A power actuator is configured for a hinged vehicle door with a generally vertical hinge axis. The power actuator includes a motor-gearbox assembly, a slip clutch, a friction brake, a threaded spindle with a motor-side bearing, and a spindle nut affixed to a spindle tube, configured to travel along the threaded spindle during a rotation of the spindle. The slip clutch and the friction brake are operatively positioned between the motor-gearbox assembly and the motor-side bearing. The power actuator does not need to include a biasing element acting on the spindle nut toward an extended position because such a biasing element is unnecessary where the hinge axis is generally parallel to the direction of gravity.

Self-closing safety gate embodiments are disclosed herein. The self-closing safety gates include a hinge plate configured to rotate about a vertical support member and engage a hoop portion. In some embodiments, the hinge plate includes at least one support arm portion with a channel. In such embodiments, the channel can be configured to receive and frictionally engage a hoop arm of the hoop portion with a compressive fastener. In some embodiments, the self-closing safety gate can be damped.

A temperature activated door spring device includes a spring having a coil with a contiguous upper arm and lower arm. The coil includes an inner hinge pin hole and has a circumferential edge sized to mount on the top of a hinge knuckle. A collar is affixed within the inner hinge pin hole wherein the inner hinge pin hole is encompassed by the collar sized to accept an inserted hinge pin. A pellet hole is located proximate an extended end of the upper arm, wherein the pellet hole is sized to accept a fusible pellet. An upper portion of the pellet hole traverses through the upper arm and a lower portion of the pellet hole traverses through the lower arm so that when a fusible pellet is inserted into the pellet hole it holds the upper arm and the lower arm together in a spring loaded position.

To provide a new and improved control device, control method, and storage medium capable of detecting with higher accuracy whether an object exists in an opening/closing range of a door.

A control device includes a control unit configured to perform a control of calculating position information of an object, on the basis of distances between a distance measurement sensor provided on a hinge-type door and the object, the distances being obtained by the distance measurement sensor at two or more positions in an opening/closing range of the door.

Power window operators, windows including the power window operators, and methods of using the same are described herein. The power window operators may offer the ability to control the timing and/or speed of the lock/unlock motion relative to the open/close motions of the operator arm of the power window operator and, if provided, a sash being driven by the power window operator.

A hinge assembly for a swinging door includes a shifting pivot point movable between a first concealed positioned and a second extended position to provide clearance for protruding trim pieces and the like upon opening the swinging door. A double action spring mechanism energizes to drive the shifting pivot point between the first and second positions. An assembly including a link arm and a bell crank is driven by the double action spring mechanism to shift the shifting pivot point and locking mechanisms are provided to lock each of the link arm and the bell crank in their respective extended positions. A compartment assembly includes a swinging door, a fixed structure to which the swinging door is movably coupled, at least one hinge assembly according to the present disclosure.

A hinge having a hinge cup, an articulation mechanism and a hinge arm, wherein the hinge cup is connected to the hinge arm in a pivotable manner via the articulation mechanism. The articulation mechanism includes first and second articulated levers attached to the hinge cup and to the hinge arm. The first articulated lever has a first end connected to the hinge cup in a pivotable manner via a first bearing element and has a second end connected to the hinge arm in a pivotable manner via a second bearing element. The second articulated lever has a first end connected to the hinge cup in a pivotable manner via a fourth bearing element and has a second element connected to the hinge arm in a pivotable manner via a third bearing element.

An apparatus comprises a base plate configured to be coupled to a door, the door configured to be positioned in an open position and a closed position; a closing mechanism coupled to the base plate and configured to be coupled to a hinge of the door and having an unprimed state and a primed state, the closing mechanism configured to be transitioned between the unprimed state and the primed state by a user; wherein in the unprimed state the closing mechanism is decoupled from operation of the door; and in the primed state the closing mechanism is configured to move the door into the closed position responsive to receipt of a signal, and the closing mechanism is configured to allow movement of the door between the open position and the closed position in absence of the signal.

A lock release control device for an opening and closing body configured to control an opening and closing body that opens and closes an opening portion of a vehicle. The opening and closing body comes into contact with a sealing member provided on a vehicle body side of the vehicle in a fully closed state. The vehicle includes a locking device and an opening and closing actuator. The locking device restrains the opening and closing body in a fully closed position. The opening and closing actuator displaces the opening and closing body by rotation of a motor to change the opening and closing body from one of two states including an open state and a closed state to another of the states. The lock release control device is configured to execute an open command acquisition process, a pull-in process, and a lock release process.

A centering apparatus for bi-directionally pivotable hopper doors. The apparatus is coupled between a frame of a hopper car and a bell crank of a hopper door. The apparatus includes a housing with a piston extending from one end. An end of the piston within the housing includes a piston head. A pair of coil springs are disposed within the housing on opposite sides of the piston head and counteract one another to bias the piston head toward the center of the housing and thus bias the hopper door toward a closed state. In a second configuration the apparatus includes a double-acting actuator with a pair of independent piston assemblies. An actuation system coupled to the actuator maintains the actuator and an associated hopper door in a closed position in a normal state and returns the hopper door to the closed position upon a failure in the system.