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US 5,243,735 AGranted
Regenerative feedback door control device with one-way clutch
AssigneeThomas Industries, Inc.
InventorJames A. O'Brien, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for closing swinging doors of the type utilizing a rotating member to compress a spring during door opening to store energy in the spring to effect a closing of the door is provided with a driving connection to a d.c motor/generator effective to cause rotation of the motor during a closing movement of the door. The motor/generator acts as a generator during the closing with the generated electrical energy fed back to the motor/generator to retard rotation of the rotor, providing a brake on the closing movement of the door. The feedback circuitry includes a switch disabling or diminishing the braking during the final degrees of closing movement as well as a variable setting device allowing control of braking force.
Claims18
A door control device for use with a pivotable door comprising:
- a housing mounted to one of either said door and a door frame;
- a rotatable spindle member journaled in said housing for engagement with the door to rotate when said door is pivoted;
- a cam having a cam surface, connected for rotation with said spindle;
- a cam plate slidable within said housing and having a portion engageable with said cam surface, rotation of said cam during door opening sliding said cam surface against said portion to slide said cam plate within said housing;
- energy storage means operatively connected to said cam plate for receiving energy as said door is opened and for releasing energy to close said door;
- d.c. motor/generator means having a rotor shaft;
- selective transmission means between said spindle member and said rotor shaft for preventing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a first rotary direction of said spindle member and for causing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a second rotary direction of said spindle member;
- and
- circuit means for connecting an electrical output of said d.c. motor/generator means to an electrical input for said motor/generator means such that electrical energy provided to said input from said output will retard rotation of said rotor shaft and spindle.
6 more elements
A door control device for use with a pivotable door comprising:
- a rotatable spindle member for engagement with the door to rotate when said door is pivoted;
- energy storage means operatively connected to said spindle member for receiving energy as said door is opened and for releasing energy to close said door;
- d.c. motor/generator means having a rotor shaft;
- selective transmission means between said spindle member and said rotor shaft for preventing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a first rotary direction of said spindle member and for causing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a second rotary direction of said spindle member;
- circuit means for connecting an electrical output of said d.c. motor/generator means to an electrical input for said motor/generator means such that electrical energy provided to said input from said output will retard rotation of said rotor shaft and spindle;
- and
- wherein said circuit means comprises an adjustable resistance device to adjust the amount of electrical energy being provided to said electrical input.
4 more elements
A door control device for use with a pivotable door comprising:
- a rotatable spindle member for engagement with the door to rotate when said door is pivoted;
- energy storage means operatively connected to said spindle member for receiving energy as said door is opened and for releasing energy to close said door;
- d.c. motor/generator means having a rotor shaft;
- selective transmission means between said spindle member and said rotor shaft for preventing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a first rotary direction of said spindle member and for causing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a second rotary direction of said spindle member;
- circuit means for connecting an electrical output of said d.c. motor/generator means to an electrical input for said motor/generator means such that electrical energy provided to said input from said output will retard rotation of said rotor shaft and spindle;
- and
- control means for actuation during the closing of the door to provide at least a two speed control for the closing of the door.
4 more elements
A door control device for use with a pivotable door comprising:
- a housing;
- a rotatable spindle member rotatably mounted to said housing for engagement with the door to rotate when said door is pivoted;
- a cam having a cam surface, connected for rotation with said spindle member;
- a slider means slidably held within said housing, said slider means for receiving a force from said cam surface upon rotation of said spindle and sliding with respect to said housing;
- compressible spring means operatively connected to said slider means and said housing for receiving energy as said door is opened and for releasing energy to close said door;
- dc motor/generator means having a rotor shaft;
- a one-way clutch mechanism arranged between said slider means and said rotor shaft for preventing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a first sliding direction of said slider means and for causing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a second sliding direction of said slider means;
- and
- circuit means for connecting an electrical output of said dc motor/generator means to an electrical input for said motor/generator means such that electrical energy provided to said input from said output will retard rotation of said rotor shaft and spindle.
6 more elements
A door control device for use with a pivotable door comprising:
- a rotatable spindle member for engagement with the door to rotate when said door is pivoted;
- compressible spring means operatively connected to said spindle member for receiving energy as said door is opened and for releasing energy to close said door;
- d.c. motor/generator means having a rotor shaft;
- a one-way clutch mechanism arranged between said spindle member and said rotor shaft for preventing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a first rotary direction of said spindle member and for causing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a second rotary direction of said spindle member;
- circuit means for connecting an electrical output of said d.c. motor/generator means to an electrical input for said motor/generator means such that electrical energy provided to said input from said output will retard rotation of said rotor shaft and spindle;
- and
- wherein said circuit means comprises an adjustable resistance device to adjust the amount of electrical energy being directed to said electrical input.
4 more elements
A door control device for use with a pivotable door comprising:
- a rotatable spindle member for engagement with the door to rotate when said door is pivoted;
- compressible spring means operatively connected to said spindle member for receiving energy as said door is opened and for releasing energy to close said door;
- d.c. motor/generator means having a rotor shaft;
- a one-wag clutch mechanism arranged between said spindle member and said rotor shaft for preventing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a first rotary direction of said spindle member and for causing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a second rotary direction of said spindle member;
- circuit means for connecting an electrical output of said d.c. motor/generator means to an electrical input for said motor/generator means such that electrical energy provided to said input from said output will retard rotation of said rotor shaft and spindle;
- and control means for actuation during the closing of the door to provide at least a two speed control for the closing of the door.
3 more elements
A door control device for use with a pivotable door comprising:
- a housing member;
- a spindle member rotatably carried in said housing and having a portion extending beyond said housing for engagement with the door to rotate when said door is pivoted;
- a cam member carried on said spindle to rotate with said spindle;
- a cam plate member mounted for longitudinal movement in said housing and engageable by said cam member whereby rotational movement of said cam member effects longitudinal movement of said cam plate;
- an extension arm secured to said cam plate to move therewith;
- a rack gear on said extension arm;
- a stationary pinion gear engageable with said rack gear whereby longitudinal movement of said rack gear results in rotational movement of said pinion gear;
- a d.c. motor/generator having a rotatable rotor shaft mounted in said housing;
- a gear train positioned between said pinion gear and said rotor shaft to transmit rotary motion from said pinion gear to said rotor shaft;
- a one-way clutch mechanism positioned between said pinion gear and said rotor shaft to prevent transmission of rotary motion to said shaft in a first rotary direction of said pinion gear and for causing transmission of rotary motion to said rotor shaft in a second rotary direction of said pinion gear;
- and
- an electrical circuit connecting an electrical output of said motor/generator to an electrical input for said motor/generator such that electrical energy provided to said input from said output will retard rotation of said rotor shaft and spindle;
- an adjustable resistance device in said circuit to adjust the amount of electrical energy transmitted from said output to said input;
- and
- a switch in said circuit means engaged by said cam plate to effect a two speed control for the closing of the door.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.