Linear actuator extension for barrier assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10370897-B2
Application number	US-201514880125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2015
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

A linear actuator extension assembly having a base housing, a driving member and a driven member having a housing. The driving member has a driving surface and a threaded lead screw disposed within the base housing. The driving surface is rotated about a first axis to actuate the threaded lead screw, thereby rotating the threaded lead screw about a second axis substantially orthogonal to the first axis. The rotation of the threaded lead screw translates the driven member housing relative to the base housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A barrier assembly, comprising:
a barrier having a frame; and
at least one linear actuator extension attached to the frame, comprising:
a worm drive having a worm gear and a driving surface, and a given length;
a driving member having a threaded lead screw;
a driven member having a housing;
a base housing having a given width, the base housing disposed within the frame, wherein the length of the worm drive fits within the width of the base housing; and
an aperture disposed within the base housing,
wherein the worm drive and the driving member are enclosed within the aperture of the base housing, such that rotating the driving surface of the worm drive about a first axis within the base housing causes the worm gear to rotate teeth on the threaded lead screw to rotate the threaded lead screw about a second axis substantially orthogonal to the first axis, and wherein the rotation of the threaded lead screw translates the housing of the driven member along the second axis within the base housing.

2. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the driving surface is rotated to rotate the worm gear along the first axis, spiral teeth on the worm gear engage and rotate the teeth on the threaded lead screw, which in turn rotates the threaded lead screw along the second axis, which causes a threaded portion integrated to the housing of the driven member to move the driven member away from the base housing.

3. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing of the driven member has an internal threaded portion that threadedly engages with the threaded lead screw to translate the housing along the second axis.

4. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the internal threaded portion is disposed on a lead screw nut that is received by an internal cavity of the driven member housing.

5. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the housing of the driven member further has a cavity that receives the threaded lead screw.

6. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the driven member has a compression pad.

7. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the base housing has a first and second internal compartment separated by an intermediary wall.

8. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first internal compartment of the base housing receives the housing of the driven member.

9. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second internal compartment houses the worm drive that defines the driving surface on a first end thereof, centered about the first axis, and a geared portion of the threaded lead screw having threads that project radially outwards from the second axis.

10. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 7 , wherein the intermediary wall defines an aperture that receives and secures a portion of the threaded lead screw.

11. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one visual indicator disposed on the driven member for measuring an overall length of the linear actuator extension assembly.

12. A barrier assembly, comprising:
a barrier having a frame; and
at least one linear actuator extension attached to the frame, comprising:
a worm drive having a worm gear and a driving surface, and a given length;
a driving member having a threaded lead screw;
a driven member having a housing;
a base housing having a given width, the base housing disposed within the frame, wherein the length of the worm drive fits within the width of the base housing; and
an aperture defined in the base housing;
wherein the worm drive and the driving member are enclosed within the aperture of the base housing, such that rotating the driving surface of the worm drive about a first axis within the base housing causes the worm gear to rotate teeth on the threaded lead screw to rotate the threaded lead screw about a second axis, and wherein the rotation of the threaded lead screw translates the housing of the driven member along the second axis within and relative to the base housing.

13. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein a first unit vector of the first axis is perpendicular to a second unit vector of the second axis.

14. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 12 , further comprising a second driving surface disposed on an opposite end of the worm drive in relation to the first driving surface.

15. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the at least one linear actuator extension has an extended position and a retracted position, in the retracted position an internal compartment of the base housing receives the housing of the driven member.

16. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the base housing defines a first internal compartment, an intermediary wall, a second internal compartment and a rear wall, the intermediary wall having a first through-hole and the rear wall having a second through-hole that receive a first and second portion of the threaded lead screw respectively.

17. The barrier assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein in an installed position, internal compression forces within the linear actuator extension are distributed between the driven member, the threaded lead screw and the base housing.

18. A barrier assembly, comprising:
a barrier having a frame; and
at least one linear actuator extension attached to the frame, comprising:
a worm drive having a worm gear and a driving surface, and a given length;
a driving member having a threaded lead screw defining a first central axis; and
a driven member having a housing and a threaded portion that engages the threaded lead screw,
wherein the worm drive and a portion of the driving member are disposed within an aperture disposed in a base housing having a given width that is enclosed and disposed within the frame, wherein the length of the worm drive fits within the width of the base housing, such that a rotation of the driving surface of the worm drive within the base housing about a second central axis drives a rotation of the threaded lead screw about the first central axis to linearly translate the portion of the driven member along the first central axis within the base housing.

Assignees

• Munchkin Inc

Inventors

• Birkert Thomas E
• Chan Sung Yun
• Trumbo Nicholas

Classifications

• E06B9/0615

  characterised by the closing elements · CPC title

• E06B2009/002

  Safety guards or gates · CPC title

• F16H25/20

  Screw mechanisms (with automatic reversal F16H25/12) · CPC title

• F16H2025/2031

  Actuator casings · CPC title

• E06B9/02

  Shutters, movable grilles, or other safety closing devices, e.g. against burglary (louvre windows or grilles E06B7/08; lamellar blinds E06B9/26) · CPC title