Motorized gear sliding window or door system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10995537-B2
Application number	US-201815867431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2018
Priority date	Nov 27, 2017
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for a frame with a slidable segment are disclosed. The slidable segment is slidably mounted within the frame. A first motor is coupled to the slidable segment. The first motor has a first gear affixed to and driven by the first motor. A first gear track may be mounted to a first horizontal member of the frame, wherein teeth of the first gear align with tooth spaces of the first gear track. Rotating the first gear in a first rotational direction causes the first gear to pull the slidable segment in a first linear direction as the first gear walks along the first gear track. Rotating the first gear in a second rotational direction causes the first gear to pull the slidable segment in a second linear direction as the first gear walks along the first gear track.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a frame and a slidable segment that is slidably mounted within the frame and configured to slide horizontally within the frame, wherein the frame comprises a horizontal first open channel with two parallel walls that retain the slidable segment as it slides in the frame horizontally, wherein the slidable segment has an external vertical side surface that is perpendicular to the parallel walls;
a first motor retrofittably mounted to the external vertical side surface of the slidable segment at a bottom of the external vertical side surface,
a first gear affixed to and driven by the first motor,
a first gear track retrofittably mounted to a surface of one of the two parallel walls of the first open channel,
wherein teeth of the first gear align with tooth spaces of the first gear track,
wherein rotating the first gear in a first rotational direction causes the first gear to pull the slidable segment in a first linear direction as the first gear walks along the first gear track, and
wherein rotating the first gear in a second rotational direction causes the first gear to pull the slidable segment in a second linear direction as the first gear walks along the first gear track.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a second open channel, parallel to and opening toward the first open channel, which second open channel comprises two parallel walls, the device further comprising a second motor retrofittably mounted to the slidable segment, a second gear affixed to and driven by the second motor, a second gear track retrofittably mounted to one of the two walls of the second open channel, and wherein teeth of the second gear align with tooth spaces of the second gear track.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein:
the first gear and the second gear are oriented anti-parallel to each other,
wherein rotating the second gear in the second rotational direction causes the second gear to pull the slidable segment, in conjunction with the first gear, in the first linear direction as the second gear walks along the second gear track, and
rotating the second gear in the first rotational direction causes the second gear to pull the slidable segment, in conjunction with the first gear, in the second linear direction as the second gear walks along the second gear track.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the first and second open channel are horizontal, so that the slidable segment travels in a horizontal direction.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a fixed segment offset from the slidable segment such that the slidable segment can slide past the fixed segment.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first motor comprises one or more communication systems comprising Bluetooth communication chips, Internet Wi-Fi transceivers, network transceivers, a Z-Wave network transceiver, or a combination thereof, and wherein the one or more communication systems communicate with an external remote controller.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more communication systems receive instructions from the external remote controller, generate signals instructing the first motor to rotate in a direction, receive signals from the first motor regarding a status of the first motor, and generate a signal informing the external remote controller of the status of the first motor.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first motor includes a transmission that drives the first gear, wherein the transmission prevents the first gear from rotating when the transmission is not driven by the motor such that the transmission locks the slidable segment in place when the transmission is not driven by the motor.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises one or more batteries and the motor is powered by the one or more batteries.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a power line and the motor is powered by the power line.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a latching device that mates to a latching receiver attached to the slidable segment, wherein mating prevents movement of the slidable segment.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the latching receiver comprises a communication device that generates a signal when the latching device is mated and transmits that signal to the motor, wherein the signal deactivates the motor.

13. A device comprising:
a frame and a slidable segment that is slidably mounted within the frame and configured to slide horizontally within the frame, wherein the frame comprises a horizontal first open channel with two parallel walls that retain the slidable segment as it slides in the frame horizontally, wherein the slidable segment has a vertical side surface that is perpendicular to the parallel walls;
a first motor retrofittably mounted to the vertical side surface of the slidable segment at a bottom of the vertical side surface,
a first gear affixed to and driven by the first motor,
a first gear track retrofittably mounted to a surface of one of the two parallel walls of the first open channel,
wherein teeth of the first gear align with tooth spaces of the first gear track,
wherein rotating the first gear in a first rotational direction causes the first gear to pull the slidable segment in a first linear direction as the first gear walks along the first gear track, and
wherein rotating the first gear in a second rotational direction causes the first gear to pull the slidable segment in a second linear direction as the first gear walks along the first gear track, wherein the motor is as wide as the horizontal first open channel.

14. A method for automating a slidable segment in a frame comprising:
retrofittably attaching a first gear track to a surface of one of two parallel walls of an open channel member of the frame, wherein the slidable segment is slidably retained in the open channel member, wherein the slidable segment has an exterior vertical side surface perpendicular to the parallel walls;
aligning teeth of a first gear with tooth spaces of the first gear track;
retrofittably mounting a first motor assembly to the exterior vertical side surface of the slidable segment, wherein the first motor assembly comprises a first motor turning the first gear.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first motor comprises one or more communication systems comprising Bluetooth communication chips, Internet Wi-Fi transceivers, network transceivers, a Z-Wave network transceiver, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more communication systems communicate with an external remote controller, and wherein the one or more communication systems receive instructions from the external remote controller, generate signals instructing the first motor to rotate in a direction, receive signals from the first motor regarding a status of the first motor, and generate a signal informing the external remote controller of the status of the first motor.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the motor assembly includes a transmission that drives the first gear, wherein the transmission locks the slidable segment to the first gear track when the transmission is not driven by the motor.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Miles Jerome
• Davis Nathan
• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Miles Jerome
• Davis Nathan

Classifications

• E05B65/08

  for sliding wings · CPC title

• E05Y2900/148

  Windows · CPC title

• E05F15/635 Primary

  operated by push-pull mechanisms, e.g. flexible or rigid rack-and-pinion arrangements (E05F15/652 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05Y2800/21

  of identical elements, e.g. of identical compression springs · CPC title

• E05Y2400/66

  Wireless transmission · CPC title