Automatically actuated door arrangement

• US 5,347,755 A
• Filed: 02/19/1993
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ready Access Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ready Metal Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Vestuto, Russell J., Maruszak, Ronald S., Jaster, Dale R.
• Primary Examiner(s): KANNAN, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/019,797
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 49/25, 49/26, 49/28, 49/27, 49/118, 49/123, 49/29, 49/13, 49/14, 49/231, 49/280, 49/289, 49/300, 49/138
• US Class Current: 49/25
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/046 with rectilinearly-inclined tracks for sliding wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/632 for horizontally-sliding wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/643 operated by flexible elongated pulling elements, e.g. belts, chains or cables by flexible elongated push-pull mechanisms E05F15/635
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/74 using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 17/004 for wings which abut when closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 2015/765 using optical sensors using photoelectric cells E05F15/74
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/232 by automatically acting means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/654 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/684 Rails
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/32 Position control, detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/445 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/504 of control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/11 Manual wing operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors

Abstract

An automatically actuated door arrangement is provided. The arrangement includes a plurality of slidable doors which are opened and closed by an electric motor/cable arrangement. Open and close switches control the opening and closing of the doors. A sensor device provides the open doors/close doors signals to the controller, and eventually to the motor. The motor is connected to the cable drive by a clutch arrangement which allows slippage should the movement of the doors become obstructed. The door travel path may be arranged in a slight V-shape, to allow for more efficient sealing of the door bottoms. A controller is provided to receive, process, and distribute electronic signals for controlling the extent of the door opening, the speed of opening and closing, and other operating parameters. The controller includes a series of indicators for monitoring the status of the door arrangement, and also includes inputs for altering the operating parameters of the door arrangement.

Claims

1. An automatically actuated door arrangement comprising:

a plurality of substantially vertically disposed sliding doors, said doors arranged in substantially the same plane and slidable in a substantially horizonal direction,

a door track for supporting said doors, said door track is arranged in a shallow "V" shape, whereby said doors are lifted slightly up as they move from a closed to an open position,

door bearings disposed on said doors, said door bearings riding in said door track,

a drive cable attached to said doors,

a reversible drive motor associated with said drive cable,

a clutch assembly associated with said drive motor, said drive motor acting through said drive cable to alternately open and close said doors,

a detector arranged and constructed to sense the entry of an operator into an area adjacent said doors,

position limiting means to control the position of said doors,

a controller arranged and constructed to control the opening the closing of said doors, said controller having a plurality of operating parameter indicators, wherein the movement of an operator into an area adjacent said doors causes the doors to open, and the movement of the operator away from said doors causes the doors to close and

a solenoid operated latch arranged and constructed to lock the doors together when closed, and to automatically unlock as the doors begin to open.

2. An automatically actuated door arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said clutch assembly comprises an adjustable clutch spring, a clutch plate, and a drive pulley.

3. An automatically actuated door arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said detector comprises a light source and a light receiver.

4. An automatically actuated door arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said detector comprises a motion sensor.

5. An automatically actuated door arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said position limiting means comprises a plurality of open limit switches for limiting opening movement of said doors, an open limit switch selector for selection between various opening sizes, a close limit switch for determining the point of closure, and an autoreverse switch for sensing obstructions to door closure and for sending a reverse door direction signal to said drive motor.

6. An automatically actuated door arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said operating parameter indicators comprise a beam break indicator, a motor run indicator, a close detect indicator, a current detect indicator, and a power indicator.

7. An automatically actuated door arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said drive motor is arranged and constructed to open said doors at a higher relative rate of speed with respect to the closing rate.

8. An automatically actuated door arrangement according to claim 7, wherein all input and output connections between said drive motor, said solenoid latch, said limit switches, and said controller are modular.