Selectively drivable window operator

A window operator including a first sun gear, a first drive gear including a drive gear portion and a ring gear portion, a manual worm drive operatively connected to the drive gear portion, a planetary gear carrier, a first set of planetary gears carried between the first sun gear and the ring gear portion, and an operable connection between the gear carrier and a window sash whereby pivoting of the gear carrier operates the sash. A first ring gear is drivably connected to pivot with the first sun gear, and a second ring gear is fixed with respect to the window frame. A second set of planetary gears has first and second axially spaced gear segments, the first gear segments being disposed between a motor driven sun gear and one of the ring gears, and the second gear segments drivably engaging the other of the ring gears. The ring gears and/or the gear segments have different numbers of teeth. The worm drive lies in substantially the same plane as the drive gear, and is hidden by the window frame except for a female socket aligned with the worm axis and exposed through an opening in the frame. A handle is provided with a male connector selectively extendable through the frame opening to operatively engage the worm female socket. The gears are made of an inherently corrosion resistant non-metallic material such as plastic.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Technical Field 
The present invention is directed toward window operators, and more 
particularly toward window operators which may be selectively motor driven 
or manually driven. 
2. Background Art 
There are, of course, any number of different types of window (and other 
closure) operators which are well known in the art. Examples of such 
operators are shown, for example, in Van Klompenburg U.S. Pat. No. 
4,136,578, Van Klompenburg et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,541, Peterson et al. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,276, Erdman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,371, Nelson 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,228, Sandberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,372, Vetter U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,497,135, Tacheny et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,993, Vetter U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,617,758, Allen U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,508, Tucker U.S. Pat. No. 
4,840,075, Nolte et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,703, Nolte et al. U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,845,830, Tucker U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,902, Tucker et al. U.S. Pat. No. 
4,937,976, Nolte et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,086, Berner et al. U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,945,678, Tucker et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,239, Tucker et al. U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,152,103, and Vetter et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,216. 
Generally speaking, such operators have used a variety of linkages in 
combination with suitable hinge structures, where the operator linkages 
are actuated by rotation of a manual or powered drive connected to the 
linkage through assorted worm gear drives. 
Design of acceptable operators is difficult due to numerous, sometimes 
contradictory, requirements. For example, it is necessary to provide 
operators which are able to withstand the extremely high loads often 
encountered by operators (when, for example, breaking the weatherstrip 
seal during initial opening of the sash and when closing the window sash 
to seal about the entire periphery of the weather strip). 
Notwithstanding these strength requirements, it has been aesthetically 
necessary to minimize the size of operators in order to minimize the 
intrusion of the operator into the open viewing area provided through the 
pane opening of the sash. 
The strength requirements have also heretofore necessitated the use of high 
strength, and relatively costly, materials (such as suitably hardened 
metals) in the drive train of the operator. Such materials are inherently 
susceptible to corrosive environments such as are commonly found in many 
areas, particularly in seaside dwellings. In order to provide a long 
useful life for the operator, various attempts have been made to coat or 
treat the metal components to resist corrosion. However, even the most 
successful of such treatments can significantly increase the cost of 
manufacturing the operator. 
Yet another requirement in many window operator installations is the 
ability to drive the operator by an electric motor. However, since such 
motors are required to overcome the previously discussed high loads 
typically encountered by such operators, relatively expensive high power 
motors have typically been required. Of course, use of these motors in 
high load conditions also makes them susceptible to early burn out, in 
which case they provide neither the low cost nor the long useful life 
required in such units. 
Prior art operators have to varying degrees been unable to address all of 
the above design constraints in a suitable manner. 
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the 
problems set forth above. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In one aspect of the present invention, an operator for controlling 
movement of a window sash relative to a window frame is provided, 
including a first sun gear, a first drive gear including a drive gear 
portion and a ring gear portion, a first drive input operatively connected 
to the drive gear portion, a planetary gear carrier, a first set of 
planetary gears between the first sun gear and the ring gear portion of 
the first drive gear and pivotable about the axes defined by the carrier, 
and an operable connection between the gear carrier and the window sash 
whereby pivoting of the gear carrier operates the sash. 
In a second aspect of the present invention, an operator for controlling 
movement of a window sash relative to a window frame is provided, 
including a first ring gear drivably connected to the window sash whereby 
pivoting of the first ring gear operates the sash, a second ring gear 
fixed with respect to the window frame, a selectively driven sun gear, and 
a set of planetary gears having first and second axially spaced gear 
segments, the first gear segments being disposed between the sun gear and 
one of the ring gears, and the second gear segments drivably engaging the 
other of the ring gears. The ring gears and/or the gear segments have 
different numbers of teeth. 
In a third aspect of the present invention, the first two aspects of the 
present invention are combined, with the first ring gear being secured to 
pivot with the first sun gear, whereby the selectively driven sun gear is 
driven by a motor and the first drive input is a manual drive. 
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a hidden operator for 
controlling movement of a window sash relative to a window frame is 
provided, including a drive gear pivotable about a central axis 
substantially perpendicular to one side of the window frame, the drive 
gear being mountable to the one side of the window frame in a position 
hidden by the window frame. A worm drivably engages the drive gear in a 
position hidden by the window sill, the worm being pivotable about an axis 
which defines a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the central 
axis and including a female socket aligned. with the worm axis and exposed 
through an opening in the frame. A handle is provided with a male 
connector selectively extendable through the frame opening to operatively 
engage the worm female socket. 
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the gears are made of an 
inherently corrosion resistant non-metallic material such as plastic. 
It is an object of the invention to provide a window operator which may be 
simply and inexpensively manufactured and installed. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a window operator which 
may be simply and reliably operated over a long useful life. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an operator 
which is highly resistant to corrosion in the different types of 
environments commonly encountered by dwellings. 
It is still another object of the present invention to minimize the visual 
intrusion of the operator into the open viewing area provided through the 
pane opening of the sash. 
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an 
operator which can be selectively driven by either of two drive inputs, as 
by a conventional manually operated handle and an electric motor. 
It is another object of the present invention to maximize the useful life 
of any electric motor used to control the operator notwithstanding the 
high loads typically incurred by the operator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A first embodiment of the window operator 10 of the present invention is 
shown in FIGS. 1-6. 
The window operator 10 includes a base 12 suitably mounted to a window 
frame 14 to which a suitable window sash 16 is secured. 
With the particular embodiment shown, the operator 10 includes a single arm 
20 having a roller (not shown) on its end, which roller is received in a 
track 22 secured to the sash 16. A suitable hinge (not shown) is mounted 
between the window frame 14 and the window sash 16 to define the relative 
movement between the frame 14 and sash 16. The single arm operator shown 
in the Figures moves the sash 16 by pivoting the arm 20 to exert a force 
on the sash 16 through the connection of the roller and the track 22. Such 
basic operation is known in the art. 
As will become apparent from this disclosure, the connection between the 
gear drive of the operator and the window sash may, however, be of 
virtually any type wherein operation involves pivoting of a link relative 
to the window frame, with the pivoted link acting to move the sash in some 
path. Thus, once an understanding of the present invention is obtained, it 
will be recognized that the present invention may be readily incorporated 
in window operators using still other link connections between a pivoting 
drive and the window sash, including the various different link 
configurations used in operators shown in Van Klompenburg et al. U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,241,541, Peterson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,276, Erdman et al. U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,266,371, Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,228, Sandberg U.S. Pat. No. 
4,346,372, Vetter U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,135, Tacheny et al. U.S. Pat. No. 
4,521,993, Vetter U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,758, Allen U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,508, 
Tucker U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,075, Nolte et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,703, 
Nolte et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,830, Tucker U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,902, 
Tucker et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,976, Nolte et al. U.S. Pat. No. 
4,938,086, Berner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,678, Tucker et al. U.S. Pat. 
No. 5,054,239, Tucker et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,103, and Vetter et al. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,216, the disclosures of which relating to the 
connection of a pivoting drive to a window sash are all hereby 
incorporated by reference. 
The operator arm 20 is suitably secured for pivoting with a gear carrier 32 
about the central axis 34 of the operator 10. 
A manual drive gear 40 includes outer teeth 42 which mesh with a suitable 
manual input worm 46. An input worm 46 is suitably connected (as hereafter 
described) to a manually engageable member such as a handle 47 (see FIG. 
1) which may be grasped by a person to manually rotate the input worm 46. 
The manual drive gear 40 also includes a downwardly depending annular 
flange 48 with teeth 50 about its inner periphery defining a ring gear 
section 52. The ring gear section 52 meshes with planetary gears 58 
disposed about a first sun gear 60. The planetary gears 58 are pivotable 
about downwardly depending axial members 64 spaced about the gear carrier 
32. 
The first sun gear 60 is suitably secured for rotation with a second ring 
gear 70. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sun 
gear 60 has an axial height greater than the planetary gears 58, with a 
portion of the sun gear 60 extending into a toothed central opening 72 in 
the second ring gear 70. 
The second ring gear 70 is pivotally received in an annular section 78 of 
the gear housing 80, which is suitably fixed relative to the window frame 
14. Axially spaced below the housing annular section 78 is a ring gear 
section 86 having an inner diameter substantially equal to the inner 
diameter of the second ring gear 70. 
A drive motor 90 is mounted at the bottom of the housing 80 and includes an 
output shaft (not seen) which rotates a sun gear 92 centrally located at 
the bottom of the housing 80. 
Disposed about the sun gear 92 are planetary gears 96 each having a lower 
segment 98 and an upper segment 100. The planetary gear lower segments 98 
engage the sun gear 92 and are axially spaced below the second ring gear 
70 (so as to not mesh with the ring gear 70). The upper segments 100, 
which are differently configured from the lower segments 98 as detailed 
further below, are axially spaced above the sun gear 92 and engage only 
the second ring gear 70 (but not the sun gear 92). 
A second gear carrier 106 having downwardly depending axial members 108 is 
preferably disposed within, and rotatable with respect to, the second ring 
gear 70. The axial members 108 are received in central openings 110 in the 
planetary gears 96 to ensure proper orientation of the planetary gears 96 
within the housing 80. 
The upper and lower segments 98, 100 of the planetary gears 96, the housing 
ring gear section 86, and the second ring gear 70 are all relatively 
configured so as to permit substantial gear reduction from the drive motor 
90, as will become apparent from the below discussion of the operation of 
this operator 10. Specifically, in the configuration shown in the Figures, 
the housing ring gear section 86 and the second ring gear 70 have the same 
number of teeth and the same diameter, whereas the upper and lower 
planetary gear segments 98, 100 have the same diameter but different 
numbers of teeth. Different numbers of teeth between the ring gear 70 and 
ring gear section 86 and/or between the upper and lower planetary gear 
segments 98, 100 can be selected to provide the desired gear reduction, 
including reductions of over 1000 to 1 (whereby 1000 revolutions of the 
drive motor output shaft would rotate the second ring gear 70 only one 
time). 
In a preferred embodiment, the ring gear 70 and ring gear section 86 have 
different numbers of teeth as do the upper planetary gear segments 98 and 
the lower planetary gear segments 100. Still further, it is preferred that 
the ring gear section 52 and ring gear section 86 have the same pitch 
diameter for a purpose described hereafter. 
The operator 10 may thus be driven either manually or by motor as desired. 
For example, the operator 10 could normally be driven by the motor 90 as 
described below, with the manual drive used at selected times such as 
power outages or when simply more convenient. 
Motor driving of the operator 10 is accomplished as follows. 
The motor 90 is selectively activated to rotate the sun gear 92. Rotation 
of the sun gear 92 causes the lower segments 98 of the planetary gears 96 
to circle about the central axis 34 while at the same time rotating about 
their own axes. 
The upper segments 100 of the planetary gears 96 circle and rotate at the 
same rate as the lower segments 98. Due to the different numbers of gear 
teeth between the ring gear 70 and ring gear section 86 and/or between the 
upper and lower planetary gear segments 98, 100 as previously described, 
the upper segment 100 will cause the second ring gear 70 to rotate 
relatively slowly about the central axis 34, with the first sun gear 60 
rotating with the second ring gear 70 due to the connection through the 
toothed central opening 72. 
Rotation of the sun gear 60 causes the planetary gears 58 to circle about 
the central axis 34 and therefore pivot the gear carrier 32 through the 
connection to its downwardly depending axial members 154. The gear carrier 
32 pivots the connected operator arm 20 to control movement of the sash 16 
in a suitable manner as previously discussed. 
It should be understood that the forces exerted by the planetary gears 58 
on the ring gear section 52 of the manual drive gear 40 will not turn the 
drive gear 40 so that the above operation occurs. That is, the rotary 
force which the planetary gears 58 exert on the drive gear 40 applies an 
essentially axial force on the input worm 46. Due to the small pitch of 
the thread of the worm 46, the vast majority of that axial force tends to 
frictionally bind the gear 40 and worm 46 against pivotal movement. 
Of course, due to the great gear reduction which is possible with the above 
described operation, the motor 90 does not incur high loads despite the 
high loads which can be incurred by the operator arm 20. 
Manual driving of the operator 10 is accomplished as follows. 
The input worm 46 is manually pivoted to rotate the drive gear 40. Rotation 
of the drive gear 40 and its ring gear section 52 causes the planetary 
gears 58 to circle around the sun gear 60 by pivoting about their own 
axes. 
In manual operation, it should be understood that the forces exerted by the 
planetary gears 58 on the sun gear 60 will not tum the sun gear 60 in the 
preferred embodiment in which the ring gear section 52 and ring gear 
section 86 have the same pitch diameter. In such a configuration, the 
rotational forces within the drive tend to oppose and counterbalance one 
another to thereby prevent manual operation from significantly turning the 
sun gear 60 rather than the gear carrier 32. It should also be understood, 
however, that in other embodiments of the present invention, other 
structures could be suitably used to prevent backdrive of the motor 90 
during manual operation. 
Accordingly, the circling of the planetary gears 58 about the central axis 
34 pivots the gear carrier 32 through the connection to its downwardly 
depending axial members 64, and the gear carrier 32 pivots the connected 
operator arm 20 to control movement of the sash 16 in a suitable manner as 
previously discussed. 
Alternative preferred manual drives are shown in FIGS. 5-7, where the input 
worm 46 is oriented with its axis substantially parallel to the plane in 
which the drive gear 40 pivots. 
A first preferred manual drive input 140 usable in the FIG. 1 installation 
is shown in FIGS. 5-6, which drive input may be used in conventional 
installations such as shown in FIG. 1, with the pivot axis of the handle 
47 being at an angle .beta. from the horizontal plane, where .beta. is on 
the order of 35 degrees. Such an angle permits the drive handle 47 to be 
easily operated with minimal intrusion into the room. That is, if the axis 
of the drive input were vertical, the person rotating the handle would 
likely bang their knuckles against the sash. Alternatively, if the axis 
were horizontal, the handle would project into the room from the frame and 
thus could be damaged when bumped, or could damage something which bumped 
into it, and could further be ergonomically difficult to rotate at 
typically low window heights. 
This drive input includes an enveloping worm 46 suitably secured to the 
base 12 at one end 146 for pivoting about a substantially horizontal axis 
148. The other end of the worm 46 is forked 150 and received in an annular 
slot 152 of a connecting ball 154. The worm 46 is also preferably also 
secured to the base 12 at a cylindrical section 158 adjacent to the forked 
end 150 for pivoting about the horizontal axis 148. 
The worm 46 includes a helical thread 160 having a variable height whereby 
the peaks of the thread 160 lie in an annular orientation substantially 
conforming to the annular orientation of the engaged gear 40, whereby the 
engaging surfaces between the worm 46 and the gear 40 may be maximized and 
the stress along those surfaces minimized. As a result of these minimized 
stresses, the worm 46 and gear 40 may be made of low cost and corrosion 
resistant plastic while still being able to withstand the high loads often 
encountered by window operators. 
A drive input shaft 162 is also suitably mounted to the base 12 for 
rotation about an axis 164 which intersects the horizontal axis 148 at an 
angle .beta. (with the point of intersection of the axes 148, 164 being at 
the center of the ball 154) to preferably define a vertical plane. The 
input shaft 162 includes a forked end 170 received in a second annular 
slot 172 in the connecting ball 154. The opposite end 174 of the input 
shaft 162 is adapted for connection to a handle or a motor drive such as 
is known in the art. 
The two slots 152, 172 are centered about radii 180, 182 of the ball 154 
which are preferably oriented at right angles relative to one another. 
Therefore, the ball 154 and worm 46 pivot relative to one another about 
one of the radii 180 and the ball 154 and the input shaft 162 pivoting 
relative to one another about the other of the radii 182. 
Continuous rotation of the worm 44 and input shaft 62 is thus permitted 
about a full 360 degree range, with the motion of the connecting ball 54 
being somewhat complex but best defined by two factors: the worm forked 
end pivot radius 180 pivots in a vertical plane and the input shaft forked 
end pivot radius 182 pivots in a plane which is oriented at an angle of 
.beta. relative to the vertical plane. 
The above described drive input is also described in a pending U.S. Patent 
Application filed by Stephen M. Piltingsrud on Jul. 20, 1993 as Ser. No. 
08/095,054, entitled "Window Operator", the disclosure of which is hereby 
incorporated by reference. 
A second preferred alternative drive is illustrated in FIG. 7, which uses a 
worm 46' substantially similar to the above discussed worm 46, except that 
it includes an axially aligned female drive 188. This structure thus 
allows substantially all of the operator 10' to be vimally hidden from the 
interior of the room by the window frame 14' and wall, with the end of the 
female drive 188 only exposed through a circular opening 190 in the frame 
14'. A suitable handle 47' with a male connector 192 receivable in the 
female drive 188 is provided so that the manual drive input may be used if 
necessary. The handle 47' may otherwise be generally hidden away in a 
drawer of the like so that there is virtually no intrusion by the operator 
10' into the aesthetic appearance of the window. 
Operators embodying various aspects of the present invention thus can have 
numerous advantages over prior art window operators. 
Operators made according to the present invention are readily adaptable for 
use with electric drive motors, such types of drive becoming more 
prevalent in today's market using hand held remote controls and central 
computer systems to control all window and skylight operators in 
conjunction with door and window locks. In particular, because of the high 
gear railos which can be obtained with such drives, inexpensive high speed 
low power motors may be easily used for such powered drives. 
Further, because of the large number of engaged teeth between gears at all 
configurations of the drive, the gears themselves may be made of low cost 
plastic while still maintaining the ability to withstand high loads when 
creating or breaking the weatherstrip seal. Such plastic gearing permits 
cost savings over the precision metal components typically now required in 
operator drives. Further, since such plastic materials are inherently 
resistant to corrosive environments such as found at seashores and 
elsewhere, operators made according to the present invention will be 
highly durable and therefore provide reliable service over the many years 
of expected useful life without requiring any expensive or marginally 
effective corrosion resistance treatments. 
Still further, the operator 10 of the present invention permits selective 
use of either manual or motor drives depending on the needs of the person. 
Automatic operation by an electric motor has certain obvious advantages, 
not only in convenience but also in ensuring proper operation when needed 
(such as, for example, automatic operation responsive to detection of rain 
by suitable environmental sensors). Nevertheless, motor driven operators 
also need manual overrides so that the operators can be used to move the 
window sash when, for example, there is a power outage, or at times when 
it is simply more convenient for the person to do so. 
Of course, the operator 10' as described above can provide both motor and 
manual drives with virtually no visual intrusion into the aesthetics of 
the window opening. Given the aesthetic importance of most windows in 
architecture today, the ability to provide this ideal functionality 
without detracting from the appearance of the windows is highly desirable. 
In addition, it should by now be recognized that the above described 
operators may be easily and thus inexpensively assembled by simply placing 
the components into the housing in layers and then snapping the housing 
shut to retain the components in the desired position. 
Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can 
be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the 
appended claims.