Movable or removable closures – Up-and-over type; e.g. – moves from vertical to withdrawn... – With operator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-03
2001-01-16
Redman, Jerry (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
Up-and-over type; e.g., moves from vertical to withdrawn...
With operator
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173532
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic garage door opener for raising and lower a garage door relative to a garage door opening a in a vehicle entry wall of a garage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of automatic garage door openers have existed for many years. Conventional automatic garage door openers are electromechanical devices which raise and lower a garage door to unblock and block a garage door opening in response to actuating signals. The signals are electrical signals transmitted by closure of a push-button switch through electrical wires or by radio frequency from a battery-operated, remote controlled actuating unit. In either case the electrical signals initiate movement of the garage door from the opposite condition in which it resides. That is, if the garage door is open, the actuating signal closes it. Alternatively, when the garage door is closed, the actuating signal will open the garage door. Once movement has been initiated, the system is deactuated when the garage door movement trips a limit switch as the garage door approaches its open or closed position.
The drive systems for conventional automatic garage door openers are frequently rather large and cumbersome and are difficult for a single individual to install. Conventional drive systems typically include either a very long worm drive or a very long drive through a chain loop tensioned between a pair of sprockets. The chain is connected to the garage door. A typical worm drive shaft is at least about eight feet in length, while the sprockets in a chain loop drive are likewise separated by a distance of at least eight feet. The large distances involved from one end of the drive system to the other makes conventional automatic garage door openers quite difficult for one person to install.
A further disadvantage of conventional automatic garage door opening systems is that they are designed for permanent installation. That is, once the automatic garage door opening system has been installed, it cannot be easily taken down, transported to a new location, and reinstalled. As a consequence, people who rent garages are highly unlikely to purchase a conventional automatic garage door opener since they are fully aware that they will, in all likelihood not be able to take the automatic garage door opener with them should they choose to relocate.
A further disadvantage of conventional garage door opening systems is that they typically extend down into the interior of the garage at least about six inches. As a consequence, they cannot be installed in garages having low overhead clearances since they extend downwardly a distance sufficient to create an overhead obstruction. On the other hand, where a garage has a particularly high ceiling, conventional garage door openers cannot be utilized without first creating a support framework that extends downwardly into the interior of the garage to provide a mounting base for a conventional worm drive or chain loop drive system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an automatic garage door opener with a drive mechanism that operates on principles entirely different from those of conventional garage door openers. Unlike conventional worm drive and loop chain drive systems, the automatic garage door opener of the present invention does not involve, long, ungainly drive mechanisms. To the contrary, the garage door opener of the present invention is quite compact and is totally mounted on a platform that is less than four feet in length and less than foot in width. As a consequence, the unit can be easily installed by a single individual.
Installation of the garage door opener of the invention is extremely simple. The device typically takes only about twenty minutes to install, as contrasted with the hours of time that are normally expended by purchasers of conventional automatic garage door openers in the installation process.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the entire mechanism is mounted on the wall of the garage right above the vehicle entry door opening. Therefore, there is no supporting structure required at a longitudinal distance within the interior of the garage remote from the garage door opening. Thus the system is not in any way dependent upon the height of the garage ceiling or the height of any framework above the vehicle storage area. As a consequence, it can be installed and operated in a garage having an extremely low overhead clearance, and also in a garage having an unusually high ceiling.
The garage door opener of the invention is installed as a single unit. Prior to installation, all of the operating components of the garage door opener are joined together. This enhances the ease of installation and also makes the unit easily removable and transportable. Thus, the garage door opener of the invention does not become a permanent fixture in the garage, but rather is merely an accessory that can be hung on the wall above the garage door opening. It therefore lends itself to use and reuse in different locations. This is a particularly popular feature with garage tenants, as contrasted with garage owners, since the garage door opener is an item of personal property that can be easily moved from one garage to the next.
In one broad aspect the present invention may be considered to be an improvement in a garage door opener for automatically opening and closing a garage door relative to a garage door opening in a vehicle entry wall of a garage having an interior. The improve is comprised of an opener mechanism which includes a track, a chain, and a reversible drive system. The track is secured to the vehicle entry wall above the garage door opening. The track extends in a curve and includes a track opening directed away from the vehicle entry wall and toward the interior of the garage. The chain is not formed into a loop, but rather has a first and second ends. The first end of the chain is connected to the top of the garage door. The second end of the chain is always engaged with the track. The chain includes a plurality of links that have corners which are hinged together in articulated fashion to permit relative movement of the links. Specifically, the links may be moved between straight linear alignment with each other and curvature in only one single direction from linear alignment with each other. That is, the links can undergo articulated movement in one direction relative to a straight line, but not any other.
A reversible drive system advances the chain out from the track opening and into the garage interior so that all of the chain links that are located between the track opening and the top of the garage door reside in straight, linear alignment with each other. Alternatively, the reversible drive system retracts the chain from the garage interior onto the track so that the links follow the curve in the track.
The chain is constructed so that as the links are brought into straight, linear alignment with each other as the emanate from the track opening. The links are provided with complementary fastening tabs and also with transverse abutment shoulders at their leading and trailing ends. When the links of the chain are oriented in straight, linear alignment, the fastening tabs reside in abutment against the abutment shoulders.
In another aspect the invention may be considered to be a garage door opener for automatically raising and lower a garage door relative to a garage door opening in a vehicle entry wall of a garage having an interior. The garage door opener is comprised of a support platform, a track, a drive chain, and an electrically operated bidirectional drive system.
The platform is mounted in the garage interior on the entry wall above the garage door opening. The track is located on the support platform and has one open end directed out from the entry wall toward the interior of the garage. The drive chain has links that are joined together in articulated fashion. The links include stops located so as to permit articulated movement of th
Redman Jerry
Thomas Charles H.
LandOfFree
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