Remote control door operating assembly

• US 20020078629A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Armstrong, Richard Armstrong Jr
• Original Assignee: Richard Armstrong, Richard Armstrong Jr
• Inventors: Armstrong, Richard Jr., Armstrong, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 6,675,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/340
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0024 Cams
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0026 Clutches, couplings or braking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0012 with rotary electromotors actuators with rotary electromotors per se H02K7/06, H02K23/68
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0047 Striker rotating about an axis parallel to the wing edge
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/53 for swinging wings

Abstract

An apparatus for opening and closing a door remotely includes a remote radio control, electrically operated strike plate, and a door opening assembly attached to the door. A double acting piston is attached to a fixture on the floor. An actuator rod coupling assembly allows the door to move freely in a normal manner when the apparatus is deactivated. The coupling assembly has a detent which will release the piston rod in case of a sudden excessive force on the door that would otherwise damage the apparatus. The piston is a double acting piston that includes pressure switches to deactivate the pump when the pressure exceeds a threshold to prevent damage to the assembly. The mechanism can use potable water as the hydraulic fluid to eliminate contamination and fire hazards. The electrical system uses 12 volt DC operating voltages to eliminate electric shock.

Claims

1. An apparatus for opening and closing a door hinged to a door frame, said apparatus comprising:

a first bracket mounted on a support surface and being in a fixed position with respect to said door;

a door actuator assembly having a first end pivotally coupled to said first bracket and a second end, said actuator assembly further having an actuator rod extending from said second end of said actuator assembly and being movable between an extended position and a retracted position;

a second bracket coupled to said door at a location spaced from said door frame, said actuator rod being slidably coupled to said second bracket; and

a coupling assembly coupled to said second bracket for selectively capturing said actuator rod to open and close said door by actuating said actuator rod between said extended position and said retracted position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second bracket includes an aperture for receiving said actuator rod, and wherein said coupling assembly is movable between a disengaged position released from said actuator rod allowing manual movement of said door and a captured position to capture said actuator rod for opening and closing said door by said door actuator assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said actuator rod has an outer surface with a recess therein, and said coupling assembly includes a movable detent for engaging said recess and capturing said actuator rod.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said detent is spring biased into engagement with said actuator rod to release said detent from said actuator rod when a predetermined force is applied to said door or actuator rod.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said recess in said actuator rod has an inclined leading edge and an inclined trailing edge.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said detent comprises a pin having a bottom end for engaging said recess and a top end for engaging a coupling actuator.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said coupling actuator comprises a housing, said housing being spring biased to said second bracket, and a cam member coupled to said housing for moving said detent into said captured position for engagement with said actuator rod.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said cam is rotatably coupled to said housing and said coupling actuator includes a motor for rotating said cam, and at least one microswitch for stopping said motor when said detent is in said disengaged position or said capturing position.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said door actuator assembly comprises a piston and cylinder assembly for moving said actuator rod between said extended position and said retracted position.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said actuator rod is coupled to said piston and said piston and cylinder assembly includes a fluid pump for producing reciprocating movement to said piston within said cylinder.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said actuator assembly is a double action hydraulic cylinder, said actuator assembly further comprising a pump operatively connected to said hydraulic cylinder, and a control device for operating said pump.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said control device is remote controlled.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a door latch coupled to said door and a strike plate coupled to said door frame for latching said door in a closed position, wherein said strike plate is retractable to allow said door to open.

15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said coupling assembly includes a cam member for moving said detent between said retracted position and said capturing position.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said cam member is spring biased whereby said detent is biased in said extended position toward said actuator rod.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein said actuator rod includes a recess for receiving said detent to capture said actuating rod.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein said recess in said actuator rod has an inclined leading edge and an inclined trailing edge whereby excessive axial force on said actuator rod allows said detent to release said actuator rod.

19. The assembly of claim 14, wherein said coupling assembly comprises a frame hinged to said body, and a spring extending between said body and said frame to bias said frame toward said body.

20. The assembly of claim 19, further comprising a cam mounted on said frame for moving said detent between said retracted and capturing positions, and a cam motor coupled to said frame for actuating said cam.

21. The assembly of claim 20, further comprising a fluid source for selectively supplying fluid to said cylinder to move said actuator rod between said retracted position and said capturing position, and a control device for controlling said fluid source and for actuating said cam motor.

22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein said control device is a remote control device.

24. The assembly of claim 23, further comprising a fluid source for supplying fluid under pressure to said door actuator, and a control device for actuating said fluid source.

25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein said coupling assembly comprises a body hinged to said second bracket and having a first passage extending therethrough for slidably receiving said actuator rod.

26. The assembly of claim 25, wherein said body includes a second passage intersecting with said first passage and receiving said coupling member.

27. The assembly of claim 26, wherein said actuating rod includes a recess for receiving said coupling member.

28. The assembly of claim 27, wherein said recess in said actuating rod includes an inclined leading edge and an inclined trailing edge.

29. The assembly of claim 23, wherein said coupling member of said coupling assembly is spring biased toward said actuator rod.

30. The assembly of claim 25, further comprising a frame hinged to said body, a cam member coupled to said frame for actuating said coupling member, and a spring extending between said body and said frame for biasing said cam and coupling member toward said actuating rod.

14. An automatic door operating assembly for opening and closing a door hinged to a door frame, said assembly comprising:

a first bracket mounted on a support surface, and being in a fixed position with respect to said door;

a door actuator having a piston and cylinder assembly, said cylinder having a first end pivotally coupled to said first bracket and a second end spaced from said first end, an actuator rod having a first end coupled to said piston and a second end spaced from said second end of said cylinder;

a second bracket coupled to said door;

a coupling assembly for coupling said actuator rod to said second bracket, said coupling assembly including a body coupled to said second bracket, said body having a hole defining a passage extending therethrough, said second end of said actuator rod extending through said hole and being slidable therein;

a detent coupled to said body, said detent being movable between an extended position for engaging and capturing said actuator rod and a retracted position for releasing said actuator rod, said actuator rod movable between a retracted position to open said door and an extended position to close said door.

23. A remote operated door operating assembly, for opening and closing a door hinged to a door frame, said assembly comprising:

a first bracket mounted on a support surface, and being in a fixed position with respect to said door;

a door actuator having a fluid operated piston and cylinder assembly, said cylinder having a first end pivotally coupled to said first bracket and a second end spaced from said first end;

an actuator rod having a first end coupled to said piston and a second end spaced from said second end of said cylinder, said actuator rod being movable between an extended door closing position and a retracted door opening position;

a second bracket fixed to said door;

a coupling assembly for coupling said second end of said actuator rod to said second bracket, said coupling assembly having a coupling member movable between a retracted position and an extended position for capturing said actuator rod;

a door latching assembly for latching said door in a closed position, said latching assembly having a movable strike plate coupled to said door frame and being movable from a latching position to an open position to allow said door to open; and

a remote control device for operating said door actuator, coupling assembly and latching assembly from a remote location to selectively open and close said door, wherein said door can be opened manually when said coupling member is in said retracted position without interference from said door actuator.