Motor assembly for an architectural opening covering system
A motor assembly for an architectural opening covering system includes a master motor, a slave motor, power storage for powering the master motor and the slave motor, and control circuitry configured to control operation of the master and slave motors. The motor assembly includes a housing which houses the master and slave motors, the power storage and the control circuitry. The housing includes a first end and a second end, with the master and slave motors being arranged at the first end of the housing side-by-side. The power storage is arranged in the housing at a position spaced from the master and slave motors towards the second end of the housing. The housing is configured to be supported in one end of a rail in a first orientation and in the other end of a rail in a second orientation, opposite to the first orientation.
1 . A motor assembly for an architectural opening covering system having a covering and having a rail with a lift mechanism for the covering, the lift mechanism extending in a longitudinal direction between a first mechanism end and a second mechanism end and being positioned between one end and another end of the rail, the motor assembly including:
a master motor for providing rotational drive about a master drive axis;
a slave motor for providing rotational drive about a slave drive axis;
power storage for storing electrical energy for powering the master motor and the slave motor; and
control circuitry configured to control operation of the master motor and the slave motor using the electrical energy stored in the power storage; wherein:
the motor assembly further includes a housing which houses the master motor, the slave motor, the power storage and the control circuitry, the housing extending in the longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end;
the master motor and the slave motor are arranged at the first end of the housing side-by-side in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the master drive axis and the slave drive axis being parallel to the longitudinal direction;
the power storage is arranged in the housing at a position spaced from the master motor and the slave motor in the longitudinal direction towards the second end of the housing; and
the housing has an external shape and size configured to be supported: (1) adjacent to the one end of the rail of the architectural opening covering system in a first orientation with the first end of the housing facing towards the other end of the rail and the first mechanism end of the lift mechanism; and (2) adjacent to the other end of the rail of the architectural opening covering system in a second orientation, opposite to the first orientation, with the first end of the housing facing towards the one end of the rail and the second mechanism end of the lift mechanism.
2 . A motor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry includes a printed circuit board positioned between the power storage and the master and slave motor in the longitudinal direction.
3 . A motor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the power storage includes a battery.
4 . A motor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the housing extends in the lateral direction between a front surface and a rear surface.
5 . A motor assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the master motor is arranged adjacent the front surface and the slave motor is arranged adjacent the rear surface.
6 . A motor assembly according to claim 4 , further including, connected with the control circuitry and provided in the front surface of the housing, at least one of an LED, a connector port or a button.
7 . A motor assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one of an LED, a connector port or a button is adjacent the second end of the housing.
8 . A motor assembly according to claim 7 , wherein:
the control circuitry comprises a first printed circuit board to the control operation of the master motor and the slave motor using the electrical energy stored in the power storage, the first printed circuit board being positioned between the power storage and the master and slave motor in the longitudinal direction; and
the control circuitry comprises a second printed circuit board positioned adjacent to the second end of the housing and connected with the at least one of an LED, a connector port or a button.
9 . A motor assembly according to claim 7 , wherein:
in both of the first and second orientations:
the front surface faces in the same direction, and
the master drive axis and the slave drive axis are located in the same positions within the rail of the architectural opening.
10 . A motor assembly according to claim 4 , wherein:
the housing extends in another lateral direction, also perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, between a top surface and a bottom surface; and
in both of the first and second orientations, the front surface faces in the same direction, but, in the first and second orientations respectively, the top surface faces respectively in opposite directions.
11 . An architectural opening covering system, including:
a rail containing a lift mechanism for a covering, the lift mechanism extending in the longitudinal direction between a first mechanism end and a second mechanism end and being positioned between one end and another end of the rail; and
a motor assembly according to claim 1 ; wherein:
the rail defines an internal space between the one end and the first mechanism end, the internal space configured to support the housing of the motor assembly in the first orientation with the master motor and slave motor providing drive to the lift mechanism.
12 . The architectural opening covering system of claim 11 , wherein:
the system comprises another architectural opening covering system having another rail containing another lift mechanism for another covering, the other lift mechanism extending in the longitudinal direction between a first mechanism end and a second mechanism end and being positioned between one end and another end of the other rail;
the other rail of the other architectural opening covering system defines another internal space between the other end of the other rail and the second mechanism end of the other lift mechanism, the other internal space configured to support the housing of the motor assembly in the second orientation with the master motor and slave motor providing drive to the other lift mechanism; and
the motor assembly may be installed in either of the internal space of the rail or the other internal space of the other rail.
13 . The architectural opening covering system of claim 11 , wherein:
the rail defines an additional internal space between the other end and the second mechanism end, the additional internal space configured to support the housing of the motor assembly in the second orientation with the master motor and slave motor providing drive to the lift mechanism; and
the motor assembly may be installed in either of the one end or the other end.
14 . The architectural opening covering system of claim 11 , wherein the architectural opening covering system is a top up bottom down system, the rail is a top rail and the architectural opening covering system includes a middle rail and a bottom rail and a covering extending between the middle rail and the bottom rail.
15 . A motor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the master motor comprises a master coupling component and the slave motor comprises a slave coupling component, the master and slave coupling components positioned adjacent to the first end of the housing and configured to engage with respective shafts of the lift mechanism.
16 . A motor assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the master and slave coupling components have different profiles for engaging with the respective shafts of the lift mechanism.
17 . A motor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein in both the first and second orientations, the master drive axis and the slave drive axis are located in the same positions within the rail of the architectural opening.