Patents by Inventor Dustin Lawhon

Dustin Lawhon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9695620
    Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the force in a door operator or closer includes a tube rotatable about a longitudinal axis and a coil spring therein connected to door operator/closer. A fixed adjusting screw extends along the longitudinal axis of the housing through the coil spring and a spring collar is threaded onto the adjusting screw and rotatable with the tube. The spring collar bears on the distal end of the spring to vary the spring compression upon rotation of the housing and thereby vary force applied by the door operator or closer. The housing has an opening though which the spring is visible, and the tube has markings indicating the degree of spring compression. An indicator is moveable along and visible outside the housing to indicate the compression of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Yale Security Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon, Robert M. Bell
  • Publication number: 20170130500
    Abstract: A door closer, comprising a door closer housing mounted to one of a door frame or a door surface and a linkage arm for pivoting the door between open and closed positions. The linkage arm has a first and second end, the first end mounted to the other of the door frame or the door surface. The door closer includes a rotatable connector between the linkage arm and the door closer housing, the linkage arm second end engaging with the rotatable connector. The connector has a rotatable body portion and head protrusion substantially secured in a female receptor to transmit rotation about a longitudinal axis of the connector. One or both of the head protrusion or female receptor has a curved profile and is further movable with respect to the head protrusion to permit limited rotational misalignment of the linkage arm on any axis perpendicular to the connector longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Matthew Bell, Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon
  • Publication number: 20170096848
    Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the force in a door operator or closer comprises an elongated housing and a spring therein connected to the door operator or closer. A spring collar is non-rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the housing and adapted to move linearly within the housing. A fixed adjusting screw extends along a longitudinal axis of the housing and the spring collar is slidable linearly along an outer surface of the adjusting screw. A nut is threadably engaged at a distal end of the adjusting screw and is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the screw, the nut bearing on the spring collar during rotation. The spring collar bears on a distal end of the spring to vary the spring compression and thereby vary force applied by the door operator or closer. The housing has an opening in a sidewall through which the spring is visible, and the housing exterior surface includes markings indicating the degree of spring compression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon
  • Publication number: 20160370789
    Abstract: A door operator includes a door driver for opening and closing a door, and a control system including a microprocessor having multiple microprocessor inputs. The microprocessor is connected to and controls the door driver. The microprocessor has multiple program modules corresponding to input functions to be performed by the door operator. The door operator includes a plurality of door operator inputs connected to corresponding ones of the microprocessor inputs, and a user interface connected to the microprocessor. The user interface allows a user to associate a selected door operator input and corresponding microprocessor input to a selected program module corresponding to a selected function to be performed by the door operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon
  • Publication number: 20160369545
    Abstract: A door closer, comprising a door closer housing mounted to one of a door frame or a door surface and a linkage arm for pivoting the door between open and closed positions. The linkage arm has a first and second end, the first end mounted to the other of the door frame or the door surface. The door closer includes a rotatable connector between the linkage arm and the door closer housing, the linkage arm second end engaging with the rotatable connector. The connector has a rotatable body portion and head protrusion substantially secured in a female receptor to transmit rotation about a longitudinal axis of the connector. One or both of the head protrusion or female receptor has a curved profile and is further movable with respect to the head protrusion to permit limited rotational misalignment of the linkage arm on any axis perpendicular to the connector longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Robert Bell, Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon
  • Publication number: 20160369546
    Abstract: A door closer or operator includes a pivoting pinion on the door closer housing for transmitting door motion, and a cam connected thereto. A connecting member extends along a spring and engages the peripheral edge of the cam. Rotation of the cam causes a change in length of the portion of the connecting member between the position tangent to the cam peripheral edge and the spring second end to expand or compress the spring, resulting in a force transmitted along a longitudinal axis of the connecting member as a result of spring deflection. The cam peripheral edge has a profile with a varying radial distance between the cam axis and the connecting member at the position tangent to the cam peripheral edge such that the radial distance is changed as the spring expands or compresses to maintain a desired constant torque about the axis of the cam and pinion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon
  • Patent number: 9514583
    Abstract: A door operator comprises a door driver for opening and closing a door, a controller including a microprocessor connected to and controlling the door driver, a graphical user interface comprising a display screen with touch select input coupled to the microprocessor to display information stored in the controller and to receive instructions selected from the display screen by a user, and a memory module coupled to the microprocessor and storing code executed by the microprocessor. The microprocessor under control of the code displays to the user various menu items on the graphical user interface display and enables the user to select among the menu items using the display screen with touch select input such that the microprocessor derives a control signal. Circuitry is configured to receive the control signal from the microprocessor and to carry the control signal to the door driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: YALE SECURITY INC.
    Inventors: Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon, Kurt Dietrich, Tommy G. McNally, II
  • Publication number: 20160097230
    Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the force in a door operator or closer includes a tube rotatable about a longitudinal axis and a coil spring therein connected to door operator/closer. A fixed adjusting screw extends along the longitudinal axis of the housing through the coil spring and a spring collar is threaded onto the adjusting screw and rotatable with the tube. The spring collar bears on the distal end of the spring to vary the spring compression upon rotation of the housing and thereby vary force applied by the door operator or closer. The housing has an opening though which the spring is visible, and the tube has markings indicating the degree of spring compression. An indicator is moveable along and visible outside the housing to indicate the compression of the spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon, Robert M. Bell
  • Publication number: 20150262438
    Abstract: A door operator comprises a door driver for opening and closing a door, a controller including a microprocessor connected to and controlling the door driver, a graphical user interface comprising a display screen with touch select input coupled to the microprocessor to display information stored in the controller and to receive instructions selected from the display screen by a user, and a memory module coupled to the microprocessor and storing code executed by the microprocessor. The microprocessor under control of the code displays to the user various menu items on the graphical user interface display and enables the user to select among the menu items using the display screen with touch select input such that the microprocessor derives a control signal. Circuitry is configured to receive the control signal from the microprocessor and to carry the control signal to the door driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Zasowski, Dustin Lawhon, Kurt Dietrich, Tommy G. McNally, II