Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
PN~UMATIC DOOR OP~RATOR
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Back&~_nd of the Invention
This invention generally pertains to a
pneumatic door operator oonstruction. More
specifically, the present invention relates to a sliding
door operator system which utilizes a rodless fluid
cylinder for mechanically opening and closing a door.
The invention is particularly applicable to
sectional overhead doors of the multiple panel type and
will be described with particular reference thereto.
However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the
; 10 art that the invention has broader applications and may
also be adapted for use in many other environments such
as single panel overhead doors and even sideward sliding
doors or the like.
Most overhead doors are counterbalanced with a
torsion spring or a counterweight system for storing
energy during door closing so that energy may be
extracted during door opening. During opening, most of
the energy for lifting such a door is derived from the
energy stored in the spring or counterweight system. If
the door is counterbalanced fairly well, the amount of
manual energy required to open the door need only be
suEficient to make up the frictional and other losses in
the system. During door closing, the energy required is
that for making up the frictional and other losses since
most of the energy which is transferred to the spring or
counterweight storage system is derived from the weight
~i of the descending door.
In general, conventional overhead doors of this
nature are actuated by a cable which is wound around a
drum axially driven by the torsion spring with the drum
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being rotated by a chain driven sprocket. Generally,
the chain is driven by an electric motor. In some
environments, however, the use of el~ctrical motors is
undesirable because of the possible danger of a spark
causing an explosion or a fire. It has also been found
that electric motors are disadvantageous since if the
door becomes jammed the motor will continue rotating and
will likely unwilld the cable between the drum and the
door and this could prove hazardous to personnel and may
damage property.
Also, when such doors go through a high number
of cycles, such as in a car wash or the like, the
chains, sprockets, electrical motors, and bearings wear
out at a fairly rapid rate and this results in frequent
lS breakdowns of the door opening mechanism. Moreover,
malfunctions of the door opening mechanism sometimes
also lead to damage to the upper portion of the door
which can be fairly expensive to repair.
One recent suggestion has been to utilize a
pair of pneumatic cylinders in a side mounted operator
for moving the chain of the chain driven sprocket
thereby rotating the sprocket. However, side mounted
operators are not recommended when a trolley operator
could be used in their place since with a side mounted
operator any hesitation in the door travel results in an
unwindinp of the cable from the torsion bar drum which
makes the door liable to a free fall that could cause
grave injury to people as well as damage to objects -
under the door and to the door itself. The pneumatic
cylinder actuated side mounted operator mechanism is
also disadvantageous since chains and sprockets which
undergo a hi8h number of cycles wear out at a relatively
rapid rate resulting in frequent breakdowns of the door
operator mechanism and, sometimes, dama8e to the door.
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Accordingly, it has been considered desirable
to develop a new and improved door operator system which
would overcome the foregoing difficulties and others
while providing better and more advantageous overall
results.
Brief Summ ~
In accordance with the present invention, a new
10 and improved sliding door operator system is provided.
More particularly in accordance with this
aspect o~ the invention, the system comprises a rodless
fluid cylinder including a cylinder body and a rodless
piston adapted for reciprocation in the cylinder body.
15 A carriage is adapted for reciprocation externally along
the length of the cylinder body with the carriage being
secured to the piston. An arm means is provided for
connecting the cylinder carriage to an associated
sliding door. A control means is provided for
20 controlling the operation of the fluid cylinder and
hence the position of the associated sliding door.
I In accordance with another aspect of the
invention, the system further comprises a bracket means
for securing the fluid cylinder to an adjacent wall.
Z5 In accordance with still another aspect of the
invention, the system further comprises a switch means
located at each end of the cylinder with the switch
means being in electrical contact with the control means
to activate associated electrical equipment.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the
invention, the arm means comprises a pair of telescoping
tubular sections with the first of the sections being
secured to the fluid cylinder carrla~c and a socond of
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the sections being secured to the associated sliding
door. The arm means further comprises a resilient means
for cushioning the telescoping action of the pair of
tubular sections. Preferably, a first pivot means is
provided for pivotally securing the first section to the
fluid cylinder carriage and a second pivot means is
provided for pivotally securing the second section to
the associated sliding door.
In accordance with yet still another aspect of
the invention, the control means comprises a source of
pressurized fluid and a conduit means for connecting the
source of pressurized fluid to the fluid cylinder. A
control panel is also provided for controlling the flow
of pressurized fluid through the conduit means.
In accordance with a further aspect of the
invention, the source of pressurized fluid is in fluid
communication with both ends of the fluid cylinder so
that it can act on either end of the rodless piston.
Preferably, the cylinder is provided with seal means for
preventing the pressurized fluid from flowing out of the
cylinder. Preferably, both ends of the fluid cylinder
also include an adjustable valve means communicating
with the environment.
According to a further aspect of the invention,
an air powered sliding door operator system is provided.
f According to this aspect of the invention, the
system comprises a door which is mounted for sliding
movement between a first position in which it closes a
f building opening and a second position away from the
ff 30 opening. The system also includes a rodless air
cylinder which comprises a cylinder- body, a rodless
piston adapted for reciprocation in the cylinder body
and a carriage adapted for reciprocation externally
alon~ the len~th of the cylinder body with the carriege
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being secured to the piston. A shock absorbing
connecting means is provided for securing the cylinder
carriage to the sliding door. A valve means is provided
for selectively feeding pressurized air to the air
cylinder to drive the rodless piston and hence the
carriage thereby moving the door between the first and
second positions thereof.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the
invention, an air powered operator system is provided
for an articulated overhead sliding door that is movable
in guide ways which extend upwardly alongside an opening
for the door and then rearwardly.
More specifically in accordance with this
aspect of the invention, the system comprises an air
cylinder that includes an elongated cylinder body and a
rodless piston adapted for longitudinal reciprocation in
the cylinder body. The cylinder also comprises a
carriage adapted for reciprocation externally along the
length of the cylinder body with the carriage bein8
secured to the piston. The system further comprises an
L-shaped arm member, which connects the cylinder
carriage to the door, and a source of pressurized air
which is in fluid communication with the air cylinder.
A valve means is interposed between the source of
pressurized fluid and the air cylinder for selectively
feeding pressurized air to the air cylinder to
reciprocate the rodless piston therein.
One advantage of the present invention is the
provision of a new door operator system for sliding
doors.
Another advantage of the present invention is
the provision of a door operator system which actuates a
door by the movement of a rodless piston which
reciprocates in a cylinder.
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Still another advantage of the present
invention is the provision of a door operator system
which can actuate most types overhead doors that have a
counterbalance means and can also actuate selected
sideward sliding doors.
~et another advantage of the present invention
is the provision of a trolley-type door operator system
which does away with chains, sprockets, bearings, and
motors, all of which are prone to frequent breakdowns
when exposed to high numbers of cycles.
A further advantage of the present invention is
the provision of a door operator system which opens and
closes a door with a minimum of force thereby preventing
injury to persons or damage to objects which are
inadvertently leEt in the path of the door when the door
is being moved.
Still other advantages and benefits of the
~i present invention will become apparent to those skilled
in the art upon a readin8 and understanding of the
followin8 detailed specification.
Brief Description of the Drawin~
The invention may take physical form in certain
parts and arrangements of parts, a preferred embodiment
- of which will be described in detail in this
specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
FIGURE l is a perspective view of the door
operator system according to the present invention in
conjunction with a door of a building;
FIGURE 2 is side elevational view of the door
operator system of FIGURE l;
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FIGUR~ 2A is an enlarged side elevational view,
partially in cross-section, of an arm member of the door
operator system of FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view,
partially in cross-section, of the cylinder of FIGURE l;
and,
FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view in
cross-section of the cylinder of FIGURE 3.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring now to the drawings wherein the
showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred
embodiment of the invention only and not for purposes of
limiting same, FIGURE 1 shows the subject new door
operator system A as it is utilized on a door B which
closes an opening in a building C. While the door
operator is primarily designed for and will hereinafter
be described in connection with a sectional overhead
sliding door, it should be appreciated that the overall
inventive cvncept involved could be adapted for use in
many other overhead and sideward sliding door
environments as well.
With reference now to FIGURE 3, the operator
system A includes a cylinder member 10 which comprises a
tubular body 12 that has an outer periphery 13 having
two spaced substantially square sides and two spaced
rounded sides (as is more evident from FIGURF 4) and a
longitudinal bore 14 extending therethrough. A first
end of the bore is closed by a first end cap member 16
with a second, and opposite, end of the bore 14 being
closed by a second end cap member 18~ Suitable
fasteners 20 secure the first and second end caps 16,18
to the tubular body 12. A suitable seal means 22 is
provided for each of the end caps 16,18 to prevent
pressurized air from leaking therethrough.
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As shown in FIGURE 4, a slot 24 extends
longitudinally along one of the square sides of the
tubular bo~y 12 to communicate the bore 14 with the
environment. A pair of spaced sealing bands or strips
25,26 seal the slot to isolate the bore 14 and prevent
pressurized fluid from leaking out therethrough. The
bands are secured to the two end caps 16,18.
Adapted to reciprocate longitudinally in the
bore 14 of the cylinder is a piston body 30 which is
comprised of a pair of identical and opposing sections
32,34 which are joined together in a suitable
conventional manner. A seal means 36 extends
peripherally around each section 32,34 of the piston to
provide a seal between the piston section and the
cylinder bore 14.
A piston bracket 38 (FIGURE 4) is secured at a
yoke-like section 39 by suitable conventional fasteners
40 to the first and second sections 32,34 and is adapted
to extend through the cylinder slot 24. A section 41 of
the bracket 38 is positioned outwardly of the tubular
body 12 and extends along substantially one face thereof
as is illustrated best in FIGURE 4. It can be seen in
this FIGURE that the bracket 38 is somewhat T-shaped
with the section 41 of the T extending outside of the
cylinder tubular body 12. This outer section 41 has
depending sides 42 to each of which is secured an
inwardly extending bearing rod 44. The bearing rods
slide in suitably configured grooves 46 formed in the
outer periphery 13 of the tubular body so as to allow a
smooth sliding motion of the piston bracket 38 as the
piston moves. This system allows the cylinder 10 to
withstand high axial and radial loads and moments while
eliminating the requirement for external guides and
supports.
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Secured to a pair of spaced depending flanges
48 of the piston bracket 38 by suitable conventional
fasteners 49 is a carriage 50. The carriage has a base
wall 52, a pair of side walls 54, and a pair of opposing
end walls 56. Seal means 58 in the form o wiper seals
are provided on the end walls 56 of the carriage and act
to clean the second seal band 26 of the cylinder 10.
With reference now to FIGURE 2, a shock
absorbing connecting means such as an arm means 70 is
secured to the carriagc 50 in suitable conventional
manner. The arm means can be substantially L-shaped as
illustrated and includes a first tubular arm member 72
- which is secured by a bracket 74 to the carriage 50.
Preferably, a fastener 76 which enables a pivoting
motion oE the arm member 72 with respect to the bracket
74 is provided for securing the arm member to the
~ bracket.
i A second arm member 78, having a first section
80 and a second section 82 which is disposed at an
approximately 90 angle to the first section is also
~` provided. The second arm member 78 is secured to a
bracket 84 by a suitable fastener 86. The bracket 84 is
in turn secured to the door B as shown in FIGURF 1.
~ Preferably, the fastener 86 enables a pivoting motion of
i 25 the second arm member 78 with respect to the bracket 84.
With reference now to FIGURE 2A, a slot 90
extends horizontally in a portion of the second bracket
as is illustrated. A stem portion 92 of the first arm
member 7Z extends outwardly through the slot 90 of the
second arm member. In this way a limit means is
provided for the telescoping action of the first arm 72
in the second arm 78. Preferably, a rod member 94
extends downwardly from the first arm member 72. In
order to provide a resilient biasin5 means Eor the arm
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70, a spring 96 is disposed within the first section 80
of the second arm member 78 beneath the first arm 72
such that the rod 94 of the first arm extends
thereinto. Tllis positions the spring correctly in
relation to the first arm member. Preferably, the
spring 96 is a compression spring which resiliently
biases the telescoping motion of the first arm member 72
into the second arm member 78. .
The arm means 70 also acts as a shock absorber
during movement of the door B because of the positioning
of the compression spring 96 between the telescoping
pair of members 72,78. As is evident from FIGURE 2, the
arm means 70 needs to pivot in relation to both the door
B and the cylinder 10 during the travel of the door ~rom
the closed position to the open position.
With reference again to FIGURE l, a mounting
pad 100 is secured to a first end of the cylinder 10
with a front mounting bracket 102 securing the mounting
pad and hence the cylinder to a suitable wall of the
building C. A rear mounting bracket 104 is secured to
the cylinder and a pair of hangers 106 are fastened to
the mounting bracket and to the adjacent ceiling (not
illustrated).
Preferably, the door B includes a door member
110 which is made of a plurality of articulated
longitudinally extending slats or planks. The door is
adapted to slide up and down on a pair of spaced tracks
112, only one of which is illustrated in FIGURE l. In
general, doors of this nature conventionally include a
counterbalancing means such as an axial torsion spring
114 which is secured above the door B. Cooperating with
the torsion spring is a cable 116 which is secured on a
first end to the door B (not visible in FIGURE 1) and
wound at its second end on a drum 118 axially driven by
the torsion spring.
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In order to actuate the cylinder 10, a
pressuri~ed fluid circuit 120, preferably pneumatic, is
provided. The circuit includes a first conduit 122 and
a second conduit 124 each of which is in fluid
communication with a respective end of the cylinder
through the cylinder end caps 16,18. A source of
pressurized fluid 126 such as a compressor is in fluid
communication with a respective one of the conduits
122,124 as directed by a control means 130. The control
means can be in the form of a control panel which is
interposed between the conduits 122,124 and the source
126 in order to control the movement of the rodless
piston in the cylinder.
The control means 130 can be either a straight
pneumatic control provided with a conventional three
~ position directional valve that includes open, close,
? and stop (not shown) or a conventional control module
with electrical push buttons for the operations open,
close, and stop.
With reference a8ain now also to FIGURE 3, a
bore 140 in the first end cap 16 enables pressurized
fluid from the first conduit 122 to enter one end of the
cylinder behind the piston first section 32 to urge the
piston 30 toward the second end cap 18 of the cylinder.
The second conduit 124 extends longitudinally down the
i cylinder 10 and is secured thereto by suitable hose
clamps 142. The second conduit 124 communicates through
a bore 144 in the second end cap 18 with the second end
- of the cylinder. A suitable conventional adjustable
valve means such as a needle valve, of which a bore 146
is illustrated, can be provided in each end cap 16,18 to
cushion the movement of the piston 30 adjacent the two
ends of the cylinder.
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As stlown in FIGURE 2, if desired, suitable
conventional micro switches 150,152 can be secured to
the end caps 16,18 to activate additional electronic
functions in conjunction with the opening and closing of
the door if desired. The micro switches 150,152 are
connected to the control means 130 by suitable wiring
154. Alternatively, proximity switches can be utilized
at the ends of the cylinder. Also, conventional
magnetic reed switches could be positioned alongside the
cylinder for position sensing of the piston between the
ends of the cylinder.
When a pressurized fluid such as compressed air
or another suitable compressed gas is supplied by the
pressurized fluid source 126 and the control means 130
is actuated to a door open position, the rodless piston
30 and its attached carriage 50 will be urged by
pressurized air flowing through the first end cap 16 to
move from a front end of the cylinder 10 towards ~a rear
end thereof. At this time the air supply port 14~ and
the second conduit 124 act as an exhaust means for
exhausting air from a section of the cylinder between
the second section 34 and the end cap 18 through the
control means 130 to the environment. The carriage 50
thus moves pulling the door B with it thereby opening
, 25 the door. The piston 30 slows down a few inches before
contacting the cylinder body second end cap 18, the
speed of movement of the piston 30 adjacent the end caps
16,18 can be regulated by means of the adjustable valve
means. Generally, the piston's speed of movement can be
regulated through the directional valve in the control
- means 130.
The piston 30, and hence the carriage 50
remains under pressure while the door B is in the open
position until the control means 130 receives a signal
electrically or manually to shift to another position.
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When the valve 130 shifts to the closing
direction, the bore or port 144 in the rear end cap 18
becomes an air supply while the bore or port 140 in the
front end cap 16 becomes the exhaust. Therefore, the
speed with which the door closes can be different from
the speed with which the door opens. In some cases, for
example in automated car washes, the door B requires a
rapid opening cycle. This can be regulated by the
adjustable valve means such as by adjusting the
conventional exhaust silencer restrictors on the
directional valve in the control means 130. On the
other hand, for safety reasons, the closing cycle should
be at a normal speed, which is, at a maximum,
approximately 1 second per foot as is recommended by the
Canadian Door Institute.
~lowever, the door's speed could be set to slow,
normal, or rapid speed to suit the particular door
application involved. This setting can be done through
an adjustment in the combination of the air flow and the
exhaust restrictors. To stop the door at any
intermediate position, one merely needs to change the
three position control valve to a neutral or stop
position in which it will block the flow of pressurized
air to either end of the cylinder 10. Also, the motion
of the door can instantly be reversed by having the
directional valve shift from one direction to the
other. This can be done either manually or electrically
depending upon the type of controls used.
Since the cylinder 10 operates on a low volume
of pressurized gas or air, the cylinder does not move
with enough force to cause damage to the door. More
importantly, the door does not move with enough force to
cause damage to objects or be hazardous to personnel.
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When the cylinder 10 reaches the end of its
stroke, the door will be in a closed position and will
be locke~ automatically withou~ any additional locking
mechanism being necessary since the arm means 70 will be
located at a 90 angle to the door B as is indicated in
FIGURES 1 and 2. Thus, if the door were attempted to be
forced open, the arm means 70 would simply be shoved
against the cylinder 10 and the door would not open.
The cylinder 10, carriage 50, and end caps
16,18 can all be made from any suitable material such as
anodized aluminum. The piston 30 and the piston bracket
38 can be made from a suitable conventional material
such as aluminum or steel. The sealing bands 25,Z6 can
be made from a high density oil, resistant plastic, or
another suitable material and the various seals can be
made from ~una N*or another suitable rubber. One such
suitable cylinder assembly is sold by the Norgren
Martonair Co. under the designation LINTRA C/45000*.
The present invention thus provides a door
operator system which minimizes frequent breakdowns,
hazard to personnel, and damage to the door or objects
which might be in the way of the door. Such a door
operator is also believed to have a greatly improved
life cycle in relation to the conventional electrically
driven chain drive trolley door operators.
The invention has been described with reference
to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications and
alterations will occur to others upon the reading and
understanding of this specification. It is intended to
include ali such modifications and alterations insofar
as they come within the scope of the appended claims or
the equivalents thereof.
* Trade-mark
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