Power boost module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11846133-B2
Application number	US-202117499394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2021
Priority date	Dec 13, 2019
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

An exemplary method relates to operating a door closer assembly including a closer body, a pinion rotatably mounted to the closer body, a motor including a motor shaft, and a bidirectional clutch connected between the pinion and the motor shaft. The method generally involves permitting, by the clutch, rotation of the pinion in each of a first direction and a second direction without transmitting rotation of the pinion in either direction to the motor shaft; sensing, with a sensor, a rotational position of the pinion; comparing, by a controller, the rotational position of the pinion with a desired rotational position; based upon the comparing, driving the motor to rotate the motor shaft; and by the clutch, coupling the motor shaft with the pinion in response to rotation of the motor shaft, thereby transmitting torque from the motor shaft to the pinion and urging the pinion toward the desired rotational position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power boost module configured for use with a door closer having a pinion, the power boost module comprising:
a motor including a motor shaft;
a clutch comprising a clutch input component and a clutch output component, the clutch input component rotationally coupled with the motor shaft, the clutch output component configured to be rotationally coupled with the pinion; and
a controller configured to selectively actuate the motor;
wherein the clutch is configured to rotationally couple the clutch input component and the clutch output component in response to rotation of the clutch input component; and
wherein the clutch is configured to rotationally decouple the clutch input component and the clutch output component in response to rotation of the clutch output component.

2. The power boost module of claim 1 , further comprising a housing with said clutch, said motor, and said controller positioned within said housing; and
wherein the housing is configured to be removably mounted to at least one of a closer body of the door closer or a structure to which the closer body is mounted.

3. The power boost module of claim 1 , wherein the controller selectively actuates the motor to rotationally drive the pinion and provide a door closing force via the door closer.

4. The power boost module of claim 1 , further comprising a reduction gear set coupled between the motor shaft and the clutch input component.

5. The power boost module of claim 4 , wherein the reduction gear set comprises an input gear coupled with the motor shaft and an output gear coupled with the clutch input component;
wherein the reduction gear set is configured to translate a first torque imparted to the input gear by the motor shaft into a second torque imparted to the clutch input component by the output gear; and
wherein the second torque is higher than the first torque.

6. The power boost module of claim 4 , wherein the reduction gear set comprises a planetary gear set.

7. The power boost module of claim 1 , further comprising an onboard power supply operable to supply electrical power to the controller and the motor.

8. A door closer assembly comprising the power boost module of claim 1 , and further comprising the door closer;
wherein the power boost module is removably secured to a closer body of the door closer; and
wherein the clutch output component is rotationally coupled with the pinion.

9. A door closer assembly comprising the power boost module of claim 1 , the door closer assembly further comprising the door closer;
wherein the door closer further comprises a closer body to which the pinion is rotatably mounted;
wherein the power boost module further comprises a housing separate from the closer body;
wherein the motor, the clutch, and the controller are mounted in the housing; and
wherein the housing is releasably secured to the closer body.

10. A power boost module configured for use with a door closer having a pinion, the power boost module comprising:
a motor including a motor shaft;
a clutch comprising a clutch input component and a clutch output component, the clutch input component rotationally coupled with the motor shaft, the clutch output component configured to be rotationally coupled with the pinion;
a controller configured to selectively actuate the motor; and
a position sensor operable to sense a rotational position of the clutch output component;
wherein the clutch output component rotates in response to a corresponding rotation of the pinion, and wherein the clutch input component and the motor shaft do not rotate in response to rotation of clutch output component;
wherein the clutch input component rotates in response to a corresponding rotation of the motor shaft, and wherein the clutch output component rotates in response to rotation of the clutch input component to thereby rotationally drive the pinion; and
wherein the controller is in communication with the position sensor, and wherein the controller selectively actuates the motor based on the sensed rotational position of the clutch output component.

11. A door closer assembly, comprising:
a door closer comprising a closer body and a pinion rotatably mounted to the closer body, wherein the pinion includes an exposed end portion that projects out of the closer body; and
a power boost module separable from the door closer, the power boost module comprising:
a motor including a motor shaft;
a clutch comprising a clutch input component and a clutch output component, wherein the clutch input component is rotationally coupled with the motor shaft, and wherein the clutch output component is matingly engaged with the exposed end portion of the pinion; and
a controller configured to selectively actuate the motor;

wherein the clutch output component rotates in response to rotation of the pinion, and wherein the clutch input component and the motor shaft do not rotate in response to rotation of the clutch output component; and
wherein the clutch input component rotates in response to rotation of the motor shaft, and wherein the clutch output component rotates in response to rotation of the clutch input component to thereby rotationally drive the pinion.

12. The door closer assembly of claim 11 , wherein the clutch comprises a bidirectional clutch connected between the pinion and the motor shaft;
wherein the bidirectional clutch permits rotation of the pinion without transmitting rotation of the pinion to the motor shaft;
wherein the motor is selectively driven to rotate the motor shaft; and
wherein the bidirectional clutch rotationally couples the motor shaft with the pinion in response to rotation of the motor shaft, and thereby transmits torque from the motor shaft to the pinion to urge the pinion toward a desired rotational position.

13. The door closer assembly of claim 12 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to sense a rotational position of the pinion;
a controller configured to compare the sensed rotational position of the pinion with the desired rotational position of the pinion; and
wherein the motor is selectively driven to rotate the motor shaft to drive the pinion toward the desired rotational position.

14. The door closer assembly of claim 12 , wherein the door closer assembly is mounted to a closure assembly comprising a doorframe and a door swingingly mounted to the doorframe; and
wherein the desired rotational position of the pinion corresponds to a closed position of the door.

15. The door closer assembly of claim 12 , wherein the door closer assembly comprises the door closer and the power boost module mounted to the door closer;
wherein the power boost module includes a housing, the bidirectional clutch, and the motor;
wherein the door closer comprises the closer body and the pinion; and
wherein the power boost module rotationally couples the pinion with the bidirectional clutch.

16. The door closer assembly of claim 12 , wherein the motor shaft is rotationally coupled with the pinion in response to rotation of the motor shaft; and
wherein the clutch input component is coupled with the clutch output component in response to rotation of the clutch input component.

17. The door closer assembly of claim 12 , wherein the motor is driven with electrical power supplied by an onboard power supply of the door closer assembly.

18. The door closer assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a position sensor operable to sense a rotational position of the clutch output component; and
wherein the controller is in communication wi

Assignees

• Schlage Lock Co Llc

Inventors

• Plummer Brady
• Rai Subashchandra G
• Eickhoff Brian C
• Miller Benjamin L
• Poojary Prajna

Classifications

• E05F15/63 Primary

  operated by swinging arms · CPC title

• E05F3/224 Primary

  for assisting in opening the wing · CPC title

• E05Y2201/412

  for the final closing movement · CPC title

• E05Y2400/61

  Power supply · CPC title

• E05Y2800/70

  Retrofitting of elements · CPC title