Barrier operator and chassis

• US 8,689,486 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Menning, Curtis P.
• Primary Examiner(s): PUROL, DAVID M
• Application Number:
  US13/556,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20140027391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 160/188, 160/189, 491/99, 492/00, 310/89
• US Class Current: 49/199
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/684 Rails
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/17 Universally applicable
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/72 Sets of mutually exchangeable elements
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

A chassis for a barrier operator is provided. The barrier operator includes a motor and a transmission configured to cooperate with a rail system to move a barrier. The chassis includes a unibody frame having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion is configured to receive and secure the motor to the unibody frame. The second portion is configured to receive and secure the transmission to the unibody frame. The third portion is configured to receive and secure at least a portion of the rail system to the unibody frame. The first, second, and third portions are formed as a single, integral component.

Claims

1. A chassis for a barrier operator, the barrier operator including a motor and a transmission configured to cooperate with a rail system to move a barrier, the chassis comprising:

a unibody frame,

the unibody frame having a first portion configured to receive and secure the motor to the unibody frame,

a second portion configured to receive and secure the transmission to the unibody frame, and

a third portion configured to receive and secure at least a portion of the rail system to the unibody frame,

the first, second and third portions being formed as a single, integral component, wherein the third portion includes a plurality of openings, recesses, or combinations thereof configured to receive a plurality of different rail systems, the third portion including a first opening configured to receive a first rail system and a second opening configured to receive a second rail system, the second rail system being different from the first rail system, the first and second rail openings being interconnected to allow a portion of the first rail system to extend from the first rail opening into the second rail opening.

2. The chassis of claim 1 further comprising at least one chassis mount positioned on the unibody frame and integral therewith to secure the chassis to an external structure.

3. The chassis of claim 1 further comprising at least one body mount positioned on the unibody frame and integral therewith to secure a body to the chassis to at least partially enclose the chassis.

4. The chassis of claim 1 wherein the second portion includes a cavity positioned on the unibody frame which receives and at least partially encloses the transmission.

5. The chassis of claim 1 wherein the unibody frame is one of cast or molded as a single, integral component.

6. A chassis for a barrier operator, the barrier operator including a motor and a transmission configured to cooperate with a rail system to move a barrier, the chassis comprising:

a frame,

the frame having a first portion configured to receive and secure the motor to the frame,

a second portion configured to receive and secure the transmission to the frame, and

a third portion configured to receive and secure at least a portion of the rail system to the frame, the third portion including at least a first rail portion and a second rail portion, the first rail portion configured to receive and secure a first rail system to the chassis and the second rail portion configured to receive a second rail system different from the first rail system to the chassis,

the first and second rail portions being formed as a single, integral component, wherein the third portion includes a plurality of openings, recesses, or combinations thereof configured to receive a plurality of different rail systems, the third portion including a first opening configured to receive a first rail system and a second opening configured to receive a second rail system, the second rail system being different from the first rail system, the first and second rail openings being interconnected to allow a portion of the first rail system to extend from the first rail opening into the second rail opening.

7. The chassis of claim 6 further comprising at least one chassis mount positioned on the unibody frame and integral therewith to secure the chassis to an external structure.

8. The chassis of claim 6 further comprising at least one body mount positioned on the unibody frame and integral therewith to secure a body to the chassis to at least partially enclose the chassis.

9. The chassis of claim 6 wherein the second portion includes a cavity positioned on the unibody frame which receives and at least partially encloses the transmission.

10. The chassis of claim 6 wherein the unibody frame is cast or molded as a single, integral component.

11. A barrier operator configured to cooperate with a rail system to move a barrier, the barrier operator comprising:

a motor;

a transmission; and

a chassis,

the chassis including a unibody frame having a first portion configured to receive and secure the motor to the unibody frame,

a second portion configured to receive and secure the transmission to the unibody frame, and

a third portion configured to receive and secure at least a portion of the rail system to the unibody frame,

the first, second and third portions being formed as a single, integral component, wherein the third portion includes a plurality of openings, recesses, or combinations thereof configured to receive a plurality of different rail systems, the third portion including a first opening configured to receive a first rail system and a second opening configured to receive a second rail system, the second rail system being different from the first rail system, the first and second rail openings being interconnected to allow a portion of the first rail system to extend from the first rail opening into the second rail opening.

12. The barrier operator of claim 11 further comprising at least one chassis mount positioned on the unibody frame and integral therewith to secure the chassis to an external structure.

13. The barrier operator of claim 11 further comprising at least one body mount positioned on the unibody frame and integral therewith to secure a body to the chassis to at least partially enclose the chassis.

14. The barrier operator of claim 11 wherein the second portion includes a cavity positioned on the unibody frame which receives and at least partially encloses the transmission.

15. The barrier operator of claim 11 wherein the unibody frame is cast or molded as a single, integral component.

16. A barrier operator configured to cooperate with a rail system to move a barrier, the barrier operator comprising:

a motor;

a transmission; and

a chassis,

the chassis including a unibody frame having a first portion configured to receive and secure the motor to the unibody frame,

a second portion configured to receive and secure the transmission to the unibody frame, and

a third portion configured to receive and secure at least a portion of the rail system to the unibody frame, the third portion including at least a first rail portion defining a first rail opening and a second rail portion defining a second rail opening, the first rail opening configured to receive and secure a first rail system to the chassis and the second rail opening configured to receive a second rail system to the chassis different from the first rail system, the first and second rail openings being interconnected to allow a portion of the first rail system to extend from the first rail opening into the second rail opening,

the first, second and third portions being formed as a single, integral component.

17. The barrier operator of claim 16 further comprising at least one chassis mount positioned on the unibody frame and integral therewith to secure the chassis to an external structure.

18. The barrier operator of claim 16 further comprising at least one body mount positioned on the unibody frame and integral therewith to secure a body to the chassis to at least partially enclose the chassis.

19. The barrier operator of claim 16 wherein the second portion includes a cavity positioned on the unibody frame which receives and at least partially encloses the transmission.

20. The barrier operator of claim 16 wherein the third portion includes a plurality of openings, recesses, or combinations thereof configured to receive a plurality of different rail systems.

21. The barrier operator of claim 16 wherein the unibody frame is cast or molded as a single, integral component.

22. The barrier operator of claim 16 wherein the first rail portion is configured to receive a T rail type rail for a barrier operator system.

23. The barrier operator of claim 16 wherein the second rail portion is configured to receive an SSR rail type rail for a barrier operator system.

24. The barrier operator of claim 20 further comprising a configuration of at least some of the plurality of openings, recesses, or combinations thereof configured to receive braces to define an opening configured to receive a C rail type rail for a barrier operator system.

25. The barrier operator of claim 24 wherein the first rail portion is configured to receive a T rail type rail for a barrier operator system.

26. The barrier operator of claim 25 wherein the second rail portion is configured to receive an SSR rail type rail for a barrier operator system.

27. The barrier operator of claim 24 wherein the first rail portion, the second rail portion, and the configuration of at least some of the plurality of openings, recesses, or combinations thereof are arranged such that rails connected to the chassis using the first rail portion, the second rail portion, or the configuration of at least some of the plurality of openings, recesses, or combinations thereof are connected to the chassis along a common axis.

28. The barrier operator of claim 27 wherein the first portion of the chassis is configured to secure a long axis of the motor parallel to the common axis of the rails.

29. The barrier operator of claim 28 wherein the second portion of the chassis is located between the first portion of the chassis and the third portion of the chassis.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a chassis comprising;

a first flange having a first flange edge, the first flange edge integral with and defining a motor flange formed to receive and mount a motor,

the first flange having a transmission housing integral with and extending toward a first side of the chassis, the transmission housing configured to house at least a part of a transmission configured to receive rotational power from the motor and provide the rotational power to a drive gear supported on a second side of the chassis opposite of the first side of the chassis,

the first flange defining an aperture configured to receive a portion of the transmission to drive the drive gear,

a second flange integral with the first flange along an edge of the first flange different from the first flange edge,

the second flange defining a pair of arms on the first side of the chassis, the pair of arms defining a slot between terminal portions of each of the arms, the slot configured to receive a first portion of a rail of a first rail system, the first portion of the rail of the first rail system when received in the slot being approximately perpendicular to the second flange,

the second flange defining a support structure that together with the pair of arms defines an aperture configured to receive a second portion of the rail of the first rail system with the second portion of the rail of the first rail system oriented approximately parallel to the second flange and with an end of the rail of the first rail system approximately aligned with the drive gear,

the second flange defining a C-shaped portion on the second side of the chassis, the C-shaped portion together with the pair of arms defining an aperture configured to receive the first portion of the rail of the first rail system and to engagingly receive a portion of a rail of a second rail system with an end of the rail of the second rail system approximately aligned with the drive gear.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising:

the motor; and

the transmission.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the chassis defines body mount flanges that define body mount apertures configured to receive fasteners to fasten a body housing to the chassis.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising:

the motor;

the transmission; and

the body housing.

34. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the second flange defines openings, recesses, or combinations thereof configured to receive fasteners, a mounting bracket, or combinations thereof to together with at least a portion of the second flange define a rail mount aperture configured to receive a portion of a rail of a third rail system with an end of the rail of the third rail system approximately aligned with the drive gear.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the third rail system is a C rail type rail system.

36. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the first rail system is a T rail type rail system.

37. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the second rail system is an SSR rail type rail system.