Sliding pivot assembly for cover systems
AssigneeRoll-Rite, LLC
InventorTimothy K. Searfoss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A covering system for vehicles and trailers having a narrow pivot assembly with a moveable arm to help deploy the covering system. The pivot assembly has a gear assembly combined with a spring assembly having the power of multiple springs, which are preferably spiral torsion springs, regarding movement of the arm. The pivot assembly may in turn be mounted in a sliding mechanism for covering various heights of detachable containers.
Claims20
Intended for use with an open-top container of a trailer or a rail car, a covering system with a cover movable between an opened position and a closed position, the covering system having a narrow pivot assembly comprising a gear assembly and a coordinated spring assembly between substantially flat plates with
- a first gear and a first spring of the spring assembly engaging a primary rotating shaft for coordinated movement;
- a secondary gear and a second spring engaging a second rotating shaft for coordinated movement;
- wherein the first gear transmits torque to the secondary gear as part of the gear assembly and the spring assembly provides torque to the first and secondary gears;
- and
- an arm fixedly attached to the first gear for pivoting about the primary rotating shaft.
A covering system comprising a cover, a movable arm, and a pivot assembly for pivotably moving the movable arm, the pivot assembly including:
- a housing;
- a first rotating shaft with an axial groove, a primary gear with an inner tab engaging the axial groove, a primary spiral torsion spring with an inner hook secured in the axial groove, the movable arm secured relative to the primary gear and pivoting about the first rotating shaft;
- and
- a second rotating shaft with a groove, a secondary gear with a tab engaging the groove, a second spiral torsion spring with an inner hook secured in the groove;
- wherein direct contact of teeth of the primary and secondary gears transmit torque produced by the primary and secondary relative to the movable arm with the power of multiple aligned spiral torsion springs to pivot the movable arm relative to the housing.
A gear-driven pivot assembly comprising a housing with a gear assembly cooperating with a spring assembly having power of aligned multiple springs with
- the gear assembly including a first and second toothed spring-biased gears that operably interact with one another, each engaging a respective shaft;
- the spring assembly including a plurality of aligned spiral torsion springs, each with an inner hook engaging the respective shaft and an outer hook cooperating with a respective pin fixed on the housing;
- and
- a pivot arm secured relative to one of the first and second toothed gears with the respective shaft as its pivot axis wherein the first and second toothed gears transmit torque generated by the spiral torsion springs to control movement of the pivot arm relative to the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.