Force Initiated Patents (Class 160/3)
  • Patent number: 11708722
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes a sensor to detect a lateral edge of a door curtain within a guide of a door, and a controller to identify when the door curtain transitions from an operational state to a breakaway state based on a signal from the sensor, the operational state corresponding to when the lateral edge of the door curtain is enclosed by the guide as the door curtain moves between open and closed positions, and the breakaway state corresponding to when a portion of the lateral edge of the door curtain below an upper end of the guide breaks away from the guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: RITE-HITE HOLDING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryan P. Beggs, Michael Sivill, Christopher Saleh, Charles Runde, James Pelegrin, Nicholas J. Casey, Perry W. Knutson
  • Patent number: 11220859
    Abstract: A room protection mechanism for protecting access through a window or doorway includes a flexible barrier sheet adjustable between a collapsed, storage configuration, and a deployed configuration. The protection mechanism includes a housing storing the flexible barrier sheet in the collapsed configuration. Sheet magnetic elements are attached to the flexible barrier sheet, and structured to magnetically couple to frame magnetic elements mounted to a frame of the doorway or window. The protection mechanism can be deployed, such as in a school or other institutional setting, to position the flexible barrier sheet to block access through the doorway or window. The flexible barrier sheet may be formed of or include a ballistic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Inventor: John Hendrix
  • Publication number: 20150034254
    Abstract: A system for preventing fluid from entering a walled structure includes a support structure configured for fixing to at least one surface of the walled structure; and a barrier apparatus attachable and anchorable to the support structure, the barrier apparatus including a fluid retention member configured for intercepting a fluid entering the walled structure, and a collar for holding the fluid retention member against an interior surface of the walled structure, proximate the opening. As fluid enters the barrier apparatus, the pressure increases against the interior surface of the fluid retention member, pressing it against the walled structure. The collar in combination with the fluid retention member to which it is attached acts like a gasket to tighten a seal between the barrier apparatus and the walled structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Jorge O. Moreno
  • Patent number: 8783327
    Abstract: The inventive flexible curtain rapid door comprises a structure consisting of two posts and a transverse element for guiding a flexible curtain and electromechanical means supported by said structure for displacing the curtain between open and closed positions, wherein the flexible curtain (2) comprises a weight and sealing element (13). According to the invention, the door comprises obstacle detecting means which are carried at least partially by an reinforcing element, are adjacent to the weight and sealing element (13) and are disposed upstream thereof on the curtain closing path between the reinforcing element and the weight and sealing element (13) and said obstacle detecting means are integrated inside the lower part of the curtain (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nergeco
    Inventor: Bernard Kraeutler
  • Publication number: 20130146232
    Abstract: The object underlying the invention is to propose an improved door system. To this end, an automatically operated door system for an aircraft toilet is proposed, said door system having a folding door, having a door frame, wherein the folding door is arranged in the door frame so as to be movable between a closed door position and an open door position, having a drive apparatus which is realized for moving the folding door between the closed and the open door position, having a guiding member, wherein the guiding member is coupled to the drive apparatus, having a displacement element which is arranged on the folding door, wherein the guiding member is realized for the purpose of moving the folding door from a closed door position into a pre-folded door position by transferring the driving force of the drive apparatus to the displacement element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Sebastian SWOBODA, Eric STUCHLY
  • Patent number: 8261608
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solar protection installation (1) comprising at least one mobile window blind (2), at least one drive means (3), at least one control unit (4), and at least one wind sensor (5). The wind sensor (5) is used to detect overload caused by the wind on the window blind, by the detection of variations in tension and/or pressure leading to deformations of the window blind. The wind sensor is provided on and/or in the window blind (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Somfy SAS
    Inventor: Jan Hendrik Schoen
  • Patent number: 8069897
    Abstract: The invention concerns a fast door comprising: a structure having in particular two posts (3) in each of which is provided a slide rail (16) and a transverse lintel-forming element (4), and a flexible curtain (12) connected to the structure at the lintel-forming element (4) via electromechanical means controlling the lowering and lifting of the curtain (12), the curtain (12) incorporating at least one flexible reinforcing bar (13, 29) inserted in receiving means provided in the curtain (12), the flexible reinforcing bar (13, 29) capable of being engaged at its ends in each of the slide rails (16) and capable of bending to be released at least from one rail (16) without being subjected to permanent deformation which would impair the operation of the door once reinstalled in its rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Nergeco
    Inventor: Bernard Kraeutler
  • Publication number: 20100305760
    Abstract: The invention relates to a solar protection installation (1) comprising at least one mobile window blind (2), at least one drive means (3), at least one control unit (4), and at least one wind sensor (5). The wind sensor (5) is used to detect overload caused by the wind on the window blind, by the detection of variations in tension and/or pressure leading to deformations of the window blind. The wind sensor is provided on and/or in the window blind (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventor: Jan Hendrik Schoen
  • Publication number: 20090139663
    Abstract: The present application relates to a covering apparatus for covering an outdoor area comprising a screen (1) that can be operated between a retracted and an extended configuration, the screen having a leading portion (2) and a trailing portion (4), the trailing portion (4) being connected to a first support (5, 6), the apparatus further comprising a plurality of longitudinal flexible elements (11, 12) extending from the first support (5, 6) to respective second supports (9, 10), and the leading portion (2) of the screen (1) being supported by the longitudinal flexible elements (11, 12) as the screen (1) is operated from the retracted to the extended configuration, wherein the leading portion (2) of the screen (1) is moveably mounted to the longitudinal flexible elements (11, 12) such that the leading portion (2) moves with respect to the longitudinal flexible elements (11, 12) during operation between retracted and extended positions, and wherein at least one clamping system is provided on the leading portion
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventor: Daniel Cutler
  • Patent number: 6612357
    Abstract: An impact detection system for an industrial door, the system including two members that are releasably coupled to each other to move together with the door as it travels, disposed beyond the doorway opening is a radiation emitter and a radiation detector, preferably packaged together in a photoeye device, and emitting a beam of radiation; the first member carries a reflector that, when the two members are coupled, reflects the radiation back to the photoeye, and that is movable to a position wherein it does not reflect the radiation back to the photoeye in response to separation of the two members caused by the door being impacted, the change in state from 1) the radiation being reflected to the photoeye to 2) the radiation not being reflected to the photoeye thus serves as an indication that an impact on the door has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Beringer, David P. Leppert, Peter S. Schulte
  • Patent number: 5829508
    Abstract: Disclosed is a top mounted interior door closer utilizing as a drive mechanism a yieldable actuator which is exercised during the opening and retraction which is desirably mounted in an encasement having a closing rod extending from one end. The closing rod is secured to a pair of flanking members along a vertical axis, which members, in turn, are positioned for movement in a track. The closer is sandwiched in place interiorly by having elongate slot at the top of the door means of a cover plate. The elongate slot passes a closing link pin pivotally secured to the shaft or bushing joining the rollers or blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: EMCO Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc M. DeBower, Walter B. Herbst, James E. Schooler, Gordon D. Hansen
  • Patent number: 5743317
    Abstract: An impact detection system for an industrial door, the system including two members that are releasably coupled to each other to move together with the door as it travels; disposed beyond the doorway opening is a radiation emitter and a radiation detector, preferably packaged together in a photoeye device, and emitting a beam of radiation; the first member carries a reflector that, when the two members are coupled, reflects the radiation back to the photoeye, and that is movable to a position wherein it does not reflect the radiation back to the photoeye in response to separation of the two members caused by the door being impacted, the change in state from 1) the radiation being reflected to the photoeye to 2) the radiation not being reflected to the photoeye thus serves as an indication that an impact on the door has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Rite-Hite Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Beringer, David P. Leppert, Peter S. Schulte
  • Patent number: 5540269
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor-driven roller blind comprising, on the one hand, an apron rolling up onto and unrolling from a winding shaft inside which is accommodated a tubular-type driving gear-motor and, on the other hand, means providing an electrical signal representative of the movement of the apron and an electrical-signal processing unit capable of acting on the running of the driving gear-motor, viz. to control the stopping of same in the event an obstacle is present. As a matter of fact, said means providing an electrical signal representative of the movement of the apron are comprised of at least one inductive sensor extending at least partly along the path followed by the apron, this inductive sensor being capable of creating an electromotive force under the action of the passing of a permanent magnet associated with the lower portion of the apron, which electromotive force is detected by the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Plumer (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventor: Louis Plumer
  • Patent number: 5228492
    Abstract: A safety stopping device particularly adapted for use with an electric steel rolling door is disclosed which comprises a transmitter mounted on a base plate of the rolling door and a receiver mounted on and directly connected to the electric motor used for driving the rolling door. In addition, various transmit switches are mounted on the underside of the aforementioned base plate to indicate to the transmitter when an obstruction is encountered. Upon occurring an obstruction, a signal is transmitted to the receiver whereupon the flow of current to the electric motor is interrupted to cause the electric rolling steel door to automatically stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Inventor: Ming-Sen Jou