hi guys i need your help.

i am currently trying to design a remote control system for opening and closing curtain for a handicap person. designing the remote is not a problem. but the difficult part is the kind of motor to be used , building the rails and using the pulley system.

your help would be much appreciated.

the movement of the curtains would be horizontally not blinds.

lihle

 

Well a company called Silent Gliss used to manufacture these, until they were taken over and shut down by the Swish group, who do not offer an alternative.

I have had the system installed and working well for over 15 years. The system uses a linear fibron (glass fibere reinforced plastics) tape, similar to surveyors tapes, with regularly spaced holes. The motor has a toothed cog which engages the holes in the tape and draws the curtains back and fore. This is a bit like the punched tape that used to be used for machine control and computing.

 

sgt wookie has posted numerous times a schematic for driving a motor bi-directionally with two switches.....im sure he will post it if he sees this thread.

 

What type of curtain? Is it a vertical draw or horizontal draw?

If it is you standard vertical "venetian" blinds type, you can use a worm geared motor. This work gear acts as a break so you do not require power to hold the blinds open. Then any standard polarity reversing relay setup can open and close it. Using the worm gear does away with the need to 'lock' the cord by pulling it to the left when it is raised to the open point so it doesn't close prematurely.

A little DC hobby motor can be set in place of the shading rod.

 

To studiot

okay i am having difficulty trying to figure it out man maybe by trying to be more elaborate you can help me out.

 

To Reched

okay sorry i forget to mention the direction of movement of the curtains. the movement will be horizontal.

but i dont know much about the worm gear motor. try to give me either a sketch or a picture would do.

 

These scans might help.If you want more it is best dealt with by private Email. Send me a PM.

 

Make a DC gear motor to rotate on both directions and use 2 limit switches or magnetic switches on both ends to stop the motor.

 

You might be able to simulate the action of the AutoGlide(TM) system by using a timing belt and sprocket. Since the action is reciprocating rather than continuous, you could cut the belt and tie (or clamp?) cords to the cut ends. Then for limit switches you could use optical sensors looking at the belt a few inches away from the motor, so if the end of the belt came along you could stop the motor before the belt came off the pulley. It would be necessary to keep the cord tensioned, but that could be done either with a spring, or just by tightening the cord when you install the system.

I don't know what you have available for small motors in the UK, but in the USA I'd look at a catalog page like this:
http://www.mpja.com/Category/Motors/DC_Motors/DC_Motors-Motors.asp