Modular garage door opener

• US 10,015,898 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TTi (Macao Commercial Offshore) Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: TTi (Macao Commercial Offshore) Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Whitmire, J. Porter, Zimmerman, Todd, Huggins, Mark, Preus, Michael, Pleasants, Parke, Jenkins, J. Luke, McCracken, Robert E., Brazell, Kenneth M., Ohi, Taku, Lagman, C. Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Allen T
• Application Number:
  US15/461,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20170295658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 340 57- 574
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/43 responsive to disruption of energy beams, e.g. light or sound
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/60 using electrical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/681 operated by flexible elongated pulling elements, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/435 by interruption of the beam
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/436 the beam being parallel to the wing edge
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/214 Disengaging means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/61 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/612 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/614 charging thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/106 Lighting
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/20 Combinations of elements
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0221 Locks; Latches
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring

Abstract

A modular garage door opener system and method including a garage door opener having a motor that is configured to be coupled to a garage door to open and close the garage door. The garage door opener includes a first accessory port including a first accessory mounting interface and a second accessory port disposed on the garage door opener including a second accessory mounting interface. An accessory device including a first mounting interface engages the first accessory mounting interface to couple the accessory device to the first accessory port. The accessory device may be disengaged from the first accessory mounting interface and then engage the second accessory mounting interface to couple the accessory device to the second accessory port. Additionally, a second accessory device may engage the first accessory port after disengagement of the accessory device.

Claims

1. A modular garage door opener system comprising:

a garage door opener including a motor that is configured to be coupled to a garage door to open and close the garage door;

an accessory port disposed on the garage door opener, the accessory port including an accessory mounting interface;

a first accessory device including a first mounting interface configured to engage the accessory mounting interface to couple the first accessory device to the accessory port; and

a second accessory device including a second mounting interface configured to engage the accessory mounting interface to couple the second accessory device to the accessory port,

wherein the first accessory device is a different type of accessory device than the second accessory device.

2. The modular garage door opener system of claim 1, wherein the accessory mounting interface includes a coupling interface and a communication interface having an electrical connector.

3. The modular garage door opener system of claim 2, wherein the first mounting interface further includes a first mechanical mounting interface that engages the coupling interface to mechanically couple the first accessory device to the accessory port, and a first electrical mounting interface that engages the communication interface to electrically couple the first accessory device to the accessory port.

4. The modular garage door opener system of claim 3, wherein the second mounting interface further includes a second mechanical mounting interface that engages the coupling interface to mechanically couple the second accessory device to the accessory port, and a second electrical mounting interface that engages the communication interface to electrically couple the second accessory device to the accessory port.

5. The modular garage door opener system of claim 2, wherein the coupling interface includes an aperture and a retention member.

6. The modular garage door opener system of claim 5, wherein the first mounting interface includes a first hook that is received by the aperture and a first latch that engages the retention member, and the second mounting interface includes a second hook that is received by the aperture and a second latch that engages the retention member.

7. The modular garage door opener system of claim 1, wherein the first accessory device is a speaker, a fan, an extension cord reel, an environmental sensor, a park-assist laser, a light, an inflator, or an inflator cord reel.

8. The modular garage door opener system of claim 7, wherein the second accessory device is a speaker, a fan, an extension cord reel, an environmental sensor, a park-assist laser, a light, an inflator, or an inflator cord reel.

9. The modular garage door opener system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second accessory port disposed on the garage door opener, the second accessory port including a second accessory mounting interface,

wherein the first mounting interface is further configured to engage the second accessory mounting interface, and

wherein the second mounting interface is further configured to engage the second accessory mounting interface.

10. A modular garage door opener system comprising:

a garage door opener including a motor that is configured to be coupled to a garage door to open and close the garage door;

a first accessory port disposed on the garage door opener, the first accessory port including a first accessory mounting interface;

a second accessory port disposed on the garage door opener, the second accessory port including a second accessory mounting interface; and

an accessory device including a first mounting interface that is configured to engage the first accessory mounting interface to couple the accessory device to the first accessory port, and that is configured to engage the second accessory mounting interface to couple the accessory device to the second accessory port,

wherein the accessory device further includes a first mounting interface includes an electrical mounting interface and a mechanical mounting interface having a projection and a latch configured to engage the first accessory mounting interface and the second accessory mounting interface.

11. The modular garage door opener system of claim 10, wherein the accessory device is a speaker, a fan, an extension cord reel, an environmental sensor, a park-assist laser, a light, an inflator, or an inflator cord reel.

12. The modular garage door opener system of claim 10, wherein the first accessory mounting interface includes a first coupling interface that is configured to engage the mechanical mounting interface such that the accessory device is mechanically supported on the first coupling interface, and a first communication interface having a first electrical connector that is configured to engage the electrical mounting interface such that the accessory device is electrically coupled to the first communication interface.

13. The modular garage door opener system of claim 12, wherein the second accessory mounting interface includes a second coupling interface that is configured to engage the mechanical mounting interface such that the accessory device is mechanically supported on the second coupling interface, and a second communication interface having a second electrical connector that is configured to engage the electrical mounting interface such that the accessory device is electrically coupled to the second communication interface.

14. The modular garage door opener system of claim 12, wherein the projection includes a hook, and the first coupling interface includes a first aperture that receives the hook and a first retention member that is engaged by the latch.

15. The modular garage door opener system of claim 10, further comprising

a housing of the garage door opener defining a volume in which the motor is received, the housing having a top portion, a bottom portion, and at least one sidewall, wherein the at least one sidewall includes the first accessory port.

16. The modular garage door opener system of claim 15, wherein the at least one sidewall includes the second accessory port.

17. The modular garage door opener system of claim 15, wherein the at least one sidewall includes a first sidewall including the first accessory port, and includes a second sidewall including the second accessory port.

18. The modular garage door opener system of claim 10, further comprising:

a second accessory device including a second mounting interface configured to engage the first accessory mounting interface to couple the second accessory device to the first accessory port, wherein the second mounting interface is further configured to engage the second accessory mounting interface to couple the second accessory device to the second accessory port.

19. A method of operating a modular garage door system comprising:

receiving, by an accessory port of a garage door opener, a first accessory device, wherein receiving the first accessory device includes engaging of a first mounting interface of the first accessory device with an accessory mounting interface of the accessory port;

disengaging, by the accessory port of the garage door opener, from the first accessory device, wherein disengaging the first accessory device includes decoupling of the first mounting interface of the first accessory device from the accessory mounting interface of the accessory port; and

receiving, by the accessory port of the garage door opener, a second accessory device, wherein receiving the second accessory device includes engaging of a second mounting interface of the second accessory device with the accessory mounting interface of the accessory port,

wherein the first accessory device is a different type of accessory device than the second accessory device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein engaging the first mounting interface with the accessory mounting interface includes

coupling a first mechanical mounting interface of the first accessory device to a coupling interface of the accessory mounting interface, and

coupling a first electrical mounting interface of the first accessory device to a communication interface of the accessory mounting interface to electrically couple the first accessory device to the accessory port.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein coupling the first mechanical mounting interface of the first accessory device to the coupling interface further includes receiving a hook of the first mechanical mounting interface with an aperture of the coupling interface, and engaging a latch of the first mechanical mounting interface with a retention member of the coupling interface.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving, by a second accessory port of the garage door opener, the first accessory device, wherein receiving the first accessory device includes engaging of the first mounting interface of the first accessory device with a second accessory mounting interface of the second accessory port.