Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-01
2001-07-24
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264267
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved school bus door operator for a school bus, or other public transportation vehicle or bus. The improved school bus door operator of this invention consists of a linear arm movement actuated school bus door operator with a handle for operation by the driver and the linkage tying the operator to the school bus door. The linear actuated school bus door operator allows the driver of the school bus to open and close the school bus door with a back and forth short-stroke linear movement of the handle. This should reduce repetitive stress injuries which school bus drivers have occasioned.
PRIOR ART
In recent years, there has been an increase in school bus driver injuries that may be attributed to the standard configuration of the manually operated school bus door operator. The prior art school bus door operator required the driver to grasp a handle and move the handle in a crank-like motion rotating the handle in a semi-circular movement in order to open or close the school bus door. The standard movement of the crank handle of the prior art required the driver to lean forward and reach out to grasp the operator and then rotate a lever using the handle in a semi-circular fashion in order to actuate the door. Prior art school bus door operating apparatus of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,722,303; 3,889,420; 3,961,660; and 4,200,167.
To date, a school bus door operator has not been suggested which allows the driver to maintain good posture in the driver seat while manually opening and closing the school bus door with a short-stroke back or forth linear motion of an operating mechanism handle.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
As a result, a primary object of this invention is to provide an improved school bus door operator that allows the driver to maintain good posture in the driver seat while opening and closing the school bus door with a short-stroke back or forth linear motion of a door handle. A second object of the invention is to provide a school bus door operator that will not interfere with the school bus driving controls. A third object of the invention is to provide an improved school bus door operator that has its greatest torque or moment arm where needed. The most energy in school bus door operation is required at the end of the stroke where the door is approaching fully open, leaving the fully open, approaching fully closed or leaving the fully closed position. A fourth object of the invention is to provide an improved school bus door operator that may be fitted with a screw type linear actuating motor on an air operated piston.
The improved school bus door operator of this invention satisfies all of the above objects plus others not mentioned. The improved school bus door operator generally consists of a handle slide mechanism, a rotatable pivot arm, and a door linkage arm engaged to the school bus door. The handle slide mechanism further consists of a slide arm that may be moved linearly within the handle slide mechanism. The slide arm has a handle that juts out generally in a vertical direction at a rearward portion of the slide arm. There is an engagement bolt or pawl on the slide arm. In one embodiment, the engagement bolt is at the opposite end of the slide arm from where the handle is engaged. In the preferred embodiment, the engagement bolt is at a mid-position along the slide arm. The engagement bolt also juts out from the slide arm in a generally vertical direction. The rotatable pivot arm in one embodiment has two guide rails. The engagement bolt of the slide arm fits between the guide rails of the rotatable pivot arm. In the preferred embodiment, the guide rails are replaced by a through-slot in the rotatable pivot arm in which the engagement bolt of the slide arm rides within. The rotatable pivot arm has a pivot bolt or pin, which allows the pivot arm to rotate on the dash or other mounting surface in the school bus. When the handle of the slide arm is moved in a linear direction in the handle slide mechanism, the engagement bolt moves freely between and parallel to the guide rails or within the through-slot of the pivot arm depending on the embodiment. This movement of the engagement bolt causes the guide rails or through-slot and hence the rotatable pivot arm to rotate in a semi-circular radial fashion. The rotatable pivot arm pivots about or on the pivot bolt or pin. The door linkage arm is engaged to an end or corner of the rotatable pivot arm opposite the side of the guide rails. Where the rotatable pivot arm is generally triangular, the linkage arm will be engaged to a corner as will the guide rails or through-slot. As the rotatable pivot arm rotates on or about the pivot bolt, the door linkage arm is moved to either open or close the school bus door in a similar fashion as in the prior art. The movement of the engagement bolt or pin between the guide rails or through-slot varies the moment arm or mechanical advantage the driver has in opening or closing the door. The longer the moment arm the more torque the driver generates with the same force input to the handle. At the farthest forward and rearward points of the stroke of the slide arm, the moment arm comprised of the distance from the engagement bolt along the guide rails or through-slot to the pivot bolt of the rotatable pivot arm is at relative maximums and hence relative maximum torque values. The mounting location of the handle slide mechanism and the pivot bolt of the rotatable pivot arm is arranged for ease of operation by an average driver, whether they be male or female. The driver may sit with good posture in the driver seat, grasp the handle and move the slide in a linear fashion back or forth along the handle slide mechanism. This in turn causes the rotatable pivot arm to pivot and hence cause the school bus door to either open or close. A screw type motor for driving the slide arm in a linear fashion back and forth along the slide mechanism may be installed to remove the requirement for manual movement by the driver.
In another embodiment of the invention the rotatable pivot arm is mounted to a dash mount that has a semicircular arc slot cut in its face. The end of the rotatable pivot arm opposite the end with guide rails or engagement pawl directive means has a double bend zigzag arm which rides in the semicircular arc slot in the face of the dash mount. The inner ends of the semicircular arc slot act as over-travel limits for the rotatable pivot arm and the handle slide mechanism. In all embodiments, the handle slide mechanism may also contain a locking device that locks the handle in the door-closed position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1318349 (1919-10-01), Boos
patent: 1660377 (1928-02-01), Fitzjohn
patent: 3253518 (1966-05-01), Duemler
patent: 3722303 (1973-03-01), Rumph et al.
patent: 3889420 (1975-06-01), Hildebrand
patent: 3961660 (1976-06-01), Vinci
patent: 4200167 (1980-04-01), Cockman, Jr.
patent: 4265132 (1981-05-01), Robertson
patent: 4378706 (1983-04-01), Miyamoto
patent: 4660428 (1987-04-01), Payne
patent: 4901589 (1990-02-01), Gaigl
Anderson Mark A.
Barker Jack G.
Fowler Donnie J.
Glanton Darrell D.
Huie Jerry W.
Calfa Jeffrey P.
Carpenter Scott
Dayoan D. Glenn
Hernanadez Gilberto
International Truck and Engine Corporation
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