Motorized roller tube system having dual-mode operation
A drive assembly for a motorized roller tube includes a motor and a gear assembly having multiple stages. The motor of the drive assembly is operated inefficiently at a speed that is less than 50 percent of peak efficiency motor speed producing sound pressure levels between approximately 40 dBA and 44 dBA in an ambient of about 38 dBA. Preferably, the efficiency is less than one-half of peak efficiency. The drive assembly includes a controller providing multiple operating modes including a set-up mode and an ultra low speed mode in which linear speed in the set-up mode is greater than linear speed in the ultra low speed mode, preferably at least 2 times faster. The noise produced in the ultra low speed mode is preferably 3 dBA or more less than that produced in the set-up mode. The controller may adjust a flexible member in response to an input illuminance level.
1 . A motorized roller tube system comprising:
a rotatably supported roller tube;
a flexible member engaging the roller tube for winding receipt of the flexible member by the roller tube;
a motor having an output shaft rotated at a motor speed;
a gear assembly connected to the output shaft of the motor such that the gear assembly is driven by the motor, the gear assembly including a plurality of gear stages adapted to produce an output rotational speed that is reduced with respect to the motor speed; and
a controller connected to the motor for controlling the motor to wind or unwind the flexible member with respect to the roller tube,
the controller controlling the motor in at least two operating modes each providing for movement of the flexible member at a predetermined linear speed, and wherein the linear speed for each one of the operating modes is different from the linear speed for the other modes.
2 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two operating modes comprise a set-up mode and an ultra low speed mode, the linear speed of the set-up mode being greater than the linear speed of the ultra low speed mode.
3 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 2 , wherein the linear speed of the set-up mode is at least 2 times faster than the linear speed of the ultra low speed mode.
4 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 2 , wherein the motorized roller tube system produces a noise level when operating in each of the at least two operating modes, and wherein the noise level produced when the system is operating in the ultra low speed mode is approximately 3 dBA or more below the noise level produced when the system is operating in the set-up mode.
5 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is responsive to an illuminance level input to the controller to adjust the position of the flexible member in response to the illuminance level input to the controller.
6 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 1 , wherein the linear speed of at least one of the two operating modes is approximately 1 inch per second or less.
7 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 2 , wherein the motorized roller tube system produces a sound pressure level when operating in the ultra low speed mode of operation between 38 dBA and 40 dBA at a distance of approximately 3 feet from the roller tube in an ambient sound pressure level of approximately 38 dBA.
8 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is responsive to a plurality of control signals including a control signal associated with each of the at least two operating modes.
9 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 8 , wherein the controller is responsive to a set-up mode control signal and a pre-set mode control signal, and wherein the controller controls the motor in response to each of the control signals to move the flexible member at a predetermined linear speed, the set-up mode linear speed being at least two times greater than the pre-set mode linear speed.
10 . A motorized roller tube system comprising:
a rotatably supported roller tube;
a flexible member engaging the roller tube for winding receipt of the flexible member by the roller tube;
a motor having an output shaft rotated at a motor speed;
a gear assembly connected to the output shaft of the motor and to the roller tube such that gear assembly is driven by the motor and the roller tube is driven by the gear assembly, the gear assembly producing an output rotational speed that is reduced with respect to the motor speed; and
a controller connected to the motor and adapted for variable-speed control of the motor speed to provide for movement of the flexible member during winding or unwinding of the flexible member at a substantially constant linear speed,
the controller responsive to a first control signal to control the motor such that the flexible member moves at a first predetermined linear speed, the controller responsive to a second control signal to control the motor such that the flexible member moves at a second predetermined linear speed that differs from the first predetermined linear speed.
11 . The motorized roller tube system according to claim 10 , wherein the first predetermined linear speed is at least two times the second predetermined linear speed.