Manual operating mechanism for upward acting door

• US 7,261,139 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Varley, David A., Clark, Raymond A., Lair, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, II; Hugh B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradford; Candace L.
• Application Number:
  US10/926,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20060042765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 160/310, 160/188, 160/309, 160/405, 160/311, 160/189, 160/201, 746/25, 494/97, 491/99, 492/00, 492/76, 493/64, 492/73, 492/74
• US Class Current: 160/310
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/74 adapted for selective electrical or manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/76 using crank handles

Abstract

An upward acting door, such as a flexible curtain rollup door, is moveable between open and closed positions by an electric motor drive unit wherein the motor has a drive shaft with an external drive tang for engagement with a hand crank member. The crank member is adapted for mounting on a wall bracket and in engagement with a switch connected to a motor control unit. When the crank member is removed from its bracket, the switch causes the motor control unit to prevent transmission of electrical power to the motor. A manually disengageable brake is associated with the motor drive unit and is connected via an actuating member to a foot pedal which may be operated by a person using the crank member to disengage the brake and to allow free rotation of the motor drive shaft.

Claims

1. In an upward acting door including a motor drive unit operably connected to said door for moving said door between open and closed positions, a drive shaft associated with said motor drive unit including a drive tang connected thereto, a manual crank member including a part adapted to be releasably connected to said drive tang for manually rotating said drive shaft, a control unit operably connected to said motor drive unit for supplying electrical power thereto, a support for said manual crank member, switching means mounted in a position in relation to said support such that when said manual crank member is disposed on said support said switch means is operably engaged with said manual crank member in a first condition and when said manual crank member is removed from said support said switch means is in a second condition, said switch means being operably connected to said control unit in a way such that in said second condition of said switch means said control unit is operable to prevent energizing said motor.

2. The door set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said motor drive unit is mounted on a support whereby said drive shaft extends vertically downwardly and said drive tang is mounted on a lower distal end of said drive shaft for engagement by said manual crank member.

3. The door set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said drive tang includes an eye opening formed therein and said manual crank member includes a hook for engagement with said drive tang at said eye opening for rotating said drive shaft with said manual crank member.

4. The door set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said switch means includes a spring biased actuator member engageable with a portion of said manual crank member when said manual crank member is mounted in said support, said actuator member being moveable to change the condition of said switch means in response to removal of said manual crank member from said support.

5. In a flexible curtain rollup door, spaced apart door support brackets for supporting a curtain drum for rolling said curtain onto and off said drum to move said door between an open and closed position;

a right angle electric gear motor drive unit mounted on one of said door support brackets and driveably connected to said drum for rotating said drum in opposite directions, said motor drive unit including an electric motor having a drive shaft, said drive shaft including a drive tang extending from one end of said electric motor;

a crank member adapted for engagement with said drive tang for rotating said drive shaft manually; and

a crank support bracket for said crank member including switch means thereon operable to sense when said crank member is mounted on said crank support bracket and when said crank member has been removed from said crank support bracket, said switch means being operably connected to a controller for said motor drive unit to prevent transmission of electrical power to said electric motor when said crank member is removed from said crank support bracket.

6. The door set forth in claim 5 wherein:

said motor drive unit includes an electromechanical brake responsive to electrical power applied to said electric motor to release said drive shaft for rotation and responsive to shutoff of electrical power to said electric motor to engage to prevent rotation of said drive shaft; and

a manually actuatable brake release mechanism for releasing said brake to allow rotation of said drive shaft by said crank member.

7. The door set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said brake release mechanism includes a release member on said motor drive unit and operable to disengage said brake in response to actuation thereof, an elongated cable connected at one end to said release member and at an opposite end to a foot pedal for actuation to release said brake when said crank member is connected to said drive shaft for rotation thereof.

8. A method for one of manually opening and closing an upward acting door, said door including an electric motor drive unit drivably connected to said door for moving said door in opposite directions, said drive unit including an electric motor and a drive shaft, said drive shaft including a drive tang extending from one end, said drive unit including a releasable brake operable in an engaged position to prevent rotation of said drive shaft;

a crank member adapted for engagement with said drive tang for rotating said drive shaft manually;

a support bracket for said crank member and switch means operable to sense when said crank member is mounted on said bracket and when said crank member has been removed from said bracket, said switch means being operably connected to a control for said drive unit to prevent transmission of electrical power to said motor when said crank member is removed from said bracket;

said method including the steps of;

removing said crank member from said bracket and connecting said crank member to said drive tang;

releasing said brake; and

rotating said crank member and said drive shaft to move said door between open and closed positions.

9. The method set forth in claim 8 wherein:

said brake is electromechanical and responsive to electrical power applied to said motor to release said drive shaft for rotation and responsive to shutoff of electrical power to said motor to engage to prevent rotation of said drive shaft and said door includes a manually actuatable brake release mechanism for releasing said brake to allow rotation of said drive shaft by said hand crank; and

said method includes the step of manually operating said brake release mechanism to release said brake while operating said crank member to move said door.

10. The method set forth in claim 9 wherein:

said brake release mechanism includes a pedal and said method includes the step of actuating said pedal to release said brake by placing a foot on said pedal.

11. In an upward acting door including a motor drive unit operably connected to said door for moving said door between open and closed positions, a drive shaft associated with said motor drive unit including a drive tang connected thereto, a manual crank member including a part adapted to be releasably connected to said drive tang for manually rotating said drive shaft, a control unit operably connected to said motor drive unit for supplying electrical power thereto, a support for said manual crank member, switch means mounted in a position such that when said manual crank member is disposed on said support said switch means is in a first condition and when said manual crank member is removed from said support said switch means is in a second condition, said switch means being operably connected to said control unit in a way such that in said second condition of said switch means said control unit is operable to prevent energizing said motor, said motor drive unit includes a brake for preventing rotation of said drive shaft in an engaged position of said brake, a manually actuatable brake release member being associated with said brake for causing disengagement of said brake in response to movement of said brake release member, and said brake release member being manually actuatable to release said brake during operation of said manual crank member to rotate said drive shaft.

12. The door set forth in claim 11 wherein:

said brake release member is connected to an elongated cable depending from said motor drive unit, said cable being connected to a foot actuatable pedal disposed adjacent said door and operable to be actuated to effect disengagement of said brake.

13. The door set forth in claim 12 including:

biasing means for biasing said brake release member to a brake engaged position.