Assembly for moving a barrier and method of controlling the same

• US 7,271,560 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc. (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
• Inventors: Mullin, Paul Steven, Blatterman, William Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLON SANTANA, EDUARDO
• Application Number:
  US10/976,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20060091838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/36 Speed control, detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

An assembly for moving a barrier from one of a closed position and an opened position to the other of the closed position and the opened position. The assembly includes a motor to supply one of a first power and a second power to the barrier. The assembly also includes a controller to control the motor to supply the first power to move the barrier towards the closed position from the opened position. The controller also controls the motor to supply the first power to the barrier to move towards the opened position from the closed position, and to supply the second power intermittently after the barrier has started moving towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position.

Claims

1. An assembly for moving a barrier from one of a closed position and an opened position to the other of the closed position and the opened position, the assembly comprising:

a motor connectable to the barrier and configured to supply one of a first power and a second power, greater than the first power, to the barrier; and

a controller configured to determine a first time period and a second time period, to control the motor to supply the first power to move the barrier towards the closed position from the opened position, to supply the first power for the first determined time period to move the barrier towards the opened position from the closed position, to supply the second power intermittently for the second determined time period after the barrier has started moving towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position, and to return to supply the first power to continue moving the barrier towards the opened position.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a relay configured to generate a time delay before the barrier starts to move towards the opened position from the closed position.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a second one or more relays to configure the motor to supply the first power to move the barrier towards the opened position from the closed position, and to configure the motor to supply the second power intermittently to move the barrier after the barrier has started moving towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the second relay is further configured to control the motor to supply the first power to move the barrier after the controller has supplied the second power intermittently to the barrier.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a power supply configured to receive a power signal, and to convert the power signal into the first and second power.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first determined time period is adjustable.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the second determined time period is adjustable.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a permanent split capacitor motor.

9. A method of moving a barrier with a motor, the method comprising:

determining a first time period and a second time period;

supplying a first power from the motor to the barrier when the barrier starts to move from an opened position towards a closed position;

supplying the first power from the motor to the barrier for the first determined time period when the barrier starts to move from the closed position towards an opened position;

intermittently supplying a second power that is greater than the first power from the motor to the barrier for the second determined time period after the barrier has started moving towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position; and

re-supplying the first power from the motor to the barrier after the intermittently supplying the second power.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein supplying the first power further comprises

adjusting the first determined time period.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein supplying the second power for at least one period of time comprises adjusting the second determined time period.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a time delay before the barrier starts to move towards the opened position.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the motor comprises a permanent split capacitor motor.

14. A method of moving a barrier with a permanent split capacitor motor having a first set of windings and a second set of windings, the method comprising:

supplying power with a first current direction to the first set of windings to move the barrier from an opened position towards a closed position with a first motor power;

supplying power to the second set of windings to start moving the barrier from the closed position towards the opened position with the first motor power, the second set of windings being different from the first set of windings;

supplying power with a second current direction to the first set of windings to move the barrier towards the opened position after the barrier has started to move from the closed position towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position with a second motor power, the second motor power being greater than the first motor power and the second current direction being different than the first current direction; and

supplying power to the second set of windings to continue moving the barrier from the closed position towards the opened position with the first motor power and after the motor has moved the barrier from the closed position towards the opened position with the second motor power.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a time delay before the barrier starts to move from the closed position towards the opened position.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

activating a first relay to couple power to the second set of windings to start moving the barrier from the closed position towards the opened position with the first motor power, and to couple power to the second set of windings to continue moving the barrier from the closed position towards the opened position with the first motor power and after the motor has moved the barrier from the closed position towards the opened position with the second motor power; and

activating a second relay to couple power to the first set of windings to move the barrier towards the opened position after the barrier has started to move from the closed position towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position with a second motor power.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising rectifying a source power into the power.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising supplying power to the first set of windings to move the barrier towards the opened position after the barrier has started to move from the closed position towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position with a second motor power for at least one period of time.

19. An assembly for moving a barrier from one of a closed position and an opened position to the other of the closed position and the opened position, the assembly comprising:

a permanent split capacitor motor having a first set of windings and a second set of windings, the second set of windings being different from the first set of windings; and

a controller configured to power with a first current direction the first set of windings to result in the motor starting to move the barrier from the opened position towards the closed position, to power the second set of windings to result in the motor starting to move the barrier with a first motor power from the closed position towards the opened position, and to power with a second current direction the first set of windings intermittently after the barrier has started moving from the closed position towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position to result in the motor moving the barrier with a second motor power, the second motor power being greater than the first motor power and the second current direction being different than the first current direction.

20. The assembly of claim 19, further comprising a relay configured to generate a time delay before the barrier starts to move from the closed position towards the opened position.

21. The assembly of claim 19, further comprising a rectifier configured to transform a source power into the power.

22. The assembly of claim 19, further comprising a relay configured to couple power to the first set of windings to move the barrier towards the opened position after the barrier has started to move from the closed position towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position with the second motor power for at least one period of time.

23. An assembly for moving a barrier from one of a closed position and an opened position to the other of the closed position and the opened position, the assembly comprising:

a motor having at least one winding selectable as a first winding arrangement and a second winding arrangement, the second winding arrangement being different from the first winding arrangement; and

a controller configured to

power the first winding arrangement to start to move the barrier towards the opened position from the closed position,

intermittently power the second winding arrangement to continue to move the barrier towards the opened position after the barrier has started to move towards the opened position and before arriving at the opened position, and

power the first winding arrangement to continue to move the barrier towards the opened position after the controller provides the intermittent power.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to power the second winding arrangement to move the barrier towards the closed position from the opened position.

25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the motor comprises a permanent split capacitor motor.

26. The assembly of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a first time period and a second time period, wherein the controller powers the first winding arrangement to start to move the barrier for the first determined time period, and wherein the controller intermittently powers the second winding arrangement for the second determined time period.

27. A method of moving a barrier with a motor having at least one winding selectable as a first winding arrangement and a second winding arrangement, the method comprising:

energizing a first winding arrangement to start moving the barrier from a closed position towards an opened position;

intermittently energizing a second winding arrangement to continue to move the barrier towards the opened position after the barrier has started to move from the closed position and before arriving at the opened position, the second winding arrangement being different from the first winding arrangement; and

reenergizing the first winding arrangement to continue to move the barrier towards the opened position after intermittently energizing the second winding arrangement.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising energizing the second winding arrangement to move the barrier from the opened position towards the closed position.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the motor comprises a permanent split capacitor motor.

30. The method of claim 27, and further comprising determining a first time period and a second time period, wherein the energizing a first winding arrangement occurs for the first determined time period, and wherein intermittently energizing the second winding arrangement occurs for the second determined time period.