Door operator assembly

• US 10,077,591 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASSA ABLOY Accessories and Door Controls Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ASSA ABLOY Accessories and Door Controls Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Hass, Brian D
• Primary Examiner(s): Strimbu, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US14/319,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20140325911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 49138, 49324, 49339-341, 49345, 49358, 49359, 318375, 318376, 16 85
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/105 with a compression spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/60 using electrical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/611 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/224 for assisting in opening the wing
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/227 mounted at the top of wings, e.g. details related to closer housings, covers, end caps or rails therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/41 for closing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/604 Transmission members
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/624 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/686 Rods, links
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/72 Planetary gearing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/302 during electromotoric braking
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/36 Speed control, detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/614 charging thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/112 Back driving the transmission or motor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/113 Power assistance
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/22 of not identical elements of the same category, e.g. combinations of not identical springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/252 the elements functioning only in case of emergency
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/372 Telescopical
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 : Doors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 : for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 : Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

A combination door operator assembly and door, wherein the door operator assembly includes an operator unit mounted to the door on the pushing side thereof, an arm linkage having a driving arm and a driven arm, a mounting bracket on the frame of the door, a rechargeable power storage pack having at least one of a rechargeable battery and one or more capacitors, and a controller for monitoring a speed and a position of the door, wherein when the door moves faster than a predetermined speed, the motor is used as a generator to charge the rechargeable power storage pack and the speed of the door is reduced.

Claims

1. A door operator assembly for use with a door frame and a door wherein the door is rotatable about an axis of rotation passing through a door hinge connecting the door frame and the door, wherein the door operator assembly moves the door between an open position and a closed positon relative to the door frame and the door is manually movable between the closed positon and the open position by at least one of pushing on a pushing side of the door and pulling from a pulling side of the door, wherein the door operator assembly comprises:

an operator unit operable to drive an arm linkage to move the door from the open position to the closed position, the operator unit mounted to the door on the pushing side thereof and the operator unit comprising an input drive unit and an output drive unit comprising an output shaft rotatable about a first axis;

the arm linkage having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the arm linkage is coupled to the output shaft and the second end of the arm linkage is mounted on a portion of the door frame;

wherein, as viewed along an axis of the door that is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the door, the operator unit is positioned on the door intermediate the door hinge and the portion of the door frame;

a motor having a drive shaft rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, the drive shaft being able to rotate a sun gear about the first axis and the sun gear driving at least one planetary gear system and the at least one planetary gear system being operatively connected to the output shaft such that the input drive unit and the output drive unit are disposed adjacent one another;

a rechargeable power storage pack for powering the motor comprising at least one of (i) at least one rechargeable battery and (ii) one or more capacitors; and

a controller, operatively coupled to the motor, for monitoring a speed and a position of the door as the door is manually moved from the closed positon to the open position, wherein when the door is manually moved faster than a predeteimined speed from the closed position to the open position, the motor is used as a generator to charge the rechargeable power storage pack and the speed of the door is reduced.

2. The door operator assembly of claim 1 comprising a battery indicator.

3. The door operator assembly of claim 1 wherein the controller calculates an approximate inertia of the door.

4. The door operator assembly of claim 1 wherein the arm linkage comprises a shock absorbing door arm.

5. The door operator assembly of claim 4 wherein the arm linkage comprises a drive arm unit, the shock absorbing door arm connected to the operator unit by the drive arm unit, the drive arm unit comprising an arm having a spherical bearing and a tapered shaft coupling assembly.

6. The door operator assembly of claim 4 wherein the shock absorbing door arm comprises a solid arm and a hollow arm connected by a threaded housing, the hollow arm rotating in relation to the threaded housing for length adjustment of the shock absorbing door arm.

7. The door operator assembly of claim 6 wherein a shock-absorbing medium is disposed between the solid arm and the hollow arm.

8. The door operator assembly of claim 1 wherein the operator unit comprises a spring assembly for storing energy when the door is moved from the closed position to the open position, the energy being released when the door moves from the open position to the closed position.

9. The door operator assembly of claim 8 wherein an eccentric is used to load the spring assembly and provide a torque to close the door.

10. The door operator assembly of claim 9 wherein a profile of the eccentric is such that the torque increases as the door moves from the open position to the closed position.

11. The door operator assembly of claim 9 wherein a profile of the eccentric controls a force of the spring assembly such that the torque is constant through a range of door motion.

12. The door operator assembly of claim 9 wherein the eccentric has a symmetric profile.

13. The door operator assembly of claim 1 wherein the motor is one of:

i) a brushless DC motor and ii) an ironless core DC brush motor.

14. A combination door operator assembly and door assembly, the door assembly comprising a door frame and a door wherein the door is rotatable about an axis of rotation passing through a door hinge connecting the door frame and the door, wherein the door moves between an open position and a closed position relative to the door frame, and the door is manually movable between the closed positon and the open position by at least one of pushing on a pushing side of the door and pulling from a pulling side of the door, wherein the door operator assembly comprises:

an operator unit operable to drive an arm linkage to provide assistance in moving the door from the closed position to the open position, the operator unit mounted to the pushing side of the door, the operator unit comprising an input drive unit and an output drive unit comprising an output shaft rotatable about a first axis;

the arm linkage comprising a driving arm having a first end and a second end and a driven arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the driving arm is coupled to the second end of the driven arm, the first end of the driving arm is coupled to the output shaft and the first end of the driven arm is mounted on a portion of the door frame;

wherein, as viewed along an axis of the door that is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the door, the operator unit is positioned on the door intermediate the door hinge and the portion of the door frame;

the input drive unit comprising a motor, the motor having a drive shaft rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, the drive shaft being able to rotate a sun gear about the first axis and the output drive unit comprising at least one planetary gear system, the sun gear driving the at least one planetary gear system and the at least one planetary gear system being operatively connected to the output shaft such that the input drive unit and the output drive unit are disposed adjacent one another;

a rechargeable power storage pack for powering the motor and comprising at least one of (i) at least one rechargeable battery and (ii) one or more capacitors; and

a controller, operatively coupled to the motor, for monitoring a speed and a position of the door as the door is manually moved from the closed positon to the open position, wherein when the door is manually moved faster than a predetermined speed from the closed position to the open position, the motor is used as a generator to charge the rechargeable power storage pack and the speed of the door is reduced.

15. A combination door operator assembly and door assembly, the door assembly comprising a door frame and a door wherein the door is rotatable about an axis of rotation passing through a door hinge connecting the door frame and the door, wherein the door moves between an open position and a closed position relative to the door frame and the door is manually movable between the closed positon and the open position by pushing on a pushing side of the door and by pulling from a pulling side of the door, wherein the door operator assembly comprises:

an operator unit operable to drive an arm linkage to assist in moving the door from the closed position to the open position and to move the door from the open position to the closed position, the operator unit mounted to the door on the pushing side thereof, the operator unit comprising an input drive unit and an output drive unit comprising an output shaft rotatable about a first axis;

the arm linkage comprising a driving arm having a first end and a second end and a driven arm having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the driving arm is coupled to the second end of the driven arm, the first end of the driving arm is coupled to the output shaft and the first end of the driven arm is mounted on a portion of the door frame;

wherein, as viewed along an axis of the door that is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the door, the operator unit is positioned on the door intermediate the door hinge and the portion of the door frame;

the input drive unit comprising a motor, the motor having a drive shaft rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, the drive shaft being able to rotate a sun gear about the first axis and the output drive unit comprising at least one planetary gear system, the sun gear driving the at least one planetary gear system about the first axis and the at least one planetary gear system being operatively connected to the output shaft such that the first axis and the second axis are disposed adjacent one another;

a rechargeable power storage pack for powering the motor and comprising at least one of a rechargeable battery and one or more capacitors; and

a controller, operatively coupled to the motor, for monitoring a speed and a position of the door as the door is manually moved from the closed positon to the open position, wherein when the door is manually moved faster than a predetermined speed from the closed position to the open position, the motor is used as a generator to charge the rechargeable power storage pack, and the speed of the door is reduced.