US3857197A — Door operator with door panel position sensing an…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 387 words

In a vehicle having a door opening in a side wall with inner and outer panels and a slidable door selectively movable between open and closed positions relative to the door opening, a door operator for driving said door between open and closed positions relative to said door opening, said door operator being mounted above the floor in the side wall between the inner and outer panels thereof and adjacent to the door opening, said door operator including an upstanding mounting plate, a reverSible motor mounted on said plate with its axis of rotation extending substantially parallel thereto, a gear box mounted on the motor and in driving relation therewith, said gear box having an output shaft extending normal to the axis of the motor and substantially transverse the side wall, primary driving linkage means connecting said output shaft and door to drive same between open and closed positions including lever means extending from said output shaft, said lever means moving to overcenter position relative to the output shaft when the door is in closed position to lock the door against movement, a primary linkage extension arm having one end pivotally mounted to the mounting plate and pivotally connected to said lever means, a primary linkage connecting rod pivotally connected to the other end of the primary linkage extension arm and to the trailing edge of the door, means on the mounting plate coacting with the lever means to monitor the door position, and secondary linkage means connected between the mounting plate and door and driven by said door, said secondary linkage means including a secondary linkage extension arm pivotally mounted at one end to the mounting plate, a secondary linkage connecting rod pivotally connected to the other end of the secondary linkage extension arm and to the trailing edge of the door, means on the mounting plate coacting with the secondary linkage extension arm for monitoring the door position, said door position monitor means of the primary and secondary linkage means including switches having contacts in said circuit which open the circuit when the door is in open position and close the circuit as the door reaches closed position, and said contacts of said switches being connected in series, whereby both linkage means must monitor the door closed position before the traction interlock circuit is closed.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 387 words

In a vehicle having a door opening in a side wall with inner and outer panels and a slidable door selectively movable between open and closed positions relative to the door opening, a door operator for driving said door between open and closed positions relative to said door opening, said door operator being mounted above the floor in the side wall between the inner and outer panels thereof and adjacent to the door opening, said door operator including an upstanding mounting plate, a reverSible motor mounted on said plate with its axis of rotation extending substantially parallel thereto, a gear box mounted on the motor and in driving relation therewith, said gear box having an output shaft extending normal to the axis of the motor and substantially transverse the side wall, primary driving linkage means connecting said output shaft and door to drive same between open and closed positions including lever means extending from said output shaft, said lever means moving to overcenter position relative to the output shaft when the door is in closed position to lock the door against movement, a primary linkage extension arm having one end pivotally mounted to the mounting plate and pivotally connected to said lever means, a primary linkage connecting rod pivotally connected to the other end of the primary linkage extension arm and to the trailing edge of the door, means on the mounting plate coacting with the lever means to monitor the door position, and secondary linkage means connected between the mounting plate and door and driven by said door, said secondary linkage means including a secondary linkage extension arm pivotally mounted at one end to the mounting plate, a secondary linkage connecting rod pivotally connected to the other end of the secondary linkage extension arm and to the trailing edge of the door, means on the mounting plate coacting with the secondary linkage extension arm for monitoring the door position, said door position monitor means of the primary and secondary linkage means including switches having contacts in said circuit which open the circuit when the door is in open position and close the circuit as the door reaches closed position, and said contacts of said switches being connected in series, whereby both linkage means must monitor the door closed position before the traction interlock circuit is closed.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 38 words

The door operator of claim 1, and manually operable means on said mounting plate coacting with said secondary linkage means to lock the door in closed position, close said traction interlock circuit and interrupt power to said motor.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

The door operator of claim 1, wherein said extension arm of said primary driving linkage means includes means permitting limited collapse and pushback of the door in the closed or near closed position a predetermined distance.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

The door operator of claim 1, wherein said secondary linkage means includes lost motion means to permit limited reverse movement of the door from the door closed position before operation of the monitor switch associated therewith.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

The door operator of claim 4, wherein said lost motion means includes a switch cam pivotally carried on said mounting plate, means frictionally holding said cam against rotation and lost motion connection means between said cam and extension arm of said secondary linkage means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 56 words

The door operator of claim 1, which includes a signal circuit for receiving opening and closing signals, said signal circuit comprising a first line with a lock relay and a second line with contacts of the lock relay, whereby a signal must be impressed on both lines to cause the door operator to open the door.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 262 words

In a vehicle having a door opening in a side wall with inner and outer panels and a slidable door selectively movable between open and closed positions relative to the door openings, a door operator for driving said door between open and closed positions relative to said door opening, said door operator including a reversible motor driving a gear box having an output shaft, primary driving linkage means connected between said output shaft and door to drive same between open and closed positions including linkage movable to overcenter locked position when the door is closed, first switch means actuated by said linkage for sensing the linkage in overcenter locked position having first interlock switch contacts in a traction motor interlock circuit, whereby the first interlock switch contacts are closed when the linkage is in Overcenter locked position and open when the linkage is out of overcenter locked position, and secondary linkage means driven by said door independent of said primary driving linkage means and monitoring door position, said secondary linkage means including second switch means having second interlock switch contacts in said traction motor interlock circuit and means for actuating said second switch means, whereby the second switch contacts are closed when the door is in closed position and open when the door is out of closed position, the switch contacts of said primary and secondary linkage means being in series, wherein the primary driving linkage must be in overcenter locked position and the secondary linkage means must sense the door in closed position before the traction motor interlock circuit is completed.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 262 words

In a vehicle having a door opening in a side wall with inner and outer panels and a slidable door selectively movable between open and closed positions relative to the door openings, a door operator for driving said door between open and closed positions relative to said door opening, said door operator including a reversible motor driving a gear box having an output shaft, primary driving linkage means connected between said output shaft and door to drive same between open and closed positions including linkage movable to overcenter locked position when the door is closed, first switch means actuated by said linkage for sensing the linkage in overcenter locked position having first interlock switch contacts in a traction motor interlock circuit, whereby the first interlock switch contacts are closed when the linkage is in Overcenter locked position and open when the linkage is out of overcenter locked position, and secondary linkage means driven by said door independent of said primary driving linkage means and monitoring door position, said secondary linkage means including second switch means having second interlock switch contacts in said traction motor interlock circuit and means for actuating said second switch means, whereby the second switch contacts are closed when the door is in closed position and open when the door is out of closed position, the switch contacts of said primary and secondary linkage means being in series, wherein the primary driving linkage must be in overcenter locked position and the secondary linkage means must sense the door in closed position before the traction motor interlock circuit is completed.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 77 words

The door operator of claim 7, wherein said switch actuating means of said secondary linkage means includes lost motion means permitting limited reverse movement of the door from the door closed position before actuating said switch contacts to open position, and to cause lag of the actuating means of said second switch means during the door closing cycle to maintain the second interlock switch contacts in open position until the door is in near full closed position.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 69 words

The door operator of claim 7, wherein said first switch means of said primary driving linkage means includes signal circuit switch contacts in a signal light circuit for indicating when the linkage means is out of overcenter locked position, and said second switch means of said secondary linkage means includes signal circuit switch contacts in said signal light circuit indicating when the door is not in fully closed position.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 61 words

The door operator of claim 7, wherein a motor control circuit is provided to control operating directions of the motor, said circuit including a thermal overload cutout to open the main power line in the event of overload, and an overload resistor bypassing said cutout to operate the motor at a safe, reduced current level in the event the cutout opens.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 70 words

The door operator of claim 7, wherein a motor control circuit is provided to control operating directions of the motor, said circuit including switch means having normal, cutout and test positions for permitting normal operation of the operator when in said normal positions, for permitting the operator to be removed from service when in said cutout position, and to permit closing of an opened door when in the test position.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 71 words

The door operator of claim 7, wherein a motor control circuit is provided to control operating directions of the motor, said circuit including a door open line for energizing a motor control relay to control operator direction, and a door lock line for energizing a lock relay having contacts in the door open line, whereby signals must be impressed on both lines to cause the operator to produce an opening cycle.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 69 words

The door operator of claim 7, wherein means for locking the door in closed position coacts with said secondary linkage means and includes a mechanical lock pawl movable between lock and unlock positions and a door lock switch actuated by the pawl when in locked position to bypass the traction motor interlock circuit to permit continued operation of the car system less the functioning of the locked out operator.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 40 words

The door operator of claim 7, wherein said means for actuating said second switch means includes lost motion means permitting limited reverse movement of the door from the door closed position before actuating said second switch contacts to open position.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 71 words

The door operator of claim 14, wherein said means for actuating said second switch means further includes a U-shaped plate pivotally mounted on a shaft, a door pin on the trailing edge of the door coacting with the plate, spring means for snapping the plate to overcenter position in both the door open and door closed positions, and a cam arm extending from said plate coacting with Said second switch means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 64 words

The door operator of claim 14, wherein said means for actuating said second switch means further includes an extension arm pivotally mounted at one end on a shaft, a connecting rod pivotally connected to the other end of the extension arm and to the trailing edge of the door, and cam means connected to the extension arm for coacting with said second switch means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-12-30	1978-07-01	1978-12-31	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-12-30	1982-07-01	1982-12-31	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-12-30	1986-07-01	1986-12-31	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Door operator with door panel position sensing and locking device

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