Garage Door Sensor Protector

• US 20110173890A1
• Filed: 01/20/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mark A. Gantner
• Original Assignee: Mark A. Gantner
• Inventors: Gantner, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US12/690,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20110173890A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/25
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/74 using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/10 Covers; Housings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/11 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/822 Light emitters, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

A housing for protecting a garage door safety beam emitter or receiver from impact and from the elements. The housing has a transverse plane of symmetry such that the same style housing may be used over the emitter and over the receiver, the housings being minor images of each other when installed. The housing includes a flange by which the housing may be attached to a garage door track or to the framework around the garage door. The housing preferably is formed of plastic such that it can be trimmed to accommodate installation, for example, around a foundation and includes a side wall with an aperture through which LED diagnostic lights associated with the emitter or receiver may be viewed.

Claims

1. A garage door sensor housing substantially symmetrical about a transverse plane for use on either a safety beam emitter or a safety beam receiver with the emitter or receiver mounted on a garage door track or to a doorway frame supporting the door track, said housing comprising:

a front and back wall joined together with a top and bottom wall, said front wall having an opening for passage of a light beam between the emitter and the receiver, a side wall joined to the front, back and top and bottom walls,

a notch in the top and bottom walls adapted to receive a garage door track,

a flange along the top and bottom walls, said flange extending along an open side opposite the side wall and along the notch,

whereby said housing may be attached by the flange along the notch to the bottom of the track or by the flange along the open side to the doorway frame.

2. The housing of claim 1 wherein the side wall has an opening through which diagnostic LEDS associated with the emitter or receiver may be viewed.

3. The housing of claim 1 wherein a corner is chamfered along an interface of the side wall with the back wall.

4. A garage door sensor housing substantially symmetrical about a transverse plane for use on either a safety beam emitter or a safety beam receiver with the emitter or receiver mounted on a garage door track or to a doorway frame supporting the door track, said housing formed as one piece from a tough but resilient plastic material and comprising:

a front and back wall joined together with a top and bottom wall, said front wall having an opening for passage of a light beam between the emitter and the receiver, a side wall joined to the front, back and top and bottom walls, said side wall having an opening with a grate through which diagnostic LEDS associated with emitter or receiver may be viewed,

a notch in the top and bottom walls adapted to receive a garage door track,

a flange along the top and bottom walls, said flange extending along an open side opposite the side wall and along the notch,

whereby said housing may be attached by the flange along the notch to the bottom of the track or by the flange along the open side to the doorway frame.

5. The housing of claim 4 wherein a corner is chamfered along an interface of the side wall with the back wall.

6. The housing of claim 5 wherein a first elongated slot is provided in the flange along the open side and a second elongated slot is provided in the flange along the notch.

7. The housing of claim 6 wherein the flange has a channel for electric wires leading to the emitter or the receiver.

8. The housing of claim 6 wherein the back wall has notches for electric wires leading to the emitter or the receiver.

9. The housing of claim 4 wherein the opening in the side wall has a grate.

10. The housing of claim 9 wherein the grate is formed from parallel bars.