Patents by Inventor Robert E. Dutka

Robert E. Dutka 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: 12674355
    Abstract: A locking system for a rolling shutter comprises a housing, a body, and a lock bar. The housing has a longitudinal housing channel. The body has a body channel, and is positioned in and moveable transversely within the housing channel. The lock bar is positioned within the body channel, and is moveable longitudinally to the body and housing between a locked position extending away from the body and an unlocked position retracted toward the body. The movement of the body within the housing channel is coupled to the movement of the lock bar between the locked and unlocked positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2026
    Assignee: Qualitas Manufacturing Incorporated
    Inventors: Craig N. Zarbeck, Tyler Hinckley, Tyler Czerwinski, Robert E. Dutka
  • Patent number: 6782662
    Abstract: A cable tension sensing apparatus is mounted on a wall having a door opening. The jack shaft garage door operator includes a drive unit having an electric motor for driving a jack shaft mounted above a door opening. A pull-up cable drum is connected to the jack shaft and has a multi-strand steel pull-up cable that may be payed out to lower a door or wound up to raise the door. The cable tension sensing apparatus includes a cable guide to retain the cable a substantially fixed distance from the wall and a spring driven cable follower which urges against the cable extending between the drum periphery and the cable guide. An alerting switch is connected to the cable follower and sends a signal indicating loss of cable tension when the cable follower moves beyond a predetermined distance. Additionally, the movement of the cable follower moves a door blocking arrangement to a position to block movement of the door when being raised without use of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip McCartney, Robert E. Dutka, Andrew Gavel, William Chen, Robert J. Olmsted
  • Publication number: 20020184824
    Abstract: A cable tension sensing apparatus is mounted on a wall having a door opening. The jack shaft garage door operator includes a drive unit having an electric motor for driving a jack shaft mounted above a door opening. A pull-up cable drum is connected to the jack shaft and has a multi-strand steel pull-up cable that may be payed out to lower a door or wound up to raise the door. The cable tension sensing apparatus includes a cable guide to retain the cable a substantially fixed distance from the wall and a spring driven cable follower which urges against the cable extending between the drum periphery and the cable guide. An alerting switch is connected to the cable follower and sends a signal indicating loss of cable tension when the cable follower moves beyond a predetermined distance. Additionally, the movement of the cable follower moves a door blocking arrangement to a position to block movement of the door when being raised without use of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Applicant: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip McCartney, Robert E. Dutka, Andrew Gavel, William Chen, Robert J. Olmsted