Safety gate system having an electronic display

• US 8,006,435 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daktronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Daktronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Criddle, Douglas John, Miller, Kent Shane, DeBlonk, Jay C.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US11/731,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20080236045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 491/41, 492/48, 493/58, 493/66, 493/67, 493/86, 163/66, 16368-370, 406/060.3, 406/060.7, 406/061.6, 256/24, 256/73
• US Class Current: 49/366
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 11/02 Gates; Doors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

A safety gate system having an electronic display for seamless integration into a barrier with electronic display capabilities. The safety gate system includes a post and a gate hinged to the post. The gate face and post carry electronic display modules which appear when the gate is closed, as continuous with and seamlessly integrated into the display of the barrier. Preferably, the hinges are four-bar hinges, most preferably two sets of paired four-bar hinges. The safety gate also includes a lower chase or sill which allows both signal wiring and power to pass under the gate. Braced rear legs compensate for the cantilever forces of the gates when open. A latch, preferably an electromagnetic latch, auto-releases in response to a pre-set sufficient force level, such as arising crowd surge forces, being applied to the gate, as well as being remotely releasable.

Claims

1. A safety gate system for integration into a barrier system with electronic display capabilities so as to allow controlled passage through the barrier system, the system comprising:

a post including a post hinge extension;

a gate having a first end rotatably connected to the post hinge extension with a hinge, and movable between a closed position disallowing passage through the barrier system and an open position allowing passage through the barrier system, wherein the hinge is configured such that a back surface of the gate covers the post hinge extension when the gate is in the closed position with a front surface of the gate flush with an exposed front surface of the post, and the first end of the gate faces the post hinge extension when the gate is in an open state; and

a latch system, the latch system holding the gate in the closed position, wherein the gate has a face providing an electronic display, which electronic display appears substantially seamlessly integrated into the electronic display capabilities of the barrier system.

2. The safety gate system of claim 1, including the electronic display capabilities of the barrier system and the electronic display of the face of the gate both employ electronic display modules mounted in a grid arrangement, of an array of rows and columns, conveying an impression of seamless integration into the electronic display capabilities of the barrier system.

3. The safety gate system of claim 1, wherein the gate is one of a pair of gates, the pair of gates oriented substantially co-aligned in a mutually closed position and oriented substantially parallel and spaced apart in a mutually open position.

4. The safety gate system of claim 3, wherein the latch system holds the pair of gates in the mutually closed position.

5. The safety gate system of claim 1, wherein the latch system includes a magnetic latch.

6. The safety gate of claim 5, wherein the magnetic latch includes an electromagnet and the electromagnet may be remotely released to allow the gate to move toward the open position when released from the closed position.

7. The safety gate system of claim 1, wherein the latch system auto-releases when subjected to sufficient opening force.

8. The safety gate system of claim 7, wherein the force sufficient to auto-release the latch system is from about 1 kg to about 30 kg.

9. The safety gate system of claim 7, wherein the force sufficient to auto-release the latch system is about 20 kg of force.

10. The safety gate system of claim 1, further including biasing means to urge the gate from the closed position toward the open position.

11. The safety gate system of claim 10, wherein the biasing means is a pneumatic device.

12. The safety gate system of claim 11, wherein the pneumatic device is pivotally attached to the gate and pivotally attached to the post.

13. The safety gate system of claim 1, wherein the gate is hinged to the post with a four-bar hinge.

14. The safety gate system of claim 13, wherein the four-bar hinge is one of four four-bar hinges, the four four-bar hinges being parallel and spaced apart from each other, with two upper four-bar hinges paired together by a hinge coordinator plate and two lower four-bar hinges paired together by a hinge coordinator plate.

15. The safety gate system of claim 1, wherein the post hinge extension extends from a side end of the post and is thinner than a main portion of the post.

16. The safety gate system of claim 15, wherein the hinge includes a four-bar hinge coupled between the post hinge extension and the first end of the gate and the open position of the gate is about perpendicular to the closed position of the gate.

17. The safety gate system of claim 1, further comprising a second post.

18. The safety gate system of claim 1, further comprising a lower communications chase or sill.

19. The safety gate system of claim 18, wherein the gate swings forward.

20. The safety gate system of claim 1, wherein the post has a face including display modules and which display modules are arranged for seamless integration with the gate face and the electronic display of the barrier.

21. A safety gate system having an electronic display comprising:

a first post, the first post including a hinge extension;

a second post spaced apart from the first post, the second post having a hinge extension;

a first gate, the first gate pivotally/hingedly carried by at least one four-bar hinge between the first gate and the hinge extension of the first post, wherein the at least one four-bar hinge is configured such that a back surface of the first gate covers the hinge extension when the first gate is in a closed position with a front surface of the first gate flush with an exposed front surface of the first post, and a hinged end surface of the first gate faces the hinge extension when the first gate is in an open state;

a second gate, the second gate pivotally/hingedly carried by at least one four-bar hinge between the second gate and the hinge extension of the second post, wherein the at least one four-bar hinge is configured such that a back surface of the second gate covers the hinge extension when the second gate is in a closed position with a front surface of the second gate flush with an exposed front surface of the second post, and a hinged end surface of the second gate faces the hinge extension when the second gate is in an open state;

a magnetic latch between the first gate and the second gate, the magnetic latch holding the first and second gates in a mutually closed condition/position and yielding to a sufficient force to release the gates to an open condition, wherein the first post, the second post, and the first gate and the second gate, when in mutually closed condition between the first and second posts, together present a front face having a grid of rows and columns for accepting electronic display modules; and

a plurality of electronic display modules populating the grid and connected to a power and signaling source, such that an electronic display may be presented on the front face.

22. The safety gate system of claim 21, further including a sill or chase extending between the first post and the second post, and beneath the first and second gates in the mutually closed condition/position, the sill or chase providing a passageway for power and/or signaling cabling.

23. The safety gate system of claim 21, wherein the electronic display modules of the front face of the first gate and the second gate are substantially seamlessly integrated into a barrier having a front face comprising a plurality of electronic display modules.