A sensor apparatus for a movable barrier system having a rotatable drum and an elongate member that winds up on and pays out from an external surface of the rotatable drum. The sensor apparatus includes a base portion, a sensing portion, and a controller. The sensing portion senses a first spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion and a second spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion. The controller detects a change in the proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion without the elongate member contacting the sensing portion.

An adjustable length counterbalance mechanism for lift doors, frequently used for cargo trailers and garages. The adjustable length torque shaft of the counterbalance mechanism is able to accommodate many different lift door widths and is simpler to install than a fixed length torque shaft. In embodiments, the adjustable torque shaft is comprised of two outer torque shafts, each with a torsion spring and cable drum and a middle torque shaft that can be assembled together. The middle torque shaft can be inserted into each of the outer torque shafts to a selected depth to determine the length of the adjustable torque shaft.

A vehicle having a door slidably mounted on a shell. The vehicle includes at least one assistance device, comprising both a winder carrying a strap and a receptacle, the winder including a brake for braking unwinding of the strap from the winder, one of the winder and receptacle being fastened to the shell and one of the winder and receptacle being fastened to the door, the strap carrying a latchplate suitable for being reversibly attached to the receptacle.

A cross-sectional shape of an open-side cable 22a is formed into a round shape, and a cross-sectional shape of respective connecting units 52 between a pulley groove 50 of a pulley 46 and flange portions 51 is formed into a circular arc shape. Thus, it is possible to surely suppress damage of the open-side cable 22a caused by being strongly pressed to a corner as a conventional manner. Therefore, it is possible to improve durability of the open-side cable 22a, whereby it is possible to extend a maintenance cycle of a driving unit and obtain high reliability thereof.

When a main switch (82) is in an on-state, a controller (80) allows an electric motor (41) to drive a sliding door to open and close an opening, and when the main switch (82) is in an off-state and a half latch switch (66) is in an on-state, the controller (80) performs a braking control to allow the electric motor (41) to generate a braking force. When the main switch (82) is in the on-state, the sliding door can be opened and closed automatically. When the main switch (82) is in the off-state and the sliding door is closed manually, the improperly-closed state detecting switch is switched on before a full-latch state, the controller performs a braking control of the driving source. In this manner, damage to components caused by the inertial force of the driving source which results from an abrupt stop of the opening and closing unit can be certainly prevented without enhancing the rigidity of a casing, etc.

A cable length automatic adjustment device for a vehicle window lifter includes a housing (1) having a hollow internal, a cable axial shaft (2) arranged inside the housing (1) and an adjusting member (3). The cable axial shaft (2) includes an axle base (20), an axial shaft (21) extended from the axle base (20) and a first elastic member (22) abutted between the axle base (20) and an inner wall of the housing (1). The adjusting member (3) includes a slotted base (30), positioning pieces (32) moveably attached onto the slotted base (30) and a second elastic member (33) abutted between the axle base (20) and the positioning pieces (32). The axial shaft (21) includes indented positioning portions (210), and the positioning pieces (32) include corresponding engagement portions (320). The positioning pieces (32) are clamped onto the positioning portions (210) of the axial shaft (21) with the engagement portions (320).

A cable length automatic adjustment device for a vehicle window lifter includes a housing (1) having a hollow internal, a cable axial shaft (2) arranged inside the housing (1) and an adjusting member (3). The cable axial shaft (2) includes an axle base (20), an axial shaft (21) extended from the axle base (20) and a first elastic member (22) abutted between the axle base (20) and an inner wall of the housing (1). The adjusting member (3) includes a slotted base (30), positioning pieces (32) moveably attached onto the slotted base (30) and a second elastic member (33) abutted between the axle base (20) and the positioning pieces (32). The axial shaft (21) includes indented positioning portions (210), and the positioning pieces (32) include corresponding engagement portions (320). The positioning pieces (32) are clamped onto the positioning portions (210) of the axial shaft (21) with the engagement portions (320).

The motor control device is an electric motor control device including a control unit (control circuit unit) configured to output a forward-rotation command or a reverse-rotation command to the electric motor. The control unit includes a position detector (door opening/closing information generation circuit) configured to detect a rotation direction of the electric motor when a detection signal is input from a rotation sensor (Hall integrated circuit (IC)), which detects the rotation of the electric motor, while no current is supplied to the electric motor. The control unit includes an electric current supply device (pulse width modulation (PWM) command generation circuit) configured to supply an electric current by which the electric motor is rotated in an opposite direction to the detected rotation direction by increasing an electric current supply duty ratio every time the detection signal is switched.

An overhead bi-fold door mounted on a freestanding header has a door lift device with polymer cylindroids and capstans operated with an electric motor driven power transmission to selectively move the bi-fold door from an upright closed position to a folded open position and allow the bi-fold door to move from the folded open position to the upright closed position. Anchors mounted on the bi-fold door adjust the working length of the cylindroids between the capstans and anchors. The capstans have laterally spaced disks engageable with the cylindroids during the helical winding and unwinding of the cylindroid on the capstans as the bi-fold door moves at an increasing rate of speed from the upright closed to folded open positions and a decreasing rate of speed from the folded open to upright closed positions.

A sliding window or sliding door arrangement having an external frame and a sliding element which is displaceably mounted in the external frame, a cable deflection system for tensioning and deflecting a cable, which includes a first cable deflection unit with a first cable deflection device, a second cable deflection unit with a second cable deflection device, and a guide channel which extends in the direction of gravitational force. The second cable deflection unit is held in the guide channel against gravitational force by a cable which is inserted into the cable deflection device, such that when the sliding element is displaced, the second cable deflection unit is displaced in the direction of gravitational force or in the opposing direction in the guide channel.