Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05D—HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS
  • E05D13/00—Accessories for sliding or lifting wings, e.g. pulleys, safety catches
  • E05D13/10—Counterbalance devices
  • E05D13/12—Counterbalance devices with springs
  • E05D13/1253—Counterbalance devices with springs with canted-coil torsion springs
  • E05D13/1269—Spring safety devices
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
  • E05Y2600/00—Mounting or coupling arrangements for elements provided for in this subclass
  • E05Y2600/50—Mounting methods; Positioning
  • E05Y2600/56—Positioning, e.g. re-positioning, or pre-mounting
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
  • E05Y2800/00—Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
  • E05Y2800/67—Materials; Strength alteration thereof
  • E05Y2800/684—Strength alteration by weakening, e.g. by applying grooves
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
  • E05Y2800/00—Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
  • E05Y2800/69—Permanence of use
  • E05Y2800/692—Temporary use, e.g. removable tools
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
  • E05Y2800/00—Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
  • E05Y2800/74—Specific positions
  • E05Y2800/742—Specific positions abnormal
  • E05Y2800/744—Specific positions abnormal cleaning or service
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
  • E05Y2900/00—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof
  • E05Y2900/10—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof for buildings or parts thereof
  • E05Y2900/106—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof for buildings or parts thereof for garages

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a brake device for garage doors and the like, also commonly known in the industry as a "drop-catch mechanism". More particularly, the present invention relates to a brake device configured for use with a counterbalancing system of a door assembly, such as a garage door for example. The present invention also relates to a method of using such a brake device and to a kit for assembling the brake device.
• the brake device is intended to hold the garage door in position in case of a failure in the counterbalancing system, which is generally represented by a loss of tension in a given torsion spring of the counterbalancing system, with which the brake device is intended to be used.
• Garage doors and the like are well known in the art. Indeed, it is well known in the art that garage doors usually require to be connected to a counterbalancing system for counterbalancing the weight of the door in order to decrease the force required to open the door and also facilitate its closing from a raised to a lowered position. Counterbalancing systems can be found in many other types of cable-operated doors, such as slidable truck doors for example.
• a widely used type of counterbalancing system generally comprises a pair of spaced apart cable drums connected to corresponding cables, each cable being in turn connected to a lower opposite side edge of the garage door.
• the cable drums are usually mounted on an overhead shaft which is supported above the door opening and is connected to one or more torsion springs which are each fixed to the shaft at one end, and operatively secured to a fixed structure such as the wall, or a wall bracket for example, at the other end, so that the cable drums are biased to rotate in a direction which winds the cables onto the drums and counteracts the weight of the door connected to the cables.
• the torsion springs are adjusted to properly balance the weight of the door so that minimal opening and closing efforts are required, either manually or when motor controlled.
• each torsion spring is fixed to the overhead shaft at one end, by means of a plug known as a “winding plug”, and operatively secured to the wall via a bracket at the other end, by means of another plug known as a "stationary plug”.
• the drop-catch mechanism is used for preventing a door leaf of an overhead door from falling down upon breakage of a balancing spring thereof.
• the mechanism comprises an input member for coupling with a balancing spring of the overhead door.
• the mechanism also comprises a ratchet wheel for coupling with a winding axle carrying the door leaf of the overhead door.
• the mechanism also comprises a pawl and means for moving the pawl from a free position that allows rotation of the ratchet wheel to a catching position that blocks rotation of the ratchet wheel.
• the means for moving the pawl are configured such that, in use, breakage of a balancing spring coupled to the input member causes the pawl to move from the free position to the catching position.
• the mechanism is characterized in that the means for moving the pawl from the free position into the catching position comprise a positive mechanical drive extending from the input member to the pawl.
• the braking device is configured for use with the counterbalancing system of a garage door.
• the braking device includes a support bracket, a ratchet wheel, a pawl arm, and a biasing spring.
• the support bracket is rigidly connected to a fixed structure and has a guiding slot.
• the ratchet wheel is securely mounted about the overhead shaft of the counterbalancing system and has at least one notch.
• the pawl arm has first and second ends, the first end of the pawl arm being pivotally connected to the support bracket and the second end of the pawl arm cooperating with the guiding slot and being movable with respect to the support bracket along said guiding slot.
• the first and second ends of the pawl arm are further connected to flanges of a plug on either side of the overhead shaft.
• the biasing spring is operatively connected between the support bracket and the pawl arm so as to exert a biasing force for biasing the pawl arm towards the ratchet wheel.
• the pawl arm is devised so that, an element thereof is adjacent to the ratchet wheel, said element being shaped and sized to be removably insertable into at least one notch of the ratchet wheel so as to block rotation of the ratchet wheel, and thus block rotation of the overhead shaft, in the event of a failure of the counterbalancing system of the door.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a brake device which, by virtue of its design and components, satisfies some of the above-mentioned needs and is thus an improvement over other related brake device known in the prior art.
• the present invention is particularly advantageous in that it is intended for immobilizing a cable-operated door, such as garage doors and the like, in the event of a failure in the counterbalancing system.
• the present invention is also particularly advantageous in that its design is also intended to facilitate the mounting of the brake device onto the counterbalancing system.
• a brake device configured for cooperating with a counterbalancing system of a door, said counterbalancing system including a rotatable overhead shaft operatively connectable to the door for operating the same, a plug mountable about the overhead shaft and being rotatable thereabout, and a torsional spring for operatively connecting the plug to the overhead shaft and capable of being loaded thereinbetween so as to exert a torsional force for counterbalancing the weight of the door, said torsional force being transmittable between the overhead shaft and the plug via the torsional spring, the brake device being devised for blocking rotation of the overhead shaft in the event of a failure of the counterbalancing system of the door, the brake device comprising: a support bracket rigidly connectable to a fixed structure, said support bracket having a guiding arrangement; a ratchet wheel securely mountable about the overhead shaft of the counterbalancing system, the ratchet wheel having a least one notch; a pawl arm having first and second ends,
• a method of mounting a brake device onto a counterbalancing system comprising a rotatable overhead shaft operatively connectable to a door for operating the same, a plug mountable about the overhead shaft and being rotatable thereabout, and a torsional spring for operatively connecting the plug to the overhead shaft and capable of being loaded thereinbetween so as to exert a torsional force for counterbalancing the weight of the door, said torsional force being transmittable between the overhead shaft and the plug via the torsional spring, the brake device being devised for blocking rotation of the overhead shaft in the event of a failure of the counterbalancing system, the method comprising the steps of : a) providing a brake device such as the one described herein; b) securing the support bracket of the brake device onto a fixed structure; c) mounting the plug about the overhead shaft; d) inserting the overhead shaft through the orifice of the support bracket; e) connecting flanges of
• a kit for assembling a brake device configured for cooperating with a counterbalancing system of a door, said counterbalancing system including a rotatable overhead shaft operatively connectable to the door for operating the same, a plug mountable about the overhead shaft and being rotatable thereabout, and a torsional spring for operatively connecting the plug to the overhead shaft and capable of being loaded thereinbetween so as to exert a torsional force for counterbalancing the weight of the door, said torsional force being transmittable between the overhead shaft and the plug via the torsional spring, the brake device being devised for blocking rotation of the overhead shaft in the event of a failure of the counterbalancing system of the door, the kit comprising: a support bracket rigidly connectable to a fixed structure, said support bracket having a guiding arrangement; a ratchet wheel securely mountable about the overhead shaft of the counterbalancing system, the ratchet wheel having a least one notch; a pawl arm having first
• a door assembly with corresponding counterbalancing system provided with the above-mentioned brake device.
• Figure 1 is a fragmentary exploded view of a counterbalancing system provided with a brake device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a brake device according to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the brake device being shown in a first configuration ("rest configuration").
• Figure 3 is a front plan view of what is shown in Figure 2.
• FIG 4 is another front plan view of what is shown in Figure 2, the brake device being now shown in a second configuration ("braking configuration").
• Figure 5 is another perspective view of what is shown in Figure 3, the brake device being shown in the intermediate configuration and with the transversal pin in an exploded relationship with respect to the ratchet wheel.
• Figure 6 is a front plan view of what is shown in Figure 5.
• Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the brake device shown in
• the same numerical references refer to similar elements.
• the expression “garage door” includes all types of cable-operated doors and the like. Although the present invention was primarily designed for a garage door, it may be used with other kinds of doors, such as slidable truck doors, or with any other items using a counterbalancing system, as apparent to a person skilled in the art. For this reason, the expression “garage door” should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention and includes all other kinds of doors or items with which the present invention may be used and could be useful.
• the preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises various components such as fastener(s), a bracket, a guiding slot, a spring member, bushing(s), spacer(s), etc.
• the preferred embodiment of the brake device 1 and corresponding parts of the present invention as shown consists of certain geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated herein, not all of these components and geometries are essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense, i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention.
• the brake device 1 according to the present invention is a brake device 1 for use with a counterbalancing system 3 (not fully shown) of a door, such as a garage door, for immobilizing the door in the event of a failure in the counterbalancing system 3, in a manner similar to that of a "drop-catch mechanism", for blocking the rotation of the shaft of the counterbalancing mechanism.
• a counterbalancing system 3 not fully shown
• the brake device 1 is configured for use with the counterbalancing system 3 of the door which, among other components, typically includes a rotatable overhead shaft 5 operatively connected to the door
• a plug 7 mounted about the overhead shaft 5 and being rotatable thereabout, and a torsional spring 9 operatively connecting the plug 7 to the overhead shaft 5 and being loaded thereinbetween so as to exert a torsional force capable of counterbalancing the weight of the door, the torsional force being transmittable between the overhead shaft 5 and the plug 7 via the torsional spring 9.
• Counterbalancing systems of garage doors are very well known in the art and thus, in the context of the present description, there is no need to further explain the working principle thereof, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• the brake device 1 is used for blocking rotation of the overhead shaft 5 in the event of a failure of the counterbalancing system 3 of the door.
• the brake device 1 comprises a support bracket 11 , a ratchet wheel 13, a pawl arm 15, and biasing means 17, as shown in
• the support bracket 11 is rigidly connected to a fixed structure 19, such as a wall for example, or any other suitable structure.
• the brake device 1 also has a guiding arrangement 21 , which preferably includes a guiding slot 45 provided on the support bracket 11. It is worth mentioning though that, according to the present invention, the guiding arrangement 21 may be disposed otherwise on the brake device 1 and/or on other parts of the counterbalancing system 3 with which it cooperates, as briefly described hereinbelow and as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• the ratchet wheel 11 is securely mounted about the overhead shaft 5 of the counterbalancing system 3 and has at least one notch 23.
• the ratchet wheel 13 is securely mounted about the overhead shaft 5 by means of suitable fasteners, such as setscrews 37 for example, as better shown in Figure 1 , or by a transversal pin 61 as can be easily understood when comparing Figures 2 and 5.
• the ratchet wheel 13 further comprises an inner bore provided with a tenon 47 removably insertable into a corresponding longitudinal mortise 49, or groove, provided along the overhead shaft 5, as better shown in Figure 1. It is worth mentioning that, according to the present invention, other suitable means different from the above-discussed may be used for securely mounting the ratchet wheel 13 about the overhead shaft 5, at a suitable location therealong, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• the pawl arm 15 has first and second ends 25, 27.
• the first end 25 of the pawl arm 15 is pivotally connected to the support bracket 11.
• the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 cooperates with the guiding arrangement 21 and is movable with respect to the support bracket 11 along a given path defined by the guiding arrangement 21 , as can be easily understood when comparing Figure 3 with Figure 4.
• the first and second ends 25, 27 of the pawl arm 15 are further connected to flanges 29 of the plug 7 on either side of the overhead shaft 5, as better shown in Figure 1.
• the brake device 1 preferably comprises a guiding slot 45, preferably provided on the support bracket 11 , which preferably acts as the given path along which the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 may travel.
• the brake device 1 comprises suitable fasteners 51 for connecting the first and second ends 25, 27 of the pawl arm 15 to the flanges 29 of the plug 7, one of the fasteners 51 being preferably mounted onto the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 and cooperating with the guiding slot of the support bracket 11 for allowing the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 to move along the guiding slot of the support bracket 11 , as can be easily understood when comparing Figure 3 with Figure 4.
• the fasteners may simply consist of a member having a first end securely connected to the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 and a second end cooperating with the guiding arrangement 21 (e.g. slot 45) of the support bracket 11.
• the fasteners may consist of a bolt combined with other suitable complementary pieces, such as a nut, a washer, a spacer, a bearing, and/or the like, as exemplified in Figure 1 and as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• the pawl arm 15 further has an element
• said element 31 adjacent to the ratchet wheel 13, said element 31 being shaped and sized to be removably insertable into at least one notch 23 of the ratchet wheel 13 so as to block rotation of the ratchet wheel 13 when there is a failure of the counterbalancing system 3.
• the biasing means 17 are operatively connected between the support bracket 11 and the pawl arm 15 so as to exert a biasing force for biasing the pawl arm 15 and its element 31 towards the ratchet wheel 13.
• the biasing means preferably comprise a loaded spring member 39, capable of storing potential energy via deformation so as to provide a potential force, the spring member 39 having a first end 41 connected to the support bracket 11 and a second end 43 resting against the pawl arm 15.
• biasing means 17 which do not use potential energy for providing a biasing force may be used according to the present invention, so long as these biasing means 17 are capable of biasing the pawl arm 15 and its element 31 in a suitable way towards the ratchet wheel 13, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• the pawl arm 15 is operable between a first configuration, also known as “unlocked configuration” or “rest configuration", corresponding to a normal operation of the counterbalancing system 3, where the torsional force of the torsional spring 9 transmitted to the plug 7 is greater than the biasing force of the biasing means 17 acting on the pawl arm 15, thereby urging the pawl arm 15 and its element 31 away from the ratchet wheel 13, as better shown in Figure 3, thus allowing the overhead shaft 5 to rotate and operate normally, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• a first configuration also known as “unlocked configuration” or “rest configuration”
• the torsional force of the torsional spring 9 transmitted to the plug 7 is greater than the biasing force of the biasing means 17 acting on the pawl arm 15, thereby urging the pawl arm 15 and its element 31 away from the ratchet wheel 13, as better shown in Figure 3, thus allowing the overhead shaft 5 to rotate and operate normally, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• the pawl arm 15 is also operable and may be triggered into a second configuration, also known as the "locked configuration” or “brake configuration", corresponding to a failure of the counterbalancing system 3, where the biasing force of the biasing means 17 acting on the pawl arm 15 is greater than the torsional force of the torsional spring 9 transmitted to the plug 7, thereby urging the element of the pawl arm 15 into at least one notch 23 of the ratchet wheel 13 so as to block rotation of the pawl arm 15 and thus block rotation of the overhead shaft 5, as better shown in Figure 4, and as also apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• the preferred embodiment of the guiding arrangement 21 includes a guiding slot 45 provided on the support bracket
• the support bracket 11 may not even need to be provided with a guiding slot 45.
• the support bracket 11 could be provided with an appropriate projecting member instead, such as a pin, which would be shaped and sized to cooperate with a corresponding guiding slot 45 provided on the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 so as to ensure a proper cooperation thereinbetween and ensure that the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 may be displaced from one end to another along the predetermined given path so that the pawl arm 15 may be properly triggered from the first configuration into the second configuration so as to ensure that its element
• the pawl arm 15 could be integrated into the plug 7 so that the latter two would consist of one single piece.
• this modified plug 7 would thus have first and second ends 25, 27, similarly to those described herein, and a corresponding element 31 being shaped and sized to be removably insertable into at least one notch 23 of the ratchet wheel 13 so as to block rotation of the ratchet wheel 13.
• the given path along which the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 may travel is preferably devised so that the displacement of the pawl arm 15 into the locked configuration forces the plug 7 of the counterbalancing mechanism 3 to be displaced eccentrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the overhead shaft 5 so as to facilitate the insertion of the element 31 of the pawl arm 15 into one of the plurality of notches 23 of the ratchet wheel 13, and thus adequately block rotation of the ratchet wheel 13, and thus of the overhead shaft 5, when there is a failure in the counterbalancing mechanism 3.
• the brake device 1 further comprises a shear pin 53 operatively connectable between the support bracket 11 and the pawl arm 15 for maintaining said pawl arm 15, preferably prior to installation of the brake device 1 onto the counterbalancing system 3, in an intermediate configuration between the first and second configurations, as better shown in Figures 5 and 6.
• the shear pin 53 is preferably made of a specific material being breakable when the pawl arm 15 is rotated with respect to the support bracket 11 when the torsional force of the torsional spring 9 transmitted to said pawl arm 15 via the plug 7 has reached a predetermined value.
• the torsional spring 9 thereof may then be loaded up until it reaches a predetermined value which would cause the shear pin 53 to break and trigger the brake device 1 to be ready for use, in the first or "normal” configuration, as can be easily understood when contrasting Figures 6 and 3.
• such a shear pin 53 according to the present invention may be selected, depending on these structural features thereof, namely the material being used, the yield value thereof, and other relevant parameters, as apparent to a person skilled in the art, to ensure that at least a minimal amount of loading, which would cause the shear pin to break, be present in the torsional spring 9, for a specific application of the counterbalancing system 3.
• the use of such a shear pin 53 according to the present invention, and the breaking thereof may be done to ensure that a minimal amount of loading is present in the torsional spring 9 when configurating the counterbalancing system 3, to ensure a proper operation thereof.
• the shear pin 53 is preferably insertable through corresponding holes 55, 57 provided respectively on the pawl arm 15 and the support bracket 11.
• the corresponding hole 57 of the support bracket 11 is preferably provided on a corresponding flange 59 of said support bracket 11 , as also better shown in Figure 7.
• another suitable "breaker" device different from the shear pin 53, may be used in the manner described above, to ensure that a minimal amount of load has been installed onto the torsional spring 9 of the counterbalancing system 3 when installing the same.
• the shear pin 53 or any other type of similar "breaker” device could be used according to the present invention to achieve the above-mentioned described results and advantages.
• the ratchet wheel 13 preferably comprises a plurality of notches 23, and the element 31 of the pawl arm 15 is removably insertable into one of said notches 23 when the pawl arm 15 is triggered into the second configuration.
• the support bracket 11 preferably comprises an orifice 33 through which the overhead shaft 5 extends.
• the orifice 33 is preferably provided with a bushing 35 through which the overhead shaft 5 also extends, said bushing 35 acting as a support for the overhead shaft 5 and also facilitating its rotation with respect to the support bracket 11 , also known as a bearing plate.
• the pawl arm 15 is arc-shaped, as better shown in Figures 1-7, and the first and second ends 25, 27 of the pawl arm 15 are preferably diametrically opposed to one another, as better shown in Figures 2-6. It is worth mentioning though, as apparent to a person skilled in the art, that the first and second ends 25, 27 of the pawl arm 15 do not necessarily need to be diametrically opposite to one another, for proper operation of the brake device 1 , that is, for a suitable blocking of the ratchet wheel 13 by the pawl arm 15 and its element 31.
• the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 and corresponding guiding arrangement 21 may be located at another suitable location on the support bracket 11 for providing a proper lever force so as to insert the element 31 of the pawl arm 15 securely into one of the notches 23 of the ratchet wheel 13 and adequately block rotation of the overhead shaft 5 when there is a failure in the counterbalancing mechanism 3.
• a counterbalancing system 3 or door assembly provided with the above-described brake device 1 , as shown in Figure 1.
• a kit for assembling such as brake device 1 as well as a method of using/mounting the brake device 1 onto the counterbalancing system 3.
• the ratchet wheel 13 is preferably coaxially mounted onto the shaft 5 and positioned adjacent to the orifice 33 of the plate.
• the pawl arm 15 preferably has first and second ends 25, 27, the first end 25 of the pawl arm 15 being pivotally mounted onto the plate and the second end 27 of the pawl arm 15 being slidably movable along a guiding slot of the plate.
• the pawl arm 15 preferably also has an element 31 positioned to be insertable into a notch 23 of the ratchet wheel 13.
• the plug 7 of the counterbalancing mechanism has first and second flanges 29 being respectively mounted onto the first and second ends 25, 27 of the pawl arm 15.
• the biasing means 17 are operatively connected between the pawl arm 15 and the bearing plate for biasing the pawl arm 15 against the ratchet wheel 13 with a potential force for example.
• a garage door needs to have a counterbalancing system so that it may be more easily opened and closed.
• the counterbalancing of the door is mainly carried out by the torsional spring 9.
• This spring 9 is usually fixed to two plugs, the first one being the “winding plug” and the other one being the “stationary plug” 7.
• the winding plug is usually fixed onto the counterbalancing shaft and the stationary plug 7 is usually fixed onto a bearing plate securely mounted to a fixed structure 19, such as a wall for example, via a bracket.
• the brake device 1 according to the present invention preferably takes the place of the traditional bearing plate on which the stationary plug 7 is installed.
• the brake device 1 is in an unlocked configuration and acts as a wall bracket, as better shown in Figure 3.
• the counterbalancing shaft 5 is free to rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise so as to carry out its normal counterbalancing functions.
• This unlocked configuration is maintained because of the torsional force present in the torsional spring 9 which is stronger than the force exerted by the biasing means 17, preferably a torsional spring member 39.
• the torque "A” is caused by the torsional force present in the torsional spring member 39 and the torque "B” is caused by biasing force provided by the biasing means 17 operatively connected between the bearing plate and the pawl arm 15, as better shown in Figures 2-6.
• the shaft 9 may only be turned by raising the door or by appropriately disengaging the pawl arm 15 from the ratchet wheel 13.
• the brake device 1 acts similarly to a ratchet system which is triggered into action when there is a failure in the counterbalancing mechanism 3 of the door.
• the brake device 1 and corresponding parts are preferably made of substantially rigid materials, such as metallic materials (steel, etc.), hardened polymers, composite materials, polymeric materials, and/or the like, so as to ensure a proper operation thereof depending on the particular applications for which the brake device 1 is intended and the different parameters in cause (counterbalancing force in the spring 9, weight of the door, etc.), as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
• the device 1 shown in the accompanying figures is a "right” brake device 1 to be located at the top right portion of the garage door, more specifically at the right-hand side thereof when viewed from the inside of the garage.
• a “left” brake device 1 that is, a left-hand side version of the brake device
• the present invention is an improvement and presents several advantages over devices known in the prior art. Indeed, the present invention may be used in the garage door industry, with new garage doors or existing garage doors. In the case of a failure in the counterbalancing system 3, the present invention is devised to stop the fall of the garage door and maintain it immobilized where it is until the necessary inspections and repairs are made.
• the present invention is a more compact, easier to use, easier to maintain, and more cost effective brake device than those available in the prior art. Furthermore, the present invention may be used with other kinds of doors, such as slidable truck doors, or with any other items provided with counterbalancing mechanisms 3 such as the aforementioned, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Operating, Guiding And Securing Of Roll- Type Closing Members (AREA)

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Citations (6)

• 2004
  • 2004-08-16 CA CA002477679A patent/CA2477679A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2005
  • 2005-08-16 WO PCT/CA2005/001257 patent/WO2006017931A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-08-16 EP EP05774625.7A patent/EP1778940A4/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (6)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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