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US 8,341,889 B2Granted
Coupling apparatus for barrier assemblies and related methods
AssigneeHy-Security Gate, Inc.
InventorsJames Faulkner, Steven A. Carlsen, Keith A. Mullins, Brian G. Denault
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates generally to barrier assemblies, and more particularly, to the coupling of a barrier operator to the barrier that the operator is to move. In one embodiment, a barrier operator coupling includes a wedge member that is fixedly attached to an output shaft of the barrier operator. A housing is brought to bear against a wedge member, and an adjustment device is used to maintain the force between the wedge member and the housing.
Claims24
A barrier system comprising:
- a barrier operator having an output shaft;
- a journal coupled to the output shaft, wherein the journal includes a generally frustum-shaped exterior surface;
- a housing coupled to the journal, wherein the housing includes a bore portion that receives the journal and frictionally engages the exterior surface of the journal;
- a linkage having a first end portion opposite a second end portion, wherein the first end portion is coupled to the housing;
- and
- a barrier coupled to the second end portion of the linkage, wherein the barrier is configured to move between a closed position and an open position;
- wherein the housing slips along the journal and rotates independent of the journal when a torque above a predetermined value is applied to the housing via the linkage.
4 more elements
A barrier system comprising:
- a barrier operator having an output shaft;
- a journal coupled to the output shaft, wherein the journal includes a frustum-shaped exterior surface;
- a housing coupled to the journal, wherein the housing includes a bore portion that receives the journal and frictionally engages the exterior surface of the journal;
- a linkage having a first end portion opposite a second end portion, wherein the first end portion is coupled to the housing;
- a barrier coupled to the second end portion of the linkage, wherein the barrier is configured to move between a closed position and an open position;
- an adjustment assembly coupling the housing to the journal, wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to adjust a frictional force between the journal and the housing, the adjustment assembly comprising a fastener threadably engaged with the journal, a washer positioned between the fastener and the housing, wherein the washer transfers an axial force from the fastener to the housing to adjust the frictional force between the journal and the housing, and wherein the adjustment assembly further comprises a locking member extending through the washer into the journal, wherein the locking member prevents the washer from moving independently from the journal.
3 more elements
A barrier system comprising:
- a barrier operator having an output shaft;
- a journal coupled to the output shaft, wherein the journal includes a frustum-shaped exterior surface;
- a housing coupled to the journal, wherein the housing includes a bore portion that receives the journal and frictionally engages the exterior surface of the journal;
- a linkage having a first end portion opposite a second end portion, wherein the first end portion is coupled to the housing;
- a barrier coupled to the second end portion of the linkage, wherein the barrier is configured to move between a closed position and an open position;
- an adjustment assembly coupling the housing to the journal, wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to adjust a frictional force between the journal and the housing, the adjustment assembly comprising a fastener threadably engaged with the journal, a washer positioned between the fastener and the housing, wherein the washer transfers an axial force from the fastener to the housing to adjust the frictional force between the journal and the housing;
- and a biasing member positioned between the fastener and the washer, and wherein the biasing member urges the washer away from the fastener toward the housing.
4 more elements
A barrier system comprising:
- a gate configured to move from a first position to a second position;
- a linkage coupled to the gate;
- a gate operator coupled to the linkage to drive the linkage and move the gate between the first and second positions, wherein the gate operator includes
- a first torque transmitter coupled to an output of the gate operator, wherein the first torque transmitter has a generally cylindrical shape tapering from a lower portion to an upper portion of the first torque transmitter;
- and
- a second torque transmitter frictionally engaged with the first torque transmitter, wherein the second torque transmitter is coupled to the linkage, wherein the second torque transmitter is configured to slip against the first torque transmitter and rotate independently from the first torque transmitter when a torque applied to the second torque transmitter is above a predetermined level.
3 more elements
A barrier operator for moving a barrier between an open position and a closed position via a barrier linkage, the barrier operator comprising:
- a torque multiplying device;
- an output shaft extending from the torque multiplying device;
- a first torque transmitting device attached to the output shaft, wherein the first torque transmitting device includes a first end portion opposite a second end portion, the first end portion having a first outer diameter and the second end portion having a second outer diameter that is less than the first outer diameter;
- and
- a second torque transmitting member operably coupled to the first torque transmitting member, wherein the second torque transmitting member includes a bore portion that at least partially receives the first torque transmitting device, and wherein the second torque member is configured to be coupled to the barrier linkage to move the barrier between the open and closed positions;
- wherein the first and second torque transmitting devices are configured to slip and rotate relative to each other when a predetermined amount of torque is applied to at least one of the first and second torque transmitting devices.
3 more elements
A barrier operator for moving a barrier between an open position and a closed position via a barrier linkage, the barrier operator comprising:
- a torque multiplying device;
- an output shaft extending from the torque multiplying device;
- a first torque transmitting device attached to the output shaft, wherein the first torque transmitting device includes a first end portion opposite a second end portion, the first end portion having a first outer diameter and the second end portion having a second outer diameter that is less than the first outer diameter;
- and
- a second torque transmitting member operably coupled to the first torque transmitting member, wherein the second torque transmitting member includes a bore portion that at least partially receives the first torque transmitting device, and wherein the second torque member is configured to be coupled to the barrier linkage to move the barrier between the open and closed positions, and wherein the second torque transmitting device is separable from the first torque transmitting device;
- the second torque transmitting device includes a groove extending circumferentially around an exterior surface of the second torque transmitting device;
- and
- the barrier operator further comprises a release linkage including a first engagement portion opposite a second engagement portion, wherein the first and second engagement portions are configured to engage the groove at opposite sides of the second torque transmitting device, and wherein the release linkage is configured to separate the second torque transmitting device from the first torque transmitting device when the release linkage is actuated about a pivot axis.
5 more elements
A barrier operator for moving a barrier between an open position and a closed position via a barrier linkage, the barrier operator comprising:
- a torque multiplying device;
- an output shaft extending from the torque multiplying device;
- a first torque transmitting device attached to the output shaft, wherein the first torque transmitting device includes a first end portion opposite a second end portion, the first end portion having a first outer diameter and the second end portion having a second outer diameter that is less than the first outer diameter;
- and
- a second torque transmitting member operably coupled to the first torque transmitting member, wherein the second torque transmitting member includes a bore portion that at least partially receives the first torque transmitting device, and wherein the second torque member is configured to be coupled to the barrier linkage to move the barrier between the open and closed positions;
- an input device configured to receive one or more operating conditions including at least at least one of a weight of the barrier, a length of the barrier, and a maximum allowable speed of the barrier;
- and
- a controller configured to control the barrier operator to move the barrier according to a motion profile based on the one or more operating conditions.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.