Winding device

Abstract

This invention provides a winding device for controlling the elastic storage of a spring system in a lifting door installed in a wall structure. The door has at least one door panel capable of limiting vertical movement within a track. The door also has an elastic storage system with a helical spring including a fixed end and a winding end. The door system further has a central shaft held within the elastic storage system. The winding device has a ring gear including a flange, a worm gear meshing with the ring gear, and a housing, container, or retainer that holds the ring gear and worm gear in engagement, with the ring gear engaged with the central shaft by fasteners.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority and incorporates by reference U.S. Patent Application No. 6,311,0834, filed November 6, 2020. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the control of the elastic energy of a spring system, the function of which is to tighten or release the spring, particularly for torsion springs used to lift segmented garage doors or lift gates. Background Technology

[0003] Traditionally, torsion springs used in conjunction with garage doors consist of a coil section and a central axis, with the coil section wound around the central axis. The central axis is positioned along the central axis of the torsion spring, and the spring is wound around the axis. One end of the spring is fixed to a stationary cone, which is secured to an anchor point, such as a wall, by a plate. The other end of the spring is fixed to a winding cone, which is wound until sufficient torque is achieved, and then secured to the central axis. Each end of the central axis is pivotally supported by a bracket or a corner plate fixed to the wall.

[0004] In garage doors, torsion springs store energy as they wind, which is then transferred to cables connected to the spring and the bottom of the garage door so that the cables can balance the weight of the garage door as it opens and closes. If the torsion spring breaks, the garage door may not work properly; it may either fail to function correctly or open asymmetrically and derail.

[0005] Installing or replacing a torsion spring can be a dangerous and inefficient task. When removing a spring for maintenance or replacement, it must be unwound to release the energy from the coil. Similarly, when installing a spring, it must be wound to transfer or store energy into the coil. Currently, the tools used for this task are typically a rod or bar. Whether the spring is wound or unwound, the large amount of energy stored within it poses a danger to both amateurs and professionals, as even a slight mishap can cause the spring to unwound, much like a propeller, launching the rod or bar off its central axis. Such a mishap can cause cosmetic damage to objects and structures around the torsion spring, as well as serious bodily injury or death to anyone attempting to remove or install it. Furthermore, because the spring requires a significant amount of torque, removing or installing a torsion spring is strenuous, and the repetitive movements associated with each turn required to wind or unwound the spring pose a danger to the installer's muscles and limbs.

[0006] An attempt has been made to provide a tool to assist in the disassembly and installation of torsion springs by reducing the physical burden on workers working on them.

[0007] US2020 / 0290188 discloses a prior art that allows an operator to use a driven electric drill to rotate a worm gear, which then drives a meshing ring gear temporarily attached to a spring. The ring gear comprises two separate parts positioned around an axis and secured by a coiled cone fixed to the coiled end of the spring. Due to the presence of two separate ring gear parts, manufacturing and assembly remain overly complex.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a spring-removable winding device that can safely, easily, efficiently, and cost-effectively wind and unwind torsion springs while reducing the risk of injury to the installer. More specifically, if the winding device uses an integrated ring gear instead of the two separate ring gear parts mentioned above, it can further achieve the function of simultaneously rotating all springs fixed on the shaft, thus achieving the above-mentioned purpose or having the above-mentioned advantages. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention provides a winding device for adjusting the elastic storage of a spring system in a lifting door installed in a wall structure. The door has at least one door panel capable of limiting vertical movement within a track. The door also has an elastic storage system with a helical spring including a fixed end and a winding end. The door system further has a central shaft held within the elastic storage system. The winding device has a ring gear including a flange, a worm gear meshing with the ring gear, and a housing, container, or retainer that holds the ring gear and worm gear in engagement, with the ring gear engaged with the central shaft by fasteners.

[0010] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing a winding device equipped with a door system having a movable shaft.

[0012] Figure 2 An isometric view of the bottom corner of the bottom panel is shown, illustrating how the cables and rollers engage with the bottom bracket.

[0013] Figure 3 This shows how the spring is mounted together with the central shaft and the bracket (wall).

[0014] Figure 4 This is a detailed diagram showing how the rods are installed according to the present invention.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a general isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a preferred embodiment.

[0017] Figure 7 The main body of the housing or retainer is shown.

[0018] Figure 8 , Figure 9 This is the case when installing a door system with a stationary axis in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figures 10 to 12 This is the case when a door system with a hollow rotating shaft is installed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 13 This is the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figures 14 to 16 , Figure 22 This is the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 17 and Figure 18 This is the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 19 and 20 This is the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 21 A variation of the preferred embodiment is shown, in which a spur gear is used as the ring gear, and the centerline of the worm gear is inclined at a smaller angle compared to the preferred embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To explain the present invention, as follows were created Figure 1 The global rectangular coordinate system XYZ is shown.

[0026] See Figure 1-7 The vertical portions of the two U-shaped tracks 22 are mounted to the wall 20 via brackets 24 (the vertical portion of the right track is hidden for better cable illustration). The bottom panel of the door 30 has a corner plate 32 ( Figure 2 The bottom panel has cable studs 36 on its side. A roller 34 with a short shaft 38 is mounted on the front surface of the bottom position of the door 30 via a bracket 33.

[0027] The panel, which is connected to other panels via hinges, can move up and down along the U-shaped track 22 via rollers, be guided to rotate about 90 degrees, and then move along the -Y direction via the horizontal portion of the U-shaped track 22.

[0028] On wall 20, the two ends of the central shaft 60 are connected by bracket 52 and bearing 54. Figure 4 And it is positioned along the X direction by fastener 55.

[0029] At least one spring device 40 connects the wall 20 and the central shaft 60. The first end of the spring device 40, i.e., the fixed end, has a spring body 42 with a fixed cone 44 fixed to it, the fixed cone being connected by a bracket 53 and a fastener 45. Figure 3 It is fixed to the wall 20. The second end of the spring device 40, i.e. the winding end, has the second end of the spring body 42 to which the winding cone 46 is fixed, and the winding cone 46 is fixed to the central shaft 60 by fasteners, i.e., positioning screws 47.

[0030] However, before tightening the locating screw 47, it is preferable to adjust the spring assembly 40 by moving the wound end of the spring assembly 40 a certain distance along the axis from its fixed end. This is called the slack length because the spring body 42 is typically wound in a direction that results in a smaller spring diameter and a longer nominal length (from the fixed end to the wound end). This distance is typically slightly greater than the product of the number of turns and the spring wire diameter.

[0031] If the winding device 10 of the present invention is applied to a door having a single spring, or two or more identical springs, all springs are on one side (left or right) of the bracket to which they are anchored, and without prior adjustment, when the spring is wound, if no object obstructs the movement, the central shaft will move from the fixed end of the spring to its wound end, a distance equal to the product of the number of turns multiplied by the wire diameter (assuming the spring is manufactured in such a way that the gap between each adjacent coil is zero).

[0032] like Figure 4 As shown, the reel 56 is slidably connected to the central shaft 60 via its extension 58 without tightening the fastener 59. The reel 56 also has a slot 57 to clamp the upper connector 72 of the cable 70, and its lower connector 74 is secured to the cable bolt 36 at the lower end of the panel of the door 30.

[0033] The winding device 10 of the present invention is as follows Figures 5 to 7 As shown, having as Figure 5 The local coordinate system shown is x1-y1-z1.

[0034] The winding device 10 has a main housing or retainer 82, which has a base 83. The base 83 has a first through hole or main hole 84 whose centerline is collinear with x1. When the winding device 10 is mounted on the central shaft 60, the centerline is also collinear with the X direction. The base 83 also has at least one, but usually two, positioning portions 85. The positioning portions 85 have a second through hole 19 whose centerline is parallel to y1 and usually perpendicular to the centerline of the main hole 84, and a plurality of third through holes 25 parallel to x1. The ring gear 12 has an extension 13 along the x1 direction and a hole 18 through the ring gear 12 including the extension 13 along the x1 direction. The ring gear 12 also has helical teeth 15 on its periphery, and the extension 13 has at least one threaded hole 11 substantially perpendicular to x1.

[0035] The worm gear 14 has helical teeth 15 and extensions 16 generally located on each side thereof. The extensions 16 generally have hexagonal studs 17 at each end but at least one end.

[0036] The extension 16 is pivotally engaged with the second through hole 19.

[0037] The cover 27 secures the ring gear 12 and the worm gear 14 within the cavity formed by the base 83. The cover 27 has a first through hole 28 and a plurality of second through holes 29 for mating with the third through hole 25.

[0038] The worm gear 14 is constrained by the base 83 via two extensions 13 and two second through holes 19. The outer peripheral surface of the extension 13 also pivotally engages at one end with the main hole 84 of the base 83 and at the other end with the first through hole 28 of the cover 27. A plurality of fasteners 26 pass through the second through holes 29 and the third through hole 25 to hold the cover 27 and the base 83 together and to maintain the meshing between the ring gear 12 and the worm gear 14 within the cavity of the base 83.

[0039] like Figure 6 As shown, the ring gear 12 and the worm gear 14 mesh with each other in the conventional meshing manner of ring gears and worm gears.

[0040] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, in order to store energy in the spring device 40, the winding device 10 engages with the central shaft 60, the hole 18 is received by one end of the central shaft 60, and at least one locking screw fastener 89 is tightened to its bottom end to firmly hold the central shaft 60, and then the winding device 10 is completely fixed to the central shaft 60.

[0041] At this time, the central shaft 60 is not mechanically connected to the cable stud 36. This is usually achieved by keeping the fastener 59 loose so that the drum 56 has the freedom to rotate around the central shaft 60, or by disconnecting the upper connector 72 of the cable 70 from the slot 57, or by disconnecting the lower connector 74 of the cable 70 from the cable stud 36.

[0042] Then, the drive of a typical automatic screwdriver or a drill with a suitable socket is used to engage the hexagonal stud 17, and its rotation causes the central shaft 60 to rotate in the -X direction (right-hand rule). Since the fixed end of the spring assembly 40 is fixed to the wall, and its wound end is fixed to the central shaft 60, one edge of the base 83, typically its bottom edge near the wall, is then pushed in the +X direction to contact the wall, thus providing a grounding base for the rotation of the ring gear 12 and the central shaft 60 in the -X direction. This rotation will tighten all the springs fixed to the central shaft while storing energy in the balancing system.

[0043] After the spring is charged, confirm that the upper connector 72 of the cable 70 is connected to the slot 57 and the lower connector 74 of the cable 70 is connected to the cable stud 36. Then, rotate the drum 56 slightly in the +X direction to overcome the free travel of the cable 70 until it is properly tightened. Then, tighten the fastener 59 to completely fix the drum 56 to the central shaft 60.

[0044] At this point, even without the winding device 10, a complete mechanical connection or link has been established between the wall 20 and the door 30. The load path for this connection between the door and the wall can be simplified as 30-36-74-72-57-56-60-40-53-20.

[0045] Now, the winding device 10 can be removed from the central shaft 60 after the fastener 89 is loosened, and the door with auxiliary spring energy support can then operate.

[0046] With this configuration, when the door 30 is lifted, the spring mechanism 40 releases energy to help lift the door. Conversely, when the door 30 is pushed down, the weight of the door 30 helps store energy in the spring mechanism 40.

[0047] If the spring assembly 40 needs to be removed from the central shaft 60 for repair or maintenance of the existing door system, the installation of the winding device 10 to the central shaft 60 is the same as described above. Then, loosen the fastener 59, and then rotate the hexagonal stud 17 in the direction of rotating the central shaft 60 in the +X direction until the spring assembly 40 is fully released to the neutral position. In this way, the spring can be safely removed or used for other purposes.

[0048] The main difference between this invention and prior art such as US2020 / 0290188 is that the prior art directly rotates the spring winding cone. Therefore, its winding tool needs to be attached to the spring winding cone, which is located in the middle of the shaft between two supports (52) with shafts. This results in its ring gear needing to be divided into at least two parts, which are then assembled around the central shaft to form a complete ring gear to fix the central shaft. It also needs to be connected to the winding cone; in other words, this winding device must connect the shaft and the spring simultaneously before rotating to wind the spring onto the shaft. Another disadvantage is that only one spring can be wound at a time.

[0049] The winding device 10 of the present invention winds a central shaft that winds together all the springs attached to the shaft, and most importantly, because it is received at one end of the shaft and attached to one end of the shaft (the central shaft is fixed to the winding end of all the springs), it has a complete or integral ring gear, which makes installation and engagement easier and more reliable, thereby saving manufacturing and installation costs and minimizing the risk of failure.

[0050] There are generally two types of balancing systems for lifting doors: static axis and moving axis.

[0051] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown. The balancing systems for garage doors in the United States are mostly sliding axle balancing systems. When fully installed, the axle or central shaft continuously rotates as the door opens or closes, acting as a torque linkage.

[0052] A significant proportion of trailer liftgates have a balancing system that includes a stationary or central axis. This axis remains stationary when the door is opened or closed. It typically has two symmetrical springs. One end of each spring is connected to a coiled cone, and the other end is connected to a plug. The plug serves the same function as the rollers described above, for connecting the first end of the cable.

[0053] Therefore, the stationary shaft only keeps the spring facing normally in the transverse direction of the trailer, without transmitting torque between the spring and the plug, which is similar to the roller described above. Once the door system is fully installed, the shaft remains stationary relative to the trailer.

[0054] Figure 8 and Figure 9 The construction of a balancing system with a stationary central axis is shown. In this case, a central support 153 fixed to the wall 20 pivotally supports the axis 160 at its middle position.

[0055] The spring device 140 has a body 142, a plug 156, and a locking screw 147 that secures the winding cone 146 and the shaft 160 together. The plug 156 is pivotally engaged with the shaft 160 and is connected to the cable stud 36 via a cable 70.

[0056] Such systems typically have two symmetrical spring devices 140, one for suspending the right end of the door and the other for suspending the left end of the door.

[0057] To wind the balancing system, the winding device 10 of the present invention engages one end of the shaft 160 as described above, and then rotates the hexagonal stud 17, which rotates 12 and the shaft 160, which rotates the winding cone 146 in the +X direction. Since the plug 156 is held in place by the cable stud 36 via the cable 70, the rotation of the winding cone 146 relative to the plug 156 just tightens 140 and stores elastic energy therein.

[0058] After the appropriate number of turns are wound, tighten the locking screw 151 to completely secure the shaft 160 to the central bracket 153 and the wall 20. Then remove the winding device 10 from the shaft 160, and the balancing system is ready to operate up and down on the support door.

[0059] Therefore, even though the shaft 160 is referred to as a fixed shaft or stationary shaft, it only means that the shaft remains stationary once the balancing system is fully installed. However, during installation, the shaft 160 rotates moderately as a transmission element, causing the coiled cone 146 to rotate and coil around the spring 140.

[0060] A ratchet or one-way clutch (not shown) may be used in place of the locking screw 151. The one-way clutch is fixed to the central bracket 153. It allows the shaft 160 to rotate in one direction, in this case, in the +X direction, but prevents it from attempting to rotate back in the -X direction.

[0061] Figure 10 A modified example of a balancing system with a movable shaft, referred to as the outer shaft, is shown, which covers the internal spring. The balancing system has a plug assembly 170 with a hollow shaft 172 having a non-circular cross-sectional shape, each end of which is symmetrically connected to a plug 174 via fasteners 176.

[0062] like Figure 11 As shown, the spring assembly 180 has a spring 182, with a connector 186 having a non-circular cross-section 187 fixed to the inner end of the spring 182, and an adjusting stud 184 fixed to the outer end of the spring 182. Due to its non-circular shape, the connector 186 cannot rotate about the X direction relative to the hollow shaft 172, but can slide in and out freely.

[0063] Each spring assembly 180 is inserted into the plug assembly 170 from the left and right ends, leaving the bolt 184 on the outside and protruding from the plug assembly 170. The shank of the stud 184 is held by the hole 192 of the bracket 190. The centerline of the hole 192 is collinear with X.

[0064] Then, the slot 175 on the plug 174 is connected to the cable post 36 of the door 30 via the cable 70 to establish a mechanical connection between the spring assembly 180 and the door 30. Then, the winding device 10 is completely fixed by the stud 184. Then, the hexagonal stud 17 is rotated to wind the spring assembly 180 along the +X direction to store energy. Then, the stud 184 is fixed to the bracket 190 with the fastener 194, and the winding device 10 can be removed.

[0065] Figure 12 The cross-section cut along the X-axis is shown.

[0066] During normal door raising and lowering operation, the stud 184 remains stationary, while the entire shaft-plug assembly 170, including the hollow shaft 172 and the two plugs 174, rotates to raise or lower the door. The hollow shaft 172 in this application is not only decorative but also functional, serving as a shaft connecting the two plugs together and also protecting the spring within its hollow shape.

[0067] In summary, regardless of the form of the balancing system, there is always a connecting device fixed to one end of the spring. This connecting device can be a through shaft or a short extension protruding from the outer end of the spring and the outer shaft. This short extension was referred to as the adjusting stud in the preceding text.

[0068] Generally, in order to install the winding device 10, the central through hole of the ring gear of the winding device 10 is received and engaged by the connecting device of the spring of the balance system of the lifting door system, and the housing of the winding device 10 is close to the wall where the door is installed, and then the winding device can adjust the elastic energy of the spring.

[0069] Other implementation methods

[0070] like Figure 6 As shown, the winding device 10 of the second embodiment of the present invention may have three locking screws 89, 89', 89' that are 120 degrees apart from each other in the circumferential direction.

[0071] Because these screws are close to the wall 20 and the bracket 52, the screw closest to the wall 20 is not easily accessible due to the limited space for turning the screw, but the other two are usually accessible.

[0072] Therefore, the winding device 10 is connected to the central shaft 60 as follows:

[0073] Select the first accessible fastener (89) and tighten it very lightly with torque T, but do feel the bottom of the screw contacting the shaft. This means that there is generally no noticeable free movement between the ring gear 12 and the central shaft 60 (perpendicular to the X-axis), but at the same time the winding device 10 can be moved off the central shaft 60 along the X-axis to completely disengage from the central shaft 60; then tighten the second of the other two most easily accessible fasteners (89') with torque T2, which is generally 2-100 times T; then turn the hexagonal stud 1. 7. Rotate the ring gear 12 to an angle typically 45-180 degrees. The previously most difficult-to-reach one, namely the third one (fastener 89), will then be easily accessible. Tighten with torque T3, which is typically 2-100 times T2. Then, rotate the ring gear 12 and the central shaft 60 together at an appropriate angle to wind the spring, but not necessarily in whole turns. Therefore, the direction of these three screws after winding is often different from their original direction. Finally, tighten fastener 59 to connect the door 30 and the spring assembly 40 together via cable 70.

[0074] After installation as described above, when the winding device 10 is released from the central shaft 60, at least two of the three screws are typically easily accessible. Then, using a suitable wrench, the two most easily accessible screws are loosened, and the winding device 10 can be easily removed from the central shaft 60 along the X-axis by overcoming slight friction. The two most easily accessible screws can be one of three combinations: fasteners 89 and 89', or fasteners 89 and 89", or fasteners 89' and 89".

[0075] In this way, the shaft and spring can be wound at any angle, and there is no difficulty in removing the winding device 10 from the central shaft 60 after installation.

[0076] like Figure 13 As shown, a third embodiment of the winding device 310 has a housing or retainer 311 for replacing the main housing / retainer 82 as described above. The retainer 311 typically has the same front plate 312 and back plate 314 (the front plate 312 is hidden to show the other parts), and has a main hole 318 similar to the first through hole 28 and a plurality of secondary holes 319, respectively. Figure 14 The two positioning brackets 320 each have a first through hole 322 with a centerline parallel to y1 for receiving both ends of the extension 16 of the worm gear 14, and at least one second through hole 325 with a centerline parallel to x1. At least one fastener 326 at each end holds the front plate 312, the positioning brackets 320, and the back plate 314 together. This embodiment simplifies manufacturing compared to the embodiments described above.

[0077] In the three embodiments above, in order to keep the center line of 14 parallel to y1 or perpendicular to x1, the ring gear 12 is usually a helical gear.

[0078] Figure 21 A variation of the third embodiment is shown, which uses a spur gear 12b as a ring gear. The spur gear 12b is a gear with radial teeth parallel to its axis, or in this case, x1, which can save manufacturing costs compared to a helical gear. With this change, the centerline y1' of the worm gear 114 is no longer perpendicular to x1, or no longer collinear with y1, but forms a small angle α with y1. Therefore, the centerline y1” of the corresponding first through hole of the positioning bracket (not shown) also needs to have an angle α relative to y1, keeping y1' collinear with y1”.

[0079] This change has no substantial impact on the third embodiment or the essence of the invention as a whole.

[0080] Now, for reference Figure 14 and 15 The fourth embodiment of the winding device 410 can accommodate two shaft sizes: typically, the shaft size in state one has a diameter of one inch, and the shaft size in state two has a diameter of 1.25 inches.

[0081] Figure 14 This is an exploded view showing the configuration when working with a smaller shaft. This fourth embodiment has two collars 413 for clamping the ring gear 412. Each collar 413 has a central hole 413a, a plurality of transverse through holes 413b, and a recess 413c formed in the collar 413 at the edge portion 413a. Within the central holes of the ring gear 412 and the collars 413, there are... Figure 15 The sleeve 430 is shown. The sleeve 430 has an opening gap 431, multiple protrusions 433 on each circular edge, and multiple C-shaped openings 432 formed at each circular edge.

[0082] It has two annular plates 440, each annular plate 440 having a central hole 443 with multiple notches 444 and multiple holes 442.

[0083] The sleeve 430 is inserted into 413a, and then each annular plate 440 presses against the outer surface 413e of the collar 413. The two annular plates 440 clamp the two collars 413 and the ring gear 412 together. Then, the bolt 472 passes through holes 442, 413b, a hole on the ring gear 412 (not shown), and another hole, and is then locked with a nut 474. The notch 444 engages with the protrusion 433. With this arrangement, the sleeve 430 cannot be removed from the rest of the winding device 410, nor can it rotate relative to the rest of the winding device 410.

[0084] Reference Figure 14 , 16 22. The cross-sectional shape of the cross key 450 is cross-shaped. The cross key 450 has an outer protrusion 452, an inner protrusion 454, and two side protrusions 456. The outer protrusion 452 engages with the recess 413c, the two side protrusions 456 are covered by the opening gap 431, and the inner protrusion 454 extends into the circular profile of the cylindrical hole 434 of the sleeve 430. The inner protrusion 454 engages with the keyway (not shown) of a typical shaft 460 with a C-shaped cross-section cut (not shown) for heavy-duty garage doors. This shaft typically has a nominal diameter of one inch in the United States. Figure 22 The sleeve 430, cross key 450, and recess 413c are clearly shown to work in conjunction with the concealed annular plate 440.

[0085] The C-shaped opening 432 provides or opens space for the fastener 89 to pass through the collar 413 to press the shaft 460 together in the same manner as shown in the above embodiments to secure the winding device 410 and the shaft 460 together.

[0086] With the help of the cross key 450, the winding device 410 can rotate the shaft 460 with higher torque without slipping.

[0087] Figure 17 The diagram shows a second configuration where the winding device 410 is working with a larger shaft 460b (not shown). For this application, the annular plate 440, cross key 450, and sleeve 430 are removed, but a flat key 450b can be added to engage the recess 413c with the open channel (not shown) of the larger shaft, which has a C-shaped cross-section cut (not shown). In the United States, the larger shaft is typically nominally 1.25 inches in diameter.

[0088] Similarly, Figure 17 The fifth embodiment of the winding device 510 shown has a first extension plate 520 that typically has at least two holes 522 and a second extension plate 530 that typically has at least two holes (not shown, but they are similar to holes 522). The at least two holes 522 are respectively mounted to at least two fasteners 326 on the bottom of the body of the winding device 510, and the at least two holes of the second extension plate 530 are respectively mounted to at least two fasteners 326 on the top of the body of the winding device 510.

[0089] When this embodiment is used for winding a shaft, the first extension plate 520 can provide a longer lever arm to provide greater torque to rotate the shaft 460.

[0090] Figure 18 This illustrates how the winding device 510 can be mounted together with the shaft 460 for use in moving shaft applications.

[0091] During winding, shaft 460 rotates in the -X direction, and winding device 510 provides a supporting torque M1 in the -X direction to shaft 460 to balance the gradually increasing resistance torque M2 in spring device 40 that attempts to rotate shaft 460 in the +X direction. Under normal winding conditions, M2 equals -M1. If, during winding, the balancing system suddenly fails, for example, if spring device 40 is damaged and M2 is no longer present, winding device 510 and shaft 460 are driven by M1 to rotate in the -X direction. Without the second extension plate 530, the winding device, including the first extension plate 520, could potentially rotate suddenly in the -X direction by more than 180 degrees in a dangerous manner until the original bottom edge of the first extension plate 520 contacts the wall 20 above shaft 460. With the help of the second extension plate 530, when the balancing system suddenly fails, the top edge of the second extension plate 530 quickly contacts the wall and then stops the rotation of winding device 510 at a smaller angle, such as within 30 degrees.

[0092] A sixth embodiment of the winding device 610, for example Figure 19As shown. The winding device 610 is a two-stage winding device with two sets of cooperating worm gear mechanisms. Similar to the embodiment described above, the primary stage has a first worm gear 614 meshing with a first ring gear 612, both of which are located within a first housing or a retainer 611 similar to a retainer 311. The retainer 611 has a front plate 618 (not shown) and a back plate 616, which clamp a positioning frame 620 similar to a positioning frame 320. A secondary back plate 652 is connected to one of the positioning frames 620. A secondary front plate 654 (not shown) together with the secondary back plate 652 clamps two secondary positioning frames 660 to form a secondary housing or retainer 671. The secondary ring gear 672 is formed at or connected to one end of the first worm gear 614, such that the centerline of the secondary ring gear 672 is collinear with the centerline of the first worm gear 614. The secondary housing or retainer 671 holds the secondary worm gear 674 in mesh with the secondary ring gear 672.

[0093] like Figure 19 , 20 As shown, the door system with a movable shaft has a winding device 610 engaged with the central shaft 60 via a locking screw 615. The winding device 610 also has an extension rod 682, the bottom of which rests against the wall 20. The direction of the extension rod 682 is the y1 direction, approximately parallel to the Z direction. The bottom of the extension rod 682 is much lower than the central shaft 60, and the top of the extension rod 682 is significantly higher than the central shaft 60. When the extension stud 677 of the secondary worm gear 674 rotates in one direction, the central shaft 60 rotates in the -X direction to store energy in the spring device 40. The connection between the roller and the door via a cable is almost identical to that in the preferred embodiment. In the event of a failure of the balancing system, the top of the extension rod 682 functions the same as the second extension plate 530 in the previous embodiment.

[0094] With this two-stage setup, the winding device can provide a higher gear ratio to lift heavier doors.

Claims

1. A winding device for adjusting the elastic energy of a lifting door balancing system installed on a wall structure. The door has at least one door panel that can move up and down under the guidance of a track. The balancing system has a helical spring with a fixed end and a winding end. The fixed end is directly or indirectly fixed to the wall structure. The lifting door balancing system also has a central shaft to be held within the helical spring. A drum is connected to the central shaft. The lifting door balancing system also has a cable, the upper end of which is directly connected to the drum or connected through the central shaft, and the lower end of which is connected to the door panel. in, The winding end is fixed with a winding cone, which is fixed to the central shaft by fasteners; The winding device is characterized in that it comprises: A ring gear or gear ring having a flange portion having a central through hole along its centerline; A worm gear, which meshes with the ring gear, has a stud or boss at one end, the boss having a non-circular cross-sectional shape; and A housing, container, or retainer that holds the ring gear and the worm gear in an engaged state, wherein the central through hole of the ring gear engages with the central shaft and is completely secured together by a fastener assembly having at least one fastener, and wherein the winding device can be detached from the central shaft after working with the lifting door balancing system. In this process, after working with the lifting door balancing system, rotating the boss causes the central shaft to rotate. Since the fixed end of the helical spring is fixed to the wall structure and the coiled end of the helical spring is fixed to the central shaft, rotating the stud will tighten all the helical springs fixed on the central shaft, storing energy in the lifting door balancing system.

2. The winding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fastener group has three fasteners, which are distributed circumferentially spaced 120 degrees apart from each other.

3. The winding device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing comprises a main body, a cover, and a second set of fasteners. The main body has three directions: a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction, which are generally perpendicular to each other. The worm gear and the ring gear are located in and confined within an opening in the main body. The main body has a substantially circular first through-hole defining the first direction, a second through-hole parallel to the second direction, and at least one third through-hole parallel to the first direction. The cover is substantially a flat plate having the same three directions as the main body, wherein the cover has a thinner thickness in the first direction. The cover has a first through-hole corresponding to the first through-hole of the main body, and at least one second through-hole corresponding to the third through-hole of the main body. The flange of the ring gear is pivotally connected to the first through hole of the main body and the first through hole of the cover. At least one end of the worm gear is pivotally connected to the second through hole of the main body. The second fastener assembly passes through the second through hole of the cover and the third through hole of the body to join them together and retain the ring gear and the worm gear therein.

4. The winding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing has a front plate, a back plate substantially the same as the front plate, and two positioning brackets for separating the front plate and the back plate from each other, thereby providing space to accommodate and hold the ring gear and the worm gear. The front plate and the back plate each have a first through hole collinear with a first direction and at least two second through holes parallel to the first direction. The positioning frames each have a first through hole parallel to the second direction, and each have at least one second through hole parallel to the first direction. The winding device also has a second set of fasteners for passing through second through holes in the front plate and the back plate, and the second through hole in the positioning frame between the front plate and the back plate is used to connect them together. The ring gear has two flanges, a first flange at the positive end and a second flange at the negative end. The first flange is pivotally connected to the first through hole of the front plate, and the second flange is pivotally connected to the first through hole of the back plate. One end of the worm gear is pivotally connected to the first through hole of the positioning frame.

5. The winding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The front plate and the back plate are each made of sheet metal.

6. The winding device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The positioning frame is made using a protrusion process.

7. The winding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The winding device further includes a sleeve adapted to be detachably inserted into the central through-hole of the ring gear and also adapted to be attached to the flange by at least one fastener.

8. The winding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ring gear has two flange portions, a first flange portion at the positive end and a second flange portion at the negative end; the winding device further includes a detachable sleeve and a pair of detachable second plates, the pair of detachable second plates together clamping the sleeve, the first flange portion, and the second flange portion. Each of the second plates is attached to each of the first flange and the second flange by a third fastener.

9. The winding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The winding device further includes a second ring gear, a second worm gear, and a second housing. The centerline of the second ring gear is collinear with the centerline of the worm gear. The second housing is attached to one of the positioning frames to keep the second ring gear and the second worm gear in a meshing state.

10. The winding apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The winding device also includes a lower extension plate fixed to the housing, which actually extends the winding device along a third direction on the lower side when the winding device is engaged with the lifting door balancing system to adjust its elastic energy.

11. The winding apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that, The winding device also includes an upper extension plate fixed to the housing, which actually extends the winding device on the upper side along the third direction when the winding device is engaged with the lifting door balancing system to adjust its elastic energy.

12. The winding apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting door balancing system has at least one helical spring and a connecting device that connects the helical spring and protrudes from one end of the lifting door balancing system. The central through hole of the winding device is received by the connecting device and engages with the connecting device to adjust the elastic energy of the helical spring.

13. The winding apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The second ring gear is directly formed at one end of the worm gear.

14. The winding apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The positioning frame is manufactured using a laser cutting process or an equivalent device.

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