Patents Assigned to BC Research & Development, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5036620
    Abstract: A safety enhanced pivoting door operator is disclosed which includes an apparatus for selective restraint of the swing door to resist movement of the door in a first direction beyond the fully closed position during routine use while yet allowing movement of the door in the first direction beyond the fully closed position when sufficient force is applied to the door in non-routine situations, for example to allow emergency exit or the like. The operator includes a motor and a drive train connected with a rotatable pivot upon which the door is movable. The apparatus includes a mounting member having a deflectable bar connected therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: BC Research & Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Beran, John K. Fortin
  • Patent number: 5021644
    Abstract: A presence detecting apparatus and method are disclosed, the apparatus including an emitter array and receiver array configured, oriented and shielded to provide an effective detection area characterized by a truncated elliptical footprint, a background compensation network for automatically compensating for variations in environmental conditions in the detection area to provide a substantially constant detection sensitivity, and discriminating circuitry for discriminating signals indicative of a body in the detection area from transient and steady state signals. The emitter circuits and receiving and detecting circuits are capable of asynchronous operation, and the receiver array and detector array are housed so that the receiver array is substantially isolated from selected electromagnetic signals from the detector array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: BC Research and Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Beran, Farrokh Fattahi
  • Patent number: 4976065
    Abstract: A speed control apparatus for controlling the rate of motion of a door is disclosed which includes a shaft connected with the door by a gear train for causing rotation of the shaft at a preselected relative rate of rotation related to the rate of motion of the door by a preselected ratio, a braking assembly including a brake drum spaced from the shaft and first and second brake shoes pivotably connected at one end thereof with a carrying member attached to the shaft and having a single biasing spring adjustably connected between the other ends thereof, the brake shoes having a contact surface made of a non-asbestos friction material for contacting the brake drum when a selected rate of rotation of the shaft is exceeded, and an improved housing which is more efficiently sealable against invasion of moisture into the housing and the escape of lubricants from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: BC Research and Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Beran, Allan J. Evans