Patent Publication Number: US-2007101660-A1

Title: Basement door opener

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus concerning opening basement doors.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Typically in the prior art basement doors are opened by hand. When entering from outside the basement one must typically bend over and lift open a door leaf sufficiently far so that a safety latch engages so that the door leaf does not fall back shut. An individual would then proceed down a basement stairway a few steps and then, turn around while still on the stairway to unlatch the safety latch previously set. The individual would then manually close the door behind himself or herself as the individual goes down the basement stairway backwards.  
      When exiting from a basement through a horizontal doorway an individual typically must proceed a few steps up a usually poorly lit stairway. Then individual would then open the safety latch and push a door leaf open will walking up the stairs at the same time. The individual would then proceed all the way up the stairway while pushing the door leaf until the door leaf finally swings far enough open so that the safety latch catches. The individual would typically then bend over to close the door behind himself or herself.  
      The procedure described above is clumsy, strenuous and even dangerous. Many older and infirm individuals are not even able to use their basement entryways because of the problems described above.  
      Various counterbalancing devices, such as gas springs, are known for making it easier or safer to open or close a basement door by hand. One such device, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,395, to Dabrowski “decelerates the movement of a door leaf during opening of the door and firmly supports the door without the need of an additional hold-open device and allows the user to close the door leaf with one hand rather than two”. (Dabrowski, col. 2, Ins. 2-6). However, such devices still require an operator to open a door leaf by hand and they do not provide for a means to close the door other than by hand.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is provided comprising a basement door leaf opening and closing device, and an input device which can activate the basement door leaf opening and closing device. The input device can be set by an operator the cause the basement door leaf opening and closing device to push a basement door leaf into an open position or pull a basement door leaf into a closed position.  
      The input device may include a keypad having one or more keys. The one or more keys on the keypad when activated may cause the basement door leaf opening and closing device to push the basement door leaf into an open position. The one or more keys on the keypad when activated may cause the basement door leaf opening and closing device to pull the basement door leaf into a closed position. The keypad may be adapted to be mounted outside of a basement or inside of a basement.  
      The basement door leaf opening and closing device may include an electric motor, which is adapted to be rotatably mounted to a base, and a piston having first and second ends, wherein the first end is connected to the electric motor and the second end is adapted to be rotatably mounted to a basement door leaf.  
      The basement door leaf opening and closing device may alternatively include an electric motor, which is adapted to be fixedly mounted to a structural member, such as a reinforced top wall portion of a basement door device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3B  shows a side view of some of the components of the apparatus of  FIG. 3A , with the apparatus of  FIG. 3A  in a first state in which a basement door is closed;  
       FIG. 3C  shows a side view of some of the components of the apparatus of  FIG. 3A , with the apparatus of  FIG. 3A  in a second state in which a basement door is opened; and  
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a pin which can be used for various pins in  FIGS. 1-3C . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an apparatus  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus  10  is comprised of foundation or base  11 , door device  30 , door leaf opening and closing device  60 , and various other components, which will be described.  
      The foundation or base  11  includes sidewalls  14  and  16 , top wall portions  12 ,  18 , and  20 , and front wall  22 . The top wall portions  12 ,  18 ,  20 , and front wall  22  surround an opening  25  over which the door device  30  is placed.  
      The door device  30  includes an upwardly extending header flange  32 , a flat plate header  34 , an elongated flat plate  36 , a flat plate  38 , a left door leaf  40 , a right door leaf  44 , and a plate  48 . The door device  30  may be similar to that shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,395, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. The door device  30  may include hinges  50  and  52  which connect the right door leaf  44  to the flat plate  36 , top wall portion  20 , and/or the side wall  16 , in a manner which allows the right door leaf  44  to rotate into an opened or closed position. In the closed position the right door leaf  44  and the left door leaf  40  completely cover the opening  25  in the base or foundation  11  so that water cannot get through the opening  25  in the foundation or base  11 .  
      The door leaf opening and closing device  60  includes an electric motor  62  connected to a piston, rod or cylinder  61 . The piston  61  may be an electric and/or hydraulic piston, an electric screw, or an electric screwworm jack. The piston  61  is typically connected to the motor  62  so that the piston  61  can slide with respect to the motor  62  but cannot rotate with respect to the motor  62 . The motor  62  is rotatably mounted to brackets  64  and  65 , through a pivot pin  64   a , so that the motor  62  can rotate about pivot pin  64   a  with respect to the brackets  64  and  65 . The piston  61  has an end  61   a , which is rotatably mounted to a bracket  63  through a pivot pin  63   a , so that the piston  61  can rotate about pivot pin  63   a  with respect to the bracket  63 . The piston  61  has an end  61   b , which is connected to the motor  62 . The brackets  64  and  65  are fixed to the side wall  16 . The bracket  63  is fixed to the right door leaf  44 . The brackets  64  and  65  are also fixed to an elongated brace  67  shown in  FIG. 1 . The brace  67  may be similar to the brace 27 shown in FIG. 3A of U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,395 to Dabrowski et. al., which is incorporated herein by reference.  
      The motor  62  is electrically connected through a conductor or cord  70  to a keypad device  72 . The keypad device  72  has keys or buttons  72   a . One or more of the keys or buttons  72   a  can be pressed to cause the electric motor  62  to push or extend piston  61  and thereby push the right door leaf  44  into the fully open position shown in  FIG. 1 . One or more of the keys or buttons  72   a  can be pressed to cause the electric motor  62  to pull or retract piston  61  and thereby pull the right door leaf  44  into a fully closed position (not shown) where opening  25  is completely covered.  
      The motor  62  is also electrically connected through a conductor or cord  80  to a keypad device  82 . The keypad device  82  is mounted to the exterior of side wall  14 . The keypad device  82  has keys or buttons  82   a . One or more of the keys or buttons  82   a  can be pressed to cause the electric motor  62  to push or extend piston  61  and thereby push the right door leaf  44  into the fully open position shown in  FIG. 1 . One or more of the keys or buttons  82   a  can be pressed to cause the electric motor  62  to pull or retract piston  61  and thereby pull the right door leaf  44  into a fully closed position (not shown) where opening  25  is completely covered.  
      The apparatus  10  includes a receiver  90  and a transmitter or remote control device  92 . The remote control device  92  may have a plurality of keys or buttons  92   a , which can be pressed or activated to cause a remote control signal to be sent to the receiver  90 . The receiver  90  may be electrically connected to the motor  62 , such as through the cord  70  or through the keypad  72  and the cord  70 . The remote control device  92  may be similar to a remote control garage door opener. The remote control device  92  may send out any type of remote control, typically wireless, signal. The receiver  90  receives the remote control signal from device  92  and causes the motor  62  to be activated to either push open the door leaf  44  using piston  61  or pull close the door leaf  44  using piston  61 .  
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an apparatus  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus  100  may include is comprised of foundation or base  111 , door device  130 , door opening and closing device  160 , and various other components, which will be described.  
      The foundation or base  111  may be similar to or identical to the base  11  shown in  FIG. 1 . The base  111  includes sidewalls  114  and  116 , top wall portions  112 ,  118 , and  120 , and front wall  122 . The top wall portions  112 ,  118 ,  120 , and front wall  122  surround an opening  125  over which the door device  130  is placed. The top wall portion  112  may be reinforced or provided with an extra plating.  
      The door device  130  includes an upwardly extending header flange  132 , a flat plate header  134 , an elongated flat plate  136 , a flat plate  138 , a door  144 , and a plate  148 . The late plate header  134  may be reinforced with an extra layer of plating or steel for strength. The door device  30  may include hinges  150  and  152  which connect the door  144  to the flat plate  134 , top wall portion  112 , in a manner which allows the door  144  to rotate into an opened or closed position. In the closed position the door  144  completely covers the opening  125  in the base or foundation  111  so that water cannot get through the opening  125  in the foundation or base  111 . The door  144  is comprised of a single door leave having a width W 1  and a length L 1 . The Length L 1  is typically substantially greater than the width W 1 . For example the length L 1  may be two times greater than the width W 1 .  
      The door or door leaf opening and closing device  160  includes an electric motor  162  connected to a piston  161 . The piston  161  may be an electric and/or hydraulic piston, an electric screw, or an electric screwworm jack. The piston  161  is capable of extending or expanding to the fully extended or expanded position shown in  FIG. 2  or compressing, retracting or telescoping inward to a fully retracted position (not shown) in which the door  144  is closed over the opening  125 . The motor  162  is rotatably mounted to brackets  164  and  165 , through a pivot pin  164   a , so that the motor  162  can rotate about pivot pin  164   a  with respect to the brackets  164  and  165 . The piston  161  has an end  161   a , which is rotatably mounted to a bracket  163  through a pivot pin  163   a , so that the piston  161  can rotate about pivot pin  163   a  with respect to the bracket  163 . The piston  161  has an end  161   b , which is connected to the motor  162 . The brackets  164  and  165  are fixed to the top wall portion  112 . The bracket  163  is fixed to the door  144 . The bracket  163  may be fixed to the door  144  through a plate or reinforcing bar  143 , which provides extra strength. The reinforcing bar or plate  143  may run the along an entire bottom section of the door  144 , i.e. the door  144  may be “doubled up” or reinforced along the area of plate  143 . The top wall portion  112  may also be reinforced or “doubled up” by a reinforcing bar or section  112   a . The reinforcing through  143  and  112   a  is done to help bear the stresses involved in lifting the door  144 . The brackets  64  and  65  are also fixed to an elongated brace  167  shown in  FIG. 2 . The brace  167  may be similar to the brace 27 shown in FIG. 3A of U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,395 to Dabrowski et. al., which is incorporated herein by reference.  
      The motor  162  is electrically connected through a conductor or cord  170  to a keypad device  172 . The keypad device  172  has keys or buttons  172   a . One or more of the keys or buttons  172   a  can be pressed to cause the electric motor  162  to push or extend the piston  161  and thereby push the door  144  into the fully open position shown in  FIG. 2 . One or more of the keys or buttons  172   a  can be pressed to cause the electric motor  162  to pull or retract piston  161  and thereby pull the door  144  into a fully closed position (not shown) where the opening  125  is completely covered.  
      The motor  162  is also electrically connected through a conductor or cord  180  to a keypad device  182 . The keypad device  182  is mounted to the exterior of sidewall  114 . The keypad device  182  has keys or buttons  182   a . One or more of the keys or buttons  182   a  can be pressed to cause the electric motor  162  to push or extend piston  61  and thereby push the door  144  into the fully open position shown in  FIG. 1 . One or more of the keys or buttons  182   a  can be pressed to cause the electric motor  62  to pull or retract piston  61  and thereby pull the door  144  into a fully closed position (not shown) where opening  25  is completely covered.  
      The apparatus  110  includes a receiver  190  and a transmitter or remote control device  192 . The remote control device  192  may have a plurality of keys or buttons  192   a , which can be pressed or activated to cause a remote control signal to be sent to the receiver  190 . The receiver  190  may be electrically connected to the motor  162 , such as through the cord  170  or through the keypad  172  and the cord  170 . The remote control device  192  may be similar to a remote control garage door opener. The remote control device  192  may send out any type of remote control, typically wireless, signal. The receiver  190  receives the remote control signal from device  192  and causes the motor  162  to be activated to either push open the door  144  using piston  161  or pull close the door  144  using the piston  161 .  
       FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of an apparatus  200  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3B  shows a side view of some of the components of the apparatus  200  of  FIG. 3A , with the apparatus  200  of  FIG. 3A  in a first state in which a basement door or single door leaf  144  is closed.  FIG. 3C  shows a side view of some of the components of the apparatus  200  of  FIG. 3A , with the apparatus  200  of  FIG. 3A  in a second state in which a basement door is opened.  
      The apparatus  200  includes components, which have previously been described with reference to  FIG. 2 . However, the door opening and closing device  160  has been replaced by a door opening and closing device  260 , parts of which are shown in  FIG. 3A  and parts of which are shown in  FIGS. 3B and 3C . The door opening and closing device  260  includes a motor  261 , shown in  FIGS. 3B and 3C , which may be similar to the motor used for the driving unit 105 in U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,535, to Yuge, which is incorporated herein by reference. The door opening and closing device  260  also includes brackets  262  and  264 , which fixedly mount the motor  261  to the reinforced top wall portion  112 . The motor  261  may also be fixedly mounted to a structural beam a structural beam of a building or a beam located inside of the basement door  144 . The motor  261  may be mounted to a beam that is horizontal with respect to ground but at an angle with respect to the top wall portion  112 . The motor  261  may be otherwise horizontally mounted with respect to ground. This allows the door  144  to be open wider with less sliding movement of a member  265 .  
      The motor  261  is electrically connected to keypads  172  and  182  by bus, cord, or communication lines  270  and  280  respectively. Only parts of cords  270  and  280  are shown in  FIGS. 3A, 3B , and  3 C for simplification. The keypads  172  or  182  can be used to operate the motor  261  to lift open or shut the door  144 . The motor  261  is mechanically connected to member  265 , which is pivotally connected by pivot pin  265   d  to member  263 . The member  263  is pivotally connected to bracket  263  through pivot pin  263   a . The member  265  is comprised of downwardly extending portion  265   a , diagonal portion  265   b , and horizontal portion  265   c . The opening and closing device  260  may be similar to that shown in FIG. 5, 9, or 10 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,535, which is incorporated herein by reference.  
      In operation, an individual would press one or more keys  172   a  or  182   a  on keypads  172  or  182 , respectively, to cause the motor  261  to open or close the door  144 . To transition from the closed door state of  FIG. 3B  to the open door state of  FIG. 3C , the motor  261  causes the member  265  to slide to the right. The member  265  which sliding to the right, pushes on the member  263 , which pushes on the bracket  163 , which pushes on the door  144 , causing the door  144  to open. As the member  265  slides to the right, the member  263  pivots upwards about pivot point  265   d  and the door  144  pivots upwards about hinge  150 . To transition back to the closed state of  FIG. 3B  from the open state of  FIG. 3C , the member  265  slides to the left, and thereby pulls the member  263 . The member  263  pivots downward about pivot point  265   d , causing the door  144  to pivot downward about hinge  150 .  
      Each of pivot pins  63   a ,  64   a ,  163   a ,  164   a ,  263   a , and  265   d  may be pivot pin in the nature of a clevis hitch pin so that each of pivot pins  63   a ,  64   a ,  163   a ,  164   a ,  263   a , and  265   d  can be removed by hand and without the use of a tool, to disconnect the appropriate door opening and closing device from the appropriate door, the appropriate motor and/or the appropriate arm. This will allow an individual to open or close the door manually and without being constrained by the appropriate door opening and closing device.  FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a pin  300 , which may be a clevis pin, and which can be used for various pins in  FIGS. 1-3C , such as for any one of pivot pins  63   a ,  64   a ,  163   a ,  164   a ,  263   a , and  265   d.    
      Pin  300  includes retaining pin  302 , narrowed portion  308 , cylinder  310 , ridge  312 , cylinder  314 , and ring  316 . The retaining pin  302  includes a ring portion  304  integrated with a straight portion  306 . The straight portion  306  includes sections  306   a ,  306   b , and  306   c . The section  306   b  is shown in dashed lines and is located inside of a hole  309 , which is also shown by dashed lines. The hole  309  is located inside of the cylinder  310 . The pin  300  can be placed so that the cylinder  310  is the pivot or axle for rotation. For example, if the pin  300  is used for the pivot pin  63   a , the retaining pin  302  would be pulled out of the opening  309  and then an end  308   a  would be inserted into a opening, not shown, in the bracket  63  and an opening, not shown, in the piston  61 , so that the piston  61  is rotatably or pivotally mounted with respect to the bracket  63 . After insertion, an end  302   a  of the retaining pin  302  would be inserted into the opening  309  so that the retaining pin  302  would be located as in  FIG. 4 , to prevent the cylinder  310  from being detached from the bracket  63  and the piston  61 . When the pin  300  pivotally connects the bracket  63  to the piston  61 , a portion of the bracket  63  and a portion of the piston  61  would lie between the ridge  312  and the pin  302 . The ridge  312  and the pin  302  prevent the bracket  63  and the piston  61  from coming apart while the piston  61  is able to pivot about cylinder  310  with respect to the bracket  63 . The piston  61  can be separated by from the bracket  63  by pulling the pin  302  out of the opening  309 , by hand, and then pulling the pin  300 , by hand, out from the openings, not shown, of the bracket  63  and the piston  61 . The pin  300  can be removed or detached, thereby disconnecting bracket  63  and  61 , by hand, without the use of a tool. Although a tool, such as pliers, can be used if necessary.  
      Although the invention has been described by reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to include within this patent all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of the present invention&#39;s contribution to the art.