This invention is about an improved garage door opener system, with design features for preventing garage door break-in from outside of the garage using an object such as a hanger. Typically, a person pulls down a cord connected to a release handle to release emergency release of a garage door opener, allowing the door to be manually open or closed. An unauthorized person may attempt to pull down the cord using a hanger from outside the garage or to pull or push down the release handle, to open the door from outside and gain unauthorized entrance. The improved garage door opener system provides a mechanism to reverse the pulling direction of the cord and also protects release handle from being accessed from outside the garage, for increased security.

A device for a track- or rail-mounted closure drive assembly can include a lever and cam arrangement configured to drive an engagement member between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the engaged position allowing motor drive of a closure and the disengaged position disconnecting the drive from the motor to the closure; and a rotating body including one or more camming surfaces and one or more peripheral surfaces, the peripheral surfaces including visual indicia to indicate to a user an orientation of the one or more camming surfaces and hence whether the engagement member is in the engaged position or the disengaged position.

A door security device for preventing opening of a door. A first device includes a bar that seats against a doorframe on opposite sides of the door and a clamp that clasps a door latch and applies a force to draw the bar against the doorframe while pulling the door latch toward the bar. The door cannot be opened away from the bar. A second device has a bar that seats against a doorframe at the floor with a two plates that extend beneath the door and around to opposite sides of the doorframe. Removable pins or other locks obstruct the plates from sliding along the bar. The bar is tall enough that the door cannot pass over the bar, thus obstructing the door from opening inwardly. A closer cover slides over a mechanical door closing mechanism to be used alone or with the other devices.

Universal rotary actuators (URAs) and door assemblies having the URAs are disclosed. In some embodiments, the URA includes a motor, a worm gear driven by the motor, a worm wheel having teeth that mesh with threads of the worm gear, a pinion gear attached to the worm wheel, drive gear rotatably connected to the pinion gear, an output shaft attached to the drive gear, and a controller assembly disposed between the drive gear and the motor, the controller selectively controlling direction and speed of the motor. In some embodiments, the URA additionally includes a quick release assembly that moves the pinion gear between an engaged position in which the pinion gear is rotatably connected to the drive gear and a disengaged position in which the pinion gear is not rotatably connected to the drive gear.

A casement window operator includes a linear input mechanism configured to be mounted to a stationary frame of a casement window, a linear to rotary motion converter operably coupled to an output of the linear input mechanism, a gear reducer operably coupled to an output of the rotary motion converter, and a sash arm operably coupled to an output of the gear reducer to rotate in conjunction with the output of the gear reducer. The sash arm is configured to extend from the stationary frame of the casement window to a rotatable window sash of the casement window.

An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit, a hinge connected to the reading unit, and a cover connected to the hinge. The image reading apparatus further includes a decelerator configured to apply a damping resistance to a particular gear of the hinge, as a planet gear engages with the particular gear during movement of the cover from an open position to a closed position.

A panel carriage hanger slidable along a track and having a body, rollers attached to the body to allow the body to travel along the track and a cylindrical bore in the body. The cylindrical bore has a lip including a plurality of castellations. The panel carriage hanger includes an anti-rotating sleeve inserted into the cylindrical bore, the castellations of the anti-rotating sleeve are mateable with the castellations of the cylindrical bore. The anti-rotating sleeve is movable from a first position in the bore where the anti-rotating sleeve can rotate in the bore and a second position in the bore where the castellations of the anti-rotating sleeve and the castellations of the cylindrical bore mate such that the anti-rotating sleeve cannot rotate. The panel carriage hanger includes a biasing mechanism providing a force to the anti-rotating sleeve to mate the castellations of the anti-rotating sleeve with the castellations of the cylindrical bore, a panel attachment mechanism and a rod passing through the anti-rotating sleeve, the second end of the rod supported at the second end of the cylindrical bore by a rod support member. The rod has a keyed portion mating with the keyed portion of the anti-rotating sleeve wherein rotating the rod adjusts the distance between the rod support and the panel attachment mechanism.

A lifting system for door leaves of furniture that swing about at least one horizontal axis between a closed position and a raised open position, the lifting system comprising a supporting body which can be connected to a fixed portion of the item of furniture, a system of articulated levers which are connected to the supporting body and to a door leaf of the item of furniture, the system of levers comprising a first lever which has an end connected rotatably to the supporting body and a second lever, the first lever and the second lever being mutually articulated at the respective other ends, and elastic actuation means, which are functionally connected to the system of articulated levers in order to generate a rotation torque for the system of levers, and further comprising elastic initial opening means.

An exemplary assembly includes a cylinder, a piston, and a lock. The lock is transitionable between an unlocked position that permits extension and retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder, and a locked position that limits retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder. The lock is blocked from transitioning from the locked to the unlocked position when a load supported by the piston exceeds a threshold load. An exemplary method includes transitioning a lock from an unlocked to a locked position. The lock in the unlocked position permits extension and retraction of a piston relative to a cylinder. The lock in the locked position limits retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder. The method further includes holding the lock in the locked position using a load supported by the piston that exceeds a threshold load.

An exemplary assembly includes a cylinder, a piston, and a lock. The lock is transitionable between an unlocked position that permits extension and retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder, and a locked position that limits retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder. The lock is blocked from transitioning from the locked to the unlocked position when a load supported by the piston exceeds a threshold load. An exemplary method includes transitioning a lock from an unlocked to a locked position. The lock in the unlocked position permits extension and retraction of a piston relative to a cylinder. The lock in the locked position limits retraction of the piston relative to the cylinder. The method further includes holding the lock in the locked position using a load supported by the piston that exceeds a threshold load.