Electrical door operator

Claim 2

In a vehicle having a door opening and a door selectively movable between open and closed positions relative to said door opening, a door operator for driving said door between said open and closed positions arranged so that the door is driven along one side of the operator when it is moved to open position, said door operator including an upstanding mounting plate, a reversible motor and gear box assembly mounted on the plate, said gear box having an output shaft extending substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate and in a substantially horizontal position, a drive arm mounted on the output shaft adapted to move in a plane extending substantially parallel to the mounting plate and substantially parallel to the door, means coupling the drive arm to the door including a slide assembly mounted on the trailing edge of the door and a roller engaging in the slide assembly and mounted on the drive arm, the drive arm being on the side of the plate opposite to the side mounting the motor and gear box, said coupling means also including resilient means for controlling the force applied to the door through the drive arm.

Claim 3

The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes an arm pivotally mounted on the drive arm movable infinitely between first and second positions and resiliently biased normally to the first position, said roller being mounted on one end of the arm such that when the door is in fully closed position the roller will be in an overcenter locking position relative to the output shaft of the gear box.

Claim 4

The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the coupling means includes the roller being mounted on the end of the drive arm and the slide bracket assembly mounted to the door edge with one end carried on a pivot and the other end resiliently biased to a first position but movable infinitely to a second position upon the exertion of a predetermined force on the door.

Claim 5

The combination as defined in claim 1, and a locking device mounted on the mounting plate coacting with a locking element on the door to positively lock the door in closed position and to sense the closed position of the door.

Claim 6

The combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said locking device includes means that permits a limited pushback action for the door when the device is in locked position.

Claim 7

The combination as defined in claim 4, and including an emergency handle mounted on the mounting plate coacting with the locking device and the operator drive arm to open the door in the event that the locking device does not unlock and in the event that no power is available to the operator.

Claim 8

In a vehicle having a floor, a ceiling, side and end walls and a door opening in a side wall with a slidable door selectively movable between open and closed positions relative to said door opening, said side wall having inner and outer panels wherein the door is movable between said panels when moving to open position, a door operator for driving said door between said open and closed positions and being mounted above the floor and within the side wall between the inner and outer panels adjacent to the door opening wherein the door moves alongside the operator when moving to open position, said door operator including a mounting plate, a reversible motor and gear box assembly mounted on said mounting plate, an output shaft extending from the gear box substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate and in a substantially horizontal position, a drive arm secured to the output shaft and movable in a plane extending perpendicular to the drive shaft and substantially parallel to the mounting plate, coupling means between the drive arm and the door including a roller element on the drive arm and a slide bracket element on the trailing edge of the door, one of said elements being resiliently biased so that The force applied by the drive arm is controlled within a predetermined range during closing of the door, said drive arm being on the side of the mounting plate opposite to the motor and gear box.

Claim 9

In a vehicle having a floor, a ceiling, side and end walls and a door opening in a side wall with a slidable door selectively movable between open and closed positions relative to said door opening, said side wall having inner and outer panels wherein the door is movable between said panels when moving to open position, a door operator for driving said door between said open and closed positions and being mounted above the floor and within the side wall between the inner and outer panels adjacent to the door opening wherein the door moves alongside the operator when moving to open position, said door operator including a mounting plate, a reversible motor and gear box assembly mounted on said mounting plate, an output shaft extending from the gear box substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate and in a substantially horizontal position, a drive arm secured to the output shaft and movable in a plane extending perpendicular to the drive shaft and substantially parallel to the mounting plate, coupling means between the drive arm and the door including a roller element on the drive arm and a slide bracket element on the trailing edge of the door, one of said elements being resiliently biased so that The force applied by the drive arm is controlled within a predetermined range during closing of the door, said drive arm being on the side of the mounting plate opposite to the motor and gear box.

Claim 10

The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein the roller element on the drive arm is resiliently biased to yield in the event an abnormal force is encountered by the leading edge of the door.

Claim 11

The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein the slide bracket element on the door is resiliently biased to yield in the event an abnormal force is encountered by the leading edge of the door.

Claim 12

The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein a locking device mounted on the mounting plate coacting with a locking element on the door to positively lock the door in closed position and to sense the closed position of the door.

Claim 13

The combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said locking device includes means that permits a limited pushback action for the door when the device is in locked position.

Claim 14

The combination as defined in claim 10, and including an emergency handle mounted on the mounting plate coacting with the locking device and the operator drive arm to open the door in the event that the locking device does not unlock and in the event that no power is available to the operator.