EP2551440A1

EP2551440A1 - Motorised awning unit

Info

Publication number: EP2551440A1
Application number: EP12177309A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Aldo Casonato; Gabriele Pinton; Carlo Rizzi
Original assignee: Pellini SpA
Current assignee: Pellini SpA
Priority date: 2011-07-25
Filing date: 2012-07-20
Publication date: 2013-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 2032-07-20
Also published as: ITBO20110439A1; DK2551440T3; EP2551440B1

Abstract

A motorised awning unit comprising a support frame (2), an awning (3) movable within said frame (2) between an upper gathered position and a lower stretched position, motorised means (5) associated to said awning (3), said motorised means (5) comprising an electrical gearmotor (6) for actuating said awning (3), and controlled braking means (7) of said gearmotor (6), adapted to stop the awning (3) in the upper position and/or in the lower position. The electrical gearmotor (6) comprises a brushless electrical motor (20) provided with inner sensor means for detecting the motion parameters of the rotor of the electrical motor (20).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a motorised awning unit.
More in detail, the present invention relates to a motorised awning unit particularly but not exclusively adapted to be inserted in a double glazing.

PRIOR ART

In the field of motorised awnings, in particular in the case of an awning associated to a window space, the need of having a reliable driving system for the same awning is strongly felt, especially when the motorised awning is seated within a double glazing, and therefore it is not directly accessible by the user.
As known, an awning of the above type is driven by an electrical motor, usually of the brush type, associated to a shaft by means of driving members.
Such shaft is usually associated to two or more ropes for lifting and lowering the awning between two limit positions, i.e. a so-called upper position, wherein the awning is closed, wound, packed, etc. in relation to the type thereof, to a so-called lower position, wherein the awning is open or stretched.
To prevent damaging the awning, and thereby preserving the duration thereof over time, its movement and in particular, its stop in said two upper and lower positions must be as reliable and accurate as possible. Various technical solutions have been set up in the field to meet the above need.
A first known solution comprises a system for stopping the awning with amperometric control. As known, while this control system is advantageous for some aspects, however it is not free from drawbacks, among which an excessive sensitivity to temperature variations, which negatively affects the accuracy of the amperometric activation threshold of the same stopping system. Another known solution comprises a stopping system provided with encoder which carries out the counting of the revolutions of the driving shaft that drives the awning. While also this solution is advantageous for some aspects, it may be affected by errors in counting the shaft revolutions that could happen, for example, due to the inertia of the same shaft.
Yet another solution comprises an electrical stopping system for example provided with microswitches arranged within the box with contacts closing the awning supply. This last solution is considerably affected by variations in the length of the rope or ropes for driving the awning, and is therefore highly inaccurate. The above drawback is especially felt in case of shortening of the rope, which implies an excessive and early wear of the entire driving system, with often irreversible damage and an undesired reduction of the useful life of the awning.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION

The technical task of the present invention therefore is to improve the prior art by setting up a motorised awning unit that allows a reliable drive of the same awning between an upper closed position and a lower open position.
Within the scope of such technical task, an object of the present invention is to provide a motorised awning unit that allows a particularly accurate and reliable automatic stop of the awning in the above upper and lower positions.
This task and these objects are achieved by the motorised awning unit according to the annexed claim 1.
The awning unit according to the invention comprises motorised means provided with an electrical gearmotor for driving said awning, and controlled braking means of said gearmotor, adapted to stop the awning in a highly precise and accurate manner in an upper position and/or a lower position, irrespective of any variations in the length of the awning and/or driving ropes. According to another advantageous aspect of the present invention, the gearmotor of the awning unit motorised means comprises a brushless electrical motor provided with internal sensors for detecting the parameters of the motion thereof, which are effectively used for controlling and managing the awning motion between the two upper and lower travel end positions.
Further advantageous features are described in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the invention shall be better understood by any man skilled in the art from the following description and annexed drawing tables, provided by way of a non-limiting example, wherein:

figure 1 shows a partially cutaway front view of the motorised awning unit according to the present invention;
figure 2 shows a cutaway detail of figure 1;
figure 3 shows an axonometric exploded view of the awning driving means;
figure 4 shows a block diagram of the operation of the awning driving means.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the annexed figure 1, reference numeral 1 globally denotes a motorised awning unit according to the present invention.
The awning unit 1 is particularly but not exclusively adapted to be used in a double glazing of the known type, i.e. to be seated within the airtight interspace defined by two glazed surfaces not shown in the figures but known in the field.
However, the possibility of installing the awning unit according to the invention directly onto the glass, for example, of a window is in no way excluded.
The awning unit 1 according to the invention comprises a support frame, globally indicated with reference numeral 2.
Unit 1 further comprises an awning 3, movable within frame 2, as shown in figure 1, between an upper gathered position and a lower stretched position. In said figure 1, the awning is shown in an intermediate position.
In the embodiment described and illustrated in the annexed drawings, awning 3 is Venetian type, but the possibility of providing a Roman, roller or pleated awning according to the invention is not excluded. Awning 3 is provided at the bottom with an end bottom 4 which imparts the necessary stiffness and stability to the same awning 3.
The awning unit 1 comprises motorised means, globally indicated with reference numeral 5, associated to awning 3 and adapted to make the same awning 3 shift from said upper position to said lower position and vice versa.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the motorised means 5 comprise, more in detail, an electrical gearmotor 6 for driving awning 3.
The motorised means 5 also comprise controlled braking means, globally indicated with reference numeral 7, of said electrical gearmotor 6, adapted to stop awning 3 in the upper position and/or in the lower position, according to the advantageous operating methods that shall be better described hereinafter.
Awning 2 of the awning unit 1 comprises a box 8 that supports awning 3 and frame elements 9, 10, 11 reciprocally coupled to form a closed perimeter.
More in detail, frame 2 comprises an upper frame element 9, a lower frame element 10 and two side frame elements 11.
Such frame elements 9, 10, 11 are reciprocally coupled by means of angular elements 12, for example snap-wise, at three of the four corners of frame 2.
At the fourth corner of frame 2, on the other hand, a seating element 13 for the motorised means 5 is provided which also acts as jointing element between the upper frame element 9 and one of the side frame elements 11.
More in detail, the seating element 13 comprises a vertical portion 14 and a horizontal portion 15, reciprocally connected by means of screws 16.
The horizontal portion 15 comprises a saddle 17 for gearmotor 6; the vertical portion 14, on the other hand, comprises a longitudinal groove 18 the function whereof shall appear clearly in the following description.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the awning unit 1 comprises a sensor 19 for detecting the passage of awning 3 from the upper position to the lower position and vice versa.
The detection sensor 19 is installed in frame 2; more in particular, the detection sensor 19 is installed in the longitudinal groove 18 of the vertical portion 14 of the seating element 13 which is then arranged laterally relative to awning 3, as shown in figure 1. The detection sensor 19 is interlocked to the controlled braking means 7 of gearmotor 6, as explained hereinafter.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the electrical gearmotor 6 comprises a brushless electrical motor 20 provided with inner sensor means for detecting the motion parameters of the rotor.
In other words, the electrical motor 20 is of the so-called "brushless sensored" type.
The electrical gearmotor 6 further comprises a reducer 21, coupled to the brushless electrical motor 20.
The motorised means 5 further comprise, in a per se known manner, an axis 22 directly coupled to reducer 21, whereon the ropes of the Venetian awning 3 are wound. If the awning, for example, is of the roller type, it is directly wound onto axis 22.
Other methods known in the field for fixing awning 3 to axis 22 may also be provided without any limitations to the objects of the present invention.
Sensor 19 for detecting the passage of awning 3 from the upper position to the lower position and vice versa is, according to yet another aspect of the present invention, of the reed type.
As known, a reed sensor generally consists of two sheets of ferromagnetic material that make an electrical contact, which are hermetically sealed in an atmosphere of inert gas, enclosed in a glass bulb.
The two sheets, where subject to a magnetic field, attract or vice versa, reject each other closing or opening the electrical contact.
The end bottom 4 of awning 3 is provided with a permanent magnet 23 at an end.
The permanent magnet 23 of bottom 4 is adapted to interact with the reed detection sensor 19 since, as said, it generates a magnetic field that opens or closes the electrical contact consisting of the sheets of the same sensor.
As shown in detail in figure 2, the permanent magnet 23 of bottom 4 is mounted in a closing cap 24 of the same bottom 4, i.e. so as to move, in opening or closing of awning 3, in the immediate vicinity of the detection sensor 19, so as to magnetically interact with the latter.
The motorised means 5 comprise an electronic board 25 for managing the operation of gearmotor 6.
As shown in figure 3, the electronic board 25 is mounted on the seating element 13, in particular by means of a support 26 fixed by screws 27 to the horizontal portion 15.
The electronic board 25 is operatively connected to means for controlling the operation of the awning unit 3, for example buttons, switches and the like, not shown in the figures.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the brushless electrical motor 20 is of the "slotless" type, known in the field of this type of motors.
However, in other embodiments, it may also be "slotted".
If the motor is "slotless", as known, it does not exhibit "cogging" or "detent" phenomena - i.e. the occurrence of preferred rotor balance positions - especially at low rotation speeds.
Such phenomena, as will appear more clearly hereinafter, would be quite undesired for the purposes of the present invention especially, as said, at low speed operating conditions.
Since, as said, a "slotless" motor does not exhibit "cogging" or "detent" phenomena, said controlled braking means 7 are provided for stopping awning 3 with accuracy in the upper and lower positions thereof, as shall appear more clearly hereinafter.
More in detail, the controlled braking means 7 comprise a pair of permanent magnets 28 mounted, diametrically opposite, into respective holes 29 provided in the stator of the electrical motor 20, as shown in figure 3.
It is noted that in place of the permanent magnets 28, it is also possible to use electro-magnets in an equivalent manner.
As better described hereinafter, such permanent magnets 28 allow the rotor of the "slotless" electrical motor 20 to be braked for arranging awning 3 in the upper or lower positions.
The brushless electrical motor 20 comprises a magnetic or optical encoder, not shown in the figures but known in the field, which mainly allows counting the number of revolutions of the rotor in predetermined conditions, as described hereinafter.
The operation of the motorised awning unit 1 according to the present invention in the light of what described is as follows.
First, it is noted that the detection sensor 19 of the passage of awning 3 - of the reed type - advantageously constitutes an absolute zero position of the awning unit 1. In other words, the passage of the permanent magnet 23 of bottom 4 in the proximity of the detection sensor 19 causes a counting reset of the travel of awning 3 from the upper position to the lower one or vice versa.
For example, assuming that awning 3 is in the lowering travel from the upper position to the lower position, the passage of the permanent magnet 23 of bottom 4 in the proximity of the detection sensor 19, which is consequently activated, allows the electronic board 25 to acquire, in a predetermined time instant, the exact position of bottom 4 of awning 3 with respect to the predetermined lower travel end position, whereat the same awning 3 will stop.
In this way, the electronic board 25 can carry out, through the encoder of the electrical motor 20, the counting of the number of revolutions of the rotor of the same motor 20 and consequently it can have an exact indication of the position, instant by instant, of bottom 4 of awning 3.
As bottom 4 approaches the travel end that constitutes the predetermined lower position, and thus in a precise position calculated based on the revolutions of the electrical motor 20 carried out starting from said reset condition, the supply to the electrical motor 20 is interrupted. In this condition, the permanent magnets 28 provided in the stator exert a braking action that allows the rotor of the electrical motor 20 to be stopped in a very short time, and thus bottom 4 of awning 3 to be stopped in the desired position, with high accuracy.
In fact, it should be noted that in steady operation, the braking torque exerted by the permanent magnets 28 of the stator is virtually screened and eliminated by the rotating magnetic field generated by the control electronics of the electrical motor 20, with the stator windings placed outside the rotor. In other words, in steady operation, the presence or absence of the permanent magnets 28 of the stators varies by few thousandths amperes the current absorption of the electrical motor 20.
On the other hand, when the electronic board 25 sends the stopping signal of awning 3 by interrupting the power supply of motor 20, the magnetic field is instantly eliminated and the fixed magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets 28 of the stator interacts with the rotor of the electrical motor 20, generating the braking torque required and sufficient to reduce the braking time of the same electrical motor 20 to very low values.
It is thus possible to obtain such a short braking time to allow the electronic board 25 - in the short transient remaining between the moment of ended external supply and the moment of total switching off of the electronics - to carry out the counting, through encoder, of the revolutions of the electrical motor 20 up to the complete stop thereof.
In this way, the electronic board 25 always receives, instant by instant, accurate information about the actual position of bottom 4 of awning 3 relative to the upper and lower travel end positions, whereat the same awning 3 must stop.
The electronic board 25 for controlling the electrical motor 20 is suitably provided with firmware, even updateable from the outside.
By way of an example, it is noted that the firmware of the electronic board 25, schematically shown in figure 4 wherein it is globally indicated with reference numeral 30, may consist of a set of modules.
More in detail, firmware 30 of the electronic board 25, in the embodiment of figure 4, comprises an adaptive model 31 of the motor/gearmotor/awning system for the dynamic calculation of the parameters of the "feedforward" speed control, with differentiated management of the various movement regions in the different conditions; in operation, the model acquires the system behaviour.
Firmware 30 further comprises a reference speed and position profile generator 32 with acceleration and deceleration ramps.
A control profile generator 33 is also provided, using the model parameters.
As shown in figure 4, the reference profile generator 32 and the control profile generator 33 are both functionally interlocked to a control signal 34, which may be generated by the user or may be generated automatically.
The control profile generator 33 is further interlocked to the adaptive model 31, wherefrom it receives the "feedforward" parameters in input.
Firmware 30 also comprises a control module 35 of the closed ring "PI" type - proportional and integral - for speed, and control type "P" - proportional - for position.
The control module 35 receives an input control signal 36 generated by the comparison between the signals coming from the control profile generator 33 and those coming from the reference profile generator 32.
In output, the control module 35 generates an output driving signal 37 that directly acts on the electrical motor 20, wherefrom return signals 38 come in turn which are sent to the control module 35 and to the adaptive model 31.
It is once again noted that the above detailed description of firmware 30 is only given by way of an example.
In fact, firmware 30 may be used having a different structure and a different operating logic, without any limitations to the purposes of the present invention. The control firmware 30 may be replaced from the outside through a bootloader procedure - a program that loads the kernel of an operating system and allows the start up thereof - on a single data transmission wire. It is noted that the electronic board 25 that controls the operation of the electrical motor 20, through its firmware 30, is also capable of emulating the drive of awning 3 as if it were piloted through a common brush motor, i.e. with speed control based on the power supply voltage - for example with a minimum value of 7 V and a maximum value of 24 V - and with a direction of rotation depending on the polarity.
Moreover, the electronic board 25 may also export the signal generated by the encoder on a third wire, so as to carry out the speed control remotely.
Said emulation mode of a common brush motor allows all the control units already available on the market, designed to operate with common brush motors, to be used. As known, some of these control units are set up to use, on said third wire, the encodometric signal for remote speed control, while others are not provided with such setup.
According to another important aspect of the present invention, the control firmware 30 is set up for detecting any lock situations of bottom 4 of awning 3, for example due to the bending of the glasses.
This detection is possible both in the lifting step, through an amperometric control of the absorbed current, and in the lowering step. In this latter case, a punctual comparison of the operating parameters acquired before - i.e. in normal conditions - with the current ones is carried out.
If firmware 30 detects a lock situation of bottom 4 both in lifting and in lowering, with the control modes described above, awning 3 is immediately stopped.
Upon the next attempt to start, if the stopping cause has been eliminated, the drive of awning 3 resumes normal operation.
The detection of any locks of bottom 4 of awning 3 in the presence of obstacles is especially important in the system operation, to prevent possible breakage of the ropes in lifting or twisting of the same rope in lowering.
The invention thus conceived allows obtaining important technical advantages.
The awning unit 1 according to the invention, in particular thanks to the presence of controlled braking means 7 of the type described above, allows awning 3 to be stopped in its upper and lower travel and positions in a particularly accurate manner in terms of accuracy and repeatability. In particular, thanks to the permanent magnets 28 provided in the stator of the electrical motor 20, no phenomena of losing the counts of the travel of bottom 4 occur.
Moreover, thanks to the presence of the reed detection sensor 19, any variations in the length of the rope or ropes controlling awning 3 have no impact on the accuracy and repeatability of the stop of awning 1. More in detail, it is noted that any shortening of such rope or ropes, which is one of the most frequent and unpleasant phenomena in this type of awnings, has no impacts.
The "virtual" upper and lower travel end positions awning 1 normally uses are thus always respected, constantly over time.
In fact, as known, failure to respect such travel end positions would make awning 3 hit against the mechanical travel ends located immediately downstream of the so-called "virtual" ones mentioned above, with the consequent generation of excessive strain in the motorised means 5, and excessive and undesired tensions of the rope of ropes for driving awning 3, and consequent reduction of the life of the same.
A further advantage of the present invention also lies in the possibility of having an awning unit 1 that, while motorised and provided with a reed detection sensor 19, is particularly easy to mount and lay.
In fact, the detection sensor 19 is electrically connected to the motorised means 5 using the mechanical connections of frame 2, and thus without the use of electrical cables. Thanks to this, a considerable saving is obtained in terms of assembly time, also eliminating the possibility of inadvertently making incorrect electrical wirings.
The use of a reed detection sensor 19 is particularly advantageous since such sensor is particularly resistant to wear, also because it is protected from the atmospheric agents such as for example dust and humidity.
Moreover, such type of sensor is characterised in that it has a very long operating life and longer than that normally required of an awning.
Thanks to the position in which it is installed, the reed detection sensor 19 is hidden to sight and protected.
Moreover, the reed sensor 19 does not require electrical power supply and therefore, it is not affected by long stops nor it weights on the energy economy of the electronic board 25 controlling the electrical motor 20.
Moreover, it is noted that the braking torque generated by the permanent magnets 28 of the stator of the electrical motor 20 provides, with stopped awning 3, also a useful stationary brake effect which prevents bottom 4 from accidentally moving if stressed, for example by external vibrations - for example due to the opening or closing of the windows or French windows wherein the awning unit 1 is mounted, small earthquakes, etc. - or simply stressed by its own weight, in particular in the highest position.
It has thus been seen that the invention achieves the intended objects.
The present invention has been described according to preferred embodiments but equivalent versions may be conceived without departing from the scope of protection offered by the following claims.

Claims

Motorised awning unit comprising a support frame (2), a awning (3) moveable within said frame (2) between an upper gathered position and a lower stretched position, motorised means (5) associated with said awning (3), said motorised means (5) comprising an electric gearmotor (6) for actuating said awning (3), and controlled braking means (7) of said gearmotor (6), suitable for stopping said awning (3) in said upper position and/or in said lower position, characterized in that said electric gearmotor (6) comprises a brushless electric motor (20) provided with internal sensor means for detecting motion parameters of the rotor of said electric motor (20).
Awning unit according to claim 1, comprising at least one sensor (19) for detecting the passage of said awning (3) from said upper position to said lower position and vice-versa, installed in said frame (2), to which said controlled braking means (7) of said gearmotor (6) are slaved.
Awning unit according to claim 2, wherein said detection sensor (19) is of the reed type.
Awning unit according to claim 2, wherein said detection sensor (19) is installed in a housing element (13) of said motorised means (5), having a vertical portion (14) arranged laterally with respect to said awning (3).
Awning unit according to claim 3, wherein said awning (3) comprises an end backpiece (4) equipped with a permanent magnet (23) at one end, suitable for interacting with said detection sensor (19) of the reed type.
Awning unit according to claim 1, wherein said brushless electric motor (20) is of the "slotted" type.
Awning unit according to claim 1, wherein said brushless electric motor (20) is of the "slotless" type.
Awning unit according to claim 7, wherein said controlled braking means (7) comprise a pair of permanent magnets and/or electromagnet (28) mounted diametrically opposite in respective holes (29) foreseen in the stator of said electric motor (20).
Awning unit according to claim 1, wherein said sensor means of said brushless electric motor (20) comprise a magnetic or optical encoder.
Awning unit according to claim 1, comprising an electronic control board (25) provided with firmware (30) comprising an adaptive model (31) of the motor/reducer/awning system for the dynamic calculation of the "feedforward" speed control parameters, with differentiated management of the various regions of movement in the different conditions.
Awning unit according to claim 10, wherein said firmware (30) comprises a control module (35) for speed of the closed loop "PI" - proportional and integral - type, and a control module of the position of the "P" - proportional - type.
Awning unit according to claim 10, wherein said control firmware (30) can be replaced from outside through a bootloader procedure over a single data transmission wire.
Awning unit according to claim 10, wherein said firmware (30) of said electronic board (25) is suitable for emulating the actuation of said awning (3) as if it were controlled through a common brush motor, i.e. with speed control as a function of the supply voltage.
Awning unit according to claim 10, wherein said firmware (30) of said electronic board (25) is suitable for detecting possible blocked situations of said awning (3) going up and/or down, and for immediately stopping the actuation of said awning (3) in said blocked situations.