US 11,142,939 B2Granted

Power boost module

AssigneeSchlage Lock Company LLC

InventorsBrady Plummer, Subashchandra G. Rai, Brian C. Eickhoff, Benjamin L. Miller, Prajna Poojary

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Abstract

An exemplary method relates to operating a door closer assembly including a closer body, a pinion rotatably mounted to the closer body, a motor including a motor shaft, and a bidirectional clutch connected between the pinion and the motor shaft. The method generally involves permitting, by the clutch, rotation of the pinion in each of a first direction and a second direction without transmitting rotation of the pinion in either direction to the motor shaft; sensing, with a sensor, a rotational position of the pinion; comparing, by a controller, the rotational position of the pinion with a desired rotational position; based upon the comparing, driving the motor to rotate the motor shaft; and by the clutch, coupling the motor shaft with the pinion in response to rotation of the motor shaft, thereby transmitting torque from the motor shaft to the pinion and urging the pinion toward the desired rotational position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A power boost module configured for use with a door closer, the door closer comprising a closer body and a pinion rotatably mounted to the closer body, the power boost module comprising:

a housing defining a chamber, wherein the housing is configured for mounting to at least one of the closer body or a structure to which the closer body is mounted;
a clutch seated in the chamber, the clutch comprising a clutch input component and a clutch output component, wherein the clutch output component is configured for rotational coupling with the pinion such that a rotational position of the clutch output component corresponds to a rotational position of the pinion, wherein the clutch is configured to permit the clutch output component to rotate relative to the clutch input component, and wherein the clutch is configured to cause rotation of the clutch output component in response to rotation of the clutch input component;
a motor seated in the chamber, the motor including a motor shaft operably connected with the clutch input component such that rotation of the motor shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the clutch input component;
a position sensor operable to sense the rotational position of the clutch output component;
and
a controller in communication with the position sensor and the motor, wherein the controller is configured to determine the rotational position of the clutch output component based upon information received from the position sensor, and to selectively operate the motor based upon the rotational position of the clutch output component.

3 more elements

A method of operating a door closer assembly comprising a closer body, a pinion rotatably mounted to the closer body, a motor including a motor shaft, and a bidirectional clutch connected between the pinion and the motor shaft, the method comprising:

permitting, by the bidirectional clutch, rotation of the pinion in each of a first direction and a second direction without transmitting rotation of the pinion to the motor shaft in either the first direction or the second direction;
sensing, with a sensor, a rotational position of the pinion;
comparing, by a controller, the rotational position of the pinion with a desired rotational position of the pinion;
based upon the comparing, driving the motor to rotate the motor shaft;
and
by the bidirectional clutch, coupling the motor shaft with the pinion in response to rotation of the motor shaft, thereby transmitting torque from the motor shaft to the pinion and urging the pinion toward the desired rotational position of the pinion.

3 more elements

A door closer assembly, comprising:

a closer body;
a pinion rotatably mounted to the closer body, wherein the pinion has a rotational position and is rotatable in each of a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction;
a bidirectional clutch comprising a clutch output component rotationally coupled with the pinion and a clutch input component;
a motor including a motor shaft operably connected with the clutch input component;
a position sensor operable to sense the rotational position of the pinion;
a controller in communication with the position sensor and the motor, wherein the controller is configured to selectively drive the motor to rotate the motor shaft based upon the rotational position of the pinion;
wherein the clutch output component is rotatable relative to the clutch input component in each of the first direction and the second direction such that the motor shaft does not rotate in response to rotation of the pinion;
and
wherein the clutch input component is not rotatable relative to the clutch output component such that the pinion rotates in response to rotation of the motor shaft.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.