Patent ID: 12247430

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is the preferred mode of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in any limiting sense. It is presented for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention.

It should be appreciated that the terms “length”, “width”, “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, vertical”, “horizontal”, “upper”, “lower”, “exterior”, and “interior” in the following description refer to the orientation or positioning relationship in the accompanying drawings for easy understanding of the present invention without limiting the actual location or orientation of the present invention. Therefore, the above terms should not be an actual location limitation of the elements of the present invention.

It should be appreciated that the terms “first”, “second”, “one”, “a”, and “an” in the following description refer to “at least one” or “one or more” in the embodiment. In particular, the term “a” in one embodiment may refer to “one” while in another embodiment may refer to “more than one”. Therefore, the above terms should not be an actual numerical limitation of the elements of the present invention.

It should be appreciated that the terms “install”, “connect”, “couple”, and “mount” in the following description refer to the connecting relationship in the accompanying drawings for easy understanding of the present invention. For example, the connection can refer to permanent connection or detachable connection. Therefore, the above terms should not be an actual connection limitation of the elements of the present invention.

Referring toFIG.1toFIG.6of the drawings, a gate opening apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Broadly, the gate opening apparatus may comprise a housing10, a motor20, and a gear assembly30. The gate opening apparatus of the present invention is for pivotally opening or closing a door gate100.

The housing10may have a supporting portion11connected to an external anchor200such as a column or a wall provided near the door gate100, and a mounting portion12extending toward the door gate100. The housing10may have a receiving cavity13and an engagement slot14communicating the receiving cavity13with an exterior of the housing10.

The motor20may be received in the receiving cavity13of the housing10. The gear assembly30may comprise a gear rod31and a driven member32. The gear rod31may have a first end311connected to the motor20without connecting through any clutching device, and a second end312extending in the receiving cavity13along the mounting portion12of the housing10. The gear rod31may have a plurality of first teeth313spirally formed thereon.

The driven member32may have a plurality of second teeth321engaging with the first teeth313of the gear rod31, in such a manner that when the gear rod31is driven to rotate, the driven member32may be arranged to move along a longitudinal direction of the gear rod31and the housing10. The driven member32may be connected to the door gate100, as shown inFIG.1, andFIG.5toFIG.6of the drawings.

The gate opening apparatus of the present invention may be arranged to be selectively operated between a power mode and a manual mode, wherein in the power mode, the motor20may be electrically activated to drive the gear rod31to rotate so as to drive the driven member32to move along a longitudinal direction of the housing for driving the door gate100to move in a pivotal manner with respect to the external anchor200, wherein in the manual mode, the motor20is cut off from electricity and is arranged to exert minimal mechanical resistance so that a user is able to manually move the door gate100for opening or closing thereof.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gate opening apparatus may be utilized for a door gate100having an elongated structure. The door gate100may comprise a plurality of transverse members1011and a plurality of longitudinal members1021and may pivotally move on a ground surface, with or without being assisted by a plurality of wheels. The external anchor200may be a supporting member for supporting the gate opening apparatus. The external anchor200may be a column, an external wall, or other suitable structures.

The housing10may be configured from metallic material and may be elongated in shape. The supporting portion11may be a corresponding end portion of the housing10, while the mounting portion12may extend from the supporting portion11. The supporting portion11may be mounted on the external anchor200, while the mounting portion12may extend along a longitudinal direction of the door gate100. In order to facilitate pivotal movement of the door gate100, the supporting portion12of the housing10may be pivotally mounted with respect to the external anchor200, preferably through a joint assembly300comprising a first pivotal arm301outwardly and longitudinally extending from the supporting portion11, and a second pivotal arm302pivotally connecting between the external anchor200and the first pivotal arm301.

As shown inFIG.1toFIG.3of the drawings, the housing10may extend alongside the door gate100with the supporting portion11pivotally mounted on the external anchor200. More specifically, the housing10may have a top side101, a bottom side102, a front side103and a rear side104to form a substantially rectangular structure, wherein the engagement slot14may be formed on the bottom side102of the housing10along a longitudinal direction thereof. The rear side104of the housing10may be arranged to extend alongside the door gate100. In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mounting portion12of the housing10may be pivotally connected to the door gate100at a distance from the external anchor200.

The motor20may be supported in the receiving cavity13of the housing10at the supporting portion11thereof. The motor20may be configured as a synchronous motor and may be arranged to drive the gear assembly30to rotate. A feature of the motor20is that when the motor20is connected to a power source, such as a powered control unit (described below), the motor20may be arranged to possess a predetermined amount of mechanical resistance so as to prevent users from manually opening or closing the door gate100. In other words, in normal situation, the door gate100will be fully controlled by the gate opening apparatus and users may be prevented from manually opening or closing the door gate100due to the mechanical resistance of the motor20.

The gear assembly30may be operatively coupled to the motor20. More specifically, the gear rod31may have the first end311connected to the motor20, and the second end312extending from the first end311toward the mounting portion12of the housing10. When the motor20is actuated, the gear rod31may rotate accordingly.

The driven member32may be movably coupled to the gear rod31in such a manner that when the gear rod31is driven to rotate, the driven member32may be driven to move along a longitudinal direction of the gear rod31.

The driven member32may comprise an engagement body322having a through hole3221, wherein the second teeth321may be formed on a circumferential boundary3222of the through hole3221. The gear rod31may be arranged to pass through the through hole3221, in such a manner that the first teeth313may engage with the second teeth321. Thus, when the gear rod31is driven to rotate, the engagement body322may be driven to move along the longitudinal direction of the gear rod31.

As shown inFIG.3of the drawings, the engagement body322may be configured as having a cylindrical or cubic structure and may be arranged to extend out of the engagement slot14so as to partially expose out of the receiving cavity13. Note that the geometrical shape of the engagement body322may be varied to fit different circumstances in which the present invention is manufactured or operated.

Furthermore, the driven member32may further comprise a coupling arm323pivotally connecting the engagement body322to the door gate100so that when the engagement body322is driven to move along the gear rod31, the coupling arm323may transmit the mechanical force to the door gate100and tend to pivotally open or close the door gate100with respect to the external anchor200. The coupling arm323may be securely connected to the door gate100by conventional mechanical methods, such as welding, using screws or other methods.

The gate opening apparatus may further comprise a range adjustment mechanism40provided on the housing10for setting a range of motion of the driven member32. Specifically, the range adjustment mechanism40may comprise a sliding track41mounted on the top side101of the housing10, and a first and a second adjustment sliders42,43slidably mounted on the sliding track41. The first adjustment slider42and the second adjustment slider43may be spaced apart from each other on the sliding track41, wherein a distance between the first adjustment slider42and the second adjustment slider43may dictate the range of motion on the part of the driven member32.

Referring toFIG.2of the drawings, each of the first adjustment slider42and the second adjustment slider43may be adjustably and slidably mounted on the sliding track41so that each of them may be locked in position, or unlocked to freely slide on the sliding track41. A plurality of markings may be provided on the sliding track41so that a user may be able to observe the positions of each of the first adjustment slider42and the second adjustment slider43with respect to the sliding track41.

As shown inFIG.7of the drawings, the gate opening apparatus may further comprise a control module50which may comprise a control circuitry51electrically connected to the motor20and the range adjustment mechanism40for controlling a driving operation of the motor20. The control circuitry51may be mounted and physically protected in a protective box51which may be mounted on the external anchor200.

The control circuitry51may be electrically connected to the motor20so that it may activate the operation thereof. When the gate opening apparatus is in the power mode, the control circuitry51may activate the motor20so as to drive the motor20to rotate in a predetermined direction. The rotation of the motor20may drive the gear rod31to rotate as well and this in turn drive the driven member32to move along the gear rod31. Since the driven member32may be pivotally connected to the door gate100through the coupling arm323, the linear movement of the driven member32along the gear rod31may drive the door gate100to pivotally move with respect to the external anchor200.

Furthermore, each of the first adjustment slider42and the second adjustment slider43may be electrically connected to the control circuitry51. Each of the first adjustment slider42and the second adjustment slider43may be in magnetic communication with the driven member32so that when the driven member32is moved to one of the first adjustment slider42and the second adjustment slider43, electrical signals may be transmitted to the control circuitry51for deactivating the motor20. This may have the effect of stopping the rotation of the gear rod31and the driven member32so as to stop the pivotal movement of the door gate100.

The control circuitry51may be configured to activate the motor20again to drive the gear rod to rotate in opposite direction so as to drive the door gate100to pivotally close or to pivotally open when the user desires.

In the power mode, the motor20may be arranged to exert substantial resistance so that a user may not be able to manually pull or push the door gate100for pivotally moving it. In other words, when the gate opening apparatus is in normal operation, manual opening or closing the door gate100will not be allowed.

When the gate opening apparatus is in the manual mode, the supply of electricity to the motor20is cut off. The substantial resistance possessed by the motor20will ceases to exist without any involvement of clutching device so that a user is able to manually push or pull the door gate100so as to allow the door gate100to move pivotally with respect to the external anchor200. It is important to mention that this feature is distinctive with respect to conventional gate opening apparatuses in which clutching devices must be used when electricity is cut off for allowing manual movement of the corresponding door gate.

The present invention, while illustrated and described in terms of a preferred embodiment and several alternatives, is not limited to the particular description contained in this specification. Additional alternative or equivalent components could also be used to practice the present invention.