Linear drive power door operator

A linear drive power door operator for selectively and automatically opening and closing a door swingably mounted on a door frame, said power door operator comprising:

• a power screw extending along a horizontal axis;
• a drive connected to the power screw for powering the rotation of the power screw about said horizontal axis;
• a piston having a threaded bore threadably engaging said power screw, said piston being moved linearly along said horizontal axis upon activation of the drive and the rotational movement of the power screw;
• a rack having teeth, said piston engaging said rack for moving the rack linearly from end-to-end upon the linear movement of the piston;
• a pinion having teeth threadably engaging the teeth of the rack, said pinion being rotatable about a vertical axis upon the end-to-end linear movement of the rack;
• at least one link arm pivotally connected at one of its ends to the pinion and pivotally connected at its other end to the door;
• and
• a control for controlling the operation of the drive for moving the door between a closed position and an open position, said control activating said drive for moving the piston and the rack from a first position in which the door is closed to a second position in which the door is fully open, and any position in between.