Overhead Roll-Up Door Having At Least Two Motors

• US 20130112357A1
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Rytec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rytec Corporation
• Inventors: Gontarski, Christopher, Drifka, Brian Norbert
• Application Number:
  US13/333,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20130112357A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 160/291
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/6818 using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/13 with closing members of one piece, e.g. of corrugated sheet metal
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/70 comprising an electric motor positioned outside the roller
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/90 for immobilising the closure member in various chosen positions

Abstract

An overhead roll-up door assembly for a vertically moving door to permit and prohibit access to an opening, the door assembly having a flexible door panel, a shaft capable of rotating to vertically move the flexible door panel, and at least two motors configured to rotate the shaft.

Claims

1. An overhead roll-up door assembly for a vertically moving door to permit and prohibit access to an opening, the door assembly comprising:

a flexible door panel;

a shaft capable of rotating to vertically move the flexible door panel; and

,

at least two motors configured to rotate the shaft.

2. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 1 wherein

the shaft includes at least two shaft gears having a substantially identical diameter;

each of the motors including a motor gear coupled to a motor shaft, the motor gears having a substantially identical diameter less than the substantially identical diameter of the shaft gears;

wherein each motor gear is operably engaged with one shaft gear by at least one of a chain or a belt.

3. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 2 wherein each gear shaft is located proximate an end of the shaft.

4. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 2 further comprising at least one sensor for detecting the operable engagement between at least two shaft gears and the at least two motor gears.

5. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one sensor is a proximity sensor.

6. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one sensor is a contact sensor.

7. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one sensor is an optical sensor.

8. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 4 wherein vertical movement of the door panel is prohibited if either motor gear becomes disengaged from its respective shaft gear.

9. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least two motors are configured to rotate the shaft at substantially the same rate.

10. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 9 further comprising at least one sensor for detecting rate of rotation of each motor.

11. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 10 wherein the at least one sensor detects the rate of rotation of each motor shaft.

12. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 11 wherein the at least one sensor determines the rate of rotation by tracking a marking on the member operably engaging each motor gear to its respective shaft gear.

13. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 11 wherein the at least one sensor determines the rate of rotation by monitoring the amount of door panel wound or unwound from the shaft.

14. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 10 wherein vertical movement of the door panel is prohibited if the rates of rotation of the at least two motors are not substantially identical.

15. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor for detecting the current drawn by the at least two motors.

16. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor for detecting a torque required by each motor to vertically move the door panel.

17. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 16 wherein vertical movement of the door panel is prohibited if the torque required by either motor exceeds a set threshold.

18. The overhead roll-up door assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one manual means for operating the motor and rotating the shaft.

19. The overhead roll-up door of claim 18 wherein the means for operating the motor and rotating the shaft is an emergency pull chain attached to at least one motor.

20. The overhead roll-up door of claim 19 wherein one emergency pull chain is attached to each motor.