Movable or removable closures – With operator for movably mounted closure – Operating lever or link and closure swing about parallel axes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-19
2002-06-18
Redman, Jerry (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
With operator for movably mounted closure
Operating lever or link and closure swing about parallel axes
C248S632000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06405487
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a driving arrangement for moving at least one object that is positioned movably inside a runner rail, comprising an electric motor that drives a traction means by way of a drive pulley, arranged at one end of the runner rail, which traction means circulates around a reversing device, arranged at the other end of the runner rail, thereby moving the object, wherein the rotor shaft of the electric motor drives a driven shaft by way of a gear. The driven shaft in turn operates the drive pulley with the aid of a transmission arrangement and its axis extends at a right angle to the axis of the rotor shaft.
A driving arrangement of this type is used, for example, for moving a sliding door, a sliding window, a partitioning wall or the like. The problem here is that the driving arrangement requires a lot of space since the motor and the gear must be designed large enough, so that both can absorb the acceleration forces of the objects to be driven without sustaining damage. For that reason, the driving arrangement cannot be installed at a later date in an existing sliding door frame, for example, unless a recess is provided in the brickwork of the wall accommodating the sliding door or an outward projecting overhang is provided.
German Patent A-27 41 538 discloses a pivoting device for a garage door where the drive unit is positioned on the drive shaft of the traction means drive pulley such that it can pivot and is supported in both pivoting directions such that the moment can be adjusted, wherein electrical switches that shut down the drive motor are activated if a specific pivoting range is exceeded. This is designed to prevent damage to vehicles or injury to persons, which find themselves accidentally in the pivoting range of the opening or closing garage door.
This known arrangement cannot solve the initially mentioned problem with the sliding door drive and also does not provide any hints in this direction.
Furthermore, the reference U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,61 describes an arrangement for a sliding door drive, for which an electric motor with its housing is screwed to a gear housing. The drive unit formed in this way is here elastically suspended at three locations to avoid a transfer of the noise from the running motor and the gear onto the doorframe.
This known arrangement also cannot solve the initially mentioned problem with the sliding door drive and furthermore does not point in that direction, particularly since the size of the motor prevents a subsequent installation into an existing door frame unless a recess is provided in the brickwork for the wall accommodating the sliding door or an outward projecting overhang is provided.
It is the object of the invention to create a driving arrangement of the aforementioned type, which has a simple design, uses less energy as compared to known arrangements, and has considerably smaller dimensions, thus making the installation in a narrow housing, e.g. in the case of a drive for sliding doors, and the subsequent installation in an existing sliding door frame possible without problems.
In order to reduce the acceleration forces of the object to be driven, which act upon the electric motor and the gear,
a) the electric motor and the gear with the driven shaft are located inside a joint housing, which is positioned such that it can pivot elastically and at a specific angle around the axis of the driven shaft and
b) the electric motor is positioned inside the housing such that it can pivot elastically and at a specific angle around its rotor shaft axis.
The advantages achieved with the invention in particular are that the effect of the high acceleration forces of the objects to be driven, for example the door elements of sliding doors, on the gear and the electric motor are reduced strongly as a result of the damping effect of the elastic bearings for the housing with electric motor and the gear, as well as the electric motor inside the housing. Thus, the electric motor and the gear can be dimensioned considerably smaller. The dimensions can be reduced such that the complete device can be produced at a lower cost, can be housed inside a narrow housing and can be offered as structural module for numerous applications, where all types of objects are to be moved by way of a traction means in two opposing directions. The energy consumption can additionally be reduced considerably as a result of the smaller dimensions of the arrangement.
This narrow housing for the arrangement can, for example, be placed inside a runner rail that accommodates the door elements of a sliding door. A subsequent installation into an existing doorframe is thus possible without problems.
A further advantage is the size of the electric motor, which is dimensioned such that even if the electronic control fails, there is no danger of injury to persons, for example, who are caught accidentally between the closing door panels of a sliding door operated by this electric motor. This is particularly important for hospitals where sliding doors of this type are installed more and more frequently.
The dependent claims list further modifications of the invention as well as their advantages. Thus, for a further improvement of the damping qualities, it is advisable for the housing to rest on buffers in at least three locations, which buffers preferably consist of elastomer or rubber.
In contrast, the housing for another embodiment of the invention is positioned with at least one ball bearing or sliding bearing, such that it can pivot around the axis of the driven shaft and that at least one elastic element, for example a helical spring, a spiral spring or a leaf spring, acts upon the housing and determines the elastic pivoting range of the housing through a corresponding dimensioning.
In order to reduce the transfer of the motor noise to parts outside of the housing, a further modification of the invention provides that the driven shaft drives the drive pulley by way of a transmission arrangement, consisting of a second pulley that is attached to the driven shaft and operates a third pulley by way of a belt, which third pulley is connected to the drive pulley to form one piece. The third pulley together with the drive pulley is positioned so as to rotate around an axis that extends parallel to the axis of the driven shaft, wherein the bearings for the double pulley, consisting of the drive pulley and the third pulley, as well as for the driven pulley are designed to be plastic sliding bearings, made of a plastic with a certain elasticity. In comparison to the otherwise standard ball bearings, these effect a better damping of the structure-born noise.
An additional damping is furthermore achieved in that the traction means and the belt are designed as V-belt or as toothed belt and the respective pulleys as V-belt pulleys or as toothed belt pulleys.
For a further space saving, it is provided that the driven shaft, the transmission arrangement and the drive pulley together are installed in the space adjoining the electric motor in the direction toward the gear. The height of this space is lower than the diameter of the electric motor.
The electric motor should furthermore be a direct current motor operated with low voltage, e.g. 24 V, to permit a quick stopping of the moving objects. The motor can be stopped with the aid of an electrical short or an imprinted counter-current.
The gear is furthermore designed as non self-locking worm gear or as bevel gear so that the objects can be moved manually if the current fails. As a result, it is possible to forego installing an expensive clutch that must be engaged or disengaged.
For an automatic control of the final shut-down and the stopping of moving objects, it is furthermore provided that an impulse disk for a distance/time measurement, as well as a mechanical or electro-magnetic stopping device be arranged in the region of the transmission arrangement or the gear, in particular a magnetic brake or an electric lifting magnet.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2945691 (1960-07-01), Swift et al.
patent: 3245646 (1966-04-01), Bar
Kelemen Gabor J.
Redman Jerry
Venable
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