A door operator having an automatic roller closes and opens a door attached to a doorjamb by a door hinge. The roller is actuated by a motor and housed within a protective roller casing affixed to the bottom of a door. The door operator may be integrated with a smart home, thereby allowing a user to close and open a door by voice command. The door operator may be retrofitted to existing doors. A door may also be modified such that only a magnet holds the door closed and a closed position such that the smart home door closing apparatus may be used to open a door. The roller may translate between an extended position engaging the floor below a door and a retracted position above the floor, either inside or adjacent to the door itself.

A gate opening and closing assembly includes a mount that is coupled to a vertical member of a gate that extends across an entry way. A drive unit is coupled to the mount and the drive unit is actuated to rotate in a first direction or a second direction. A wheel is rotatably coupled to the drive unit to roll along the ground. The wheel is rotated in an opening direction when the drive unit rotates in the first direction to urge the gate into an open position thereby facilitating a vehicle to drive through the entry way. The wheel is rotated in a closing direction when the drive unit rotates in the second direction to urge the gate into a closed position thereby inhibiting the vehicle from driving through the entry way. A remote control is in wireless electrical communication with the drive unit. The remote control turns the drive unit on and off to open and close the gate.

A vehicle door control system is provided, and includes a body hinge member connected to the vehicle body, a door hinge member connected to the door, a brake and a control system. The brake includes a plate pack that includes a plurality of body brake plates connected to the body hinge member, and interleaved with a plurality of door brake plates connected to the door hinge member. The plate pack is positionable in a braking state in which the body brake plates and the door brake plates are frictionally engaged with one another to provide a first resistance to relative rotation therebetween so as to hold the vehicle door in a selected position, and a release state in which the body brake plates and the door brake plates provide a second resistance to relative rotation therebetween that is less than the first resistance.

A vehicle door control system is provided, and includes a body hinge member connected to the vehicle body, a door hinge member connected to the door, a brake and a control system. The brake includes a plate pack that includes a plurality of body brake plates connected to the body hinge member, and interleaved with a plurality of door brake plates connected to the door hinge member. The plate pack is positionable in a braking state in which the body brake plates and the door brake plates are frictionally engaged with one another to provide a first resistance to relative rotation therebetween so as to hold the vehicle door in a selected position, and a release state in which the body brake plates and the door brake plates provide a second resistance to relative rotation therebetween that is less than the first resistance.

A motorized door opening device, including: a) a wheel actuator coupled between a door and at least one wheel, configured to lower said at least one wheel to a surface in response to a wheel lowering signal; b) an electric motor including a rotor coupled to rotate said at least one wheel; and c) a door attachment member configured to attach said motorized door opening device to the bottom part of said door; whereby rotation of said motor after lowering of said at least one wheel causes said wheel to rotate in contact with said surface and move said door.

A motorized door opening device, including: a) a wheel actuator coupled between a door and at least one wheel, configured to lower said at least one wheel to a surface in response to a wheel lowering signal; b) an electric motor including a rotor coupled to rotate said at least one wheel; and c) a door attachment member configured to attach said motorized door opening device to the bottom part of said door; whereby rotation of said motor after lowering of said at least one wheel causes said wheel to rotate in contact with said surface and move said door.

An apparatus comprising a baseplate configured to be coupled to a door configured to be positioned in an open door position, a closed door position, and a plurality of door positions in between the open position and closed position; a motor; a circuitry electrically coupled to the motor and configured to be in communication with a remote computing device; at least one proximity sensor electrically coupled to the circuitry and configured to determine the door position with respect to a door frame; a drive wheel coupled to the motor and the circuitry, the drive wheel comprising an external surface, the external surface of the drive wheel configured to rotatably contact a ground surface; and wherein the motor is configured to be remotely activated by the remote computing device to engage the drive wheel to rotatably contact the ground surface to reposition the door responsive to receipt of a signal.

A multi-panel door or window apparatus is provided. The apparatus has at least first and second panels that are foldable relative to one another. An automatic latch arrangement is provided that automatically actuates a shootbolt to engage a track of the apparatus as the first and second panels transition towards a co-planar relationship. Methods of latching the apparatus are provided as well. The automatic latch arrangement independent of the door or window apparatus is also provided.

A multi-panel door or window apparatus is provided. The apparatus has at least first and second panels that are foldable relative to one another. An automatic latch arrangement is provided that automatically actuates a shootbolt to engage a track of the apparatus as the first and second panels transition towards a co-planar relationship. Methods of latching the apparatus are provided as well. The automatic latch arrangement independent of the door or window apparatus is also provided.

An apparatus comprising a baseplate configured to be coupled to a door configured to be positioned in an open door position, a closed door position, and a plurality of door positions in between the open position and closed position; a motor; a circuitry electrically coupled to the motor and configured to be in communication with a remote computing device; at least one proximity sensor electrically coupled to the circuitry and configured to determine the door position with respect to a door frame; a drive wheel coupled to the motor and the circuitry, the drive wheel comprising an external surface, the external surface of the drive wheel configured to rotatably contact a ground surface; and wherein the motor is configured to be remotely activated by the remote computing device to engage the drive wheel to rotatably contact the ground surface to reposition the door responsive to receipt of a signal.