Anti-vibration bracket for tubular motor

Abstract

A bracket includes a rigid member that can be fastened to a fixture such as a wall, and flexible elements depend downwardly from the rigid member and are engaged with a tubular motor assembly of a window covering, awning, projector screen, or the like, to couple the motor assembly to the fixture while attenuating the propagation of vibrations from the tubular motor assembly to the fixture. This reduces noise in the room. The flexible elements may be flexible strings, elastic strings, or coil springs and have horizontal stiffness coefficients much lower than the vertical stiffness coefficient.

1 . An electrical power-drive device comprising: 
 at least one tubular motor assembly including a rotatable tube holding a motor therein; and    at least one motor bracket coupling the tubular motor assembly to a fixture, the motor bracket comprising: 
 a rigid member that can be fastened to a fixture; and  
 plural flexible elements depending downwardly from the rigid member and coupled to the tubular motor assembly to couple the tubular motor assembly to the fixture with a horizontal stiffness lower than a vertical stiffness.  
   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible elements are flexible strings.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the strings are elastic.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible elements are springs.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid member includes a horizontal portion defining a top surface, and the flexible elements extend through respective channels in the horizontal portion and can rest on the top surface.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the horizontal portion includes a rigid horizontal flange and a pad on the flange and defining the top surface.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the pad is resilient.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein each flexible element includes a top stop substantially orthogonal to a long axis of the flexible element for resting against the top surface of the horizontal portion of the rigid member.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the rigid member of the bracket defines a top surface and the bracket further comprises a suspension member connected to the tubular motor assembly and defining a top piece spaced above the top surface of the rigid member, the springs being disposed between the top piece and the top surface of the rigid member.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular motor assembly is operably engaged with a movable object to move the movable object, the movable object being selected from the group consisting of window coverings, solar screens, projection screens, awnings, roller shutters, roller doors, and roller art work.  
   
   
       11 . A powered assembly, comprising: 
 at least one object that can be moved between an open configuration and a closed configuration;    at least one motor;    at least one rotatable tube holding the motor and coupled to the object to move the object when the motor is energized;    at least one idler bracket engaging the tube with a fixture for supporting the tube; and    at least one motor bracket coupled to the motor and to the fixture for supporting the tube, at least the motor bracket including at least one suspension element substantially dampening noise propagating from the motor toward the fixture.    
   
   
       12 . The powered assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the motor is powered by at least one dc battery.  
   
   
       13 . The powered assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the motor bracket comprises: 
 a rigid member that can be fastened to the fixture; and    plural flexible elements depending downwardly from the rigid member and coupled to the motor to couple the tube with motor to the fixture with a horizontal stiffness lower than a vertical stiffness.    
   
   
       14 . The powered assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible elements are flexible strings.  
   
   
       15 . The powered assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the strings are elastic.  
   
   
       16 . The powered assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible elements are springs.  
   
   
       17 . The powered assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the rigid member includes a horizontal portion defining a top surface, and the flexible elements extend through respective channels in the horizontal portion and can rest on the top surface.  
   
   
       18 . The powered assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the horizontal portion includes a rigid horizontal flange and a pad on the flange and defining the top surface.  
   
   
       19 . The powered assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the pad is resilient.  
   
   
       20 . The powered assembly of  claim 17 , wherein each flexible element includes a top stop substantially orthogonal to a long axis of the flexible element for resting against the top surface of the horizontal portion of the rigid member.  
   
   
       21 . The powered assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the rigid member of the bracket defines a top surface and the bracket further comprises a suspension member connected to the motor and defining a top piece spaced above the top surface of the rigid member, the springs being disposed between the top piece and the top surface of the rigid member.  
   
   
       22 . The powered assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the tube is operably engaged with a movable object to move the movable object, the movable object being selected from the group consisting of window coverings, solar screens, projection screens, awnings, roller shutters, roller doors, and roller art work.  
   
   
       23 . The powered assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the ratio of horizontal stiffness to vertical stiffness is no more than one tenth.  
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of horizontal stiffness to vertical stiffness is no more than one tenth.  
   
   
       25 . The powered assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible element is established by at least one of: a ribbon, a tape, or a fabric.  
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible element is established by at least one of: a ribbon, a tape, or a fabric.