OVERHEAD DOOR SPRING ALERT SAFETY SYSTEM

• US 20150059989A1
• Filed: 06/06/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Herman Gutierrez
• Original Assignee: Herman Gutierrez
• Inventors: GUTIERREZ, HERMAN
• Application Number:
  US14/298,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20150059989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 160/10
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/08 Roll-type closures roller blinds E06B9/40; operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; usable only as awnings E04F10/06
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/62 Counterweighting arrangements E06B9/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/82 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/04 Wound springs making springs by coiling wire B21F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2230/08 Sensor arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 2230/24 Detecting or preventing malfunction, e.g. fail safe

Abstract

A safety system for overhead garage and like door structures having a counterbalance spring structure including one or more coil springs, which comprises devices for detecting the breaking of a door counterbalance spring and alerting a human operator to a spring failure. The system may include communication capabilities for remote notification of the fault and other information, and may include devices for preventing operation of a motorized door opener until the fault is cleared.

Claims

1. A safety system for overhead garage and like door structures having a counterbalance spring structure including one or more coil springs comprising:

devices for detecting the breaking of a door counterbalance spring and alerting an operator to a spring failure event.

2. A safety system for overhead garage and like door structures having a counterbalance spring structure including one or more coil springs comprising:

one or more sensors for detecting the energy released by the breaking of a door counterbalance spring; and

a control circuit sensitive to said sensors for alerting a human operator to a spring failure event.

3. A safety system for overhead garage and like door structures having a counterbalance spring structure including one or more coil springs comprising:

one or more electronic sensors that detect the energy suddenly released by the breaking of a door counterbalance spring; and

an electronic control circuit sensitive to said sensors that enables an alert function to notify a human operator of a spring failure event.

4. The safety system of claim 3 wherein the electronic sensors are shock or accelerometer type sensors.

5. The safety system of claim 3 wherein the electronic sensors are remote from the control circuit and communicate with the control circuit via wired or wireless means.

6. The safety system of claim 3 wherein the electronic sensors are integral with the control circuit.

7. The safety system of claim 3 wherein visual and/or audible signal devices are provided for designating spring failure and/or other system status.

8. The safety system of claim 3 wherein means wired or wireless are provided for communicating system status with external devices or systems.

9. The safety system of claim 3 wherein means are provided to stop operation of a motorized door operator due to a spring failure event.

10. A method for detecting the breaking of a counterbalance spring of an overhead door structure comprising:

one or more sensors located at or near said spring that detect the energy released by the breaking of said spring; and

a control circuit sensitive to said sensors that alerts a human operator to a spring failure event.

11. A method for detecting the breaking of a counterbalance spring of an overhead door structure comprising:

one or more electronic sensors located at or near said spring that detect the energy suddenly released by the breaking of said spring; and

an electronic control circuit sensitive to said sensors that enables an alert function that notifies a human operator of a spring failure event.