Automated garage door closer

• US 6,563,278 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Noostuff Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Noostuff Incorporated
• Inventors: Roman, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leykin, Rita
• Application Number:
  US09/750,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 318/466, 318/468, 318/280, 318/282, 318/286, 318/281, 49/26, 49/28
• US Class Current: 318/282
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/71 responsive to temperature changes, rain, wind or noise
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/72 responsive to emergency conditions, e.g. fire
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/74 using photoelectric cells
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/79 using time control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/422 for opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/52 Safety arrangements associated with the wing motor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/59 Travel display
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/814 Sound emitters, e.g. loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/254 the elements not functioning in case of emergency
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/42 against smoke or gas
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

An automated garage door closing device for a remote controlled overhead garage door wherein the device is mounted on one of a pair of parallel tracks receiving rollers suitably mounted on the outer edges of the door panels, the device including a switch housing containing a switch for the leading edge of the door, and a circuit located in a second housing adjacent the garage floor and including an interval timer acting to close the door after a predetermined period of time, an audible alarm which is activated upon the garage door reaching the fully open position, a switch deactivating the entire unit when the garage door is deliberately to be left in the fully open position, and a flexible switch arm extending through the switch housing to a position to engage the upper edge of the garage door panel and acts to activate the automated closing device. A recycle delay circuit in the timing circuit acts to deactivate the unit upon interruption of the door closing operation if door movement is reversed and returned to the open position, and a sensor providing a sensor beam adjacent the garage floor to measure the time interval of interruption of the sensor beam to determine if a vehicle has exited or entered the garage or a person or animal has interrupted the beam. Also, a carbon monoxide detector is inserted in the circuit to provide activation of the door opening cycle if the level of carbon monoxide reaches a dangerous level.

Claims

1. An automatically controlled garage door closer device for installation on a garage having a door opening and a garage door with an upper edge and a lower edge, a reversible electric motor providing motive power to move the door between open and closed positions on a pair of parallel tracks, and sensor means adjacent the lower edge of the door opening providing a beam projected across the opening, said device acting to automatically close the door if said door is inadvertently left open after a vehicle enters or exits the garage and comprises a switch housing adapted to be mounted on one of said tracks guiding the door between open and closed positions adjacent the final open position of the door, a switch within the housing having a flexible finger extending beyond the housing and into the path of the upper door edge, and a second housing containing said sensor means and a control circuit including timer means operatively connected to the motive power for the garage door for energization of the door closer once a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the door is opened, relay means operated by the timer once the predetermined time period has elapsed to automatically close the door, and means to interrupt the timer cycle upon breaking of the sensor beam, wherein if the sensor beam is interrupted before the predetermined time cycle is completed for closing the relay, the device is inactivated and reactivation of said timing circuit only occurs when the door is closed for a predetermined period of time.

2. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 1, in which a radio receiver is mounted adjacent to and operatively connected to said motor and adapted to cooperate with a transmitter for activation of the motor.

3. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 1, in which a Schmit trigger inverter is positioned in the circuit of the audible alarm to sound the alarm at prescribed intervals.

4. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 3, wherein a switch is located in the closer circuit to deactivate the device.

5. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said device is operatively connected to a push button wall switch for the garage door opener/closer mechanism.

6. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 1, wherein mounting means for said switch housing comprises at least one strap encompassing said housing and track.

7. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 6, in which said switch housing consists of a box provided with a nesting lid or cover, said cover having two or more raised straps forming openings therein that receive a strap passing through the openings and around the track to secure the device to the track.

8. An automated garage door closer set forth in claim 1, including audible alarm means activated when the door reaches its fully open position.

9. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 8, wherein once the timer is activated, interruption of the door closer cycle by the sensor inactivates the timing circuit.

10. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 1, in which said circuit includes a capacitor which begins discharging when power is removed and prevents another time delay cycle.

13. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 1, including means to detect carbon monoxide positioned in the unit.

14. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 13, wherein the carbon monoxide detector means is connected in said circuit to open the door when a dangerous level of gas is sensed.

11. An automatically controlled garage door closer device for installation on a garage having a door opening and a garage door with an upper edge and a lower edge, a reversible electric motor providing motive power to, move the door between open and closed positions on a pair of generally parallel tracks, and sensor means adjacent the lower edge of the door opening providing a beam projected across the opening, said device acting to automatically close the door if said door is inadvertently left open after a vehicle enters or exits the garage and comprises a switch housing adapted to be mounted on one of said tracks guiding the door between open and closed positions adjacent the final open position of the door, a switch within the housing having a flexible finger extending beyond the housing and into the path of the upper door edge, and a second housing containing said sensor means and a control circuit including timer means operatively connected to the motive power for the garage door for energization of the door closer once a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the door is opened, audible alarm means activated when the door reaches its fully open position, relay means operated by the timer once the predetermined time period has elapsed to automatically close the door, and means to interrupt the timer cycle upon a breaking of the sensor beam, wherein if the sensor beam is interrupted before the predetermined time cycle is completed for closing the relay, the timing circuit is deactivated and reactivation of said timing circuit only occurs when the door is closed for a predetermined period of time, said sensor means provides means to gauge the interval of interruption of said sensor beam.

12. An automated garage door closer as set forth in claim 11, in which said sensor means determines whether a vehicle or a person or animal interrupts the sensor beams by the time interval involved.

15. A method for controlling a motor-driven door operator including the steps of activating a switch when the door is moved to its open position, said switch activating a sensor beam, providing a timer circuit having a predetermined time delay during which the door remains open, sounding an alarm during the time delay indicating that an automatic closer mechanism is activated, upon termination of the time delay reactivating the motor to close the door, and determining the time interval of interruption of the sensor beam and acting to activate the timing cycle based on the elapsed time interval.

16. A method for controlling a motor-driven door operator as set forth in claim 15, including the step of providing means to deactivate the timing circuit if the door closing cycle is interrupted.

17. A method for controlling a motor-driven door operator as set forth in claim 16, including the step of interrupting the door closing cycle and deactivating the timing circuit where a sensor determines that an object has interrupted the sensor beam for a short interval.

18. A method for controlling a motor-driven operator as set forth in claim 15, in which said sensor provides a short time delay after interruption of the sensor beam before initiating the timing cycle.

19. A method for controlling a motor-driven door operator as set forth in claim 18, wherein multiple interruptions of said sensor beam will not initiate the door closing cycle until the time delay after interruptions of the sensor beam has occurred.

20. A method for controlling a motor-driven door operator as set forth in claim 19, in which a pre-determined minimum time interval is gauged for passage of a vehicle through the sensor beam, wherein the elapse of the minimum time interval initiates the door closing cycle.