Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to a mechanism that lifts the front plate of a electric gate.

BACKGROUND ART

It is customary to install rising electric gates in many places, such as in entrances to parking garages and so on. A rising electric gate has a front plate that blocks the entrance (hereinafter the "front plate"). The three main models of electric gates are: sliding gates, in which the front plate slides to the right or to the left when the gate is opened and closed; wing gates, in which there are two front plates (wings) that swing open and closed in a horizontal rotation movement; and rising gates, in which the front plate lifts up and backward in a rotational movement until it is horizontal and positioned above the entrance (hereinafter "a rising electric gate").

When a rising electric gate is installed at the entrance to a residential parking garage, it is customary to position the front line of the front plate when the gate is closed (hereinafter the "gate line") so that it coincides with the sidewalk line or is very close to it. Thus, when the rising electric gate is opened and closed and the front plate rises and rotates upward, the front plate deviates past the gate line so that part of it is positioned above the sidewalk, constituting a real and significant hazard for pedestrians on the sidewalk. Cases are known in which passersby, pedestrians and bicyclists, were injured by the front plate while it was opening (rising) or closing (descending), as it deviated past the gate line into the sidewalk. Authorities in some places forbid the installation of rising electric gates if the gate line is very close to the sidewalk line and so in such cases, the users must move the gate line back, thus detracting from the parking garage area. The mechanism, subject of the present invention, is designed to lift the front plate of a rising electric gate, offering a good and effective response to the problem described above.

We wish to stress that the present invention relates to a rising electric gate as defined above and not to an electric gate such as the one which described in US patent application no. 2007/0095487 which describes a garage door (16) made of several rectangular panels (40) (42) (44) (46). These panels are connected hinges (50). In the top of the door (16) mounted a shaft system that includes engine (10) which activate the jack shaft (22) that roll up the door (16) on couple of tracks (60)(61). By its nature, this type of door does not past the gate line, due to the fact that the door is opened in a vertical direction 'step by step', when each 'step' means each panel of the panels that comprising the door. However, a door that is built from several panels is weak and has plenty of problems and expensive maintenance. Description of the Drawings

The drawings attached to the present application are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and the possible ways of its application. The drawings are intended only to illustrate the invention and constitute only one of many possible ways of its application.

FIG. 1 depicts the mechanism when the gate is closed, which comprises a front rod (1), a guide track (2), a shaft (3) connecting the mechanism to the motor, a propulsion bar (5), a horizontal, telescopic rod (6), a diagonal telescopic rod (7), a top rod (8), a horizontal rod (9), a reinforcement rod (10), a second vertical rod (11), a third vertical rod (12), a diagonal rod (13), a bottom rod (14), and an axis joint (15).

FIG. 2 depicts the mechanism whereby the axis joint (15) is in the upper, vertical part of the guide track (2).

FIG. 3 depicts the mechanism whereby the axis joint (15) is in the front, horizontal part of the guide track (2).

FIGS 4-6 depict the mechanism in several positions after the axis joint (15) leaves the guide track (2) until the gate is wide open.

FIG. 7 presents a view from above of an electric gate with two mechanisms that are attached at either side of the gate's front plate and two electric motors (100) that are connected to the mechanisms via shafts (3).

The Invention

Standard rising electric gates generally comprise a front plate, an electric motor, and a standard mechanical mechanism. The standard mechanical mechanism currently used in rising electric gates is composed of several rods such that one end of the standard mechanism is connected to the electric motor by means of a shaft and the other end is joined permanently to the front plate, either at discrete several points or by means of a front rod. When the electric motor is activated, it rotates the standard mechanical mechanism so that the front plate swings and rises from a vertical position (closed gate) to a horizontal position (open gate) and vice versa.

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an innovative mechanical mechanism (hereinafter "the mechanism) that lifts the front plate of a rising electric gate so that even if the front plate is installed at the gate line, it does not cross the gate line when the gate is opened and closed.

The mechanism comprises a front rod (1), a guide track (2), a shaft (3) connecting the mechanism to the motor (3), a propulsion rod (5), a horizontal telescopic rod (6), a diagonal telescopic rod (7), a top rod (8), a horizontal rod (9), a reinforcement rod (10), a second vertical rod (11), a third vertical rod (12), a diagonal rod (13), a bottom rod (14) and an axis joint (15).

Dimensions of the mechanism and relative dimensions of the mechanism's components: The mechanism, subject of the present invention, may be implemented in a variety of dimensions, according to the specific application. Nevertheless, there should be a general correlation between the dimensions of the mechanism's components so as to enable its proper functioning. The general relative dimensions of the mechanism's components can be similar to those described in the attached drawings. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the relative dimensions described in the drawings are not absolute and the invention can, therefore, be implemented with a variety of other relative dimensions as well.

The materials and design of the mechanism components: The front rod (1), the propulsion rod (5), the top rod (8), the horizontal rod (9), the reinforcement rod (10), the vertical rods (11) (12), the diagonal rod (13) and the bottom rod (14) can be metal rods or metal profiles like those used in the construction of frames or standard mechanical mechanisms or they can be made of a variety rigid materials. The thickness and strength of the rods and the material they are made of must be compatible both with the dimensions of the gate's installation site and with the dimensions and weight of the gate's front plate. The telescopic rods (6) (7) are made of a hollow external, pipe-shaped rod and an internal rod that is inserted into the external rod in a telescopic (retractable) manner. The guide track (2) has the general shape of an arc (curved).

Assembly and connection of mechanism components: Drawing No. 1 depicts the way in which the mechanism components are assembled when the gate is in closed position. The front rod (1) is permanently attached to the front plate (C) of the electric gate, which coincides with the gate line (B). The front end of the diagonal rod (13) is attached to the top of the front rod (1) and the rear end of the diagonal rod (13) is attached to the front end of the top rod (8). The front end of the horizontal telescopic rod (6) is attached to the upper middle part of the front rod (1), and the rear end of the horizontal telescopic rod (6) is attached to the upper middle part of the second vertical rod (11). The front end of the bottom rod (14) is attached to the bottom of the front rod (1) and the rear end of the bottom rod (14) is attached to the bottom of the second vertical rod (11). The front end of the reinforcement rod (10) is attached to the bottom part of the second vertical rod (11) and the rear end of the reinforcement rod (10) is attached to the bottom of the third vertical rod (12). The top of the third vertical rod (12) is attached the middle of the top rod (8). The front end of the horizontal rod (9) is attached to the middle of the second vertical rod (11) and the rear end of the horizontal rod (9) is attached to the bottom of the propulsion rod (5). The top of the propulsion rod (5) is attached to the rear end of the top rod (8). The middle of the horizontal rod (9) is attached to the middle of the third vertical rod (12). The rear end of the diagonal telescopic rod (7) is attached to the attachment point of the rear end of the top rod (8) and the top of the propulsion rod (5) while the front end of the diagonal telescopic rod (7) is attached to the attachment point of the horizontal rod (9) and the third vertical rod (12). It is emphasized that all of the mechanism components are attached, as mentioned, via axis joints that enable relative rotational movement between connected rods. The attachment point of the propulsion rod (5) and the horizontal rod (9) [the axis joint (15)] will hereinafter be referred to as the "guide axis" and it comprises a protruding axis joint (15), which is positioned in the guide track (2) in such a way that the guide axis (15) can move in the guide track (2) and leave it through the guide track's front opening. The guide track (2) is permanently attached to the parking garage wall or to any other fixed element. The shaft (3), which is connected to the motor (100), is attached near to the rear end of the top rod (8) so that when the electric motor (100) is activated, the shaft (3) rotates around its own axis causing the top rod (8) to rotate around the shaft (3), in turn causing the entire mechanism to rotate around the shaft (3). The shaft (3) and the guide track (2) are the only two components in the mechanism that are stationary and fixed in space [although the shaft (3) does rotate in place around its own axis].

The mechanism's mode of operation: In order to explain the mode of operation of the mechanism, subject of the present invention, we refer the reader to the drawings that accompany the application. Drawing No. 1 depicts the mechanism with the front plate attached and the gate in closed position. When the electric motor (100) is activated, it causes the top rod (8) to rotate around the shaft (3) so that its rear end descends and causes the propulsion rod (5) to drop vertically. The propulsion rod (5) can initially descend only in a vertical manner since the guide axis (15) is confined within the upper vertical part of the guide track (2), as depicted in Drawing No. 2. As a result, the front rod (1) (along with the attached front plate) retracts backwards and its upper part slants backward slightly so that the front plate does not deviate past the gate line. The fact that the rods are connected through axis joints enables gradual folding of the rods that comprise the mechanism which causes the front rod to retract while its upper part slants backward slightly. In the next stage, when the axis joint (15) is already moving within the horizontal part of the guide track (2), the mechanism begins to rise and rotate so that the front rod (1) does not deviating past the gate line, as depicted in Drawing No. 3.

Drawings Nos. 4-6 depict several positions of the mechanism, from the stage in which the guide axis (15) leaves the horizontal part of the guide track (2) until the stage in which the front rod (1) (and as a result, the front plate) is in horizontal position above the parking garage opening, i.e. when the gate is wide open. Drawing No. 3 describes and explains the importance of the telescopic rods (6) and (7). Thus, after the telescopic rods retract, they prevent the mechanism from over-retracting. Each electric gate can and should be equipped with two mechanisms, one on each side of the gate, which are each connected to an electric motor (100), as depicted in Drawing No. 7.

The front plate is raised, as mentioned, by an electric motor. Nevertheless, the mechanism may be connected to a hydraulic motor or to any other kind of motor. In addition, the power required for lifting the front plate may be manual or may be effected by means of springs or any other means. The mechanism, subject of the present invention, enables the electric gate to be installed so that the front plate coincides with the gate line in a way that enables the front plate to lift and rotate without deviating past the gate line. The mechanism, subject of the present invention, offers an excellent solution to the problem presented in the introduction to the application.