Description

Apparatus for automatically opening and closing curtains [0001] The invention relates to apparatus for automatically opening and closing curtains and more particularly, to apparatus for automatically opening and closing curtains employing oil pressure.

[0002] In recent years, various appliances have been used in houses, buildings, and floors and sections thereof. Accordingly, attempts to acquire more comfortable life, improve operating conditions, save more energy, and make

1 operations more efficient have been made by integratedly controlling the appliances under home networks (or home network systems).

[0003] Under these home network systems, situations used in houses such as heaters, illuminations, monitors, parking, curtains, or the like can be managed automatically and comfortably. [0004] In addition, home network systems are applied together with other systems. In this case, while other systems are operated, apparatus for automatically opening and closing curtains are frequently employed to complement various functions such as soundproofing, protecting cold, or indirect controlling for illumination. [0005] In general, curtains are necessary for shielding a window so as to protect the privacy such as sound and cold of those inside the door as well as to control illumination. Moreover, the curtains can provide a beautiful outlook to the window, even the building having the window. In general, curtains are controlled by manually folding and releasing them using ropes.

[0006] These apparatus applied to home network systems are disclosed in

Korean Utility Model No. 20-246245. According to this prior art, an apparatus for automatically opening and closing a curtain comprises a curtain ,a curtain gear unit, and an electric device for automatically opening and closing curtains of the curtain gear unit. The curtain gear unit comprises a curtain, a rail, a curtain fixing hanger, a fixing hanger device installed on the rail to combine the curtain fixing hanger, a wire wholly or partially combined with the fixing hanger device and penetrating the rail, and a limit switch bobbin connected to the one end of the wire. [0007] By means of winding or unwinding the wire of a pulley through driving force behind a motor, the fixing hanger device comiected to the curtain is moved. As a result, the curtain is opened and closed automatically. [0008] Due to this mechanic power transfer mode using gear or pulley with a motor shaft, there is a problem that it is difficult to install the apparatus, and installation process has a tendency to be complex. [0009] Additionally, noise is caused by friction of mechanical elements owing to driving force behind the motor.

[0010] Furthermore, abrasion is disposed between friction surfaces of the mechanical elements, thereby inducing troubles and maximizing noise. [0011] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an apparatus capable of suppressing a noise caused by friction of mechanical elements by automatically opening and closing a curtain employing oil pressure without a conventional mechanic power transfer mode.

[0012] It is therefore another object of the invention to provide an apparatus capable of preventing troubles and to be installed simply using a small number of

mechanical elements employing oil pressure without a conventional mechanic power transfer mode.

[0013] It is therefore still another object of the invention to provide an apparatus capable of installing curtains in various flexible ways by including flexible hanger unit.

[0014] It is therefore still another object of the invention to provide an apparatus comprising a supporting member installed on a fixed bracket of a hanger unit and a pending unit in which a roller is secured to the supporting member, and thereby stably supporting a curtain falling due to gravity. [0015] In order to accomplish these and other objects, the apparatus for automatically opening and closing curtains according to the present invention comprises a hanger unit divided into a fixing reel and a guide reel up and down, wherein the fixing reel and the guide reel including flexible hollow pipe with oil pressure path; a traction unit movable employing oil pressure provided by embedding a tractive magnet into the oil pressure path of the guide reel, the traction unit movable in one body employing mutual magnetic force by installing an intractive magnet at an outer radius of the guide reel of the tractive magnet; [0016] a pending unit having a holding member combined with the outer radius of the intractive magnet to be moved as one body and a connection member located under the holding member to install the curtain; and a control unit rendering each of the oil pressure paths to be connected mutually by installing a connection pipe at both ends of the oil pressure path of the fixing reel and the guide reel and the tractive magnet to be moved along the oil pressure path of the guide reel by oil pressure.

[0017] Pursuant to one embodiment, an opening space is formed between the fixing reel and the guide reel, and the fixing reel and the guide reel are connected as one body as much as a predetermined distance by installing a connection boss for connecting the fixing reel and the guide reel as one body at both ends of the opening space.

[0018] Pursuant to another embodiment, a fixing bracket is further comprised.

In this case, the fixing bracket combines a disposing member with an opened upper portion into the opening space to combine the fixing reel into an inner radius of a disposing member and forms a fixing member at both upper ends of the disposing member to install the hanger unit from a ceiling.

[0019] Pursuant to still another embodiment, a couple of the fixing members are formed at the outer radius and the fixing members are symmetrically located in order at a predetermined distance, so that the hanger unit hanged from the ceiling is flexible. [0020] Pursuant to yet another embodiment, a supporting member is vertically formed under the fixing member. In this case, the supporting member comprises: a supporting jaw upwardly bent from a lower portion of the supporting member; a rotating shaft connected to the connection member of the pending unit to be rolled and rotated; and a roller connected to both ends of the rotating shaft. [0021] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate example embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain principles of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a detailed perspective view showing an apparatus for automatically opening and closing curtains according to the present invention;

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the curtains opened by the apparatus according to the present invention; [0024] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the curtains closed by the apparatus according to the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 4 shows another exemplary fixing bracket of the apparatus according to the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the apparatus according to the present invention that is flexibly modified.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a vertical section view showing the apparatus according to the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 7A and 7B are a vertical section view showing another embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention; and [0029] FIG. 8 schematcially shows a control unit of the apparatus according to the present invention.

Examples

[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be constructed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification. In the specifications, well known

art and detailed explanation for construction are omitted for the simplification of explanation.

[0031] Hereinafter, it will be described about an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, an apparatus for automatically opening and closing curtains comprises a hanger unit 110, a traction unit 120, a pending unit 130, and a control unit 140. The hanger unit 110 is divided into a fixing reel 111 and a guide reel 112 up and down. The fixing reel 111 and the guide reel 112 includes flexible hollow pipe with oil pressure path 113. The traction unit 120 is movable employing oil pressure provided by embedding a tractive magnet 121 into the oil pressure path 113 of the guide reel 111. And, the traction unit 120 is movable in one body employing mutual magnetic force by installing an intractive magnet 122 at an outer radius of the guide reel 112 of the tractive magnet 121. The pending unit 130 have a holding member 131 combined with the outer radius of the intractive magnet 122 to be moved as one body and a connection member 132 located under the holding member 131 to install the curtains 10. The control unit 140 renders each of the oil pressure paths 113 to be connected mutually by installing a connection pipe 141 at both ends of the oil pressure path 131 of the fixing reel 111 and the guide reel 112, and renders the intractive magnet 121 to be moved along the oil pressure path 113 of the guide reel 112 due to oil pressure.

[0033] The hanger unit 110 includes an opening space 118. The opening space 118 may be formed between the fixing reel 111 and the guide reel 121 which may be connected as one body as much as a predetermined distance by installing a connection boss 114 for connecting the fixing reel 111 and the guide reel 121 as one body at both ends of the opening space 118. (See FIG. 1)

[0034] The fixing reel 111 and the guide reel 112 may be made of synthetic resins that are variously flexible in the length direction. (See FIG. 5) [0035] This hanger unit 110 may further include a fixing bracket 115. The fixing bracket 115 is configured to combine a disposing member 115a with an U- shaped opened upper portion into the opening space 118 to combine the fixing reel 111 into an inner radius of the disposing member 115a and configured to form a fixing member 115b at both upper ends of the disposing member 115a to install the hanger unit 110 from a ceiling. Accordingly, under the state that the fixing member 115b is closed to the ceiling, the hanger unit 110 can be easily mounted using wood screw. (See FIGs. 2 and 6)

[0036] In addition, a couple of the fixing members 115b are formed at the outer radius of the fixing reel 11 in a body. The fixing members are symmetrical with respect to one end and the other end of the outer radius of the fixing reel 111. The fixing members 115b are orderly isolated at a predetermined distance in the length direction of the outer radius of the fixing reel 111. Then, the fixing members 115b formed together with the hanger unit 1 lOare fixed to the ceiling using wood screws. As a result, the hanger unit 110 is variously flexible due to the isolated space of the fixing members 115b. (See FIG. 4) [0037] The fixing member 115b of the fixing bracket 115 includes a supporting member 116 vertically formed under the fixing member 115b. The supporting member 116 comprises: a supporting jaw 116a upwardly bent from a lower portion of the supporting member 116; a rotating shaft 116c connected to the connection member 132 of the pending unit 130 to be rolled and rotated; and a roller 116d connected to both ends of the rotating shaft 116c so that it may stably support curtains 10 widely hanged. (See FIG. 7A)

[0038] In addition, as shown in FIG. 7B, the apparatus for opening and closing curtains is installed on walls in accordance with still another embodiments of the present invention. An angle-shaped fixing bracket 115with an opened side is fixed on walls or the corner of the walls and ceiling. In this case, the opened side points downward.

[0039] The connection boss 114 is bent inward surface of the fixing bracket

115. The guide reel 112 is connected to the ends of the connection boss 114 to be one. [0040] In this case, the guide reel 112 is located at the inner center of the fixing bracket 115 by means of the connection boss 114. The fixing reel 115 connected to the guide reel 112 is located at the edge of the fixing bracket 115.

[0041] Moreover, the holding member 131 embedding the intractive magnet

122 is combined at the outer radius of the guide reel 112. In order to prevent the connection bosses 114 formed in a body at the outer radius of the holding member 131 and the fixing bracket 115 from being interfered, the holding member 131 is partially cut. As a result, it is possible that the traction unit 120 pending the curtain 10 along the outer radius of the guide reel 112 can be easily moved. [0042] In order to act magnetic force between the tractive magnet 121 and the intractive magnet 122, the traction unit 120 has different polarizations in the inner radius of the intractive magnet 122 and the outer radius of the tractive magnet 121. Owing to the magnetic force transmitting the guide reel 112, the tractive magnet 121 is moved together with the intractive magnet 122. (See FIGs. 1 and 6) [0043] A sealing 121a is combined with the outer radius of the tractive magnet 121, and thereby closing the inner radius of the oil path 113 and the outer radius of the tractive magnet 121. Therefore, oil pressure loss can be prevented, and it is possible to maximize the movement of the tractive magnet 121. (See FIG. 1)

[0044] Furthermore, the intractive magnet 122 has a ring shape and an opened upper portion. Thus, the intractive magnet 122 can be easily combined with the outer radius of the guide reel 112 without interfering with the connection boss 114. (See FIG. 1) [0045] A holding member 131 of the pending unit 130 is also formed the same as the intractive magnet 122. The holding member 131 is combined with the outer radius of the intractive magnet 122. An engaging hole 132a penetrates the connection member 132 formed vertically under the holding member 131. An engaging ring 11 of the engaging hole 132a is combined with an upper portion of the curtain 10.

[0046] A plurality of sliding members 117 are combined with the outer radius of the guide reel 112. The engaging rings 111 below the sliding member 117 are sequentially combined with the upper portion of the curtain 10 so that wide-width curtain 10 can be hanged easily. [0047] At this time, the sliding member 117 is not automatically moved.

When the curtain 10 is opened and closed by means of the pending unit 130 and the traction unit 120, the sliding member 117 moves along the guide reel 112 to support the pending state of the curtain 10. (See FIGs. 2 and 3) [0048] While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the invention is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions and improvements of the embodiments described are possible. For example, although fixing reel, guide reel, tractive magnet, intractive magnet, and pending unit are formed in a cylinder-shaped, they are not limited within this shape.

[0049] The control unit 140 includes a pump 143, a motor 142, and connection pipes 141, which are mounted at both ends of the oil path 113 of the fixing reel 111 and the guide reel 112, respectively. The oil path 113 of the fixing reel 111 and the guide reel 112 can be connected through the connection pipes 141. The control unit 140 is installed on one of a couple of the connection pipes 141.

[0050] The pump 143 is driven by driving force of the motor 142. Oil pressure is selectively provided to the oil path 113 of the fixing reel 111 and the guide reel 112. Accordingly, it is possible to selectively move the tractive magnet 121 in the oil path 113 forward or backward. (See FIGs. 4 and 8) [0051] Hereinafter, the control unit is more fully described.

[0052] If a driving signal is transmitted through the control unit 140 to the motor 142, the pump 143 by driving force of the motor 142 is operated to generate oil pressure. This oil pressure is provided to the oil path 113 of the fixing reel 111 or the guide reel 112, and thereby moving the tractive magnet in the oil path 113. [0053] In this case, the intractive magnet 122 and the tractive magnet 121 are moved by magnetic force in a body. The intractive magnet 122 is moved along the outer radius of the guide reel 112 to make the upper portion of the curtain move. As a result, the intractive magnet 122 performs a function to open and close the curtain 10. [0054] In addition, in case that the curtain 10 is opened and closed, the plurality of sliding members 117 is moved along the guide reel 112 to stably support the pending state of the curtain 10.

[0055] Under these functions, the apparatus for automatically opening and closing curtains 100 according to the present invention opens and closes curtains automatically. In this case, curtains are opened and closed by means of the pump 143 (oil pressure is applied in forward/backward direction). Resultantly, oil pressure can

be selectively provided to the oil path 113 of the fixing reel 112 or the guide reel 113, by the pump 143 so that curtains are automatically opened and closed. [0056] As described above, the apparatus according to the present invention is capable of suppressing a noise caused by friction of mechanical elements by automatically opening and closing a curtain employing oil pressure without a conventional mechanic power transfer mode.

[0057] In addition, the apparatus according to the present invention is capable of preventing troubles and being installed simply using a small number of mechanical elements employing oil pressure without a conventional mechanic power transfer mode.

[0058] Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention is capable of installing curtains in various ways by including flexible hanger unit and comprises a supporting member installed on a fixed bracket of a hanger unit and a pending unit in which a roller is secured to the supporting member, and thereby stably supporting a curtain falling due to gravity.

[0059] Although the present invention has been described in connection with the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is not limited thereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various substitution, modifications and changes may be thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.