Automatic touch actuated door opener
OwnerKeith J. Ziegenbeininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The automatic touch actuated door opener includes an elongated flexible tension member having one end connected to a door and the other end connected to a tension member take-up device. The door is biased to its closed position for maintaining tension in the tension member when the door is moved to its closed position. A switch in contact with the tension member senses decreased tension due to external touching pressure against the door and actuates the take-up device to automatically open the door. A time delay switch causes the take-up device to allow the door to return to its closed position after the preselected time interval. An alternate embodiment includes a pair of limit switches which are sequentially engaged and released in response to increased and decreased tension respectively in the tension member.
Claims10
An automatic touch actuated door opener adapted for opening a door mounted for movement between open and closed positions and biased to the closed position thereof, comprising
- an elongated flexible tension member having one end adapted for connection to the door,
- tension member take-up means operatively connected to said tension member and actuatable to take up said tension member,
- means for mounting said tension member take-up means in spaced relation from a door whereby said door is moved to the open position in response to actuation of the take-up means, and
- switch means in contact with said tension member and operatively connected to the take-up means, said switch means including first and second limit switches arranged relative to said tension member such that both limit switches are engaged in response to increased tension in said tension member upon operation of said tension member take-up means to take up said tension member,
- said second limit switch being arranged for release prior to said first limit switch in response to decreased tension in said tension member upon return of the door to the closed position thereof,
- said tension member take-up means being deactuated in response to release of said second limit switch, and
- said tension member take-up means being reactuated to move the door to the open position in response to release of said first limit switch upon further decrease in tension in said tension member.
An automatic door control for a door mounted for movement between open and closed positions and biased to the closed position thereof, comprising
- an elongated flexible tension member having one end adapted for connection to the door,
- tension member take-up means operatively connected to said tension member and actuatable to take up said tension member,
- means for mounting said tension member take-up means in spaced relation from a door whereby said door is moved to the open position in response to actuation of the take-up means, and
- switch means operatively connected to the take-up means, said switch means including a first switch operative to actuate said tension member take-up means to take up said tension member and a second limit switch in contact with said tension member and arranged relative to said tension member such that said second limit switch is engaged in response to increased tension in said tension member upon operation of said tension member take-up means to take up said tension member,
- said second limit switch being arranged for release in response to decreased tension in said tension member upon return of the door to the closed position thereof,
- said tension member take-up means being deactuated in response to release of said second limit switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.