US 5,332,279 AGranted

Power door operator for multi-passenger mass transit vehicles

AssigneeMark IV Transportation Products Corporation

InventorsFotios Golemis, Michael A. O'Neill

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Abstract

A power door operator for multi-passenger mass transit vehicles, typically buses, features electric actuation of dual swinging doors. A manual activator having an ergonometrically correct actuating plunger, for emergency door opening, operates a sleeved clutch. Fixed to the sleeve clutch is a drive bar with arms having individually adjustable lengths. The drive arms actuate outboard door shaft levers on individual door leaf through door drive rods intermediate the door arms and drive arms. Each rod incorporates spherical rod ends. The drive arms also actuate limit switches establishing door opened and door closed circuitry for energizing the electric drive system. The adjustable length clutch door drive arms provide a convenient device for controlling door leaf closing sequence and residual or door holding force when the doors are in a closed position.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A combination comprising:

a vehicle;
a side wall in said vehicle, said side wall having interior and exterior surfaces;
an opening in said side wall;
at least one vertically oriented rectangular door panel having vertically oriented edges, said door panel further having at least an upper door shaft attached thereto for allowing door motion therearound for opening and closing said opening;
means for mounting said door shaft on said side wall and adjacent to said opening;
an electric power door operator over said opening for moving said door panel from an open position to a closed position, said operator having drive means including an output shaft facing said interior surface, said output shaft producing reciprocal rotary motion, said rotary motion being less than one revolution;
means for mounting said operator on said side wall.
a door drive bar mounted on and rotated by said output shaft, said bar having an arm extending from said output shaft, said arm having an end and a length;
means for varying said arm length;
and
means, coupling said arm end and said door shaft, for transferring said rotary motion to said door motion thereby moving said door panel from said open position to said closed position;
whereby said door motion being responsive to said rotary motion is varied in accordance with the varying of said arm length.

9 more elements

In an electrically driven power door operator mounted overhead of an opening in a vehicle side wall, for moving a pair of bi-parting door panels from open to closed positions over said opening, the improvement comprising:

electric drive means having a housing and an output shaft extending therefrom;
means for controlling said drive means for reciprocal output shaft rotary motion, said motion being less than one-half shaft revolution;
the pair of door panels, each said panel being upright and rectangular and including an exterior surface, first and second vertical edges, and first and second horizontal edges, said first vertical edges abutting when said door panels are in said closed position;
a door drive bar coupled to said shaft by a clutch, said bar having oppositely disposed arms extending from said shaft;
coupling means on said arms, said arms having variable arm operating lengths by said coupling means being movable along said arms, said variable arm operating lengths establishing individually variable opening and closing door panel motion;
means for mounting said door panels over said opening for said door panel motion, said door panel motion being pivotal about said second vertical edges;
and
means for connecting said coupling means and said door panel mounting means;
whereby said door panel motion of each said door panel in response to said rotary motion is individually varied in accordance with varying of respective said arm operating length.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.