Planetary gearbox system

Abstract

A fire door operator for a roller shutter door includes a housing defining an axis. An outer main gear in the form of a ring is mounted within the housing for rotation about the axis and is formed with outer gear teeth and radially inwardly spaced internal teeth. A planet gear is in mesh with the internal teeth and a sun gear is in mesh with the planet gear for rotation about the axis. A carrier is fixed to the planet gear and is connected to a shaft. A lock generally locks the main gear relative to the housing. A driver selectively rotates the sun gear and the carrier to transmit rotational power to the roller shutter door shaft when fixed to the carrier. A release device selectively releases the lock to allow free rotation of the main gear and carrier to allow the roller shutter door to lower under its own weight.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to roller shutter doors, and more specifically, to a method for operating a roller shutter fire door and a planetary gearbox system device. Background Technology

[0002] Roller shutters have been known for some time and are used in a variety of applications. They include the following categories: rolling grilles; windproof doors; smoke and fire doors; ventilation doors; louvered doors and windows; and so on. What they all share is a construction that allows them to roll onto rollers or tubes when in the open position; or, when the door is lowered, unwind from the rollers. These doors are commonly used in commercial establishments to seal or close large doorways or partitions and can be operated electrically, manually, or a combination of both.

[0003] During normal or emergency operation, the methods and systems used to drive doors to the up or down position have evolved over time from a simple pull-down door of one type used in residential garages to more technologically advanced electric drive systems with timers, manual overdrive, and various safety features.

[0004] Typically, commercial or high-capacity fire doors are driven by electric motors to open or close. However, in the event of a fire, these mechanisms disengage the motor from the fire door and allow the door to close under pressure from an auxiliary spring actuated by a mechanical device or counterweight. These mechanical devices include pendulums, swing speed controllers, friction discs, ratchet wheels, etc. These mechanisms tend to be unreliable due to blockages or other malfunctions caused by the door's movement. An early mechanism attempting to address this problem is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,203,392, granted to Shea on April 20, 1993, for controlling the raising and lowering of a door (hereinafter referred to as "Shea").

[0005] Shea discloses a mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of doors such as fire doors. This mechanism controls the door's speed as it descends under gravity and can be operated electrically or manually. The problem Shea seeks to solve is the need for a fire door mechanism that adjusts the raising and lowering of the door while effectively controlling its movement without the need for springs or similar mechanical devices. The door's descent speed is controlled by a centrifugal speed controller employing brake shoes.

[0006] Other existing technologies have addressed the need to test the speed and effectiveness of door descent during non-emergency use. U.S. Patent No. 5,482,103 (hereinafter referred to as "Burgess"), issued January 9, 1996, to Burgess et al. for a door assembly with a release mechanism, teaches the use of counterweights to offset the weight of the roller shutter door and the use of weight reduction to decrease the weight of the counterweight. The door assembly allows the use of a standard speed controller to control the downward speed. This use of weight reduction and the resulting reduced stress on the door allows the mechanism to use components with reduced size and weight.

[0007] Following Shea and Burgess's disclosure, U.S. Patent No. 5,924,949 (hereinafter referred to as "Fan"), granted to Fan on June 20, 1999, taught a drive mechanism for a roller shutter door that can be adjusted from the outside of the device to accommodate doors of different heights. Fan's advantage is that the mechanism does not need to be disassembled for adjustment if it is moved from a door of one height to a door of a different height, or if the door is not the height suitable for the factory setting. Instead, an adjustable control device is arranged within the fixed housing of the device and extends from inside the device to a point on the outside, where it can be manipulated or adjusted as needed. Moreover, while Fan meets a legitimate need, it still does not answer the need for allowing the door to move freely to the open position under the control of a speed controller.

[0008] Further improvements to the drive mechanism are taught in U.S. Patent No. 6,530,863 for a door operating unit, granted to Balli et al. on March 11, 2003 (hereinafter referred to as "Balli"). Balli discloses an improved power transmission mechanism operating between a drive motor and an operator output shaft. The operating unit is adapted to reverse the positions of the manual operator actuator and the release mechanism. The advantage offered by Balli is the ability to interchange operator unit components depending on the door structure or application. Therefore, the drive mechanism can be configured as a right-side or left-side mounting. Balli still leaves the problem of door control after a bounce, or the problem of timer-regulated opening and closing that needs to be addressed.

[0009] The development of roller doors and their actuators and safety mechanisms has been accompanied by the manual operating mechanism for upward-acting doors disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,261,139 to Varley et al., issued August 28, 2007. Varley taught a mechanism that solved the difficulty of manually operating a roller door when the drive motor is mounted in an assembly that is beyond the user's easy reach. Varley's mechanism includes a manual brake release device actuated by a person's foot using a thin crank handle to manually move the door from the open position to the closed position and vice versa. One question Varley did not answer is how the operator can effectively disengage from the motor drive under emergency pressure.

[0010] What the prior art fails to recognize is the need for a method and apparatus for controlling the descent of a door (or curtain, depending on the situation) that combines every success of the prior art while minimizing problems. A significant problem unresolved by the prior art is that the descent of the door should be controlled by a mechanical centrifugal speed controller so that the door does not “bounce” after reaching the fully open position. When in the closed position, the curtain or door must be able to maintain its locked position unless manually released using a manual lever and / or an electric switch. Using a timer to allow the door to at least partially reopen and then close after a specific time interval during an emergency would provide a level of security currently lacking in the art.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus that provides multiple safety features in emergency situations while providing more efficient door operation during normal use.

[0012] U.S. Patent No. 8,069,896, assigned to the applicant of this invention, discloses a method and apparatus for driving a roller shutter assembly, the assembly including a gearbox having gears with external teeth along its outer periphery, the gears being engageable with two one-way bearings mounted on a rocker arm to selectively allow the gears to rotate in one or the other direction. This requires a rocker arm with matched opposing one-way bearings. Furthermore, a limit switch is included, directly coupled to a hub of a shaft attached to the roller shutter door. However, the limit switch is mounted within the motor actuator housing, and the actuator requires disassembly for any alterations or adjustments.

[0013] A U.S. patent discloses a door release mechanism that uses an externally mounted drop arm to control a governor shaft fixed to the sun gear of a planetary gear system. Release of the drop arm from engagement with a rotatable plate fixed to the sun gear allows the shaft to rotate freely. However, this requires an externally mounted drop arm and plate capable of rotating at relatively high speeds, both of which are exposed to contaminants and foreign objects that could interfere with their operation. Summary of the Invention

[0014] One object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for operating a roller shutter fire door that does not have the inherent disadvantages of prior art devices of this type.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a fire door operator for roller shutter doors, which is simple and convenient to operate.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a fire door operator for roller shutter doors, which has a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a fire door operator for a roller shutter door, which can be driven by a plurality of different drives, including a manual chain assembly, one or more electric motors mounted on the device, an external electric motor that drives the operator via a chain drive, etc.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a fire door operator for a roller shutter door, having a direct drive limit switch assembly mounted outside the operator housing, making it easily accessible for adjustment.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal fire door operator that can use a variety of different braking mechanisms to control the speed of the descending roller shutter door, including centrifugal speed regulators, viscous speed regulators, electromagnetic clutch brakes, etc.

[0020] To achieve the above objectives, and other objectives that will become apparent below, a fire door operator for a roller shutter door is provided, which, when the roller shutter door rotates in a first direction, can be raised when rolled onto a generally horizontal axis, and can be lowered when the axis rotates in the opposite direction, comprising a housing defining an axis. An outer main gear in the form of a ring is mounted within the housing to rotate about the axis and is formed with outer gear teeth and radially inwardly spaced inner teeth. Planetary gears mesh with the inner teeth, while a sun gear meshes with the planetary gears to rotate about the axis. A bracket is fixed to the planetary gears and adapted to be coupled to the roller shutter door axis. A locking device is provided for normally locking the main gear or ring gear relative to the housing. An actuator is provided for selectively rotating the sun gear and the bracket to transmit rotational power to the roller shutter door axis when fixed to the bracket. A release device is provided for selectively releasing the locking device to allow free rotation of the main gear and the bracket, thereby allowing the roller shutter door to lower under its own weight.

[0021] A method of operating a fire door operator for a roller shutter door, wherein the roller shutter door can be raised when rolled onto a generally horizontal axis in a first direction and lowered when the axis rotates in the opposite direction, comprising the steps of: providing a housing defining an axis; providing an outer main gear in the form of an annular ring, which is mounted within the housing to rotate about the axis and has external gear teeth and radially inwardly spaced internal teeth; engaging a planetary gear with the internal teeth and engaging a sun gear with the planetary gear to rotate about the axis; securing a bracket to the planetary gear and connecting the bracket to the roller shutter door axis; normally locking the main gear relative to the housing; selectively rotating the sun gear and the bracket using an external actuator to transmit rotational power to the roller shutter door axis when secured to the bracket; and selectively releasing the main gear to allow free rotation of the main gear and the bracket, thereby allowing the roller shutter door to lower under its own weight. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The following description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar parts are represented by the same numbers in all the drawings, wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention, showing a manually operated chain assembly for manually operating an operator to raise and lower a roller shutter door;

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the manipulator shown;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 and Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of the internal components of the actuator shown, viewed from the housing side;

[0026] Figure 4 Similar to Figure 3 This shows the drive gear and sun gear that are connected to each other;

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of the device shown, as viewed from the direction of the bracket and hub that receive and connect to the shaft of the roller shutter door;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a side view of an alternative embodiment of an operator that utilizes dual DC motors to drive the operator;

[0029] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 An exploded view of the manipulator shown;

[0030] Figure 8 Is with Figure 1 An exploded view of the bridge gearbox used in conjunction with the manipulator shown.

[0031] Figure 9 This is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention driven by an external electric motor;

[0032] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 An exploded view of the manipulator shown;

[0033] Figure 11 yes Figure 4 An exploded front view of the manipulator shown. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Now referring to the accompanying drawings, in which identical or similar parts are always denoted by the same reference numerals, first refer to... Figure 1 The actuator according to the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10 in the accompanying drawings.

[0035] The manipulator 10 is mounted on a side drive bracket plate 12 that is fixed to a vertical channel or corner 14. Figure 2 The roller shutter door 16 shown is typically installed in Figure 3 On the illustrated cylinder assembly 18, the cylinder assembly 18 defines an axis A and is operated by the controller 10. The fire door operator 10 is used to control the roller shutter door, which, as is known in the art, can be raised when the shaft 18a is rotated in a first direction while being rolled onto the cylinder assembly 18, and can be lowered when the shaft rotates in the opposite direction. Depending on the size and weight of the roller shutter door, the shaft 18a can be any of a variety of different diameters.

[0036] The actuator 10 includes a generally cup-shaped housing 20, which has, for example, Figure 5 The internal space 20a, mounting flange 20b, and as shown are... Figure 4 The central opening 20c is shown. The housing forms a peripheral annular wall 20d, and a flange 20e with an opening is formed along the periphery, for example, as shown. Figure 4 As shown. Although one axial end of the housing 20 is open, the other end is substantially closed by a wall 20f, which forms at least one lateral opening 20g offset from axis A. Figure 4 Two openings are shown. When assembled and mounted on the shaft, axis A extends together with shaft 18a.

[0037] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 The actuator is provided with a main external gear in the form of a ring, which is installed inside the housing 20 for rotation about axis A and has external teeth 22a and radially inwardly spaced internal teeth 22b. Planetary gear 24 meshes with the internal teeth 22b, and sun gear 26 meshes with planetary gear 24 to rotate about axis A.

[0038] A bracket 32 ​​in the form of a circular plate or disc is fixedly connected to the hub 34 in any conventional manner and shares rotation with the bracket 32. As shown, the bracket 32 ​​is also fixed to the planetary gear 24. The hub 34 can be fixed to the shaft 18a in any suitable or conventional manner. The hub 34 includes a mounting plate 34a and an annular extension 34b, the mounting plate 34a being attachable to the bracket 32, and the annular extension 34b being formed at a radial end opposite the mounting plate and having external teeth 34c. A keyway 34d is shown for securing the shaft 18a to the hub 34 to share rotation with it.

[0039] A locking mechanism 36 is provided for normally locking the main external gear or ring gear 22 relative to the housing 20. In the example shown, the locking device is a rocker arm 36 positioned near the outer teeth 22a of the ring 22 and provided with locking teeth 36a configured to mesh with the outer teeth 22a of the main gear or ring gear 22. In the locked position, teeth 36a engage teeth 22a and prevent the ring gear 22 from rotating about axis A. The rocker arm 36a can be manually or electromechanically pushed from its normally biased locked position to move the locking teeth 36a out of engagement with the outer teeth 22a, thereby releasing the external gear 22. The rocker arm 36 can be connected to... Figure 4 The rope or traction chain of the ring 36b shown is manually controlled. However, the rocker arm 35 can also be moved from its normal bias position by any known actuating device such as a solenoid, stepper motor, etc. When the main external gear or ring gear 22 is released, the main external gear or ring gear 22 can rotate freely within the housing 20 without being exposed to contaminants or external objects that may interfere with the movement.

[0040] One feature of the present invention is the use of, for example Figure 5 The direct drive limit switch 38 is shown. As shown, the direct drive limit switch assembly 38 is connected via a reduction gear set 40 including gears 40a-40c, with gear 40c directly coupled to the external teeth 34c of the hub 34. The rotation of the hub 34 directly indicates the rotational speed of the cylinder assembly or shaft 18a; therefore, the rotational speed of the cylinder assembly or shaft 18a is the speed at which the roller shutter door or curtain 16 descends. The direct drive limit switch 38 also indicates the position of the roller shutter door 16. When the door reaches its upper or lower position, the drive limit switch 38 generates an electrical signal that can be used to prevent any motor drive from further attempting to raise or lower the door by any height.

[0041] Limit switch assemblies are also discussed in U.S. Patent No. 8,069,896. An important feature of this invention is the provision of a slot or opening 20e in the housing 20. Figure 4The gear 40a of the direct-drive limit switch can extend through the slot or opening 20e, such that at least a portion of the gear 40a protrudes below or outside the housing 20. This allows the direct-drive limit switch 38 to be mounted outside the housing 20 while still maintaining precise information on the movement of the sun gear 26c and the position of the roller shutter.

[0042] An opening 26h is provided in the wall 26d to provide an entrance to the external teeth 22a of the ring gear 22 when the rocker arm 36 is mounted on the housing 20. Similarly, an opening 26i is provided in the annular wall 20d to allow the gear train 40 to engage the direct drive limit switch assembly 38, which is also mounted outside the housing 20.

[0043] As the rocker arm 36 moves from the locked position, where teeth 36a engage with teeth 22a on the ring gear, to the unlocked position, these teeth disengage. The ring gear, along with the sun gear 26, hub 34, and bracket 32, rotates freely. This allows shaft 18a to rotate freely, and the door wound on the cylinder assembly descends under its own weight. However, as the door begins to accelerate and increase in speed, the descent speed must be adjusted or controlled to avoid excessive speed and potential hazards. Other known release devices can be used, such as fusible links, electromechanical release devices such as solenoids, and motor-controlled release devices.

[0044] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 In China, through Figure 1 and Figure 2 as well as Figure 3-5 The features shown provide this control over the rotational speed of the hub 34 and the bracket 32. This speed control is provided by a speed regulator 42 comprising a centrifugal mechanism 42a, a shaft 42b, and a gear 42c that always engages with the external teeth 22a of the ring gear 22. The shaft 42b extends through an opening formed in a flange 20e on the housing 20. Other braking mechanisms can be used, such as an electromagnetic clutch 60 coupled via a chain 62 to a sprocket 64 mounted on a bracket 66. The sprocket 64 is coupled via a bearing 70 to the gear 72 that always engages with the external teeth 22a of the ring gear. When the ring gear begins to over-accelerate upon release via the rocker arm 36, the electromagnetic clutch 60 detects the speed and generates a reaction force that prevents further increase in the speed of the ring gear. Braking devices with varying degrees of advantages can be used, including viscous speed regulators and other braking devices known to those skilled in the art.

[0045] As shown in the figure, the drive for raising and lowering the door is applied via the sun gear 26 through the external teeth 26c that mesh with the drive gear 30. Other known methods for applying rotational force to the sun gear cam can be used and considered.

[0046] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2In this embodiment, the drive is provided by a manual chain assembly 28, the details of which are described more fully in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 584,330, which is incorporated herein as fully set forth herein. Therefore, as Figure 4 As shown, two openings 26g are provided in the housing 20. A chain 46, driven by a manual chain assembly 48, is connected to a sprocket gear 52 and then to a bridge gearbox 50, engaging... Figure 8 A more detailed description follows. The bridge gearbox 50 includes a housing 50a with a cover 50b. As shown, a drive shaft 50c is connected to a freewheeling spur gear 50d that meshes with two spur gears 50e and 50f. Spur gears 50e and 50f are connected to spur gear shafts 50g and 50h, respectively, mounted on bearings 50i and 50j. The drive shaft 50c and the gear sprocket 52 are also mounted on a drive shaft bearing 54. Clearly, the rotation of the gear sprocket 52 and the drive shaft 50c transmits rotational torque to the spur gears 50e and 50f via the spur gear 50d, thereby rotating the spur gear shafts 50g and 50h. These gears are then connected to a drive gear 30, which is connected to the sun gear via external teeth 26c and transmits rotational force to the sun gear.

[0047] Instead of the manual chain component 48, any other suitable driver can be used. For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 and Figure 7 Dual DC motors 44a and 44b are respectively connected to right-angle gearboxes 44c and 44d. Each of these gearboxes has a shaft that extends through an opening 26g in the housing and is connected to the drive gears 30, similar to the gear shafts 50g and 50h. Other equipment, such as direct-drive chain hoists, geared chain hoists, and compound geared chain hoists, can be used.

[0048] In a similar manner, refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 An external electric motor 56 can be used to drive the chain 46. The motor 56 is electrically connected to the limit switch assembly 38 to prevent the motor 56 from continuing to rotate when the limit switch indicates that the door has reached the lowest or highest position. The bridge gearbox 50 can be used to transmit the driving force of the motor 56 to the drive gear 30, and thus to the sun gear 26. The motor 56 can be a third-party actuator 74, therefore the actuator of this invention can be used with third-party actuators in the aforementioned drive mechanism.

[0049] It should be understood that the use of a ring gear 22 with external teeth or external teeth 22a and internal teeth 22b in the planetary gear system 10 makes the actuator very versatile, and practically universal, as it can be adapted to work with almost any drive and braking system. Furthermore, by utilizing the direct drive gear set 40 connected to the hub 34, and therefore also connected to the shaft attached to the hub, the direct drive limit switch assembly can be mounted outside the housing. This facilitates the maintenance and adjustment of the direct drive limit assembly without requiring disassembly of the entire unit.

[0050] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A fire door operator for a roller shutter door, wherein the roller shutter door can be raised when rolled onto a generally horizontal shaft when the shaft rotates in a first direction, and can be lowered when the shaft rotates in the opposite direction, the operator comprising a housing defining an axis; an outer main gear in the form of an annular ring, mounted within the housing to rotate about the axis and having outer gear teeth and radially inwardly spaced inner teeth; a speed control device coupled to the outer gear teeth to control the rotational speed of the outer main gear; planetary gears meshing with the inner teeth; and a sun gear having a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth, the first set of teeth meshing with the planetary gears to rotate about the axis. A bracket, which is fixed to the planetary gear and adapted to be connected to the roller shutter door shaft; a locking device for normally locking the outer main gear relative to the housing to prevent the outer main gear from rotating about its axis; A drive unit, which is connected to the second set of teeth of the sun gear, is used to selectively rotate the sun gear and the bracket to transmit rotational power to the roller shutter door shaft when fixed to the bracket; And a release device for selectively releasing the locking device to allow free rotation of the outer main gear and the bracket, thereby allowing the roller shutter to lower under its own weight, wherein the outer main gear is directly driven by the planetary gear only when the locking device is released by the release device.

2. The fire door operator of claim 1, wherein the locking device includes a rocker arm located near the outer teeth of the ring and having locking teeth configured to engage with the outer teeth and biased to generally engage with the outer teeth to generally lock the ring to prevent rotation about the axis.

3. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rocker arm is provided with a device for responding to external force to move the rocker arm, thereby disengaging the locking tooth from the external tooth.

4. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket includes interchangeable hubs to accommodate a predetermined shaft diameter.

5. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive unit includes a manually operated chain drive coupled to the sun gear.

6. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive unit includes an external electric motor coupled to the sun gear.

7. The fire door operator of claim 6, wherein the external motor is connected via: a drive shaft engaging with the sun gear; and a sprocket fixedly mounted on the drive shaft.

8. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a bridge gearbox that connects the drive shaft to two spur gears to drive the sun gear.

9. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the drive unit comprises dual electric motors coupled to the sun gear.

10. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the speed control device includes a speed regulator mechanism connected to the outer teeth of the ring to respond to the rotational speed of the ring and generate a deceleration force to prevent the ring from exceeding a predetermined rotational speed.

11. The fire door operator of claim 1, wherein the speed control device includes an electromagnetic clutch connected to the outer teeth of the ring to respond to the rotational speed of the ring and generate a deceleration force to prevent the ring from exceeding a predetermined rotational speed.

12. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a limit switch directly connected to the bracket.

13. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the limit switch is connected to the bracket via a gear set.

14. The fire door operator of claim 13, wherein the gear set includes at least one gear extending through the housing, and the limit switch engages with the at least one gear.

15. The fire door operator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the limit switch is mounted outside the housing to allow adjustment of the limit switch without disassembling the fire door operator.

16. A planetary gear system comprising a housing defining an axis; an outer primary gear in the form of an annular ring, mounted within the housing for rotation about the axis and having outer gear teeth and radially inwardly spaced inner teeth; planetary gears meshing with the inner teeth; a sun gear having a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth, the first set of teeth meshing with the planetary gears for rotation about the axis; a coupling device fixed to the planetary gears and adapted to be coupled to a shaft arranged for rotation about the axis; a locking device for normally locking the outer primary gear to prevent its rotation; a drive device coupled to the second set of teeth of the sun gear for selectively rotating the sun gear, the selective rotation of the sun gear transmitting rotational power to the shaft when fixed to the coupling device; and a release device for selectively releasing the locking device to disengage from the outer primary gear, thereby allowing free rotation of the outer primary gear and the shaft, wherein... The outer main gear is directly driven by the planetary gear only when the locking device is released by the releasing device.

17. The planetary gear system of claim 16, wherein the locking device includes a rocker arm positioned near the outer tooth of the ring and provided with a locking tooth configured to engage the outer tooth and biased to generally engage the outer tooth to generally lock the ring to prevent rotation about the axis.

18. The planetary gear system of claim 17, wherein the rocker arm is provided with means responsive to an external force to move the rocker arm, thereby disengaging the locking tooth from the external tooth.

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