Security device for a movable closure and method therefor

• US 6,089,626 A
• Filed: 07/30/1999
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Garage Protection Systems, Inc. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Rodney Shoemaker
• Inventors: Shoemaker, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, TUYET PHUONG PHAM
• Application Number:
  US09/364,590
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 292/216, 292/201, 292/199, 292/280, 292/DIG. 25, 292/DIG. 36, 292/341.14, 70/256, 70/257, 70/279.1, 70/278.7, 70/283, 70/DIG. 8, 70/DIG. 11, 49/197, 49/199, 49/200, 160/201
• US Class Current: 292/216
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0002 with electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0004 said core being linearly movable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0607 the detent moving pivotally or rotatively
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/0021 for overhead or roll-up doors, e.g. garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 3/24 in the form of a bifurcated member automatic catches with a bifurcated latch E05C19/024; locks with a bifurcated bolt E05B65/0046, E05B85/243
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/22 Locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 292/36 Overhead door latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 70/11 Garage door lock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1047 Closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/1082 Motor

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selectively securing and unsecuring a movable closure to a support frame is provided. The security device of the present invention comprises a locking assembly attached to the frame and a securing element attached to the closure. The locking assembly comprises a first rotating element having a detent, a second rotating element being engaged with the first rotating element, and a rotating latching element being selectively engageable with the second rotating element. When the movable closure is secured, the detent of the first rotating element is securely coupled with the securing element.

Claims

1. A combination movable overhead closure and security device for selectively securing and unsecuring a movable overhead closure to a support frame, the combination comprising:

a movable overhead closure;

a support frame supporting the movable closure;

a locking assembly attached to one of the movable closure and the frame, the locking assembly comprising;

a locking element having a detent;

a latching element being selectively engageable with the locking element from an engaged position to a disengaged position;

a pivoting element coupled to the latching element;

a pivot element position sensor coupled to the pivot element, the position sensor indicating whether the latching element is in its engaged position or in its disengaged position; and

a securing clement attached to the other one of the movable closure and the frame;

wherein when the movable closure is secured, the detent of the locking element is securely coupled with the securing element and the position sensor indicates that the latching element is in its engaged position.

2. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 1, wherein the latching element has an opening and wherein the pivoting element is coupled to the latching element through the opening.

3. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 1, wherein the locking element is movable from a secured position to an unsecured position and wherein the combination movable closure and security device further comprises a locking element position sensor coupled to the locking element, the locking element position sensor indicating whether the locking element is in its secured position or in its unsecured position, wherein when the closure is secure the locking element position sensor indicates that the locking element is in its secured position.

4. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 3, wherein the pivot element position sensor and the locking element position sensor are switches.

5. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 4, wherein the pivot element position sensor is a double pole/double throw switch and the locking element position sensor is a single pole/single throw switch.

6. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 3, further including an actuator coupled to the pivoting element.

7. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 6, wherein the actuator has an element that is movable from a first position to a second position when the actuator is activated.

8. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 7, wherein the actuator is a solenoid.

9. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 6, wherein the closure is movable from a closed to an opened position and is movable from an opened to a closed position with an automatic opening device, wherein the automatic opening device includes a motor element, the motor element being coupled with the closure and moving the closure from its closed position to its opened position and from its opened position to its closed position when activated.

10. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 9, further comprising an electronics module coupled to the locking assembly, the electronics module comprising:

a first relay coupled to the actuator, wherein activation of the first relay energizes the actuator such that the actuator causes the latching element to be moved to its disengaged position; and

a second relay coupled to the pivot element position sensor, wherein when the pivot element position sensor indicates that the latching element is in its disengaged position, the second relay is activated and the motor element is energized, and wherein when the pivot element position sensor indicates that the latching element is in its engaged position, the second relay remains deactivated and the motor element remains de-energized.

11. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 10, wherein the electronics module is coupled to a security system.

12. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 11, wherein the security system is coupled to the pivot element position sensor and the locking element position sensor, wherein the security system receives a signal indicating a secured state when the pivot element position sensor indicates the latching element being in its engaged position and the, locking element position sensor indicates the locking element being in its secured position.

13. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 12, further comprising a timer element coupled to the first relay, wherein the timer element allows the movable closure to be opened before the actuator is de-energized.

14. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 13, wherein the electronics module further includes an integrated circuit chip, the integrated circuit chip coupled to the first relay, the second relay, the position sensor, the additional position sensor, the actuator, the security system, and the timer clement, wherein the integrated circuit chip controls the first relay, the second relay, the actuator, and the timer element.

15. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 10, further comprising a manual release element coupled to the latching element.

16. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 10, wherein the security device is capable of securing more than one movable closure to its respective supporting frame.

17. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 6, further including an electronics module coupled to the locking assembly, the electronics module comprising:

a relay coupled to the actuator, wherein activation of the relay causes the actuator to be energized which causes the actuator to rotate the latching element to its disengaged position;

a timer element coupled to the relay, wherein the timer element allows the movable closure to be manually opened before the actuator is de-energized; and

an integrated circuit chip for controlling the electronics module, the integrated circuit chip coupled to the relay, the pivot element position sensor, the locking element position sensor, the actuator, and the timer element.

18. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 17, wherein the electronics module is coupled to a security system.

19. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 18, wherein the security system is coupled to the pivot element position sensor and the locking clement position sensor, wherein the security system receives a signal indicating a secured state when the pivot element position sensor indicates the latching element is in its engaged position and the locking element position sensor indicates that the locking element is in its locked position.

23. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 2, wherein the movable closure is a garage door.

24. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 2, wherein the securing element is a rod.

25. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 3, wherein the movable closure is a roll-down door.

26. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 1, wherein the locking element and the latching element are formed from metal-reinforced plastic.

20. The combination movable overhead closure and security device ofclaim 19, further including a manual release element coupled to the latching element.

21. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 20, wherein the electronics module further includes an integrated circuit chip, the integrated circuit chip being coupled to the relay, the position sensor, the additional position sensor, the actuator, the security system, and time element, wherein the integrated circuit chip controls the first relay, the second relay, the actuator, and the timer element.

22. The combination movable overhead closure and security device of claim 21, wherein the electronics module and the locking assembly each include a phone jack connector, and the electronics module is coupled to the locking assembly by a wire connected to each of the phone jack connectors.

27. A method for securing a movable overhead closure to a support frame, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching a securing element to one of the movable closure and the frame;

attaching a locking assembly to the other one of the movable closure and the support frame, the locking assembly comprising;

a locking element having a detent;

a latching element being selectively engageable with the locking element;

a pivoting element coupled to tie latching clement;

a pivot clement position sensor coupled to the pivoting element, the first position sensor indicating whether latching element is in the engaged position or in the disengaged position; and

securing the movable closure to the support frame by moving the movable closure to its closed position, causing the securing element to engage the detent of the locking element, causing the locking element to rotate about its axis, causing the latching clement to contact and engage the locking element.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

coupling an actuator element to the pivoting element, the actuator element having an element movable from a first position to a second position; and

unsecuring the movable closure from the support fame by providing an electrical signal to activate the actuator element, thereby causing the actuator element to move from its first position to its second position, causing the latching element to rotate and disengage from the locking element, causing the locking clement to rotate, and allowing the securing element to become uncoupled from the detent.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of providing the locking assembly with a locking element position sensor, whereby the locking element position sensor is coupled to the locking element, the additional position sensor indicating whether the locking element is in its secured position or in its unsecured position;

whereby when the movable closure is secured, the detent of the locking element is securely coupled with the securing element and the position sensor indicates the pivoting element is in the engaged position and the additional position sensor indicates the locking element being in the secured position.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the actuator is a solenoid.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:

providing at least one of an RF transmitter coupled to the locking assembly by RF energy and a closure switch coupled to the locking assembly by wires;

providing an automatic opening device having a motor element to move the movable closure from a closed position to an opened position and from an opened position to a closed position, whereby the motor element is energized to move the closure from the closed position to the opened position; and

coupling an electronics nodule to the locking assembly and to the motor element, the electronics module comprising;

a first relay coupled to the actuator, whereby activation of the first relay energizes the actuator such that the actuator rotates the latching clement to the disengaged position; and

a second relay coupled to the position sensor, whereby when the position sensor indicates that the latching element is in the disengaged position, the second relay is activated and the motor element is energized, and whereby when the pivot element position sensor indicates that the latching element is in the engaged position, the second relay deactivated and the motor element remain de-energized.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of coupling a timer element to the first relay, whereby the timer element allows the closure to be opened before the actuator is de-energized.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of coupling a manual release member to the latching element, whereby the movable closure may be unsecured by moving the manual release member from a secured position to an unsecured position.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of providing an integrated circuit chip for controlling the first relay, the second relay, the position sensor, the additional position sensor, the actuator, the security system, and the timer element.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of coupling the electronics module to a security system.

36. A combination movable overhead closure and security device for selectively securing and unsecuring the movable closure to a support frame, the combination comprising:

a movable overhead closure selectively movable from a closed position to an opened position;

a support frame for supporting the movable closure;

a motor element, the motor element being coupled with the movable closure and moving the movable closure from its closed position to its opened position and from its opened position to its closed position when activated;

a securing element attached to one of the movable closure and the support frame;

a locking assembly attached to the other on of the movable closure and the support frames the locking assembly being movable from a secured to an unsecured position; and

a position sensor indicating whether the locking assembly is in its secured position;

wherein the locking assembly is coupled with the securing element when it is in its secured position; and

wherein when the locking assembly is in an unsecured position, a signal passes through the position sensor to energize the motor element.