122 , which displaces the actuator shaft  122  rearwardly so the blunt distal end  142  pushes the contact plate  124  of the brake  116  rearwardly to disengage the brake  116 . 
     In addition, as the finger  148  pushes rearwardly on the ramped proximal end  144  of the actuator shaft  122 , it also moves downwardly along the ramped surface  144  of the actuator shaft  122 . As a result, as the finger  148  pushes downwardly, it also pushes on a progressively more forwardly portion of the ramp on the ramped proximal end  144  of the actuator shaft  122 . This results in an effective rearward motion of the actuator shaft  122  which is considerably larger than the downward motion of the actuator button  120 . In one embodiment, the effective rearward motion of the actuator shaft  122  is at least twice the downward motion of the actuator button  120 . 
       FIG. 5  shows the actuator button  120 , the actuator shaft  122 , and the contact plate  124  in the normal, braked position.  FIG. 6  shows the actuator button  120  depressed, the actuator shaft  122  pushed rearwardly, and the contact plate  124  pushed rearwardly to disengage the brake  116 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , the length dimension of the contact plate (the dimension extending parallel to the axial length of the rail  102  and parallel to the axis of the rod  112  (See  FIG. 2 )) is substantially longer than the corresponding length dimension (the dimension extending parallel to the axial length of the rail  102  and of the rod  112 ) of the distal end  142  of the actuator shaft  122 . This provides substantial leeway in the positioning of the brake  116  along the axial length of the lift rod  112  while still allowing the distal end  142  of the actuator shaft  122  to abut the contact plate  124  of the brake  116  in order to release the brake  116 . 
     Since there is no direct mechanical link between the handle  118  and the brake  116 , with the only requirement being that the actuator shaft  122  of the handle  118  abut some point on the contact plate  124  of the brake  116 , the handle  118  can be installed onto the rail  102  at any time during the assembly process of the shade  104 . This allows the installation of the handle  118  when the rail  102  is still empty, which allows the use of fasteners extending from the inside of the rail  102  into the handle  118 . In this particular embodiment, screws  138  are used. Since the screws  138  (See  FIGS. 16 and 17 ) are installed from inside the rail  102  and into the handle  118 , they are hidden upon installation, and additional time and resources are not needed to hide these fasteners. 
     Mounting the Handle on the Rail 
     As shown in  FIG. 19 , the rail  102  has a U-shaped cross-section, with a front wall  102 A and a rear wall  102 B merging with a connecting wall  102 C. Each of the front and rear walls  102 A,  102 B has a free edge  216 . The front wall  102 A defines a rectangular through-opening  126  centrally located on the rail  102  between two circular through-openings  128 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , a rectangular cross-section shoulder  130  projects rearwardly from the rear surface of the handle  118  and extends through the rectangular opening  126  of the rail  102  to locate the handle  118  on the rail  102  and to align the handle  118  with the rail  102  for assembly. This rectangular cross-section shoulder  130  is an extension of the body that forms the U-shaped channel  150  that receives and guides the actuator shaft  122 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The rear surface of the handle  118  abuts the front surface  102 A of the rail  102 . 
     Angled, runnerless screw cavities in the handle  118  allow for easy and secure insertion of the screws  138  without requiring a complicated mold for casting the handle  118 , as explained below. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 16-20 , the handle  118  includes two bosses  134 , with each boss defining a pair of upper and lower skewed openings  132 U,  132 L respectively. Each of the openings  132 U,  132 L is defined by an angled guide surface  133  and a slotted wall  136 , which provides a slotted yielding surface. The slotted wall  136  is a wall that extends into the handle  118  the length of the openings  132 U,  132 L (as best appreciated in  FIGS. 16 and 17 ). 
     The guide surfaces  133  have a partial-cylindrical cross-sectional shape and are elongated in the front-to-back direction. As shown in  FIG. 16 , each of the guide surfaces  133  of the lower openings  132 L defines an axis  214 , and each of the guide surfaces  133  of the upper openings  132 U defines an axis  215 . Due to their skewed nature, the axes  214 ,  215  converge toward each other inside the handle  118 . Each of these axes  214 ,  215  defines the axis of a screw  138  that is threaded into the respective opening  132 U or  132 L. ( FIG. 17  shows an arrangement in which the rail  102  is inverted, so the screws are threaded into the upper openings  132 U.) The slotted wall  136  and the slotted yielding surface defined by that wall  136  are farther from the first screw axis at the rear opening and taper toward the screw axis as the slotted yielding surface extends toward the front of the handle. 
     This arrangement of openings  132 U,  132 L with an intermediate slotted wall  136  may be accomplished with a simple mold that does not require special inserts and yet allows for the skewed threading of fasteners onto the handle  118 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 16 , it may be appreciated that the axis  214  lies at an angle α relative to a horizontal plane extending in the front-to-back direction. This angle is referred to as the approach angle. Since the axis  214  clears the free rear edge  216  of the rail  102 , it allows a screw  138  to be inserted using a conventional tool, such as a conventional Philips screwdriver (not shown), with the handle of the screwdriver being located outside the rail  102  and the shaft of the screwdriver extending along the axis  214  into the rail  102 . (The shaft of the screwdriver would extend along the axis  215  in the arrangement of  FIG. 17 .) 
     As the fastener  138  is threaded into the opening  132 L, the ramped guide surface  133  pushes the end  140  of the fastener  138  into the slotted wall  136 , so the screw grips tightly into the handle  118  in an otherwise unthreaded (runnerless) opening  132 . 
     Assembly: 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , to assemble the brake portion  116 , the front end  184  of the coil spring  158  is placed inside the cavity  186  of the slide element  156  lying just inside the contact plate  124 . The slide element  156  then is slid into the housing  154 , with the contact plate  124  projecting through the front opening  168 . The back end  182  of the coil spring  158  then is slid over the internal projection  180  on the housing base  154  so as to capture the coil spring  158 , with the coil spring  158  biasing the slide element  156  in the forward, braked position. The splined sleeve  160  is dropped in between the recessed arms  210 ,  212  of the slide element  156  such that the stub shafts  201  of the splined sleeve  160  are rotationally supported on the “U”-shaped openings  176 ,  178  of the housing base  154  and the ridge  196  is received between two of the splines  200 . Finally, the housing cover  162  is snapped onto the housing base  54 . 
     The assembled brake  116  is then mounted into the rail  102  (See  FIG. 12 ) by sliding it in from one of the ends of the rail  102 , making sure that the upper and lower channels  202 ,  204  of the brake portion  116  are engaged with the lips  206 ,  208  of the rail  102 . The brake  116  is slid axially along the rail  102  (See  FIG. 2 ) until at least a portion of the contact plate  124  of the brake portion  116  is in alignment with the blunt distal end  142  of the actuator arm  122  of the handle  118  (See  FIGS. 7-9 ). Finally the lift rod  112  is inserted through the hollow through shaft  198  of the splined sleeve  160  and the remaining elements, such as the lift stations  110  and the spring motor  114  are mounted onto the lift rod  112 . 
     It should be noted that, as the contact plate  124  is pushed rearwardly (transverse to the axis of rotation of the rod  112  and against the biasing force of the coil spring  158 ), the entire slide element  156  slides rearwardly, moving the ridge  196  on the rear wall  194  of the slide element  156  away from the splines  200  of the splined sleeve  160 . This unlocks the splined sleeve  160  so it may rotate in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions (See also  FIG. 12 ). Of course, as the user grabs the handle  118  he naturally presses down on the button  120  (See  FIG. 15 ) which pushes the actuator arm  112  rearwardly to push back against the contact plate  124  of the brake portion  116 , releasing the brake, unlocking the splined sleeve  160  (and the lift rod  112  which rotates with the splined sleeve  160 ) for rotation in clockwise or counterclockwise directions. 
     While a specific handle  118  has been shown here, it is understood that various types of handles could be used to actuate the braking arrangements that are shown, including a handle that is molded into the rail, or even no handle at all, as long as there is some way to move the actuator shaft  122  (or some other type of pusher), The actuator shaft or pusher could be moved manually by a button or lever that is not associated with a handle or by an electrically-operated actuator or some other actuator mounted on the rail. 
     It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention as claimed.