Rolling barrier

• US 6,145,571 A
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Snyder, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Purol, David M.
• Application Number:
  US08/937,047
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 160/264, 160/7, 160/1, 160/310, 160/10, 160/120, 160/311, 160/312, 192/135, 192/133
• US Class Current: 160/264
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/58 Guiding devices

Abstract

A rolling barrier including a curtain formed of fabric or other material that rolls onto and off of a tube preferably disposed above a doorway or opening to, respectively, block and unblock the opening, the edges of the curtain are received within guideways disposed laterally of the curtain, and which guide the curtain edges to maintain the curtain in a planar orientation during travel; barricade members extending across the curtain (and thus the opening when the barrier is in the closed or blocking position) have their ends disposed in the guideways as well to reinforce the curtain and prevent personnel or objects from passing through the opening at least when the barrier is in the closed position. The barrier may also include a detector for detecting when the door is in or at least approaching the fully closed position and coupled to other electronics to control or regulate operation of the enclosed machine.

Claims

1. In an enclosed area having a machine therein through an opening defining a plane a rolling barrier for selectively limiting access to the enclosed area and being disposed adjacent the opening, the rolling barrier comprising:

a supporting structure disposed about the opening the supporting structure including sideframes disposed on opposite sides of the opening the sideframes including central channels each having a width that tapers down from top to bottom of the sideframes;

a roller mounted for rotation on the supporting structure and disposed above the opening;

a curtain coupled to the roller for movement between blocking and unblocking positions relative to the opening;

at least two reinforcing members coupled to and spaced along the curtain and including lateral ends, the lateral ends being received within the respective central channels to maintain the reinforcing member in the plane of the opening, whereby the curtain and reinforcing members are maintained in the plane of the opening for an impact on the curtain or the reinforcing member; and

a detector for detecting when the curtain is in a blocking position and coupled to the machine such that the machine cannot operate until the detector detects the curtain is in the blocking position.

2. The rolling barrier of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing members are received within pockets on the curtain.

3. The rolling barrier of claim 1, wherein the curtain is formed of a nylon based material.

4. The rolling barrier of claim 3, wherein the curtain further comprises an additional layer of material.

5. The rolling barrier of claim 1 wherein the detector detects when the barrier is in a blocking position and detects when the barrier moves away from the blocking position, and generates signals in response thereto.

6. The rolling barrier according to claim 5, wherein the detector is a magnetic proximity switch, and a magnet is mounted on the curtain, such that the magnet and switch are aligned when the curtain is in the blocking position.

7. The rolling barrier according to claim 5, wherein the detector is coupled to the machine by a coupling including electronics responsive to the signals from the switch for controlling the machine.

8. In an enclosed area having a machine therein through an opening defining a plane a rolling barrier for selectively limiting access to the enclosed area and being disposed adjacent the opening of the rolling barrier comprising:

a supporting structure disposed about the opening and including sideframes disposed on opposite sides of the opening the sideframes including central channels each having a width that tapers down from top to bottom of the sideframes;

a roller mounted for rotation on the supporting structure and disposed above the opening;

a curtain coupled to the roller for movement between blocking and unblocking positions relative to the opening;

at least two reinforcing members coupled to and spaced along the curtain and including lateral ends, the lateral ends being received within respective central channels to maintain the reinforcing member in the plane of the opening;

whereby the curtain and reinforcing members are maintained in the plane of the opening for an impact on the curtain or the reinforcing member; and

a detector for determining the position of the door, and coupled to the machine, such that the position of the panel determines whether the machine may be operated.