A gate actuator

Abstract

A gate actuator comprises: an elongated housing; an electric drive within the housing having an output shaft (17); an arm (6) transferring a rotation of the output shaft to a gate that is hingedly connected to the support; and a ring-shaped mounting element (30) within the housing through which the output shaft extends. The ring-shaped mounting element is provided with two through openings located on opposite sides of the output shaft and intended for receiving a fastener (16) for mounting the gate actuator to the support. Furthermore, two ring-shaped bearings (115, 116) are provided between the output shaft and the ring-shaped mounting element on opposites sides of the through openings.

Description

[0001] A gate actuator

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to a gate actuator for actuating a gate that is rotatably connected to a support by means of a hinge. The present invention further relates to a closure system comprising the gate actuator.

[0004] Background art

[0005] Different types of gate actuators are known in the art, for example spring-biased gate actuators as disclosed in WO 2012 / 103572 that are intended solely for closing the gate; hydraulically damped spring-biased gate actuators as disclosed in WO 2018 / 228729 that are intended solely for closing the gate; and motorized gate actuators as disclosed in WO 2019 / 048359 that are intended for opening and closing the gate. The present invention generally relates to gate actuators of the latter type, which are operated by an electric drive. Due to the use of an electric drive, which thus serves for both the opening and closing of the gate, this kind of gate actuators is also often referred to by the term “gate opener”.

[0006] The gate actuator disclosed in WO 2019 / 048359 comprises: an elongated housing configured to be mounted to a support, wherein the elongated housing extends in a longitudinal direction between an upper end and a lower end; an electric drive within the housing, said electric drive having an output shaft that is rotatable (i.e., in a rotational direction around the longitudinal direction) upon activation of the electric drive; an arm extending between a proximal end and a distal end and configured for actuating the gate upon rotation of the output shaft, wherein the distal end is configured to be connected to the hinge or the gate and wherein the proximal end is coupled to the output shaft; and a ring-shaped mounting element within the housing through which the output shaft extends, wherein the ring-shaped mounting element is provided with two through openings located on opposite sides of the output shaft and each configured for receiving a fastener for mounting the gate actuator to the support. The output shaft is usually rotatable in two opposite rotational directions, i.e. , a first rotational direction (e.g., clockwise) for opening the gate and a second rotational direction (e.g., counterclockwise) for closing the gate.

[0007] WO 2019 / 048359 discloses little to no details about the connection between the output shaft and the ring-shaped mounting element. This connection is only shown in cross section in the figures 7 to 10 of WO 2019 / 048359. From these, it can be deduced that the output shaft is substantially pin-shaped and fits into cavity provided for this purpose in the proximal end of the arm. A double bearing is provided between the arm and the housing of the gate actuator at the top of the ring-shaped mounting element.

[0008] Description of the invention

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical gate actuator with an improved connection between the output shaft and the mounting element.

[0010] This aim is achieved according to the present invention in that the gate actuator further comprises two ring-shaped bearings that are positioned between the output shaft and the ring-shaped mounting element and are located, in the longitudinal direction, on opposite sides relative to said through openings.

[0011] The placement of the bearings on opposites sides of the mounting openings leads to an improved alignment of the output shaft. More specifically, the output shaft is aligned at two different locations by a bearing, contrary to the gate actuator disclosed in WO 2019 / 048359 where both bearings are placed at the top of the output shaft. This ensures that a pulling force exerted on one end of the output shaft (e.g., as a result of a gate sagging relative to the support) does not, or at least to a lesser extent, lead to an undesired tilting of the output shaft and / or a resulting lateral force being exerted on the motor body of the electric motor.

[0012] Furthermore, the force transfer between the gate actuator and the support is concentrated near the mounting openings, while the force transfer between the gate actuator and the gate is concentrated near the output shaft. By providing a bearing between the output shaft and the ring-shaped mounting element at both sides of the mounting openings, any torsional effects that might occur are avoided. Such torsional effects could arise in the gate actuator disclosed in WO 2019 / 048359 due to the presence of a vertical distance between the two bearings and the two mounting openings, giving rise to a distance between the force transfer of the arm onto the gate actuator on the one hand, and the force transfer of the gate actuator onto the support on the other. In the gate actuator according to the present invention, this possible problem is solved by having the force transfer between the arm and the gate actuator via the bearings take place on both sides of the force transfer of the gate actuator onto the support.

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that each ring-shaped bearing comprises an inner race and an outer race, wherein the inner race acts on, and preferably engages, the output shaft in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the outer race acts on, and preferably engages, the ring-shaped mounting element in the radial direction.

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that each ring-shaped bearing comprises an inner race and an outer race, wherein the mutually facing surfaces of the two outer races act on, and preferably engage, the ring-shaped mounting element in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the surfaces of the two inner races facing away from each other act on, and preferably engage, the output shaft in the longitudinal direction. In these embodiments, no components (or at least no structural components) are present between the bearings, the output shaft and the ring-shaped mounting element. Such elements could adversely affect the force transfer. Furthermore, such components also take up space, which space would then not be available for the bearings, the output shaft and / or the ring-shaped mounting element, which would therefore need to be made more compact, which could lead to a reduced capacity to resist forces and / or pressures.

[0015] In this context, structural components refer to elements that form part of the structure of the gate actuator. For example, as in the gate actuator disclosed in WO 2019 / 048359, where the bearings transfer the forces onto the ring-shaped mounting element via the housing.

[0016] Incorporating the outer races in the longitudinal direction onto the ring-shaped mounting element and the inner races onto the output shaft further ensures anchoring of the bearings, the output shaft and the ring- shaped mounting element relative to each other. This is advantageous in case the output shaft is exposed to a force in the direction of the longitudinal axis, e.g., due to a sagging gate. The output shaft will then transfer this force via the inner race onto the bearing and from there via the outer race onto the ring-shaped mounting element.

[0017] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that each ring-shaped bearing is formed by a roller bearing, preferably a ball bearing.

[0018] Roller bearings, and in particular ball bearings, are highly suitable for transmitting both axial and radial forces over the bearing. Furthermore, can be sealed so as to be dust-tight, contrary to other roller bearings such as needle bearings.

[0019] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the two through openings are located in a same hypothetical plane that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and wherein, preferably, a shortest distance between a central point of each through opening is comprised between 35 mm and 80 mm, which shortest distance in particular is at least 40 mm or 45 mm and which shortest distance in particular is at most 70 mm or 60 mm.

[0020] The distance between the through openings is preferably as large as possible as this allows higher forces to be carried between the ring- shaped mounting element and the output shaft. However, the gate actuator should fit the typical dimensions of the support used in an outdoor application as part of a fence.

[0021] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a shortest distance between a median plane of the two bearings in the longitudinal direction is comprised between 10 mm and 60 mm, which shortest distance in particular is at least 20 mm or 25 mm and which shortest distance in particular is at most 50 mm, 40 mm or 35 mm.

[0022] The distance between the bearings is preferably as large as possible in order to optimize the alignment, as well as to provide sufficient space for the through openings (which for example are intended to receive M8, M10, M12 or M14 bolts). However, there is also a desire to make the entire gate actuator as compact as possible, as this is perceived as less disruptive by users.

[0023] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the electric drive comprises an electric motor and a reducer, wherein the reducer comprises said output shaft.

[0024] An electric motor is advantageous due to its compact size, which allows it to be incorporated into a housing that fits onto a support, particularly a hollow tube, i.e., without protruding relative the outer dimension of the support. A reducer is intended for lowering the rpm and increasing the torque of the electric motor so that the gate can be actuated with sufficient power. In an embodiment, the reducer has a reduction comprised between 1 :100 and 1 :1000, for example 1 :200 or 1 :400.

[0025] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the reducer comprises a planetary gear mechanism provided with: a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, particularly at least three, a planet gear carrier and a ring gear.

[0026] Different mechanisms are known that can function as a reducer, such as planetary reduction gears, worm gear reduction gears, right angle reduction gears, etc. The use of a planetary gear mechanism (i.e. , so that the reducer forms a planetary reduction gear) is advantageous for allowing manual operation of the gate. Indeed, a planetary gear mechanism typically has a low self-locking capacity (contrary to a worm gear) and thus allows a user to move the gate manually. This may be convenient, for example in the event of a power failure.

[0027] Planetary gear mechanisms for use in a reducer are well known to the person skilled in the art. The main advantage of this embodiment is that the planet gear carrier is directly coupled to the output shaft, thus avoiding the need for unnecessary intermediate components.

[0028] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the planet gear carrier is fixed to the output shaft.

[0029] The main advantage of this embodiment is that the planet gear carrier is directly coupled to the output shaft, thus avoiding the need for unnecessary intermediate components.

[0030] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the planet gear carrier comprises a housing that partially encloses the planet gears, wherein each planet gear is mounted to the housing by means of a through shaft and wherein each through shaft extends between two ends that are each fixed to the housing.

[0031] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the ring gear is fixed to the ring-shaped mounting element.

[0032] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the output shaft and the planet gear carrier are manufactured integrally.

[0033] These embodiments contribute to obtaining a planetary gear mechanism that can withstand high torque. High torque here refers to a torque of 500 Nm or more, such as 700 Nm, 800 Nm or 900 Nm, even up to 1000 Nm. Such a high torque can be generated by a user of the gate pushing it manually with high force, particularly against the rotation of the electric motor.

[0034] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the ring gear is formed through a spline at the inside of a hollow cylinder, said hollow cylinder having a free edge and being fixed to the ring-shaped mounting element by a plurality of fasteners extending through the free edge in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in cavities provided thereto in the ring-shaped mounting element. Preferably, the hollow cylinder forms a serrated surface.

[0035] In order to obtain a planetary gear mechanism that can withstand high torque, it is desired to give the ring gear as large a diameter as possible. Connecting the hollow cylinder with the ring-shaped mounting element by means of transverse fasteners allows the hollow cylinder to have a thin wall. This is contrary to a hollow cylinder that is connected to the ring-shaped mounting element by means of vertical (i.e., in the longitudinal direction) fasteners, such as threaded rods according to size M6 or M8, as the cylinder wall then needs to be sufficiently thick for receiving the vertical fasteners. The cylinder’s thin wall made possible by the transverse mounting therefore allows a larger diameter of the ring gear when compared to a thicker cylinder wall needed for fasteners in the longitudinal direction.

[0036] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the reducer comprises a plurality of planetary gear mechanisms.

[0037] The use of a plurality of planetary gear mechanisms allows the desired reduction to be obtained in a more compact reducer (i.e., having an outer diameter that is as small as possible).

[0038] The advantages described above are also achieved by means of a closure system comprising a support, a gate that is hingedly connected to the support, and a gate actuator as described above, wherein the ring- shaped mounting element is mounted to the support by means of two fasteners.

[0039] An embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the closure system further comprises a rail mounted to the gate, wherein the distal end of the arm is engaged in said rail.

[0040] The use of a rail on the gate allows the gate actuator, contrary to the one disclosed in WO 2019 / 048359, to act directly on the gate without intervention of the hinge. The gate actuator can therefore be used in closure systems where the hinge is not easily accessible, e.g., a hinge between the support and the gate.

[0041] Brief description of the drawings

[0042] The invention will now be further elucidated by means of the following description and the appended figures.

[0043] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a gate actuator according to the present invention mounted to a closure system.

[0044] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a gate actuator according to the present invention.

[0045] Figure 3 shows the gate actuator of figure 2 with the casing removed from the frame.

[0046] Figure 4 shows a partially exploded view of the top of the gate actuator of figure 2.

[0047] Figure 5 shows details about the mounting of the gate actuator of figure 2 with the casing removed from the frame to the support.

[0048] Figure 6 shows a vertical cross section through the top of the gate actuator of figure 2.

[0049] Figure 7 shows a partially exploded view of the reducer of the gate actuator of figure 2.

[0050] Figure 8A shows a perspective view of the output shaft of the reducer of the gate actuator of figure 2.

[0051] Figure 8B shows an exploded view of the output shaft shown in figure 8A.

[0052] Embodiments of the invention

[0053] The present invention will now be described with respect to particular embodiments and in reference to certain drawings, but the invention is not limited thereto and is defined only by the claims. The drawings presented here are merely schematic depictions and are nonlimiting. In the drawings, the sizes of some of the elements may be exaggerated, meaning that the elements in question are not drawn to scale and are only intended for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

[0054] Furthermore, terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, and the like are used in the description and in the claims for distinguishing between similar elements, and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention can operate in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

[0055] Moreover, terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “over”, “under”, “left”, “right”, “front”, “rear”, and the like are used in the description and in the claims for descriptive purposes. The terms so used, in particular “top”, “bottom”, “over”, “under”, “front” and “rear”, are to be understood and read in the context of the normal positioning of the gate actuator, with its longitudinal direction substantially coinciding with the vertical direction.

[0056] The term “comprising” and terms derived therefrom, as used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; the term does not exclude other elements or steps. The term should be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, without however precluding the presence or addition of one or more additional features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of an expression such as “a device comprising means A and B” is not limited solely to devices consisting only of components A and B. What is meant, on the contrary, is that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components are A and B.

[0057] The term “substantially” includes variations departing + / - 10% or less, preferably + / - 5% or less, more preferably + / - 1 % or less, and more preferably + / - 0,1% or less, from the specified condition, to the extent that these variations are applicable to the functioning in the disclosed invention. It will be understood that the term “mainly A” or “substantially A” is intended to also include “A” itself.

[0058] The invention generally relates to an electrically driven gate actuator 3 for actuating (i.e., opening or closing) a closure system, more specifically a closure system for outside use (i.e., as part of a fence, a barrier, a gate, etc.). The closure system (shown in figure 1 ) comprises a post 1 (more generally a support, such as a wall, a pole, a hollow tube, etc.) and a gate 2 (more generally a rotatable closing member, such as a gate, a door, a window, etc.). In the context of a closure system for outside use, the support 1 is often constituted by a hollow tube. This hollow tube typically has a square or rectangular cross section with outer dimensions of 4 cm, 5 cm or 6 cm (e.g., a rectangular cross section of 4x6 cm or a square cross section of 4x4 cm). The hollow tube may also have a circular cross section, with a typical outer diameter being 4 cm, 5 cm or 6 cm.

[0059] The gate 2 is mounted to the support 1 by means of hinges 4, particularly eyebolt hinges, for example as disclosed in EP 1528202, EP 2778331 or EP 3162997, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. At the other side of the gate 2, an extra support 5 is provided, which may be provided with a lock and holder assembly, for example using a lock disclosed in EP 1118559, EP 2915939, EP 2186974, EP 3153645, EP 4191007 or EP 4245951 , the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, and a holder disclosed in EP 1600584, EP 1680567, EP 3 153 645, EP 4159958 or EP 4245951 , the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0060] The gate actuator 3 shown in figure 1 has an arm 6 that directly engages the upper hinge 4. The arm 6 therefore extends between a proximal end 6a (in the embodiment shown, this proximal end is discshaped) and a distal end 6b provided with a protruding pin 9 engaging the hinge 4 to urge the gate 2 to its closed position. More specifically, the arm 6 engages a coupling mechanism provided on the eyebolt hinge 4, as disclosed in WO 2019 / 048359, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In the illustrated embodiment, the arm 6 is made of aluminum, though other materials are also possible.

[0061] A variant gate actuator 3 is shown in figure 2. This gate actuator 3 is not intended to directly act on the hinge 4, but is intended to act on the gate 2. To this end, a rail 7 is provided, which is intended to be fixed to the gate 2. The rail 7 is therefore attached to the gate 2 by means of fasteners 8. Preferably, mounting sets are used as disclosed in EP 1907712 or EP 3575617, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The arm 6 extends between a proximal end 6a (in the embodiment shown, this proximal end is disc-shaped) and a distal end 6b provided with a protruding pin 9 engaging the rail 7. In the illustrated embodiment, the arm 6 is made of aluminum, though other materials are also possible.

[0062] The gate actuator 3 in general comprises an elongated housing 10 extending in a longitudinal direction 11 between an upper end 10a and a lower end 10b. During normal use, the longitudinal direction 11 substantially coincides with the vertical direction. The elongated housing 10 is mounted to the support 1 by means of one or more fasteners 16 as described in more detail below. Other ways to mount the gate actuator 3 to the closure system are also possible, and the details are known to the person skilled in the art.

[0063] The elongated housing 10 can be made from different materials and using different production methods. In the embodiment shown (as can be seen in figure 3), the elongated housing 10 is made up of a frame 12 (particularly a plastic frame) attached to the support 1. Mounted thereto is a casing 13 that is preferably made by means of extrusion of aluminum, though other materials, particularly metals, may also be used. The housing 10 is therefore a multi-part housing. The top 10a of the housing 10 is sealed by an upper seal 14 and the bottom 10b of the housing 10 is sealed by a lower seal 15. These seals 14, 15 may be made from metals or plastic, wherein plastic is preferred as it is easier to use in an injection molding process.

[0064] In the embodiment shown, the frame 12 comprises a substantially planar rear wall having two opposing upright side walls 61 at its outer sides. The substantially planar rear wall is intended to be mounted with its outer side (or its rear) against the support 1. In the embodiment shown, the outer side is substantially planar, but, as already described above, it may also follow a cylindrical surface to be mounted against a round support 1. In the upright side walls 61 , a groove 62 is provided, extending in the longitudinal direction 11 . These grooves are preferably each a dovetail groove. The casing 13 is provided on its inside with ribs (not shown) sliding in corresponding dovetail grooves 62 so that the casing 13 can be slid in the longitudinal direction 11 onto the frame 12.

[0065] In figure 3, the casing is removed from the frame 12, exposing the internal components of the gate actuator 3.

[0066] Figure 3 shows a mounting body 22 mounted to the arm 6 at its proximal end 6a. This is for example done, such as shown in figure 6, by means of a bolt 23 (or a fastener in general) fixing the mounting body 22 to the arm 6. The mounting body 22 is inserted at the upper end 10a of the housing 10. For this reason, in the embodiment shown, the mounting body 22 is substantially cylindrical, so that it can rotate within the housing 10. Figure 3 further illustrates a mounting ring 30 arranged for mounting the gate actuator 3 to the support 1 by means of two mounting sets 16. For this purpose, the mounting ring 30 is provided with two through openings 31 with part of a fastener 16 extending through each, respectively. The mounting ring 30 is arranged within the housing 10 and is hidden from view by the casing 13. The mounting ring 30 is therefore a static element that does not rotate along with the output shaft. The electric drive is located below (seen in the longitudinal direction 11 ) the mounting ring 30 met an output shaft (i.e., that of the electric motor 50 or of the reducer 51 , if present) extending through the mounting ring 30. Further details about the mounting ring 30 will be described below.

[0067] The gate actuator 3 comprises an electric drive. This drive comprises at least an electric motor 50 and may, if so desired, also comprise a reducer 51 for lowering the rpm and increasing the torque of the electric motor 50. In the embodiment shown, a reducer 51 is present. An electric motor 50 is advantageous due to its compact size, which allows it to be incorporated into a housing 10 that fits onto a support 1 , particularly a hollow tube, i.e., without protruding relative the outer dimension of the support 1. In an embodiment, the electric drive comprises a reducer 51 with a reduction comprised between 1 :100 and 1 :1000, for example 1 :200 or 1 :400. Further details about the reducer 50 will be described below.

[0068] The electric drive, particularly the electric motor 50, comprises a motor body (not shown) having the means required for rotating an output shaft. This may be the output shaft 110 of the electric motor 50 or, if a reducer 51 is present, the output shaft 17 of the reducer 51. This output shaft extends to the top 10a of the housing 10. Upon activation of the electric motor, the output shaft is rotatable in two opposite rotational directions about the longitudinal direction 11 .

[0069] The electric drive is further provided with an electronic control 55 for controlling the gate actuator 3. In the state of the art, this electronic control is incorporated into the support 1 . The reason for this is that a large volume is available inside the support 1 for housing components. This comes with the drawback, however, that a sufficiently large opening needs to be made in the hollow support 1 which may lead to damage to its finish (e.g., its paintwork) as well as adversely affecting structural integrity. In order to prevent this, in the embodiment shown, the electronic control 55 is located inside the housing 10. The electronic control 55 preferably allows the resting position of the arm 6 to be calibrated as soon as the gate actuator 3 is mounted onto the closure system. To be precise, reference number 55 in figure 3 refers to a housing into which the electronic control is inserted, which contributes to the protection of the electronic control against soiling, e.g., moisture, insects, etc.

[0070] Below (seen in the longitudinal direction 11 ) the electronic control 55, a power supply 56 is provided. It is typically connected to an external power grid by wiring (not shown). This wiring then typically extends through the rear wall of the frame 12 into the hollow support 1 so as to be hidden from view as well as protected against soiling, e.g., moisture, insects, etc.

[0071] Figure s further illustrates internally inside the housing 10, a double ring-shaped structure is present at the bottom of the frame 12. This structure comprises a support ring 57 onto which a lighting ring 58 is mounted, particularly LED lighting. The lighting 58 is preferably able to generate light in different colors, e.g., white light for illumination, red light for warning that the gate 2 is moving or about to move, etc. The support ring 57 has a raised inner wall 59 extending at the inside of the lighting ring 58 in the longitudinal direction 11 beyond the lighting ring 58. Figure s further illustrates that the lower seal 15 is provided with a transparent portion 63. The transparent portion 63 is ring-shaped and corresponds to the lighting ring 58 so that the light generated by the lighting is visible at the outer side of the gate actuator 3. Figure 3 also illustrates that a lock barrel 64 (lock in general) is provided at the bottom of the gate actuator 3, which is operable by means of a key 65. The lock barrel 64 is provided with a latch (not shown) which, by operating the lock 64, is rotatable (movable in general) between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the latch engages a support that is fixed to the frame 12, e.g., via the support ring 57. In this way, the lock 64 ensures that the casing 13 is not slidable relative to the frame 12. It should be understood that, in other embodiments, the lock can be mounted to the frame using a latch that engages the casing.

[0072] The electronic control 55 in the gate actuator 3 is, generally speaking, a computer system comprising a bus, a processor, a local memory and one or more input / output (I / O) interfaces. The bus comprises one or more conductors and allows communication between the different components of the computer system. Processor comprises any type of conventional processor or microprocessor that reads and executes computer programming instructions. Local memory is intended to include any form of computer readable medium for information storage, such as a working memory (e.g., Random Access Memory - RAM), a static memory (e.g., a Read-Only Memory - ROM), a hard drive, or removable storage media (e.g., a DVD, CD, USB storage, SSD, etc.), etc. The local memory is typically used for storing information and instructions to be processed by the processor. The I / O interface may comprise one or more conventional systems enabling communication between the electronic control 55 and a user. Examples of this are a keyboard, a mouse, speech recognition, biometric means, a (touch) screen, a printer, a speaker, a code keypad, etc. The IO module also comprises a communication interface, such as a transceiver system, allowing communication with external systems, such as the electric motor 50 and an end terminal (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, computer, etc. optionally supporting a specific application). Examples of this are a Wide Area Network (WAN), such as the Internet, a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) such as Sigfox, LoRa, NarrowBand loT, etc., a Personal Area Network (PAN), such as Bluetooth, or a Local Area Network (LAN).

[0073] The present invention generally relates to the mutual placement of the mounting ring 30 (more generally the mounting element) and the output shaft 17 of the electric motor for optimizing the force transfer between the gate 2 and the gate actuator 3 mounted to the support 1 .

[0074] To this end, figure 4 illustrates the coupling between the output shaft 17 and the arm 6. In figure 4, the upper seal 14 and the casing 13 have been omitted for the sake of clarity. The proximal end 6a of the arm 6 is provided with a mounting body 22. As shown in figure 6, the mounting body 22 is fixed to the proximal end 6a of the arm 6 by means of a bolt 23 (a fastener in general). The mounting body 22 is inserted at the upper end 10a of the housing 10. For this reason, in the embodiment shown, the mounting body 22 is substantially cylindrical, so that it can rotate within the housing 10.

[0075] Figure 4 further illustrates a mounting ring 30 from which the output shaft 17 protrudes. This mounting ring 30 is intended for mounting the gate actuator 3 to the support 1 by means of two fasteners 16. For this purpose, the mounting ring 30 is provided with two through openings 31 with part of a fastener 16 extending through each, respectively. The mounting ring 30 is arranged within the housing 10 and is hidden from view by the casing 13. The mounting ring 30 is therefore a static element that does not rotate along with the output shaft 17. The electric drive is located below (seen in the longitudinal direction 11 ) the mounting ring 30 with the output shaft 17 (i.e. , that of the electric motor or of the reducer, if present) extending through the mounting ring 30. Placing the mounting ring 30 around the output shaft 17 is advantageous for preventing or reducing torsional forces. Indeed, the force transfer between the gate actuator 3 and the gate 2 is concentrated at the location of the output shaft 17 and the mounting body 22, while the force transfer between the gate actuator 3 and the support 1 is concentrated at the location of the mounting ring 30. Creating a large distance between these elements may give rise to torsional forces, which is undesirable.

[0076] As shown in figure 4, the output shaft 17 is provided with a spline 29 at its outer wall, wherein the spline ridges extend in the longitudinal direction 11. In the embodiment shown, the output shaft 17 is a serrated shaft having a serration 29, although other splines are possible, e.g., a square or rectangular shaft. The output shaft 17 is inserted, as shown in figure 6, into a cavity at the bottom of the mounting body 22. This cavity has a shape corresponding to the spline 29 on the output shaft 17. A rotation of the output shaft 17 thus results in a rotation of the arm 6.

[0077] In the embodiment shown, the mounting body 22 is further provided with a transverse cavity 35 in which an at least partially conical body 36 is placed. The at least partially conical body 36 comprises a head 37, a conical part 38 and a free end 39. In the embodiment shown, the head 37 is provided with an external thread that fits into a corresponding thread within the transverse cavity 35 for mounting the conical body 36 in the transverse cavity 35. Due to the cooperating thread, a rotation of the conical body about its longitudinal axis results in a translation of the conical part 38 in the longitudinal direction of the at least partially conical body 36.

[0078] The conical part 38 has a decreasing diameter and directly contacts the outer wall of the output shaft 17. Inserting the conical body into the transverse cavity 35 causes the conical part 38 to contact the outer wall of the output shaft 17 and to exert a force on the latter in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conical body 36. Inserting the conical body 36 to a sufficient depth in the transverse cavity 35 (e.g., screwing the conical body 36 into the cavity 35) causes the output shaft 17, particularly its spline 29, to be urged against the cavity 28 in the mounting body 22 so as to so as to eliminate any tolerances due to manufacture and / or any sliding clearances. In the embodiment shown, for this purpose, the outer wall of the output shaft 17 is provided with a hyperboloid section 45 (indicated in figure 6) for obtaining a line contact between the conical part 38 and the output shaft 17.

[0079] In the embodiment shown, an additional securing element of the conical body 36 is further provided. This securing element comprises a bolt 47 (a fastener in general) screwed into a cavity 44 at the free end 39 of the conical body 36. The head of the bolt 47 abuts against an internal collar (not shown) within the transverse cavity 35. If so desired, this securing element may also take over the function of the thread 37 entirely. The bolt 47 could also be replaced by a nut engaging an outer thread on the free end 39 of the conical body 36. For this purpose, however, the free end 39 needs to be sufficiently thin.

[0080] Figure 5 illustrates the use of mounting sets as disclosed in EP 1907712 or EP 3575617 for mounting the gate actuator 3 to the support 1. Each mounting set comprises a bolt 16 (a fastener in general), a splitter 111 and an anchor 112. The bolt 16 extends into the hollow support 1 through the opening 31 in the mounting element 30. The splitter 111 extends through the wall of the support 1 and with its square side fits into a corresponding recess (not shown) at the rear of the frame 12. The splitter 111 is therefore not rotatable relative to the gate actuator 3. The splitter 111 has inclined surfaces so that the arms of the anchor 112 slide open while the bolt 16 is being tightened and thus engage against the inside of the wall of the support 1. One such mounting set 16, 111 , 112, as commercially available under the brand name Quick-Fix® through the present applicant Locinox®, can withstand a pulling force up to about 10.000 N.

[0081] Figure 6 shows the coupling between the output shaft 17 and the mounting ring 30. More specifically, according to the present invention, two bearings, i.e., an upper bearing 115 and a lower bearing 116, are arranged between the output shaft 17 and the mounting ring 30. The bearings 116, 117 are separated from each other by a vertical distance allowing the fasteners 16 in the longitudinal direction 11 to be flanked. In figure 6, this vertical distance H is shown as the distance between hypothetical median planes of the bearings 115, 116. In the embodiment shown, this vertical distance H is about 33 mm. However, as already described above, other values are possible. It is crucial for the bearings 115, 116 to be present on both sides of the openings 31 in the longitudinal direction 11 of the gate actuator 3.

[0082] Figure 6 further illustrates the distance D between the central points of the mounting openings 31 in the mounting ring 30. In the embodiment shown, this distance is about 50 mm. However, as already described above, other values are possible.

[0083] All of this results in an efficient transfer of forces and the avoidance of torsional effects when actuating the gate 2. Indeed, he force transfer from the electric drive to the output shaft 17 is at its highest at the bottom (in figure 6) of the output shaft 17 where the lower bearing 116 is provided, and the force transfer from the output shaft 17 to the arm 6 is at its highest at the top (in figure 6) of the output shaft 17 where the upper bearing 115 is provided. The fasteners 16 that fix the mounting ring 30 to the support 1 are then provided between the bearings 115, 116.

[0084] In the embodiment shown, each bearing 115, 116 had an inner race 120 and an outer race 121 with a number of balls 122 between them. The inner race 120 directly contacts the outer wall of the (rotatable) output shaft 17 and the outer race 121 directly contacts the (static) mounting ring 30. Figure 6 further shows the presence of a retaining ring 125 arranged in a groove 126 on the outer wall of the output shaft 17, as well as the stepped region 127 of the output shaft 17. As a result, the inner races 120 of the bearings 115, 116 are trapped, as it were, between two abutment walls, i.e., one formed by the retaining ring 125 and one formed by the trap 127 in the output shaft 17. The outer races 121 of the bearings 115, 116 also engage abutment walls 128 formed by the mounting ring 30 in the longitudinal direction 11.

[0085] Figure 7 shows a partially exploded view of the reducer 51 used in the gate actuator 3. In the embodiment shown, the reducer 51 comprises three separate planetary gear mechanisms. To wit, a first planetary gear mechanism 130 that engages the output shaft 110 of the electric motor 50. Here, the output shaft 110 functions as a sun gear of the first planetary gear mechanism 130. The first planetary gear mechanism 130 has a planet gear carrier 131 to which a sun gear 136 of the second planetary gear mechanism 135 is mounted. The second planetary gear mechanism 135 in turn has a planet gear carrier 137 to which a sun gear 141 of the third planetary gear mechanism 140 is mounted. In the embodiment shown, the different planetary gear mechanisms 130, 135, 140 share one and the same ring gear 145. This ring gear 145 is formed as a spline, preferably a serration, within a hollow cylinder that, as shown in figure 7, is attached to the mounting ring 30 by means of transverse fasteners 161 (e.g., bolts) extending through the cylinder wall into cavities 160 provided thereto in the mounting ring 30. The use of a plurality of planetary gear mechanisms in one and the same reducer 51 allows the desired reduction to be obtained between the output shaft 110 of the electric motor 50 and the output shaft 17 of the reducer 51 .

[0086] In the embodiment shown, a part of the third planetary gear mechanism 140 is integrally manufactured with the output shaft 17. This can be seen better in figures 8A and 8B. The output shaft 17 is provided with an integrally formed housing 150 at its lower end to which the planet gears 142 of the third planetary gear mechanism 140 are mounted. More specifically, the housing 150 comprises openings 151 , 152 both in its upper wall and in its lower wall into which shafts 153 are inserted. On each shaft 153, a sheath 154 is provided on which a planet gear 142 rotates. This housing 150 therefore serves as a planet gear carrier of the third planetary gear mechanism 140. Manufacturing it integrally with the output shaft 17 and fixing the planet gears 142 both at the top and at the bottom of their shaft 153 to the planet gear carrier enables the planet gears 142 to withstand a higher force when compared to a conventional planetary gear mechanism where the planet gear carrier is only connected on one side with the planet gears. Although certain aspects of the present invention have been described in relation to specific embodiments, it should be understood that these aspects may be implemented in other forms within the scope as determined by the claims.

Claims

Claims1. A gate actuator (3) for actuating a gate (2) that is rotatably connected to a support (1 ) by means of a hinge (4), the gate actuator comprising:- an elongated housing (10) extending in a longitudinal direction (11 ) between an upper end (10a) and a lower end (10b) and configured to be mounted to the support;- an electric drive (50, 51 ) within the elongated housing, said electric drive having an output shaft that is rotatable upon activation of the electric drive;- an arm (6) positioned at the upper end of the elongated housing, which arm extends between a proximal end (6a) and a distal end (6b) and is configured for actuating the gate upon rotation of the output shaft, wherein the distal end is configured to be connected to the gate or the hinge and wherein the proximal end is coupled to the output shaft; and- a ring-shaped mounting element (30) within the housing through which the output shaft extends, wherein the ring-shaped mounting element is provided with two through openings (31 ) located on opposite sides of the output shaft and each configured for receiving a fastener (16) for mounting the gate actuator to the support, characterized in that the gate actuator further comprises two ring- shaped bearings (115, 116) that are positioned between the output shaft and the ring-shaped mounting element and are located, in the longitudinal direction, on opposite sides of said through openings.

2. The gate actuator according to claim 1 , characterized in that each ring-shaped bearing comprises an inner race (120) and an outer race (121 ), wherein the inner race acts on, and preferably engages, the output shaft in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the outer race acts on, and preferably engages, the ring- shaped mounting element in the radial direction.

3. The gate actuator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each ring-shaped bearing comprises an inner race (120) and an outer race (121 ), wherein the mutually facing surfaces of the two outer races act on, and preferably engage, the ring-shaped mounting element in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the surfaces of the two inner races facing away from each other act on, and preferably engage, the output shaft in the longitudinal direction.

4. The gate actuator according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that each ring-shaped bearing is formed by a roller bearing, preferably a ball bearing.

5. The gate actuator according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the two through openings are located in a same hypothetical plane that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and wherein, preferably, a shortest distance (D) between a central point of each through opening is comprised between 35 mm and 80 mm, which shortest distance in particular is at least 40 mm or 45 mm and which shortest distance in particular is at most 70 mm or 60 mm.

6. The gate actuator according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that a shortest distance (H) between a median plane of the two bearings in the longitudinal direction is comprised between 10 mm and 60 mm, which shortest distance in particular is at least 20 mm or 25 mm and which shortest distance in particular is at most 50 mm, 40 mm or 35 mm.

7. The gate actuator according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the electric drive comprises an electric motor (50) and a reducer (51), wherein the reducer comprises said output shaft.

8. The gate actuator according to claim 7, characterized in that the reducer comprises a planetary gear mechanism (140) provided with: a sun gear (141 ), a plurality of planet gears (142), particularly at least three, a planet gear carrier (150) and a ring gear (145).

9. The gate actuator according to claim 8, characterized in that the planet gear carrier comprises a housing that partially encloses the planet gears, wherein each planet gear is mounted to the housing by means of a through shaft (153) and wherein each through shaft extends between two ends that are each fixed to the housing.

10. The gate actuator according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the output shaft and the planet gear carrier are manufactured integrally.

11. The gate actuator according to any of the claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the ring gear is fixed to the ring-shaped mounting element.

12. The gate actuator according to claim 11 , characterized in that the ring gear is formed by a spline at the inside of a hollow cylinder, said hollow cylinder having a free edge and being fixed to the ring-shaped mounting element by a plurality of fasteners (161 ) extending through the free edge in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in cavities (160) provided thereto in the ring-shaped mounting element.

13. The gate actuator according to any of the claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the reducer comprises a plurality of planetary gear mechanisms (130, 135, 140).

14. A closure system comprising a support (1 ) and a gate (2) that ishingedly connected to the support, characterized in that the closure system further comprises a gate actuator (3) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the ring-shaped mounting element (30) is mounted to the support by means of two fasteners.

15. The closure system according to claim 14, characterized in that the closure system further comprises a rail (7) mounted to the gate, wherein the distal end of the arm is engaged in said rail.

Images