Axial door operator

A power-operated hinge assembly for use in a door assembly, said door assembly comprising:

• a frame assembly constructed and arranged to be installed in an opening formed through a building wall, said frame assembly providing a doorway that permits persons to travel from one side of the building wall to the other side of the building wall when said door assembly is installed;
• a generally vertically extending door panel that mounts to said frame assembly, said door panel being constructed and arranged to move with respect to the doorway of said frame assembly;
• said hinge assembly comprising:
• two pivotable parts pivotally coupled together, said pivotable parts being constructed and arranged for mounting to said door assembly such that one of said pivotable parts is connected to said door panel for pivotal movement along with said door panel;
• an axial operator comprising:
• a rotatable operator output member that rotates about a generally vertically extending operator axis, said operator output member being connected to said pivotable parts and being constructed and arranged such that rotation of said axial output member affects pivotal movement of said two parts to enable pivoting of said door panel about said pivot axis between open and closed positions;
• an electric motor having a rotatable motor output member that rotates about said operator axis, said motor being constructed and arranged to selectively rotate said motor output member about said operator axis;
• a planet gear reduction transmission connected between said motor output member and said operator output member, said reduction transmission being constructed and arranged such that said transmission rotates said operator output member at a lower rotational speed than a rotational speed at which said motor rotates said motor output member and applies a higher torque to said operator output member than a torque which said motor applies to said motor output member;
• said reduction transmission comprising (a) an orbit gear arranged generally coaxially with respect to said operator axis, (b) a planet gear carrier positioned radially inwardly of said orbit gear and arranged for rotation about said operator axis, said planet gear carrier having a mounting portion offset generally radially from said output axis, and (c) a planet gear rotatably mounted to the mounting portion of said planet gear carrier such that said planet gear rotates about a planet gear axis that extends through said mounting portion generally parallel to said operator axis;
• said planet gear being operatively connected to said motor output member and engaged with a radially inwardly facing interior surface of said orbit gear such that rotation of said motor output member rotates said planet gear relative to said planet gear carrier about said planet gear axis which in turn causes said planet gear to roll along the interior surface of said orbit gear in a generally circumferential direction with respect to said operator axis, thereby rotating said planet gear carrier about said output axis at a lower rotational speed and at a higher torque than the rotational speed and torque at which said motor rotates said motor output member;
• said planet gear carrier being operatively connected to said operator output member such that rotation of said planet gear carrier as a result of said planet gear being rotated by said motor output member as aforesaid rotates said operator output member as aforesaid to thereby pivot said pivotable parts relative to one another.

A power-operated door assembly comprising:

• a frame assembly constructed and arranged to be installed in an opening formed through a building wall, said frame assembly providing a doorway that permits persons to travel from one side of the building wall to the other side of the building wall when said door assembly is installed;
• a generally vertically extending door panel that mounts to said frame assembly, said door panel being constructed and arranged to move with respect to the doorway of said frame assembly;
• an axial operator comprising:
• a rotatable operator output member that rotates about a generally vertically extending operator axis, said operator output member being operatively connected within said door assembly such that selective rotation of said operator output member moves said door panel with respect to the doorway of said frame assembly as aforesaid;
• an electric motor having a rotatable motor output member that rotates about said operator axis, said motor being constructed and arranged to selectively rotate said motor output member about said operator axis;
• a planet gear reduction transmission connected between said motor output member and said operator output member, said reduction transmission being constructed and arranged such that said transmission rotates said operator output member at a lower rotational speed than a rotational speed at which said motor rotates said motor output member and applies a higher torque to said operator output member than a torque which said motor applies to said motor output member;
• said reduction transmission comprising (a) an orbit gear arranged generally coaxially with respect to said operator axis, (b) a planet gear carrier positioned radially inwardly of said orbit gear and arranged for rotation about said operator axis, said planet gear carrier having a mounting portion offset generally radially from said output axis, and (c) a planet gear rotatably mounted to the mounting portion of said planet gear carrier such that said planet gear rotates about a planet gear axis that extends through said mounting portion generally parallel to said operator axis;
• said planet gear being operatively connected to said motor output member and engaged with a radially inwardly facing interior surface of said orbit gear such that rotation of said motor output member rotates said planet gear relative to said planet gear carrier about said planet gear axis which in turn causes said planet gear to roll along the interior surface of said orbit gear in a generally circumferential direction with respect to said operator axis, thereby rotating said planet gear carrier about said output axis at a lower rotational speed and at a higher torque than the rotational speed and torque at which said motor rotates said motor output member;
• said planet gear carrier being operatively connected to said operator output member such that rotation of said planet gear carrier as a result of said planet gear being rotated by said motor output member as aforesaid rotates said operator output member as aforesaid to thereby move said door panel with respect to the doorway of said frame assembly;
• and
• a controller communicated to the motor of said axial operator, said controller being operable to selectively control operation of said motor so as to selectively cause said motor to rotate said motor output member and thereby rotate said operator output member so as to move said door panel with respect to said doorway as aforesaid.

An axial operator that is configured for use with a controller that transmits a door moving signal and a door assembly comprising (a) a frame assembly installed in an opening formed through a building wall, said frame assembly providing a doorway that allows persons to travel from one side of the building wall to the other side of the building wall when said door assembly is installed, and (b) a generally vertically extending door panel that mounts to said frame assembly, said door panel being constructed and arranged to be selectively moved with respect to the doorway of said frame assembly, said axial operator comprising:

• a rotatable operator output member that rotates about an operator axis, said operator output member being constructed and arranged to be operatively connected within said door assembly such that said operator output axis extends generally vertically and such that rotation of said operator output member about said operator axis moves said door panel with respect to the doorway of said frame assembly as aforesaid;
• an electric motor having a rotatable motor output member that rotates about said operator axis, said motor being constructed and arranged to selectively rotate said motor output member about said operator axis;
• a reduction transmission connected between said motor output member and said operator output member, said reduction transmission being constructed and arranged such that said transmission rotates said operator output member at a lower rotational speed than a rotational speed at which said motor rotates said motor output member and applies a higher torque to said operator output member than a torque which said motor applies to said motor output member;
• said reduction transmission comprising (a) an orbit gear arranged generally coaxially with respect to said operator axis, (b) a planet gear carrier position radially inwardly of said orbit gear and arranged for rotation about said operator axis, said planet gear carrier having a mounting portion offset generally radially from said operator axis, and (c) a planet gear rotatably mounted to the mounting portion of said planet gear carrier such that said planet gear rotates about a planet gear axis that extends through said mounting portion and generally parallel to said operator axis;
• said planet gear being operatively connected to said motor output member and engaged with a radially inwardly facing interior surface of said orbit gear such that rotation of said motor output member rotates said planet gear relative to said planet gear carrier about said planet gear which in turn causes said planet gear to roll along the interior surface of said orbit gear in a generally circumferential direction with respect to said operator axis, thereby rotating said planet gear carrier about said output axis at a lower rotational speed and at a higher torque than the rotational speed and torque at which said motor rotates said motor output member;
• said planet gear carrier being operatively connected to said operator output member such that rotation of said planet gear carrier as a result of said planet gear being rotated by said motor output member as aforesaid rotates said operator output member as aforesaid to thereby move said door panel with respect to the doorway of said frame assembly;
• said motor being adapted to be communicated to the controller so as to receive the door moving signal therefrom and being further adapted to selectively rotate said motor output member in response to receiving said door moving signal to thereby rotate said operator output member so as to move said door panel with respect to said doorway as aforesaid.